The Pet Post was conceived as a pet column, but once you’ve really loved an animal, you may find yourself investigating and defending ferals and strays, advertising adoptions of animals that some may consider odd (we don’t—see this week’s Virtually Pets), thumping the president for not adopting a mutt, and worrying about the birds of the air, fish in the sea and bears doing God knows what in the woods.
Speaking of fish in the sea, a couple of weeks ago, the Press-Telegram published an article titled “PETA criticizes Aquarium of the Pacific over fish-eating promotion.” The Aquarium had launched its “Seafood for the Future” program to encourage partner restaurants to serve sustainable seafood, i.e., fish whose breeding or catching does not hurt them or their ecosystem and environment. Tracy Reiman, executive president of PETA, sent a letter to Dr. Jerry Schubel, the Aquarium’s CEO and president, urging him to drop the program, stating that encouraging people to eat fish, sustainable or otherwise, goes against the Aquarium’s mission of instilling “a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems.”
We wondered how Dr. Schubel felt about a perceived contradiction of being an advocate for animals and their environment and while recommending eating certain of them. His response to Tracy Reiman referred to the “daunting task” of changing a population’s behavior. His response focused mainly on the environment and the health of people who consume seafood, but not on the creatures themselves.
We have two disclaimers: Kate’s a member of the Aquarium, and both of us support PETA’s mission, which addresses the relief and prevention of animal cruelty in any way possible through education, legislation, investigation and protest, among other things. Their acronym spelled out is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; veganism isn’t underscored on the Web site, but members definitely consider the philosophy an ethical one.
Veganism is vegetarianism’s more evolved relative. The word vegan was coined in 1944 from the first two syllables of vegetarian—or “the beginning and end of vegetarian,” as defined by the founders of the Vegan Society . Vegans neither eat flesh nor use or eat any animal products—no honey, dairy, eggs or gelatin, and no leather, wool, fur, skin or scale.
A friend was recently trying to place a quote that went something like “When you make the decision to eat, you will kill something.” She thought it was by Alan Watts, but wasn’t certain. Something that Watts did say, however, was, “Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel,” and that’s unarguable. Both these sayings are food for thought for us—pun intended—after reading about the exchange between PETA and the Aquarium. You wash bacteria from food, you consume them when you eat yogurt, you absently swat at an annoying insect. And it’s good and educational to ask people to change their diet to avoid killing animals, but not to demand it. That turns people away. And a big question: No matter how many pets you rescue, no matter how many circuses or Eagles football games you boycott, are you an animal advocate if you eat seafood, or any other animal?
Compassionate Cuisine is an annual Long Beach event, held this year in the lovely setting of the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens as a celebration of World Vegetarian Day. It featured special guests, music by Makena and the Irvine Young Concert Artists, a raffle featuring ecofriendly items and services and all the vegan food samples you could consume. The prizes and food were donated by local vendors, and all the funding went to Animal Acres, a wonderful farm animal sanctuary in Acton.
We figured that it would be an interesting place to ask our questions at Compassionate Cuisine because it’s attended by those who eschew meat and those who chew it. And if we didn’t get any answers or interesting opinions, we could at least eat real good (vegan cuisine is tasty and you won’t miss meat; with no blood dripping off the product, it’s much nicer, indeed). And we did—we had seconds on the nondogs at the Frankenstand and had to restrain ourselves after gulping down an avocado-based Chocolate Fudge Bite from Good to Go restaurant.
We spoke with Linda Treffry, a solid and active Long Beach advocate for spay/neuter and adopting shelter dogs. Her own sweet dog is an abandoned one that she stopped in the middle of the street to pick up and take home with her.
“You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to be an advocate for animals,” Treffry said. “I buy meat and eggs, but I refuse to eat meat from factory farms. They’re unsanitary and brutal.”
Kimberly Zimmerman, an employee of Good to Go and dispenser of the irresistible Chocolate Fudge Bites, knows, as a foodie and developing vegan, the difficulty of changing eating habits, even as an animal advocate. “It’s a little challenging,” she said. “If you’re supporting the rights of animals, it’s contradictory to eat them. But there are ways you can consume animals that won’t affect a lifestyle as an activist.”
“You want to be more like Gandi about it,” agreed vegan Susan Helms, who traveled extensively in the Buddhist country of Thailand and still found meat products sold and served there. “You want to live by example. My fiancé is involved in rescue and eats meat. He gets really defensive if people get in his face about it.”
Long Beach resident Peter Rosenwald said he sympathizes with PETA’s efforts.
“I don’t like people getting in my face, but I understand why they have their beliefs,” he said. “I think that we can do a better job of being animal advocates by becoming vegan. A little excess in the spirit of animals is good.”
