Case Animal Rights & Ethics Society

CARES Semester in Review- Fall 2009

2009-12-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

Last semester, CARES sponsored a number of quality events. Here is a list of our events and pictures to highlight the Fall 2009 semester!

1. SatCo trip to Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary

CARES sponsored their second trip to Happy Trails this past semester. Hopefully this will become a yearly or semesterly tradition! CARES members had the opportunity to socialize with animals of several species and hear their unfortunate stories. Thanks to Happy Trails, though, at least there can be a happy ending for some.

2. Greenfest

CARES hosted a booth at the extremely well-attended Greenfest in the Thwing Atrium. Literature about factory farming and sustainable eating practices were given to many Case students.

3. Candy Cane handout

Over 244 candy canes were distributed on the last day of Fall 2009 classes in the Nord lobby. Several facts were taped to the candy canes, including information about CARES, factory farming, and healthy eating habits. It proved to be a successful (and deliciously festive) way to reach out to our peers.

4. Farm Sanctuary Walk for Farm Animals

A few CARES members teamed up with members from Cleveland State's animal rights group, SALAD (Students for Animal Liberation and Defense), to walk the streets of Cleveland with signs provided by Farm Sanctuary.

5. Book-signing: Amy Hatkoff's The Inner World of Farm
Animals

Amy Hatkoff, author of The Inner World of Farm Animals, joined CARES for their SatCo trip to Happy Trails. The next day, Hatkoff presented and signed her book at CSU.

6. Vegan Potluck

One of our members hosted a vegan potluck at her apartment. It became such a popular idea that CARES requested funding from USG for a much larger vegan potluck in Spring 2010.

7. Animal Protective League Volunteer Orientation

Almost 30 Case students signed up to participate in the Animal Protective League's Volunteer Orientation this past October. In addition to CARES members, a large number of sorority sisters signed up together to get volunteer credit. Some volunteer opportunities include Cat Care Volunteers, Dog Enrichment Volunteers, and Adoptions Specialists. Unfortunately, the APL makes it very difficult for volunteers to become "official". If CARES members are truly interested in volunteering, they should continue to pursue the opportunity by contacting the APL and scheduling an interview. This can be a very frustrating process, but as the winter months approach, the APL will be in need of volunteers who are not afraid to brave Cleveland's winter conditions, especially dog-walkers.

As you can see, many of the APL's residents enjoy the snow and need to be walked no matter what the conditions are outside...

(video from a few years ago)

Other APL videos
Unfortunately these are all dog-biased videos but there are many other APL opportunities for cat-lovers or those who want to work with smaller pets like guinea pigs and rabbits.

The APL's website: http://www.clevelandapl.org/index.htm

8. Movie Nights: Peaceable Kingdom and Fowl Play

Self-explanatory: CARES hosted two movie nights last semester. Fowl Play was a slighty larger undertaking, though, because Mercy for Animals(MFA) Executive Director Nathan Runkle was invited to speak and field questions after showing the film. Fowl Play is MFA's latest documentary, which expertly reveals the unfortunate truth about how our chicken and, especially eggs, are produced. Even non-meat animal products like milk and eggs support a very cruel meat production industry and are not a conscience-free option by any means.

9. Issue 2 Campaigning

At least 3 dedicated CARES members were recruited to help Cleveland's Food and Water Watch campaign against Issue 2 during the election this past November by distributing door hangers in Cleveland Heights and the greater Cleveland area. Issue 2 was cleverly written to make consumers vote "yes" for an Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, which would be an Amendment to the Ohio Constitution. With its disguise of "better animal treatment" and "fresh local food", Issue 2 disgustingly passed with ease, along with the legalization of gambling in the state.

First General Body Meeting of Fall 2009!

2009-09-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome back everyone! I'm super excited for CARES this semester! Our first meeting is going to be

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH at 8PM in THWING MEETING ROOM A

Please come to discuss plans this semester! We are going to go over what events we have coming up (there are a lot!) and we want to hear your ideas about how YOU think CARES can make a difference.

See you there! :)

MFA Screening of Processed People Thurs 5/28/09

2009-05-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

Join Mercy For Animals for some delicious vegan treats, followed by a FREE screening of the recently released documentary, Processed People. The film features insightful interviews from nine preeminent health and environmental experts, who detail why so many Americans are suffering and dying from preventable diseases. They also reveal the steps individuals can take to regain and maintain their health.

Where: Cleveland Heights Library, 2345 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights
When: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Springfest!

