If they could hear us, I would say to those we use, confine and exploit: Though you live behind these walls, though there is a sea of humanity passing by you each day who look, but do not see, there are those of us who do see. Please take some comfort in knowing that many of us who do see you are working for your freedom and the freedom of future generations. Know that some of us appreciate you not for what we can get from you, but for what you inherently ARE, a unique and beautiful creature of the earth with moral significance. Many of us understand your rights to freedom from the slavery we've imposed. Hold fast.

This photograph was taken at the Calgary Zoo in 2008. This baby was the third unsuccessful attempt to further their elephant breeding program. "Unsuccessful" because the mother rejected all three babies; all died, including this baby, just a few weeks after the photo was taken. Breeding programs at zoos often fall under the guise of conservation. However, most of these programs only serve to keep more animals in captivity and increase funds to the zoo (everyone loves to see the baby animals!).

From the book "Thought to Exist in the Wild - Awakening from the Nighmare of Zoos", published by No Voice Unheard: What do we learn from zoos? What do we learn looking at the pathetic, dejected, angry, or insane animals? What do we learn beyond the platitudes on the plaques in front of the bars, moats, or electrified fences? We learn that humans are not animals. We learn that they are there for us, for our pleasure, our entertainment, our education: us. We learn that they have no existence independent of us. We learn that our world is limitless and their worlds are limited, constrained, constricted. We learn that we are more clever than they, or they would outwit us and escape. Or maybe that they do not want to escape, that the provision of bad food... and concrete shelter within a cage is more important than freedom (the importance of having humans internalize this lesson for their own lives cannot be overstated). We learn that we are more powerful than they, or we could not confine them. We learn that it is acceptable for the technologically powerful to confine the less technologically powerful (once again, the importance of having especially less technologically powerful humans internalize this message cannot be overstated). We learn that each and every one of us, no matter how powerless we may feel in our own lives, is more powerful than the most mighty elephant or polar bear. Why? Because we can come, and we can go. - Derrick Jensen.

More images of captivity in the Zoo gallery of the We Animals site.

Meet beautiful, fuzzy Orlando, one of a group of calves rescued by Farm Sanctuary this past summer. His friends are Arnold, Conrad, Milbank and Tweed.

Farm Sanctuary's story of the rescue here.

Our friend Sonny, also a "veal" calf, was rescued around the same time as this now famous group of five. I documented Sonny's rescue during filming for The Ghosts In Our Machine. All are growing fast and it's such a joy to see them romp, play and rest. Actually anything they do is a joy to watch, I admit it - even if they're just sitting there chewing their cud.

This group of animals would have long since been sold as "veal". I put veal in quotes because I can't stand the word - it describes a product and not a living being. I wish we'd do away with all of these objectifying words. "Pork". "Beef". "Poultry". "Pelt". They are words that degrade and nullify the individual. They are also words of comfort and concealment; animals farmed for food would be harder to swallow if we had to say over dinner "Dad, please pass me the flesh of the dead cow".

As Farm Sanctuary says, animals are "Someone, not something".

Meet Orlando. He is not "veal". He is a baby calf who was removed from his mother at birth so that humans can a) consume dairy and b) eat the flesh of the young. Orlando and his friends will live out their days as ambassadors for the millions who will only ever be "veal", a product of the dairy industry.

It's January 1st and I have a lot to say but I'm going to (try to) keep it short! The highs and lows of 2011 have left me nothing short of overwhelmed. There have been so many leaps forward in terms of education and awareness about our treatment of animals. Advocacy seems to be growing; it's palpable in Canada and many other countries, both on the ground with grassroots activism and in the fickle higher ranks of the mass media, who publish animal-related stories in a slightly less grudging sort of way. I spent a bit more time at home this year (I'm usually away about 6 months a year) which gave me the opportunity to do more investigations in Canada and be a part of the wonderful activist communities of Toronto and surrounding areas. The political vision and community outreach that defines groups such as Toronto Pig Save, Marine Animal Defense, Fin Free Toronto and Zoocheck Canada has given many of us realistic hope that we can collectively bring about change to improve the lives of non-human animals.

