An Inspiring Video from the Saints at Edgar's Mission

Have you ever heard of Edgar's Mission? It's a wonderful farm sanctuary in Australia. They've been doing great work to help animals for years. More than 300 animals live at Edgar's Mission, which consists of 60 breathtaking acres in Victoria, Australia.

If you get a chance, check out Edgar's Mission's Website Here.

The video posted here shows volunteers with Edgar's Mission doing what they do best: Saving lives. They're saving the life of calf named Buddy. Buddy is indeed fortunate to be alive. He wouldn't be if it weren't for the heroic work of Edgar's Mission. I'm glad he made it. The world is a better place with Buddy in it.

Here's the story that Edgar's Mission posted on Facebook:

Yesterday evening, as the sun began to set the call came in- a calf had been sighted lying perilously close to traffic on the side of the highway. Reports told us the calf was unable to stand and was barely able to lift its head. Swinging in to action, our first hint of trouble came in the sight of flashing police lights and fast moving traffic, both of which caused our hearts to sink. Pulling our rescue vehicle to the curb, we caught our first glimpse of the bloodied and pitiful looking ‘Buddy’ who was caught not between a rock and a hard place but between a steep embankment and busy major highway. One bystander reported the calf had sustained two untreatable broken legs, however the full extent of his injuries was still unknown, although it was evident Buddy had fallen from a fast moving stock crate. Buddy was also much larger than we had anticipated. And if we needed any more to dampen our spirits, it soon came in the words, ‘The guy with a rifle is on the way.’ But we heard no fat lady singing and nor did Buddy, the fact that he had miraculously clung to life this long told us he wasn’t giving up without a fight. And neither would we. Pleading for a chance to save a life, the greatest lifeline Buddy could ever receive was thrown as our wish was granted. 

Thank you Edgar's Mission! You make the world a better place.

Words of Wisdom (with an inspiring video)

Below is a splendid quote from historian, author and activist Howard Zinn (1922-2010). To reinforce the sentiment expressed in the quote, I've also posted an uplifting video about the 2010 rescue of two very sick piglets, Chloe and Coco, by the Australian animal rights groups Uproar (Pig Rescue) and Animal LIberation Victoria. Uproar and ALV nursed these two beautiful beings back to good health, and they now lead happy lives at an Australian animal sanctuary, free from harm. Please read the quote and watch the video. You'll be glad you did.

"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places--and there are so many--where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

- Howard Zinn

A Great Graphic From Our Comrades in Australia

What else is left to add?

People Making a Difference: Fighting the Good Fight in Australia Against Live Animal Exports

Australian animal rights activists are fighting a vital and urgent struggle against the export of live animals to foreign countries. Each year, Australia - the largest exporter of live animals in the world - sends millions of animals, mainly sheep and cattle, overseas. As the outstanding website Animals Australia notes:

Australia exports millions of cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, deer and camels around the world for slaughter and (to a lesser extent) breeding. The vast majority go by sea in journeys that last up to 3 weeks. These long haul journeys cause stress, injuries, illnesses and disease, and tens of thousands of animals (mainly sheep) die each year. After the stress of transportation, all the surviving animals face death on foreign soil, most in countries which have no animal welfare laws or, at best, inadequate laws. They will almost all be killed without pre-stunning and often without adequate restraint facilities. The result is inherent and on-going suffering. (Source)

Animals Australia is leading the struggle against this inhumane and barbaric treatment of animals. An Australian friend of mine on Facebook was kind enough to post photos of animals being exported alive and believe me, these images are absolutely heartbreaking. In 2008 alone, 35,000 sheep died en route to foreign countries. Those who live to reach their destinations often encounter the worst, most miserable conditions imaginable in countries throughout Asia and the Middle East. These countries have no laws to safeguard the animals from cruelty and horrible conditions.

Our Australian brothers and sisters in the global animal rights struggle are fighting to change this. They are circulating online petitions, engaged in letter-writing campaigns, meeting with MPs to register their disapproval, and staging demonstrations against companies that export animals.

Half of the struggle is making people aware of this barbarism. As I've said so many times in this Blog of mine, the human capacity for denial is our worst enemy. If the world sees these horrifying images, there might be some hope of bringing about change. Australians need our support in their brave efforts to stop this ghastly practice. I have posted a video (below) about the exporting of animals to the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, where the animals are treated in the worst ways imaginable. Please watch it if you get a chance, although I warn you: It is difficult to watch.

The live exporting of animals is yet another manifestation of the deplorable treatment of animals by human beings. I can't imagine a nobler crusade than the fight to end this massive crime against beings that feel so many of the same feelings that we humans feel.