EMPTY ALL CAGES

More Animal Brutality At SlaveWorld

Posted by emptyallcages on November 3, 2014

Posted in: Uncategorized. 4 Comments

Source: Repost from Peta2 (great group for young people interested in helping animals!)

A Vet Visited SeaWorld, and This Is What She Saw

Dr. Heather Rally, a veterinarian who has experience working with marine mammals, visited SeaWorld San Diego in September 2014. Her observations reveal that orcas aren’t the only ones who suffer at SeaWorld—dolphins, walruses, and pilot and beluga whales do, too. Here are her (not so) shocking findings:

1. Dolphins with skin conditions and likely depressed immune systems interacted with the public.

A study published in the Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine found that “[s]tress, environmental conditions and general health appear to play a major role in the clinical manifestation of dolphin pox.” Despite the stressful conditions of confinement, dolphins are still expected to perform and interact with the public.

SeaWorld dolphin

“The dolphins involved in human interaction activities had obvious skin lesions,” says Dr. Rally. These pox-like lesions could be seen on many of the dolphins at SeaWorld San Diego.

SeaWorld dolphin injury

Visitors were still allowed in the water and often sat unsupervised by the side of the pool, putting their hands in the water and touching the dolphins. The only SeaWorld staff member in the area was sitting with her back toward the guests.

SeaWorld Dolphin Tank

2. Bullying and aggressive fights among members of various species were apparently commonplace.

When whales and dolphins are held in captivity, the stress of being confined to tiny tanks results in aggression.

SeaWorld dolphin flip gif

The most common injuries are rake marks that form when the teeth of dominant whales and dolphins scrape the skin of the less aggressive animals. These attacks can result in painful and serious injuries. “I observed dolphins ramming, chasing, and flipping, and attempting to slap each other with their flukes,” says Dr. Rally.

Dr. Rally observed dolphins with rake marks in various stages of healing.

SeaWorld dolphin healing injury

Rake marks result in scarring that usually disappears within six months of the initial injury. This “means that aggression between cetaceans at SeaWorld is not only commonplace, it is also happening currently.” says Dr. Rally. The severity of the scars usually indicates which animals are more frequently bullied.

SeaWorld dolphin

Aggression between cetaceans in the wild happens less frequently than in captivity. According to Dr. Rally, “When dolphins and orcas are held in captivity, aggressive dominance hierarchies are a common occurrence.” At SeaWorld, the animals cannot simply separate themselves to diffuse a situation, and when an aggressive attack breaks out, there is nowhere for the animals to escape to.

At least one orca who reportedly tried to flee ended up with a gruesome and painful injury.

Orca SeaWorld Injury

Nakai was injured on a sharp metal edge in his tank at SeaWorld San Diego in September 2012 while reportedly fleeing from an aggressive altercation with two other orcas.

3. Orcas Exhibit Psychological Stress

Orcas in the wild create strong family bonds and swim up to 100 miles a day. At SeaWorld, they are forced to perform unnatural tricks and swim in endless circles. Captive orcas at SeaWorld would need to swim 1,900 laps around the tiny tanks they are confined to in order to swim the same distance that orcas in the wild typically do each day. The stress of confinement was apparent at SeaWorld San Diego.

After observing the orca show, Dr. Rally noted that one of the orcas, Ikaika, “swam to the center of the pool and proceeded to lie motionless at the surface, occasionally lifting the head and opening the mouth as if swallowing air.” She added, “This behavior lasted at least 15 minutes as the public was cleared out of the stadium.”

SeaWorld orca tank

Wild orcas are almost constantly in motion and spend up to 95 percent of their time under water. At a young age, Ikaika was separated from his family and shipped to MarineLand in Ontario, Canada, on a breeding loan for many years. While still at SeaWorld, he was given drugs to “mellow” him and suffered from various physical ailments, including broken teeth and chronic infections.

Another orca, who had a severely collapsed dorsal fin, was floating motionless in the corner near the exit of the pool.

SeaWorld orca

Notes Dr. Rally, “Floating listlessly in a lateral position is extremely abnormal behavior for an orca and is a manifestation of the psychological distress and boredom of captivity.” When Dr. Rally asked an “educational” guide why this orca’s fin was collapsed, the guide responded that “the bent fin is a genetic trait similar to people with curly vs. straight hair.”

SeaWorld orca collapsed dorsal fin

This statement is entirely false. “There is no scientific basis for the statement that orcas are genetically programmed to have collapsed dorsal fins. However, there is evidence to suggest that the conditions of captivity are responsible for the high incidence of dorsal fin collapse in this population, including activities such as spending abnormally long periods of time at the surface in direct sunlight and constantly swimming in tight circles,” says Dr. Rally.

4. Unhealthy Animals

Captive animals are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them and often experience captivity-related health problems as a result. A walrus named Obie was confined to a tiny tank that was covered with a thin layer of green algae.

