The Cove Documentary

Note:  I wrote a blog about the “Saddest Show on Earth” two weeks ago and I’d like to direct you to a short video that specifically emphasizes everything I was talking about and more.  Alec Baldwin speaks for PETA, and this is a must see.  You cannot walk away from this unaffected:

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/03/you-can-hate-peta-but-this-is-fking-bullshit/   After watching this video, the only circus you will ever attend in the future will be the Cirque du Soleil.

In my “Rethinking Swimming with the Dolphins” blog two days ago, I mention the 2009 documentary film The Cove, which analyzes and questions Japan’s dolphin hunting culture. The documentary won 25 well-respected awards, including the 2009 U.S. Audience Award at the 25^th annual Sundance Film Festival and the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.   The idea began in 2007, when former National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos and dolphin activist Richard O’Barry and crew traveled to Japan to covertly document the clandestine slaughter of dolphins using underwater microphones and high-definition cameras disguised as rocks. The film claims that from October 1^st through March every year 23,000 dolphins are killed by Japan’s whaling industry, a number several times greater than the number of whales killed in the Antarctic. The dolphin meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan, often times labeled as the more expensive whale meat.

Taiji fishermen engage in dolphin “drive hunting” whereby migrating dolphins are herded into a hidden cove where they are netted and killed with spears and knives over the side of small fishing boats, creating a massive blood bath. 


Most Japanese people are unaware of this annual government-sanctioned dolphin killing; the capture of these dolphins in Taiji is carried out by about 26 fishermen. They kill the dolphins with permits from their government. The film also alleges Japan “buys” votes from the International Whaling Commission, by paying support to smaller countries in favor of whaling, such as Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Kiribati, Laos, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/06/14/japans-vote-buying-at-the-iwc/) and ignores IWC's resolutions which bans the hunting of all whale species (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/oceans/the-international-whaling-commission-0). 

The film argues that dolphin hunting as practiced in Japan is unnecessary and cruel and is motivated by capitalism.  Dolphinariums (dolphin aquariums) are always looking for more dolphins to exhibit.  The fishermen drive a large school of bottlenose dolphins into the killing cove, and dolphin trainers and marine mammal veterinarians seek out the best-looking dolphins for display.  A live dolphin sold to a dolphinarium brings in a much higher profit than dead dolphin meat, which only brings about $600.  Live bottlenose dolphins have sold for as much as $150,000 each (http://www.denverpost.com/movies/ci_13000526).  The dolphins that are too old, too young, or have too many blemishes are not worth displaying and are slaughtered and the meat is sold in markets.  Japan has more than 50 dolphinariums and swim-with-dolphin programs, ranging from large aquarium facilities with huge tanks and dolphin shows to small tanks at motels or floating sea pens in harbors.  Then there is the smallest dolphinarium located close to the killing cove that I mentioned in my last blog. 

Thus far my interpretation of these issues is gleaned from a variety of focused environmental or animal advocacy perspectives. So what right do we as Westerners have to tell the Japanese what to do?   Dolphins are food, just as cows and pigs are food in America.  Do our slaughterhouses resemble the killing cove?

From the Japanese perspective, whales and dolphins are not particularly special. (I'm sure they were never interested in the "Flipper" tv series.)  Indeed scientific evidence supports their position, that while cetaceans do have large, complex brains, much of their neurons are devoted to maintaining their large bodies and energy-intensive sonar lobes.  However, the film indicates that most Japanese are unaware of the cruel drive hunting or the marketing of dolphin meat.   As noted earlier, dolphin meat is sometimes purposefully mislabeled as whale meat, and contains high concentrations of mercury, which causes memory, hearing, and eyesight loss, along with cerebral palsy and mental retardation.  For this reason, local politicians have advocated the removal of dolphin meat from children’s school lunches. 

Japanese consumption of whale and dolphin meat and Japan's general spurring of International Whaling Commission resolutions are multi-faceted and layered issues.  From another perspective, the problem is not that killing dolphins and whales is inherently immoral, as The Cove sensationalizes, but that the Japanese are taking more than their fair share of what belongs to everybody despite unanimous censure as well as humanitarian, ecological, and public health concerns. 

