Stop Buying Kentucky Fried Chicken

Today, on Halloween Day, PETA is planning a protest outside Kentucky Fried Chicken Tampa, Florida. Its members dressed as zombies will hand out pamplets educating people on how chickens are tortured at KFC supplier farms.

KFC has been under intense scrutiny since an undercover animal rights activists released videos of the employees of KFC supplier, Pilgrim's Pride at West Virgina USA, torturing chickens for the fun of it. They slammed them against the walls, stomped on the chickens, broke their beaks and squeezed their bodies so hard the birds expelled faeces - all these atrocities were committed on live chickens.




These employees were dismissed but no criminal charges were filed although these actions are a felony in the USA. Pilgirm's Pride was named KFC's Supplier Of The Year In 1997.





Worse, the normal activities at a supplier farm for KFC was not investigated. The normal activities include throwing live chickens into boiling water in defeathering tanks. This is because in the rush to get the job done fast, humane methods are overlooked. KFC provides 850 million chickens a year for public consumption. These chickens are looking less and less like sentient beings that can feel pain and more like objects on a production line.

Reports also state that KFC suppliers inject these chickens with drugs to make them fatter until their legs snap from their excessive weight.

In Germany, German animal investigators reported that the stench of ammonia inside KFC farms was so thick that it would make a person cry within a few minutes.



Some of the birds were so crippled from being bred and drugged for rapid growth that they could hardly move—many simply lay on the ground or at best limped around weakly. Many could not reach their water and died a slow, painful death from dehydration.




The farm’s own records indicated that it was acceptable for about 1 percent of the chickens to die from neglect each day— this amounts to 300 individual animals daily. And that is also only from their record.

Many well-known people have called on the world to stop buying KFC. Among them are actress Pamela Anderson, Sir Paul McCartney, Reverend Al Sharpton, a distinguished preacher in the US and even the Dalai Lama who won the Noble Peace Prize in 1989 wrote a strong letter to KFC CEO David Novak opposing any move to open an outlet in Tibet. Contrary to popular belief Tibetans are not vegetarians. The Dalai Lama himself stopped eating chicken after witnessing the cruel way chickens are kept and killed.

The legendary sitarist Ravi Shanker and his daughter Anoushka also have called on the world to stop buying KFC. Ravi Shanker wrote:

"It would make a huge difference in the lives of 850 million animals if you would only agree to ask your supplier farms to implement the most basic of changes." He continues, "Until you do, I will be calling on all compassionate people across the world to boycott KFC"

Even in Indian KFC supplier farms, investigation found injured birds crammed into filthy warehouses and they struggled through the corpses of their shedmates in order to reach food and water.

RSC telephoned the Consumer Association of Penang to find out the condition of KFC supplier farms here in Malaysia. An officer said no one had thus far investigated but, generally speaking, wherever there was mass processing of chickens there was bound to be some abuse unless the company took the initiative to prevent this.

RSC doubts very much that even if abuse is found, any complaint made to the Department of Veterinary Services or local council in Malaysia is going to prompt these bodies to investigate.

Therefore we put the burden to prove no abuse takes place at KFC upon KFC itself. In the light of shocking revelations in the media all over the world on what goes on at KFC farms it is only right KFC comes clean by proving to the public that what they are eating are not tortured chickens.

To members of the public who place greater importance on their belly then on the suffering of God's creatures, I can only say, beware you don't catch any disease from the deplorable conditions under which these chickens are kept and treated. Enjoy your Halloween.

Silent Cries By Angeline Chin

Angeline Chin has come up with a book called Silent Cries. She launched it on October 29, 2006 at the close of the month-long commemorations for World Animal Day 2006.

For the first time, someone in Malaysia is daring enough to publish a book about the ugly face of abuse in Malaysia.

She also highlights actions that constitute abuse towards pets which ordinary Malaysians are unaware of. Many people bring home puppies and kittens as pets, but when they are grown and life's cares are pressing upon the family, pets seem to be the first to bear the brunt of the family problems.

