making a difference for animals: what one person can do
TRANSCRIPT
Valerie Lang Waldin, J.D., M.L.S.Valerie Lang Waldin, J.D., M.L.S.Winter/Spring 2015Winter/Spring 2015
Making a Difference for Animals:Making a Difference for Animals:What One Person Can DoWhat One Person Can Do
20062006
Duke University School of Law hosts Duke University School of Law hosts conference on Animal Law:conference on Animal Law: Dean Katharine Bartlett opens conference Dean Katharine Bartlett opens conference
with short address:with short address: Future generations will look back on our treatment Future generations will look back on our treatment
of animals with shame… the time is ripe for of animals with shame… the time is ripe for dramatic changes in Animal Law…dramatic changes in Animal Law…
The future is not so far off.The future is not so far off.
Birth of a MovementBirth of a Movement
Many people consider the Many people consider the modern animal rights modern animal rights movement to have begun in movement to have begun in 1975 with a publication by 1975 with a publication by Australian philosopher Peter Australian philosopher Peter Singer. Singer.
Animal Liberation - 1975Animal Liberation - 1975Written by philosopher Peter Singer in 1975, Written by philosopher Peter Singer in 1975, Animal Liberation Animal Liberation
approached animal rights from a utilitarian perspective- he thought approached animal rights from a utilitarian perspective- he thought that the greatest good for the greatest number should include good that the greatest good for the greatest number should include good for animals, as for animals, as they feel pain and experience pleasure as we dothey feel pain and experience pleasure as we do..
Silver Spring Monkeys - 1981Silver Spring Monkeys - 1981 In 1981, PETA's founders participated in the case that launched the In 1981, PETA's founders participated in the case that launched the
animal rights movement in America. This case, alleging cruelty and animal rights movement in America. This case, alleging cruelty and mistreatment of laboratory animals, eventually reached the mistreatment of laboratory animals, eventually reached the Supreme Court. Supreme Court.
The Silver Spring monkeys were subjects in deafferentation research- they had nerves severed in their The Silver Spring monkeys were subjects in deafferentation research- they had nerves severed in their limbs, which then atrophied. The monkeys lived in filthy conditions. The researcher, Dr. Taub, was limbs, which then atrophied. The monkeys lived in filthy conditions. The researcher, Dr. Taub, was convicted of several counts of cruelty, which were overturned on technicalities. The AR community fought convicted of several counts of cruelty, which were overturned on technicalities. The AR community fought for years for custody of the remaining monkeys, but never won it. Eventually, all the operated monkeys for years for custody of the remaining monkeys, but never won it. Eventually, all the operated monkeys were killed at a primate research facility, while the control group which had never been experimented on were killed at a primate research facility, while the control group which had never been experimented on went to the San Diego Zoo.went to the San Diego Zoo.
Summer 1990Summer 1990March for the Animals March for the Animals 10,000 people 10,000 people Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
19991999First law school class in First law school class in Animal LawAnimal Law(Harvard)(Harvard)
Hello Animal LawHello Animal Law 150 law schools 150 law schools Undergraduate studiesUndergraduate studies Animal law reviewsAnimal law reviews Attorneys in private practiceAttorneys in private practice Bar associationsBar associations ListservsListservs
Bob Barker has helped this process along Bob Barker has helped this process along to date by giving at least 8 law schools to date by giving at least 8 law schools and the and the Drury University Forum on Animal RightsDrury University Forum on Animal Rights approximately $10 million to promote the approximately $10 million to promote the study of animal ethics and law.study of animal ethics and law. HVCC Animal Policy certificateHVCC Animal Policy certificate
……an unusual topican unusual topic Visual natureVisual nature While I try not to offend students with While I try not to offend students with
graphic pictures, exposure to animals in graphic pictures, exposure to animals in negative situations is essential for many negative situations is essential for many students to begin to understand the nature students to begin to understand the nature of the issues.of the issues.