Rethinking Swimming with the Dolphins

 

One of the things that used to be on my bucket list was to swim with dolphins, until I saw the documentary “The Cove” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRD8e20fBo&feature=player_embedded) and this article by the BBC news. “Is it Wrong to Swim with Dolphins?” (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8572855.stm).  British researchers have found that swimming close to bottlenose dolphins disturbs dolphins in their habitat, preventing them from resting, feeding or nurturing their young.  In this article, Dr. Horace Dobbs, founder and honorary director of International Dolphin Watch, says, “Keeping dolphins at resorts or aquatic parks is akin to torture, as it separates these sociable animals from their pods.  It would be like locking me in a lavatory.  We should respect [dolphins] in the same way that we respect other people.”

The Oscar-nominated The Cove takes us to Taiji, Japan to witness the cruelty of the annual dolphin slaughter, exposes us to the dangers of eating mercury poisoned dolphin meat, and warns us that dolphins behave erratically when they are in captivity.  Richard O’Barry, the famously rueful trainer of “Flipper”, the world’s most famous and favorite dolphin in the 1964 TV series, clearly states that conditions in any holding tanks are likely to drive any dolphin insane.  For one thing, dolphins’ extraordinarily sensitive hearing, which enables them to locate and communicate with each other over miles of ocean, cannot process the sonar assault caused by their confinement tanks’ bare and unbaffled walls.  He also points out that dolphins/whales are among the few wild species in captivity that are forced to perform for their keep.  The 2010 death of veteran SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, caused by Tilikum, the captive 12,300 lb. male Orca “killer whale,” has reignited the captivity controversy and reminds us of  O’Barry’s policy position (http://www.wesh.com/news/22674574/detail.html). 

The brush of Brancheau’s ponytail against Tilikum’s nose appears to have incited the attack.  Despite Brancheau’s death, SeaWorld will not destroy the largest Orca in captivity.  Russ Rector, a former dolphin trainer in Fort Lauderdale who runs the Dolphin Freedom Foundation says, “Tilikum is a casualty of captivity; it has destroyed his mind and turned him demented.” Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Humane Society of the United States, says putting Tilikum down is not a solution.  “It’s not his fault what happened, just as it wasn’t Dawn Brancheau’s.  The fault lies with using these wild animals as entertainment—this was an accident waiting to happen”  (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/25/killer-whale-tilikum-drowned-trainer-hair/print). 

The Whale and Dolphin Society said it’s time to recognize that keeping animals up to 26 ft long in small tanks is no longer acceptable.  “The spaces are inadequate, the psychological damage is deep.  There are highly social, long-distance acoustic animals who are harmed by living in concrete pens.” 

O’Barry says the world’s smallest dolphin tank is located in the Taiji Whale Museum in Taiji, Japan.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W49bpPAzQ-Q&feature=player_embedded).  He says the tank is as big as a medium-sized conference room, and named the two dolphins “Sad” and “Lonely” because the two Pan-pacific spotted dolphins are listless and “hanging at the surface of the tank as if they were dead.” 

O’Barry says they suffer from Captive Dolphin Depression Syndrome, or CDDS.  “They will lay like that in the tank, with their head against the walls because they have nothing to do” (http://www.takepart.com/blog-series/cove-watch/2012/01/30/worlds-smallest-dolphin-tank-must-be-closed-says-ric-obarry). 

 Compared to the fact that dolphin pods can swim up to 100 miles a day hunting for food, even the largest aquarium compares to less than 1 percent of their natural environment, cruel and unusual punishment. O’Barry is trying to get the attention of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) into shutting down this tank before it is too late and at the very least transferring these dolphins to a dolphinarium seawater pen a few hundred yards away—where they can receive sunlight and fresh air. 

You can help by signing this petition to shut down the smallest dolphin tank in the world:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/10/shut-down-the-smallest-dolphin-tank-in-the-world/


4/1/12--Update:  According to Ric O'Barry, Director of The Dolphin Project Earth Island Institute, "Sad" and "Lonely" have been moved to a larger, open-air tank.  A lot of the credit is due to mixed martial arts star, Enson Inoue, who personally called the Mayor of Taiji, Kazutaka Sangen, imploring him to move the two spotted dolphins.  According to O'Barry, "While the tank they are now in is not exactly huge, and lacks the stimulus of waves and natural seawater found in the sea pens, it is certainly better than the small dungeon they were locked in before."  (http://savejapandolphins.org/blog/post/partial-victory-sad-and-lonely-are-moved)

"The Saddest Show on Earth"—Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Ringling Brothers Circus Elephants

When I was a little girl, I used to love to attend the circus, but I was bothered any time a trainer poked or prodded an animal to do something.  Little did I know there was a lot more abuse going on behind the scenes.  I watched this PETA video recently and it has only reinforced what I've read and seen previously, https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2359.

