Tag Archives: Umwelt

Culture

Learn To Communicate With Your Pet

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It’s a funny thing about cats and babies. When babies cry, we desperately try to understand why. When a cat meows on the other hand, we usually take it as if he or she’s just being…… well, annoying. To be fair, it depends on the pitch of the meow. If it’s more of a screech, well then you and I probably take that as a sign to stay away. But not with babies. Have you ever wondered why the different treatment?

Why do people put extra time into analyzing baby behaviors compared to cats?

I mean, both are obviously trying to say something to us.And we know from research that cats have a language of their own. In fact the meows you hear could be one of 20 different sounds they’re making, all with slightly different inflections and behavioral responses.

We can now learn the full range of complex emotions we previously thought were reserved only for human beings — as they are actually happening to our cat children.

Cats can have a sense of guilt, for example. And if you can spot the emotions, you’ll know exactly when they misbehave!

Cats can feel lonely, as we already pointed out. And oftentimes they’ll try and hide from you, much like a teenager who secretly needs to be consoled in some way.

Cats can even be manipulative. But you already knew that, or at least suspected it every time your cat showed you some warmth and love right before chow time!

Dog Lovers might be interested in the Bowlingual.

Dogs, in comparison, can never quite get past a five-year-old’s more narrow emotional spectrum. It’s either happy or sad for them.

Don’t believe me? Check it out and see firsthand what your cat is trying to tell you today by clicking here.

Art

Book Snobbery, Fairy Tales And Reality

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“The way to read a fairy tale is to throw yourself in.” ― W.H. Auden

“In a utilitarian age, of all other times, it is a matter of grave importance that fairy tales should be respected.” (Frauds on the Fairies, 1853)” ― Charles Dickens, Works of Charles Dickens

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ― Albert Einstein

i dream of genie with blue djinn and darrens living room

I was “that child”, the one who wanted fairy tales and magic to be real. As far back as I can remember I dreamed about having supernatural powers (always good of course…well, almost always) having carpets that flew, potions that could transform anyone or anything, the ability to speak to animals. I never understood why Darren and Samantha worked so hard at concealment. Or why Jeannie didn’t dump the Major and go back to live with the Djinn….I mean, LOOK at the decor!!!! Who wouldn’t rather have scarves and pillows and elaborate brass lamps instead of that godawful avocado and mustard vibe?

Music for a fairy tale. Click me.
Music for  fairy tales. Click me.

Books fueled this. Small witches, talking mice, flying nannies, rings and boxes and mysterious rooms and islands all combined in a grand and glorious stew. Why couldn’t I have a wizard for a teacher? (maybe I would have learned math) Why couldn’t bullies simply be turned into flowerpots? Alas, eventually the adulting creeps in. And people stop being indulgent about your whimsy. And your imagination….

You stop inviting your friends over to play make believe. Or, at least, they stop accepting. And you are encouraged to put away childish things. To accumulate the right kind of books….improving books. High tone books. Books with Purpose. The wishing frogs and tall towers and magic mirrors are packed away… Book Snobbery. Where Fantasy books in the annoying “Y.A.” category are barely tolerated. Stuff and Nonsense.(keeping it G rated here. I expect points…) Children should be encouraged to read whatever they reading-on-the-buswant and adults should enjoy the same free pass. You should be proud of displaying your book on the bus whether you are reading Kafka or Twilight. There are life lessons to be found in fantasy. Fairy tales teach you that sometimes bad things do happen. (The original version of some of the most beloved and well known can be a bit brutal.

For example, the Ugly Stepsisters in Cinderella actually cut their toes off to fit into the slipper. Kiddiewinkle Disney this ain’t.. ) But good and kind usually triumph. Sometimes help can come from unexpected areas. And there is always a way out of the woods. I do live in the real world. Drive. Work. Pay taxes. Cook, clean, shop. Watch the political situation (although “real” and politics lately….never mind) When I sit at a stop light I do not think a gnome is changing the colors. I rarely look for dragons. But I still yearn for them. Magic is everywhere and everything. It may not have glittery wings, it may not be vanquished with a sword, there might not be a house dropped on it or a incantation spoken…..but it is here.

Writers poets, artists, storytellers; all know this on some level. Even if we disguise it.The human imagination is ancient. The roots of stories are found far back in oral traditions and the tales were only modified later to make them illustrations of good versus evil. We do research, we discuss, we delve and write learned papers. We collect quotes and materials, and most importantly buy the books buy the books buy the books…. Books are the real magic. The tangible, in your hands, in your face, take you wherever you want to go – Magic. Read it. Whatever the cover, whatever the rating.

If you like it, read it. Do not let any house of cards pompous proclamation tell you it’s wrong. Secretly we are looking for the elves. We want there to be fairies in the garden. We never see a shooting star without wishing. And if you are very, very lucky. You will never lose that. For the Silo, Jaye Tomas. 

 

 

Culture

Roadside Memorials Of Loss Are On The Rise

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One of Toronto based photographer Erin Riley’s series of photographs depicting roadside memorials in and around the GTA

Indeed, the prevalence of roadside memorials has increased significantly over the past several decades and there is little doubt that each of us has encountered them at some point. Roadside memorials are essentially visual manifestations of profound suffering and loss. They mark the site where a motor vehicle accident has occurred and the death that resulted from it (however , many memorials, especially in major cities, have little to do with motor vehicle accidents and more to do with cycling accidents, innocent bystanders or anything else that faithfully marks the site of passing).

In areas where large gravestones or plaques cannot be placed, for a variety of reasons, makeshift memorials take their place. These sites grow with each flower, ribbon or object and deplete with the wind, rain or snow; they are in a continuous state of flux. The organic quality of roadside memorials may directly reference the very epehemerality of life itself. Moreover, in their various forms and inclinations, they challenge Western society’s visual seperation of the living from the dead; therefore, as they subsist, roadside memorials carry the spectre of mortality into the public sphere, a space where even speaking of death remains taboo.

