HSUS Whistleblower Sheds Light on Shady Tactics

It's no secret that I'm not a HSUS super-fan. For evidence, look no further. Their gross interpretation of animal welfare and the haughty assumption that all farmers and ranchers are animal abusers is enough to make me gag.

Photo credit: National Hog Farmer

Well, apparently I'm not the only person who is tired of HSUS' bullcrap tactics - a former undercover videographer for the animal rights group is coming forward to speak the truth and share what really happens at HSUS.

According to an interview with HumaneWatch, directors at HSUS were guilty of lying, encouraging undercover videographers to ignore animal welfare and even accusing all farmers/ranchers of being animal abusers.

Here is an excerpt of the interview, courtesy of Drovers CattleNetwork:

• Guilty of something: “Day one of training, I was basically told every single farm is doing something illegal.”
• Twisting words, splitting hairs and downright lying: “Let’s say that I went to a livestock auction and there’s a small calf running around. And let’s say this calf falls over.  If I’m filming this and send this in a report, I would say, “Calf fell over due to its own momentum.”  Mary Beth [Sweetland, HSUS Director of Investigations,] would correct that and say, “Could be malnourished or kept in hobbles the whole time.” I wouldn’t be allowed to draw something that I could see plain as day in context.”
• Recording more important than reporting: “I was never told to contact law enforcement. If you see a crime, stop that crime. Don’t wait. How many other animals must be abused down the line to accomplish this? That seems like basic, common sense.”

I'm not really surprised by any of this - are you?!

If you want to see the full video click here. You can also read more of the interview where this whistleblower explains how his eyes were truly opened to HSUS' tactics and motives and how he has changed his mind on gestation stalls.

No bones about it folks, HSUS doesn't care about animal welfare. The massive lobbyist organization cares about $$ and abolishing animal agriculture.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

PETA Uses Kids as Pawns

I think we can all agree that exploiting children to get ahead is pretty low-down and dirty. I figure only the most conniving, manipulative organizations would be willing to target children with propaganda in an effort to create a whole generation of like-minded individuals. 

Would you be surprised to find out that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has been targeting children with animal rights propaganda for more than a decade? I didn't think so.



PETA is targeting their kids and they don't care if you like it or not
Source: Center for Consumer Freedom

The second edition of the Center for Consumer Freedom's (CCF) report, "Your Kids, PETA's Pawns," explores the tactics that extreme animal rights groups use to indoctrinate children using violent and sexualized animal-rights propaganda and protests outside of elementary schools.

Additionally, and this is probably the most sickening, is the blatant use of children as props for their shocking campaigns. The runny icing on this burnt cake is that psychologists and school officials have denounced PETA's actions as "despicable," "traumatizing," "beyond insensitive," and "an absolute atrocity." Does that stop PETA from exploiting children? Not at all. You may recall, I have blogged about their atrocious actions in the past and they appear to have no remorse.

Picture this - you're an average height adult viewing an ad on the side of a bus. All appears normal until your five-year old starts crying saying that the images on the bus are scary. You can't imagine why your child is upset, until you lean down to his/her point of view and find that the imaging on the bus at a child's height level is violent, graphic images of animal abuse. Not cool, PETA. Not freaking cool.

I'm not a parent and I'm furious that PETA is doing this to kids. I can't imagine how parents of children who have encountered this propaganda may feel.

If you want to read the whole report, feel free to check it out here. Thanks to the Center for Consumer Freedom for investigating the shady dealings of manipulative animal rights organizations.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

HSUS Contributions Declining

 

Rooster and Cricket have a good home and are spoiled rotten - but lots of other pets aren't as fortunate.
If you want to help puppies and kittens, please donate to your local shelter!

Yep, you read that right.

The genius' over at HumaneWatch were combing through tax records and financial statements for our favorite animal rights organization, the Humane Society of the United States (H$U$). What they found is a little bittersweet. So let's do the sweet part first:

- In 2013, contributions to H$U$ totaled $104.5 million - that's not the sweet part. The sweet part is that in 2012, that number was a lot higher. In fact, contributions were $16.6 million less in 2013 in 2012. Win!!!

- The bitter part is that bequests, or people leaving the organization money in their will, increased by $8.6 million. So that sort of knocks the whole overall number down a bit but still:

 

H$U$ experienced a decline in income by $8 million in one year!

I hope this means that folks are seeing the light, doing their research and realizing that they can help puppies and kittens more by donating to their local shelter, rather than sending money to a lobbyist organization.

"I hear those H$U$ folks don't donate very many bones to local shelters.
Donate to your local shelter today!"

Unfortunately, to no one's surprise, H$U$ is still only donating 1% of it's budget to local groups to help dogs and cats that needs homes. But again, no surprise there. If you or your family want to help save pets, please donate your time or dollars to your local shelter. Share this message on your social media outlets - please continue to spread the word that H$U$ is a lobbyist organization, not a rescue organization.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

p.s. - Two posts in one week - look at me go! Wahoo!

 

The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.



