Animal Liberation Victoria

Last updated

Animal Liberation Victoria Inc.
Founded1978
FounderPatty Mark
Focus Animal rights, Veganism
Location
Method Education, investigation, open rescues
Key people
Noah Hannibal (President)
Website www.alv.org.au

Animal Liberation Victoria Inc. (ALV) are an independent not-for-profit animal rights organisation incorporated in the state of Victoria, Australia, and are a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNA). [1] ALV were founded in 1978 by Patty Mark, with the mission of saving lives and ending animal exploitation. Their mission is to abolish the property status of animals, change speciesist attitudes and practices, educate the public about animal rights and veganism, and embrace the principles of non-violence and compassion. [2] ALV is managed by an elected committee in accordance with the Victorian Incorporated Associations Act. [3]

Contents

Activism

ALV was established in 1978 by Patty Mark, an animal rights activist. After reading Peter Singer's book Animal Liberation in 1978, Mark put a notice up in the local milk bar on 7 December 1978, that said ‘Help the Hens’, which attracted 17 people to Marks living room, initiating the beginning of ALV. In the early years of their operation, ALV’s activism was focused on improving animal welfare through liaising with the local department of agriculture, visiting abattoirs to prove that animals were stressed and therefore try and improve their living conditions. They also held street marches, outreach in shopping centers, school talks, and made petitions. In the late 1990’s, after reading the work of Gary L. Francine, Mark decided to change ALV from an animal welfare organisation, to an abolitionist animal rights organisation.

In 1993, Mark received a call about the inhumane treatment of hens at a battery hen facility in Victoria, inspiring the birth of ALV's Open Rescue practice. Animal Liberation Victoria was the first group that made open rescues of hens. [4] [5]

They have also protested against sheep exports, in Port of Devonport, [6] whaling, [7] the killing of animals on television by Jamie Oliver, [8] [9] animal deaths in Melbourne Zoo, [10] and the 2007 Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching (ANZCCART) conference. [11]

ALV supported and managed the Action Animal Rescue Team, a group formed in 1993 whose purpose was to "save the lives of unattended and neglected animals who are left sick and dying in factory farms" and "document (with video footage and photographs) the conditions for animals in factory farms, feedlots, live export and abattoirs." [12]

In May 2005, they also offered to provide legal assistance to the students of a rural school, who opposed the idea to slaughter a pig and cow that they raised. [13] Bernie Williams, executive producer of the 2016 film Charlotte's Web , wrote an e-mail to the school in support of the students. [14]

Campaigns

Education and Outreach

ALV educates the community about the horrors of animal agriculture with resources such as pig truth.com, cow truth.com, fishtruth.com and more. [15] They educate the community about ethical alternatives to animal products with resources such as VeganEasy.org, and provide strategic support and development to the animal liberation movement. [16] They also offer non-graphic presentations for schools across Victoria which highlight the relationship between human and non-human animals, and encourage students to think critically. [17]

ALV undertake various types of outreach including rallies, to educate the community about the treatment of animals in abattoirs and increase activism for animal rights [18]  and supplying free Vegan Easy booklets to vegan cafes and community members to assist people in opening their hearts and minds to veganism and helping save the lives of countless animals. [19] “The Vegan Easy booklet is designed as a companion piece to the Vegan Easy website and the free 30 Day Vegan Easy Challenge, where people new to veganism can follow a structured 30 day program of recipes and tips to help kickstart their journey toward a kinder, greener life”. [20] They also perform video outreach on the streets of Australia, showing footage from investigations inside slaughterhouses to raise awareness for the animals who are suffering behind closed doors. [21]

Liberation Sanctuary

Founded in 1986, Liberation Sanctuary is a registered non-profit charity and is Australia's longest running dedicated sanctuary for animals freed from the exploitation and slaughter inherent to animal agriculture. Liberation Sanctuary began after ALV founder Patty Mark, had several battery hens surrendered to her, and she looked after them at her large block of land, 10 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD; Liberation Sanctuary’s first residence. This property became home to hundreds of animals over the next 30 years, with the local council providing Mark with a special animal permit that had conditions such as a limit to the number of animals on the property and no roosters or piglets, other than for short term care and rehabilitation. [22]

In 2016, Liberation Sanctuary moved to country Victoria on a 45 acre property which is now home to animals in need that have been taken in by ALV. Liberation Sanctuary vows to use their animal families’ freedom stories to educate the wider public on the importance of animal liberation and respect for all beings. [23]

