Don't you just love culture! It brings the best out of humans. Bullfighting, horse racing, rodeos, fox hunting, pig wrestling, bear baiting, anything goes as long as it is 'culture'!

Another well preserved cultural form of animal cruelty is the animal circus. Ever been to one? I have many times (for work) and it breaks my heart every time to see the animals living in such disgraceful conditions. Elephants chained by two legs most of the day, standing in their own excrement; lions, tigers, monkeys locked in cages where they can do nothing more than walk a few steps.

But this cruel excuse for 'entertainment' is increasingly becoming banned around the world and the latest country to show some progressive thinking is ... Portugal. ... huh? The same Portugal where they still love their bullfights? Yes, that Portugal! After long running campaigns such as this brilliant advertising campaign (see bottom this blog for more of the ads), the Portuguese Prime Minister last week signed a law which immediately bans the use of great apes in circuses and makes it illegal for circuses to breed their exotic animals or acquire new ones. This in effect means that exotic animals in circuses will soon be history in Portugal. Way to go Premiero Ministro!

That might leave you wondering: What's happening in Australia? Well, some councils have finally introduced bans on exotic animal circuses. But state and federal governments are still stuck in the middle ages. In fact, they even promote them on their website, saying: "Australia is a world leader in the care of circus animals". I can assure you the world would be in a pretty sad state if all animals were treated as 'well' as Australian circus animals!

If you've got a moment to spare, you might like to write to your local council, or your local MP to urge them to follow Portugal's compassionate lead and ban animal circuses.

If you live around Melbourne then we'd love for you to join us this Sunday (25th October) for the opening of a brand new photo exhibition in support of Animals Australia. 'Creatures' is the new exhibition by Melbourne photographer, Sarah Louise. And Sarah is kindly donating all profits from the event to Animals Australia.

Whether you dig art, photography, vegan nibblies or just Unleashed (who wouldn't :P), this is bound to be a great afternoon out. So come along, bring your friends and family and soak up some amazing photography.

When: Sunday, 25th October, 3pm - 5pm
Where: Obscura Gallery
Beller House Suite 11 - 285 Carlisle st,
East St Kilda, Melbourne

Click here to download the Exhibition Flyer

Here are a few samples of Sarah's work, you can check out more on her site: SarahLouisePhotography.com.au

Top o' the mornin' to ya!

*Ehem!* Well just like the many Australians who like to pretend that Russell Crowe and Crowded House are "fully Oz", today I'm liking the idea that I'm "fully Irish". Alright, alright... so I haven't been there in a while, and I probably can't tell you who the current President of Ireland is*, but the truth is I was born in Ireland, and today I'm going to (soy)milk that for all it's worth. :-) Why..?

'Cause this month the Green party in Ireland has achieved a huuuuge victory for our furry friends - they banned fur farming! Yep, you heard right: Ireland has banned fur farming!! But that's not all - campaigners in Ireland are now setting their sights on banning imports of cruel fur products! Noice Wan!

Fur factory farms are a special type of hell for animals like foxes, raccoons and minks. These and other animals are locked in tiny cages and are often driven insane from the stress and frustration of unnatural confinement. These traumatised animals have been known to gnaw at their own flesh and even cannibalise their cagemates. Those that survive the 'farm' are destined to be anally or vaginally electrocuted, gassed or drowned before having their skin ripped from their small bodies.

Unfortunately almost all fur in Australia is imported from Europe, the U.S. and Asia, where animals are treated just like this. Pretty sickening huh. We hope that other countries wake up and follow Ireland's compassionate lead in realising that animals need their fur more than ugly people do!

Meanwhile, you can help these little guys by signing the pledge to wear your own skin, and don't hesitate to remind any fur wearers where their coat or 'trim' really came from!

* My apologies to President Mary McAleese.

Wow! There was some great news for animals coming out of the US last week. I just wish I could say the same for Australia :(

Last Monday (12 October) Michigan passed a bill that will see the phase out some of the cruelest confinement methods used in the farming industry.

 Within 3 years, dairy calves in Michigan will no longer be confined in tiny veal crates and starved of iron to make their flesh pale and soft. Battery cages , used to confine egg-laying hens, and gestation crates used to confine mother pigs, will also be phased out. With these significant improvements for animals Michigan has become the 7th state to ban gestation crates, the 5th to ban veal crates and the 2nd to ban battery cages.

And the good news just keeps coming! California - who have already banned veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages – have added to their list of ‘no-no’s’ tail docking of dairy cows. A good sign from one of the US's largest dairy states, and very good news for the 1.8million dairy cows in California!

While we're on the topic of changes for animals, the city council of Santa Monica (also in California) has voted in favour of drafting new legislation that will restrict animal 'declawing' – ie. the practice of painfully removing animals’ claws.

Meanwhile, over the other side of the world in a little place often known as 'the lucky country', farm animals aren't so lucky. Recently The Greens in ACT (and Tas for that matter) put forward a Bill that would ban battery cages from ACT (meaning only one business would be affected) and the Liberals and Labour teamed up to shoot it down (same story in Tasmania).  With the many other parts of the world making huge advances for animals, it is disappointing that Australia is still dragging its feet.    

Well, the Aussie government may be stuck in the dark ages, but the good news is none of us need to be.

Ever heard of someone being paralyzed by their food? I hadn't. Ok, I could imagine it happening if someone slipped on a banana peel ;) But seriously, I wouldn't have thought it possible.

But then I read about Stephanie Smith, a 22 year old dance instructor who suffered such severe seizures from eating a hamburger that doctors had to put her in a coma for 9 weeks. And when she woke up, she was paralyzed!

What could Stephanie have possibly eaten to cause that? An 'Angus Beef Patty' contaminated with E. coli - a bacteria found in faecal matter (or should I say poo particles). And how would faecal matter end up in food? Take your pick: rubbed onto the meat from dirty skin, from unclean tools, or from an intestine being knicked whilst carving up the corpse.

Granted, not all E. coli is harmful to humans, and Stephanie's reaction was severe, but all the same, EEK! And while E. coli contamination may be a gamble, one thing that is a sure bet is increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and strokes. Hmm .. no thanks!

So anyway, if you've got some time to spare, the NY Times article about Stephanie and food safety is very interesting. As is this one by Jonathon Safran Foer (author of Everything is Illuminated) about his experience of becoming vegetarian. They're both long, but they're worth the read.

And if you've still got some time to burn after that, then you probably need to find yourself some friends (yes I know that includes me!). But also, you might like to check out the Larry King Live debate on the safety of eating meat in response to these articles.

Now that oughta keep you out of trouble for a while ;)

You may remember a couple of months ago I posted an illustration by Donn Pattendon of a dairy cow drinking Australia dry. This last week Donn sent through yet another stellar illustration and I just had to share. This time he's set his sights on battery eggs. And well it really speaks for itself...

Once again, Donn's illustration is spot on. With less than the area of an A4 piece of paper to live in battery hens really are treated like little more than vending machines. You may notice there are even a few dead male chicks swept under the machine.

I can't wait to see what Donn comes up with next!