SeaWorld walrus Obie

Obie suffered from psychological distress and boredom and displayed this by pressing his mouth against the glass and repeatedly regurgitating and swallowing his food. This is a common neurotic behavior in captive wild animals, and it could cause serious health problems.

SeaWorld walrus Obie tank

Obie suffers from blindness and most likely has experienced chronic irritation of the mucous membranes of his eyes. He held both eyelids closed 90 percent of the time.

SeaWorld walrus Obie blind

5. Separated From Their Mothers

Dolphins, belugas, and other whales are highly social animals who live alongside their families for many years, if not their entire lives. At SeaWorld, they are often forced to breed and are torn away from their families at a young age. This affects their physical, social, and psychological development and well-being.

Two juvenile female belugas were separated from the three adult animals seen on display. It is unclear whether these two are being housed together or in isolation.

Beluga Whale at SeaWorld

Marine animals aren’t ours to use for entertainment, and they aren’t meant to be confined to cramped, barren, chemical-filled tanks. They are meant to live in their natural environments and swim freely with their families.

Based on Dr. Rally’s observations and expert opinion, PETA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding numerous apparent violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. PETA urged the agency to inspect SeaWorld and hold the company accountable for any violations found.

NEVER BUY A TICKET TO ANY ANIMAL SLAVE SHOW. Captivity is horrific for any animal. Doing things they don’t do in the wild is unatural. You may not see it, but they’re starved and hurt to get them to perform.

This pic is from emptyallcages.

VACATION: Think Twice About Wild Animal Tourism

Posted by emptyallcages on October 30, 2014

Posted in: DOLPHINS, ELEPHANTS, LIONS, PRIMATES, Uncategorized, WHALES. Tagged: animal abuse, bull fighting, dolphin cruelty, Mike Baker, swim with dolphins, wild animal tourism, World Animal Protection, zoo cruelty. Leave a comment

Sources: World animal Protection, The Guardian,

Wild animal tourism in numbers

16,000
Number of elephants in captivity worldwide – a quarter of the total number on the planet

75%
of captive adult elephants used for tourism entertainment have been taken directly from the wild

5,000
Number of captive tigers in the US alone. In the wild there are just 3,200

1,600
Estimated number of bottlenose dolphins being used for entertainment worldwide

4 million
Number of visitors to SeaWorld San Diego in 2012

8,000
Approximate number of lions kept and bred in captivity in South Africa – double the number of those in the wild or natural reserves

A leading animal charity is calling on tourists to think twice before they take part in wild animal experiences, as part of a campaign to expose the hidden suffering behind many attractions. Mike Baker, chief executive of World Animal Protection said: “What we need to do is alert people to the wildlife suffering in this industry. We don’t want that once in a lifetime experience to be a lifetime of misery for the animal.”

The campaign by World Animal Protection draws on research that found almost half of people pay for a wild animal experience because they love animals, but they remain unaware of the abuse that goes on behind the scenes.

The charity is also launching a guide to being animal friendly on holiday, which includes advice on what to ask a tour operator before booking and things to look out for when you are abroad. However Baker says tourists should also use their common sense.

“If an animal is doing something it wouldn’t do in the wild then it’s probably not right and something has gone on to make them behave that way,” They’re chained up, beaten. And what we’ve realised is most people don’t want that.”

Another form of wild animal tourism that has become particularly widespread in recent years are parks or “sanctuaries” where visitors can pose for photos with tigers – popularised by the “tiger selfie” trend. This is similar to experiences in which tourists can walk with lions. According to World Animal Protection, both these types of attraction involve removing cubs from their mothers at a young age, where they are beaten and punished to train them. In some cases the animals are drugged to make them more compliant.

Other types of wild animal experiences the charity hopes to end are swimming with captive dolphins and dancing macaques shows.

“This report is the first time we’ve been able to confirm the reality of these practices and underpin it with research,” says Baker. “We’ve also realised the scale of it.”

WATCH THIS IMPORTANT VIDEO

Top 10 Replies to Hunters’ Lies

Posted by emptyallcages on September 30, 2014

Posted in: ANIMAL CRUELTY FACT LISTS, HUNTING, Uncategorized. Tagged: animal cruelty, deer, elephant hunting, hunters lie, hunting, kendall jones, sustainable, trapping, whale hunt, wolves. Leave a comment

Sources: Equallibrium.com, Straight Dope, Physicians Committe for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) World Wildlife, Seals of Nam, Facebook, Sea Shepherd,

Hunters’ arguments and rationalizations for their sport are so repetitive and predictable that, to save valuable time and precious mental energy, it might help to have your responses printed out ahead of time like flash cards, and kept at the ready in your back pocket. Here, then, are the Top 10 Replies to Hunters’ Lies you’re most likely to hear the next time you debate a “sports”man.

