Open Rescues

The majority of animals expenses actually come out of patty marks[founder] pocket
Only a few are the responsibility of alv

I used to support this type of activity, but am not sure that I agree with it as much any more. Occasionally they have their place, but when we already have more photos and footage of the horrible conditions inside farms, I think it's best that we direct what little resources we have to exposing this awful truth to the public - who is still very, very ignorant. Then consumers can make the decisions not to fund cruelty and create long-lasting effects which will save many more animals from having to go through this misery - permanently Animals stolen from factory farms will only be replaced by more miserable animals if the demand doesn't go away. That's what breaks my heart about rescuing battery hens.

How much evidence do we need? What about the Australian code of practice? That's the hardest piece of 'evidence' we have, and it has animal cruelty written all over it! You don't need to break into a factory farm to show people that the government endorses mutilating baby animals without pain relief and locking them up in spaces so tiny that they can't even move: it's on the government's website!!

Edit: I also know of someone who was dragged through court after breaking into a farm... It ended up costing tens of thousands of dollars which went straight to the factory farmer!! Not to mention, this person was so crippled by the experience that they no longer do any activism at all. The animals lost a great activist. So, no, generally speaking I don't think it's worth this type of risk.

When people go into factory farms or puppy mills to do an open rescue, as you know, they attract a lot of attention. Papers run photos and the TV news sometimes runs video. Open Rescues, I think, keep animal rights in the minds of the public, therefore, planting that seed in people's mind which grows slowly. That seed that whispers when someone looks at pork in a supermarket "you sure you want that?"

As well as the impact the open rescues can have on the public, the practical reasons are just as important; rescuing and liberating animals. How can we say that rescuing not just one, but many animals that are subject to absolute cruelty is a waste? Are you saying freeing a chicken from a broiler shed is simply not worth it? We vegans always say, animals feel pain like us, love like us, fear like us etc. Shouldn't that mean they deserve to be rescued like us? I think if people were treated the way factory farmed animals are, the military would engage in rescue missions. If we hope that animals will be treated with respect they deserve in years to come, and have the rights they deserve in years to come... we should take the action we wish to see in years to come.

Look at the action of the abolitionists in the 19th century, particularly the Underground Railway. Groups of people rescued slaves by taking them to northern American states and Canada were they could enjoy the ultimate right, freedom. I think there are massive links in the struggle to end slavery in the US and the animal rights movement we should all take not of. Just like animals now, slaves were not looked at as people -- but somehow, people got the public to view them as people and moreover (concerning the animals rights movement) sentient beings.

I don't know how can be serious about animal rights if we don't believe that an animal deserves to be rescued.

I don't know about that...

Seems getting hot girls to walk around the streets naked attracts a lot more attention in the media than graphic images of animal suffering (not that there aren't smarter ways to do it )

To me it's not about whether the animals deserve to be rescued (of course they do), it's about what biggest impact we can make to reduce animal suffering with what little resources we have. There aren't enough of us fighting for animals, and there isn't enough money behind us, so we need to be smart with what we spend our time and money on. That's all.

http://www.openrescue.org/rescues/2002/20020226/merc.jpg
it does make the papers. The result of that open rescue also got the state news to run video footage of the insides of factory farms supplied by Open Rescue

Those articles educate and touch a lot more people than a half-day demonstration in the city. So, I think we can safely say, the funding for open rescues is well spent (At least, in my opinion).

Well, I just think there's two sides to this coin. It's a gamble that shouldn't be taken lightly. There are great risks to those that do this, and also to the animals. I mean, with the massive fine money that went to the factory farmer in the case I mentioned earlier, full page ads and TV commercials could have been run to expose cruelty to the public. Instead, the factory farmer had tens of thousands more dollars which he no doubt used to abuse even more animals.

hmm yeh that sucks when that happens.

but it's rare. generally, unless serious damage, like arson, has been inflicted onto private property (not sure if your friend did something along those lines), the corporations such as Pace Farms don't prosecute. When they do, they generally attract a lot of media attention. They therefore don't press charges and the activists are released -- I've read some activists describe it as though they "have a license" to do what they want.

That seems to be the case Matt.. the "license" thing.

Farmers have seen the damage that can be done to them with press related to their farming methods and don't want draw attention to themselves so have almost universally decided not to prosecute - that's if the rescuers are caught in the first place.


In the mid nineties and early 2000s rescues done in victoria that were publicised had a HUGE impact on people, they got media attention, even a current affair documented one. Therse were battery hen rescues and in my opinion I think this stuff has definitely contributed to  the vast disaproval ofthis farming method withinn the general public.

The other thing about Open Rescues is that they are indeed Open. There are actually statements in the code of conduct that say farmers not knowingly leave animals without food or what or to die and yet that's exacctly what happens in battery sheds, broiler sheds and probably a lot of other farms. Rescuers go in openly with ANIMAL RESCUE on their shirts and take out sick and injured birds. They are all about being honest and committed to the animals and standing by your actions.

I don't expect everyone to be willing to do them as they are difficult and potentially dangerous but I do think they are very helpful to both individual animals and the movement.

What is the best use of money in saving animals?

Those who know me, have heard me talk about this before, however I really do recommend:

1) Obtaining the Australian version of the Vegan Outreach brochure
2) Giving it out to young people.

As the most effective use of money. I believe that nothing comes close to this in terms of effective advocacy.

To save a years suffering on a factory farm, can costs as little as approximately US$2 using this method.See the following for the maths:
http://www.utilitarian-essays.com/dollar-worth.pdf

The vegan outreach college leafletting website:
http://www.adoptacollege.org/

And the Australian Version:
http://whyveg.com/ref/

Roy

ty for this.