First though, let’s think about why cats claw objects.  Cats scratch to play, mark their territory, maintain their nails, stretch, and for exercise.  They are definitely not scratching your couch just to torment you.  Yet, many people think it’s perfectly okay to have their cats declawed.  Here’s the part where I explain the gory details behind this procedure.

Declawing involves 10 separate, painful amputations.  Declawing a cat involves general anesthesia and amputation of the last joint of each toe, including the bones, not just the nail.  It is a very serious operation.  After surgery, the nails may grow back inside the paw, causing pain but remaining invisible to observers.  Declawing results in a gradual weakening of leg, shoulder, and back muscles, and because of impaired balance caused by the procedure, declawed cats have to relearn to walk, much as a person would after losing his or her toes.

Dr. Jennifer Conrad wrote in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association that, “routine declawing (unlike sterilization) is never performed for the sake of the animal” and that as a veterinarian, she has “an obligation to do what is best for the animals and not what is most convenient for their owners.”  England, Australia, Japan, and nearly two dozen countries ban or severely restrict declawing surgeries.

Here are some effective and compassionate alternatives to declawing:

• Provide scratching posts
• Trim your cat’s nails regularly – and cut only the TIP
• Cardboard scratching boxes!  Our cat is a huge fan of these.  Don’t forget to sprinkle a little catnip on top.
• Soft Paws nail caps are an ultra-chic non-toxic humane alternative to declawing

I beg of you – the next time you hear of someone who is talking about declawing their cat, please tell them why this is a terrible idea and let them know about these great alternatives!

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Image courtesy of Flicker‘s The Commons

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World Turtle Day is truly a day worth commemorating.  Turtles have been around for over 200 million years, yet sadly turtles and tortoises are now at a much higher risk of extinction than many other vertebrates.  According to a recent report by the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, of the 263 species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles, 117 species are considered threatened, 73 are either endangered or critically endangered, and 1 is extinct, while 71% of all tortoise species are either gone or almost gone.

American Tortoise Rescue’s Tellem and Thompson note that experts predict the complete disappearance of one of the world’s oldest creatures within the next 50 years.  They’ve kindly offered us a few small things that we can do to help save turtles and tortoises for generations to come:

• Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild
• Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured
• If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again.
• Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitats preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent offshore oil drilling that can lead to more endangered sea turtle deaths.
• Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter
• Report the sale of any turtle or tortoise of any kind, less than four inches.  This is illegal everywhere in the U.S.

If you can’t attend the fundraiser on May 20^th in Santa Monica, please consider sending them a contribution at http://www.tortoise.com/turtle_donations.html.

For more information, please visit American Tortoise Rescue at www.tortoise.com.  You can also find them on Twitter:  @tortoiserescue and Facebook, www.Facebook.com/AmericanTortoiseRescue and www.Facebook.com/WorldTurtleDay.

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Tortoise image courtesy of Flickr.

The post Join American Tortoise Rescue in Celebrating World Turtle Day on May 23! appeared first on Chic Vegan.

For this film, Disneynature has joined forces with the Jane Goodall Institute in their efforts to bring attention to the plight of chimpanzees and the environment.  For every moviegoer who sees Chimpanzee during the film’s opening week (April 20-26, 2012), Disneynature will make a donation to JGI through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in order to protect chimpanzees and their habitats, now and into the future. For more information about this collaboration and to join the cause, please visit “See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees” on Facebook.

For more information on the Jane Goodall Institute, please visit www.janegoodall.org.

Chimpanzee opens in theaters on April 20, 2012!

Images courtesy of Disney.

The post Celebrate Earth Day with Chimpanzee! appeared first on Chic Vegan.

What many people don’t realize is that the down industry is actually quite cruel and brutal. I imagine they picture a scenario where the feathers have been naturally shed by the geese and workers come by and sweep them up. I wish it was that simple and pain-free. But unfortunately, employees on these goose farms actually pull fistfuls of feathers out of live birds. This causes considerable pain, fear, and even death for the geese. Often, because of the brutal ‘method’ of removing the feathers, geese are left with bloody, gaping wounds. Then, believe it or not, workers will sew the birds’ skin back together – without anesthetics or any medical training.

The best way to stop this industry is to buy cruelty-free products and to spread the word. Please take the time to watch and share the video below. It’s horrible and graphic, but necessary viewing.

Header image courtesy of Flickr FuzzyT

The post The Reality of the Down Industry appeared first on Chic Vegan.

This is might seem like a baby step, but it’s one in the right direction – and that’s huge. I look forward to seeing what happens next!

For more information on the case, read the original post by clicking HERE.

The post UPDATE – PETA vs. SeaWorld appeared first on Chic Vegan.

PETA, three marine-mammal experts, and two former orca trainers filed a lawsuit in October against SeaWorld, on behalf of five orcas. They are asking that a federal court declare that the five orcas – Tilikum, Katina, Kasatka, Corky, and Ulises – are being held as slaves in violation of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. According to PETA, the suit is based on the plain text of the 13th Amendment, which prohibits the condition of slavery without reference to “person” or any particular class of victim. PETA would like the orcas relocated to a coastal sanctuary and eventually back into the wild. SeaWorld had hoped for a dismissal, but on January 13, PETA’s legal team filed a brief opposing SeaWorld’s motion. The case will be argued on February 6, 2012.

Orcas are intelligent, social animals and spend much of their time travelling – swimming up to 100 miles a day. This, of course, is in the wild. In captivity, orcas are confined to small tanks, swimming in circles, and performing stressful tricks for SeaWorld patrons. It’s easy to see the difference between an ocean and a small tank in a theme park. There’s no comparison. I’m astounded by anyone who defends SeaWorld and other similar establishments. Imagine being confined to a closet for the rest of your life.

This is truly a significant, groundbreaking case. Not only do I hope this will result in freedom for these orcas, but I hope it will change how society views animals. I wish for the day when people stop patronizing zoos, theme parks, circuses, and other similar establishments. Animals are not here for our amusement. We should always be compassionate and respectful of all creatures.

For additional information on this case, please visit PETA.org.

Feature photo courtesy of Abi Skipp, Second photo courtesy of congvo

The post LES ANIMAUX – PETA vs. SeaWorld appeared first on Chic Vegan.