There is a moral and emotional There is a moral and emotional component to this topic which should be component to this topic which should be recognized and dealt with directly.recognized and dealt with directly.
There may be hunters and animal rights There may be hunters and animal rights advocates in this same room.advocates in this same room.
I promise you I will try to build bridges with I promise you I will try to build bridges with you, and respect your positions on you, and respect your positions on controversial issues.controversial issues. But please also know it is virtually impossible But please also know it is virtually impossible
to develop and teach a class like this, and do to develop and teach a class like this, and do what I do, and what I do, and notnot find some practices and find some practices and laws unjustifiable.laws unjustifiable.
Fueled by Reality = ChangeFueled by Reality = ChangeYou can read 20 pages about the fur industry but a video will have You can read 20 pages about the fur industry but a video will have a more profound impact for those of you who have never seen the a more profound impact for those of you who have never seen the
conditions being written about.conditions being written about.
ChallengesChallenges
Lawyers who work for big agribusiness, the Lawyers who work for big agribusiness, the biomedical industry, the fur & clothing industry, biomedical industry, the fur & clothing industry, the entertainment industry, and criminal defense the entertainment industry, and criminal defense lawyers in generallawyers in general
Lack of protection for farm animalsLack of protection for farm animals Federal protection is pretty much non-existent.Federal protection is pretty much non-existent. State laws simply do not protect farm animals.State laws simply do not protect farm animals.
You will probably be very You will probably be very surprised by how surprised by how littlelittle the the USA’s laws protect farm USA’s laws protect farm
animals.animals.
And More Challenges…And More Challenges…
Municipal (city, county) ordinances rarely Municipal (city, county) ordinances rarely deal with animal hoardersdeal with animal hoarders
Disinterested or uneducated police and Disinterested or uneducated police and district attorneysdistrict attorneys
People who think animal rights activists People who think animal rights activists are wacko are wacko
And so much more…And so much more…
You are needed:You are needed:
……to be educated and to educate.to be educated and to educate.
And you …And you …
……present or future leaders, humane present or future leaders, humane educators, moms and dads, concerned educators, moms and dads, concerned citizens, cowboys, lobbyists , nannies, citizens, cowboys, lobbyists , nannies,
nurses, cops, presidents and regular folks, nurses, cops, presidents and regular folks, need basic training, guidance and need basic training, guidance and
encouragement.encouragement.
Making a DifferenceMaking a Difference
If animals are your thing, listen to it.
Don’t get stuck in a desk job if you were meant to do something else .
When we work together, the obstacles aren’t as big as we see them.
Rules of engagemen
t
Be kind to each other.
We can butt heads.
WARNING
The next few slides are graphic and disturbing.
Ignorance is not bliss, and a dose of reality is needed when it comes to animals,
because they can’t tell us what’s going on.
There are dumb
people out there. Or
maybe they are
lazy. But it’s
against the law.
We can’t get inside people’s
heads and know why they
do these things, but we have a
pretty good idea.
It ’s up to us to make them accountable.
I am only one,But still I am one.I cannot do everything,But still I can do something;And because I cannot do everything,I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. Edward Everett Hale (3 April 1822 – 10 June 1909), American author and Unitarian clergyman.
The animals can’t.
The animal cruelty laws need to be enforced and in some cases, made tougher.
Animal fighting is brutal, and there
is a lot more to it
than a little dog
fight. And it ’s a
felony.
The Unquestionable LinkThe Unquestionable Link
Every serial killer on record began with animals. Every one.
Animal HoardersAnimal Hoarders Not everyone is purposely cruel, but it ’s
still cruel.
Puppy MillsPuppy Mills
Don’t buy from puppy stores.
Our majestic horses deserve a better end than this.
They need their fur more than we do.
Don’t be fooled by the factory farming industry.
"Few will . . . bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be
written the history of this generation." Robert F. Kennedy
Your voice does
matter.
Things CAN
change.
Undercover work really CAN make a difference. But we can’t relax and think someone else is doing it. Organizations that do this work need
support.