10) Hunting is”sustainable.”
In today’s world of 7 billion people? Never mind, that’s a joke if I’ve ever heard one.
Do we really want to encourage 7 billion humans to go out and kill wildlife for food as if wild animal flesh is an unlimited resource? The only way hunting could be sustainable for humans these days is if we drastically reduced our population…and killed off all the natural predators. Overhunting has proven time and again to be the direct cause of extinctions, from the passenger pigeon to the Eastern and the Miriams Elk. Now wolves in the Rockies and Great Lakes are being hunted and trapped to oblivion—for the second time.

9) Animals kill other animals, so we can too.
That’s an example of what’s known as the naturalistic fallacy—the notion that any behavior that can be found in nature is morally justifiable. But wolves and other natural predators need to hunt to survive, humans don’t—for them it’s nothing more than a thrill kill. It’s uncivilized. Human beings have moved beyond countless other behaviors such as cannibalism or infanticide, so why can’t some people tear themselves away from hunting?

8) Humans have teeth like carnivores Human beings have mostly flat teeth, designed primarily for chewing plant-based foods, as our primate cousins do. Our canines, or “fangs,” are teensy compared to those of gorillas, who are strict vegetarians and only show them to appear fierce. Also, our intestinal tract is long to allow for the slow digestion of high-fiber foods, while true carnivores have short intestines as needed to process meat and dispose of the resulting toxic wastes quickly.

7) Wild game meat is health food.
All animal flesh is rife with cholesterol throughout, and the protein in animal flesh is acidic, causing bone calcium losses as it is metabolized. According to the American Dietetic Association, a diet high in animal products has been linked to obesity, diabetes, colon and other cancers, osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones, diverticular disease, hypertension and coronary artery disease. New studies have found that another culprit in causing heart disease may be a little-studied chemical that is burped out by bacteria in the intestines after people eat meat.

6) Hunting is needed to control animal populations (blantant lie). Hunting lines the pockets of many industries profiting from horrific cruelty. But more importantly, you’d really have to have no understanding of or faith in Mother Nature to make such a claim—she was doing a fine job of taking care of her own before Man came along and appointed himself “manager” and “game” keeper. No niche goes unfilled for long before some natural predator finds it and fixes a “problem”…if we allow them to. Besides, hunting animals like deer makes them breed more, resulting in more deer, not fewer.

5) If we don’t kill deer they’ll become a traffic hazard.
Two words: Slow the fuck Down. (Sorry, that was four words.)
More animals are hit by cars during hunting season than any other time of year, usually when fleeing from bloodthirsty sportsmen with guns.

4) Hunting teaches respect for wildlife and an appreciation for nature.
Ha! That’s like a serial killer claiming his crimes foster a respect for women. Tracking down and killing something does not equal respect. Try using a camera or binoculars if you really want to respect them.

3) Hunting is a “manly” sport.
First of all, hunting isn’t even a sport—Sport is generally recognized as an activity based in physical athleticism or physical dexterity. Sports are usually governed by rules to ensure fair competition. A sport is played by two equally matched, or at least equally willing, sides. According to SportAccord, the second criteria determining if something is a sport: it be in no way harmful to any living creature. And anyway, real men respect animals (see above).

2) Hunting licenses pay for wildlife refuges (blatant lie)
In truth, hunting licenses pay for hunter playgrounds, not true wildlife refuges. Take a look at how many “refuges” have been opened up to hunting; or just try to close an area to hunting for the sake of wildlife and hear the nimrods wail. If hunters hadn’t hijacked all the refuges, more bird watchers, hikers and others who truly appreciate nature would gladly pay for a pass to frequent those places. Furthermore, non-consumptive wildlife watchers contribute far more to local economies than do hunters.

1) Hunting keeps kids out of trouble.
Sticking a gun in a child’s hand and telling him or her to shoot Bambi is likely to leave lasting psychological scars, whether it’s PTSD or a heart calloused for killing many, many more innocent animals.

Sources: Circus Protest, PeTA, Animal Defenders International, CNN, RinglingBeatsAnimals, Vegan Easy, Huffington Post, Care2, Wikipedia

Consider this excerpt from CircusProtest: “There was a time in human history when the enslavement and torture of others was a common, acceptable practice. For a price, it was possible to legally and legitimately have an individual stolen from their homeland and shipped thousands of miles away…away from family, friends, autonomy, and hope. Throughout the centuries humans have degraded, tortured, and inflicted massive suffering upon each other motivated by greed and self-interest. Yet today, while these practices still occur across the globe, they are maligned and illegal. Those that engage in these behaviors are the ones that end up behind bars. Except when it comes to other species.”

