Bright Spots in My Not-So-Favorite Holiday: 2009 Edition
It's getting to be something of a tradition, but isn't that what holidays are about? On Thanksgiving Day 2007 and again last year, I posted blogs about the challenges vegans and vegetarians face in slogging through, let alone enjoying, "Turkey Day," but accentuating some positive news regarding animals and the people who care about them. Here is the 3rd annual list of some things which make me thankful:
ASI's Volunteers: If you subscribe to our e-newsletter, you will know that last week's issue was devoted to thanking the many people who volunteer their talent and time to help make this organization and its programs more robust. I'm thankful for their work, so I am putting them at the top of my list.
Cats Update: In 2007, Leuk's Landing, a shelter for Feline Leukemia positive cats, had just opened. This past year Bosco,
a cat from the Jazzpurr Society for Animal Protection in Windsor, Canada was welcomed to Leuk's Landing, along with three other cats, Sasha, Brooklyn and Tucker. Bosco is doing well and enjoys going outside during nice weather in the covered yard. It was a bittersweet year at Leuk's Landing, as two of the cats, Minnie and Jerry, died as a result of complications from their disease.
I'm also thankful that two of the cats I'd blogged about earlier this year, Jazzy and Magellan, have been adopted into loving households. Just this past weekend, I was able to visit Jazzy (now totally blind but doing well) and his brother Snowball, at their new home.
Animal Law: As noted last year, increasing numbers of students are attending law school in order to practice animal law. I'd like to mention one in particular. Jane Li is a 3rd year law student at the Michigan State University College of Law and is editor-in-chief of the school's Journal of Animal Law. Last year she organized a panel discussion on the welfare issues surrounding the commercial raising of pigs, which featured a representative of a national organization, a professor and a pig farmer. The Animal Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan (of which I'm a member) recently selected her to receive the Wanda Nash Award. Wanda was the inspiration behind the founding of the Section, and also the first Board chair of the Animals and Society Institute. The award in her name is given to the law student in Michigan who has done the most for animal law. Jane will receive the award this coming weekend, and several of Wanda's family will be attending.
Michigan's new law on Farmed Animal Standards: This year, the legislature in my state adopted standards for egg-laying hens, veal calves and breeding sows. The standards, when they go into effect, will require that these animals be kept so that they can lie down, turn around and spread their limbs. The law passed overwhelmingly and is an indication that the general public cares about how food animals are raised. It's a beginning and there's a long way to go, but I can be thankful for this first step.
One more thing: I'm thankful to be associated with most of the organizations mentioned above, and to have the platform to talk about them. Over the next year, I'll be looking out for more good news about animals to share in November 2010.
Published by bee.friedlander@animalsandsociety.org on 11/30/2009 16:33:00
Modified by bee.friedlander@animalsandsociety.org on 11/30/2009 16:33:50