Post-mortem/momento mori photography during the Victorian age is a fascinating though dark and unsettling movement.

Roadside markers are a rural and urban feature- this marker is located on Front Road, near St. Williams, Ontario, Canada image: www.thesilo.ca

Encountering the idea of death may be one of the reasons why people take issue with the appearance of roadside memorials. For them, they represent a veritable “distraction” while driving, are considered “unsightly” or a “vandalism of public property”. For the families of the deceased, roadside memorials allow the opportunity to mourn their loved one(s) at the very place of their passing. The level of emotion generated by being near the actual site where a loved one has died is different from standing beside their final resting place in segregated communities of loss that are the modern cemetery.

Not only are roadside memorials, as markers of loss, important to the families and groups that maintained a relationship to the deceased, but they powerfully address the living by acting as memento mori (reminders of death). It is through them that one may better appreciate the present.

Toronto-based photographer Erin Riley’s series of photographs depicting roadside memorials in and around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) specifically engages the publicization of loss and its visual manifestation. Riley’s images are strikingly beautiful and skillfully composed, yet they raise ethical questions precisely because they aestheticize markers of death sites by transforming them into visual objects to behold.  This theme was explored  in Jarrod Barker’s April 2010’s  Umwelt at the Norfolk Arts Center with a central piece depicting a virtual gallery memorial in conjunction with projected audio/video loop of a recently deceased Deer- struck down by a motorist, the piece becoming essentially a rural memento mori.

Happening upon a recently struck deer- Artist Jarrod Barker aestheticized the site by placing a white linen ‘shroud’ over the victim. This would later become a central piece in the installation of Umwelt April 2010 photo: J. Barker

Another question concerns the identification of deceased individuals and whether or not their names should be made public through the vehicle of art. That being said, Riley’s photographs do provide an eloquent record of roadside memorials within the GTA and speak to their social and cultural value. Ask yourself: where do you stand on this issue?

It would seem that, for the families of the deceased, roadside memorials serve the purpose of exactly that: the memorializatin of a life. [ “even” an animal life CP ] They also serve a function for the living, reminding us that life is fleeting and that the dangers of the road are real. Ultimately, rather than causing drivers to collide, roadside memorials may force drivers to more aware of the consequences of speed, negligence and drunk driving. May roadside memorials continue to stand where lives have fallen. For the Silo, Matthew Ryan Smith. 

Supplemental– http://www.rideofsilence.org/memoriam.php

 

 

Culture

Dolphin Hunting Season Opens In Japan

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Taiji, Japan  – In Defense of Animals denounces the cruel dolphin hunting and killing season that officially opened on September 1 in Taiji, Japan. The hunting season, which goes until March each year, sees the brutal slaughter of hundreds of dolphins.

“The primary motivation for the hunting and killing of dolphins is the captivity industry, where live, trained dolphins fetch a much higher price than dead ones,” says Dr. Toni Frohoff, In Defense of Animals’ Cetacean Scientist. “We call on the captivity industry in the United States to stop contributing to the demand that fuels these cruel hunts.”

Photo- Liz Carter.

During the hunts, wild dolphins are driven into a cove along the coast of Taiji and held, sometimes for days, while “show-quality” individuals are selected and torn away permanently from their families. These individuals are then trained and sold to aquariums in Japan and around the world. Often, some or all of the remaining dolphins are killed and butchered for their flesh, or turned loose into the ocean where they suffer from the significant trauma of severed familial ties or in some cases witnessing the deaths of their podmates.

While demand for captive dolphin entertainment may be declining in certain places within the United States, in others the industry is attempting to gain foothold. The Mississippi Aquarium, slated for downtown Gulfport, plans on including a new dolphin aquarium.

“Promoting captive dolphin entertainment is tantamount to promoting the brutal killing of dolphins that happens each year in Taiji,” continued Dr. Frohoff. “The only way to stop these slaughters is to stop promoting captivity, which in itself causes enormous stress, suffering and premature death for dolphins.”

The quotas for this year’s dolphin hunting season in Taiji, set by Japan’s Fisheries Agency, total 1,940 individuals, including 414 bottlenose dolphins, 450 striped dolphins and 400 pantropical spotted dolphins, according to Cetabase.

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 30-year history of fighting for animals, people and the environment through education, campaigns and hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi. For the Silo, Dr. Toni Frohoff.

All photos- Liz Carter.

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS • 3010 KERNER BLVD. • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • 415-448-0048

 

Earth

Mexico City Bill Outlaws Whale And Dolphin Performances

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Mexico City, Mexico – In Defense of Animals has welcomed a landmark bill that prohibits the use of dolphins for entertainment. The Legislative Assembly of Mexico City passed a bill on Tuesday August 1, 2017, that outlaws cetacean performances and training, as well as whale and dolphin use in research or therapy.

“This landmark ban will spare generations of animals from cruelty and sends a clear message that the public increasingly rejects dolphin captivity,” said Dr. Toni Frohoff, Cetacean Scientist for In Defense of Animals. “We thank Mexico City officials for recognizing our Ten Worst Tanks list and acting swiftly to end the abuse. We urge Six Flags to retire the dolphins at a seaside sanctuary where they may recover.”

Mexico City Six Flags photo: Martin Lewison

Dolphin advocate Yolanda Alaniz, of Comarino Mexico, held a press conference with Environment Commission President, Xavier López Adame. “All parties, from rights to strong lefts voted just as one,” said Alaniz. “Deputies recognized dolphins as sentient beings who suffer living in concrete tanks. Politics spoke with ethics, and marked a new way to follow for our country, and we will follow this path.”