Along with street protests, another thing I do is online leafleting- facts and information we ARAs would usually hand out in a crowd. My purpose is to educate locals in the cities that Ringling Brothers Circus is about to arrive in, in hopes that they won’t buy a ticket. Local protests are also listed. Until I’m wealthy enough to travel ahead of this horrific slave camp to warn people not to support them, I’ll have to do this part of the campaign by email. To my emails I attach cruelty pictures, others attach poetry, opinions, etc. We educate usually 3 cities a week BEFORE Ringling is scheduled to arrive! I call it Cyber Action Monday. Scroll down this site and click on the elephant picture on the right side to see the current event. Three times a week, every week for the past 73 weeks, many others have and continue to help to end circuses in the USA. We get joyful responses. We get rude and sick responses. We get responses from the media asking us to go away or, how can they cover the protests.

Recently, a reporter’s response to our cyber leaflet exposing Ringling’s record of horrific cruelty had me in tears…. “Lisa, we cover the protests each year. Frankly it’s always the same old pictures, videos and reports. This year we’re looking for something new. Any incidents from 2013 or 2014?” The following is my answer back to him:

Scott,

First and foremost the circus is slavery. Even if there wasn’t abuse documented from every single circus, it would still be horrible, barbaric slavery. I’m glad you cover the protests, but your wording here is as grotesque as those cheering on the slavers. These “same old pictures” show what happens every day to living, thinking, feeling beings. It goes on and on partially because those in positions to say something (you) are either numb to the torture or sadistically craving more. Here’s an Animal Defenders International video from last month. I’m afraid it will bore you and your readers as its just the same old brave people documenting the same old beating, screaming, stun guns, etc. THAT’S the story Scott- that slavery is still flourishing.

“When we have such ready access to the arts, opera, ballet, live bands, concerts, poetry, and an unimaginable range of sports, what sick mind would consider paying to watch a captive animal being brutalized?” Philip Wollen

The laws are made by and in favor of profiteers. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) allows these animals to be tortured. Do you know how much time and money has to go into getting one single charge against a circus? I have listed some more recent, but they will NEVER be allowed to go public until people with very deep pockets fight in court to silence the proof for as long as possible. This is what the AWA, the law, allows:

These are just some of the weapons the animals wake up to and are put to bed with.

This is how they live and travel, most times in their own defecation for hours.

This is a child for God’s sake! Yes, it’s the same old horrors, but the pictures current because the babies are all trained this way. FYI- Ringling’s “training” facility is called The Elephant Center. They claim it’s for conservation, but no one is ever set free and EVERYONE is sent to the circus. The Elephant Center is for breeding slaves and torturing animals. They have removed it from their site, but they also allow research to be done on these majestic creatures.

Following are more recent issues from PeTA’s fact sheet on just Ringling. If you have the stomach for it, there are fact sheets on most all the slave camps in operation in the US.

And let’s not forget Carol, the elephant who was a victim of a drive by shooting in Tupelo last year. A year later, Ringling brought her back in chains to the place she was attacked and made her perform. Remember, there are dozens of pages on each issue from all animal circuses.

This is Carol. A year after being shot she is back to being abused and humiliated. Here she is being made to stand on 2 legs, face smashed in the floor and legs spread. A crowd of barbarians cheer.

DEATHS

December 2, 2012: Susan, a 61-year-old Asian elephant, was euthanized “due to quality of life issues.” She had tested positive for tuberculosis earlier in the year.
October 31, 2012: Sid, a 45-year-old female Asian elephant, was euthanized because of “declining health.” She was used as part of Ringling’s breeding program.
June 27, 2012: Minyak, a female Asian elephant born in the wild around 1966, died after spending the majority of her 46 years performing in the circus. She was retired two years before her death.
January 23, 2012: Banana, a 55-year-old Asian elephant, was euthanized because of her declining health. She performed for Ringling for 41 years, from 1969 to 2010.
January 11, 2012: Sabu, an Asian bull elephant who was retired from Ringling 14 months prior, died from complications of severe arthritis. He collapsed in his sleeping stall, and veterinarians euthanized him after determining that he would be unable to stand again because of weakness and pain in his joints. Sabu was born 29 years ago at the Portland Zoo and began performing two years later. A necropsy found that his arthritis was exceptionally severe for an animal his

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH HUMANE-TREATMENT LAWS

The following 2 facts are proof that the AWA is not made to protect animals but to line the pockets of profiteers. This horrible incident is now another famous video. I don’t think the slaver was charged. You can see it right when you log on to RinglingBeatsAnimals

October 5, 2012: PETA was informed that the USDA had opened a formal investigation into Ringling Bros. for violations of the AWA.
July 3, 2012: PETA filed a complaint with the USDA after an employee working as a security guard at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., through a temp agency reported violations that he had observed at the arena while Ringling Bros. was in attendance. He also filed a complaint with local law enforcement. Some of the violations that he observed included a vicious and unprovoked beating of an elephant by an animal handler, prolonged chaining of elephants and resulting abnormal behavior patterns, inadequate space and insufficient exercise for large cats, and the aggressive, unprovoked hitting of a small dog by a Ringling employee.

