Another Australian rodeo ... another horrible example of animal cruelty. This time the footage is from the Warwick Rodeo in southern Queensland this weekend just been. WARNING: If you love animals you'll find the vid hard to watch.
What you can see is a bull named Buckle Up falling and breaking either his leg or hip. He attempts to stand and walk, dragging his leg and collapsing on it a number of times.
The next 30 minutes(!!) were spent trying to get Buckle Up out of the rodeo ring. Rodeo clowns taunted him; a ute was used; and other bulls were let loose in the ring to shepherd him out - all of this despite his clear distress and awful injury causing him to collapse repeatedly.
After half an hour of prolonged pain, Buckle Up was finally herded onto a truck. In their clumsy and careless efforts to move him, the organisers of the rodeo may have broken more than one section of the Queensland Animal Care and Protection Act. Really though, would rodeos be the first thing to spring into your mind when thinking about "animal care and protection"?
Queensland isn't the only state where rodeos still take place. In fact, every state and territory still allows them (except the ACT...which stands for Anti-Cruelty Territory, right?). If you believe that Australia in 2012 is no place for this kind of cruel treatment of animals, all in the name of entertainment, then join with 1000s of others to make the pledge in saying "NO" to rodeos.
We've all given a dog a kiss at some point in our lives, but have you ever thought you'd have to give one the kiss of life? That's exactly the situation Hayley Bateup (superstar ironwoman) found herself in on the Gold Coast this week.
Now, because it's Friday and you've probably been reading all week, you can just watch the drama unfold on YouTube. Thanks YouTube!
Pretty amazing, hey? Would you have it in you to react as well as Hayley did?? (NOTE: letting a dog lick your face does NOT classify as "mouth-to-mouth resuscitation".)
You can be a lifesaver for dogs yourself, you know. By making the Unleashed pledge to adopt, not buy dogs or other animals, you'll be saving a life. More than a quarter of a million beautiful dogs and cats are killed in Australia every year just because there aren't enough homes and families for them.
If you or your fam are looking to welcome a fur-friend into your home and heart, then please adopt! You'll know forever that you've personally saved a life when you do. And that would be the best feeling ever ... for both you and the animal you saved.
And while we're talking about helping animals - head here and tell me your best tip to help animals beat the heat this summer, and you could win in Unleashed's latest giveaway.
If you haven't seen it already ... this is the video that instantly became one of Google's top news stories yesterday, and is featured on online news websites around the country!
That's the extended web video for Animals Australia's biggest campaign ever - to end factory farming in Australia. The campaign is officially called Make it Possible, and the craziest thing about the attention it got yesterday is this: it doesn't officially launch until TONIGHT!
So, tonight at 7pm, make sure you and your family and friends are near a telly to witness Animals Australia's groundbreaking ad. Judging by the huge response it generated yesterday, these ads are going to cause a massive shift in the way Australians think about animals.
Here's just some of the reactions already seen on Facebook. (Note: names changed to ones I find funny).
You can help animals stuck in factory farms in heaps of ways. But here's just two things you can do right now.
Check in on the blogs again over the next few days and weeks, I'll have heaps more ways for you to get involved. Until then though, get the word out there about Make it Possible, and start thinking for yourself about how you can help make a kinder world possible.
Can I let you in on some huge news? The biggest, most ambitious, most exciting campaign ever to end animal cruelty in Australia launches next week. And you, are about to get an exclusive sneak preview before it hits the rest of the nation. Come and take a look!
I can't give everything away, but here are the things I am allowed to tell you:
1) Imagine for a moment ... a world where all animals are provided with a life worth living and protection from cruel treatment. A world that recognises their needs and interests, not just takes from them. A world where every animal is treated as a someone, not a something. With the launch of this campaign imagination will become action, because we have a plan to Make it Possible -a plan to end factory farming in Australia!
2) Tuesday 23rd. Mark that date in your calendar, and just make sure you're near a TV. Stay tuned for more deets to come...
