VEGAN SANCTUARY: September 2010

Commemorating one year of blogging.

Here again is the first post from September of 2009.

BE A SANCTUARY

The sanctuary here at Animal Acres is a true safe haven for a few very lucky non human animals. Each and everyone of these beautiful, individual residents living here were destined for the slaughterhouse. However, through caring, compassion and real understanding these now happy former farmed industry refugees have all been given a new life.

The animals here now have the opportunity to live in peace and form friendships. They also have the hope to live a life which everyone born into this world whether human or non human deserves to live.

Each of us in our brief moment here on earth seek a life filled with respect, dignity, happiness and freedom. Our own experience of being sentient allows us to reflect on and recognize that other animals all wish for a life filled with the same positive circumstances, conditions and experiences that we wish for ourselves. So when our empathy becomes illuminated and we become conscious of this obvious truth it requires us to see others unblurred and more clear. We are then able to focus on others in the same manner we will at times... glimpse ourselves.

The fact is when we awaken to this reality and we then make the decision to take action... it naturally manifests itself into a commitment to non violence against others. When this realization happens we can become a sanctuary to someone else by going vegan.

Living vegan positions this awareness and this action side by side together for animals who are usually left out of the empathy equation.

It seems without fail that non human animals are almost always forgotten about when it comes to people being conscious of and in demonstrating the whole "do unto others....." philosophy thing.

Unfortunately in the infamous concept of the "golden rule" animals are habitually ignored, their plight in life usually disregarded and as members of the moral community they are sadly most often overlooked.

However, the nonhuman citizens here at Animal Acres no longer are fated to be used and have their lives stolen from them like the mind boggling numbers of other countless unprotected food animals throughout this land who will. These unlucky other creatures condemned by the appalling status of existing merely as someone's property will live and die in despair.

The other unfortunate aspect to all this is that the animal residents living here at Animal Acres represent a tiny, minuscule fraction of the 12 billion non humans who will be killed in the US for food production just this year alone. The heartbreaking volume represented in this mathematical statement is something that the human mind cannot fully ever comprehend in regard to the pain, death and numbers involved.

And it is this grievous arrangement we humans have designed based on the irrational belief system of animals as property that lies at the center of non human animal abuse and slavery. This order of things is the principle reason that most of the animals now living here were injured, thrown in the trash or left to die on the floors of auction and slaughter facilities. It is within this system that animals are denied any rights. It is this notion that becomes the main cause of the suffering, misery, cruelty and death inflicted against them every second of every day.

Of course this information strikes us as depressing, dark and brutal. And it is. Yet, it is even worse because the truth embedded in this heritage of killing is something most of us want to reject and turn a blind eye towards.

The brutality created from using non humans for food, clothing and entertainment is that terrible darkness that we do not wish to acknowledge.

No one in their right mind wants to stare down such a dark tunnel with seemingly no light at the end. Yet the light can be seen. It appears when we reject not just the inconvenient truths or words but the whole scheme and resultant order of the way things are. Sometimes finding the light in the darkness is simply just about rejecting the negative or violence in our lives and in the world. Sometimes it's as effortless as simply opening our eyes.

Going vegan is really that simple. It's like opening our eyes or just opening our hearts.

By becoming vegan we are no longer complicit with the ideology that only finds value in animals as something to be used. When we open our hearts and allow the defenseless refuge into our own personal sanctuary we really can save many...many lives.

When we make the move to veganism we detach ourselves, our bodies and our existence from this cruel and totally unnecessary vicious cycle.

When we begin to appreciate that we never need to eat, drink or wear anything derived from animals to live a happy and healthy life we then notice their suffering and their death as truly unnecessary.

When we notice that the animals we label as food live lonely, fearful, horrendous lives for such trivial motives we absolutely perceive what a horrible aberration the farmed animal industry is.

When we can look at a pig and see a someone. When we can view a goat, a lobster or a hen and notice a being whose life is of value to herself we can actually begin to change the world we live in.

Because the world completely opens up to us when we extend that same sentiment and feeling to everyone around us. The crow on our lawn, the elderly human struggling alone in the super market, the miserable elephant chained in a circus, the terrified rabbit about to be skinned for food or fur, a desperate human female in a far away country who cannot feed her own children and yes, even the slaughterhouse worker who is only doing this job because we demand his product.

When we make the decision to live vegan we immediately begin to grasp this viewpoint. We open ourselves up to a deep emotional understanding that may have been shut down for years. Our empathy and ethical intuitions towards others and especially non human animals has most likely been buried or even erased.

Growing up we were convinced by the adults and authorities around us that animals did not deserve to be considered when having compassion. Every place in our lives, except maybe deep within ourselves, told us over and over that animals don't count as much or don't care about themselves as much as we humans care about ourselves. Yet most of us probably know a cat or dog and realize that these beliefs are untrue and inaccurate.

