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Center for Biological Diversity and Animal Place Partner to Offer Food for Thought on Animal Agriculture

5/24/2018

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Gary Smith Patti Nyman Jessica Herrera
Evolutus PR Animal Place Center for Biological Diversity
818-783-0569 530-477-1757 ext 3 520-260-1725
gary@evolotuspr.com patti@animalplace.org jherrera@biologicaldiversity.org

​​GRASS VALLEY, and SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Animal Place and the Center for Biological Diversity today announced they are teaming up to call on environmental organizations and conferences to adopt earth- and animal-friendly menu policies.
 
Among other projects, the two groups are co-developing materials, securing speaking opportunities, and challenging the movement to adopt plant-based policies with Animal Place’s “Food for Thought” campaign.
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“The environmental community can no longer ignore the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on the planet,” said Stephanie Feldstein, population and sustainability director of the Center for Biological Diversity. “If we want to protect the environment, we need to switch to a diet that’s better for the climate, wildlife, and our own health by reducing our meat consumption.”
 
Animal agriculture is a primary cause of climate change, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, water use, pesticide use, and pollution. It is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. And Americans eat an average of three times as much meat per capita as the rest of the world.
 
“By joining forces with Center for Biological Diversity, we have an important ally in the environmental movement as we promote the necessity of veganism for sustainability, preserving habitats, and protecting all animal species,” said Patti Nyman, Campaigns Manager at Animal Place.
 
The Center’s Take Extinction Off Your Plate campaign is the first program of its kind making the connection between animal agriculture and threats to wildlife. It encourages people to reduce meat consumption as a critical means of reducing their environmental footprint. In accordance with its mission, the Center’s board-approved menu policy specifies that organizational events serve only plant-based foods.
 
Animal Place maintains a “report card” of organizations that have board-approved earth- and animal-friendly menu policies – and those that do not. Its Food for Thought campaign works with and awards grants to animal and environmental protection groups to encourage animal-friendly vegan menus at their sponsored events, and is endorsed by national organizations and federations, veterinarians, celebrities, and other public figures.
 
About the Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For more information visit biologicaldiversity.org.
 
About Animal Place
Animal Place, founded in 1989, is one of the oldest and largest animal sanctuaries in the nation, operating a 600-acre sanctuary in Grass Valley, California and an all-vegan market in Berkeley, California. Animal Place’s California animal shelters fill a much-needed niche of farmed animal rescue, sanctuary, education, and adoption. Animals arrive from small and large farms, slaughterhouses, research facilities, and neglect or cruelty cases. Nestled between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, its Grass Valley location offers tours, cooking classes, and workshops at the sanctuary as well as volunteer and internship opportunities. In 2010, Animal Place began rescuing animals directly from California egg farms, and since then has saved more than 26,000 hens. Animal Place – named best farm sanctuary in the country by Best in Shelter – is a nonprofit 501c3 organization funded by private donors. For more information, visit animalplace.org.
 
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Animal welfare groups may be losing their appetite for meat

3/12/2015

 
"It's a situation that has left many an animal lover in a quandary.

You want to support your favorite shelter or rescue at its annual fundraiser. But the bill of fare for the evening is a carnivore's dream.

Saving animals is key to the organization's mission. Oh, and how would you like your prime rib cooked?

"I don't understand the thought behind serving meat at events," says Kristen Gerali, founder of ALIVE Rescue in Chicago. "We are so passionate about saving animals. To serve animals at an event is just ... I don't know, wrong."

ALIVE, which Gerali founded in March 2008, doesn't serve meat at any of the five to seven events it holds each year. It never has. She made it part of the group's mission statement.

"(The policy) is well-received and people respect us for it," she says.

Vegetarian and vegan menus are not always the case with other animal welfare organizations. But that may be changing.

Other groups around the country are taking a step back and re-evaluating the food they serve at fundraisers, adoption events or even volunteer recognition luncheons. For some, the time has come to back up their talk of compassion toward animals with action. Meat is out, vegetarian and vegan alternatives are in.

"Over 90 percent of animals raised for food are raised in factory farms. When that information is shared people don't want to be part of that," says Heather J. Cammisa, president and CEO of St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey (www.sthuberts.org). "We're relied upon to be a leader in animal welfare standards, so we have to be active."

When Cammisa came to St. Hubert's in 2010, the 70-year-old organization was serving meat at its events. She had previously worked with other groups that went vegetarian, "and when I came here we started the discussion."

