Animal welfare groups, eating each other for lunch?
I was surprised, well maybe not too surprised, to read a press release that crossed my transom earlier this week from one Philadelphia animal welfare organization excoriating another.
Animal welfare groups, eating each other for lunch?
Amy Worden, Inquirer Staff Writer
UPDATE: So send me to the slaughterhouse and prove my point. Jason Treger writes that the email he received said Morris would not be serving meat at the event. It did not say vegan cuisine would be served. (Although, we can't confirm that dairy was served either.) If someone from Morris would like to send me a menu from the event to clear things up I'd appreciate it. Treger also states that his group is an animal rights group not an animal welfare group. Mea culpa.
I was surprised, well maybe not too surprised, to read a press release that crossed my transom earlier this week from one Philadelphia animal welfare organization excoriating another.
In this case the fusillade was launched by Jason Treger of the Animal Rights Group of Greater Philadelphia over a fundraiser scheduled tonight by the Morris Animal Refuge which, reportedly, was planning to serve a meat dish on the menu. (We couldn't reach Morris to get an answer).
Treger penned an op-ed piece for this newspaper on the issue, decrying what he called the "hypocrisy" of the refuge's $100-a-plate Fur Ball. He asked, how a shelter could justify raising money to save cats and dogs by serving up cow or pig or chicken.
How can these groups condemn hitting a dog or neglecting a cat while inviting their donors to eat animals that endured much worse? And are they really animal lovers if they're endorsing the killing of some species to help others?
He called on the refuge to go vegan, which, according to an email received by Treger they did. But Treger says because he couldn't confirm the email's authenticity, his group will go ahead with its protest tonight outside the Loews Hotel.
Here's my question: Why is it that animal welfare groups prefer to fight each other than fight for their causes together?
The issue was on the mind of Humane Society of Berks County top dog Karel Minor this week too. Karel writes on his blog that he was proud that animal activists had come together to oppose HR 89 (the bill drafted to "study" the economic impact of the new dog law).
All too often we are not effective at getting what we want or, just as importantly in politics, at stopping what we oppose, because we fight and bicker over who is allowed to speak for our side, who is most credible, or who knows best. Too often we will put more time into undermining those on our own side at the expense of the issue all of us on our side agree on. We treat degrees of difference as if they are orders of magnitude.
We do not mean to suggest groups can't disagree on issues, but too often the scrapping ends up hurting animals and the organizations that seek to protect them.
Thank you for inserting a modicum of common sense into this topic. Animal advocacy lacks real strength because of all the infighting and back biting that goes on. Everyone feels that they are doing what's right and that all the rest are not, and the dissension ends up hurting animals. There are innumerable topics with different sides, whether it's about TNR, pediatric spay/neuter, adopting out intact animals, bringing animals to shelters from other areas, requiring home visits, doing vet checks, utilizing rescues, "no kill" vs euthanasia, and whether to be grateful for HSUS's work with Vick or condemn them for giving him a second chance. The issue of demanding vegan events from companion animal shelters is only one of the controversial issues that divides the animal protection community and splinters our numbers. Meanwhile, the animals have no voice and they have no choice. They wind up in shelters or rescue groups where they may eventually find a furrever home, or they remain on the street or in abusive homes until they die. They can't tell us which side to take, but I'd bet they would appreciate any immediate help we can give them. They don't have a yardstick to measure how pure our intentions or our behavior may be. They don't care what we eat for dinner or which side we take in a debate. They just need help and they need it now. If we truly care about animals at all, we need to stop tearing each other down, no matter how much we may disapprove of each other. The energy spent on attacking or defending a position could be better spent helping an animal. And by the way, I've been vegetarian since 1973, and I wish everyone would stop eating animals. But until that happens, lets welcome all the help we can find to help whatever animals people care about.— MaureenKoplow- Jason Treger of the Animal Rights Group of Greater Philadelphia could have contacted Morris Animal Refuge privately to suggest a vegan menu for the Fur Ball. Why the letter to the newspaper? Jason, it's about the animals, not you.— sooszq
- I would suggest those commenting on this read Jason Treger's op-ed before passing judgment. He did privately contact Morris Animal Refuge, which was clear in the op-ed.