Neglect is also abuse, says Angeline. If you wouldn't leave your child to feed or bathe himself or if you wouldn't come home from work and completely ignore your child without a kind word or hug, or if you wouldn't lock, chain or confine your child all day to one place, THEN DON'T DO IT TO YOUR PETS.

They are like children and with the rise in child abuse reported in the newspapers lately, don't say we didn't warn you that animal abuse will surely lead to child abuse.

Silent Cries is available at Popular, MPH, Kinokuniya, Times, Borders. It's selling at RM39.90. Buy your copy today! Lend out the book to all the ignorant people who don't understand animals. Then urge others to do the same. Buy for people who need it and go out and educate others with the book. Support the genuine people who truly want to stop the abuse in this country. For every copy you buy RM5 is donated to independent animal rescuers.

Ipoh Dog Shooting. Why Was a Meat Hook Used On A Live Dog?

Below is RSC's letter published in the STAR newspaper on Friday, October 20, 2006. It is a follow up on the story of Ipoh Town Council officers who went to a school and shot a harmless dog, sleeping behind the toilet. They did not kill the dog on the first shot and it was wailing in pain. Instead they used a meat hook on the live dog to carry it away.

All this was reported by a student from the school, whose letter was published in the STAR newspaper on October 2nd, 2006 (Please see post below entitled More Barbaric Acts By Council Officers)

TREAT DOGS AS GOD'S CREATURES WORTHY OF RESPECT

I REFER to your report, “Council to stop killing stray dogs” (The Star, Oct 18).

Ipoh mayor Datuk Mohamad Rafiai Mokhtar was reported to have said the Ipoh City Council would use tranquillisers instead of bullets from now.

That does not mean the council will stop killing stray dogs. It may still put them down and anyone who has seen the deplorable conditions of council pounds will surely question whether these animals are put down humanely.

All the mayor is doing is allowing the council to continue with its atrocities behind closed doors so the public will not be “offended.”

The comment by the Ipoh chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that shooting strays is messy and bloody and traumatises children is not helpful.

It should, instead, have asked the mayor why a meat hook was used on a live dog in a recent incident? Why isn’t anybody addressing this question?

The student who wrote to The Star on Oct 2, reporting the incident was the only one to actually talk about the dog as a precious creature worth consideration.

Everybody else is talking about it like an intangible irritant to be disposed off with the least inconvenience to society.

This student gave the dog a character and identity when she wrote that it was loving, not aggressive and well-liked by the students.

Until we learn to see animals, like this student does, as individual lives created by God, worthy of respect and dignity, we shall never resolve the problem of strays in a humane manner.

This student was absolutely right when she said this incident “highlighted the depravity of humans.”

HELP SEA TURTLES BY ATTENDING EVENT AT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL KUALA LUMPUR

Louisa Ponnampalam is a marine biologist and awesome lady who greatly supports the work of RSC and other genuine animal rights movements. She speaks out against injustice, in addition to writing the letters RSC calls on the public to write.

She now calls on YOU to help support Dr. Chan Eng Heng’s project to save sea turtles by attending the event below called TURTLE ROCK.

All proceeds from this event will go towards Dr. Chan’s turtle conservation project. Anyone who would like to know more about this conservation project can visit

http://www.kustem.edu.my/ctrec/
http://www.kustem.edu.my/seatru/

Event: Turtle Rock
Venue: 12 - 4 pm at International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL)
Date: Saturday, November 25 2006.
Entrance Fee: RM10

There will be sale of a variety of food, games played and a performance by ISKL’s band Benchmarx.

Venue : 9 pm to 12 am at a music club called Nu Skool. It is right across from Times Square near Melia Hotel. (It's actually in the same building as the Melia, but has its own enterance to the left of the main hotel enterance).
Date: Saturday, November 25, 2006.
Entrance Fee is RM30.

Dr Chan will be giving a presentation on turtle conservation at 1 pm. Here is what Louisa has to say about Dr. Chan:

“She has been working very hard for turtle conservation in Malaysia for 20 over years and she is my role model for future marine mammal Work that I want to do in Malaysia.”

