Che Guedooga

It was my mum's birthday and there were about 40 of us having a celebratory meal. The only people not eating meat were me, Dan and Mickey. She's an animal rights activist...and a stripper *shrugs*. To each their own!


Anywho, as the waiters brought out the food, a chorus of coos, gleeful comments and excitement ensued. Mickey, clearly repulsed, chimed in with ''Oh look! Yay! Plates full of dead animals!!''


Everyone was infuriated. Angry that she'd dared to attempt putting everyone off their dinners like that! ''How embarassing!''  ''You just don't say that do you??''  ''Who does she think she is?!'' I joined in, I couldn't understand why she felt the need to say it at all. I was very content to not eat meat myself, but leave people be I thought, let them make their own decisions.


Now I get it. Why should they get to feast on the corpses of the animals she adores without being reminded of where their meat has came from? How dare they be so cowardly as to deny the fact that their meals were once living, breathing, loving creatures? 


It's fine to leave people to their own decisions when they're the only ones who suffer - but how can we be expected to just watch quietly when they're murdering innocent beings? Not only watch quietly, but actually be accepting and make it easier for them to revel in their violence by not saying a word while they celebrate the taste of the kill right in front of me.


I censor myself because I don't want to be one of those vegans. But I get it. I see people getting excited about plates full of my tortured and butchered friends, and it makes me sick to my stomach. I see people care more about the cow skin on their shoes or their sofas than they care about the wonderful being who was murdered for it. The world is insane and it's revolting.


It's difficult to keep quiet, and always be the perfect vegan ambassador. Sometimes it's just right there, being shoved in my face and it's all I can do to keep myself from screaming at them. I have to keep reminding myself that people like Mickey don't help the cause. But I don't blame her. I feel like I'm in Nazi Germany watching Jews being persecuted and I can see what's going on but no one gives a shit, and in fact they attack me if I try to defend the victims. 


It's such a slow progress, and when it's a matter of life and death it's painful to be patient. To keep quiet knowing that every day, millions of animals are being slaughtered, is gut wrenching. 


But there is progress, it's a long term plan, the spread of veganism. I have no doubt that one day meat eaters will be seen as the extremists, and animals will be allowed to freely live their lives. However resistant to change and stupid humans can be...if history can tell us anything it's that they usually see the error of their ways eventually. I hope that I get to see some real, significant change in my life time. Considering just how recently animal rights activism and veganism has come about, and how far it's spread in that time, it's entirely possible.


Especially when we have visionaries and revolutionaries on our side, like Lord Wallace, AKA Che Guedooga.

Favourite Animal Friends and My Hopes for The Future

Considering I was terrified of animals for the majority of my life, it's really astonishing how utterly in love I am with every single creature now. I mean that, every single one. Totally besotted. Even the ones I'm still scared of, like spiders or earwigs, I still love them. It took me many years to realise that they all have their own little personalities, it was when this really sunk in that I begun to appreciate each and every single being and became vegan. I mean, I sort of knew before, but it took lots of meetings with lots of animals before I really got it.

Here are some of the ones who left a lasting impression on me that I'll never forget...

An absolutely breathtaking moment with a family of elephants with their brand new born calf at a sanctuary in Sri Lanka. About a year before I became vegetarian, no doubt in part due to these magnificent animals.

 I really fell for this little guy! The silliest little person I've ever met - his name was Finicky and he was a teeny tiny goat, so full of beans; he kept jumping on my lap and eating my hair. The tragic part, which brings me to tears even now, and what I didn't realise at the time, was that this place that I used to visit to play with the animals, was actually a working farm. I can't believe I was so naive. It literally breaks my heart to think about how this little angel has probably suffered a brutal death by now.

Another of my Sri Lankan friends and certainly my favourite. Little baby Lucky. I would play with him and snuggle him and he'd have a little snooze on me and a cuddle and I'd feed him bananas. By the end of the trip when I'd met him a few times, he didn't want to leave me and clung on to my belt and wouldn't let go. I was distraught! It wasn't until recently I realised that this poor baby had probably been taken from the wild and was being pimped out to tourists for money. Horrendous. I really just had no idea. I worry about how he is doing now and just pray that he's treated kindly.

