Compiled by Tracey Lofthouse COWS INSTEAD OF ROOS The ACT government has some explaining to do. An annual kangaroo kill takes place on the basis these animals allegedly overgraze and damage the ecosystems that support threatened species. At Gungaderra Nature Reserve, where the kangaroo cull takes place, cows have deliberately been introduced “to reduce plant material and improve habitat for threatened species”. -Chris Doyle, Gordon Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/ct-letters/princely-sum-wasted-20151117-gl185u.html#ixzz3sHB9Oqg4 SUFFERING SHAMEFUL Once again, thousands of Australian animals have been subjected to extreme cruelty in the Middle East. Why are exporters who are blatantly breaking export laws not being held to …
Letters in Support of
Letters in support of animals used in ‘entertainment’
Found by Tracey Lofthouse Ban the racing: After ABC-TV’s definitive exposure of the cruelty we have always known occurs in greyhound racing, the industry will express shock and dismay for about five minutes before resuming business as usual. Animal welfare will always run a poor second to profit; the only way to eliminate cruelty in racing – greyhounds or thoroughbreds – is to ban it outright. – Gaynor Morgan, Braddon http://www.canberratimes.com. au/comment/ct-letters/ political-scalps-dont-lower- rates-20150218-13ifri.html It seems that it takes the exposures of a systematic torture of animals, such as engaged semi-officially in practice by the greyhound racing industry in the …
Letters in support of companion animals
Found by Tracey Lofthouse CALL OF THE WILD: Don’t blame cats. Blame the god who created them as carnivores and humans who dumped them in the bush, while themselves destroying many more wild creatures, great and small. – Meta Sterns, Yarralumla From: http://www.canberratimes.com. au/comment/ct-letters/if-were- bigtaxing-bigspending-let-it- be-for-the-right-reasons- 20150719-gifoup.html# ixzz3gOt4n8fp Dog fine laughable: How can magistrate Peter Dingwall find the animal abuse by Annette Banks of Theodore (“RSPCA fury at court penalty for maggot-infested dog”, July 8, p3) is worth a fine of only $350 for disgraceful neglect of both her dogs? Why did this magistrate not award costs to the RSPCA, …
Letters in support of farmed animals
Found by Tracey Lofthouse Don’t feed lies to kids: It’s great to see the next generation showing concern and empathy for animals as Darcy Flanagan did (Letters, August 3). Sadly, though, she has already been fed the fallacy that we need to kill animals “because we need to eat”. Of course we need to eat but we don’t need those foods derived from killing millions of our fellow sentient beings every day (not counting fish). We can thrive and lead healthier lives while avoiding meat, dairy and eggs. We should stop feeding lies to our kids. – Mike O’Shaughnessy, Spence …
(Updated) Letters in support of kangaroos
Found by Tracey Lofthouse Go to http://www.al-act.org/campaigns/13 to learn more about the kangaroos killed in Canberra. Roos in deep trouble: Given the truckloads of misinformation regarding kangaroos to which the Australian public are subjected by governments, farmers and the kangaroo industry, T.J.Marks’ response (Letters, September 13) is predictable. Sadly, there are few genuinely independent ecologists working in Australia today but those who are independent all seem to agree that eastern grey kangaroos are in deep trouble: Croft, Ramp, Ben Ami and Mjadwesch spring to mind. And let us not forget Charles Darwin, who predicted the extinction of the kangaroo within a couple …
Letters in support of fish
Found by Tracey Lofthouse What about the fish?: I was very sorry to hear of Molly the cavoodle’s suffering after biting a discarded fishing lure near Lake Burley Griffin (Letters, December 23). Like Molly’s owner, Peter Stanley, most of us would be concerned about her pain, but why don’t we feel the same concern for the millions of other animals that also bite fishing lures and baited hooks? Research over the last decade has concluded that, on the balance of probability, fish do feel pain. In 2010, Dr Victoria Braithwaite published her book, Do Fish Feel Pain?, summing up the …
Letters in support of wildlife
Found by Tracey Lofthouse Don’t feed magpies: News travels slowly to us southerners. But as a former Canberran I was sad to learn that magpies are being trapped and killed at Gungahlin. The aggressive birds had grown used to getting food from humans. Now, after the cull, what have the authorities done to stop people from feeding the birds and perpetuating the problem? It seems warning signs alone are ineffective. How about making it an offence to feed magpies, at least in the problem locality? Patrol the area, impose serious fines, and publicise the results. The alternative is to encourage …