Tails from a Compassionate Planet

Plan your Humane Thanksgiving with tools from WSPA

The holiday season typically brings with it an upswing in the number of people dining out with family and friends. It is estimated that 38.4 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving holiday. To help compassionate travelers find humane food options along their journey, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has released the first-ever Humane Restaurant database as part of the Eat Humane campaign.

 

Holiday travelers can seek out their next meal using the database dedicated to restaurants that serve humanely raised meat and dairy products—a choice that benefits animal welfare, human health and the environment. With over 150 restaurants in 15 popular U.S. travel destinations, this database offers a wide range of cuisines to please the palate of any food aficionado.

 

To build the unique list, WSPA experts scoured menus and contacted chefs and farms to identify meat, dairy and egg products that indicate a higher level of animal welfare than products sourced from factory farms.

 

 

Eating in for the holidays?  Check out WSPA’s Grocery Store database to find the best brands of humanely labeled egg, dairy and meat products offered at your local grocery store.

 

Planning a humane road trip using the restaurant database or a humane Thanksgiving meal using products featured on the grocery store database? Write to us and WSPA will feature your story to inspire other compassionate consumers!

 

WSPA is looking to add more restaurants to the database. So, if you are aware of any restaurants that serve humanely raised meat or dairy products, please send us their information.

 

 

On behalf of WSPA, I wish you a safe, happy, and humane Thanksgiving!

 

WSPA Staff Give Day of Service

This week’s story comes from Jen Brown, Direct Marketing Communications Manager for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). Read on for Jen's account of a day of volunteering at a local shelter.

 

The U.S. office of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is your typical office with standard workplace amenities and rows of seemingly identical cubicles…that is, until you get to my workspace. My cubicle is pretty easy to distinguish, because the walls are literally covered with pictures—my favorite WSPA images; pictures and stories of animals we’ve saved; photos of my own beloved family pets; even a few random animal newspaper clippings.

 

So why do I have all these images pinned, stapled and clipped around me?  They remind me of why I do what I do every day. They show me what WSPA has achieved for animals, and how far we still have to go.

 

It was for this same reason that, in late October, my co-workers and I headed to the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Pine Ridge Shelter for a day of volunteering.  Trading our cubicles for open farmland and rustic barns, and our work clothes for jeans and sneakers, we arrived at the shelter ready to work.  And put us to work they did—we spent the better part of a day stripping stalls, picking paddocks, and polishing barn boards until they shined.

 

 

But it wasn’t all work as we got to spend time walking dogs, socializing cats and touring the shelter’s pet cemetery replete with its eerie stories. We also saw and heard about the amazing work that shelter staff do every day—from investigating shocking cruelty cases, to rehabilitating abused and injured animals, and helping pets of all varieties find new and loving homes.

 

Perhaps nothing was more inspiring than the stories of the animals themselves.  There was Rosie, a 250-lb pig who was found abandoned in a dog crate and had likely been used as a research animal, a group of newly arrived horses who had been confiscated because their owner was not properly caring for them, and so many cats, dogs, rabbits, sheep, and other animals, all safe and well-cared for because of the dedication and generosity of shelter staff, volunteers, donors, and compassionate people who gave their time, money and effort to help.

 

 

As with all good things, our day at the shelter came to an end, and we left, well worn, smelling of hay and manure, and happy.  We had helped out, made some new friends—of the two- and four-legged variety, and learned a little more about the animals and each other.  It was hard to leave, but we have some great memories, and I now have a few new photos to add to my wall…

 

Volunteer for Animals

 

Want some hands-on animal inspiration of your own? Animal shelters and rescue groups are always in need of dedicated volunteers. To find a group near you, check out WSPA's member societies, and for local and international opportunities visit the Volunteer Abroad section of WSPA's Compassionate Travel website.

For The Love of Equines

This week’s blog entry comes from Kristin Lajeunesse, Supporter Liaison for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). Read on for Kristin’s fascinating account of her experiences with horses.