I am appalled at the abuse of these elephants (and tigers) depicted in this video.  I am inclined to believe it happens quite universally in the circus world with all show animals. 

Elephants are emotional animals and an iconic symbol of strength and power, yet their spirits are being broken by circuses such as Ringling Brothers.  Elephants share many of our feelings.  Their moods are visible through their expressions such as sunken eyes and drooping ears.  They form close-knit bonds with their herds and if a family member dies they will actually cover the body with leaves and are known to revisit the site. In this PETA video, we see "Tonka", a 25 year old elephant, showing signs of psychological stress--including swaying from side to side, bobbing her head, and swinging her right foot. Tonka's world, since five years old, has been beatings with bull hooks and whips, confinement to cramped spaces, with shackles around her legs.  She and others are still forced to perform.  It is tragic to know these animals are being broken and heartlessly tortured to perform for the public's amusement.

Circus goers must be more aware of the corrupt industry they are feeding when they attend circuses.  Why do we need animals to perform for us in a circus anyway?  Pure entertainment at what cost?  I now realize that by attending these circuses that use animals (most do), I am supporting this suffering.  Consequently, I will attend any more circuses and urge you to refrain from attending also.  These animals would be better off in a sanctuary or wildlife preserve, where the public would still be allowed to see them. 

At the bottom of the video link is a letter "Please Seize Ringling Elephants."  It urges the USDA to seize the unit's elephants, place in a sanctuary, and investigate the conduct of this circus and its employees, while vigorously enforcing the Animal Welfare Act.  You can make a difference by signing this letter.

If you want to see animals, I would suggest you do as we did two summers ago.   Our family took a safari tour at "Safari West" which is a 400 acre wildlife preserve in Santa Rosa,  http://www.safariwest.com/whois/.  Established by Peter Lang in 1989, "Safari West "gained membership in the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, one of only six private facilities in North America to belong to that prestigious organization. The ongoing mission of Safari West is wildlife preservation through breeding, education, research and public interaction.

Below are pictures from our safari:

In Buddhism, a white elephant represents the mental strength achieved after taming the mind.

Puppy Uniform Protection Statute

Puppy mills are a highly profitable business, as puppies sell for thousands of dollars each and the money is untraceable and untaxable, and this undeclared income is often a supplement to welfare.  They are kept in business due to the high demand for purebred dogs.  According to the Human Society of the United States (HSUS), 2-4 million dogs bred in puppy mills are sold each year to uninformed, eager consumers (http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/puppy_mills/advocate_guide.pdf).  I liken Eric Wolfe's (Europe and the People without History, 1982) capitalistic mode of production (where the dogs are the means of production) to Karl Marx's commodity fetishism theory.  Marx wrote at length about the ways in which commodification reflects a process whereby certain material things came to stand for more than what they are materially.  Like the diamond, which is falsely inflated by a controlled market through the media, dogs and cats are the commodity and purebred animals have come to stand for more than what they should be worth in a culture because people think owning a purebred is prestigious.  According to the 2007 U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, around 63 percent of all U.S. households (71.1 million) include companion animals and more than half of these households have more than one animal (http://www.avma.org/reference/marketstats/sourcebook.asp).  We are relentlessly indoctrinated with this commodity fetishism, which requires a preoccupation with obtaining things, but not attaching so much that trading-in for the newest models would be delayed.  

In 2008, fortunately, puppy mills received a surge of media attention by reporters such as Lisa Ling on the "Oprah Show" ( http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Investigating-Puppy-Mills).   The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) conducted a series of major investigations into all facets of the puppy mill issue and raided mills throughout the country. In 2008, they passed legislation to ban the import of dogs from foreign puppy mills with an amendment on the federal Farm Bill.* They also worked with other groups to pass legislation in Pennsylvania--"the puppy mill capital of the East"--to crack down on the thousands of operations there, and made legislative gains in Louisiana, Virginia, Connecticut, and Tennesse as well.

For the third time since 2008, HSUS is fighting for legislation called the Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), which would require that breeders obtain a license from the USDA if they raise more than 50 dogs in a 12-month period and sell directly to the public.  It also sets forth reasonable standards of animal care for commercial breeders, such as exercising dogs everyday.  Responsible dog breeders are not the target of this legislation, but hopefully it will put the puppy mills out of business. Please help the ASPCA secure passage of the PUPS Act—contact your federal legislators now (http://capwiz.com/aspca/issues/alert/?alertid=48395556). 

