31st July

Compassionate Living Fayre Summer’09 - a fantastic day and lots of fun was had! Feedback has been excellent - the workshops we introduced this year were all very well received - along with the talks and the stalls and the food and the entertainment and the info and the - well, you know – the fayre! Ranting Rabbit had a whale of a time giving out lots of free food and free hugs! Check out the pictures here http://bunnyhuggers.org.uk/pictures/fayre09

Thanks to all our sponsors and supporters, and all organisations who participated in the fayre. And most importantly, all our very special ‘Bunny Huggers’ who put in the time and effort to organise this fayre and help run it on the day - many thanks to you all!
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Dates for your Diary
Details of events http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/events.php
Emails to events@bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Stalls (weather-dependent, text 0792 088 8769 for confirmation):
8 Aug: Stall: Registry House, 12noon-4pm
15 Aug: Stall: Registry House, 12noon-4pm
22 Aug: Stall: Registry House, 12noon-4pm

Demos:
1 Aug: Demo against Zippos Circus, Hawick, 2pm. Free transport from Edinburgh organized, email to book a place
26 Sep: Demo against animal breeders (for vivisection). Meet at Registry House at 12 noon.

Talks:
16 Sep, 3.30pm, Glasgow: Patricia Tricker speaks to the Glasgow Vegan Network (Organised by Vegan Society)

Next Meeting:
7th August 7pm Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA.
Cruelty-Free Drinks and monthly Bunny Huggers meeting
Come along if you are interested in participating in our campaign-planning or simply meeting like-minded folk. Off to the pub for 'cruelty-free' drinks after.
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The social meetup on the 29th July was fantastic! Vegans from all over Scotland came along and it was great fun to enjoy an evening without someone asking you “So what can you eat?” More than that, its an excellent opportunity for new and aspiring vegans to get tips they never really put in any literature!
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We are re-running the appeal from the last newsletter – please write to the Glasgow Council opposing plans for the new zoo!

There are plans for a new £35 million animal park on the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow's East End. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (and all other Zoological societies in the world) breed and keep animals in the name of education, wildlife research and conservation - but watching a panda outside its natural habitat is not educational, and any the chances of any animal being bred in captivity ever being released back in the wild - are virtually impossible. Here's more info on what's wrong with zoos. http://www.alv.org.au/issues/whatswrongwithzoos.php

Help stop this £35m prison from going ahead. Write to the Glasgow and Lanarkshire Council (with your full address and postcode) Emails to pach.exec@southlanarkshire.gov.uk,Councillor.McAvoy@southlanarkshire.gov.uk,george.black@ced.glasgow.gov.uk,steven.purcell@councillors.glasgow.gov.uk
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Another alert from SAF; Religious slaughter exempts animals killed by religious groups from the legal requirement that all are stunned and rendered unconscious before having their throats slit and bled. The EU Parliament recently voted to ensure products produced in this manner more widely available in member states. The practice of Ritual Slaughter has been scientifically proven to cause extremely high levels of pain and distress for animals.

The EU legislation is yet to be ratified by the UK Parliament, so please write to your MP, asking them to support a ban on Ritual Slaughter. You can write to your MPs here www.writetothem.com
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Monkey Business in China: Not content with brutally butchering 10's of millions of dogs a year for their flesh, tormenting moon bears for their bile, and raising tigers on farms for their penises and pelts, China has found yet another way to harm and exploit animals - this time it is monkeys. Plans to build the largest monkey breeding facility in the world are already underway in Huazhen China. This farm nearing completion will be able to hold 50,000 monkeys, until they are ready to be shipped off to laboratories around the world to be used in any number of inhumane experiments. An undercover visit to an existing facility revealed that the monkeys were packed tight into cages, while mothers clutched their babies in their sterile prison. To protest this latest assault on animals in china write to your local embassy: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/embassy_list.htm

Three cheers for India: In sharp contrast to China's spirit of entrepreneurial exploitation, India has banned the export of its monkeys to research facilities around the world in order to protect them from cruel experiments. In India monkeys roam freely and mingle with the human population.
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Animal cruelty raises its ugly head again – in Alloa, Clackmannshire. After a woman’s dogs ‘accidently’ mated, she left 3 puppies starving in a cage full of excrement while pocketing hundreds of pounds by selling their six siblings for £120 to £160 each. Our legal system does not provide enough protection to the animals either – disappointingly, the woman was let off, despite horrific cruelty. Read more here http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/112430-woman-who-kept-litter-of-puppies-starving-let-off-by-a-sheriff/