 

They called her “the little bay mare.” I first noticed her big, soft brown eyes and how her coarse black mane and tail accented her deep brown coat. As she moseyed over to greet me, her ample hay belly adorably swayed from side to side. It was love at first sight. When I discovered that she and I were both eight years old, I knew it was meant to be. I named her Spirit and from that day forward I began an unparalleled relationship with this beautiful animal.

 

 

 

I spent every spare moment learning how to properly care for Spirit. My bond with Spirit, and my passion for everything equine, grew strong.

 

Over time, I came to understand Spirit's unique personality. She enjoyed walking alongside me when I was doing my daily barn chores. Though she was the shortest of all the horses she lived with, she was the leader of the herd. And yet, despite her commanding personality, she seemed visibly saddened when I’d give attention to another horse; she wouldn’t take her eyes off of us and after a while, turn and hang her head. For a few hours after, she would ignore me and walk away when I approached her.

 

I realized that she, like most other equines, was sensitive and exceptionally caring. Coupling these experiences with my degree in Equestrian Studies, it became even clearer that owning an equine involves a great deal of care and compassion.

 

While I was fortunate to enjoy the company of equines as companion animals, many people in other countries depend on these animals for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, these people often don’t have the resources—like hands-on training and formal education—to properly care for their equines. It is not uncommon for their equines to be subjected to ill-fitting equipment, neglect, and various health problems.

 

WSPA’s working equines program provides equine owners with humane education workshops and clinics, which cover topics like using the right equipment, proper hoof care, health, and nutrition. In 2004 WSPA assisted the Lampang Pony Welfare Organization in Thailand, and set up a clinic offering advice, veterinary treatment, and low cost supplies.  The clinic has been extremely successful and the health of the Lampang ponies has improved so dramatically that WSPA is replicating this project in Cambodia.

 

(Now, at the age of 26, Spirit is still in great health, living out her remaining years as a pasture pony with her equine companion, Amber.)

Animal Friendly-Fun: Hiking in Big Sur

Just a quick note that this will be my last blog entry for Compassionate Planet as my travels are taking me elsewhere. I have really enjoyed having the opportunity to share my stories with you! Please also remember you can share your travel stories with us! Please send your submissions to blog@wspausa.org.

Just 30 miles south of Monterey, California, lies a 90-mile stretch of pristine coastline and wild cliffs called the Big Sur. If you can survive the perilous drive on Highway 1, this destination should be on the “Can’t Miss” list of any wildlife enthusiast.

It is hard to describe such a beautiful place without sounding trite. My husband and I stopped at nearly every mile marker to enjoy the majestic views and spot the abundant wildlife. Looking over a steep drop into a rocky lagoon, my husband pointed out an otter floating on his back among the seaweed. The next morning, we saw the glossy head of a sea lion peering out at us from the water at Andrew Molera State Park.  Later we took a break on a rocky cliff hoping to see an endangered California Condor take flight over us.

There is nothing like observing an animal free in its natural setting. The thrill of first sight and the mutual curiosity experienced by two creatures that just happened upon each other accidentally. It is an essence that no zoo or aquarium could ever capture. Beyond the fantastic fun of experiencing the “wild,” much of the fee for visiting state and national parks goes directly into conserving the habitats of these animals. The more people put on their hiking shoes to visit these places, the better endowed conservation projects will become. The situation is really a win-win for all involved. Preserving land and the creatures that live there is definitely what I call compassionate travel.

To ensure that travelers can enjoy wildlife without infringing on their sense of freedom and peace, the World Society for the Protection of Animals has put together some handy tips for travelers to keep in mind when taking to the woods or water in search of animals. In addition, WSPA includes volunteer opportunities like tracking turtles and patrolling for elephant conservation for the avid wildlife enthusiast on CompassionateTravel.org. Check it out!