World Farm Animals Day, Oct. 2

Some activity hints just to get you started:

Add one book or article to your reading list.
Be a vegan buddy for the day.
Contact your senators and representatives.
Donate to a farm animal sanctuary.
Encourage another person to go vegan for one day.
Foster a rescued farm animal.
Go vegan yourself for one day. Just one out of 365 is a start.
Help distribute literature.
Investigate farm animal cruelty in your area.
Join a World Farm Animals Day event in your area.
Keep informed about farm animal issues.
Learn how to include humane education in your curriculum.
Meet Your Meat.
Network with professionals in your field.
Oust an undesirable legislator.
Peek in on your own for a change. For once.
Question authority.
Read one journal article.
Sponsor a rescued farm animal at a sanctuary.
Type a letter to your local paper’s op/ed section.
Use your multi-million dollar acreage for something worthwhile.
Visit a farm animal sanctuary in your area.
Walk for a farm animal.
<Your_two_ideas_here>.
Zap your zits the cruelty-free way.

Now how hard was that?

Everyday Heroes

My classmates won’t understand or support me if I won’t harm or kill animals while I learn to heal them. It will be harder to master the critical skills I need for graduation. I worry about my job prospects if I choose an alternative instructional method or speak out about my convictions. I’m afraid sometimes. Well, here’s some pain medicine.

“Everyday Heroes – Veterinary Students Advocating the Use of Humane Teaching Methods” is a new DVD from AVAR that features interviews with students at four veterinary medical schools and their commitment to the use of ethically-sourced animal cadavers, surgical skills development through partnership with shelter spay/neuter programs and synthetic simulation models, and the reduction or elimination of terminal surgery lab mandates.

From the DVD release announcement: “This video presentation gave veterinary students an excellent forum to speak openly about how the use of humane teaching methods have positively affected their education and have provided the necessary training to make them skilled veterinarians. It was first presented at the Association of
American Veterinary Medical Colleges education symposium on alternatives earlier this year.”

Available for download from the AVAR website, (WMV format, running time 0:28:26, 17.2MB). We think you can also order a copy—or two or three—for a nominal shipping fee and make them compassionate gifts from people just like you to people just like you. Be encouraged, boo.