3) I can also tell you that some of Australia's best loved celebs have lined up to be a part of the Make it Possible campaign. I can't tell you which ones ... but they include sportspeople, musicians, and TV stars.
4) And lastly, you'll be seeing a lot more of this little guy in the future ...
But for now, that's all I can tell you!! By this time next week everyone will be talking about this campaign. Right now though, you're among the select few to know about it :)
I can't tell you how excited I am to see the impact this campaign will have for animals confined on factory farms. I'd encourage you to start getting excited, because this ... is going to be huge.
p.s. an end to factory farming cruelty won't be possible without your help. Stay tuned to Unleashed to find out how you can get involved to help make a kinder world for animals. Together, we can Make it Possible.
Spring has definitely sprung, and summer is just around the corner. Mr. Sun is spending more time in the sky, so what better opportunity to give away some cool new malc&andi hats! Read on to find out how you can win in our latest competition!
There's a lot to like about summer. Inflatable pool parties, taking the dog to the beach, even backyard cricket against your bro or sis (I always used to thrash my brother. Hah - take that, James!!) The thing you'll like best about this coming summer though will be one of these exclusive malc&andi snapbacks. Mmm, snapbacks - so hot right now!
These Wild Caps feature fun and quirky animal designs and are for those who are prepared to make a statement. Check out the pics then take a look at the full range.
I've seen some cool hats in my time, but these would have to be right up there. Plus, did you know that malc&andi donate money from every sale they make to animal charities?? That's gotta be worth a "like" on their Facebook page, hint hint ;)
If you wanna get one of these hats in time for summer, here's how you can win. Just tell us:
What's one tip you can give to help animals beat the heat this summer??
(e.g. "My tip to help animals beat the heat this summer would be to never, ever leave dogs in the car!!" If you need any more help, you can steal find ideas here.)
Easy as that! Post your tip in the comments below, and keep it less than 30 words. You can only enter once, and can only give one tip! The two best entries will each score the hat of their choice. Winners will be chosen on the 16/11/12, so get your thinking caps on!
A man lost at sea for almost FOUR MONTHS has told of his amazing rescue story. And the hero of this story is one you may not expect! (SPOILER: it's not a mermaid.)
The drama unfolded off the tiny island nation of Kiribati (it's kind of in between Australia and Hawaii). Local policeman and vowel-hoarder Toakai Teitoi headed off on what was meant to be a two hour boat trip to a neighbouring island. Long story short - he didn't quite get where he wanted, and 2 hours in a boat became 106 days! I hope he had something to read.
On Day 106 though, Toakai's luck changed. Curled up at the bottom of the boat under some shade, he heard a scratching and bumping against the hull. Peering overboard he saw a six foot shark circling the boat. When the shark had his attention it swam off.
This is what happened next, in Toakai's own words:
"He was guiding me to a fishing boat. I looked up and there was the stern of a ship and I could see crew with binoculars looking at me. Of course I was able to wave frantically at them and they came and picked me up. If that shark hadn't nudged me awake the crew of the boat might have thought I wasn't in trouble and might have carried on sailing past me."
According to Toakai, that shark saved his life!!
In 2012, approximately 200,000 sharks are killed by humans ... every day! That would mean that while Toakai was adrift on his boat, 21 MILLION sharks were killed. And yet this shark rescued him. That's a pretty forgiving shark!
A major contributor to the death-toll is the slaughter of sharks for their fins as part of the shark-fin soup industry. This fact about shark-finning really shook me up: all 14 shark species most common in the shark fin trade are now at risk of extinction.
If that's not bad enough, the Western Australian government is planning to shoot endangered sharks that swim too close to the shore. Under their plan, instead of being rescued by a shark, Toakai may have tried to shoot it!
I guess the simple point to make here is this: A shark saved a man's life, you can return the favour. Send a pre-written letter to the WA premier letting him know what you think of his plan. Then help other sharks by raising awareness of shark-finning amongst your buds.
