“I am having trouble seeing the world in the same way as I used to. I’ve taken a peek behind the façade into a chamber of horrors. No, a million chambers of horrors. I’ve given up my old life, my family, my friends. When I’m doing something to stop the pain, just a little of it, for a few animals – for one animal – it’s like getting a shot of anesthesia. But, when I’m not helping, when I’m not getting my drug, I feel lower than low.”

With this short extract from Ingrid Newkirk's book Free the Animals, we want to thank to all the individuals and organizations from all over the world for everything they do as a part of animal liberation movement.

Examples like one quoted in the introduction are very motivating and can make someone to take initial step in creating awareness on animal rights issues in the places where it’s still unknown. It can help us realize true values and trigger off the movement and make us give/sacrifice our time, our money, our friends, sometimes even our families for the ones who rightfully expect our help. On the altruistic way our organization is on, we are led by our, when it comes to fight for animals, more experienced friends and we continue to cooperate with them in this issue of AnimaList. Therefore, thank you, PETA, thank you, Ingrid. And thank you all who, somewhere in the world at this very moment, are liberating animals…

Topics in this issue:
- Vegetarian Starter Kit now available in Croatian!
- Easter – holiday without cruelty towards animals!
- Earth Day
- Persistently against circus
- Cruelty-free Fair
- Gods of Olympus take more sacrifices
- Miscellaneous

Vegetarian Starter Kit now available in Croatian!

We are extremely happy because of the fact that since April there is Vegetarian Starter Kit in our language too. Vegetarian Starter Kit www.vegekit.com, published on the web in English and Spanish, now can be read in Croatian language too! Promotion of PETA's e-magazine, took place on April 7, World Health Day, in Zagreb. Later that day, in Sisak, VegeKit was presented with projector. This new web page is highly visited and besides useful information about ethical and ecological advantages of vegetarian diet, offers interesting texts about advantages of meatless diet for our health, and useful recipes.

There was also tasting of delicious Slavonian sausages and other specialties based on soy and seitan, as well as variety of “milk”, so the samples of delicious vegetarian cuisine were available on the spot. We believe that Croatian web space now provides one more very educative web page, what proves that vegetarianism is not only a diet but a movement that spreads all over the world. When one excludes animals from his diet, one doesn’t change just his own life, but positively affects on his family and the entire society.

Easter – holiday without cruelty towards animals!

Our branch office in Split used this slogan when they organized action against selling and buying of live animals for Easter. Our activists asked their fellow townsmen to celebrate the holiday without cruelty towards animals and to switch to vegetarian diet. This action was covered in media, and the passers-by were very supportive. Even more, on the day of the protest the salesmen with live animals left the market.

Earth Day

This year again, Animal Friends Croatia marked Earth Day throughout the country. On central city square in Zagreb twenty organizations and firms participated in Eco-market (April 22-24) organized by Green Action. There were informative stands and educative materials were handed out. On the Earth Day we pointed out ecological reasons for vegetarianism and handed out pro vegetarian leaflets. Later that day, lecture was held on the topic of damaging impact of meat industry on our environment. The lecture was followed by an interesting discussion that lasted a few hours and resulted with new individuals ready for making changes in their diet.

The next day we focused on fur industry, and on the third day, which was the Laboratory Animals Day, we made posters on vivisection, and distributed leaflets with latest black and white list of firms, and products, that can be bought on Croatian market of cosmetics and cleansers.

Persistently against circus

It seems that we have a little war going on around here between Animal Friends Croatia and circuses that from time to time, in spite of disapproval of many citizens, still visit Croatian cities. This time the battlefield was Varazdin, and the circus workers who invaded did not only perform acts with animals, but also showed off animals around city streets.