ANIMAL CARE

I know, so far in the past that it’s hardly relevant to you, but it’s the same old every day treatment of innocent beings that needs to be shown.

August 7, 2011: Sarah the elephant collapsed while being loaded into a boxcar in Anaheim, California. She lay motionless for an extended period of time following her fall. Ringling had prior knowledge of Sarah’s health problems, including possible necrotic tumors on her reproductive organs, an elevated white-blood-cell count indicative of infection, and a chronic fistula (see “Failure to Comply with Humane-Treatment Laws,” June 10, 2011). Ringling continued to force the 54-year-old elephant to perform after this incident.
August 5, 2011: A Ringling veterinary technician informed Orange County, California’s Animal Care Department that the zebras jumped out of their cage during a performance on this date.
August 5, 2011: A tiger sustained a cut on her tail while being transferred from one cage to another. A Ringling veterinary technician told the USDA that a handler had closed the tiger’s tail in a gate, but she was uncertain about the details. When the USDA asked to interview the employee involved, access to this person was denied.
July 30, 2011: An official with Orange County, California’s Animal Care Department noticed a crack on one of Tonka the elephant’s right rear toenails during preparation for a show.
July 20, 2011: A 35-year-old Asian elephant, Banko, was forced to perform in Los Angeles, California, even though she experienced an episode of diarrhea and abdominal discomfort that required pain medication. Ringling employees also noted her lack of thirst and hunger

“The animal acts we have on display in animal circuses are disgusting, hideous and vile demonstrations of the depravity of uneducated, unenlightened profiteers. A product of ignoble minds.” Philip Wollen

DANGER

Re-watch the first video I opened this letter with showing kids riding an angry, abused elephant.
January 6, 2012: A Ringling animal trainer, Tabayara Maluenda, told The Miami Herald, “I’ve had more than 250 stitches around my body, and for this new season, I had 44 new ones from one tiger, trying to do something more energetic for ‘Fully Charged.’”

CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

May 10, 2011: According to The Associated Press, Kenneth Feld, the owner of Ringling’s parent company, appeared in federal court because his sister, Karen Feld, filed a $110 million lawsuit against him. Karen charged that Kenneth’s security guards beat and groped her as they removed her from a memorial service for their aunt, which Kenneth had invited her to. Karen and her dog were allegedly thrown out the front door by Kenneth’s guards, at Kenneth’s request. The assault landed Karen in the emergency room, exacerbated a brain injury and an arthritic knee, and led to surgery on both.

Scott, I only give you 1 fact from the pages listing all of the criminals Ringling (and all circuses) willingly employs. There’s no way to be a better slaver, especially by pretending to comply with laws that allow torture, rape and child abuse. Yes, breeding and the artificial insemination program that The Elephant Center boasts about IS rape. All non-consensual penetration is and I can assure you, the girl elephants don’t like humans and instruments going in. Your response is the epitome of how people accept harsh and barbaric treatment of others- as long as it’s not them. I’m trying to be polite and trying to help you make the connection , but really you so casually saying the atrocity called the circus is the same old pictures and videos sickens me. You really hurt my heart as a person. The definition of slavery doesn’t changed based on who the slaves are.

Sincerly,
Lisa

Scott’s answer was that he didn’t mean to sound so awful and that this year they would try to do more in depth coverage. Hopefully I can post an up-date that will favor the circus animals.

PLEASE CHECK FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS TO ATTEND IN YOUR AREA!

Circuses are proof that slavery still exists. Many of us animal rights activists (ARA) are fighting to abolish slavery- whether its Ringling and all other animal circuses, SeaWorld and all other aquariums, carriage pulling, all dog and horse racing, and all animals used for entertainment or work. Circuses, to me are a special level of hell for animals because the slavers are so successful at making the public believe that the animals are happy and well treated. Even if this were true (it’s absolutely not), a “well” treated slave would still be a slave.

I Woke Up This Morning Ready to Cry

Posted by emptyallcages on May 26, 2014

Posted in: PRIMATES, Uncategorized, UNIVERSITIES, VIVISECTION. Tagged: animal experimentation, animal testing, Memorial Day, Michael Budkie, S.A.E.N, vivisection. 4 Comments

Written by Michael and Karen Budkie of S.A.E.N

Editor’s Note: I usually add pictures to posts and re-posts alike but this one needs no additions to be a voice for the animals on Memorial Day.

I woke up this morning ready to cry, and the tears have not left my eyes.

On a day like Memorial Day, which is designed to remember the dead, tears will fall all across the U.S. This day was set aside to remember those who have left this world before us – during war or during everyday life. The deaths of millions and millions of people will be remembered today, often with tears.