It's in this awareness about the animals we know, who we love and who we share our lives with that we can begin to transfer these emotions, concerns and feelings for directly over to the nameless, voiceless and forgotten other animals who simply were born into different bodies than what our particular culture identifies as pets.

These other animals, gentle and kind and unremembered are the ones you can be a sanctuary to by living vegan. Animals who should have never been brought into existence in the first place.

Without demand there would be no innocent animals heartlessly killed as supply.

When we mindfully oblige ourselves to no longer participate in the violence and death we actually can begin to save lives. Not much at all has to be changed either. We can all be personal walking, talking, even acting, producing, taking meetings and stuck in traffic Animal Acres by simply becoming vegan.

We can save lives everyday without the vet bills, without ever having to shovel piles of animal waste, tend to a sick calf or spend hours upon hours raising funds.

When we live vegan we function on a personal level akin to a sanctuary like Animal Acres. In fact we become in our own way just as important in pursuing an end to animal exploitation, cruelty and killing as does rescuing individual animals in peril. By maintaining habits consistent with the position and consciousness that humans and non humans have the right not be treated as property, we in a sense evolve into a sanctuary of loving kindness and compassion. We can actually make such a huge difference in the lives of animals and it's quite simple and extremely easy when you come to THINK of it.

So if you haven't done so already become a sanctuary for the animals and go vegan.

Listen here SANCTUARY by Donna Delory

It seems when we ignore that specific urge many of us have to stand up for those who are exploited, persecuted and abused, we not only allow others to suffer, but we allow ourselves to become indifferent to the world we live in.

Apathy is itself a form of self -destruction.

It is also a sure path to a life without meaning.

Relating to, sympathizing, and identifying with the plight of the underdog, has been a dominant theme and a motivating factor in the life and activism of Patty Shenker. No one could ever accuse her of apathy or of not taking action in a cause she felt drawn to.

Ever since she can remember Patty felt that urge to stand up for the powerless, the helpless and the most vulnerable citizens in the world.

Specifically, it was her father's experience in an anti Semitic Russia at the beginning of World War One that would influence her understanding of the horrors of persecution, prejudice and violence.

In 1922 Morris Shenker was only 15 years old when he arrived in America and escaped the wrath aimed against Jews that was spreading throughout Europe. It was her fathers feisty spirit to fight against the odds, to survive and then to defend others that shaped Patty's view of the world and pushed her into action.

That action tended to be more often than not taken on behalf of the non human animals whom she always recognized as the most defenseless of all the oppressed others.

Yet, Patty also saw the other animals as no different than anyone else who were alive in the world and who wanted to live.

The journey to Animal Rights was a process that arrived with frequent epiphanies and episodes of insight. These moments of deep perception moved Patty to transform her life step by step, notch by notch, even before she realized the details of what animal advocacy actually consisted of.

So in 1970, with no guide book or an organized movement to inform her, making the decision not to consume the flesh of other living creatures was much more about working with her own intuition rather than following in someone else's footsteps. Going vegetarian back then was more about being true to herself rather than fighting or rebelling against society, which so many people her age were doing at that time. It was not about some counter culture revolutionary attitude or a reaction against conforming to a cookie cutter like existence of the American dream, but rather Patty's discernment for wanting to live a life of non violence.

For Patty violence was a foe who could be defeated through kindness. And to be victorious meant she would need to start on a personal level by giving up the food choices that were created from violence and who's offspring were suffering and death.

In order to live in a world of non violence a fundamental change had to take place and Patty's instincts told her it would begin on her plate. She would later coin the compelling phrase "Peace Begins On Your Plate" which says it all about the foresight of this particular adopted girl from St Louis, Missouri.

Opening her heart to the animals used as food and including them as members of the moral community also opened her mind and her awareness to the many aspects of what animal rights was really about. Patty soon noticed that an openness to compassion, which driven by a philosophy of non violence often led to solutions and to many wonderful connections in the world of animal advocacy. In the years to follow she would become involved with many of the top animal rights organizations including Farm Sanctuary, the worlds very first farmed animal sanctuary.

A passionate civil and animal rights activist, Patty has been honored over the years for her dedication and commitment to animal causes, garnering awards from Animal Acres, C.A.R.E., the Animal Rights Legal Clinic of Rutgers University, the California Wildlife Center, to name but a few. Patty also owns two properties for the benefit of rescued animals; One that houses Dreamcatchers Wild Horse & Burro Rescue with over 200 rescued horses in northern California and the other which is a dog rescue here in Southern California.

Patty is currently on the board of directors at Animal Acres, the sanctuary she helped start in 2005.

She is married to Douglas Stoll, who teaches in the Los Angeles School system and they have raised their daughter Julia as a vegetarian. Julia just started her senior year at Boston University and has never eaten an animal in her life.

