The Animal Manifesto (25 page)

Animals have no say in how humans change their lives. Animals simply live, doing the best they can in a human-dominated world. Taking the long view, it’s hard to imagine that their lives have ever been harder or more compromised, and that’s almost entirely due to us. To what degree do animals realize this? Birds can certainly witness the sweep of human civilization across continents, as can wolves, and even whales, who travel the globe and must have noticed long ago that humans are almost everywhere. Polar bears, too, who are losing precious ice floes due to climate change, along with urban wildlife, must alter their daily rhythms as they adapt to the way we ‘ve redecorated their homes. Domestic animals, certainly, understand on some level the human impact on their lives, for they live and die by our hands and are in constant contact with us.

In many ways and for most species, these are the worst of times. They may not recognize us as the cause, but animals certainly feel the pressure on their lives of the increasing global population of humans and our overconsumptive ways. As our society grows, there is less and less space for other animals without humans intruding into their lives and living rooms. People, meanwhile, deliberately manipulate the lives of animals almost relentlessly: killing them for sport and simply to lessen their numbers; catching and raising them for food and clothing; caging and dissecting them for research; and using them for entertainment. If our fellow animals don’t understand it as such, they are certainly impacted by our society’s alienation from nature in the way we treat animals in all these settings.

However, it’s also true that more and more people around
the world are truly concerned about how we affect the lives of animals. More than ever, we understand that coexistence with other animals is essential, that our fate is tightly bound with them. Many people recognize that our species has been routinely overconsumptive for far too long, that we make messes wherever we go, and they are working to create a sustainable balance. Partly through our egregious errors, humans have learned how powerful a force in nature we are, and how essential it is to step lightly — to leave a smaller carbon footprint and a larger compassion footprint. More than ever, people are trying to change, so that our reliance on animals and our curiosity about them does not harm them. Though there is far too much work to be done, animals can no doubt look with hope that there are better times, and perhaps the best of times, to come. I’m an optimist and a dreamer and I do think that with hard work the future can be a much better one for animals, nonhuman and human.

It’s important to note that I’m not a blind optimist. I know well that bad things happen to animals and the Earth. Thinking positively about what we can do for animals and the Earth, and concentrating on what works and moving ahead with hope, will enable us to put our finite amounts of time, energy, and passion into making life better for animals and for us. Anything that drains our energy from what needs to be done will have a negative effect. Thinking positively is a significant part of the muchneeded paradigm shift about which this book is concerned.

There is much to gain and little to lose if we move forward with grace, humility, respect, compassion, empathy, and love. We are wired to be good, we are wired to be kind, and we are wired to be compassionate, but we also have a responsibility to be ethical. No more lame excuses for allowing the mistreatment
of animals to continue. We will ultimately be judged by how we treat the least fortunate among us, so we need to treat animals better or leave them alone. Now is the time to tap into our innate goodness and kindness to make the world a better place for all beings. This revolutionary paradigm shift brings hope and life to our dreams for a more compassionate and peaceful planet.

First and foremost I thank Jason Gardner at New World Library for his patience, flexibility, and commitment to this book and for working with me on
The Emotional Lives of Animals.
There can be no better “ear” than Jason. Jason’s got “ear” like border collies have “eye” — focused and sharp. Thanks also to Jeff Campbell for his masterful editing once again. Jeff has eye and ear. All of the other folks at New World also are a pleasure to work with, so many thanks to Monique Muhlenkamp, Ami Parkerson, Kristen Cashman, and Danielle Gotchet. Sarah Bexell offered numerous excellent suggestions for revisions and for ways to make a positive difference in the lives of animals. I’m grateful that she took the time to do so and for sharing her unbounded and unrelenting passion and for being in my life. Sarah also brought a much-needed global perspective. Emails and conversations with Dacher Keltner have reinforced my feelings about the innate goodness of human beings, and working on
Wild Justice
with Jessica Pierce has been a pleasure and an inspiration for seeing abundant kindness among nonhuman beings. Jessica also read the entire manuscript and is still sane and sighted.