Two bottlenose dolphins and two sea lions will be directly affected by the new law. The dolphins are confined to a barren tank set in the middle of the Six Flags Mexico amusement park, the only facility in Mexico City that currently holds cetaceans captive. Previously known as Reino Aventura, the park is infamous for holding Keiko, the now-deceased orca used in the film “Free Willy”. The park ranked second worst in Mexico and sixth place overall on In Defense of Animals Ten Worst Tanks list.

photo: Martin Lewison

Dr. Toni Frohoff

For years, the dolphins have been regularly forced to perform circus acts as loud music blares. The dolphins have also been used for swim-with programs, where they are trained to perform contrived behaviors that simulate affection and sociability toward the paying public. The animals are coerced to give rides where people grab and hang onto their dorsal and pectoral fins and to give “kisses,” “hugs” and “handshakes.”

Six Flags Mexico is owned by Dolphin Discovery, a Mexican company that runs at least 24 captive dolphin facilities internationally.  For the Silo, Toni Frohoff, Ph.D.

For more information, please see www.idausa.org/10worsttanks

Featured image- Martin Lewison.

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 30-year history of fighting for animals, people and the environment through education, campaigns and hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS • 3010 KERNER BLVD. • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • 415-448-0048 Please mention the Silo when contacting.

 

Culture

Neglected Tallahatchie County Horses Seized And Rescued

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This article contains graphic images.  Cascilla, Miss. – Two Mississippi animal protection organizations have joined forces to rescue four neglected horses in Cascilla, Tallahatchie County. In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign and Jackson-based Mississippi Horses seized the starving and wounded animals from a property on Smith Road.

Concerned people who passed the property contacted the Justice for Animals campaign after witnessing the horses in a state of neglect.

Justice for Animals Director Doll Stanley and Tallahatchie County Deputy Albert Griffin met with the property owner to examine the conditions of the neglected horses. Two stallions, one mare, and her colt were confined to an area with no grass or other food to support the horses and no drinking water. One of the horses had a severe, untreated wound on his face.

A fifth horse was present on the property who seemed well-cared for. The badly-injured stallion had apparently stuck his head through an opening in the stall of the well-cared-for horse in an attempt to reach food, and had been severely bitten. One side of his head and his neck were scraped in the struggle to free himself when the other horse attacked him, leaving a ghastly bite wound that left an exposed section of bone on his face. The horse had not received medical attention.

An order was granted to the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Department for the seizure of the four horses on July 14 and was enforced that afternoon. Mississippi Horses immediately transported the injured horse to Mississippi State University Veterinary School for emergency treatment. The three other horses have been taken into the organization’s care for rehabilitation.

“In many cases of unintentional neglect, often in ignorance, we give guidance to animal guardians and monitor the recovery or check on the animals’ improved environment,” said Justice for Animals Director, Doll Stanley. “In this case, friendly guidance was not an option. Failure to provide the basic sustenance for horses and direly needed medical care, and failing to even reach out for help, has caused inexcusable suffering to these poor horses.”

In Defense of Animals has served in Mississippi for 24 years, aiding victims and law enforcement with hundreds of cruelty cases. In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign works with law enforcement to provide guidance on animal cruelty laws, advocate for stronger humane ordinances and statutes, and coordinate aid to rescue neglected and intentionally harmed animals.

Eleven miles south of Grenada, Mississippi, In Defense of Animals operates Hope Animal Sanctuary which rescues and cares for hundreds of animals including many victims of cruelty cases. Hope Animal Sanctuary is currently full and mid-way through a renovation project to replace its 20-year-old facilities with buildings, fencing, and modern amenities so that it may continue to provide hope for Mississippi’s cast-off, neglected, and unwanted animals for many years to come. Please support your local sanctuary www.idausa.org/HASrebuild2

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign is working tirelessly to advance the cause for justice and show state legislators that the people of Mississippi are united against senseless and horrific animal abuse. Campaign members are aligning with Mississippi judges, prosecuting attorneys, law enforcement officials, legislators, animal advocates and concerned citizens to pass tougher state statutes and meaningful regional ordinances that will protect animals when state statutes fail. For the Silo, Doll Stanley IDA. 

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 30-year history of fighting for animals, people and the environment through education, campaigns and hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.

All images- Fleur Dawes (In Defense of Animals)

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS • 3010 KERNER BLVD. • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • 415-448-0048

Earth

Animal Organizations Plead For Dolphins Exclusion In New Mississippi Aquarium

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Gulfport, Miss. – Last week,  19 international animal protection organizations  joined forces for World Oceans Day  to plead for dolphins to be excluded from the new Mississippi Aquarium, slated to open in 2019. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Born Free Foundation, and Sonar are among the organizations that signed In Defense of Animals’ letter on behalf of the dolphins to Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes and Gulfport Redevelopment Commission Chairperson, Carole Lynn Meadows. Over 175,000 people have now spoken out against the plans to keep captive dolphins at the Mississippi Aquarium.

“Animal organizations are uniting on World Oceans Day to urge Mayor Hewes to keep dolphins in the oceans where they belong,” said In Defense of Animals cetacean scientist, Dr. Toni Frohoff. “There is simply no justification for keeping these highly intelligent and sensitive animals captive. Animal entertainment  is quickly going out of fashion, making any new investment into it a very bad idea.”

Major public opposition has been building against the planned dolphin exhibit at the Mississippi Aquarium in recent months. Over 15,000 In Defense of Animals supporters have written to Hewes and Meadows since the plans were revealed. A former dolphin trainer at Gulfport’s Marine Life Oceanarium has amassed almost 160,000 supporters for her petition calling on Mississippi Governor Bryant not to redirect $17 million of BP deepwater drilling disaster restoration funds to build the Aquarium.

Mississippi Aquarium’s choice of President, David Kimmel (formerly CEO of the Georgia Aquarium) is almost as controversial as the plan to display captive dolphins. Under Kimmel’s tenure, Georgia Aquarium made an extremely controversial attempt to capture and import 18 wild beluga whales from Russia.

“So long as Mississippi Aquarium plans to exploit dolphins, opposition will continue to grow,” said Dr. Frohoff. “City planners should heed the alarm bells before it is too late. The Aquarium is burdened with a controversial President, questionable ability to find funding, competition with existing and new aquariums, and is relying on roughly $57usd million of taxpayer dollars before it has even opened its doors. Keeping dolphins alive in captivity presents a significant financial burden, and in light of declining revenues at SeaWorld, it is simply not worth gambling away Gulfport money.”

