Announcement from Rosie and Tillie: Anti-Cruelty Measure Certified for California’s November Ballot
Thanks to all the volunteers who gathered signatures in Ojai, Ventura and rest of California, our Secretary of State Debra Bowen certified an anti-cruelty ballot initiative for the statewide general election to be held November 4, 2008.
This statewide initiative was the effort of Californians for Humane Farms, a coalition of animal protection organizations, veterinarians, environmentalists, food safety organizations and concerned citizens. According to Californians for Humane Farms, the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act will provide the most basic protection to nearly 20 million animals confined in industrial factory farms in California: that they be able to turn around and extend their limbs.
The Act will prevent California factory farms from confining animals in the most restrictive crates or cages: veal crates for calves, battery cages for egg-laying hens, and gestation crates for breeding pigs. The new law would take effect in 2015, allowing producers ample time to transition to more humane and environmentally sustainable systems.
"Across California, millions of farm animals are crammed into cages so small they can barely move for months on end," stated Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "We're heartened that nearly 800,000 Californians signed to put this important anti-cruelty initiative on the ballot, and we look forward to November, when Californians will vote to establish the principle in law that animals raised for food deserve humane treatment."
"Americans oppose cruelty and believe that animals, including farm animals, deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. Hundreds of thousands of Californians signed petitions circulated by volunteers to place the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act on the ballot," said Gene Baur, president of Farm Sanctuary. "In November, Californians will have the opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box and outlaw some of the worst factory farm abuses."
The HSUS has offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento, about 1.2 million supporters in California as well as a wildlife rehabilitation center in San Diego County. Farm Sanctuary operates the largest farm animal rescue and sheltering network in North America, including a 300-acre sanctuary in Northern California.
For more information visit http://www.humanecalifornia.org/
For more Ojai Post animal-rights articles see
EARTHLINGS
http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/03/earthlings_1.shtml
Meet Rosie and Tillie, Ojai's First Spokespigs
http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/02/_meet_rosie_and_tillie_ojais_f.shtml
A Visit to an Ojai Pig Sanctuary
http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/02/a_visit_to_an_ojai_pig_sanctua.shtml
The Call to Mercy
http://www.ojaipost.com/2007/12/if_a_path_to_the_better_there.shtml
Say YES! for Humane Treatment of Animals
http://www.ojaipost.com/2007/12/say_yes_for_humane_treatment_o.shtml
The greening of Ojai--a chicken coop in every backyard?
http://www.ojaipost.com/2007/10/the_greening_of_ojaia_chicken.shtml
Do kids Realy Know Where Their Animals Are Going?
http://www.ojaipost.com/2007/08/do_kids_really_know_where_thei.shtml
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Comments (6)
A few days ago I attended a press conference where the prestigious Pew Commission announced their recommendation to phase out extreme confinement of farm animals. The commissioners cite the California ballot initiative as an example of sound public policy.
You can read our press release here: http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/pewcommission052908.html
Best wishes, and thanks for the great blog!
Alyson Bodai
Outreach Manager, Factory Farming Campaign
The Humane Society of the United States
(301) 721-6422
humanesociety.org
Comment #1 Posted by: Alyson Bodai | May 6, 2008 04:11 PM
hey rosie and tillie.....
i thought you said the other day that we are supposed to "question everything"....
well, if we are going to "question everything," maybe pigs such as the two of you and all other pigs really LIKE to be confined in tiny pens where they cannot even turn around for their entire lives.....
maybe you LIKE to be headed off to the slaughterhouse in the next day or two....
that IS what you said, right?? .... "question everything".....??
Comment #2 Posted by: a nony mouse | May 6, 2008 10:14 PM
OK, a nony mouse. We questioned it. We mulled it over. We discussed it with each other. We even slept on it a bit. We decided, however, that we're still glad to be alive and well-treated and that we have no desire to be turned into sausage patties.
While we were questioning things, we also questioned your society's taboo against eating or otherwise utilizing human flesh, and we decided that perhaps this taboo has seen the end of its usefulness. Fear not, though; we will never be eating you. We're pretty sure, in fact, that no one will ever want to eat a crap-filled troll. So, unless there's a fertilizer company somewhere that's looking for a plentiful new source of guano, you're probably safe.
Comment #3 Posted by: Rosie & Tillie | May 6, 2008 11:46 PM
I doubt the anonytroll can fertilize anything but maybe Monsanto can use the troll as a pesticide?
Comment #4 Posted by: round up | May 7, 2008 12:07 AM
Fear not, though; we will never be eating you. We're pretty sure, in fact, that no one will ever want to eat a crap-filled troll.
Now THAT is funny. You go, Girls!!
Comment #5 Posted by: LTOR | May 7, 2008 04:57 AM
We have been gone since yesterday. What a surprise to find all these comments!
As Ojai Spokespigs, we have a very busy schedule. Besides gardening, writing our memoir and eating plenty of nutritious snacks, we are reviewing great books about pigs on Amazon.com. We look forward to also sharing them here.
We thank you all for your interest, even if you are poking fun at us! We can't help but laugh at the absurdity of Life!
We are especially happy to read the press release (Comment #1) posted by Alyson Bodai, about how the prestigious Pew Commission announced their recommendation to phase out extreme confinement of pigs and other farm animals.
In case you missed it, click here:
http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/pewcommission052908.html
Comment #6 Posted by: Rosie and Tillie | May 7, 2008 04:59 PM