Take time out to recharge your batteries – it ’s a marathon, not a sprint.
When you’re walking down the
street, look straight ahead and then look
back. Chances are, by the end of
this class, you will know more about what goes
on and what to do about it than the
people you see.
I hope you will
think back on the class
as, at least, eye-
opening.
And not just when it
comes to cats and dogs.
It is 2015; it is time.
Elephants are reported to be virtually as intelligent as
dolphins. Elephants cry. Being in a circus hurts. The choices
you make and what you support matters.
You will know what the animals have known all along – and it’s
got to change.
But change doesn’t happen until people
are ready for it.
The animals
are ready,
though, and they
have been.
Think globally
, act locally.
Kids learn what they live. Question authority, because just because it ’s always been done that way doesn’t mean it should stay that way.
Maybe you will look at things differently after this class, maybe you won’t.
The animals are ready, they have been ready.
And we better not let them down.
Earthlings: Make the ConnectionEarthlings: Make the Connection
Full DocumentaryFull Documentary
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“The greatness of a
nation and its moral
progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” We can do better.
HopeHope
Some would say what we do to the animals is similar to the Holocaust. Or slavery. Or other injustices. We’ve been here before.
The incredible thing is, animals
are forgiving. Even after everything
humans have done to them,
they forgive.
We need good people in this field and even more importantly, educated, persistent citizens.
With everything else we face every day,
humans sometimes
need a wake up call .
Most people are basically
good.
15 or 20 years ago, Michael Vick would not have seen a prison cell . Prosecutors would have been laughed at. Things are changing.
Tom Brady and Lua
Eddie Lama had to take
action when he learned about
how the fur industry
works, and what happens to
the animals. This 3 pack-a-
day Camel smoking
Brooklyn dude had a life
change. The way he put – “A
miracle is a change in
perception.” He thanked a cat
for that.
Maybe you will look at things differently after this class,
maybe you won’t.
November 2014 – Voters in Rensselaer County elect Joel
Abelove as District Attorney. Joel has successfully prosecuted
many animal cruelty cases, including the state ’s first case of Buster’s Law, which brought
harsher consequences for animal abuse.
Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the
world; indeed, it 's the only
thing that ever has.
– Margaret Mead
There are answers if we look for them, or even
better, create them.
Advocating for better laws and knowing HOW to advocate for better
laws DOES make a
difference.
Watch for New York.
The power of
networking
Each of you has a voice, a say in where this country goes and what matters to you.
New York mandates humane education at the elementary school level if supported by public funds.
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Just reach inside yourself to that
good place, because it ’s in every one of
you.
What can I do today?What can I do today? Join Julie Tanner’s Capital Region Animal Cruelty listservJoin Julie Tanner’s Capital Region Animal Cruelty listserv..
Email Julie at Email Julie at [email protected]@nycap.rr.com. Tell her you are in my class and you want to be on . Tell her you are in my class and you want to be on her distribution list.her distribution list.
Call Assemblyman Bill Magee – 518.455.4807Call Assemblyman Bill Magee – 518.455.4807. . He is the Chairman of the He is the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, and to date he has not allowed a bill to move forward, which would move Agriculture Committee, and to date he has not allowed a bill to move forward, which would move the anti-cruelty laws from Agriculture and Markets Law to the Penal Law. the anti-cruelty laws from Agriculture and Markets Law to the Penal Law.
New York State Police learn the Penal Law when they go through the Academy. New York State Police learn the Penal Law when they go through the Academy. Tell him that you want him to bring bill A-352 (which would put the laws into the PL) up for a Tell him that you want him to bring bill A-352 (which would put the laws into the PL) up for a
vote in Ag. Committee. Pass this along to as many people as you can and ask them to do vote in Ag. Committee. Pass this along to as many people as you can and ask them to do the same. the same.
Believe. Look at 2014 animal victories.Believe. Look at 2014 animal victories.