2009-04-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Springfest was a rousing success for CARES this year, so thanks to everyone who helped make it possible! The University Circle Police put us in contact with the University Circle Inc. Mounted Courtesy Patrol, who showed up with horses Grace and Ember with their respective riders Rebecca Frye and Danielle Sprow, who is the coordinator of the mounted unit. The job of the UCI Mounted Patrol is to give directions around University Circle and, in general, make this a hospitable place where people all over Ohio want to visit each year. Frye, on left with her horse Grace, also shared a moving story about her companion Princeton who recently passed away and was a beloved member of the team. Throughout the day, over 200 CWRU students, faculty, and University Circle visitors were able to interact with the horses, who helped promote the CARES booth from 1:00 to 3:00pm on Saturday. It was a hot, windy day, and periodically the horses were taken over to the Wade Lagoon/Art Museum area to get a drink out of the decorative water fountains.
In addition to a pair of festive horses, CARES also debuted their new vinyl banner (designed by CARES member Mike Spence!) and made buttons with the slogans "Think Green, Go Veg," "Stop Animal Cruelty," and "Stand Up!" (designed by VP Taylor Wolfram)

More pictures:

CARES members: (!)

Maura and Nick-

Karen-

Taylor, Dorian, Erica, and Katherine-

If you have any other pictures or do not see your picture posted here, please email Katherine Taylor (katherine.taylor@case.edu)

Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary

2008-10-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

CARES hosted its first ever Case SatCo (Saturday College) event this fall--a trip to Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary in Ravenna, Ohio!

Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary Inc. is a non-profit (501c3) organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and provides an adoption program for abused, abandoned, and neglected farm animals such as horses, ponies, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, sheep, goats, and cows.

The trip was fantastic. We took a Case Van down to Ravenna and got to spend the afternoon with a farm full of incredibly friendly, not to mention playful, eager and nuzzley farm animals. Here's a little taste of the trip:

These horses were rescued from slaughter. Horses that can no longer be slaughtered in the US are instead shipped to Mexico for slaughter. Horses are such gentle, beautiful animals. How anyone could eat them I will never understand.

Anette Fisher, the founder and director of Happy Trails, led us through the farm while educating us about farmed animal welfare and sharing stories about the animals we were interacting with.

The most adorable little boy, Johnathan, came along. He had a blast, as I'm sure any kid would!

This pig was so friendly...he came running out to us when Annette called his name! As you can see, he was quite an attention hog ;)

Typical CARES moment... everyone laughing, loving life, and respecting the lives of others!

CARES is planning on making trips to Happy Trails a SatCo tradition, so if you missed out this time, there will be more chances to come!

Upcoming CARES Events

2008-08-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a calendar showing the upcoming CARES events as well as other local animal rights events. For example, Mercy for Animals (MFA) is a local animal rights organization so many of their events are posted here as well.

Email Michelle Cehn at mtc14@case.edu with any questions, or if you need a ride to any of the off campus events!

Welcome Back Everyone!

2008-08-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

CARES has a lot planned for this semester... from speakers, to movie nights, to volunteering at the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Please join us in the fun, inspiring and important efforts we have planned.

If you havn't already, check out the CARES Facebook group. If you have not yet joined our email list, contact Michelle Cehn at: mtc14@case.edu and ask to be added to the list. We send out important information through the Facebook group and email list, so be sure to join!

This Saturday August 22nd, CARES will have a booth at the Student Activities Fair on Freiberger Field from 11:30-1:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to learn about what we do, meet some members, and sign up for our email list! Hope to see you there!

CARES Summer Trip!

2008-05-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Cares members,

I encourage you to consider coming to the 2008 National Animal Rights Conference this summer! It is in Washington DC which is quite a trip, but it will make a pretty awesome summer vacation! Registration is $120. I know this seems like a lot, but it will truly be the experience of a lifetime, not to mention a ton of fun!

The four-day program features nearly 100 presenters from more than 60 organizations and nine countries, representing virtually all sectors of our movement. They appear in eight Plenary Sessions, 50 Workshops, 30 Campaign Reports, and 7 Rap Sessions. Other program elements include: Exhibits, Videos, Newcomer Orientation, Group Workouts, Strategy Meetings, Networking Receptions, Awards, and musical entertainment.

I will be at Case this summer, so if you are interested in going, let me know asap so I can coordinate the trip. I hope to hear from you,

- Michelle Cehn

President of CARES

mtc14@case.edu

Domestic Violence: The forgotten Victims

2008-04-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

November 1st, 2008: All-Day Conference on Animals & Domestic Violence

at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

CARES is hosting an all-day conference on Animal & Domestic Violence on November 1st, 2008 at Case Western (Ohio). Pioneers of the field such as Frank Ascione, Melinda Merck, Jim Prueter, and many others will be speaking at the conference. Contact Michelle Cehn (mtc14@case.edu) to register!