Because you never know when you might need some help from a shark yourself ;)
Check these pics and clip out! People power in action...
On the weekend, countless numbers of people, young and old, took to the streets to call for an end to live exports. Simultaneous rallies were planned for capital cities across the country, speakers were confirmed, banners were made, and friends were invited. On the big day, a tidal wave of compassionate Aussies swept into the streets calling for an end to live exports.
You might already know that live export shipments from Australia have ended in a series of tragedies for animals over the last few weeks. Mother cows and calves have died from heat exhaustion and neglect in Qatar, and thousands of sheep have been stabbed, clubbed and buried alive in Pakistan.
The worst part is that these last few weeks haven't been some bizarre out-of-the-ordinary experience in the live export industry. Since the trade began, there has been no way that anyone can protect Australian animals once they leave our shores. This has seen them become victims of horrific treatment at their final destination.
Investigation after investigation by Animals Australia has shown the terrible fate that awaits Australian sheep and cows who have been exported. And with each investigation, opposition to the cruel trade grows among the Australian public. More and more people are calling for a ban on live exports, including members of the current government!
From east to west a collective voice was heard very clearly - Australians want an end to live exports. It really was an awesome day with a great atmosphere. How could it not have been though, when you get thousands of animal lovers together in one place :D
If you went along to a rally - thank you! Now we need you to keep the rally going. If you're 18 or over, let your local politician know that you're over live exports. If you not quite 18 yet, then you can still get a message to the PM telling her what you think about this cruel trade. Together, we have to speak up for the animals - because they can't do it themselves.
Aaaalright - the best comments on the blogs for the month of September have been decided upon. There were heaps of excellent comments provided last month which made deciding on a winner really tricky. And even worse - I went to all the effort of making fake accounts for myself so I could win the prize, and still my comments weren't the best! Read on to find out who can take bragging rights for Top Comment last month.
Our first runner-up is Kelsey1. She came close for promising to show heroic Hero Pig in action. An excellent idea for letting people know how amazing pigs are.
SaRa_aRaS fixed her dodgy Caps Lock button and poured out her true feelings for Gumby after he exposed the reality of factory farms.
But the big winner this month is ... ... Riss!! Riss was moved to comment after our world-exclusive interview with Levy the Lamb, and I'm sure her comment is one that you would have to agree with. For her efforts, Riss scores a complete Unleashed campaign sticker pack. Mmm...sticky.
So there you have it - just three of the best comments from last month. You can see how easy it is, so if you want to be in the running for October's prize all you have to do is post on the blogs. Heck, just mash your keyboard randomly with your hands, you never know - you might somehow create the most perfect comment the interweb has ever seen.
* We love it when you comment on blogs! We love it even more when your comments are thoughtful, inspiring, or make us laugh!! So just to be clear, this is not about who posts the most comments. It's about who posts what we think is the top comment for the month. You might only post one comment this month. But if it's a cracker, then you could be walking away with the complete badge set to show for it.
There was a massive response to our Herbivore Clothing competition which has just wrapped up. All you had to do for your chance to win a sweet new Herbivore shirt was tell us which celebrity you'd want to hang out with for the day, and why.
Choices ranged from dancers to talk-show hosts through to German Nobel Prize winning physicists (oooh, I wonder which one?)
BUT - unlike sports carnival day when you're a little kid and everyone is given a sticker just for having a go - there can be only one winner! And in this case it is sammstein!
Sammstein said she could imagine chilling with: "Adalita from Magic Dirt. Why? HAVE YOU SEEN THAT WOMAN IN CONCERT?!!! She roars!! And she is an animal activist, I mean, what more could you want from a rock chick!"
Good call, sammstein. I'm sure you and Adalita would have a great time (especially you, 'cos you'll be rocking a new shirt!)
Remember though, you don't have to be an uber-famous celebrity to be a superstar for animals. There's so many ways you can get involved and make a difference for those who need your help the most. Why not make a start right now?
p.s. Unleashed's next comp is mere days away - so keep your eyes skinned and check back regularly for it.