But how many people will take a moment to remember the billions of animals that we humans are responsible for killing? Whether it is in laboratories, factory farms, forests, circuses, zoos, or any of the other killing fields that we have institutionalized. The death tolls climb too fast for us to even conceptualize – the counters spin and spin, with too few people trying to slow the progress.

I can only speak of the brutality and slaughter in which I have chosen, for good or ill, to immerse myself. Pictures of sentient beings whose captivity, suffering, and victimization have led them to self-destruction swirl in my mind. Primates tearing at their flesh, biting off their own fingers, ripping out their hair. They are accompanied by visuals of those thoughtlessly destroyed by humans – used and thrown out – as if they were nothing more than some piece of trash. Ironically, rats and mice, those considered most disposable, are given so little consideration, that we can’t even be bothered to insure true death before they are tossed into the carcass freezers. We can’t even kill them correctly.

Ninety-nine percent of the time I am ready for battle, wielding facts as weapons, hell-bent on exacting retribution by shaming the abusers in the public eye. But it’s the one percent when the stench of death so fills my nostrils, when the visions of corpses spin endlessly in my mind, when the stream of carnage and insanity is so overwhelming that despair claws at my consciousness and declares that I am utterly powerless to make any difference.

When I find myself in this pit of despair, I am tempted to give up. Walk away and do something simpler and less depressing that doesn’t fill my mind with images that no one should be forced to see. But even now, when I am at my weakest, when capitulation seems like the only choice, I know that it is not a choice at all.

This is my lot, it is what I have chosen and I will not flinch from this mission. I have said this so many times before, that it has become a cliché, but with knowledge comes responsibility. Those of us who have seen these horrors first hand, have an obligation to fight to the bitter end for their termination. The price is irrelevant and the pain that we feel is insignificant.

For if simply reading about their suffering, or seeing a picture can swamp our souls, how much worse are the experiences of the animals who actually endure the agonies that we only read about? If the imprisoned animals can somehow, someway, get through another day as they wait for someone to open the cage door and lead them to freedom, if they can go on, then I MUST.

There really is NO CHOICE.

Right now, as you read this, millions upon millions of animals are struggling through another day of suffering, waiting for an end. Hoping for either freedom or death. Longing for their lives to become something like what they were intended to be – and less like a nightmare.

What they are really waiting for is US. They wait for us to realize that despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, despite the apparent strength of those who exploit animals, despite the apathy of the masses, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

We are capable of opening the doors of the labs and forcing the public to look inside. The truth is sufficient, reality is horrible enough. We CAN make everyone see that there simply is NO justification for brutality. Selfishness does not justify slaughter. No matter how much money can be made, no matter how scientifically interesting a process might be, Scientific Curiosity does not justify Cruelty. Abstract Knowledge does not justify Abject Victimization.

In the end, one thing helps to make it all worthwhile – knowing that animals can have freedom, too. In this imperfect world, we do sometimes get it right. Animals do get out of labs, and circuses, and factory farms. Sometimes the tears shed can be tears of joy. Recently, I have had this experience, of watching an animal being released into a sanctuary, and knowing that they had this experience, knowing that an animal is free at least in part because of something you did, that is enough to last a lifetime. A few animals are no longer waiting for someone to lead them to freedom, they already have it. With that picture now in my mind, knowing that death doesn’t always win, it is possible to move on.

We must always remember that there is also good in the world, and we are a part of it. If we fight hard enough, we have a chance to literally make it happen. The freedom of even one animal is blessing enough to keep up the battle. If you have saved even one animal, removed one being from suffering, hold on to that one positive. Keep that rescue in your heart. Every new day is another opportunity to make it happen again. Don’t miss out on the chance to give freedom to another, there are no better experiences in this world.

An Orca’s Life in Captivity vs. the Ocean [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted by emptyallcages on May 14, 2014

Posted in: DOLPHINS, SEAWORLD, Uncategorized, WHALES. Tagged: animal cruelty, animal rights, Blackfish, Killer Whales, Orcas, SeaWorld, Slavery, SlaveWorld. 1 Comment

RussianOrcas_fe

Sources: One Green Planet , PeTA, Blackfish

When the documentary “Blackfish” was released to critical acclaim in 2013, the world shifted beneath SlaveWorld’s feet. The once-favorite entertainment attraction lost its long-held prestige and a movement against the company was sparked. Animal lovers staged protests and Twitter erupted with angry hashtags like #downwithSeaWorld.

SlaveWorld has tried to write off these actions and others, calling them attacks by “extreme animal rights activists,” however, what the entertainment giant does not seem to understand is that “Blackfish” has permanently changed how we view marine mammals kept in captivity. Thanks to the film and subsequently available information on the issue, most of the public has been awoken to the sadness, frustration and abuse suffered by orcas in captivity.

