Purrs 4 Peace Week 44: Free the Lab Animals

If a group of beings from another planet were to land on Earth - beings who considered themselves as superior to you as you feel yourself to be to other animals - would you concede them the rights over you that you assume over other animals? ~Attributed to George Bernard Shaw

April 24th, 2010 is World Lab Animal Day. This day was founded by the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) and is now recognized by the United Nations and marked by animal advocates on every continent. There will be a rally commencing at 11:30 a.m. at Cavendish Square in London. I wish I were in London to attend this event which is intended to bring attention and highlight the immense suffering endured by lab animals. These voiceless innocents endure suffering which is unnecessary, unscientific and unhumane.

This year in commemoration of this day I am going to participate in PETAs efforts to lobby Lufthansa to stop transporting animals to laboratories. Peta released heartbreaking photos of 50 beagles who had been confined in crates and loaded as cargo for transport from Marshall Farms (an animal breeding facility in New York) to Charles River Laboratories (CRL) in Scotland for purposes of experimentation. It is reported that CRL is one of the largest testers of animals subjecting them to poisoning, mutilation and death and has been cited for dozens of violations of the Animal Welfare Act in the U.S. Less than a day after the release of the photos (and the outrage it engendered), the airline announced a new policy prohibiting transport of dogs and cats to labs. However, now is the time to press Lufthansa to extend the policy to other animals.

In addition....we will purr. Purr to end the suffering of innocents for the sake of greed. Purr to end the destruction of our own human souls by the torture of animals. Purr to free animals imprisoned and tortured in laboratories. We will Purr 4 Peace.

Vivisection is a social evil because if it advances human knowledge, it does so at the expense of human character. ~George Bernard Shaw

Week 44 of Purrs 4 Peace details are as follows:

• Week forty-four”s appointed time is Sunday, April 18, 2010.
• Participants should purr for three minutes commencing at 3 p.m. Eastern (U.S.) which is 8:00 p.m. (20:00 hrs.) in the U.K..
• The cat’s human staff should assist their cats with the project by stroking and nuzzling the cat at the appointed time.
• Please post your cat name and the country you purr in at www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com as a COMMENT if you are participating in this historic project. (posting a link to your own website-if you have one-is encouraged.) Or let me know by message on twitter or facebook.
• Posting purrs on facebook ( Acolytes of Confucius Cat or as friend to Alley Mason) and twitter (@ConfuciusCat) is encouraged, since it inspires purring in others, but not required. On twitter please use #purrs4peace in your tweets.

Peace * Paix * Frieden * Vrede * Pace * Paz * Shalom * Fred * Salaam * Om Shanti * Heddwch * Siochan