Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 URGENT: Ask Innocent to Stop Using Animals at Village Fete Your help is urgently needed! This Saturday and Sunday, the self-styled "ethical company" Innocent is holding a Village Fete in Regents Park, London, which will include events such as duck-herding and ferret-racing. Ducks and geese easily become stressed, which causes their body chemistry to change, and the birds start secreting corticosterone. Males become particularly upset because they are supposed to guard and guide their flocks – a high-pressure job that is disrupted when humans interfere. Any insecurity or uncertainty in the lead male is picked up by the females and lesser males and causes distress and panic. Removal from their home terrain, transport to events, crowds, shouting and other noises all contribute to the stress that affects birds' psyches and immune systems. These events can debilitate them for days afterwards. Since Konrad Lorenz's studies decades ago, we have come a long way in understanding the needs and behaviours of geese and ducks. Village Fete has a number of other fun activities with voluntary human participants that won't harm or stress animals. Village Fete could easily skip activities that involve using animals. Please take a moment to send an e-mail to CEO Jon Wright using the form below. Urge Innocent to make a truly ethical choice and cancel the duck-herding and ferret-racing events. http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/uk_innocent_fete?qp_source=pukinnfetaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 All done! Message made stronger and sent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 thanks Lou, I edited it slightly too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morris Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 not signed ....its peta ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 not signed ....its peta ! care to elaborate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I understand its Peta, however whether I agree with their other opinions on eating, owning etc or not is not relevent.. in this instance they are correct as this causes stress without any real need.. pure entertainment value only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 if anyone is uncomfortable about doing it via the PETA web site, they can always contact 'Innocent' via their own web site. Innocent are the people who make the smotthies and what they are doing by sponsoring this animal herding/ferret racing is unethical and they pride themselves on being ethical. You don't have to use the PETA web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 .. er - the Innocent Village fete has already taken place. Last weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 oops, i was only sent the link today, oh well, still worth sending a comment to Innocent IMO. thanks olly, i can always rely on you to put me straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morris Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 thank you for a excellent response to my post ! (if only all forums could be as open and friendly as this... ) to the topic ....the experience i have (admittedly small ) of geese herding at fetes , is that they have always used birds of the same sex and birds that are regularly worked and used to dogs ,and are worked by dogs used to birds ,Think sheep here!...i can only think of a spectacle last seen at the Colosseum if not so observably i could be jumping to conclusions here , but surly no more so than the quote posted ? its late , please tell me that makes sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I'm sure the geese have a great time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye&Ant Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 All done Poet, we may have missed it this year but perhaps we can stop it in the future. I dont agree with alot of what PETA stand for, but they do have some values which are still close to my heart and the Silver Springs Monkey case will stay with me forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Personally I'm not going to sign it. These animals are obviously used to these activities and are trained to do so and then when they're back at home I'm sure they lead a lovely life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my fat hen Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I've signed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Not one I wish to sign but what is the justification for stopping ferrets racing? Having owned ferrets in the past I really can't see they'd mind. They enjoy games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I don't agree with using animals for entertainment. The problem for me is, the people that take these animals along to these events are just using them to make money, they're probably not someone's pet and we can't be certain that they go home and have "a lovely life". Having a pet and letting it run around of its own free will and forcing an animal to "perform" on unknown territory with people shouting and screaming etc, is totally different. Well, it is as far as I'm concerned and I don't agree with it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 But a lot of animals are working animals. They're not 'pets', but they are cared for and looked after just as well as pets, because there's a commercial interest for their owners in ensuring their good health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 like battery hens you mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Everyone can have different opinions can't they, that's what makes this forum so friendly Signing is optional isn't it and shall we all play nice Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 not signed ....its peta ! Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 like battery hens you mean? Hardly the same as a few ferrets racing is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 like battery hens you mean? Hardly the same as a few ferrets racing is it? no, but that wasn't my point. I was addressing Olly's comment about the care "working animals" receive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 ok, my mistake, as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 What have battery hens got to do with this discussion? They weren't involved in the Innocent Village Fete as far as I know. Sheepdogs, most horses, ferrets, carrier pigeons, police dogs, to name but a few. They are all working animals. They are not treated as pets, but probably wouldn't exist if there wasn't a requirement for them as working animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 ok, my mistake, as always. there's no need to be like that Christian. Can't we have a discussion without any histrionics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...