Anonymous for Animal Rights

Anonymous for Animal Rights is an animal rights group based in Israel [ [http://www.anonymous.org.il "Anonymous for Animal Rights" web site] ] . It focuses on several animal rights issues: the consumption of meat and animal source foods, using animals for clothing and entertainment, and animal testing. The group started organizing protests in the 1990’s and became formally organized in 1994. The name "Anonymous" was chosen as a form of identification with the anonymity of animals in industrial farms, labs, and other industries.

Principles

"Anonymous" oppose animal-based food industries (such as meat, fish, milk and eggs) due to the suffering caused to animals in these industries; it calls for a vegan lifestyle [ [http://www.nrg.co.il/online/35/ART1/057/344.html "The fighter for Animal Rights"] - an interview with "Anonymous" director, Reut Horn (in Hebrew)] .

Besides the opposition to consumption of animal-based products, the organization conducts animal welfare activities, and calls for practical steps that can reduce the suffering of animals in these industries. For example, it calls egg-eaters to move from industrial eggs, produced by hen in battery cages, to free range eggs.

Activities

"Anonymous" activities are focused in three areas: documentation, information dissemination, and legal areas (legislation and regulation).

Documentation

"Anonymous" documents cases of violation of animal rights. It regularly visits industrial farms, and compares their practices to those allowed by law, assisted by theoretical agricultural research and by animal rights groups in Europe and the United States.

Information dissemination

"Anonymous" distributes printed material regarding animal rights. Leaflets and booklets are distributed in public events and in lectures in schools. The organization’s weekly publication is titled "This week in Animals Rights" and is distributed by e-mail since 2001.

The organization also maintains a web site that describes cruelties in animal industries, including photographs and films that were taken in chicken coops and cowsheds. The web site also contains practical information about vegan lifestyle, including nutritional advice and recipes.

"Anonymous" are also responsible for maintenance and updates to the Israeli Vegetarian Society web site [ [http://www.anonymous.org.il/veg.htm The Israeli Vegetarian Society web site] , operated by "Anonymous"] .

Legislation and regulation

"Anonymous" works with governmental units, trying to advance legislation and regulation regarding animal welfare, and the enforcement of existing regulations.

Main achievements

* The most well-known achievement of "Anonymous" was the protest against the production of foie gras. In August 2003, the Supreme Court of Israel ordered the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture to ban the force feeding of geese [ [http://www.jewishveg.com/foiegras.html The Israeli Supreme Court: Force-feeding of Geese and Ducks Violates the Law] ] . "Anonymous" tracks the enforcement of the ban, and fills complaints against farms that conduct illegal force feeding.

* "Anonymous" conducted a campaign against the use of animals in circuses. Following the campaign, new regulations were enacted that prohibit the use of wildlife animals in circuses in Israel. Additional regulations exist in Tel-Aviv and some other cities that prohibit the use of "any" animal in circuses.

* Activists in the organization documented cattle dehorning without anesthesia in Gat. Following exposure of these findings on a television show, new regulations were enacted that prohibit it.

* Similarly, regulations were introduced regarding the protection of calves. The new regulations make isolation of calves and the denial of drinking water illegal, and specify required levels of hemoglobin in the blood, intake of fiber in the calves' nutrition, and ventilation and footing material requirements. This achievement is a result of a campaign initiated by "Anonymous" in 2001.

* Letters sent by "Anonymous" activists led to stopping dissections of animals in elementary and secondary schools.

Other animal rights organizations in Israel

"Anonymous for Animal Rights" is the largest animal liberation movement in Israel. Some smaller groups splintered from it during the years, including "Ma'avak Ehad" ("One Struggle", an anarchist-motivated political group) and "Shevi" ("Animal Liberation Israel").

ee also

* Israel and animal welfare

References