If you're looking for something to do on your school holidays, want to help animals AND win prizes ... then you'll probably want to know more about this competition being run through all of October!
To make the public more aware of the hard duck life, SA organisation POND (Protect Our Native Ducks) is running a poster competition. They're inviting students to create a poster that asks the public to take better care of Australia's native ducks. There are different age categories and prizes in each one. Get the comp details by clicking on the image.
POND brings together a range of people who all have one thing in common - a love for animals (well, ducks if you want to be really specific!) I didn't realise this until the info was jammed right under my nose, but ducks really have a LOT to worry about! Take a look at this...
1) Hunters. As someone once said, "The perils of duck hunting are great - especially for the duck." Ducks can still be shot at for fun in SA and some other states (boooo!), but it is banned in WA, NSW and Qld (yaaaay!) Ducks may be killed outright, have their necks broken by hunters after being injured, or if they get away injured, they can suffer a slow and painful death.
2) Old fishing gear. Ducks can easily become tangled up in discarded fishing line, which makes life very difficult for them. They've also been found with old fishing hooks in their bills - which makes my nose hurt just thinking about it!
3) Busy roads. Some roads are dangerous just for people to cross, let alone a mother duck with all her ducklings in tow! It's hard to believe, but some drivers don't bother slowing down when they see duck families on the road :( If anything should happen to the mum, it's not just her that suffers; her babies become orphans and will struggle to take care of themselves. The clip below is the most intense thing I've ever seen - and it has a happy ending. Phew!
With all these dangers stacked up against them, it's no wonder Daffy Duck is always in such a foul mood. Or should I say, "fowl" mood? (And that ... is why my comedy career never took off).
As they say, "you've got to be in it to win it"! Entries close Friday November 2nd, so you better get quacking! (LOL - see what I did there?)
Important dates during the year: your birthday ... and this Saturday!! This Saturday is the Ban Live Exports National Rally - when people all across Australia will join together to show their opposition to the cruelty that is live exports. It's time to get your rally on!
The horror stories coming out of Pakistan even as you read this blog are just the latest in a long history of animal cruelty cases which can be pinned on the live exports industry. In case you don't know what's been happening in Pakistan lately - here's the basics.
After weeks stuck on a ship in sweltering heat ... and then being confined in mud-filled pits with hardly any access to water and food and barely enough room to lie down ... Australian sheep have been killed en masse in the most brutal way. Workers have been stabbing and clubbing the harmless sheep and even burying them alive in the same pits dug for the dead sheep.
Of the original 21,000 sheep who left Australia there are now just 10,000 survivors. They have endured heat, hunger and brutality while watching thousands upon thousands of their woolly friends die.
This type of pain and fear can never be justified. The steady stream of horror stories as a result of live exports proves that it can never be fixed. That the trade continues sends a message to the rest of the world that Australians accept animal cruelty. If that's not what you're about — this is your day to stand up to live export!
This Saturday thousands of people around Australia will be speaking up for the victims of live exports - because the victims can't speak up for themselves.
Tell your friends, tell your family ... tell your friends' families! This Saturday is going to be huge. Grab this opportunity to speak up for the animals, and demand an end to live exports. A kinder world is possible if you want it to be.
Disclaimer:
We’re supposed to let you know that the ideas expressed here are the views of the individual authors, and may not necessarily reflect the views of Animals Australia or Animals Australia Unleashed. So now you know.
The drama unfolded off the tiny island nation of Kiribati (it's kind of in between Australia and Hawaii). Local policeman and vowel-hoarder Toakai Teitoi headed off on what was meant to be a two hour boat trip to a neighbouring island. Long story short - he didn't quite get where he wanted, and 2 hours in a boat became 106 days! I hope he had something to read.
In 2012, 
Choices ranged from dancers to talk-show hosts through to German Nobel Prize winning physicists (oooh, I wonder which one?) 
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