The animals need your help – get active for animals http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/events.php
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To the animals we pledge, we hear your cries and we are coming,

See you tomorrow,

Bunny Huggers

This newsletter is sent once in every two weeks, to unsubscribe, email unsubscribe@bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Sign up to receive the newsletter directly http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/joinus.php

17th July

So, finally, the much awaited Compassionate Living Fayre next Saturday. There’s so much more on this year – its been a lot of fun organizing it, thinking up of exciting ways to introduce ethical, compassionate and a vegan lifestyle to people. Come along and find out more about how your choices effect everyone - the people, the planet and the animals – and practical tips and skills for you to take away to make a positive impact on everyone around you. More info available here http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/fayre09.php

At Bunny Huggers, we’ve been rather busy with the fayre, but there’s plenty other stuff going on – take a look at the diary below. There are also plans for a new zoo in Glasgow (see below for actions) and a social meetup for vegans (which we are all looking forward to) in Edinburgh.
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Dates for your Diary
Details of events http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/events.php
Emails to events@bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Animal Rights Films Series followed by talk and discussion
7-10pm, Autonomous Center Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA.
22 July: Meat the Truth

Stalls & Demos (weather-dependent, text 0792 088 8769 for confirmation):
1 Aug: Demo against Zippos Circus, Hawick, 2pm. Free transport from Edinburgh organized, email to book a place
8 Aug: Stall: Registry House, 12noon-4pm
16 Aug: Stall: Registry House, 12noon-4pm
22 Aug: Stall: Registry House, 12noon-4pm

Next Meeting:
7th August 7pm Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA.
Cruelty-Free Drinks and monthly Bunny Huggers meeting
Come along if you are interested in participating in our campaign-planning or simply meeting like-minded folk. Off to the pub for 'cruelty-free' drinks after.

Compassionate Living Fayre Summer'09
25th July 10.30am-5.30pm Augustine United Church 41 George IV Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1EL
More details http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/fayre09.php
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The social vegan meetup in Edinburgh has been finalized for the Wednesday 29th July, at 6pm. Email info@bunnyhuggers.org.uk for venue, hope to see you there!
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From SFA: There are plans for a new £35 million animal park on the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow's East End. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (and all other Zoological societies in the world) breed and keep animals in the name of education, wildlife research and conservation - but watching a panda outside its natural habitat is not educational, and any the chances of any animal being bred in captivity ever being released back in the wild - are virtually impossible. Here's more info on what's wrong with zoos. http://www.alv.org.au/issues/whatswrongwithzoos.php

Help stop this £35m prison from going ahead. Write to the Glasgow and Lanarkshire Council (with your full address and postcode) Emails to pach.exec@southlanarkshire.gov.uk,Councillor.McAvoy@southlanarkshire.gov.uk,george.black@ced.glasgow.gov.uk,steven.purcell@councillors.glasgow.gov.uk
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Book on Animal protection: Bad Hare Days - on the controversial subject of live hare coursing in Ireland and the campaign to protect the Irish Hare - by John Fitzerald. In addition to the nature of hare coursing, the book also explores the social and psychological impact on campaigners of engaging in a difficult and tension-wrought campaign aimed at changing public opinion on this and other animal protection issues. More here www.myspace.com/banharecoursingireland
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An update from the campaign against animal abuse in China: While we have often heard that dogs are tortured prior to slaughter to enhance the potency of the meat, the following is documentation of this primitive belief taken from the Animals Asia website: "Livestock sections of large bookshops stock books and VCDs on dog farming which promote horrific slaughter methods, in the misguided belief that the more the dog suffers the better the meat will taste. Consequently, vacuum packed and canned dog meat is becoming increasingly available in some supermarkets. Send your letters of protest to Chinese Embassies and let them know you disapprove of the sadism and slaughter of man's best friend http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/embassy_list.htm
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As Korea begins 'the dog days of summer' the killing of dogs for their flesh increases, as superstition holds that dog meat cools down the consumer. In order to mark this seasonal killing spree, demonstrations were held world-wide, to protest both the vicious killing methods and the slaughter of dogs for their meat. A demonstration on July 14, 2009 NYC, in front of the korean embassy, boasted many protestors and one celebrity: Rue Maclanahan of Golden Girls fame. In addition a petition is being circulated to let korea know that we will not tolerate such cruelty to man's best friend. Please sign this petition and pass it on: http://www.uniteddogs.com/stopkillingdogs/
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Thanks to all those who wrote to the SNH opposing the killing of wallabies on Inchconnachan. The island owners Luss Estates, Scottish Natural Heritage and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority have confirmed there are no firm plans to cull the wallabies. The reaction and the public opposition clearly showed that a cull is simply unacceptable. Many thanks! Off the red alert now, but please do remain vigilant – and if you visit the island and see any evidence of the wallabies being disturbed, please email ACAL acal@jfrobins.force9.co.uk – who’ve been coordinating all of this.