While opposition to dolphin captivity grows in Mississippi, a sea-change is being felt across the country and around the world. SeaWorld ended orca breeding last year and announced that it is phasing out orca captivity in all three of its parks in Florida, Texas, and California. Last month, the Vancouver Aquarium was banned from keeping or breeding cetaceans, and now the Canadian Senate is considering a nationwide ban on cetacean captivity. France and India are among several countries that have put laws in place to protect dolphins and other cetaceans from being held captive in recent years. For the Silo, Fleur Dawes.

For more information, please visit www.idausa.org/dolphins

Featured image: travelblog.org

How do you feel about dolphins and other sea life being held and displayed in aquariums and other indoor/outdoor stadiums? Leave your comments below.

www.idausa.org/10WorstTanks

www.thepetitionsite.com/353/506/007

Earth

Niagara Falls Ontario Marineland Shamed As Worst Aquarium In Canada

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International animal protection organization, In Defense of Animals, today released its list of the Ten Worst Tanks for Dolphins and Whales in North America, with Ontario’s Marineland shamed as the worst aquarium in Canada, and second overall.

The facility is listed as having the ‘starkest contrast’ between a ‘solitary orca and beluga whale hoarding’ while Canada’s Vancouver Aquarium appears in ninth place. The Ten Worst Tanks list exposes and represents the misery and suffering of the oceans’ most intelligent and complex mammals in captivity. Whales and dolphins are subject to astonishing rates of premature death, captivity-related injuries, forced removal of babies from mothers, and solitary isolation. Many are confined to swimming endless circles in cramped tanks, deprived of healthy social groups, and forced to endure invasive reproduction techniques, polluted water, dangerous transport, and brutal exploitation of their sociable natures through “swim” and “petting” programs.

Comments Via YouTube

Marineland Beluga With AilmentThe list was selected from over 60 facilities from southern Canada to Mexico where almost 1,000 whales and dolphins are held captive for public display. “Forcing an orca to live in solitary confinement while hoarding so many beluga whales is Marineland’s tragic dichotomy, and a horrific example of cetacean captivity. It plumbs the depths in its exploitation of intelligent and sensitive animals,” said In Defense of Animals President, Dr. Marilyn Kroplick. “Even with the most modern technology, veterinary care, and infrastructure, cetaceans still suffer intensely in captivity and exhibit surprisingly high mortality rates.Please help protect dolphins and whales in the wild where they belong, by pledging to never visit facilities that imprison them.”

40+ yr old Orca "Kiska" has been in solitary confinement since 2011.
40+ yr old Orca “Kiska” has been in solitary confinement since 2011. photo: Natalie Lucier

Marineland’s Shame: Marineland holds Canada’s last captive orca, 40 or so year-old Kiska, who was ripped away from her family and native Icelandic waters when she was a baby. Kiska has outlived at least seventeen other orcas with whom she has shared the tank over the years. She has also been used to breed for new exhibits, enduring the death of every last one of her five children at Marineland, none of whom lived longer than six years. One of them, Kanuck, was apparently separated from her prematurely and “stored” in a warehouse, where he died at age four. Since 2011, Kiska has been kept in solitary confinement, which has no doubt caused great suffering for this highly social and intelligent cetacean. The last orca Kiska knew was a male named Ikaika, who was “loaned” to Marineland by SeaWorld for breeding in 2006.

SeaWorld became “concerned about Ikaika’s physical and psychological health” and stated that Marineland was “not meeting its obligations in veterinary care, husbandry, or training.” Citing these concerns, SeaWorld successfully sued Marineland in 2011 for Ikaika’s return, leaving Kiska alone once more. Kiska’s physical and psychological condition appears to be poor. Observers point to her severely worn down teeth from self-injurious and compulsive gnawing, dorsal fin deterioration, signs of being underweight, and intermittent bleeding from her tail as indicators of greatly compromised health. Behaviorally, Kiska exhibits lethargy, self-isolation in a tiny medical pool adjacent to the main pool, and repetitive stereotyped behaviors; strong indications of severe psychological distress, depression, and despondency. Kiska is not the only animal suffering at Marineland.

CEO John Holer has also amassed approximately 46 beluga whales, five bottlenose dolphins, 28 black bears and approximately 500 fallow deer. An undercover investigation by Last Chance for Animals in 2015 reportedly exposed belugas suffering from a litany of physical ailments, including eye abnormalities, hypersalivation, regurgitation, and a condition in some of the females causing them to rub chronically against the tank until blood was visible in the water. Lacerations and deep teeth-rake marks indicating inescapable stress-related aggression from other belugas were also noted on many of the belugas. We are also concerned about signs of severe eye irritation perhaps caused by chemically-treated water.

Later in 2015, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) made a non-public finding that questioned some of Last Chance for Animals’ claims of abuses at Marineland. But Julie Woodyer of Zoocheck has filed a new complaint with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals documenting continued violations of the Captive Animal Care Standards at Marineland.

In Defense of Animals President, Dr. Marilyn Kroplick.
In Defense of Animals President, Dr. Marilyn Kroplick.

We urge the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to act urgently to enforce minimum standards at Marineland. Belugas have certainly not evolved for millions of years to be packed into a tank – and orcas are among the most social and family-oriented species on the planet.

10 WORST TANKS: 1. SeaWorld, San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; Orlando, Florida 2. Marineland, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada 3. Puerto Aventuras Dolphin Discovery, Mayan Riviera, Quinta Roo, Mexico 4. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia 5. Miami Seaquarium, Miami, Florida 6. Six Flags Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico 7. Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi and Unnamed new facility planned by same owner also in Gulfport, Mississippi 8. Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada 9. Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 10. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois

Dishonorable Mention: Dophinaris, Scottsdale, Arizona

Honorable Mention: National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland

The Ten Worst Tanks list was produced over the past year by multiple cetacean experts and scientists to represent the myriad horrors faced by cetaceans in captivity. Facilities were examined and investigated in-person; through review of government records, veterinary records, and death reports; and via image and data documentation.  For more information please visit: www.idausa.org/10WorstTanks

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization located in San Rafael, Calif. dedicated to protecting animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats through education, outreach, and our hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi. For the Silo, Toni Frohoff, Ph.D.