I also thank Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia (animals asia.org), for bringing me to the Moon Bear Rescue Centre outside of Chengdu, China, and I thank Jasper and his Moon Bear buddies for allowing me to hang out with them and learn valuable lessons in compassion, trust, and hope. Philippa Brakes (also known as the “Green Tea Girl” and she knows why) of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (wdcs.org) also has been a wonderful inspiration and source for my coming to a better understanding of what life under water is like for cetaceans. An outing in March 2008 on the beautiful waters outside of Adelaide, Australia, with Philippa and Mike Bossley, who discovered tail-walking in dolphins, opened my eyes to how much more there is to learn about these amazing beings and
how their suffering is shrouded by the sea. Bruce Gottlieb, Christine Caldwell, and Carly Parry also offered helpful hints and laughter along the way, and Valerie Belt was a constant source of encouragement and “new findings” that I missed. I also thank Carron Meaney for becoming “more veggie” and for making the 2008 Thanksgiving dinner a vegetarian feast. And to my cycling buddies Brad, Andy, Randy, Scott, Chip, Daphne, Karen, Julia, Susie Mae, Christy, Anita, Annette, and April, who patiently listen to my nonstop chatter about animal behavior and animal protection and the virtues of eating more veggies (along with french fries, dark chocolate, good merlot, and peaty single malt): many thanks indeed for being tolerant and for having a great sense of humor about my ranting! My sisters Marjorie and Roberta also have been very supportive of my work, and very patient listening to me talk about animal behavior and animal protection.

I was fortunate to be able to complete this book at the beautiful home of Fabrizio Collova and Valeria Augello in Palermo, Italy. Fabrizio, Valeria, their four rescued dogs —Noor, Aston, Doxy, and Asia, along with Kiwi the love-bird, who liked to sit on my head — were most gracious in allowing me to eat their fine food, drink delicious wine, and relax as I edited the text.

I only wish my parents, Beatrice and Oscar, were alive to see this book. I know they’d say “bravo” and feel that they’d been successful. My folks knew from the start that I loved animals and reminded me that I always wanted to know what they were thinking and feeling — that I minded animals — and they allowed me to pursue my dreams, while on occasion —well, maybe more frequently than that —wondering what in the world I was doing. But they had faith that in the end something good would emerge. I miss them dearly. So thanks to two wonderful people who put up with me and trusted that I knew what I was doing most of the time. I’ve never met a more positive thinker than my father, and my mother was full of compassion and love. I know I’ve been most fortunate to be able to pursue my dreams of studying and working with animals and using what others and I have learned to better their lives, and my parents’ role was surely instrumental. I can’t thank Beatrice and Oscar enough for encouraging me to play a lot and also for providing the support, lightness, and love that reminded me that all would be okay and for allowing me to travel here and there, mentally and physically — and to dream about a more compassionate world. It’s been a wonderful journey, and perhaps the best is yet to come.

As much as possible, I have included websites for popular media and scholarly articles used during the research for this book. Quotes and references to books listed in the Resources section usually do not have a separate source note here.

Page 3
,
polls show that just as green awareness is blossoming across the planet:
For 2006 Lake Research Partners poll, see Best Friends News Release, June 21, 2006, “In first annual Kindness Index,”http://www.bestfriends.org/ aboutus/pdfs/061906%20Kindness%2oIndex.pdf. The 2008 Gallup Environmental Poll is from the 2008 Deloitte publication, “Crossing the Green Divide,”
http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/us_es_
CrossingtheGreenDivide.pdf
.

Page 5
,
Eight Belles broke her front ankles while running during the 134th Kentucky Derby:
Joe Drape, “At Kentucky Derby, Joy and Agony of Display,”
New York Times,
May 4, 2008,
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/04/sports/HORSE.php
. For more, see Lynn Reardon,
Beyond the Homestretch.

Page 8
,
when President Barack Obama nominated Harvard University law professor Cass Sunstein:
Jonathan Stein, “Is Obama’s Regulatory Czar a ‘Radical Animal Rights Activist’?”
Mother Jones,
January 28, 2009,
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/02/0bamas-regulatory-czar-radical-animal-rights-activist
.