* With the evolution of Internet commerce, puppy mills have sprouted up all over the world to provide poorly bred puppies of every imaginable breed and designer mix directly to the consumer.  As a result, the U. S. market was flooded with imported dogs in bad health and/or possibly carrying diseases that could harm people and other animals.  Because foreign puppy mills are not subject to U.S. regulations--such as the standards set forth in the Animal Welfare Act--many of these dogs are bred and raised in extremely inhumane conditions.  In a major victory, in May 2008 the ASPCA and other animal welfare groups successfully fought for an amendment to Congress's 2008 Farm Bill that prohibits the importation of puppies under six months of age for the purpose of resale.

all dogs go to heaven

Ms. Belle

April 22, 1997 - February 24, 2012

Belle seven weeks old

Ms. Belle came to us when she was eight weeks old from a breeder in Napa Valley.  She was a family gift from some good friends of ours, and we were delighted!  She was a pure bred field breed chocolate Labrador, meaning she was longer-legged, lighter, and more lithe in build than the typical "show" Labradors.  She acquired many nick names along the way--one that stuck was "Little Girl."  She was quite regal looking with the most beautiful, shiny chocolate coat, long lean legs and nose.   My goodness, she was intelligent, understanding a large vocabulary and multiple hand signals.  She actually knew the names of all her chew toys and would bring them to you on command.  She was born to hunt birds with her soft mouth,  retrieve a tennis ball, swim--and eat--everything in sight! Yes, labs are well known for their appetite and Belle was no exception.  She once ate an entire Papa Murphy's extra large pizza from our countertop and let's not forget that two lb. box of See's candy under the Christmas Tree one year.  Chocolate is poison for dogs, but since the chocolate was mostly nuts with chocolate, and she was 80 lbs., she went through an "exciteability" stage and endured some stomach upset, but was fine. When you say "the dog ate my homework" it is really true in my case.  About three weeks ago she actually tore the cover off my Free Speech book and ripped some papers to shreds in her search for food.  I knew last week when she didn't want to eat her food (or my homework) anymore that she was very unwell.  I tried to hand feed her popsicles and give her special treats.  I did not want to believe that her time with us was ending. Labs generally have a 10-12 year lifespan, and Belle would have been fifteen in April. 

Little Girl with Mr. Budders

She was the best therapy dog a person could ask for. If I was sick and spent all day in bed, she would sleep beside me all day.  She protected me from strangers and had an uncanny sense for danger.  For the first twelve years of her life she went with me everywhere in the car to the boys' activities.  She went on vacations with us to our Hayfork cabin (near Redding), to visit my son in school at UCLA and U. C. Davis, to visit that same son in Arizona when he played for the Cardinals.   If we had to leave town with no option of taking her, we hired the best sitters to come to our home--with the stipulation that Belle was allowed to sleep with them!  She slept in my bed with me until her arthritis got too bad, so we made her a ramp.  Then she didn't want to sleep in our bed anymore, but beside us in her favorite bed. 

I brought many dogs home to foster from A.F.R.P., but she never made a fuss.  She always got along well with the other dogs and sometimes became best buddies with them.  Like our blind Mr. Budders that I blogged about previously.  She was very interested in a pregnant Pomeranian I fostered, which had pups in the middle of the night.  She sat by me as each one was delivered, curiously watching, and waiting. But that was not unusual, she was always by my side, a loyal companion in every respect.

Belle in her hey day at a Tea Party

Belle during her last days

I (we) truly miss this beautiful and amazing animal.   She made our lives better just by existing. She was a part of our family and was loved by everyone, but everyone also knew she was my "Little Girl." 

Puppy Mills and Hereditary Defects

Our capitalistic society has encouraged irresponsible commercial dog breeding such as “puppy mills” and backyard breeders, which contributes to pet overpopulation, has dire consequences for animals, and leads to a double-bind situation for animal care workers. A worker in a double-bind situation is asked to do two completely opposite and mutually conflicting things at the same time.  On one hand, workers are supposed to advocate for animals--to nurse them back to health, to feed and love them, help them get adopted--and then they are told to exterminate them.   According to the ASPCA, a “puppy mill,” sometimes known as a “puppy farm”, is a large-scale purebred dog breeding facility that operates under substandard breeding conditions, causing the development of chronic health problems, temperament issues, and hereditary defects. We have many dogs that come to the Animal Friends Rescue Project (A.F.R.P.) that are homozygous or double merle dogs, especially Australian Shepherds.  Many are born blind and/or deaf (in varying degrees).   While there is no study to indicate that the immune system is also affected, the shelter has noted there is also the possibility of immune system malfunction.  Merle is actually a heterozygote of an incompletely dominant gene.[1]  A merle should never be mated with another merle, causing the double-merle situation above.  These dogs are ending up in high kill shelters if they are not nabbed up by rescues like ours.  The high numbers of euthanized animals, 4 to 6 million each year according to the Animal Rescue league (ARL)[2], has led animal rights advocates to oppose the mass breeding of pet animals. 