The moment I met this cuddly little cloud on legs was when I discovered how wonderful sheep are. He was so sweet and I when I looked at his angelic little face I could just see how innocent and pure and good his heart was. Now when anyone dares to say that ''sheep are just stupid'' they feel the full wrath of a devoted sheep lady - and it ain't pretty let me tell you! Sadly, this little darling was from the same farm as Finicky. 

These horrific realisations helped me make the connection between animals and meat, and their incredible and individual personalities strengthened it. It's so important that these connections are made, without them, even the nicest people can wander through life naively playing a massive part in animal exploitation. My goal is to open a rescued farm animal sanctuary, which I'll use to educate people of the horrors that these delightful beings are continuously suffering. I'm putting all of my efforts into making my current business a success which I'm going to use as a not for profit organisation to fund the sanctuary. It might take me a while, but I'll definitely do it. Better get a move on then...more work, less talk! *Heads back to the grindstone*

Feeling The Love

Isn't it just wonderful when you're in a place full of animals or animal lovers and as cheesy as it sounds you can just feel all the love and goodness in the room? Warms my cockles. I get that whenever we go to our local vegetarian restaurant (we only have one). It's mainly vegan but with a few dairy bits, dammit, so close but yet so far! But it just feels so lovely and I physically cannot be sad in a place where I'm surrounded by people who genuinely care.

I've been a bit blue the past few days, hence my lack of posting, work's been really stressful, I run my own business and sometimes things just get on top of me. Thankfully, today I ended up at one of those very places, that is full to the brim with compassion and overflowing with love - which came just in the nick of time to save me from resorting to my back up plan of giving it all up and drowning my sorrows with a life of partying, booze and gambling.

So today, we had a meeting at our accountants home, which just so happened to be a farm! And not one of those evil murderous farms, a wholesome, happy, loving, friendly farm that's sole purpose is to care for rescued beauties. So after a few hours hugging and playing with the sheep, horses, ponies, rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs I can safely say there was enough love and goodness on those fields to restore me to my perkier self. It was such a beautiful place I just couldn't have stayed grumpy if I'd tried. 

Shelleys Youtube Channel

You know when you see someone who can present all of your vegan 'arguments' in a succinct, articulate way, and you're like ''why didn't I think of saying it like that?!''

If you know what I'm talking about you're going to love Shelley's Youtube channel,

Being Vegan is Easy!

When going from veggie to vegan, I was most nervous about discovering animal products needlessly lurking in everything. And while it's true there are lots, there are squillions more vegan friendly stuffs than I ever imagined! Today I got replies back from two companies I've emailed asking whether some of my fave foods were vegan, and turns out they all are!

I had no idea how close to eating a vegan diet I already was, I assumed it would completely change the way I ate, which is probably what took me so long to get there, but it literally took a few tiny adjustments like swapping butter for sunflower spread, swapping milk for soya, swapping Quorn sausages for Linda McCartney ones and hey presto - no more animal cruelty. And I don't feel like I'm missing out at all.

I'd already gotten rid of all my leather things a while back. To me that didn't feel like a 'vegan' thing to do...vegetarians don't eat dead animals, so why would I want to parade around with them on my feet? 

One of my friends is on the verge on becoming vegetarian (more on that another time) so I'm taking her a hamper of vegan friendly goodies so she can see for herself that it certainly doesn't mean deprivation. I really think if I would have known just how many food products were vegan, I would have done this a long time ago!

Running Rascals

I love taking photos of my guys while they run riot round the park. The results never fail to make me smile, especially the goofy ones...

Is it Lord Wallace jumping?

Or is it Superpup?

Cheeky Pup!

Jeremiah Von Blue Sky

A few months ago, while on holiday in Spain, my sister (Nade) and I were sat in a cafe overlooking the beach when we spotted a dog, wandering on his own in the blazing heat. He settled down in some shade in the sand and I could see he was really thin, his ribs were showing.