Vegan Sanctuary recently had the honor to talk with Patty Shenker about the process in becoming a long time committed activist over many years, about her living vegan and about the wonderful place called Animal Acres.

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Philip:

Why did you become an animal activist? What inspired you?

Patty:

I became an animal advocate for several reasons. I grew up caring about animals; and of course I loved them as well. I cannot stand injustice, cruelty and suffering and my father taught me to help the underdog. I think I just took him literally! Becoming an animal advocate for most of us is a process, as it was for me. After becoming vegetarian, it took me years to give up leather and a little more time to become vegan. As proud as I am of being vegetarian this long, I want people to know that the important thing is that one goes vegan eventually.

Of course, the earlier, the better!

My father was and still is my greatest inspiration and role model. But there definitely are other inspiring people who have changed my life; two of them being Lorri Houston and the political artist Sue Coe. Another being Tim Gorski, who busts poachers in Asia among other pro-animal projects.

Philip:

You are one of the people who started Animal Acres and were involved even before it had a name. Can you tell us of your involvement and the history of Animal Acres?

Patty:

Rescuing farm animals with Lorri Houston started a bond between us and which also led to a very close friendship. In about 2004, Lorri and I started dreaming about a farmed animal sanctuary in the LA area. We knew that we would get caring celebrities, lots of media and plenty of compassionate, dedicated animal advocates who would lend their talents to help farmed animals. We certainly understood that there were many animals needing to be rescued and when given sanctuary would then become their own best "ambassadors".

We also knew that we could reach so many more people being close to Los Angeles.

Aaron Leider, my good friend, real estate broker and now an Animal Acres board member, brought Lorri and me to the property and even though it was the first property we looked at we both immediately knew it was our "sanctuary". We looked at several others places but they couldn't compete with the Acton property. The response to our first volunteer efforts was incredible and Animal Acres began with our first rescues, Louie the First, a chicken and then Gandhi, a calf, who unfortunately did not survive.

Animal Acres continues to grow and rescue hundreds of animals and I am so proud to be on the board and to be a Gandhi honoree.

Philip:

There feels like a growing awareness with more and more people wanting to contribute to help make the world a better place, but many people don't know how to get started. As such a longtime activist, what words of encouragement would you offer to other activists?

Patty:

I am not that optimistic any more. I think that's for the young- and for certain type of personalities. But I do have to admit that I've seen huge changes for animals in the forty years since I became a vegetarian so we must be doing something right. Back then, just being a veggie, I was seen as a freak; now, it's quite accepted and is actually seen by many to be a health and a environmental necessity. The United Nations has even come out with a report that a shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, poverty and the worst impacts of climate change. This is incredible but, just like the zoo issue, too many people will ignore the facts with their short-sightedness and arrogance. They'll just say "I can eat whatever I want" or repeat the brainwashed mantra of lies that the human body needs milk & meat or that global warming is some kind of liberal trick.

Still, the fact that there is a growing consciousness about animals for many and there are some improvements for these abused, suffering beings is another wonderful step forward in our evolution toward a kinder world. I think every social issue makes incremental progress and our movement is no different. I truly believe that, whenever and wherever we confront and stop any form of cruelty, whether to humans or animals, we are making the world a better place.

Philip:

Can you please share with us about Billy the elephant and you're involvement with his plight as well?

Patty:

Some children can't stand to see animals in zoos and circuses, I was one of them.

The fact that elephants suffer physically, psychologically and die at a much younger age in captivity but it all became clear to me that confining them for entertainment purposes was morally wrong and had nothing to do with conservation. I had to get involved in the fight against their captivity and to fight against the zoo industry's lies and distortions to keep the public's support. We were able to get Ruby to PAWS Sanctuary (she didn't fit in the zoo's plans as she cannot breed anymore),

Gita died at the zoo, only days after Betty White and the zoo told the public that she was fine. She also lay suffering for over 12 hours before she was attended to and finally died. We were unable to convince LA City Council to stop the $45 million dollar "Pachyderm Forest" with plans to bring in other elephants & start a breeding program. We're still hoping to stop these plans and get Billy, the lone, Asian bull elephant at the LA Zoo to the northern California sanctuary, PAWS, through a groundbreaking lawsuit. The wonderful Bob Barker and I paid for the barn that awaits him at PAWS. Go to Helpbilly.org for more information and become Billy's friend. He desperately needs your help!

Philip:

I'm wondering what you think about using graphic images of animals being abused and killed by humans as a way to wake people up to the reality of what actually happens to non humans in a world where they have no rights.

Patty:

I think graphic images are often necessary to shock people into the realities of so much horrible abuse which animals endure, but I do think there's also a fine line for when people can't take it all in and they get totally overwhelmed and lost or become angry rather than educated.