Culture

Chef Endorsed “Doggie Recipes” Include St. Puppy’s Day Hash

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Denise FernandezDinner For Two – You And Your Dog
Homemade Meals Provide A Special Treat For Pets,
Says Host Of Doggy Cooking Network

Dinnertime for many dogs involves the owner ripping open a bag, pouring kibbles into a bowl and walking away.

Not the stuff of a meaningful relationship.

Kris Rotonda likes to take an occasional break from that routine and give his four dogs – Rocky, Coco, Kobe and Jordan – a special treat.

Rotonda and his fiancée, Denise Fernandez, prepare the canine quartet cooked meals using recipes they share on their Doggy Cooking Network on Youtube.
Rotonda sees it as a way to occasionally give his pets what he refers to as the “Royal ‘Treat’-Ment.”

“I started cooking for my dogs because it’s a healthier way to go for meals,” Rotonda says. “Plus, it’s just fun and my dogs are an important part of my life.”

His doggie devotion now has inspired him to develop a creation he calls the PupPot (www.puppot.com), a cooking, serving and storage system for preparing those homemade meals for dogs.

Denise and Kris Rotundo

The PupPot consists of a 3.8-quart stainless steel cooking pot, a paw-shaped serving base and two serving and storage bowls. Rotonda and Fernandez also put together an e-book with recipes.

For Rotonda, the PupPot just seemed like the “logical next step.”

“I figured that if Denise and I were teaching people to cook for their dogs, it just made sense to provide them with the right tool,” he says.

Dr. Jena Questen, a holistic veterinarian, says taking that extra time for preparing those meals can be worthwhile.  The benefits of feeding a dog homemade dog food include reducing the risk of skin allergies, boosting their immune system, improving their digestive system, as well as giving them renewed energy.

“It’s no different from humans,” Questen says. “We couldn’t eat the same processed food every day and maintain optimum health, and neither can our pets.”

Rotonda shares a few recipes for giving your canine pals the “Royal ‘Treat’-Ment” as well:

Bacon Rice Cakes

Ingredients
1 cup brown rice, cooked
2 slices lean bacon, cooked, finely chopped (Retain bacon fat)
1 large egg
½ cup dried bread crumbs

Directions
1. Mix chopped bacon and rice.
2. Add egg and breadcrumbs to rice and bacon mixture. Combine thoroughly. Wet hands to prevent sticking, and then form the egg-rice mixture into 4 thin patties.
3. Reheat the bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add the rice cakes and cook, turning once until golden brown. About 4 minutes on each side.

St. Puppy’s Day Hash

Ingredients
2 baking potatoes (1-1 ½ lbs.), peeled and shredded
Sea salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup chopped corned beef
½ cup of half-and-half
¼ cup grated cheese
Ground pepper
4 large eggs, scrambled

Directions
1. Place the potatoes in a colander, lightly salt and set aside.
2. Melt butter in the PupPot over medium heat. Mix in the potatoes, carrots, and corned beef. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cover pot. Stir every 5 minutes. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in half-and-half and turn off hear. Season with pepper and cheese.
4. Top hash with the cooked eggs.

Chicken Cakes

Ingredients
½ cup cooked brown rice
¼ cup of peas, thawed
1/3 cup of rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 egg
2 Tbsp. plain breadcrumbs
½ tsp of dried parsley
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the rice, peas, chicken, egg, breadcrumbs and parsley. Form into 4 equally sized patties.
2. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken patties and cook, turning once, until golden-brown for approximately 7-8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and let cool slightly.

About Kris Rotonda

Kris Rotonda, an entrepreneur and creator of the PupPot (www.puppot.com), owns four dogs. He and his fiancée, Denise Fernandez, host the Puppy Cooking Network on Youtube. Rotonda also created YouMustLoveDogsDating.com, a niche dating website that matches dog owners with other dog owners.

Politics

Ontario Strengthens Protections For Marine Mammals Including Pool Size

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Ontario will be the first province to set specific standards of care for marine mammals Image: Spock mind melds in Star Trek IV.
Ontario will be the first province to set specific standards of care for marine mammals

Ontario is moving ahead with enhanced standards of care for marine mammals – such as  dolphins, belugas and walruses – to ensure both greater protection and improved treatment.

These new standards of care, reflecting advice from an expert report by University of British Columbia marine biologist Dr. David Rosen, will be among the best in the world.

New standards would be developed in a number of areas including:

The size of pools used to house marine mammals
Environmental considerations such as bacteria content, noise and lighting
Appropriate social groupings
Regulations for the handling and display of marine mammals

The government will establish a technical advisory group composed of veterinarians, animal welfare groups, industry, and enforcement partners to provide advice on the final standards and timing of their implementation. This group will report back with their findings within six months.

The government will also be moving forward with legislation to prohibit the future breeding and acquisition of orcas (killer whales) and establish Animal Welfare Committees at every facility with marine mammals. These committees will provide both oversight and access to additional protections such as veterinarians with expertise in marine mammals.

John Lennon "Walrus advocate"
John Lennon “Walrus advocate”

“Our government is moving forward with stronger protections for marine mammals to ensure these unique animals receive the best possible treatment and care. This is something that Ontarians expect and these animals deserve. These higher standards of care, along with prohibiting any future breeding or acquisition of orcas in Ontario, are both the right thing to do and builds on our government’s ongoing efforts to have the strongest animal protection laws in Canada.”
Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

QUICK FACTS

 

  • Ontario will be the first province to set specific standards of care for marine mammals.
  • Ontario has the toughest animal protection laws in Canada.
  • There are over 60 zoos and aquariums in Ontario — more than any other province.
  • Ontario provides the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) with $5.5 million annually to strengthen the protection of animals.