I had a horrible time earlier this year when my boyfriend and I tried to catch a stray dog but he got away, so I was really nervous of frightening him and then being no help at all, or worse still, driving him into the main road, which was less than 2 feet away. Ugh!

I told Nade to keep an eye on him while I went and bought some food and water. On the way I asked a cafe owner if she knew anything about the dog. She told me that people had tried to catch him before but that whenever anyone gets close, he runs. They didn't seem to care and I couldn't understand much of what they were saying apart from that he sits in that same spot every day.

I went over slowly and made sure he knew I was there so he didn't get scared and run. I put the bowl of water a few feet away from him and left him some food. He gobbled it all up.

I was really panicking and didn't know what to do for the best, so I called my boyfriend at home in England and asked him what he thought. He did a little investigating and found that the local policy for strays was to euthanise them if they weren't claimed in 14 days. I just couldn't bring myself to call them and risk it, I knew that it was dangerous, him being out there on his own, and that his family might be looking for him, but I know how many strays are never claimed, so I just couldn't. What would you have done?

I was so upset and just wanted to do the right thing and make sure I didn't cause him any harm. We couldn't get anywhere near him and didn't want to agitate him, and we knew he liked to flee when people came too close, so we all decided that the best thing to do, would be to leave him to sit safely in his spot, come back soon with more food, and earn his trust by feeding and watering him until we could catch him safely. We decided we'd name him Jeremiah Von Blue Sky, he'd come home with us and we'd love him forever.

So we left, but when we came back, he wasn't there. I was devastated, and kicking myself for letting him out of my sight. We searched up and down the beach. I hoped maybe he slept somewhere else and he'd be back the next day.

I went back to the hotel to have a sulk. No fun to be had on this holiday while Jeremiah's out there on his own, not a chance. Nade dragged me out to a restaurant and tried to force me to have a good time. It wasn't really happening because I couldn't stop thinking about him and felt so guilty wondering had I done the right thing - should I have tried to grab him and risk him running into the road? Should I have called the dog warden?? They might run him into the road themselves anyway, let alone the fact they might kill him in two weeks! Had something happened to him now because of me??

I was grumpily eating my dinner, when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye...

''JEREMIAH!!''

I was elated at an opportunity to help him, petrified of doing something wrong.

Then, I noticed he was attached to a lead and wearing a collar...and from around the corner came, literally, the happiest looking man you have ever seen, roller blading behind him! He was positively beaming, and so was Jeremiah. This could only be the face of a man who had just been reunited with his best friend after who knows how long.

We whooped and cheered and hugged and perhaps I cried, I think I did, I probably did. My dreams of Jeremiah Von Blue Sky and I sharing a life of love and walkies together were over but he was safe, and he had his Dad back; they made such a good team :-)

Be A Shining Example

After the rant post I made the other day about my annoyance at meat eaters, there were some really helpful comments that led me to do lots of thinking. I knew I wanted to do more to help animals, but being frustrated and not thinking productively was getting in the way.  I thought the only way to help, was to tell everyone what I know. My intentions were good, but that's hardly going to work!

After you lovely bloggers telling me that you spread the word by being a shining example and winning others over with good food, it's really changed my attitude.

I need to be a positive example. I don't want to be an angry vegan that everyone ignores! Completely useless.

As a start, I'm volunteering at an animal shelter tomorrow, they said I'll be walking the dogs. Er..Hello! Why haven't I done this already? Walkies = love them! Dogs = love them even more! Walkies with dogs =  heaven!

I need to positively encourage people to consider animals more. If I can do this in a non threatening way, then the door is open for them to see more clearly. Bit by bit they might come to realise.

I remember when I ate meat, and I had begun to think about where it came from, I would ignore my conscience, because it made me feel guilty if I didn't. I didn't want to feel guilty. Guilty does not feel nice. I thought the only option was to bury my head in the sand. Making people feel guilty, makes them hide from the truth.

