The Grand Valley State University academic year has come to a close, and so our Ask an Advocate interview blog will be on vacation until September. Please make sure to visit again in the fall & read the interviews we already have with wonderful animal advocates like Dr. Jonathan Balcombe, Allie Phillips, Kenny Torrella, Carol Manos, and Jill Fritz! The Humane Soicety of Grand Valley wishes you a safe, happy, and humane summer!
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Dr. Jonathan Balcombe was born in England, raised in New Zealand and Canada, and has lived in the United States since 1987. He has three biology degrees, including a PhD in ethology (the study of animal behavior) from the University of Tennessee, where he studied communication in bats. He has published over 40 scientific papers on animal behavior and animal protection. He is the author of four books, including Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good, Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals, and The Exultant Ark: A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure. Formerly Senior Research Scientist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, he is currently Chair of the Animal Studies Department with the Humane Society University. 1. What was your first experience with animals that had an impact on you? When I was 8 years old I was taken on a fishing outing with the director of my summer camp. He did all the dirty work: baiting hooks with worms, handling the gaping fishes I caught, removing the reluctant hooks, and killing the “keepers” with a knife through the head. I didn’t say anything but I saw it all completely from the fishes’ (and the worms’) perspective. I knew that fishing had no place in my future. 2. When, how, and why did you first get involved with the animal welfare/rights movement? I always had strong empathy towards animals, and I was inculcated early with the importance of social protest by my parents who strapped me in the stroller and took me on “ban the bomb” marches in England in the early 1960s. It was many years, though, before I became active for animals, beginning with a march on The Bay (major furriers) company in Toronto in the late seventies. As a graduate student I read an essay by Tom Regan titled “The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism.” I was already vegetarian but I realized that working for animals was a life calling. 3. What are your favorite types of animal advocacy activities? Why? (i.e. lobbying, letter-writing, petitions, volunteering, protests, etc.) I most enjoy public speaking, and writing letters to the editor. There are so many fascinating scientific discoveries coming to light these days, and it is a joy to share them with interested audiences. Writing a letter is usually a process of addressing a prejudice that a reporter has shown towards animals in an article. My home paper, The Washington Post, has been very good about printing my letters over the years. However, their policy of not printing two letters from the same author within 6 months makes it a sometimes frustratingly slow process, given that I see something in practically every issue that I want to rebut. I enjoy crafting the letter, and I always seek to end on a positive note, preferably with a step the reader can take to address the problem. I also enjoy the process of writing a book, though given the time investment that is more of a vocation than an activity. 4. What animal issues are you most passionate about? I am most passionate about the meat/dairy issue, hands-down. It affects by far the most animals (98% of all those killed by humans), and it is something individuals can take immediate personal steps to address. I regard veganism as the holy grail of personal activism for animals. A shift towards plant-based eating is an incredibly empowering act because even when the global situation looks bleak, one can have the satisfaction of knowing that “I am making a positive impact, every day.” I am also passionate about emphasizing the positive side of animals’ lives. Inevitably, one encounters a lot of disturbing, negative information in the course of working for animals. Yet animals, like us, are pleasure-seekers; the day-to-day lives of free animals bring them pleasure and joy. I’ve dedicated two books to the subject of animal pleasure because a) it has been so sorely neglected, and b) because it has great importance to our evolving view of animals. 5. What current animal-related issue or campaign has caught your attention, and why? There are so many, but this question brings me back to fishes. They are the most overlooked victims of human greed and cruelty. We kill probably more than 50 billion fishes yearly, yet very little attention is paid to them by the animal movement. Yet recent studies not only show conclusively that fishes feel pain, it turns out that they also have complex social and cognitive lives. To wit, this statement by the co-authors of a 2006 book titled “Fish Behavior and Cognition”: “Gone (or at least obsolete) is the image of fish as drudging and dim-witted pea brains, driven largely by ‘instinct’, ... Now, fish are regarded as steeped in social intelligence, pursuing Machiavellian strategies of manipulation, punishment and reconciliation, exhibiting stable cultural traditions, and co-operating to inspect predators and catch food.” It’s time we paid more heed to the well-being of this large group of highly sentient creatures. 6. How do you address animal issues within your career? In 20 years of working for animals with several organizations, I’ve done a variety of things, but I’m most excited about my current position running the Animal Studies Department for Humane Society University. It brings me into contact with students who are not only smart, but also critical-thinkers. And I am overseeing the development of exciting new courses focused on animal sentience, evolution, food choices, and gender issues—all placed squarely in the animal protection context. Education is a necessity for social change, and we must cultivate sharp minds to lead this movement into the future. 7. What advice do you have for someone looking to become a more active animal advocate? Do something. Get informed. Go veg. Join up with others. Stay positive. No matter how strong the facts are in animals’ favor, people won’t join a movement that looks unhappy and negative. 8. What book, quote, photo, video, story, etc. have you found most inspiring/has inspired you? I have enough inspiration to last me several lifetimes, so I’m more focused on inspiring others. Here’s a video clip of animal play that I filmed in South Africa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFoqOgUSZEs. Check out Jonathan's website! Books by Jonathan:
Dr. Jennifer A. Pope has been a marketing professor at Grand Valley State University since 2003. She moved to West Michigan from Texas, where she had completed her PhD in Marketing and International Business. She has been the faculty advisor for the Humane Society Grand Valley since its inception three years ago. She has been involved in C-SNIP for most of the past nine year since moving to Grand Rapids, and formally joined the board just over three years ago. She was elected president of the board in January 2012. Dr. Pope shares her home with three cats (all fixed of course). 1. What was your first experience with animals that had an impact on you? I do not think there is just one experience for me that had THE impact on me, just a series of events that led to being involved with C-SNIP at the level I am. My parents had cats (all fixed) before they had children. We were raised with the cats and taught respect for animals from a very young age. It was natural for me to be at least somewhat aware of animals around me growing up. The summer after I graduated from high school I worked in a vet’s clinic as a receptionist. It was an experience for me to see all the animals and the owners’ care and concern for their pets. It put animal issues a bit more on my radar. While I was living in Taiwan it really starting to hit home how hard lives could be for animals. Animals in Taiwan are either pampered pets or strays. There were many dogs and cats living on the streets and when I asked what could be done, I was basically told nothing—there was no real system in place for animal rescue. Most people did not even see the strays. A couple of years after I got home from Taiwan, I moved to South Texas, where unfortunately the attitude towards animals was not that different from Taiwan. There was a cat colony at the university where I was studying, and I would help feed them and donate to the one and only no kill shelter in the area. The one incidence that struck me the most was when a friend of mine had started to feed a stray because her son was fascinated with it. When I asked what kind of care she was going to get the cat she was very non- committal—she felt feeding it was enough. I finally talked her into getting the cat spayed by pointing out that if she did not, she would have a dozen cats in short order. I also talked her into getting the cat vaccinated by saying that the woman’s son could get ill from an unvaccinated cat (rare possibility I know, but you gotta do what you gotta do). 2. When, how, and why did you first get involved with the animal welfare/rights movement? Prior to moving to West Michigan, most of my animal welfare work has been one shot type of deals, helping out where I could. That all changed when I moved here. I first got involved with C-SNIP shortly after I moved to West Michigan because a good friend of mine was on the board and asked me to help develop a survey for them. I had not been directly involved prior to that with animal causes but had been a financial supporter of the HSUS and other animal causes for a number of years. Until I got tenure here at GVSU, I mostly just volunteered for events and with marketing assistance. I had my intro to marketing class do a project for them, and some other small things. However, the moment I turned in my packet for tenure, I was on the board. (My friend knows how the system works). Since then I have been very active with C-SNIP and am currently the president of the board. 3. What are your favorite types of animal advocacy activities? Why? (i.e. lobbying, letter-writing, petitions, volunteering, protests, etc.) I think because I am an educator by trade, I like education the best. I like to inform people about what the issues are so that they understand the true picture and can make choices based on fact not myth. I find that there is a lot of misconception about many animal issues. For example, a lot of people do not realize how many animals shelters are forced to euthanize every year, so they do not see the big deal of letting their pets have litters as long as they find good home for all of them. Also, I cannot tell you the number of people who told me that it was healthier for me to let my cat have a litter before getting her spayed. When I get the chance, I try and dispel these old wives tales. 4. What animal issues are you most passionate about? If you have not guessed already, I am most passionate about spay and neuter. My dream would be to see animal shelters no longer have to euthanize. Or even better, go out of business. 5. What current animal-related issue or campaign has caught your attention, and why? There is a campaign in Michigan right now to include pets in protection orders in situations of domestic violence. I would love to see this law pass. Often women do not leave their abusers because the abuser threatens the animal. If the pet could be protected as well, I think it would make it easier for women to start over. 6. How do you address animal issues within your career? I am the advisor for HSGV. In addition, community service, and contributing my expertise to the community, is considered part of my job. So I guess that means that being on the board of C-SNIP would be considered part of my career. 7. What advice do you have for someone looking to become a more active animal advocate? I think the best thing that one can do is educate yourself about the issue(s) that you are interested in and not just jump in uninformed. That way you can make the best impact possible. Once you know what you are talking about people are more like to listen and respond to you and your message. 