Rain or Shine

Action #1

The leaflets I ordered have arrived! All 10,000 of them. It was freezing on Thursday at UQ. Possibly one of the coldest days in Brisbane ever. I was trembling and my fingers were completely numbed; yet I felt really fired up when I saw everyone reading the leaflet I was giving out. Not a single person I gave to threw the leaflet away (a good friend warned me that it might happen and I shouldn’t feel too upset if it did). I saw people wearing fur hoodies everywhere and it has really created this sense of urgency for me to really try to get the message across. Every one person I talk to will be one less person buying fur products – I tell myself.

– Thursday – UQ St Lucia Campus: 250 flyers
– Saturday – Indooroopilly and Milton residential (mail box distribution): 800 flyers
–  Monday – City: 500 flyers

Big thank you to the following people for helping me pass some on to friends, colleagues and schools: Jill, Russell, May, Robyn, Sarah, Julie, you guys are gems!

Please email stopliveskinning@gmail.com if you wish to help.

Action #2

Peter Steele’s Asian Campaign. Peter (Animal Saviors) will be backbacking (with anyone who wants to accompany him for the whole or any part of the campaign) through India, Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and through the centre of China ending at Tienanmen Square in Beijing to raise awareness, enlist support from politicians and religious leaders and to present the petitions to the Chinese Minister of Commerce. Peter, a retired lawyer from the Gold Coast, has spent not just time, effort and money to try his best to save the animals, he has shown passion and conviction with his actions. I was very honoured to be able to meet up with him two weeks ago. In the upcoming weeks, we will have more information on this campaign, so stay tune.

Announcement #3

Our online petition has a total of 551 signatures – thank you for making a stand everyone! Please continue to spread the news to your friends and family. More people needs to know the real cost behind the fur jacket (fake or otherwise) that they are buying. Due to unpredictable weather conditions, our Brisbane campaign – collection of signatures around Brisbane – will now be collected from (1) the petition site, and from (2) leaflets. A total of 10,000 leaflets will be distributed between now and mid-July in Brisbane, parts of Gold Coast and Sydney (city). Readers have the option of sending in the signed leaflet to PO Box 895, Indooroopilly QLD 4068. Signature collections will continue after August but only via Internet. The next phase of the campaign involves writing letters of appeal to Chinese authorities and embassies (in both English and Chinese) to ban the skinning of cats and dogs on grounds of inhumanity.

Announcement #4

Good news. I’ve compiled a pdf report, Global Alert, documenting reports, evidence and campaign on this issue. There is irrefutable evidence that cats and dogs are skinned in inhumane ways for their fur because of the fur and fur-trim industries. The chapters covered are listed below:

Chapter 1: Fur Industry – From Real (then) to ‘Fake’ (now)
1.1 Exposing Real fur
1.2 Exposing ‘Fake’ fur
Chapter 2: The truth about cats and dogs
2.1 Cat and dog fur IS faux fur
2.2 Legislation to protect domestic cats and dogs
Chapter 3: The farming/skinning process (if you don’t already know)
3.1 It is cruel, inhumane and unnecessary
Chapter 4: The value of fur – WHO decides?
4.1 Market-driven industry
Chapter 5: Solutions, an assessment of what has been done and what more can be done
5.1 Campaigns and successes

If you would like a copy of the pdf report (free), please email stopliveskinning@gmail.com. If you only have enough time to read one article, then read this: Dying for fur, A report on the fur industry in China, update 25 Jan 2007 , Copyright East International/Swiss Animal Protection SAP