So please support this cause. To learn more about this event call ISKL at 03-42595600

Calling On Supporters To Write To The Press

Below is a letter sent to RSC from Mark Tan. This is a very good letter, short and won't take more than 10 minutes of your time to draft and send out to the Press. Every letter like this makes a lot of difference to the animals.

So please help us help the animals by writing such a letter concerning the barbaric acts by the Ipoh council officers towards a poor, helpless, stray dog (for full story read posts below)

Once you have drafted your letter, just key in the following addresses and with one click of the mouse you have done your part for the animals. Thank you and thanks Mark!

Send to : editor@nanyang.com.my, editor@sinchew.com.my, newscentre@chinapress.com.my, kmtan@guangming.com.my,kualalumpur@kwongwah.com.my, metro@orientaldaily.com.my, am@hmetro.com.my, pengarang@utusan.com, news@nstp.com.my, bhnews@bharian.com.my, editor@thestar.com.my, editor@malaysiakini.com


TIME FOR STERN ACTION

The recent shooting of a stray in front of students trully disgusted me , however whats more disgusting is the lack of action taken against those responsible for such an appalling and dangerous act.

I have read over the years of numerous shootings of stray and even licensed dogs in Ipoh and after a week or so the story is forgotten until another family loses their pet to the cruel and bad aim of Ipohs famous dog shooters.

This so called principal seems to be lacking proper judgment by calling in dog shoters to a school and therefore i think she is not qualified to sit in her post as she did place the students under her direct care in danger.

It also surprised me in an article in the Star that she was upset and unavailable for conmment..what was your princple upset about? That she did not get the pleasure of witnessing the act herself? or that the animal did not suffer enough?

The Press should publish the name of the school and the name of its principal.

Lets not wait for another act of cruelty. I would like to call on all parents , students and the citizens of Ipoh..those who have a heart anyway to call for the immediate sacking of this principal as a lesson for all future thoughtless and inhuman people.

Disiplinary action also must be taken on the shooters for their insensivity in front of school students.

Mark Tan.

RSC's Policy On Supporting Third Party Causes

As you all know, RSC does not collect money nor seek membership. RSC is a Movement. We speak out against injustices and participate only in projects we consider worthy and beneficial to animals. We are no more than YOU - the public. Only we choose to speak up against injustices and not remain silent.

Sadly many NGOs out there are only interested in publicity to receive more donations and more members while doing little to help animals.

YOU, the public, MUST judge for yourself, who are the true Angels for animals in society through what you see and read here on this blog.

We highlight the individuals and organizations that are sincere and dedicated in helping animals and only support projects that truly benefit the animals. Sometimes we may even work with organizations on a very special project but it does not mean we support all that the organization does.

More often than not our grievances are about what these NGOs do NOT do. There are very, very few that genuinely stand up for animals.

RSC will name three here who are made up true Angels for animals - The Independent Pet Rescuers, The Furry Friends Farm and Noah's Ark in Johor. You know that your money and time is well spent by helping these organizations and shelters.

Finally, our identities are not as important as the work we do for animals because we may be these voiceless creatures only hope when the laws and authorities and the very bodies set up to help them are instead neglecting them

Worse, in many cases, using them as a front to enrich themselves.

So please pay great care in where you donate and what memberships you sign up for. If you are part of an organization that fights for the environment or animal rights, assess their effectiveness by the stand they take on animal abuse.

Ask them why they aren't speaking up against certain issues highlighted in the Press, such as pet shops caging exotic birds and selling wildlife; such as an orang utan being kept illegally in a Johor zoo for 10 years and so on.

And last but not least, BE RESPONSIBLE SHOPPERS AND TOURISTS. DON'T GO TO PLACES THAT ABUSE ANIMALS. THERE ARE LOCAL RESORTS THAT FORCE ORANG UTANS TO ENTERTAIN THE PUBLIC WITH MANY ANTICS.