 LEARN MORE

Find out about the work of the OSPCA

Read the University of British Columbia Report on Standards of Care for Marine Mammals in Captivity
Ministère de la Sécurité communautaire et des Services correctionnels

L’Ontario renforce la protection des mammifères marins

La province prend des mesures pour mieux protéger les mammifères marins et interdire l’acquisition et la reproduction en captivité des épaulards

L’Ontario va de l’avant avec des normes de soins améliorées pour les mammifères marins – dont les dauphins, les bélugas et les morses – afin d’assurer à ces animaux à la fois une plus grande protection et un meilleur traitement.

Ces nouvelles normes de soins, fondées sur les recommandations d’un rapport d’expert rédigé par David Rosen, un biologiste respecté spécialisé en vie marine de l’Université de Colombie-Britannique, seront parmi les plus rigoureuses au monde
De nouvelles normes seront ainsi élaborées sur divers sujets, dont les suivants : 

  • Taille des bassins utilisés pour garder les mammifères marins;
  • Facteurs environnementaux, comme la teneur en bactéries, le bruit et l’éclairage;
  • Groupements sociaux appropriés;
  • Règlements relatifs à la manipulation et à l’exposition des mammifères marins

 

Le gouvernement mettra en place un groupe consultatif technique, composé de vétérinaires ainsi que de représentants de groupes de protection des animaux, de l’industrie et de partenaires de l’application de la loi, pour fournir des conseils sur les normes définitives et sur le calendrier de leur mise en œuvre. Ce groupe communiquera ses conclusions dans un délai de six mois.

 

Le gouvernement ira aussi de l’avant avec une nouvelle législation pour interdire la reproduction en captivité et l’acquisition de ces animaux à l’avenir et pour établir des comités pour la protection des animaux dans tous les établissements où se trouvent des mammifères marins.

Ces comités seront chargés de la supervision et fourniront des protections additionnelles, dont l’accès à des vétérinaires spécialisés dans les mammifères marins. 

 

 

CITATIONS

 

« Notre gouvernement va de l’avant en renforçant la protection des mammifères marins afin que ces animaux uniques reçoivent les meilleurs soins et traitements possibles. C’est ce à quoi s’attendent les Ontariens et aussi ce que ces animaux méritent. Ces normes de soins plus rigoureuses et l’interdiction d’acquérir et de reproduire en captivité des épaulards à l’avenir en Ontario sont des mesures appropriées qui s’inscrivent dans le cadre des efforts continus de notre gouvernement visant à doter l’Ontario des lois les plus rigoureuses du Canada pour la protection des animaux. »

  • Yasir Naqvi, ministre de la Sécurité communautaire et des Services correctionnels

 

 

FAITS EN BREF

 

  • L’Ontario possède la législation la plus rigoureuse du Canada pour la protection des animaux.
  • Il y a plus de 60 zoos et aquariums en Ontario — plus que dans toute autre province du Canada.
  • La province accorde à la Société de protection des animaux de l’Ontario une subvention de 5,5 millions de dollars par an pour renforcer la protection des animaux.

 

POUR EN SAVOIR DAVANTAGE

 

  • Renseignez-vous sur le travail de la SPAO (en anglais seulement)
  • Lisez le Rapport de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique sur les normes de soins pour les mammifères marins en captivité
Culture

10 Year Old Eco Blogger Hannah Alper

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Eco-blogger and 'kid activist' Hannah Alper.
Eco-blogger and ‘kid activist’ Hannah Alper.

Dear Silo,  you’ve probably heard me talk about my daughter Hannah in the past. She has been called many things: “The future of social media”, “Eco-Warrior”, “Changemaker” and “Activist”.  At 10 years old, she is all of these things. And now, she can add Free The Children’s “We Day” speaker to the list. There will be nine We Days across Canada this school year, plus two in the United States.  And the first U.K. We Day will happen in London next spring.  [More on what “We Day” is all about below CP]

She created her blog, www.CallMeHannah.ca , at 9 years old, with the goal of sharing her growing knowledge and concern for the environment. Having always loved animals, Hannah made the connection between animals and the effects of environmental destruction on their habitats and lives. Hannah has become an engaged global citizen seeking to further her own understanding of her connection to and responsibility to the world. Believing that even the little things that we do add up to make a difference, her journey and discovery meet her call to action through her blog.

Issues that Hannah has written about in the past year include eco-friendly living, fair trade, bullying, clean water and child labour. She seeks inspiration and motivation from those who have come before her and regularly features the stories of her role models on her blog.

Not limiting herself to her laptop, Hannah has put her words into actions. She organized a shoreline cleanup in her community, was a WWF  Earth Hour Team Captain 2013 and spoke at the WWFs Earth Hour event in Toronto, was the official “on the ground eco-blogger” for the JUNO Awards and launched We Create Change. Her impassioned speech at two local schools motivated her peers to collect 97,500 pennies for Free The Children’s clean water projects. An effective communicator, Hannah is comfortable and confident on both sides of the camera or in front of a crowd. She has honed her skills as an interviewer through conducting interviews with Craig Kielburger, Spencer West and Severn Suzuki. Hannah has appeared on CanadaAM, The Marilyn Dennis Show, APP Central, CBC’s Fresh Air and The George Stroumboulopoulos Show.  She has been featured in a spotlight from Chickadee Magazine and named as a Champion of the Earth in Owl Magazine and was the youngest team captain for The WWF’s Earth Hour in 2013. As you can see, I am very proud of my daughter and her efforts to improve the world we live in.  Her current focus is on We Day.

“We Day is a room that can transform people, where messages about bullying and social issues can resonate and a place where students can find people just like them,” said Free The Children ambassador Demi Lovato. “Growing up I was forced to deal with many personal struggles and I craved a space where I not only belonged but felt powerful enough to  make a difference. To me, that‘s what We Day does – it brings people together in a day of celebration for world change, showing them they aren‘t alone in their journey and that it is cool to care. And I am so grateful to be a part of that.”