Tip to Amy - you should do a little more fact-checking before writing on a subject - Morris Animal Refuge never agreed to provide a vegan menu. In fact, the final menu served fish as well as products containing dairy and eggs.
I also found it interesting that Amy Worden chose to present Karel Minor as the paradigm of peace-making - this guy is among the most pugilistic of animal welfare self-professed gurus around. Do you guys belong to some mutual admiration society or something?— Anne Jones - Sooszq: hi, I do know from reading the OpEd itself that Treger contacted Morris multiple times but didnt' get an answer and thus the OpEd. If he didn't do that I'd agree, but he did.— Tommy Witz
- Animal rights shouldnt' mean a total lack of sanity. I'm sick of these whining, half-dead looking, vegans telling everyone else what to eat. get over yourselves--some people eat meat--got it !— crystalrainbowspirit1
- Just a note--if you served a totally meat deficient menu--who'd pay for a ticket---only you psychotic vegans. I personally eat as few veggies as I can to protest the government intrusion into my food choices.— crystalrainbowspirit1
- Exactly how do your rants and raves against vegans contribute to the discussion? — Jen D
- Crystalrainbowspirit??? Really??? Geesh. At least those of us who prefer not to eat animals post our real names. Your name-calling and mud-slinging post is exactly what the others are protesting. To everyone else: each of us does what we are capable of to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Every little bit helps. And while I have been a vegetarian since 1990, but not a vegan, I admire those who take this next step in protecting all animals.— Judith T. Oruska
- Many years ago, I cut way back on money I give to national organizations. I was tired of their in-fighting. I now give to local groups and only give donations to the national groups for a specific purpose, such as rescuing pets in the aftermath of a disaster.— Jen D
- Animal RIGHTS is NOT animals WELFARE. There's a difference between telling people that cannot eat what they want to and need to eat to maintain health and promoting the humane care of animals meant to be used for food.
Prime example is the Humane Society of the US. The HSUS doens't run a single shelter, and only gives one HALF of one percent of its income for actual animal care. About $400,000 out of NINETY MILLION. And PeTA KILLS over 90% of all animals it takes in. Neither is about animal welfare.— Canine Professional - Pot, meet kettle. I can't really imagine a more negative article than this one. Way to go, Amy. Way to go.— G.Kelly
- The whole point it seems that these people refer to themselves as 'animal lovers' when in fact they limit this love to certain types and love chowing down on the rest. And, btw, there's nothing whatsoever new about in-fighting for any issue, it's all so human.— bucky95
- Got a copy of the "email" sent to Treger and his comment to the press. Neither ever says anything about Morris offering to go vegan Treger mentions before the event that group would no longer mention morris in its posters or signs...not sure what this author was reading when she wrote this. And yes, I guess infighting is all happening...I mean republicans fight each other and so do democracts, and so on and so forth..I'm sure even within, lets say, the Catholic church, the heads fight each other and argue....yes, there can be wormen priest, no there can't...etc...— Tommy Witz
- Canine P: Get off your anti-HSUS bandwagon for once, why don't ya? HSUS has NEVER, EVER claimed to run a shelter. Not once. If you and your so-called reputable breeder friends would just once volunteer in an HSUS-sponsored puppy mill rescue, I'm sure you'd be welcome. Might even learn something! Animal people - eat what you want but when you hold pig-roasts to raise money to help dogs and cats, you look like idiots.— Macy
- How foolish it is to hear the hypocracy of the AR groups discussing eating meat vs being vegan.
My animals eat meat and so do I.
I love animals including loving them on my dinner plate.
We animals are ALL a part of the cycle of life and that includes consuming living beings plant or other animals as a part of that cycle.
Animal rights oriented egetarians could care less whether animals live or die which is why they are animal rights oriented.
Animal welfare oriented people who are not vegetarians want to do the best by animals that they can and that includes doing their share of consumption.
What you eat doesn't indicate anything about what you care about beyond the health of you and your family and your pets.— Lotta D
- A Humane Nation
- Animal Law Coalition
- Animal Legal Defense Fund
- Animals & Politics
- Best Friends Animal Society
- Catster
- Dogster
- ohmidog!
- Paw Print Post
- Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Pet Watch New Jersey
- Pet-Abuse.com
- PetMD
- Terrierman
- The Bark
- Vetstreet
- WebMed/Pets
- zootoo