These orcas lead very different lives than they would in the wild– their natural abilities are stifled and they rarely receive the stimulation and exercise they need to grow up healthy and strong.

WAYS TO TAKE ACTION FOR ORCAS (First and foremost, NEVER by a ticket to a show using animals)

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION TO FREE THE UF MONKEYS!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Everything about being the victim of a research sadist, confined and mutilated, is hour by hour torture for all animals. Please watch the 1 minute video at the bottom of the page.

Suffering soul, monkey 5C126, has lived a life of daily fear and pain. He was murdered on August 1, 2013 in the UF dungeons by having his chest opened, the abdominal aorta cut and then bleeding to death. Vivisectors call this “humane euthanasia” The poor little guy was part of ANOTHER of 100s of Parkinson’s disease studies where decades of previous information could have been used instead of 5C126. Same kind of study; injecting the brains of more innocent beings with different viruses and genes to try to stop the disease. And somehow this and another baby ended up with measles along with all the other torture they suffered. UF didn’t name the types of viruses used in the brain injection, all we know is that it was combination of them. UF was actually awarded a large grant from the Michael J Fox Foundation for this.

5C126 and 5 other little guys from the sister concentration camps Harman Farm and Mannheimer Foundation were bought so that UF could poison them with high dose’s of Doxycycline, take fluid from their spines over and over, and then inject their brains with a virus cocktail. 5C126 weighs about 14 pounds, and was 6 yrs old when he was chosen as a victim for UF sadists…about the same age as a first grader. He arrived with a less than healthy brain from almost a year of low red blood cell counts caused by the concentration camp that was drawing his blood to sell since his birth in their caged colony. (brain damage possible from low blood count depending on cause). After UF had dosed him and his colony mates with doxycycline “treats” their tormentors would take blood from all of them for looking for levels that would signal time to move on to paralyzing and life threatening procedure taking spinal fluid from the. They must have all been terrified each time they saw a tech come for their blood!

Monkey 5C126 didn’t care for the drugged pellets very much and was found eating the plastic from one of his toys- likely out of hunger. How the study continued once they found one of the victims wasn’t consuming the amount needed, seems at least unethical. The next step was to pull fluid from each of their spines. Findings might indicate this “needing” to be done several times as the sadist looked for the perfect time to drill holes in their skulls and inject a cocktail of viruses into their brains!

During the 1.5 years monkey 5C126, suffered from injuries acquired in his everyday life, from fighting with with another monkey and worst of all from lesions that one tech states was caused by the antibiotic he was receiving. He even hurt his little hands trying to escape with his cage mate. There’s no way to be treated humanely as UF would have the world believe. Everything about being the victim of a research sadist, confined and mutilated, is hour by hour torture for the time they are there.

UF DID NOT INCLUDE A NECROPSY REPORT for 5C126 or any of his colony mates in this study. None. That’s because this report would include the horrors they all suffered to the end from having their brains injected with God knows what. And 5C126 did go insane. Some time before he was murdered, his records stated tha along with several lesions he was itching all over (untreated measles from brain injection??), unable to stand due to constant trembling, eating a plastic toy instead of the poison, etc. The missing necropsy reports from this atrocity would show pathology, organ and brain condition, including the toxic levels of Doxycycline.

Most noxious (not all inclusive as UF records are incomplete) medications given to the point of poisoning him- In 1 year and 5 months monkey 5C126 received:

ACEPROMAZINE
Antipsychotic, used to treat side effects of general anesthetics, discontinued in the 1950s for humans because of “profound side effects” including vertigo, intestinal blockage and pseudo parkinsonism (Really? In a Parkinson’s study for humans??)
-40 or so recorded doses, but records are incomplete.

DOXCYCLINE
Atetracycline antibiotic which is commonly used to treat a variety of infections. The FDA says: “Doxycycline and other members of the tetracycline class of antibiotics are not generally approved for treating patients under 8 years old. These antibiotics can cause swelling of the brain” Monkey 5C126 was just 6 yrs old when he was poisoned with doxycycline. Also “used for infected animal bites” but 5C126 was further poisoned with Baytril to the point of lesions for his wounds.
-40 or so recorded doses but records are incomplete.

KETAMINE:
Is not a pain killer. Dissociatives are a class of hallucinogen, which distort perceptions of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment – dissociation, from the environment and self. This is done through reducing or blocking signals to the conscious mind from other parts of the brain. Ketamine is also used as a recreational drug.
-40 or so recorded doses, but records are incomplete. UF protocol 4133 specified to use ketamine “every time a monkey was handled.”

BAYTRIL
Antibiotic sold by the Bayer Corporation that may cause blindness with long term use. 8 days prior to little 5C126’s death it was decided to stop giving it to him because it may be causing the lesions he was suffering with for 2 months.
-20 or so recorded doses, but records are incomplete, in just 2 months-before it was decided it was hurting him.

