Ballot Initiative Events in SoCal

Five upcoming info sessions for the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act ballot initiative:

Santa Monica
Mon., November 5
Westside Pavilion Mall, Community Room B
10800 West Pico Blvd. #312
Los Angeles, CA 90064
6:00-9:00 p.m.

Ventura
Wed., November 7
Century Downtown Theatre
555 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
6:00-9:00 p.m.

Marina Del Rey
Fri., November 9
6:30-9:30 p.m.
RSVP to director@humanecalifornia.org for the address and directions to this event.

Pomona/Claremont
Sat., November 10
Western University
309 E. Second Street
Pomona, CA 91766
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Mission Viejo
Sun., November 11
9:30 and 11:30 a.m. services
Tapestry Unitarian Universalist Congregation
25801 Obrero Drive
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

In other news, the fire that burned 38,300 acres and 15 homes in the Santa Clarita area, damaged the home of the Gentle Barn founders, and forced the evacuation of 60+ animals, some of whom are disabled and blind, was set by a kid playing with matches.

Every Monday-Friday after-school and Saturday/Sunday activity spent caring for these animals, starting yesterday and until you turn 21, seems an appropriate mandatory minimum.

Traffic Accident Leaves 243 Goats Dead

Our hearts and prayers go out to the Goats R Us family in Orinda after a horrific accident in San Rafael left hundreds of their working herd dead.

Goats R Us provides low-impact brush control and vegetation management to public and private landholders throughout CA and was instrumental in the safe relocation of feral goats from Santa Catalina Island in 1999 through a cooperative effort with In Defense of Animals.

Goats R Us does not sell or dispose of their retiring herd members for profit or loss; they remain at the Orinda ranch for light-duty, local assignments and community outreach, doing what goats do best: browsing, walking, browsing some more with a bit of grazing, taking a sip of cool water, resting and ruminating, and starting all over again.

It’s still unclear if the actions of San Rafael PD officers at the crash site resulted in more deaths from suffocation than would have occurred if they had allowed those who could escape the overturned trailer to do so, then be contained by their on-scene herders and guardian dogs away from the wreckage. We believe a further and comprehensive investigation is in order very soon.

Scream 2

It’s still not too late to help this little goat. Still standing (where else could it go?) at 6:25AM. At least the bleeding has stopped.

And the coming rainstorm hasn’t started. Yet. And it isn’t 100+ degrees outside. Yet. And just as we promised: “up close, in person and over time.”

One quick update on our auto-responder for subject “Monitor”: option 1 under “Handling animal emergencies” should now read “only applicable M-Th.” Option 2 should now read “only applicable M-F or leave a voicemail message with the Los Angeles Pierce college Agriculture department.” Option 3 should read “try the main switchboard M-F, otherwise see option 2.” IOW, you’re on your own

No one can hear you scream

Well, that’s not exactly true. PFW can hear your screams, little one, from several hundred yards away and even if you’re quite small. Chilling enough to make us literally come running to find you trapped in the broken fencing of your pen, battered and bleeding.

Do you recognize this little pygmy goat? Was s/he once yours, or your child’s pet? If you “donated” your little goat to the Los Angeles Pierce College farm in the hope that your pet would live out a quiet and peaceful life, or you were contacted by someone soliciting an animal for “educational donation,” please email us at any of the Pierce Farm Watch contact addresses.

We’ll do everything in our power to remove the one you once cared for from this situation and secure its safety in a loving home or sanctuary, for surely this is not what you intended or expected. Your little one is now confined in an area on the Los Angeles Pierce College farm that is soil and surface-contaminated with disease-causing bacteria that can be slowly and silently debilitating, even deadly. To then be left unobserved for all but a few minutes a day, trapped and injured, couldn’t possibly be what you envisioned.

Please contact us if you know the identity or origin of this little goat. There’s still time today, but tomorrow may be too late.