Vegan Easy

Vegan Easy was founded in 2009 as an initiative of Animal Liberation Victoria. Since 2021, they have been partners with the charity, Vegan Australia. Vegan Easy is a grassroots campaign that promotes veganism as an ethical, rational, and earth friendly lifestyle. The campaign involves a 30 Day Challenge, which aims to support and motivate new vegans by showing them how easy and delicious vegan food can be. They also provide free resources including; basic nutrition advice, a health guide, eating out guide, vegan cheat sheet, and an ever growing collection of vegan recipes. [24]

Ethical Community Program

The Ethical Community Program rewards people who donate $10 or more to ALV per month, with access to discounts from ethical, vegan businesses. [25]

Animals Are Not Ours Memorial

On October 1, 2013, ALV held a public memorial at Melbourne's Federation Square, for the billions of land animals exploited and slaughtered every year. [26] ALV activists held dead animals to draw the public’s attention to the way in which living beings seen as property suffer every day. The protest received media coverage from the ABC and Herald Sun [27] [28]

Slaughterhouse Lock-down

In 2015, after anonymous footage was supplied to ALV through a whistleblower from a slaughterhouse in Laverton, ALV investigated three separate Victorian pig slaughterhouses; Diamond Valley Pork, Laverton; Australian Food Group, Laverton and C A Sinclair, Benella. They released footage of pigs being forced into metal cages with a high amperage electric prod, before being lowered into a gas chamber where the gas causes burning sensations throughout their bodies and they suffocate to death. [29]

To coincide with the release of the pig slaughter footage, ALV and other animal rights activists staged a non-violent, peaceful protest at the Victorian slaughterhouse, Diamond Valley Pork. Four activists chained themselves to the cages inside the slaughterhouse gas chamber and eight more, occupied the roof with banners, along with a larger group of around 50 protestors residing out the front. ALV founder Patty mark said that “activists involved in today’s action had taken a ‘vow of non-violence’ with an aim to close down the slaughterhouse for as long as possible. [30] This action achieved extensive media coverage, and Diamond Valley Pork was successfully shut down for at least 3 hours due to the activists chaining themselves to the cages.

Conflicts with RSPCA Victoria

They have had some conflicts with RSPCA Victoria. In March 2005, ALV found in the farm Parkhurst several injured, sick and dead hens. The police were called, and when they arrived and found the facts, Sergeant Mick Brien phoned the RSPCA for assistance, who refused to attend. Then the police arranged for ALV to remove the sick and dying hens and escorted them to Werribee Vet Clinic. Patty Mark, ALV president, said "Unfortunately the RSPCA not only refused to attend and assist the police on the night, they have failed to do an urgent inspection this morning taking other very ill and dehydrated birds to a vet or to even contact the owner. They only told ALV they would look at the place "next week" and "If the police and members of ALV can see the suffering and know it is wrong and illegal, why can't the RSPCA? Once again they have failed in their duty to protect "all creatures great and small", and it is time they were made accountable". [31] [32] [33]

On 4 September 2006, ALV sent a letter to Dr Hugh Wirth, RSPCA Victoria's President, asking them to "abstain from serving or eating animals" for their RSPCA Annual Gala Ball, in line with the RSPCA UK’s decision on 26 June 2006; to only serve “strictly vegetarian” (i.e. vegan) food at future RSPCA Annual General Meetings”. RSPCA Chief Executive Officer, Maria Mercurio, responded to Mark, insinuating that they would not be following in the footsteps of the RSPCA UK’s decision, instead they stated that “a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is not what the RSPCA is all about. However, at all of our events where food is served, vegetarian options are always presented”. Among other criticisms, Mercurio said:

"We know that ALV will continue to attend RSPCA events in Victoria and target our staff, volunteers and guests. We are continually asked why ALV don't hold their own events if they truly wish to get wide attention for their issues; why don't they lobby governments and why don't they try to influence industry, instead of targeting the RSPCA?" [34]

ALV has also criticised that while the RSPCA says it's against battery cages, they are in business with the largest battery egg producer in Australia, Pace Farms. They have also accused RSPCA approved barnlaid sheds of which ALV claim to have documented later "overcrowding, beak mutilations, lack of perches, prevention of roosting, chronic stress and electric shock training to the hens", among many other criticisms. [35] [36]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Aid</span> British animal rights organisation

Animal Aid is a British animal rights organisation, founded in 1977 by Jean Pink. The group campaigns peacefully against the consumption of animals as food and against animal cruelty such as their use for medical research—and promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle. It also investigates and exposes animal abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Vegan Day</span> Day celebrating vegan aims

World Vegan Day is a global event celebrated annually on 1 November. Vegans celebrate the benefits of veganism for animals, humans, and the natural environment through activities such as setting up stalls, hosting potlucks, and planting memorial trees.