THE FIRST SIX YEARS

5C126 was bred and born at well hidden sister concentration camps called Mannheimer Foundation / Haman Ranch, SOLEY for the purpose of having his tissue, organs, blood and other fluids sold for profit. Like 1000s of other little guys imprisoned in cages for life there, 5C126 was brutalized weekly and kept alive just to generate flesh and blood. He and his colony mates were likely terrified every time they saw a tech because they knew someone was getting hurt or mutilated. Noted in his labs are dangerously low red blood cell counts which could result in brain damage. Not an ideal victim for a brain study. Did UF consider taking another monkey instead? Are they even concerned with one iota of scientific accuracy? Possible symptoms that little 5C126 suffered through most of 2010 include weakness, stomach pain, depression, paranoia, chest pain and hallucinations.

After looking at 5C126’s labs and records of his agonizing 6 years at the concentration camps Mannheimer Foundation / Haman Ranch, experienced Animal Trainer Chelsea Groggins-Hepler states:

“This poor little guy had an agonizing life. 5C126 was injured neglected and drained of blood- especially from the periods of August 2009 through his “shipment” to UF in March 2011. In the lab reports I saw definite evidence of negligent treatment. He suffered a laceration on 08/13/09 and somehow was still bleeding on 10/01/09. So they started him on iron yet continued to pull ENORMOUS amounts of blood frequently thereafter (we’re talking 40-50mls a month, that’s A LOT). They continued to treat with iron on 11/24/09 and then gave Baytril, an antibiotic on 01/23/10 for 10 days. To me, this says he was continuing to create or irritate self-inflicted wounds. More iron on 04/27/10. Between January and April his body score dropped from a 4 to a 3 and he was slightly anemic by June of 2010. Normal HCT (red blood cell count) for a Macaque is 39-54%. 5C126’s was at a dangerous 37%, yet they continued pulling blood from him and just feeding him iron to make up for it!! Interesting to note they started drawing blood from his leg on 04/27/2010. I wonder if they had blown all his veins out or if he was pulling at the scabs from previous draw sites? Scratches were documented on his right thigh on 07/19/10, probably self-inflicted, and by 10/12/10 he is full on anemic with an HCT of, incredibly, only 34%. His a body score was down to 3. On 02/16/11 they found the heel laceration and tail tip issue. Tail tip granulation is usually self-inflicted by distressed animals. Sometimes lab monkeys have blood drawn from the tips of their tails and this aggravation can cause tip granulation as well. From this file it sounds more self-inflicted.”

Sweet baby 5C126 arrived at UF when he was 6 years old and was murdered when he was 7.5 years old.

LEGAL CONCERNS

1. UF audaciously ignores protocol requirements and leaves the following sections blank :
a. Upload multiple documents or charts that help explain the project.
b. Upload any document or chart that helps describe/justify animal numbers.
c. Does this project duplicate previously performed experimental work.
d. If yes, please scientifically justify the need to duplicate previous work.

2. Copy/Paste is not a narrative of methods. Search for Alternative Methods to minimize pain and distress, Category D and E only (refinement). Per federal regulations and UF policy, each protocol must provide a narrative of methods and sources…

3. The life of little 5C126 was fully undocumented on his vet (torture) records between February 10 2012 and July 16 2012. This is not another “mistake” by UF in complying with the court order to provide records, It’s clear that no one felt it was important to the study to document and more info.

4. How can the outcome be accurate? UF states that the level of doxycycline in the monkeys was important to the outcome. Yet, 5C126 was reported for almost a year refusing to eat the amount given because he didn’t like them.

5. Is this an acceptable scientific answer for justification for column D animal numbers? “N=6 was mandated by Michael J. Fox foundation as this was what they were willing to fund. These data will be used in a UO1 grant application. More animals will likely be requested (with power analysis) if that grant is funded.”

UF LOCATIONS 5C126 WAS TAKEN TO:

LG-114AB McKnight Brain Institute Other MBI- MRI 3T
ACS procedure room or animal housing room Bleeding Anesthesia
ACS managed surgery suite (MBI or Communicore) Survival Surgery
Euthanasia CB90B

SOURCES:
Gainesville Sun / UF Lawsuit, Karen Kline w/ Eleventh Hour For Animals, Camille Marino w/ Negotiation Is Over, Chelsea Groggins-Heppler,

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RECORDS FOR MONKEY 5C126 AND PROTOCOL 4133:

Protocol 4133
Monkey 5C126 2-17-11 to 4-8-11
Monkey 5C126 5-24-11 to 2-15-13
Monkey 5C126 6-6-13 to Death 8-1-13

Previously exposed records- also obtained from the court compelling UF submit public records.

EMPTY ALL CAGES

The truth is both a great and terrible thing- the wise submit when confronted by it. THE ANIMAL HOLOCAUST IS REAL…..

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