Now, St. Hubert's is meatless.

"Our mission involves the humane treatment of animals, building an environment where people respect all living creatures," Cammisa says. "And this aligns with that."
The shelters don't need a lot of convincing if a 2013 survey of people who work or volunteer at California shelters and rescues is any indication. It found that 85 percent believed it was ethically inconsistent for an organization that rescues animals to sell or serve animal products. Still, only 29 percent had adopted a vegetarian or vegan policy.

Cammisa believes that some organizations fear a negative reaction from donors and supporters. That wasn't the case for St. Hubert's, though initially some people needed to be reassured.

"People came up to us, you know, 'I thought you were telling me what I could eat in my home.' But this is great," she said. "It's about opening eyes."

Before Gerali founded ALIVE (www.aliverescue.org), she was with another group that tried to implement a no-meat policy, but there was resistance.

"A lot of people say, 'People are paying money, they'll expect meat.' Or they are meat eaters themselves. It's a lifestyle. You don't see ... the cruelty animals have to go through just to arrive on our plate. It isn't pretty. Maybe they didn't realize."

Gerali says that she has had only one complaint since ALIVE was founded.

"The gentleman was a big-time meat eater," she says. "'Where's the meat?' I told him it's just not something we support. It's cool too because it's sort of an educational tool without getting in their face. We offer the (vegetarian) options and they enjoy the flavor, and we hope they follow up."

Shelters, rescues and other groups that are considering a policy change are getting help from Animal Place, a California-based farmed animal sanctuary. Through its "Food For Thought" program (www.foodforthoughtcampaign.org), Animal Place is awarding $25,000 in grants to animal organizations that institute a vegan policy. The group began accepting applications in February.

In addition, Animal Place also gives suggestions on how organizations can explain and adopt the policy (www.foodforthoughtcampaign.org/shelters.html) and even offers plant-based menus and recipes (www.foodforthoughtcampaign.org/menus--recipes.html).

"The time has come," Cammisa says. "When it was all discussed and when we were putting together our policy — and that we'd be encouraging people to reduce the demand — there was discussion, 'Will this offend people? Will this be considered fringe?' It's like herding cats and it needs to be discussed.

"It'd be such a disservice to the animals if we came late to the party advocating for these animals. We have to be in the forefront. We shouldn't be lagging messengers for this."

bhageman@tribpub.com
Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune

vermont shelter spotlighted for animal friendly menu 

10/6/2014

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Second Chance Animal Center 
is featured in bennington banner 

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The winners of Animal Place's second 'Shelter Grant' and our September Shelter of the Month award, Second Chance Animal Center, was recently featured in the Bennington Banner for their adoption of a vegan policy and their upcoming, all-vegan Walk n' Wag event. Reports the news outlet - 

"We at Animal Place were so impressed with the momentum of this organization that in addition to the grant, we asked our friends at Alternative Baking Company to help Second Chance put on their first all-vegan event, so there will be decadent cookies for the upcoming Walk'n'Wag fundraiser," said Carolyn Merino Mullin, program coordinator at Animal Place, in a release.
To read the rest of the article, click here. Please take a minute to leave positive feedback about this wonderful organization taking such important steps to protect the welfare of ALL animals. 
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Food for thought featured on care2.com

9/8/2014

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Is It Hypocritical for Animal Shelters to Serve Animal Products at Fundraisers?

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That's the question posed by Care2.com writer Abigail Geer in a recent article for the eco- and animal-friendly site. She goes on to write, 

The use of animals for food is so deeply ingrained in our society that most people never even consider its morality. It is normal for people to consume the flesh and secretions of cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys and other ‘farm animals,’ so when it comes to fundraising for a dog shelter, or an exotic pet rescue organization, it often never enters the thought process that it might be hypocritical to organize a hog roast or BBQ to raise money for these rescued animals.
About our campaign, she explains - 
The campaign helps to address the issue of speciesism in society by bringing it to the attention of those who already have a keen interest in helping one particular group of animals. Many people attending a fundraising event for their local dog shelter may never have come across the concept before, but once they learn more about why the shelters have decided to implement a no animal product policy, they may start to view animal use in a completely different light.
Read the article and chime in on the comments section. There's a lively discussion and more support for the Food for Thought campaign would be appreciated!
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august 'shelter of the month' captures local media attention

8/19/2014

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st. hubert's animal welfare center turns heads 
with animal friendly menus

Following the announcement of St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center's 'Shelter of the Month' award this August, local media outlets are giving a nod this exceptional shelter that walks the humane talk and serves exclusively animal friendly foods at their functions. 