I think a certain amount of guilt is necessary, because otherwise we'd think it wasn't our responsibility to care, and continue to do nothing. But that feeling has to come from them, not me, and when they do begin to realise things on their own, and want to hide from the truth, if I can be there to show them that there is a friendlier, healthier, tastier option which can alleviate their sad souls, they'll be all the more open I'm sure!

I imagine that it might go a little something like this...

Simple eh??

Lazy Bears

A Happy Little Reminder of Why We Care

Working Backwards

Veganism for me, starts with the notion that animals are sentient beings who suffer. Thus I conclude, that eating meat is wrong because animals have suffered in order for that meat to exist on your plate.


Animal exploitation begins with the desire to eat meat, then works backwards in order to search for reasons why it is OK.


Veganism isn't conjured up from a desire to not eat meat, which then motivates me to find reasons to support this urge. Veganism is a conclusion to draw from the facts.


The two paths don't usually meet because the driving force behind one, is the need to seek out and share the whole truth, whereas because the opposition is born out of the desire to fulfill self indulgent urges, the conclusion (that eating meat is fine) has been drawn before the 'argument' is even heard, and regardless of any evidence I might put forward to the contrary.

Just because. There's never a wrong time to share a photo of my cutie baby.

Park Walkies

We took our little men to the park today. It's one of my favourite things in the entire universe; seeing them run freely with no leads meeting millions of new doggie friends.

The look of love.

Look at my lovely belly.

Agreed. Nice belly.

Oops. Funniest accidental photo of the day!

Tongue pulling contest.

Scruffy sweetheart.

Poser.

Skeptical of the horse beast.

Pit stop.

Fluffy little jumping bean.

Another entry for the tongue contest.

Happy baby.

Worn out baby.

Olivia and Lucy

I was nothing short of a weeping mess when I watched the lovely Olivia Binfield tell the world about her passion for animals with a poem she wrote herself on Britain's got talent. So adorable...Have a look see.

What a little angel! 

Earthlings

I started to watch Earthlings for the first time last night. I couldn't bring myself to watch more than 10 minutes. I don't think I've ever felt more sad in my entire life.

I felt so strongly that I needed to do something, needed to share it, needed people to see it so they can understand. I know from past experience that being 'preachy' is met with such resistance that I feel it certainly hinders the cause, since people dig their heels in and refuse to listen.

I asked one of my best friends (who eats meat) to watch it, not even now, just consider watching it soon, even just a little part. She told me she'd tried once but couldn't. This means she knows, she gets it, but still chooses to ignore it. I despair.

Sometimes it all just feels very hopeless.

It makes me feel separate from the people who have always been my favourite ones. There's definitely a divide between us now. The most unfortunate part is, I'm betting they'll use this 'divide' as further reassurance that becoming vegan is nonsensical. I can't stay quiet and be part of the ignorant herd, but I feel like speaking up is useless. I can't win.

I'm sorry for the melancholy post, but my frail little heart is heavy and I needed to offload!

On a cheerier note - at least I have my lovely family to keep me sane :-)

Me, Cecil and Lord Wallace, lounging in the garden :-)

Beagle Breeding and Thieving Poochies

I've been such an ignoramus. Until last week, I literally had no idea that dogs were bred in the UK for testing. Have I been living under a rock?! I was sick to my stomach and a sobbing wreck when I read about it all on the BUAV website.

Now, I value no life above another, so it might seem surprising that I'm more shocked at this than I am at say, the fact that people breed mice for tests. The reason this makes me more sad and despairing at the world, is because if England, supposedly a nation of dog lovers, can allow this to happen, then what chance do the rest of the animals have? We're even further behind in this war on animal cruelty than I ever thought.

I'm going to this anti-vivisection march at the end of the month in London. Can't wait.

In other news, my naughtiest pair of fuzzy ones, AKA Lord Wallace and his devilish accomplice, Cecil, were up to their usual cheekiness last night.
I was starving in the evening and the only vegan food we had in was a fruit salad (mango, pineapple, melon and kiwi fruit - yum!) I left it on the dining table for 1 minute, literally 1 minute. Popped upstairs, came back down to see the guiltiest looking Lord Wall I've ever seen trying his best to act nonchalant, and as if he'd played no part in the robbery, while Cecil didn't bat an eyelid and continued feasting on my last piece of pineapple right in front of me! They'd scoffed the lot the little swines!!