“As kids, we face different pressures all the time,” said Austin Mahone, Award-Winning American pop singer. “You‘ve got to surround yourself with positive people in your life, and that‘s what We Day does. It brings people together to celebrate the difference we can make for each other. I‘m so excited to be a part of it for the first time this year!”

We Day is a stadium-sized educational event and a movement of young people leading local and global change. We Day is tied to the year-long program, We Act, which supports students and educators with free educational resources, student-led campaigns and support materials to help turn the event‘s inspiration into sustained activation. Since 2007, youth involved in the We Act program have raised $37 million dollars for over 1000 local and global causes and logged more than 9.6 million volunteer hours.

 

“I had the opportunity this past summer to participate with Free The Children‘s communities in Kenya, and see first-hand the lasting impact that youth in North America are making through their charitable work,” said Joe Jonas from the Grammy® nominated, multi-platinum band the Jonas Brothers. “I understand what it means to these communities to have access to clean water and an education and I was thrilled to get involved by committing to help build two schools overseas with Free The Children. It may seem like a simple assignment to make one local and one global commitment, but these efforts fundamentally impact the lives of people around the world.” Eric Halper.

 Stay connected:

– Like We Day on Facebook: facebook.com/WeDay

– Twitter: @Freethechildren; @CraigKielburger

– Official Hashtag: #WeDay

– Visit www.weday.com

About Free The Children

Free The Children is an international charity and educational partner. Founded in 1995 by international activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children believes in a world where young people are free to achieve their fullest potential, and empowers youth to remove barriers that prevent them from being active local and global citizens. The organization‘s domestic programs—which includes We Day, Free The Children‘s signature youth empowerment event—educate, engage and empower 1.7 million young people across North America, the UK and around the world to become engaged global citizens. Its international projects have brought more than 650 schools and school rooms to youth and provided clean water and sanitation, health care and food security to one million people around the world, freeing children and their families from the cycle of poverty.

The organization has received the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, the Human Rights Award from the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, and has formed successful partnerships with leading school boards and Oprah’s Angel Network. For more information, visit www.freethechildren.com.

 

Culture

How To Start Blogging With Plastic Deerheads And Ironic Moustaches

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The trendy and kitschy Owl. images/photos: Charity Blaine
The trendy and kitschy Owl. images/photos: Charity Blaine

Blog writers are like Indie music that’s about to become “cool”, or rather, they are the people that enjoy the Indie music before it’s “cool”, in fact, they are most likely part of the reason it eventually becomes popular. Only it’s not just music. It’s everything. Lifestyle bloggers like EVERYTHING before it’s cool. Therefore, I, as a blog reader, know about everything cool before it is cool. I, am a blog world hipster, and I’m only partly ashamed to admit it.

To clarify, it’s not just the blogs themselves that set the trends; it’s also the only shops where bloggers sell their handmade goods, such as etsy.com. Years ago, I remember searching for kitschy little polymer clay earrings shaped like foods at etsy, today, when I no longer want them, they are available for a fraction of the price at popular stores such as Clare’s and Arden’s, although truthfully, they do look cheaper. The handmade versions look more like real food than the store bought versions.  You should never believe anything that doesn’t come with proof, so here are three substantial examples of bloggers, not retailers, setting the trends.

 

1)      Owls. I really hate owls. I don’t think they’re cute. I don’t understand the obsession at all, but so many places these days sell things adorned with owls. Don’t get me wrong, I realize that owls were popular years ago, but this is a reference to the current owl obsession. Forever21.com  and http://verified.codes/Forever-21 sells more than a dozen owl accessories so does Clare’s. Where did I first see an obsession with owls? In the blog world, for example, blogger Elycia Watson (loveelycia.com) from Hamilton, Ontario posted regularly about owls more than three years ago. All the blogs I initially read as a blogger were full of owls.

 

geometrics

 

2)      Geometric Shapes. Bloggers love chevrons, triangles, lines, squares, any simple shape that can be coloured pink or gold. This isn’t the best example, but two years ago, the Sidney Crosby  of blogs, A Beautiful Mess, did a ‘do- it –yourself’ project “making a geometric mobile”. It’s a clothes hanger with dangling wire triangles wrapped in yarn, basic and geometric. Most of the bedding at Urban Outfitters these days is adorned with chevrons and triangles. This also points to the ‘do- it- yourself’ trend. These crafty women have been doing it yourself way before pinterest made it popular. To sound even more hipster, I remember when pinterest first started, in those days, there were no weight loss schemes or a surplus of one direction photos, it really was mostly crafts and home décor, and bloggers used it to find inspiration for new blog posts. I love pinterest, so thanks again bloggers for being cool before it was cool.

 

deer heads

 

3)      Since I’ve already given four substantial examples I don’t really need a number 3, but just in case you still doubt, take a look at Faux Deer Head for your wall. Flipping through a home décor magazine lately, I found a photo of a plaster deer head, in the style of the mounted, taxidermy deer head that hunters would have on their walls. Currently, even Home Hardware sells them. Bloggers have been doing this for years. They even use old piñata heads. They give the deer head hats and jewelery. The Dainty Squid was one of the first places I really remember seeing this phenomenon. Kayla found a plastic deer head more than 3 years ago, plopped a wig on its head and called it beautiful.

So the conclusion is- if you really want to be ahead of the wave, read blogs, small, crafty, lifestyle blogs. By the time any of that stuff hits the mainstream, you’ll be really sick of it and you can officially embrace your inner hipster and tell everyone, while sporting an ironic moustache, that you liked all those things, including ironic moustaches, before they were cool.  For the Silo, Charity Blaine.  