Welcome to Case Western, Dogs!

2008-04-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to announce that the Case administrators are in the process of re-writing the CWRU Pet Policy, and they are modeling it after the policy proposed in the USG Resolution! This means that very soon pets will be allowed on campus grounds as long as they are kept on-leash and all waste is properly disposed of! Thank you to everyone who supported this effort, and I look forward to seeing floppy tongued furry faces on my walks to class. Let the tail wagging begin!

SlaughterCam - An innovative solution

2008-04-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

I just discovered a fantastic website: vegan.com, a blog hosted by Erik Marcus, author of Meat Market (2005) and Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating (2000). Erik is a pioneer in the animal welfare movement, and is currently pushing for surveillance cameras to be mandatory in slaughterhouses. Installing surveillance cameras in slaughterhouses would serve as an inexpensive, easy, and effective method to assure slaughterhouses live up to the standards they agree to. A facebook group has been created to support this idea and coordinate efforts to make it become a reality. Join the group here!

Happy Earth Day 2008!

2008-04-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

Some days it feels like McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell are taking over the world. Everywhere I look, commercials and advertisements are encouraging us to consume more and more. But there’s another side to consumption that we don’t see in the price of our burgers – the side of negative, lasting effects of pollution, deforestation, and carbon emissions. Few people know that eating meat, dairy and eggs contributes more carbon emissions than driving cars, and more than half of the water used in this country is consumed by animal agribusinesses.

This Earth Day represents an era of change. People around the globe are beginning to recognize how their actions affect the planet, and are putting forth the time and effort to make the decisions that will safeguard our resources for generations to come. I have a newfound confidence in our society, in myself, and in you. I believe that as we learn about the resources and suffering that went into our steak and eggs, we will change our habits to reflect a more peaceful and sustainable world. This Earth Day represents a movement to educate ourselves, to overcome apathy, to instill willpower, and to make a difference.

Dogs on the Case Campus ... Progress!

2008-03-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

The Case Animal Rights & Ethics Society (CARES) was highlighted in the front page article of the Case Observer on Friday! The article was the second this year about the about the push to repeal the pet ban and allow dogs on campus. The Pet Policy petition and the Dogs on Campus survey that CARES facilitated received the attention of over 800 case students. The survey results showed an overwhelming majority of the case community is eager to allow pets back on campus. These efforts culminated in a USG resolution asking the administrators for a re-evaluation of the current pet ban. The resolution goes on to recommend a more accomidating pet policy that would allow dogs on campus grounds with strict on-leash and waste disposal policy that would be enforced. I presented the resolution to the USG at General Assembly, and it passed with 100% of the vote. I am pleased and excited that our efforts have gotten this far and accumulated so much support, and now I eagerly await the response of the administration. I really hope the administration takes the desires of the Case community to heart in making their decision.

Opening Dialogue about Animal Experimentation

2008-02-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

CARES is teaming with the Case Biology Society to host a panel discussion/debate about the ethics of animal experimentation.

Panel speakers will include: Dr. Marty Pagel (Head of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee -IACUC), Dr. Kathy Hessler (Law School Animal Law professor), Dr. Richard Drushel (Vertebrate Anatomy professor), Dr. Sara Waller (Philosophy and Animal Cognition professor), and Carolyn Yane (A.B.D. in Neurochemistry, animal advocate).

Please join us for invigorating discussion and a chance to express your own views on this topic. *Free Cookies and Drinks will be provided*

something missing on campus

2007-12-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

Do You Miss Dogs?

Just four years ago…

Dogs Were Welcome on the CWRU campus. Many faculty brought their dogs to work, to athletic events, and the presence of their fuzzy friends brightened the spirit of countless students.

Then, in 2003…

Mans Best Friend was BANNED from campus. Dogs are no longer even permitted to walk through the quad.

Want DOGS back on campus?

· Take the DOGS ON CAMPUS survey!
· Sign the Dog Policy petition!

touched by a beagles eyes

2007-12-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

As a leading research University, Case Western strives to uphold ethical standards and to assure that the research supported by the university is justified and performed in the most humane way possible.

All research proposals at Case are carefully evaluated and scrutinized by the Case IACUC (Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee) to assure that the research is conducted according to protocol. The IACUC "is responsible for reviewing all protocols involving live vertebrate animals, ensuring compliance with federal regulations, inspecting animal facilities and laboratories and overseeing training and educational programs. The overall role of the IACUC is to ensure the humane and sensitive care and use of animals. "

I believe it is very important that we, as members of the Case community, learn about the kinds of research we support here at Case. I, for one, have many questions.

