More things in common...

RSPCA official charity logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Rouster is not usually one to push a story by the Daily Mail. This tabloid rag that masquerades as middle-brow journalism has been responsible for many unfair and unbalanced reports on animals in entertainment, and often shows shocking examples of its own double-standards within short spaces of time. However, this weekend's story reveals something that Rouster has known and been trying to put across for a very long time. 

The RSPCA has never been Rouster's favourite "Animal Welfare" charity. Unlike many other very reputable non-profit animal welfare charities, the organization's stance has been far too political for our tastes. Their unwavering position against wild animals in circuses - despite numerous inspectors finding nothing wrong with travelling circuses, their own commissioned investigation coming out in favour of animals in circuses and in opposition to the overwhelming evidence contradicting their own self proclaimed "scientific" opinion -  obviously pits them directly against our own philosophy. However, they are generally considered to be the lesser of our threats. Unlike, PETA, ADI, HSUS, CAPS and so on, the RSPCA can still just about be seen as an Animal Welfare group, rather than Animal Rights. We believe that, on the whole, they don't muddy the water and a lot of their principles make good sense. They advocate good animal care as opposed to the AR stance of eventual abolition of the human/non-human animal bond. They don't want the world to turn vegan, pet ownership to cease and they are not voicing any opposition to animals in entertainment generally - just the bizarre anti-circus stance.

Christmas And It's Panto Time

Christmas is a time for traditional seasonal entertainment and in the UK pantomime is very popular and it can feature artists from all walks of the entertainment business including stars of the stage and screen and most recently winners of talent contests enjoying their “15 minutes of fame”.

One such artist is Ashleigh Butler and her performing dog Pudsey.  The success of this act - that won Britian's Got Talent - confirmed the love the British still seem to have for talented performing animals . 

Not Taking Animals Much Into Account

Humane Watch provides more undeniable evidence damning the reputation of the world's largest animal rights organization, the Humane Society of the United States. As the name implies, Humane Watch keeps a close eye on the activities of this activist behemoth that donates less than 1% of its over one and a half million dollar revenue, mainly made up of legacies and donations left by what Rouster believe to be well-meaning and misguided individuals, intending their gifts to go to animal shelters. 

Leveson too Late for Circuses?

Rouster welcomes, in principle, the findings of the Leveson report released yesterday by Lord Justice Leveson.

We are made up of a group of professionals firmly rooted in the core values of democracy. Consequently, we support the freedom of the press. Equally, however, we believe that the circus industry has been denied a fair voice in the media for too long. It is our aspiration to change this.

Know your enemy - Animal Defenders International



Animal Defenders International have risen to prominence over the last two decades. Despite having a rather radical agenda that is firmly in line with the ideals of animal rightism, the group seems to be relatively immune to the sort of bad publicity that abounds on other animal rights organisations such as the Humane Society for the United States (HSUS) or People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Why is this? This is as much a legitimate question as it is a rhetorical one.

Trial by Media.. and what the papers didn't tell you

As news stations and newspapers fall over themselves to report on the verdict of the Bobby Roberts case, the judge presiding over the case expressed a different type of excitement. Animal Defenders International (ADI) will, no doubt, mark this case down as a victory and the result would seem to indicate that they are justified. Jan Creamer, President and founder of Animal Defenders International, will decry the sentence given by the judge, as she did with the Mary Chipperfield case. Bobby Roberts received no fine, no costs and the judge dismissed any suggestion of Bobby Roberts not being able to keep animals, in the future.

ADI will undoubtedly use this as yet another example of how the law is unfair on animals and how organisations such as theirs need to be 'out there', continuing to fight the cause. "Please send your money to..." and you know all the rest. However, what Creamer and ADI won't be publicising is the way the judge viewed them.

Terrorism begins at home.

I get incredibly irritated by the anti-piracy ads at the front of DVDs.  “Movie piracy funds the drug trade, terrorism and every horrible thing that goes on in the streets.”  Come on, give me a break.  If you can’t make money out of trafficking drugs and weapons, you are clearly a moron and selling a few grainy copies of “Twilight” isn’t going to save you.

However, many of us, if not most of us, are directly or indirectly funding terrorism.  Yes, you too, probably.  I’m not joking.  Do you care about animals?  Do you get sad at Christmastime and fall for those television ads with the sad donkeys staring straight into your soul, the kittens in the rain, and so on?  Do you feel compelled to put a pound in a tin, buy a calendar or cards, set up a direct debit, or do your bit in some way?  Then you may well be sponsoring terrorism, at home and abroad.

It is now a well-known fact that some so-called animal charities do not match the picture that most of us have in our head.  For me, an animal charity should concern itself with stopping animal abuse and neglect; it should encourage the spread of information on proper animal care; it should help raise the bar for animal welfare standards; and, when necessary, it should help the courts with the fair prosecution of those people who mistreat animals. 

Don't even ask me about Azaleas!

I have worked with animals for longer than I care to admit in public.  Yet, during all those years I have discovered only one universal truth about animal training: that there is only one thing two animal trainers are likely to agree on, and that’s the fact that a third animal trainer is dead wrong.

No two animal training experts agree on all subjects.  There are countless schools of thoughts about how animals should best be trained, that’s true, and the most commonly accepted methods have changed over the years.  Generally speaking, the tendency in the Western world has been to shift towards “gentler” methods.  Just as our society in general has become less accepting of violence in the home, oppression in the work place and so on, we demand a kinder treatment for animals.  This is also possibly a reflection of the fact that for most of us, animals are a luxury, an addition to our life, rather than a necessity.  Not so long ago, when we relied on animals to perform tasks for us, people tended to have a less lenient view of their misbehaviour, and take sterner steps to control it.  Times move on, life changes and so do our ethics.  Our legislation, as legislation does, has followed suit, and the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 places serious responsibilities on all people who care for animals.

Animal Hypocrites

tippi hedron with raven (Photo credit: carbonated)