However, Shaun Monson's documentary Earthlings for instance is a very successful although very difficult film to watch , it has persuaded so many people to become dedicated vegans and effective animal advocates. There are so many creative ways though to educate, to inspire and to change people's attitudes towards animals. I"m constantly in awe at the writings, videos, photos and animation I see just on Facebook from activists all around the world.

The important thing is to keep educating via any media, to keep speaking up and speaking out and do it with a kind, reasonable voice. That's why Sandra Mohr and I started

FreeAnimalVideo.org- as a tool for advocates to donate or use our videos to educate and inspire people about animal issues.

But graphic images as artistic expression can also change the world. Take an artist like the painter Sue Coe for instance. I was taken by her exhibit-Porkopolis which came out to Los Angeles after which I bought her painting, Modern Man Being Followed by His Meat. We later became friends and I continue to collect her works but she often gives me works as gifts. She isincredibly intelligent and an inspiring speaker not only for animals but for all disenfranchised groups, as her art conveys.

Philip:

I'm wondering about what you think in regard to people who care about animals and are even vegetarian, yet so unwilling to notice and ackowledge the cruelty in the egg and dairy industry?

Patty:

This is an important question and I'm glad you asked me because I was vegetarian for so many years (31 to be exact) before becoming vegan. For me, killing seemed to be the only issue in my definition of living non-violently. For many of those early years, I had no idea about factory farms in general or about the specific cruelties to different farmed animals. I just thought that I was no longer a part of the killing of animals for food. As I learned about more, I think I just simply refused to recognize the inherent violence to the birds who provided the eggs and to the cows and calves who provided my cheese. I see so many people, who like myself, have long ago given up eating veal because of the inherent cruelty yet, they continue to consume dairy and are totally unaware that they are supporting the veal industry. I think what or actually "who" got me to change to veganism were the farmed animals themselves who I had gotten to know and some I had personally rescued.

Once you meet a veal calf, you can no longer keep your defenses up; these precious babies force you, in their sweet, nonverbal way, to realize a truth and you have no choice if you care about animals but to make that change!

There's a wonderful quote in the book- The Art of Herbivore- about these two industries which brings a feminist perspective to this issue.

"Eggs & dairy are industries built on the exploitation of the female reproductive systems.

I wish more people, fighting for equality and fairness when it comes to feminist issues, would see the unity of oppression in all of this and advocate for all females, including non-human ones."

Philip:

I had the opportunity to talk with Carol J Adams for Vegan Sanctuary's very first interview about a year ago and she so eloquently talks about the relationship and exploitation of female animals used for food. I have to just mention here, it's this idea of how all oppression is wrong no matter where it exists and how it's all related as well. It was this thought pattern that initially turned me into an animal rights activist.

Patty:

Yes, for sure and that last quote about advocating for all females is not only brilliant in its observation of the egg and dairy industry as related to women's issues but it also calls for everyone involved in women's rights also fight for equality for female farmed animals too. In doing that, the link between social causes can been made very clear.

I'm foremost an animal advocate but I also fight for gay rights, abortion rights, human rights, etc. Because, as I said earlier, I cannot tolerate injustice and the abuse and suffering that always accompanies it. My father fled Russia as a child because of the persecution to his family and the Jewish people. He spent his life fighting for justice and equality so I grew up in a very politically involved family. Although I've given up my association to Judaism, in large part because of the religions disregard and callousness towards animals. In my opinion, Jewish people need to be able to identify with the persecution, intolerance and cruelty towards animals and then need to refuse to be a part of it in general. Presently, I'm very concerned about our right of choice in this country as the anti choice forces become stronger they are wanting to overturn the law that women in America fought so hard for- the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy.

Prop 8 is another big issue for me. The right to marriage must belong to all of the people, not just heterosexuals. There are certain constitutional rights which were written to ensure equality and fairness, even when some people don't like it. That's what makes this country truly great! I don't expect everyone to become an animal advocate; I just want them to stop being part of the abuse.

As animal advocates, I believe we must speak out against prejudice and injustice for other people as well. Our own rights could be taken away while we're fighting for the animals so we need make sure that doesn't happen or everyone in this fight loses.

I also strongly believe that we must be vigilant as our country becomes more conservative, more religious, more over crowded, and poorer. History repeats itself... far too often!

Philip:

Patty thank you so much for sharing your experience and thoughts. Are there any final thoughts you have?

Patty:

In closing, I just want to say thank you to everyone who is part of Animal Acres and who works to help animals in general everywhere. I'm sure everyone feels like I do- compelled to work on their behalf. Knowing what I know, I cannot turn my back, mind, or heart away from them- and I know you can't either.

As Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Holocaust survivor wrote- "There will be no justice as long as man will stand with a knife or with a gun and destroy those who are weaker than he is".