Page 13
,
I learned that the number of mountain gorillas:
For more on these stories, see Mark Kinver, “DR Congo Gorilla Numbers Up 12.5%,”
BBC News,
January 27, 2009,
http://news.bbc.co.Uk/2/hi/science/nature/7852953.stm
; “Emperor Penguins Face Extinction,”
BBC News,
January 26, 2009,
http://news.bbc.co.Uk/2/hi/science/nature/7851276.stm
; “Global Warming Is ‘Irreversible,’ “
BBC News,
January 27, 2009,
http://news.bbc.co.Uk/2/hi/science/nature/7852628.stm
.

Page 13
,
the first wildlife migration corridor through the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem:
“Ancient Pronghorn Path Becomes First US Wildlife Migration
Corridor,”
Environment News Service,
June 17, 2008,
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2008/2008-06-17-091.asp
.

Page 13
,
a study of primates that found that 303 species:
Lewis Smith, “Review of Primates Finds 303 Species Threatened,”
The Australian,
August 5, 2008,
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24131596-2703,00.html
.

Page 13
,
imperiled right whales seem to be recovering:
For more on these stories, see Cornelia Dean, “The Fall and Rise of the Right Whale,”
New York Times,
March 16, 2009,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/science/I7whal.html?_r=1&sq=fall%20rise%20right%20whale&st=cse&scp=1&pagewanted=all
; VITA Animal Rights Center Press Release, “Russian Authorities Have Fully Banned the Hunt for Baby Harp Seals,” March 18, 2009,
http://www.vita.org.ru/english/news.htm
; Cornelia Dean, “One-third of US Bird Species Endangered, Study Finds,”
New York Times,
March 19, 2009,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/science/earth/2obird.html?scp=1&sq=one%20third%20bird&st=cse
; Nora Schultz, “Africa’s First Bird Extinction Likely Within Four Years,”
New Scientist,
March 20, 2009,
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16817-africas-first-bird-extinction-likely-within-four-years.html
.

Page 14
,
sheep living on the remote island of Hirta off the coast of Scotland:
Michael Marshall, “Incredible Shrinking Sheep Blamed on Climate Change,”
New Scientist,
July 2, 2009,
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17407-incredible-shrinking-sheep-blamed-on-climate-change.html
.

Page 14
,
three times as many polar bears are in a fasting state:
For these polar bear stories, see Kate Ravilious, “More Polar Bears Going Hungry,”
New Scientist,
January 1, 2009,
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126882.700-more-polar-bears-going-hungry.html
; Felicity Barringer, “10 Polar Bears Are Seen Swimming in Open Water,”
New York Times,
August 22, 2008,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/science/23bears.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=10%20polar%20bears&st=cse&oref=slogin
; Allegra Stratton, “Polar Bear Shot Dead After 200-Mile Swim,”
The Guardian,
June 5, 2008,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jun/05/animalwelfare.animalbehaviour
.

Page 14
,
As author Richard Nelson writes about polar bears: “I looked toward her”
: excerpt from Steven Kazlowski,
The Last Polar Bear
(Seattle: Mountaineers Books, 2008), appeared in Sierra Club newsletter, January/February 2008,
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200801/chilling.asp
.

Page 15
, a
May 2007 issue of
Newsweek
contained an essay about the emotional lives of elephants:
Hennie Lötter, “Deserving of Respect,”
Newsweek,
May 7, 2007,
http://www.newsweek.com/id/35114
.

Page 15
,
Wildlife biologists. . .described unique changes in the behavior of Tenino:
Jay Mallonée,
Timber: A Perfect Life
(Whitehall, MT: New Perceptions Press, 2007).

Page 15
,
the
New York Times
even published obituaries for two famous animals:
Benedict Carey, “Washoe, A Chimp of Many Words, Dies at 42,”
New York Times,
November 1, 2007,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/science/01chimp.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=washoe&st=cse&oref=slogin
; Benedict Carey, “Brainy Parrot Dies, Emotive to the End,”
New York Times,
September 11, 2007,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/science/nparrot.html?scp=2&sq=ALEX+PARROT&st=nyt
.