In animal rights and welfare, open rescue is a direct action of rescue practiced by activists. Open rescue involves rescuing animals in pain and suffering, giving the rescued animals veterinary treatment and long-term care, documenting the living conditions, and ultimately publicly releasing the rescue and documentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillside Animal Sanctuary</span> Animal sanctuary

Hillside Animal Sanctuary, based in Frettenham, Norwich, and with a site at West Runton, North Norfolk, is the United Kingdom's largest home for different kinds of farm animals and horses. The vegan-run sanctuary is funded entirely on public donations. The sanctuary was established by Wendy Valentine and its patron is actor Martin Shaw.

Several individuals and groups have drawn direct comparisons between animal cruelty and the Holocaust. The analogies began soon after the end of World War II, when literary figures, many of them Holocaust survivors, Jewish or both, began to draw parallels between the treatment of animals by humans and the treatments of prisoners in Nazi death camps. The Letter Writer, a 1968 short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer, is a literary work often cited as the seminal use of the analogy. The comparison has been criticized by organizations that campaign against antisemitism, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, particularly since 2006, when PETA began to make heavy use of the analogy as part of campaigns for improved animal welfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Dawn</span> Animal rights advocate

Karen Dawn is an American animal rights and welfare advocate and writer.

Ag-gag laws are anti-whistleblower laws that apply within the agriculture industry. Popularized by Mark Bittman in an April 2011 The New York Times column, the term ag-gag typically refers to state laws in the United States of America that forbid undercover filming or photography of activity on farms without the consent of their owner—particularly targeting whistleblowers of animal rights abuses at these facilities. Although these laws originated in the United States, they have also begun to appear elsewhere, such as in Australia and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct Action Everywhere</span> Animal rights organization

Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) is an international grassroots network of animal rights activists founded in 2013 in the San Francisco Bay Area. DxE uses disruptive protests and non-violent direct action tactics, such as open rescue of animals from factory farms. Their intent is to build a movement that can eventually shift culture and change social and political institutions. DxE activists work to "put an end to the commodity status of animals."

Animal Liberation is a nonprofit animal rights organisation based in Sydney, founded by Christine Townend and led by current CEO Lynda Stoner. It was formed in 1976, one year after the release of Animal Liberation by Australian philosopher Peter Singer. Animal Liberation's primary campaigns are to advocate against the use of animals for food, clothing, research, sport and entertainment, by promoting a vegan lifestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anita Krajnc case</span>

The Anita Krajnc case refers to the case of Toronto resident Anita Krajnc who was charged with criminal mischief for giving water to pigs in a slaughter truck on the way to Fearman's Pork Inc. slaughterhouse, located in Burlington, Greater Toronto Area. This incident occurred on June 22, 2015, and Krajnc was found not guilty on May 4, 2017.

pattrice jones American writer, educator, and activist

pattrice jones is an American ecofeminist writer, educator, and activist. She is the co-founder of VINE Sanctuary in Springfield, Vermont, an LGBTQ-run farmed-animal sanctuary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal welfare and rights in Australia</span> Treatment of and laws concerning non-human animals in Australia

This article is about the treatment of and laws concerning non-human animals in Australia. Australia has moderate animal protections by international standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Hsiung</span> American attorney and activist

Wayne Hsiung is an American attorney and activist. Hsiung is a co-founder of The Simple Heart Initiative and previously led the animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), which he also co-founded. Hsiung was a lawyer with the law firms DLA Piper and Steptoe & Johnson, a Searle Fellow and visiting assistant professor at the Northwestern University School of Law, and a National Science Foundation-funded graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Aspey</span> Australian animal rights activist and lecturer

James Aspey is an Australian animal rights activist and lecturer. He is best known for remaining silent for an entire year to raise awareness of animal cruelty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Carbstrong</span> Australian animal rights activist, vegan and former criminal

Joseph Dominic Armstrong, known professionally as Joey Carbstrong, is an Australian animal rights activist. A former criminal, he has since become an advocate for animal liberation and veganism through social media and public speaking engagements, as well as debates and various televised interviews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Rising</span> Activist group

Animal Rising is a British animal activist movement with the stated aim of compelling social change towards animal rights and a plant-based food system. They justify their actions with the impact of animal agriculture on climate change, species extinction and ecosystem breakdown.