Supplemental- Street Trends: How Today’s Alternate Youth Cultures Are  Creating Tomorrow’s Mainstream http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0887308759

A 3D printer Photo Booth prints miniature versions of you http://tinyurl.com/mkw924 

 

Art

Picasso Exhibit At AGO Was Invigorating

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Time flies. Seven years ago, The Silo visited the AGO’s Picasso exhibition. We were not disappointed. Approximately ¼ of the entire second floor was dedicated for displaying works from Picasso’s private collection. That’s right- these are the pieces that Pablo himself deemed specially significant for archiving and for his personal reflection. We were not disappointed.

Blowup and detail from Portait de Dora Maar (Portrait of Dora Maar), 1937. Oil on canvas, 92x65cm

Organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the Musee National Picasso , Paris- the exhibition is chronologically organized with each period having its own dedicated gallery space and covers the following phases of Picasso’s VASTLY productive lifetime: From Spain to Paris 1900-1905 Ancient, African and Oceanic Inspirations 1906-1909 Cubism, Collage and Constructions 1909-1915 Classicism, Marriage and Family 1914-1924 Surreal Anxiety and Desire 1924-1934 War Paintings 1936-1951 and lastly The Joy of Life and Last Years 1950-1972


According to the Picasso’s Picassos (Picasso’s Early Life and Art) on pg 2 of the AGO’s exhibition catalog, Pablo Picasso was recognized as “an artistic prodigy and began…formal artistic training when he was only seven years old” with his father, who was a painter and an art teacher. For the next 85 (!) years Picasso would go on to not only change the art world, but would leave behind a vast legacy that is as fresh and relevant today as it ever was. Strolling around this fine exhibition and noticing how the other visitors were dressed is proof enough for this writer that Picasso’s influence on society is far from over. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker. 

Picasso at 73years of age in 1954. “When I paint I feel that all artists of the past are behind me.”

Culture

Protest at Marineland, Niagara Falls Gains Momentum

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On Saturday August 18th- hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the main entrance gates of Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. At stake was the ethical treatment of animals used for performances and entertainment. Over the past three years there have been increased reports by the media regarding the attacking of trainers by killer whales and other performing animals.

Messages on protest signs were simple, bold and clear. photos:The Silo/Mith Media

Many researchers believe that this sort of behavior is inevitable because killer whales are adversely affected by forcible confinement and pavlovian conditioning and that in turn has many questioning whether theme parks such as Marineland and Seaworld are capitalizing on animal cruelty. It’s not a new topic- zoo’s and circuses are not strangers to demonstration and protest and the relationship between humans and animals is a theme often employed by conscientious artists.

[Warning- the following video contains disturbing images. Viewer discretion is advised CP]

Segment from Umwelt (2010) exhibition catalogue- Jarrod Barker’s installation at the Norfolk Arts Centre explored the connectedness or non-connectedness (ie: the umwelt) of humans and animals. image:courtesy of the artist

Marineland denied our request (along with the Toronto Star’s request) for an interview and requested that the media respect “private [their] property”. That sort of reaction makes it difficult to investigate a story of this magnitude- and many questions remain unanswered. For example, earlier this year an infant beluga whale was attacked repeatedly by two adult belugas until it was killed. Media leaks reveal that the baby whale may have been ill and that the other animals acted out of fear since they may have detected signs of a contagious disease.

image: The Silo

Although no date has been set, The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is planning on bringing independent Sea Mammal experts and Marine Biologists into Marineland for an inspection according to an online report at www.thestar.com CP

image: The Silo

Art

Ontario Beach Zoomorph Profiled In Mexico City University Of Art Publication

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Artist Jarrod Barker, was recently invited to take part in MUCA-Roma’s Ala Afuera project. Based in the Roma district of Mexico City, MUCA is a University Museum of science and art. What made this project doubly exciting was the opportunity to show case a part of Barker’s home internationally.

The curators asked for a submission of 3 images and accompanying explanatory write-ups that “from your perspective, show a form of relationship between humans and the rest of nature.” This topic aka- Umwelt is not foreign to Barker who installed an exhibition of that name in 2010 at the Norfolk (nee Lynnwood) Arts Center in Simcoe,Ontario.

 

Long Point Seal Tamer Concept- J. Barker
Location: Long Point, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
Long Point is a world biosphere. I know this because the United Nations has told me so. But for several months of the year Long Point is transformed. Under certain winter conditions, Long Point looks less like a marshy, swampy bird watchers paradise and more like an arctic shore. At least on the South West side. When I visit Long Point during these times, I react to the environmental changes. I see things differently. I feel things differently. A sun bleached tree stump becomes a seal. A marsh reed becomes a baton. A flint pebble becomes a ball. Natural transformation through the changes of the seasons is a holistic experience.

 

After the selection process, if successful- one of the artist submitted images and write-ups was selected for transformation into a postcard and incorporated with the other artist submissions. The goal was for the Ala Afuera team to mail out the postcards to other international Museums of art and science and Contemporary Art institutions as a connective gesture to highlight MUCA and the work of the artists involved in this project and to bring awareness to our human/nature relationships.

 

“The objective of the project Allá Afuera (Out There) is to gather a mosaic of images that represent
ways of understanding the relationship we humans have with the rest of nature. From bucolic or
passionate points of view to other more threatening myths and taboos, amazement, fear, the absurd,
and maybe even indifference. We do not intend to cover all possibilities, but through images as a direct
reading form, show that there are multiple ways of looking at this Bond.

Three times a year we will present a collection of postcards, with 18 images each, gathered in a
biombo format. After two years we will complete the edition of six collections, with a total of 108 ways
of understanding, 108 points of view, and 108 forms of defining our relationship with what is out there. “

Ala Afuera which translated mean’s “Out there” began mailing out the works a few weeks ago.  For the Silo, Stephanie Bordega. 

For more information and to request postcards please contact-
Allá Afuera (Out there) project Gonzalo Ortega and Jeronimo Hagerman
MUCA ROMA MUSEUM (University museum of science and art, Roma district, Mexico City)
allaafueramucaroma@gmail.com

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