As you can imagine, these dogs take a little more care.  I fostered a blind longhaired dachshund that I named Mr. Budders.  He was found roaming the streets of Salinas with no collar or tags and picked up by the animal shelter.  Because he had some medical issues, A.F.R.P. added him to their roster and he was sent to a veterinarian’s office for a couple days.  After that, I retrieved him and fell in love.  He was amazing, already house-trained,  a wonderful companion for my chocolate Labrador, and I would have adopted him had my husband not been so allergic to him.  After eight months, I found Mr. Budders a fabulous family  but I still miss him to this day.  The main point is backyard breeders are breeding what they think are purebreds, trying to make money by selling them in the newspaper, on-line, and to pet stores.  Do not buy from pet stores ever!  It only encourages these people.  If you want a purebred, buy from a legitimate breeder—check out their facilities (many are back east), see how many times they breed the females in a year’s time.  The second point is handicapped animals can be trained to be wonderful household pets.  I hope that in your lifetime, you will be as lucky as I was, and have a chance to care for a heavenly dog like my Mr. Budders. 

---

[1] Sheila, Schmutz. "Schmutz - Merle". Sheila Schmutz. http://homepage.usask.ca/~schmutz/merle.html. Retrieved 19 February 2012.

[2] According to the ARL, each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S.—and each day 70,000 puppies and kitten are born.  Put another way, for every person that is born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are born.

Animal Friends Rescue Project/Brown Legislation

I am an animal advocate.  It's in my blood.  I have loved animals since I can remember and wanted to care for them. My dogs have been faithful companions and a source of comfort to me and my family.  But what is it about Western society that makes it possible for people to express great affection for animals and at the same time, ignore the most heartless behavior toward them?  Animals are sold as expensive commodities, used for food and clothing, subject to laboratory experiments, and hunted for sport.  However, they are also treated as members of the family, used as the cause of social movements, and made the subject of art, film, and poetry.  These contradictions inspired me to venture into social worlds of veterinary clinics where companion animals are cared for, and animal shelters where dogs and cats are adopted or "mercifully" euthanized. 

I currently volunteer for the A.F.R.P. (Animal Friends Rescue Project) as a foster parent for homeless dogs,
assist in animal transport, fundraise, participate in adoption fairs, interview potential adopters, and conduct home inspections.  One of my favorite foster dogs was a blind long-haired Chihuahua I named "Mr. Budders."  My husband called him "Pin Ball" for a while, as you can imagine, but he soon negotiated his way around the house and yard without bumping into things, was a great companion for my elderly chocolate Labrador "Bella", and a joy to have around.  I finally found him a great home 8 months later, but I still think about him today. 

Governor Jerry Brown is trying to repeal a number of provisions in The Hayden Law passed in California in 1998 citing budget concerns  http://sacbee.com/2012/01/14/4186863/jerry-browns-budget-plan-would.html.   Some of the provisions subject to repeal would mean permanently reducing the required holding period for animals to 72 hours prior to euthanasia, eliminating the requirement to provide veterinary treatment for shelter animals, and eliminating the requirement to keep records for animals impounded by shelter personnel, which would only make it more difficult to locate lost animals of those available for adoption.  The currently law holds animals for six days, which gives rescues like the A.F.R.P. time to find fosters or locate animals to particular rescue groups.  The bill is already being re-written and the Hayden Law provisions in question have been revised or stricken entirely.  http://www.dof.ca.gov/budgeting/trailer_bill_language/corrections_and_general_government/documents/%5b301%5d%20Repeal%20Make%20Permissive%20Specified%20Mandates.pdf

You can voice your disapproval of Governor Brown's giant step backwards for the animals of California by signing this petition https://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ca-do-not-repeal-any-provisions-of-the-hayden-law. 

In later blogs I will address puppy mills, reflections on participant observation and interviews, and other legislation. 

"What is freedom of expression?  Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist." -- Salman Rushdie