8. What book, quote, photo, video, story, etc. have you found most inspiring/has inspired you? “He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” –Immanuel Kant Kyunghee at Sasha Farms Kyunghee Kim, originally from South Korea, is the President of Veg West Michigan as well as an assistant organizer of Veg Meetup in Grand Rapids. Veg West Michigan was founded in 2010 with like-minded people who are compassionate about animals, especially farm animals, and who love to share the benefits of vegan lifestyle. Veg West Michigan’s mission is to educate the public about the benefits of a plant-based diet, to support national animal advocacy organizations at a grassroots level, and to build networks of vegans and vegetarians in West Michigan area. Veg Meetup was created in 2003 and Kyunghee Kim has been involved with it since 2008. After Kim moved to the United States, Kim discovered her affection and compassion for animals and she now lives with two dogs, JanieBle and Jolly-Charlie, and two cats, YJ and Scooter. 1. What was your first experience with animals that had an impact on you? When I grew up in Korea, not many families had a dog or a cat inside of their house. Pets and humans had a distinct territory and it couldn’t be commingled. Another way to put it: people lived in the house and animals lived outside of the house. Period! That was the norm for me. When I moved to the United States, however, the norm changed on the very first day. I freaked out when I saw my roommate’s cats laying down on my bed. I thought, “They shouldn’t be allowed to get in my bedroom. “ However, I soon I fell in love with their affectionate and loving behaviors, and I realized they are also sentient beings and have the same emotions that I feel. 2. When, how, and why did you first get involved with the animal welfare/rights movement? When I became a vegetarian in 2003, it was mostly because of ethical and environmental reasons, yet I didn’t really realize how animal welfare was deeply linked to my vegetarian diet. Later in 2006, I became a vegan and I was still not sure what was really going on beyond the meat section shelves where nicely wrapped parts of animal dead bodies were displayed. Then, I was invited to a World Peace Diet book club in 2008 and I experienced the enlightening moment of why I want to be a voice for these innocent God’s creatures after finishing my book. 3. What are your favorite types of animal advocacy activities? Why? (i.e. lobbying, letter-writing, petitions, volunteering, protests, etc.) I totally admire hardcore animal activists who take video footages at factory farms in order to witness the condition of farm animals. I truly appreciate the sacrifice they are making in order to witness those heartbreaking moments. I could never do it, but because of these activists, now we all know what the truth is. My favorite in-person advocacy activity is leafleting. It is amazing to come across many people who are still so ignorant about where their favorite meat dishes came from, how their beloved companion animals were possibly born, or how many little animals are killed for worthless lab testing for medicine or cosmetics. Sometimes I get into an interesting discussion on animal welfare issues with passerbyers and that is the best part of leafleting. Even though I don’t receive positive reactions right on the spot, I believe the literature will circulate and open someone’s eye someday. 4. What animal issues are you most passionate about? It is hard to choose only one because there are so many animal issues equally treated as important. Yet, if I have to choose only one, then it would be farm animal issues because they are the biggest number of abused animals and we overlook the issues on our table every day. 5. What current animal-related issue or campaign has caught your attention, and why? Recently my friend told me about “Swans Voice”, the local activist group to protect mute swans in Michigan which are about to be slaughtered by DNR who argues mute swans are an invasive animals and cause so many environmental problems and so on. It is so ridiculous to listen to the DNR’s position on why they should kill these innocent mute swans. Please check out the “Swans Voice” Facebook page for more information and ways you can take action: http://www.facebook.com/groups/swansvoice/. 6. How do you address animal issues within your career? Running Veg West Michigan and Veg Meetup is a volunteer job. My professional career is not close to animal advocacy at all, however, I always seek the opportunity to address animal issues. Being a good model of a vegan is another form of animal activism because giving up meats ultimately saves thousands and thousands farm animals’ lives. Introducing or preparing a good vegan meal to my peer or colleagues is one of my favorite tactics to hook people into entering the vegan world. 7. What advice do you have for someone looking to become a more active animal advocate? Animal advocacy isn’t necessarily being a PETA protest-kind of activist. Of course they catch your eyes immediately and make a huge impression, yet if you are sort of shy and not fond of radical methods, you are still able to be an active animal advocate. Stay alert to what’s going on in your area by joining a local animal advocacy group’s email list or social media pages. You may not save a Moon Bear in Asia, but you may save wild geese or mute swans who are forcefully transferred to a local facility and eventually killed. If your friend looks for a new pet, then tell them how it is a great idea to adopt him or her from local animal shelter. 8. What book, quote, photo, video, story, etc. have you found most inspiring/has inspired you? I highly recommend the World Peace Diet by Dr. Will Tuttle. His profound thoughts on our meat eating culture and how we became so desensitized to killing animals for food helped me to structure the foundation of my vegan lifestyle. Interested in Veg Eating? Join the Veg West Michigan Facebook Group & Veg Meetup Group! |
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To feature prominent as well as lesser-known animal advocates in order to a provide a resource for those interested in learning about current advocacy activities and how one can get more involved in the animal protection movement. |