a religious proclamation for animal compassion, pt. 2

As promised, here are Five Calls to Action which were developed by the authors of A Religous Proclamation for Animal Compassion (see previous post):

Five Calls to Action: As concerned people of faith and in response to these proclamations, we make the following five calls to action in five arenas that directly impact the quality of animals' lives: Pet Overpopulation and the Plight of Homeless Pets; the Meat and Fur Industries; Animals in Sports and Entertainment; Medical Research and Experimentation on Animals; and Wildlife Preservation and Protection

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hidden from view

This week I ran across an excellent mini-series of posts by evangelical theologian and church leader Greg Boyd, starting with Why I'm a Vegetarian.  I hope to review Boyd's posts in the near future, but in the meantime I wanted to pass along a can't-miss video from Mercy for Animals which he mentioned.  It's a powerful summary of what goes on in the factory animal farming industry.  The video is graphic when it needs to be, but here's a challenge: watch as much as you can, and the 12 minutes as a whole if at all possible.  It's an incredibly affecting awareness builder, and it can only be hoped that the day isn't far away when everyone in our churches and society will be familiar with what's behind the vast majority of our animal products.

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Chicago and foie gras

I apologize for being more than a month late with this post.  But on May 14th Chicago repealed a ban prohibiting foie gras from being in served in restaurants, a ban put in place by the City Council in April, 2006 under the guidance of Alderman Joe Moore.  Having spent most of my life in the Chicago area, including four years downtown while in college, this story interests me, and angers me, on a number of levels.

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KFC takes step forward

I'm not a blanket supporter of PETA, but I do appreciate much of what they've accomplished for animals ... the ends, if not always the means (or ideology).  There is good reason to dialogue and interact with them, and not write them off or demonize them as often happens.  That said, I receive PETA's updates (see header), and was encouraged to hear about recent steps they've taken with KFC Canada to improve the welfare of the chickens which are raised and slaughtered by their suppliers.  KFC Canada also plans to introduce a faux-chicken option to its menu, which is excellent news.  By the way, if you haven't already, try faux-chicken - it can be surprisingly good!

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