Chinese culture does not sanction the cruelty of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. The rise of the dog meat industry was a result of the 20th century reform politics initially aimed at lifting peasants out of poverty. It is time that China parts with the policy that judges the merits of an economic activity solely by its productivity.
Crow, “ciora” in Romanian, is one in a long list of ethnic slurs attributed to the Romani people, yet there is more to the relationship between crows and Gypsies than just name calling.
Innocuous as individual mice and rats appear to be, and as easily befriended as they often are, they remain collectively an authentic menace to human health and agriculture. There is much we must understand if humans are to evolve a less violent coexistence with these creatures, who share virtually every human dwelling, place of business, and site of food production or preparation.
Stories featuring anthropomorphic animals have been a staple of human culture for millennia, but Disney’s new animated film stands out from the herd by depicting animals not just as stand-ins for humans, but unique sentient beings with interests and value of their own.
Egyptian writer Fatima Naoot has been sentenced to three years in prison for “insulting Islam” by criticizing the Eid al-Adha animal sacrifice. Yet there are many devout Muslims who argue against the Eid slaughter as contrary to their religion’s true values.
Once, long ago, the peoples of the Earth worshiped the animals. They perceived them to be magical creatures, supernatural beings, full of light, and Mystery. Their beauty was a source of inspiration and the people sought to emulate animals…
In H.G. Wells and Animals, A Troubling Legacy, I struggled to reconcile the seemingly pro-animal themes of Wells’ famous stories with his own defense of vivisection later in life. In Wells’ 1928 essay Popular Feeling and the Advancement of Science. Anti-Vivisection, transcribed here, he details his own personal views on vivisection.
H.G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau is remembered as a powerful attack on vivisection, yet he himself would come to defend the practice later in life. How can we resolve the paradox between the strong pro-animal themes of Wells’ famous stories, and his own callousness toward animals harmed in the name of science?
No other animal has come close to the cow and the bull in sharing a viscerally intimate relationship with humans, or possibly suffered more for it. The spectacular rituals around bull sports involve young men who sought to demonstrate their virility, masculinity, and ultimately, their sexual domination of the raw potent power of an angry bull.
His Holiness Chatral Rinpoche, the inspiration for the Jangsa Animal Saving Trust and who dedicated his life to saving the lives of other beings, passed away on January 5, 2016. This is a transcribed text of His Holiness Chatral Rinpoche, on his reasons for being a vegetarian.
Animal People executive director Wolf Clifton recently traveled Indonesia visiting animal projects, prior to the Asia for Animals 2015 conference in Kuching, Malaysia. Highlights in this entry include: animals of myth in ancient temples, and late-night activism with Yogyakarta’s craziest cat ladies!
It is with my deepest sorrow to inform everybody of the passing of my beloved father Dr. Hymie Ebedes, the renowned wildlife veterinarian, on 24 November 2015 in Pretoria. He will be missed by humans and animals alike.