I went to bed hungry thinking that perhaps I need to regain some control of my pesky pals and rule the roost once more.

''No chance lady. I'm the boss around these parts''

Cecil Goes Swimming

My smallest furry friend, Cecil, has some problems with his teeny little knees and hips. His poor little bones don't fit together properly. In large part, due to over breeding, yet another reason to boycott dog breeders - as if we needed another one.

Anyway, its not a bother for him now that he's just a spring chicken (apart from that when he runs he is the subject of much mockery because of how his little twiglet legs shuffle along in the silliest, cutest way you've ever seen) but as he gets older it could cause him lots of painful trouble.

So when the vet offered a surgery free option to building his muscle strength (which would in turn reduce stress on his joints) I was delighted. Even more so when she told me it included going to our local canine swimming centre. Wait - what? A swimming club for dogs?? You're giving me a license to soggy my doggy and have him engage in people games and all in the name of his good health?! As a person who can frequently be seen confiscating my pups' doggy dignities by doing shameful things like putting bows in their hair this was right up my street!

Plus, we got to see him wearing a teeny tiny little life vest! Adorable...

The triple whammy of joy was completed when he dried off to reveal the fluffiest dog I've ever seen.

Mostly I was happy that he wasn't too nervous of his adventure...he's not the most confident little guy so I was overjoyed when he put on his brave pants and shot straight to the top of the swimming class. Proud :-) 

Evolution of a Veggie

I always had a nagging feeling whenever I ate meat, I forced myself to ignore what I was aware of; that the 'tasty' chicken drumstick was not a handy little snack with it's own little holding stick, but that it was a chicken's leg, an actual chicken's leg.

I didn't feel empathy for animals then, I was too busy being petrified of them. I think the fear was passed down from my mother who is deathly afraid of dogs. Even mine. Yes she's scared of this little poppet:

What a lunatic! But don't worry I'm totally helping her get over it by putting Cecil on her lap at every opportunity and saying ''oohhhh look Cecil - Nanny loooves you! Yes she does! She loves his fuzzy wuzzy bum and his button nose! Don't you?! You love him don't you!'' ''Nicola! Get him off me!!'' ''Tell him you love him!''  ''I love you Cecil'' ''Yayyy she's cured!''

But even with my lack of empathy, the nagging feeling was still saying to me ''do you really wanna eat that corpse?? Gross!'' I ignored it, and shoved the thought deeper into the back of mind. Shoved the meat into the back of my greedy gob.

Six years ago, I met the love of my life. Turns out he'd had these pesky little veggie voices in his head too. We promised that when we ate together, we wouldn't mention it to one another and ruin our meaty meals (I know, I'm ashamed of myself). But because we'd said it out loud, it became too real to ignore. There were several times when we were enjoying our favourite dinner of chicken curry at our favourite Indian restaurant when we exchanged knowing glances and wondered, why are we doing this??

By then we'd begun to love animals too, I wasn't the crazy dog lady that I am now, but I was well on my way. We'd start watching David Attenborough documentaries and realised how magnificent animals were. We had our Lord Wallace and we'd loved and lost our two delightful little hammie girls, Pokey and Pamplemousse.

This is Pokey. Or Pamplemousse. They were completely identical. We could tell them apart when they were scamping around though as Pamp was a bully and Pokey was her victim.

So we talked about why the thought of meat made us sick, and why we were burying these thoughts in our brains if we knew it was wrong and we didn't want to eat it. So we became vegetarians that night. I ordered takeaway. I began eating it and realised that I hadn't considered if it had meat stock in. I couldn't eat it anyway. I remember being secretly furious that I'd allowed myself to fully accept that meat was horrid. I was hungry and hunger leads to crazy thoughts.

