She reports that animals now are subject to only one experiment, retired for adoption instead of being eutha- nized, and furnished with natural living conditions on-site—vertical space, an enriched environment with mental and physical stimulation, interaction with other animals and appropriate food and bedding. “Most lab animals are rats and mice,” says Liss. “Any animal has the capacity to suffer. It’s up to us to treat them humanely.”


Farm Animal Stewardship “Animals become ambassadors,” says Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary’s three locations in New York’s Finger Lakes region, Los Angeles and northern California (FarmSanctuary.org) and author of Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. “People are distanced from food sources. Once you learn that sheep love to be petted and pigs like belly rubs, you know an animal as an individual. The best way to help is to share information, farm an- imal videos and plant-based recipes, so people can see that going meatless is about far more than just eating produce.” Musician


Sir Paul McCa- rtney, author of The Meat Free Monday Cook- book, took the message to schools in 2012. Now students around the world participate in meat-free lunch programs. The adult initiative of going meatless for one or more days extends to 35 countries on six continents. Pigs, cows, horses, peacocks and


an alpaca live in harmony at local non- profit Cracker Box Palace Farm Animal Haven, in Alton, New York (CrackerBox- Palace.org), which spurs recovery from illness, neglect or abuse. “People get animals without doing research on their care or habits. That’s how we got the peacocks—they have a bloodcurdling scream,” says Farm Manager Cheri Roloson, who rents out their goats as


“Pets are considered


property, and until that changes, it’s harder to make a difference. Farm animals have no rights at all. Animals are


sentient beings with rights commensurate with the ability to feel pain and even be valued members


of the family. They deserve far more than a property classification.”


~Diane Sullivan, assistant dean and professor, Massachusetts School of Law


nature’s landscapers to clear brush.


Mistreated animals also


provide therapy for returning military veterans and abused children at Ranch Hand Res-


cue, in Argyle, Texas


(RanchHand


Rescue.org). Kids find it easier to talk about their experiences with an animal that has also endured cruel treat-


ment, like Spirit, a horse that received precedent-setting surgery to repair a leg that had improperly healed after being broken by a baseball bat. Conscious chicken farms, too, are making an impact. “Chickens can be well-treated and have a healthy, decent life,” says Jason Urena, marketing man- ager with NestFresh, which operates 20 small farms and five processing plants, concentrated in Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Texas to reduce its carbon footprint (NestFresh.com). Starting with cage-free hens,


the Denver company grew based on nationwide customer requests for certified cage-free, free-range, organic, pasture-raised and non-GMO (genetical- ly modified) eggs. “We’re the first in the country to offer certified non-GMO eggs,”


attests Urena. He explains that in


the process for certification, feed is inspected at every step, from planting seed (usually corn or soy) to storage in silos and mill grinding, to allow traceability for potential prob- lems and avoid cross-contamination.


Wildlife Habitat


Preservation There are few places on Earth that hu- mans haven’t impacted fragile ecosys- tems. Loss of habitat and lack of food sources are critical issues. Bats are a bellwether for the impact on wildlife from human-induced diseases. The Wildlife Conservation Society studies


Look away from the darkness – find the light in your life.


Connect with me over a FREE Skype visit!


Elda Dorothy | Elda@CompassionateTruth.com CompassionateTruth.com


I will help you obtain clarity so you can feel BETTER.


natural awakenings March 2015 17


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