Being that I'm a leather-wearing vegan, I wouldn't consider myself an animal rights activist, but I just found myself writing a letter to the mayor and town council of Edgewater, NJ in hopes to save the geese they plan on capturing and gassing to death in chambers. Swear to God this is happening and it's sickening.
“I couldn’t believe there was someone who cared as much as I did, but was also able to do something about it. ”
When I first went stopped eating meat (over 10 years ago now), my reasons had nothing to do with animal rights. When I decided to stop eating dairy (three years ago), it still had nothing to do with animal rights, but guess what? I've become extremely sensitive about animal rights and am proud to be vegan and will do anything I can to help save animals from cruelty and death.
I no longer see a difference between a dog and a pig. Inhumane activity towards animals infuriates me and I'll do anything in my power to stop it. As a journalist, I have a voice to report on these issues like the truths of the meat industry, etc. and as a compassionate person, I have the determination to fix what I can, but find it hard, because most of the time, it's all out of my control.
Remember Freddie, the cow who escaped the slaughter house in Queens? See story here. I actually cried when I saw on the news that he was recaptured. Sobbed on my couch. He knew he was sentenced to death and was trying to save himself. The very next day, I learned that the owner of Skylands Animal Sanctuary & Rescue in NJ drove to Queens upon hearing the news that night, slept in his truck outside the slaughter house and brought Freddie home with him the next day. I cried again, relieved. I couldn't believe there was someone who cared as much as I did, but was also able to do something about it. There are some amazing people in this world.
In the case of the Edgewater geese, "the borough council has contracted with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for capture and euthanasia of Canadian Geese. The plan involves gassing the geese to death with carbon dioxide during late spring or early summer." What the hell!? See the full article here. There's a petition on Change.org (please sign) that I of course signed and shared on my social media channels, and I wrote a letter to the mayor and town council that went something like this...
As I read the news about the gassing of the Edgewater geese, not only am I saddened for the animals, but also for all of you who aren’t familiar with compassion....
...While this may be a cost-effective solution for you, it won’t fix the problem, but considering your positions of power and education, I’m sure you know that already. I’m asking you to please, think about what you’re about to do. Educate yourself about the fact that geese are mammals just like you and I. They love, they have compassion and mate for life....
...If there’s any thing I can personally do to help prevent you from doing this, please let me know.
So you're probably asking how I could care so much and still wear leather? I refuse to buy leather anymore. Right now, I'm keeping what I own, but will no longer support the industry and actually haven't for some time.