That part when you become vegetarian, where you really allow yourself to fully understand and accept what meat is, fascinates me. In the past whenever I had seen any animal rights campaigns, I would switch off, I didn't want to know, because knowing meant admitting I had been wrong all my life and contributing to horrific cruelty for 23 years. That disconnect, when people 'know' but they don't really know...if only we knew how to break through that barrier.

That evolution of meat eater to vegetarian, it feels like it's happening again. I have been recognising many of the same feelings and thoughts creeping in...

Vegan voice:  ''Do you really wanna drink that milk?? Do you know how much suffering has gone into making that little glass? *nag nag nag*''

One of my other voices: ''No! I don't actually, I actively seek out articles and campaigns about animal rights while managing to avoid ones that talk about the dairy industry and I want to keep it that way thankyouverymmuch''

Veggie voice: ''Come on Vegan voice, give her a break, she's a vegetarian, that's way better than most people''

Vegan Voice: ''Ok, well,if you're sure you can live with yourself''

Other Voice: ''FINE!! I'll read your crappy articles on dairy and eggs, happy now?!''

*reads articles* *goes to buy some soya milk*

So here I am, drinking my soya milk banana shake, becoming vegan, and feeling pretty darn pleased with myself. And completely free.

I'd really like to hear about your experiences becoming veggie or vegan...please do share your thoughts and blogs with me, I love reading accounts from like minded folk :-)

My Pedigree Shame

You'll notice that I'm the proud pooch mummy to a matching pair of squish faces. You'd be right if you guessed that I bought them from breeders. At the time we got Lord Wallace (the bigger chap) I was a meat eater (blergh!) and he was to be my first canine companion. I hadn't given any consideration to adopting a rescue dog that really needed us, or to the fact that by contributing to the world of breeding I was practically ensuring that some pooch, somewhere, was going to be euthanized because he had no chance of a loving home.

I really am mortified at myself for being so ignorant. The part I most kick myself for, is buying Cecil, the most miniature of my squish faces, from a breeder about 9 months ago. When I was vegetarian and I did 'care' about animal welfare.

I had literally never came across anything that had pointed out the perils of choosing a bred buddy over a shelter one. Obviously that's my own fault, it's my job to make myself aware. But my point is that it's no wonder shelters are full to bursting and the amount of wonderful creatures being euthanized is increasing each year, if even people like me, who are besotted with animals, are ignorant to these facts.

Luckily though, I just so happened to purchase the most wonderful doggies on the planet (what? Biased? Never!) who, I can safely say inspired me to become vegetarian and now to become vegan. Without this pair of monkeys I wouldn't have been convinced that non humans are magnificent, intelligent, loving, awe inspiring scamps who need to be given a voice.

I also take some solace in the fact that Cecil was intended to be a show dog or a stud. At least by him living with me I've put an end to that nonsense. I can't say the same for Lord Wallace, he was from the reject bin of show doggies - too chubby and ' imperfect' to be entered, too mischievous to be trusted with performing. They were wrong by the way. He's the biggest show off, a  natural performer and he's cute as a button. Perfect.

My Furry Friends

I have a few close friends who can be held at least partly responsible for me becoming a vegetarian. Here they are, in no particular order...I have my favourites but that'll stay between me and them. Who am I kidding - there's no denying my complete and utter devotion to my number one guy; Lord Wallace.

Here he is enjoying a carrot. Well, not so much enjoying the carrot, as revelling in shredding it up without eating it after stealing it from his arch rival...

Who is also known as Miss Delores Lemondrop. We adopted her when my boyfriend's brother could no longer look after her. She's a doll...

Her boyfriend Frank thinks so too. She's totally out of his league and he knows it. We adopted him from a rabbit shelter. A wonderful place ran solely by an amazing woman who has devoted her house to rescuing abused and abandonned bunnies. Poor Frank had a tough time before he came to us. Now he is the Hugh Heffner of rabbles and is rather pleased with his hot little Playboy bunny missus.

And last but certainly not least, my baby Cecil. He's tiny, and afraid of everything, apart from snuggles, and relishes in every opportunity to engage in one.