Campaign against force-feeding of geese
Anonymous' leading campaign since 1999 yielded outstanding achievements in 2005 thanks to a combination of demos, investigations, lobbying in the parliament, press coverage and legal actions.
A Supreme Court decision that force feeding is illegal went into effect in the beginning of April, but the practice continued in violation of the law.
Anonymous documented the violations and filed complaints with the police. We also filed for an injunction (in collaboration with Let Animals Live) against force-feeding farms and lodged a petition against the ministry of Agriculture for not fulfilling its duty to enforce the law. In September, a bill designed to circumvent the Supreme Court's decision and make the tormenting practice legal, was proposed by Israel Katz, the Minister of Agriculture.
Anonymous launched an information and protest campaign. The Minister's proposal was rejected by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, and once more in the deliberations of an appeal by the Minister of Agriculture to the government in the beginning of October. During these deliberations the government even decided to appoint a committee whose task would be to arrange the termination of this industry. In November, a five months gradual termination plan was issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Anonymous continues to fight for an immediate closure of all force-feeding farms.
Campaign against the Veal industry
The Veal campaign began in 2001 and reached its successful end towards the end of 2005. Regulations prohibiting some of the worse abuses to which veal calves had been subjected were adopted on November 15 by the parliament's Education Committee. These regulations prohibit the practices of solitary confinement and denial of drinking water. In addition, they require and specify a minimal level of hemoglobin in the blood and a minimal intake of fiber in the calves' nutrition. They also include requirement with regard to ventilation and footing material. The new regulations are similar to the EU directive laying down the minimum standards for the protection of calves, and in several respects (such as minimal cell dimensions) they are even superior to it. In June, a draft of the regulations was submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture to the Education Committee. It was based on the recommendations of a professional committee appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture following an investigation and filing of complaints by
Anonymous. The members of the Education Committee and representatives of
Anonymous and Noah participating in the deliberations demanded that the ten years transition period be shortened as a condition for the approval of the regulations. The Ministry of Agriculture promised to come up with a revised version within a one month period, but again resorted to foot-dragging. In October 2005 an online petition was launched by
Anonymous in protest of the foot-dragging, which was signed by about 8000 individuals. In the end of the month demonstrations in six major cities across the country took place. Finally, on November 15, the revised regulations, shortening the transition period to 3.5 years, and including several additional improvements, were finally submitted. The requirement to provide the calves with drinking water without limitaion had already come into force in August 2005, but an investigation carried out by
Anonymous found out that it was not being followed and enforced. A complaint was filed and
Anonymous, which continues its struggle for the full enforcement of the regulations.
Campaign against animal circus acts
Anonymous' campaign against Animal Circus Acts began in 1994. In 1995 a prohibition on using wild animals in circuses was obtained. Later it was cancelled, and then put into force once more. Since then,
Anonymous has continued to fight against domesticated animal abuse in circuses, both by influencing public opinion and by appeals to decision makers. In February, an instruction by the mayor of Tel Aviv, Ron Hulda'i, disallowed signing any contracts with circuses that use animals of any sort. This achievement was a result of a joint effort of
Anonymous and the Green Party in the city council. In July, Yael German, the mayor of the city of Herzliya, announced that she too would allow only circuses that make no use of animals to operate in Herzliya. During the period in which the Medrano circus was performing in Israel, demonstrations against it were organized by
Anonymous in the cities of Haifa, Tel Aviv, Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and Petah-Tikva. The harsh conditions in which the animals were kept were documented by
Anonymous activists and were exposed in the media.
Education project
During the school year,
Anonymous has held lectures in three schools weekly, on average. Since in each school these lectures were given to several classes at the same time, approximately one thousand schoolchildren attended a lecture on animal rights every week. The scope of the lectures has widened thanks to recommendation letters by the city of Tel Aviv and by the city of Petah-Tikva. Currently, the team of lecturers consists of eight individuals who reach every part of the country.
Anonymous' lecture plan is designed for junior-high and high-school pupils, and is adapted to the specific requirements of a school environment. The lecture includes an introductory discussion of animal rights; a discussion of injuring animals not only as a sadistic and marginal behavior, but as part of an institutionalized phenomenon; and suggesting practical ways of actions both groups and individuals can take to prevent such abuses. The lecture is accompanied by a computer presentation and spans two lessons (90 minutes). An abbreviated 45-minute version is also available. Schools regularly provide excellent feed-backs and demonstrate openness to additional activities by the organization.
Activism Seminar
A three days activism seminar was held in August by
Anonymous. It included lectures and workshops on subjects such animal abuse on farms; campaigns and achievements of the global movement for animal rights; how to cope with the difficulties of living with a non-vegetarian family; the philosophy of animal rights; a lecture on vegan nutrition by a clinical dietitian, and more. In addition, guided field activity was carried out. The Seminar strengthened
Anonymous' activists base throughout the country.
Print publications
During 2005
Anonymous produced and distributed various publications which included:
- An improved version of the Behind the Bars booklet for the youth
- An improved version of the nutrition guide
- A theater play: The Great Agricultural Invasion
- CD containing videos on animal abuse on farms
- A leaflet for teachers on school lectures
- Winter 2005 and Summer 2005 newsletter
- A report on animal abuse in the meat and milk industries
- Information leaflet on the veal industry
- Banners and stickers against force-feeding
Electronic publications
In 2005,
Anonymous produced and distributed also electronic publications. The weekly Internet magazine Animal Rights This Week, now in its fifth year, had more than 15,000 subscribers by the end of 2005. The leading inquiries carried out for the magazine included series of stories on legislation concerning animals in the US; the struggle against the wool industry and the live shipments from Australia; slaughterhouses in the US; book and film reviews; and reports on central struggles for animals in Israel. The
Anonymous website grew primarily by incorporating material initially published in the magazine, and witnessed a substantial increase in the number of visits – up to 3000 a day. The website includes a general section, a vegetarianism section and a section in English. A thorough survey was carried out during July-September in the vegetarianism section. 1500 vegetarians participated, and its results are to be published in the near future.