What kind of animals are being tested on at Case? (Dogs, pigs, mice, rats...) What types of experiments are conducted? Is the research classified as "pain class E" (the most severe level of pain inflicted on the test subjects) necessary and justified? Do the benefits of the research outweigh the costs? You can find answers to these questions by attending an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) meeting.

The first IACUC meeting I attended was an eye-opener as it revealed specific examples of research performed on animals here at Case. The IACUC meetings are open to the public, and I strongly urge everyone to attend one.

...Scratch that. The IACUC meeting are now officially closed to the public.

2007-12-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

The Case Animal Rights & Ethics Society traditionally brings a speaker to campus every semester. This past November, CARES carefully selected an individual who has dedicated his life to helping animals in a unique and critically important way. Esteemed veterinarian Dr. James Prueter founded the organization SAFE (Safety for animals and families in emergencies) a Cleveland based effort to provide emergency care and coordinate foster homes for the companion animals of domestic violence victims.

"SAFE began with a simple conversation in a veterinarian’s office, between family law attorney Leslie Gentile and her veterinarian, James Prueter, DVM. Leslie was saddened and frustrated by a recent case in which a client had left her home because of domestic violence. Unfortunately, the abuser had taken out his anger on the woman’s animal, who had been left behind. The telling of this story—and the venting of Leslie’s sadness and frustration—planted the seeds for the founding of Safety for Animals and Families in Emergencies (SAFE).

As the two friends conversed, they acknowledged some sad truths about a growing problem. They talked about the fact that many women who need to leave their homes (often in a hurry) don’t have the kind of support system that includes family and friends who can (or will) care for a pet. They discussed the lack of facilities to house animals in domestic violence shelters. Finally, they expressed their disdain at the knowledge that animals often become pawns in the cycle of domestic violence, with abusers threatening—and frequently carrying out—acts of abuse against beloved pets in order to intimidate and control the people who love them. "

Dr. Prueter has been an inspiration to myself and many others, proving that with enough attention, effort, and persistence, it is possible for individuals to effect change in even the most difficult situations. No one individual can end animal suffering or stop human violence, but never underestimate the impact that one person alone can have on many lifes.

To learn more about SAFE visit: http://safe.cuyahogacounty.us/

Speak up for those without a voice-- you may just save a life.

for the love of animals... Take Action!

2007-12-19T13:26:00.000-08:00

Fact: Over 10,000 dogs and cats are euthanized every day in the United States. The vast majority of these animals are healthy and adoptable, but shelters and pounds simply do not have the resources or space to keep them.

How you can help: Spay and neuter your pets! Urge pet stores to get puppies from shelters instead of puppy mills. Volunteer at your local shelter (such as the Cleveland Animal Protective League). Make your next dog a rescue dog! Check out: spayusa.org/help/help.asp

Fact: Pet Stores which sell cats and dogs almost always purchase them from cruel mass breeding operations where abuse, neglect, inbreeding, and unhygienic conditions are business as usual. America’s largest pet store chain, PetLand, purchases its animals from such operations. The company’s main animal supplier, Do-Bo-Tri, has been cited numerous times for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, but PetLand continues to do business with them.

How you can help: Don’t patronize pet stores that sell cats and dogs, and let them know why. Visit the Humane Society’s website to take direct action. New or gently used doggie items (leashes, blankets, toys, etc.) can be donated to Puppy Mill Rescue.

Fact: Every year approximately 50,000,000 animals are killed for their fur. Fur “farms,” where animals are bred in captivity specifically for their fur, cage wild species in tight containers, where they suffer psychologically and physically. Trapping animals in the wild is not much better: generally, traps simply injure animals by breaking bones, severing tendons, or causing lacerations; death from starvation, blood loss, exposure, or stress doesn’t come until much later. An international veterinary panel determined that approximately 40% of seal pups killed in the wild are skinned while still conscious. Other animals (like pets, livestock, or endangered species) frequently are the unintended victims of trapping, and trappers are rarely prosecuted for this.

How can you help? Don't buy fur. Contact the corporate offices of retailers who carry fur and urge them to carefully monitor their sources

Fact: An estimated 40,000 people are involved in Dog Fighting rings nationwide, yet the offense is difficult to investigate and even harder to prosecute. Though it’s a felony in most states, felony charges are rarely filed. Fighting dogs are tortured—starved, beaten, chained, burned—in an attempt to make them as mean as possible. Thousands of dogs are seized from fighters every year, and almost all are euthanized due to safety concerns.

How can you help? If you witness animal cruelty, notify your local humane society or animal control.