Cruelty-free Fair

On May 14 and 15 in Zagreb, cruelty-free fair took place. Eleven national and foreign producers of cosmetics participated in the fair. On the invitation of Animal Friends Croatia organization, on the occasion of the World Conscientious Objector's Day (May 15), firms Avon, DM, Freeman, Ginger, Lush, Milla, Neva, Oriflame, Sapio, Saponia, and Wella presented the variety of their products. Their colorful flags, balloons and posters attracted the attention of passers-by and visitors of two-day Ethical cosmetics fair.

On the stand of our organization a petition for the right for conscientious objection against dissection of animals in schools and on universities was being signed. The petition can also be signed on our web site, as well as on our informative stands we hold every weekend. After the Fair, there were projection of a movie, lecture, and useful discussion on the topic of vivisection.

Great number of visitors and great interest on this event proved that Croatian public is aware of the fact that high quality cosmetic products and cleansers don’t have to be tested on the animals. We are pleased that ethical producers are rightfully proud on the fact they don’t test on the animals, and we hope they will point it out even more.

Gods of Olympus take more sacrifices

We already wrote about the toll the Olympics take on the streets of Athens. Just to remind you, it’s about wiping out 30.000 dogs and cats which are “removed” from the street by cruelest methods. It all happens for the simple reason of beautifying the streets of Athens for the following Olympic Games.

We ask you one more time to join worldwide boycott of Greek tourism, industry and the Olympics 2004, and to support the salvation of animals in Greece:
http://www.canadianvoiceforanimals.org/WAG_NewYork_Index.html.

Miscellaneous

:) Let’s start with good news. We were presented in Croatian media on several occasions, regarding the slaughter of harp seal pups in Canada, vivisection, exploit of exotic animals as pets, vegetarianism and the change of current Animal Welfare Act. We want to thank all who gave as opportunity to speak out for the animals.

:) Besides the ones we mentioned in previous paragraph, we held actions, lectures and informative stands all over Croatia, thanks to hard work of our members in branch offices.

:( United States Representative Dennis Rehberg has introduced Detrimental Downer Legislation (HR 4121) that would change the definition of a downed animal, so that animals who cannot walk or stand because of "fatigue, stress, obdurator nerve paralysis, obesity, or one of more fractured appendages, severed tendons or ligaments, or dislocated joints" would not be considered downers. This legislation would be a step backwards in the effort to prevent downed animal cruelty. Currently the bill is facing strong public criticism and hopefully this sentiment will override the power of agribusiness, writes Susy Cava.

:) Three activists of Swiss Vegetarian Society visited our organization on April 30, and the experiences we exchanged in the few hours we spent together will probably keep us all enthusiastic for awhile. We would like to use this opportunity to say a special hello and thank you to Mrs. Spieldiener, Sylvia, and Peter.

:) A copy of great Juliet Gellatley’s book The Livewire Guide to Going, Being, and Going Veggie! is finally available in every library in Zagreb. By giving away books, we wanted to make them available to the public, and we hope a copy of a book will soon appear in libraries of other cities where needed.

:) Cetacea Defence, the Marine Connection and the Captive Animals' Protection Society invite you to participate in a poster competition. To commemorate and mourn the death of all the captive dolphins born out of the popular 1960s 'Flipper' TV series which "celebrates" its 40th anniversary this year, you are invited to submit artwork which encapsulates the exploitation and misery endured by captive dolphins. Entries must be submitted by June 27th 2004. Please e-mail info@captiveanimals.org for details.

We want to share one letter with you. We received it via e-mail, and it shows how individuals who became aware can change the world:

Dear Animal Friends,
People who left trace on me or made me change my points of view are really rare. And you are one of them. When I first visited your web page, year and a half ago, everything changed. I went vegetarian. And I’m proud of it. You opened my eyes and made me think. I want to thank you for that. Despite the fact I still don’t get a lot of understanding, I’m proud of myself because I know that what I do is right and positive, and it feels great. Thank you once again, I’m glad that I’m aware I can make changes, despite my age of 15. Carmen

As in every issue of AnimaList, we ask you to join our fight for liberation of animals, and we do appreciate your donations and use them to raise voice for those who can’t fight for themselves.

AnimaListic greetings