There are few people with greater proactive love for all animals than Lorri Houston, Animal Acres’s founder. Lorri’s been rescuing farm animals for about 18 years. She founded Animal Acres six years ago, and she and the volunteers have saved hundreds of animals from the slaughterhouse and went to New Orleans to help rescue animals during Hurricane Katrina. Houston also came to veganism gradually through a series of epiphanies.
“Animal advocacy comes in all shapes and sizes,” she said. “and there comes a day when someone will want to save a chicken or pig as well as a dog or cat. Opening your hearts and minds will bring people in, not criticism or judgment.”
(More disclaimers: Judy is a confirmed vegan, who weeps at the thought of the lowliest barnacle ripped from a reef. Kate still eats most seafood, but until she succumbs to the salmon fighting upstream in the currents of her resisting mind, plans to be more conscious of consuming only sustainable seafood.)
If you’re vegecurious, check out Zephyr Vegetarian Café, 340 E. 4th St., Long Beach, 90802, (562) 435-7113.
If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.
-Linda McCartney
Paths cannot be taught; they can only be taken.
-Zen Saying
Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant? I’m halfway through my fishburger and I realize, Oh my God. I could be eating a slow learner.
-Long Beach comedian Lynda Montgomery (sorry, we couldn’t resist including it).
Lucky 13 for Missy!
In a recent posting, we featured a photo of a 13-year-old (we think, but it’s debatable) longhair Chihuahua named Missy who was left in the shelter by her terminally ill owner. We all bonded with her, especially Judy and ACS public health associate Debra Brubaker, and there was a huge effort to get her a home before her time ran out. Two Pet Post readers from Oregon, Barbara and Keith Cordes, used to live in Long Beach (note Keith’s shirtsleeve in the photo!) and had adopted a lab, also 13, at the shelter when it was still located on Willow Street. They saw Missy on the Pet Post, and Keith got into his car and drove down here to spring Missy, “with only minutes to spare,” as Brubaker described Missy’s reprieve. As we’re writing, Missy and Keith are heading back home, where Barb is no doubt making up a little Chihuahua bed and baking homemade bone biscuits.
“I am so happy for her!” Brubaker said. Judy’s still speechless. If any of you have been considering saving Missy, there’s plenty more where she came from. Cats, too. And bunnies….
(Incidentally, the two fat cats we featured twice who were staying at Chewsy Dogs have gone home—both of them with the same person! Hope she has plenty of kibble on hand and lots of exercise toys!)
Bye! And thanks!
Virtually Pets: Adoption
Here’s my headshot. Do I get the part?
If you love Chihuahuas and missed out on Missy, this little guy is available. This 2-year-old male is shy at first, but once he knows you, he’s all-over hugs and kisses. He loves to go for walks. He’s living temporarily in kennel 718 at ACS, 7700 East Spring St., Long Beach (562) 570-PETS. His name? He’ll tell you!
Wholesome food, love and a safe place to sleep. Namaste.
This little fellow is one of five male Dumbo rats (need we describe the genesis of the breed name?) who was abandoned at a rented home. All of them just squeaked by getting poisoned by the new tenant when our very own rodent lady picked them all up. They’re ready for a loving home. If you can provide one, contact [email protected].
She’s a pet, not a wild animal.
This gorgeous creature was found by the Nature Center staff at El Dorado Park, where folks dump their bunnies after Easter. Make her yours forever—contact [email protected].
Boxer Briefs: Animal Legislation
City Council Meeting, Oct. 20
The Long Beach City Council will discuss several recommendations and changes to the city code that relate to reducing euthanasia and the number of unwanted animals through spay/neuter and microchipping, reducing animal impounds through licensing (cat licensing included), and expanding educational and volunteer programs to support Animal Care Services’ mission. The recommendations were introduced by Councilmembers Lowenthal, DeLong and O’Donnell. Meeting opens at 5 p.m. at the Council Chamber at 333 Ocean Blvd. To see Item 25 on the agenda, click here.
Guv terminates anti-puppy mill bill
Sadly, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 241 (Responsible Breeder Act), a desperately needed bill to curtail the overbreeding of animals in horrific living conditions at puppy mills. The governor’s veto statement is a smack in the face to his fellow legislators. The assembly passed the bill 59–17, and the senate passed it 25–9. The Long Beach City Council came out in unanimous support for the bill. Two things remain the same about Mr. Schwarzenegger: He’s still a bad actor and apparently cannot give up being the Terminator. One of the governor’s statements reads, “This measure simply goes too far in an attempt to address the serious problem of puppy mills. An arbitrary cap on the number of animals an entity can possess throughout the state will not end unlawful, inhumane breeding practices.” AB 241 would have reduced the number of breeding animals at puppy mills, greatly reducing the suffering at facilities that have upward of 500 breeding animals. We can only hope that our next governor will understand the significant value a bill such as AB 241 carries for the fiscal and moral responsibility our legislators hold.