Rabbit Meat is the New Horse Meat

If you haven't seen the news lately, you've missed out on the ruckus Whole Foods Market is causing by selling rabbit meat in select locations in North Carolina and the D.C. metro area. Obviously, close-minded American up in arms. I forgot that if a food product isn't widely consumed in the U.S. it must be wrong to eat it elsewhere in the world. Silly me. Does this sound vaguely familiar?


Rabbit carcasses in a butcher shop
photo source

Hmm -  that's right. This sounds like the horse meat argument all over again. The vast majority of Americans are against the consumption of horse meat as well. Something to do with companion animals - nevermind the fact that both rabbit meat and horse meat are widely available and consumed in other countries like Germany, France and China.

According to FOX News, several activist organizations banded together for a day of action where participants were encouraged to reach out to shoppers of Whole Foods and explain "... what wonderful animals rabbits are and remind them how popular rabbits are as pets." Guess what else is a popular pet that we eat? Fish. Sorry, Goldie.

This whole issue boils down to one small group of very vocal people striving to take control of society's consumption patterns. Nevermind the fact that Whole Foods Market developed a slaughter system that is in line with the high animal welfare standards they already in place for beef, pork and chicken. Nevermind the fact that, apparently, customers of the high end grocery chain have been asking for rabbit meat for years. Nevermind the fact that if you don't want to eat it, don't buy it.

While I was in France for a study abroad trip in 2009, I saw rabbit carcasses in the window of many butcher shops. It was perfectly normal - there were no animal rights groups staging sit-ins or attempting to sway consumers away from their purchases. Alternative meats are the norm outside of the U.S. - when are we going to start being more civilized and catch up with the rest of the world?

What's your take - would you eat rabbit meat? Do you think rabbits should be for pets only?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~


The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.

HumaneWatch is the Cat's Meow - HSUS WTF, part 2

Several months ago I posted about the marvelous ad campaign that HumaneWatch had developed to inform society about the misperception of HSUS.  Today, I'm thrilled to see those same ads take up residence in New York's Time Square.

HumaneWatch ad in New York's Times Square
Photo credit HumaneWatch

That's right - the billboard above is smack dab in the middle of one of the busiest metro areas in the United States. No doubt about it - you can count this one as a win for animal agriculture.

For more details, read the AgWired story and as always, I urge you to check out HumaneWatch.org -you won't be disappointed!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.

False Alarm for Horse Slaughter

Horses of the Frobuzz ranch

Horse slaughter was to resume this week. "Was" being the keyword.

Last Friday, a U.S. District Court Judge dismissed a lawsuit and subsequent injunction against three plants that are itching to open their doors to America's horses that are past their prime. The Humane Society of the US, Front Range Equine Rescue and a handful of other animal rights extremists filed the case on the basis that "the government did not adequately study the issue of horse slaughter before granting permits to two companies."

The three plants that would have started slaughter this week are Valley Meats in New Mexico, Rains Natural Meats in Missouri and Responsible Transportation in Iowa. The meat from these plants can be shipped to Europe and Asia, which are big horse meat consuming countries. Reinstating horse slaughter in the U.S. prevents horses from being trucked across U.S. borders to Canada and Mexico.

However, since HSUS is a bunch of jerkwads, another injunction has been filed in appeals court and has to be reviewed. I've got money on this one being thrown out as well. Give up, folks. Common sense will prevail eventually.

More info on the horse slaughter front is available here, here, here, and here.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

The thoughts and opinions of this blog post strictly represent that of Brandi Buzzard Frobose and are NOT representative of any other entity or organization.

PETA is Happy Detroit Went Bankrupt

image credit

 



Why? Because it gives the animal rights organization the opportunity to get some good press. PETA president Ingrid Newkirk offered to give $100,000 to the city of Detroit, which filed for bankruptcy recently, if the city will offer vegan only meals in government buildings.

No lie.

Furthermore, Newkirk offered to purchase ad space on government vehicles like firetrucks and police cars to keep those public works funded. Obviously, this is great opportunity for PETA to get some face time and I'm guessing the organization is more interested in publicity than helping out the city of Detroit. Read here for the full story but you get the idea.

I think I'd rather be broke than in cahoots with PETA. Stay strong, Detroit. Like a rock.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

California Bill 343 - Turn That Video In Pronto!

Hey folks, I just read this article about a bill in California. Not a GMO bill. Not a gestation crate bill. A bill about videoing livestock.

Photo courtesy awesome blogger and cattle gal Meg Brown

The bill is California Assembly Bill 343 and it forces those who video animal mistreatment a mere 48 hours to report it to local authorities such as the sheriff's department.

You may think - wow! That's just like the  bill that was submitted in Iowa that outlaws people from coming onto the farm and videoing the livestock...but it's not. This bill forces action in a timely fashion instead of videographers waiting until a more opportune time to submit the footage. It doesn't make it illegal for those wanting to go undercover to gain employment but does place some pressure on their motives.

Photo courtesy awesome blogger and cattle gal Meg Brown

The auction yard owner quoted in the article says he supports the bill because "I want to know if we've got a problem...let's do something about it now."

Read the article and then comment below what you think - do you think the bill is good for agriculture or bad?

And don't forget about the giveaway - entries close on Monday night. Head on over there and check it out!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~