Another track from Once. A hard hitting song about the cruelty we do to animals.
Roy Harper – Nowhere to run to – YouTube
Sri Lanka – Colombo – Buddhist Temple Gangaramaya – Elephants
Elephants seemed to be venerated. It seemed strange to me. Inside the temple there was a big Elephants head and huge stuffed elephant.
Outside, in a tiny pen, they had a young elephant chained up so that it could hardly move. It seemed a very unbuddhist type of thing to do.
The poor elephant looked half-crazed and was exhibiting all manner of disturbed behaviour.
Sri Lanka – the abuse of animals.
Unfortunately, animals are used all over the world are used as tourist bait. People pay good money to be photographed with monkeys and snakes, elephants and all manner of exotic animals.
Some of these animals are kept in terrible conditions, caged and bored to death.
The snakes often have their fangs pulled out.
Wild animals are caught and abused.
Please take a couple of minutes to help improve the rights of animals by filling in the survey.
Please take part in the survey and help animals. It only takes a couple of minutes. Make your voice heard.
The law that protects animals is changing because of Brexit. And right now, it could go either way. [1] Powerful fox-hunting and factory farm lobbyists could push to water them down. [2] Or massive public pressure could make animal welfare laws stronger than ever.
The government can’t afford to deal with an angry public backlash on animal rights. [3] So they’re asking for advice on what should happen in a huge public consultation. That’s where you come in.
If the government sees tens of thousands of us telling them how much we care about protecting animals, we can push them to make the UK’s animal rights the best in the world.
It’ll need each of us reading this email to take a quick survey to tell the government what we think. It takes about 3 minutes to take the survey. Here’s the first question:
Do you think different types of animals should be treated the same with the same rights?
Animal welfare rules protect animals from cruelty and abuse. Without them, animals would have no protection from people who want to hurt them. And there would be no consequences for abuse. [4] Britain would be a bleak place to live if we didn’t protect the most vulnerable.
Right now our law stops certain types of animal cruelty. [5] But Brexit could be an opportunity to make our laws even stronger. [6] Let’s show the government that after Brexit, we want Britain to treat animals with the decency they deserve.
Will you tell the government what you want to see from the new animal welfare law? It will only take 3 minutes. Here’s the first question to get your started:
Do you think different types of animals should be treated the same with the same rights?
Thank you for all you do,
Zoë, Rachel, Laura, Cathy and the 38 Degree office team
Egypt – the use of animals in farmwork.
Jordan – Petra – and the animals.
It is an experience to travel back into cultures where animals are still used as the beasts of burden. At the wonderful city of Petra in Jordan there are all manner of animals used. Tourists can ride down to the place in a horse and trap, on a donkey or a camel.
In the West we have become used to these tasks being carried out by vehicles. I am not sure that I am used to seeing animals used in this way. I did not like it. The donkeys were carrying heavy people and seemed too small for the load and the horses were raced with their hooves slipping on the rock. Only the camels seemed large enough to take the strain easily.
We walked. But then it might just have been my sensibilities.
Snake Charming in Sri Lanka
Snakes, monkeys and other wild animals are used to get money off tourists. Many of the animals are abused. The monkeys are tied up. Often the snakes have their fangs pulled out or their mouth sewn up.
I didn’t see any evidence of that in Sri Lanka but it’s hard to tell. The snakes looked to be well cared for.
This King Cobra is a very dangerous animal. It opens its hood when it feels threatened. 
This python looked to be in good condition and well looked after.
MPs just voted for cruelty to animals – make them change their minds!
Mike Baillie – Avaaz
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https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/uk_animal_bill_loc/?cCAwEjb
The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights – a document for discussion.
I said a while back that I thought we needed a UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS. This is it.
I adapted the wonderful UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is only a draft so I am more than happy to accept contributions, modifications and improvements. In fact I would be really glad of that. I would also be glad to have this disseminated far and wide. Animals need our protection like never before. Perhaps we can start to raise awareness of how they are being mistreated and abused and begin to do something about it?
The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights
Preamble
The recognition of the rights of all living creatures is fundamental to human beings. As members of the family of life we acknowledge our relationship, that we all share the same origin, the same DNA and interact in a wondrous web of life on this planet. As conscious organisms with the intelligence to see the consequences of our actions we have a duty to protect that delicate web of life that has taken billions of years to evolve. We recognize that it may be unique to this universe and each creature has contributed to its extraordinary complexity. The loss of any creature is cause for grief. We are of the same family. Our intelligence alone has conferred guardianship over all creatures.
