This
past week was particularly hard on those of us on the Catholic Vegan
Facebook site. I think we were all disappointed to find out that St. Richard's in
Stephensville, WI has been engaged in a yearly fun fest which can be called either a pig
fight or pig slamming.
We all wondered whether or not there there were any people of compassion in
St. Richard's. Were there none or were they afraid to come forward? We also
wondered about the clergy- did they approve of this pig fight where some 37 pigs
were punched in the face, kicked, body-slammed, yelled at and thrown on top of a
barrel. (You can probably find a video re this spectacle on the internet).
I doubt that St. Francis would approve and for those of us who respect all
God's animal creatures, this was truly an unspeakable cruelty but maybe not as bad as
the cruel dog burning in China which will follow.
What shocked many of us was that this has been going on for 40 years, and
despite our e-mails of protest, they say it will go on again next year. Maybe
some of us on the Vegan Facebook link were surprised by this. Sadly I was not. I have been
aware of animal cruelty for years and in my small way have tried to educate
Catholics re this. So far- I haven't been too successful. Certainly nothing changed since I sent
a letter to all
the Bishops- including the ones in Wisconsin re our lack of compassion for
animals.
Many of us tried reaching the pastor and the deacon of this church. None
of us -to my knowledge succeeded in even getting a response. Some may have even
e-mailed the bishop and the pope, but I am not sure of this.
But there is hope. I was happy to find out that the Global Conservation
Group is planning to file a lawsuit against the church "for animal endangerment, child
endangerment and violating Wisconsin Crimes Against Animals Chapter 951. 08." Good for them
and may God bless their endeavors.
They are asking for any monetary support from those of us who want to put a
stop to this cruel event as well as get justice for the 37 pigs who were beaten and
brutally killed at this event. I truly hope and pray that they prevail and that this will be
the last year of this cruelty.
DOG BURNING
At this same Catholic Vegan Facebook site was a video of a most cruel and
diabolical burning of a dog in China. We were warned that this was very disturbing,
and it certainly was. This emaciated dog already writhing in pain because he or she was
only skin and bones was set on fire. We could not ever imagine that anyone could be so
cruel, but we saw only the feet of the monster who did this as well as the feet of
some very uncaring
on- lookers who should have tried to stop this horror but did not.
Even though hard to watch, I forwarded it on. Yes it takes a certain type
of courage that not all people possess to watch this, but I think we should all see the
cruelty man is capable of, and I'm sorry to say China seems to have little respect for the lives
of animals generally.
We were also reminded that the Raccoon dogs there are skinned alive for
their fur. I'll say that again -- DOGS ARE SKINNED ALIVE FOR THEIR FUR. Can you even begin
to imagine their pain? My God, why can't they kill them first? Yes, I
probably know the reason- the fur will be fluffier as a result of the fear and pain.
Why are people enabling this cruelty by buying fur? Ignorance is no
excuse. We have been warned time and again about the battering of baby seals in Canada and
the use of leghold traps in the US. Yet some people obviously could care less. I hope
you are not one of them.
I am glad that I did the only thing I could do in protest. I boycotted the
Beijing Olympics. It was a drop in the bucket re the millions of people who failed to do
anything at all in protest.
2
1
1
