Animal Protection Laws: Where Does Your State Rank?

The Animal Legal Defense Fund published it's longest-running, most comprehensive report that tracks animal protection laws across the entire U.S. This year’s biggest trends included strengthening penalties for neglecting an animal (now a felony in six more states) and requiring that abusers reimburse those who care for cruelly treated animals—including Arizona, the most-improved jurisdiction in 2013. 

The best five states for animal protection remained the same this year, with Oregon enacting a felony penalty for animal neglect and rising to the number two spot. North Dakota completely revamped its cruelty code to include a felony cruelty provision for the first time, and jumped out of the top states to abuse animals. South Dakota is now the only state that does not include a felony penalty for even the most heinous acts of cruelty. 

The Chain

The Chain, by Robin Lamont, is a novel with a message on animal rights. Here is the synopsis of the book:

Jude Brannock, a seasoned and passionate animal rights investigator, is drawn into the lives of a damaged family in a small town that depends on a meat packing plant for its survival.

Jude has been summoned to Bragg Falls to meet with a whistle-blower who has documented the dangerous conditions for workers and the brutal treatment of pigs about to be slaughtered at D&M Processing. But when she arrives, she finds that her contact has committed suicide and the video he made is gone. The deeper she probes, the more the town’s residents turn against her – afraid that an exposé will shut down the plant. But beyond the local resistance, there is a more sinister force that will do anything to hide what is happening behind the secretive doors of the slaughterhouse.

Gift Idea Picture Books Especially for Pagan Families (with animals too!): Winter Solstice

Lucia and the Light, by Phyllis Root

In a cozy cabin high in the mountains of the Far North, Lucia and her family live a snug and contented life. But one day the wind screams fiercely and the sun does not rise over the mountain. Someone has stolen the sun! "Perhaps it has lost its way," says Lucia, who despite her mother's pleas sets out to find it with only a bit of bread, a tinderbox, and her milk-white cat to keep her company. In dramatic pastels, Mary GrandPré illuminates troll-pocked frozen mountains and wraps Lucia's family in a blanket of warmth. Inspired by Nordic lore, Phyllis Root spins a golden yarn of courage, love, and the age-old longing for the return of light.

Sun Bread, by Elisa Kleven

Winter's gray chill has set in and everyone misses the sun-especially the baker, who is a dog.  So she decides to bring some warmth to the town by making sun bread.  And as the bread bakes, rising hot and delicious, everyone comes out to share in its goodness.  Everyone, including the sun itself.  With a lilting, rhyming text, colorful illustrations, and a recipe for baking your own sun bread, this tasty treat from the illustrator of the best-selling Abuela is just right for all ages to enjoy.

La Lagartija y el Sol/ The Lizard and the Sun, by Alma Flor Ada

A Folktale in English and Spanish

Once, a long, long time ago, the sun disappeared from the sky. Everything was dark for many days. All the animals went to search for the sun in the rivers and lakes, through the fields and forests, but the sun was nowhere to be found. Little by little all the animals gave up, except for the faithful lizard. Finally one day she found a strange glowing rock and discovered the sun fast asleep. But no one could persuade the sun to wake up. Then the emperor organized a great feast, with the finest dancers and musicians, so the sun would wake up and never fall asleep again. Since that day, all lizards love to lie in the sun, to remember the day when one of their own brought light and warmth back to the world.

Cruelty-Free Shea Butter Soaps

I bought this cruelty-free soap above about a week ago and it smells so great! There are two kinds so if shopping for it, make sure it's cruelty-free.

I'm becoming sort of a Shea Butter freak as my lip balms' main ingredient is Shea Butter, and on Sunday, I just bought below, another cruelty-free Shea Butter soap:

The smell rocks! I want all my body care items to have Shea Butter in it!

Morrissey Performing "Meat Is Murder"

Morrissey performing The Smiths classic "Meat Is Murder", live at the Music Box in Hollywood the night before Thanksgiving (11/23/11)

Songwriters: Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Steven Patrick

Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER

And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It's death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER


And the calf that you carve with a smile
Is MURDER
And the turkey you festively slice
Is MURDER
Do you know how animals die ?


Kitchen aromas aren't very homely
It's not "comforting", cheery or kind
It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench
Of MURDER


It's not "natural", "normal" or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savour the flavour
Of MURDER


NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
Oh ... and who hears when animals cry ?

Cruelty-free Hanukkah Meal Recipes and Celebration

Hanukkah (/ˈhɑːnəkə/ hah-nə-kə; Hebrew חֲנֻכָּה, Tiberian: Ḥănukkāh, usually spelled חנוכה, pronounced /χanuˈka/ in Modern Hebrew; a transliteration also romanized as Chanukah,Chanukkah or (Chanuˈkah), also known as the Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of eight branches with an additional raised branch. The extra light is called w shamash (Hebrew: שמש‎, "attendant") and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The purpose of the shamash is to have a light available for practical use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves for purposes other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah is forbidden.

As with Thanksgiving, there is also a plethora of cruelty-free Hanukkah recipes to choose from. Here are recipe/links to some of the best ones on the Internet:

Vegan Chanukah Doughnuts

Vegan Hanukkah donuts. Hanukkah is the perfect excuse to indulge in all things fried, and just because you eat a vegan, egg-free or dairy-free diet doesn't mean you can't also love Hanukkah donuts! This homemade vegan Hanukkah doughnut recipe is a great Israeli treat. For an extra sweet vegan Hanukkah donuts, dust them with a bit of powdered sugar. 

Ingredients:

• 2 packages yeast
• 1/3 cup + 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 4 cups bleached spelt pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup soy milk
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• oil for frying

Preparation:

In a glass bowl, mix together the yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and the water until the yeast and sugar has dissolved. Allow to sit for ten minutes.

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a third bowl, combine the 1/3 cup sugar and remaining ingredients, except for oil. Add the yeast mixture, and then gradually add the flour and salt. Combine until a stiff dough forms.

Cover and allow to sit for one hour.

On a floured surface, knead the dough for about one minute, then roll out to about 3/4 inch thickness. Cover with a dish towel or cloth and let rise for about 20 minutes, until doubled in size.

In a deep fryer or a deep pan, heat several inches of oil over high heat. Test the temperature by placing a small piece of dough in the oil. The oil is the right temperature when the dough rises to the surface almost immediately. If it doesn't rise to the top, the oil is not yet hot enough.

Fry the donuts in oil for a minute or two, turning over as needed, until browned on both sides. Allow to drain on paper towels.

Makes about 12 homemade vegan Chanukah donuts.

Many more cruelty-free meals and celebrations can be found at these websites:

Hanukkah with a Vegan Touch

Classic Vegan Hanukkah Recipes

A Happy Vegan Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah Checklist

Cruelty-Free Thanksgiving Meal Recipes

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well.

Since there is such a plethera of cruelty-free holiday recipes on the Internet and in books, I thought I'd mention two of the best websites for your Thanksgiving holiday menu:

The links below are your premier source for Thanksgiving recipes and menus to create a memorable dinner! Create mix-and match menus from the following recipes, from soup to dessert, complete with vegan stuffings and main dishes—all the holiday traditions you adore, updated for a compassionate plant-based feast for even more recipes and menus for Thanksgiving and other major holidays.

VEGAN THANKSGIVING DINNER

For more cruelty-free recipe ideas, check out this site:

Healthy Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes: From Brunch to Dinner to Dessert

Have a kind Thanksgiving.