Disregard and contempt for animal rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind. We seek the advent of a world in which all wild animals should live a life free of fear from humans and be free to pursue their lives in the habitats to which they have evolved. Those animals that man has domesticated as pets, working animals or for food or products should be respected, treated humanely and not be subjected to ill-treatment, cruelty or abuse.
Whether it be in zoos, farms, homes or the wild all animals should be protected and respected.
Animal rights should be protected by the rule of law.
These rights should be universal.
The people who support this Charter reaffirm their faith in fundamental animal rights, in the dignity and worth of all creatures and in the social progress that will lead to better standards of life for humans as well as animals.
We support the promotion of universal respect for and observance of animal rights and the fundamental freedoms of wild creatures, big or small, even to the tiniest insect.
We believe that a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge.
All who support this pledge proclaim THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1.
All animals are born free and with inherent dignity and rights. They are all worthy of respect and have a role in the web of life.
Article 2.
All creatures entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as species, order or family, size, beauty or use to humans
Article 3.
Every creature has the right to life and security.
Article 4.
No animal shall be abused, worked cruelly or treated without respect.
Article 5.
No creature shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
Every creature, no matter if it be the tiniest insect or protozoan, should have the protection of the law.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
Every creature, via a human counsel, has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted them by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No creature should be subject to death without due consideration.
Article 10.
Every creature has the right to their habitats being respected so that they are able to go about their lives in the natural manner to which they are accustomed in the full richness of their unique environment, with regard to fauna, flora and physical attributes.
Article 11.
All creatures have the right to live within the family groups and settings to which they find most conducive to their well-being.
Article 12.
When human activity intrudes into the habitats of animals then due attention should be paid to the rights of the creatures living in those habitats. Due care must be taken to preserve those habitats so that the animals that live within them may prosper.
Article 13.
Every creature has the right for their case to be represented in court.
Article 14.
Humans should restrict their operations within 50% of the planet and the other 50% be given over to protected wilderness with the full gamut of habitats so that the complex spectrum of life on this planet retains the ability to live freely without human threat.
Article 15.
Humans have the responsibility not to pollute or damage the natural world so their impact is not severe on the other organisms we share the planet with. Both fauna and flora have the right to live free of human interference.
Article 16.
Every creature has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of both themselves and of their family, including food, shelter, water and a place to breed.
Article 17.
Every creature has the right freely to participate in the richness of life within the community they are part of.
Article 18.
For creatures considered pests due regard must be taken to their role in the wider community of ecology before any action is taken against them. It is recognized that all creatures have a function in the web of life and any damage done to one will have repercussions throughout that web.
Article 19.
It is incumbent on mankind to preserve the complexity of life that adorns this planet and protect its uniqueness, to reduce the suffering of creatures and enrich the lives of humans through the beauty of nature.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
Animal Rights.
Do we need to give rights to animals? I think so.
All life on this planet came from one single cell. Every living thing on this planet has the same mother. We all share the same DNA and protein. We have all evolved for exactly the same length of time.
The trouble with human beings is that we like to create a hierarchy. We put ourselves at the top, of course. In fact some people don’t actually recognise us as animals at all. They think we are some god-created being who is so special that they are not related, not part of the animal kingdom. Except that we are. We are made of the same DNA as everything else.
Then we anthropomorphise. Anything that resembles us, like Chimps, Gorillas and Orangutans, are given special status. In fact we are generous enough to award this status to creatures whose intelligence is pronounced. So whales, dolphins, porpoises and orcas are awarded special status. Some even include elephants, dogs, cats and pigs in this elevated status.
In actual fact all creatures are important. The slugs, snails, beetles, spiders and flies are equally important. They form the basis of the food chains. When they go the frogs, newts, swallows, hedgehogs and swifts all disappear.
My contention is that we need to protect all life.
A Charter For The Rights of Animals
It is recognised that all animal life on this planet is born with the natural right to life. All animals feel pain and have a natural instinct to survive. They should be respected. A rich diversity of animal life is necessary for the health of humans.
- No animal should be killed without good reason.
- No animal should be tortured or mistreated
- No habitat should be destroyed without due respect and consideration given to the creatures living in it
- All creatures are part of a rich web of life that we are part of and their contribution to this rich web should be valued and understood whenever any human interference in this natural order is considered.
Well it’s simple but it’s a start.
I welcome any additions, improvements or comments.