To the animals we pledge, we hear your cries and we are coming,

See you at the fayre,

Bunny Huggers

This newsletter is sent once in every two weeks, to unsubscribe, email unsubscribe@bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Sign up to receive the newsletter directly http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/joinus.php

3rd July

As we get closer to the fayre, things seem to be getting quieter in our diary – but we are busy bees here trying to bring the best of what vegan and ethical living has to offer to you on the 25th July. As you can imagine, its no easy task!

Now that everything is firming up - the workshops, stalls, talks and activities and beginning to take exciting shapes! Learn how to make seed bombs, shop a bit, consult a herbalist for free, enjoy some good vegan nosh, play some games, meditate, learn about what your local community is upto, get your kids faces painted, get yours painted too…you get the idea, there’s plenty more fun!

So while we disappear behind the scenes again to make all this happen (your help is needed!), here’s a quick newsletter this week to give you all events and happenings in the Bunny Huggers world!
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Dates for your Diary
Details of events http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/events.php
Emails to events@bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Animal Rights Films Series followed by talk and discussion
7-10pm, Autonomous Center Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA.
22 July: Meat the Truth

Ranting Rabbit Scotland tour:
4 July: St Andrews, Logie’s Lane, 11am

Stalls & Demos (weather-dependent, text 0792 088 8769 for confirmation):
1 Aug: Demo against Zippos Circus, Hawick. Free transport from Edinburgh organized, email to book a place

Next Meeting:
3rd July 7pm Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA.
Cruelty-Free Drinks and monthly Bunny Huggers meeting
Come along if you are interested in participating in our campaign-planning or simply meeting like-minded folk. Off to the pub for 'cruelty-free' drinks after.

Compassionate Living Fayre Summer'09
25th July 10.30am-5.30pm Augustine United Church 41 George IV Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1EL
More details soon!
Bookings for stalls, workshops and talks open, get in touch to book a place.
All enquiries to fayre09@bunnyhuggers.org.uk
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Word is that a social meetup for vegans is planned in Edinburgh at the end of this month – would you be up for it? Should be good fun! Let us know and we’d send you the details.
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Good news from Animal Concern - opposition to the planning application for a floating factory fish farm off the island of Inchmarnock (off the Isle of Bute) was a success and the applicant has also lost his public appeal against planning refusal. A victory for the seals and the salmon!
There are possible plans to clear Inchconnachan island, Loch Lomond of wallabies. Send a short polite e-mail to ian.jardine@snh.gov.uk, angus.laing@snh.gov.uk and info@lochlomond-trossachs.org simply saying that you are totally opposed to killing any wallabies on Inchconnachan. There's a lot more you can do to help, contact acal@jfrobins.force9.co.uk for more info
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More news from campaigns against animal cruelty in China: A massive cull in the Chinese city of Hanzhong has claimed the lives of 33,000 dogs: The local government ordered the mass slaughter of all dogs as the result of a few cases of rabies deaths. There is no confirmation that these cases were caused by a dog, as the chinese consume many other animals that can carry rabies. Dog killing squads are stalked the streets, mercilessly beating dogs to death with sticks and rocks. Some dogs were trapped in makeshift cages. One by one, the dogs were pulled out with a pair of long metal tongs, and brutally beaten. then - even though it appears that some may still have been alive - they were tossed into a pit to be burned. Protest letters can be sent to Chinese Embassies throughout the world: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/asia.htm
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To the animals we pledge, we hear your cries and we are coming,

See you tomorrow,

Bunny Huggers

This newsletter is sent once in every two weeks, to unsubscribe, email
unsubscribe@bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Sign up to receive the newsletter directly http://www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk/joinus.php