In their coverage of the story , NJ.com reiterates -

St. Hubert's reports that serving meatless alternatives has given them the opportunity to introduce healthy and satisfying meals and opened a dialogue. When given good information in a reasonable fashion people can decide to make thoughtful choices in their personal menus in order to make improvements for the animals, themselves and the planet.
To read the article in its entirety and leave a positive comment, click here. 
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ANIMAL PLACE FOUNDER INTERVIEWED ON 'ANIMALS TODAY'

3/17/2014

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kim sturla discusses food for thought 
with dr. lori kirschner

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Hosted by Dr. Lori Kirshner, founder of Southern California's Advancing the Interests of Animals, "Animals Today" Radio Show entertains, enlightens, and even challenges listeners by addressing a variety of contemporary animal-related topics.  Through Dr. Kirshner's commentaries and interviews with experts from around the world, listeners are exposed to some of today's most interesting and important issues relating to animals, both domestic and wild.

On Sunday, March 16th, Animal Place co-founder, Kim Sturla, was interviewed about our Food for Thought campaign. Listen to the episode.
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care2 reports on food for thought

3/10/2014

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Care2 is a trusted social action network that empowers millions of people to lead a healthy, sustainable lifestyle and support socially responsible causes... and they recently covered the growing trend of animal shelters adopting an animal friendly menu policy. 

In the article "Animal Rescues: Is it Ethical to Save One Animal and Eat Another?", writer Jessica Ramos explores policy plant-based adoptions and concludes -  

The dynamic of personal autonomy, office culture, serving a target audience and serving the greater good is complex. Animal rescue and humane organizations often play a positive role; it is encouraging to see how many members within these organizations are open to more ethical and humane choices at their events. 
We couldn't agree more! It IS encouraging to see how many members  and staff within these groups are open to more ethical and humane choices at their events. Thanks for covering this important campaign, Jessica!
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food for thought on happycow

2/27/2014

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happy cow features food for thought 

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Founded in 1999, HappyCow was created as a public service to assist travelers and people everywhere find vegan, vegetarian, and healthy food. Today, its online community has grown to include members from around the world who are passionate about the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle as a healthy, compassionate, and environmentally sustainable way of living. More than simply a restaurant and health food store guide, HappyCow is an ever-evolving online hub that serves millions worldwide as a one-stop resource for everything VEG.

We're delighted that the Food for Thought campaign received coverage in HappyCow's latest newsletter. See it for yourself!

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Food for thought on 'the dodo'!

2/12/2014

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food for thought on 'the dodo'

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"We’re witnessing a profound shift in the way people regard animals. They matter more to us now. We think of them less as objects at our disposal, as science increasingly reveals them to be intelligent, emotional, social beings that are not as different from us as we used to think they were. We’re increasingly committed to learning about them, more interested in understanding and improving our relationships with them, and more passionate about protecting them. The Dodo will channel this shift every day by covering the most important and fascinating stories "

Have you heard of The Dodo? It's a brand new online media hub for all things animal, so of course Animal Place has a column! Our first article discusses the Food for Thought campaign. Read it now and share it with your contacts on Facebook and Twitter!

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Food for thought hits cleveland, ohio!

2/6/2014

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One of the organizations lending their public support to Animal Place's Food for Thought campaign is Happy Trails Sanctuary in Ravenna, Ohio! Today, the campaign received some wonderfully positive press on Cleveland.com thanks to this sanctuary's efforts. 

The article quoted Annette Fisher, director of Happy Trails, Ohio's largest farm animal sanctuary, as saying:


I think a lot of well-intentioned people who work in animal rescue have never really given thought to the irony or hypocrisy of serving one type of animal while raising funds to save another type of animal.

In the meat production industry, "there is an 'acceptable industry percentage' of animals that are still alive while being dismembered in the slaughterhouses," And live pigs are often found frozen to the insides of transport trucks in the winter. This isn't something that most people take into consideration when planning their steak or pork dinner to raise money that benefits dogs and cats.

I believe that when given the opportunity to learn about the abuses in the farm animal industry, many community leaders in domestic animal rescue will make more humane choices when planning their fundraisers.
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We couldn't agree more, Annette! Thank for you for your support of Food for Thought!

Please take a minute to read the rest of the article online, leave a positive comment, and be sure to share it with your social media contacts!

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