RSC has received reports from the public that many of the zoos in Malaysia fall short of proper care and even food for the animals and worse illegally keep endangered species.

Decent people who love animals have complained to RSC that their experience at the zoos in Malaysia have been depressing and they would never think of going again.

RSC will continue to call for animal sanctuaries to be set up where people can observe animals in their natural habitat. Sanctuaries are much better than steel cages or wire fences.

RSC's Letter On Barbaric Acts By Council Officers Published In The STAR

The following is a letter RSC sent in to the STAR newspaper (the STAR) in response to Disgusted's letter published in the STAR on Oct 2nd 2006. RSC's letter below was publised by the STAR on Thursday, Oct 5, but was heavily edited. So RSC took the liberty to post the full letter here.

MORE BARBARIC ACTS BY COUNCIL OFFICERS


I refer to the letter in The Star entitled Shock School Shooting (Oct 2nd, 2006).

It was written by a 17-year-old student expressing shock and disgust that a quiet, harmless stray dog who sleeps behind their school toilet was mercilessly shot by the officers from the Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MPI).

Worse, when the dog began wailing in pain they did not bother to fire another shot to put it out of its misery, but instead, used a meat hook to transport it, while it was still alive!

After the public outcry over the cold-blooded murder of Mr Eng Her Sun’s dogs, you’d expect some action to be taken by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to “educate” local councils on the proper and ethical treatment of all animals.

Some of us even feel these council officers have gone beyond the help education provides and instead, need psychiatric treatment.

It is frightening to note that such apathy is rampant in other governmental bodies set up to deal with animals. We can see this from the poor response to reports of animal abuse by the Department of Veterinary Services to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

They don’t bother doing anything to help animals and when kind, compassionate citizens like Mr Eng takes it upon himself to feed and provide shelter for strays, he is instead punished for his kindness!

I applaud this 17-year-old’s courage to write to the The Star newspaper expressing his disgust and disgust of his fellow students.

I'm only afraid that the majority of children, being impressionable, might not all be as mature as this student who wrote this letter.

I'm afraid the more government officers behave this way behind the legitimate badge of "authority", the future generation might gradually be conditioned to find such acts acceptable.

God have Mercy on us all when that day comes.

World Animal Day Oct 4 Tune In To REDFM104.9

I shall be speaking on REDFM104.9 tomorrow on the Breakfast Show 8:00 am to 9:00 am in conjunction with World Animal Day that falls on October 4th every year.

In the evening St.Ignatius Church in Kelana Jaya is having an Animal Blessing ceremony for pets. I hope many other religious bodies representing Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and even more Christian churches will come forward and speak up and pray for all animals, not just on October 4th. Let there be talks, sermons and prayer sessions for animals too.

God bless ALL His creatures, big and small!

More Barbaric Acts By Council Officers

The following is a letter published in the Star today, OCT 2nd, 2006.

SHOCK SCHOOL SHOOTING

I AM a Form Five student in an Ipoh school. On Thursday, a disgusting show of inhumanity was seen in my school. It highlighted the depravity of humans.

For some time, a dog had been sleeping behind the school toilet. By nature, this dog was loving and showed no aggressive behaviour.

It was generally well-liked by the students and was easily ignored as all it did was sleep. It never approached anyone unless they first approached it.

On that day, the Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI) came into the school grounds and shot the dog in its abdomen in front of our chemistry lab. It upset the girls deeply as the dog did not die immediately and wailed as it bled to death.

The MBI did not shoot it a second time, instead they allowed it to die slowly. Then they carried it off by a hook when it was not completely dead as if it were a carcass at the meat market. The MBI men also waved jovially in the midst of all this as if they had not done something completely barbaric.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. I think the general way animals are treated here is appalling. Countries like Australia, New Zealand and England do not shoot dogs as we do yet I never saw a single stray on the street when I was there. This tells me there is something wrong with our system and the general mind-set of the average Malaysian.

DISGUSTED,
Ipoh.