<i>Dominion</i> (2018 film) 2018 Australian film

Dominion is a 2018 Australian documentary film. The documentary was primarily filmed with hidden cameras and drones inside Australian farms and abattoirs. According to the New York Times, Dominion "claims to expose the routine and inhumane practices of animal agriculture in Australia." The film portrayed the killing of livestock through methods such as using carbon dioxide to gas pigs, and maceration of chicks. The film uses shock tactics with footage to depict abuse as common in multiple industries in Australia, especially agricultural livestock while focusing its message on animal rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Soranno</span> Canadian animal rights activist

Amy Soranno is a Canadian animal rights activist in British Columbia.

On June 19, 2020, Canadian animal rights activist and protester Regan Russell was run over and killed by an animal transporter after a demonstration outside Sofina Foods Inc. subsidiary Fearman's Pork Inc., a pig slaughterhouse in Burlington, Ontario. The driver of the transporter was subsequently charged with careless driving causing death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoe Rosenberg</span> Animal rights activist

Zoe Rosenberg is an American animal rights activist and animal sanctuary founder. She participates in public forms of direct action at sporting and university events. In 2014, Rosenberg founded the Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary based in San Luis Obispo, California.

References

  1. ↑ "About ALV | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Our Mission | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "About ALV | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  4. ↑ Rescate abierto de animales Archived 4 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Equanimal (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Qué son los rescates abiertos - Rescate Abierto Archived 2 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Animal Equality (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Animal Liberation to boost live sheep export protests 13 February 2006. ABC News
  7. ↑ Anti-whaling protesters target Japan's consulate 27 December 2007. ABC News
  8. ↑ Jamie Oliver's new show branded immoral by RSPCA 7 July 2008. Perth Now
  9. ↑ Jamie Oliver's new show 'immoral' 7 July 2008 Herald Sun
  10. ↑ Call for Melbourne Zoo inquiry as animal deaths hit 486 19 October 2008. Herald Sun
  11. ↑ Animal Liberation Victoria - ANZCCART protest 2007 OpenRescue.org
  12. ↑ Thunder Down Under: Australian Animal Liberation Activists Mix Courage with Creativity Archived 25 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine No Compromise Issue 25
  13. ↑ Debate Over School’s Slaughter of a Pig Archived 1 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine AnimalRights.net
  14. ↑ Plea to spare animals from sausage meat 21 July 2005 The Courier
  15. ↑ "Topics | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  16. ↑ "About ALV | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  17. ↑ "Animal Liberation Education | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  18. ↑ "Animal rights protest shuts down major CBD intersection | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "The new edition of the Vegan Easy booklet has just launched. | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "The new edition of the Vegan Easy booklet has just launched. | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  21. ↑ "Pig Truth 360° | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  22. ↑ "About Us | Liberation Sanctuary". www.liberation.org.au. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "About Us | Liberation Sanctuary". www.liberation.org.au. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  24. ↑ "About Vegan Easy – Vegan Easy". www.veganeasy.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  25. ↑ "Ethical Community | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  26. ↑ "Animals Are Not Ours Memorial | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  27. ↑ "Protesters take dead animals into Melbourne CBD". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  28. ↑ Minear, Tom (1 October 2015). "Confronting protest featuring animal carcasses upsets children in Federation Square". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  29. ↑ "Slaughterhouse Lock-Down | Animal Liberation Victoria". www.alv.org.au. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  30. ↑ Spooner, Daniella Miletic and Rania (7 December 2015). "Animal rights activists chain themselves to pig slaughterhouse 'gas chamber' in Laverton". The Age. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  31. ↑ La policía ayuda a Animal Liberation en el rescate de 55 aves enfermas AnimaNaturalis (in Spanish)
  32. ↑ Australian Police Pitch In to Help Hens Archived 26 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine PETA's Animal Times. Spring 2005
  33. ↑ Police Help Animal Liberation Victoria Remove 55 Sick Birds From Factory Farm for Treatment at Werribee Veterinary Hospital 5 March 2005. Animal Liberation Front's site.
  34. ↑ Letter to the RSPCA OpenRescue.org
  35. ↑ What's wrong with the RSPCA? RSPCA Watch Dog (ALV's site)
  36. ↑ RSPCA (Vic) RSPCA (Vic) caught in Barnlaid Egg Fraud Archived 10 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Animal Liberation, Western Australia's site
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.