Balancing (ok, admittedly, sometimes toppling) the hope that has grown in my heart about the progress of animal rights is a darker side, so I'm not sad that 2011 is over and done with. I'll admit it. There are facts, faces and shadows haunting me from that year, a unit of time that I will now gently wrap into a bundle and put over there, away. 2011. The facts refer the impossible number of animals I met in factory farms and vivisection labs. This won't change in 2012 but my heart is definitely heavy from all the individuals I met last year who have been needlessly tortured and enslaved. The faces are many, those I met along the way. A lone whale at a marine park, circumnavigating his aquaprison in profound boredom. The slaughtered goats and cows, taking last breaths. The resigned eyes of pigs in gestation crates. Long-tailed macaques in barren cages. The desperate expressions of bears in bear bile farms. These are some of the many individuals I met, with whom I made eye contact, whom I then left behind save for the photos I took of their misery. The shadows, well, to live as a human tuned in to the suffering we impose on our animal friends, the shadows cast by our system are long. They are found everywhere in our mechanized society if you take the time to look. And I do look. When one starts to look, to see, it's hard to stop, and in my case, I've not made the time to find the right tools to help me handle being this kind of witness.

pattrice jones describes it best in her book Aftershock (thank you for lending it to me some years ago, LC). Animal activists see the emergency in the present situation for animals. With our whole beings, we see and understand that the extremely violent treatment of *billions* of animals each and every day is a very real emergency for us, for the animals and for the planet. Yet, we live in a world where no one else is screaming about it. Not only are people not screaming, they are going about their daily lives as though everything is ok. And beyond that, still, most people are perpetuating this largely invisible holocaust without a second thought. The long and short of it is that this makes me, and many activists, feel isolated, confused and depressed.

Hello, 2012! I'm leaping into your promising arms. You are full of opportunity for change and growth. I've resolved to work even harder for animals than I did in 2011 but along with that work will come some serious self-care! Fellow activists, are you with me? Actually I suspect you already know this stuff and I just didn't register that self-care memo until I was diagnosed with PTSD and found myself closer to burning out than I ever thought possible.

There is so much work to be done. If we don't balance it with rest, sanctuary, play, community, compassion for each other and for ourselves, we won't make nearly as much progress for the animals as we'd like.

Along with Aftershock, a few other recommended activist handbooks: The Lifelong Activist, Strategic Action for Animals, Coping with Animal Rights Stress. There are also some great interviews about avoiding activist burnout at Animal Voices.

For the animals,

and the animal defenders,

Jo

In this photograph: one of Elephant Nature Park's rescued family members reaches for my camera. It's a pretty ordinary photo...until you see the butterfly in the top right corner!

This photo gallery bears witness to animals at their moments of death. Whether dying on the continents of Africa, Europe or North America, we see that they are Someone, not Something.

I have stayed with these animals during their deaths. Each one values their lives and wishes to live, just as we humans do.

Please bear witness with me, out of respect for the millions of lives taken each day for human consumption and entertainment.

I had the pleasure of spending this weekend at Farm Sanctuary, documenting their annual celebration FOR the turkeys. US Thanksgiving is just around the corner and the Farm campaigns to end the slaughter of millions of unfortunate birds each year.

The best part of the day is the feeding of the turkeys. Yes, instead of giving thanks by eating dead animals, we FEED these rescued turkeys a thanksgiving meal. It is adorable and, quite frankly, hilarious, seeing these smart, loving and playful birds run for the plates of pumpkin pie and platters of lettuce and cranberries. The event takes place every year so make sure you get out to one of their shelters next November! The rest of the day can be spent wandering the pastures and meeting their rescued cows, pigs, goats, sheep, turkeys, chickens and fowl.

When you're face to face with these animals it makes it a lot harder to go home and eat them. You can no longer dispute the fact that they enjoy their lives and, like us, want to live.

The turkeys in particular display such curiosity and personality. They are endlessly busy and conversational. Really. Their sounds have been studied and they have dozens of unique calls in which to communicate with their flock members. At the Farm they roam around and are quite happy to visit with each passerby.

The Ghosts In Our Machine team has just produced a lovely short documentary about the Farm Santuary turkeys, with Hildy turkey as the star of the show. Through Gene Baur and Susie Coston, you learn about Hildy's life before arriving at the Farm as well as seeing her beautiful life unfolding at Farm Sanctuary. Click here to watch this gorgeous short doc which was filmed just this summer.

The annual turkey event always includes great speakers and this year didn't disappoint. Their Orland, California shelter welcomed vegan chef and writer Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. The New York shelter (my home away from home!) welcomed Seth Tibbott, the Founder of Turtle Island Foods, Inc. If that name isn't totally familiar, one of his inventions will be: TOFURKY! Seth has been a long time supporter of the Farm but it was his first visit to the shelter. This man has the biggest smile and a heart to match! Vegan race car driver Leilani Munter also spoke at the event. This woman is hard core! I don't know how she gets so much done in a day. Check out her environmental campaigns at Carbon Free Girl.

During this season of thanks and festivities, please consider the animals whose lives are so touched by your decisions.

For the animals, always,

Jo-Anne

In this photograph, Bruce Friedrich (Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives at Farm Sanctuary) gives thanks to Hildy the turkey with a very heartfelt hug.