Ellen Bring
March 2000
Did you receive "THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT CATALOG IN THE WORLD" during the
holidays? That's the proclamation of the Heifer Project International, a "farm"
animal exploiter, whose public relations propaganda is akin to Hunters for the
Hungry. After all, how can one argue against wanting to help people who don't
have enough to eat?
According to its information, Heifer Project International (HPI) has provided
"livestock" and training to more than four million families around the world for
over fifty years. It has more than 300 projects in more than forty countries.
Apparently, HPI became a favored cause this winter. It was endorsed by a
columnist for The Independent who listed HPI amongst a few alternatives to
traditional gift-giving. It was adopted by at least one church for a year long
commitment of charitable fund-raising. Its catalog lists endorsements from Pres.
Bill Clinton, former president, Jimmy Carter, The Boston Globe, The Christian
Science Monitor, The Rocky Mountain News.
(Ed. Note: Since the publication of this article, we have been informed
by Ellen Bring that both The Boston Globe and The Rocky Mountain News were
questioned about their endorsements of HPI. Both newspapers deny that they
have ever endorsed HPI. According to what's been passed on to Ellen by this
woman's e-mail correspondence with the newspapers, HPI may have used
isolated statements from articles the newspapers did on HPI (years ago),
quoted and showcased them in its catalog to make it look like the newspapers
are supporters of their work. Apparently, HPI did not have the papers'
permission to use the info in this way.)
HPI has offices or addresses in Arkansas and Washington, D.C. "Rooted in the
Christian tradition, HPI joins with people of all faiths to work for the
dignity and well-being of all people."
The cover has a picture of a sheep with a woven halter encircling her/his
face. The halter is tied through hair between her/his eyes so it doesn't
slip off. There is a prominent Heifer Project International tag hanging from
the sheep's neck and I can't tell how it is attached. The sheep looks
bewildered or sad to me.
The catalog shows numerous smiling adults and children hugging or cuddling
goats, rabbits, pigs, sheep, llama, chickens, cows, water buffalo. HPI also
uses ducks, guinea pigs, camels, donkeys, oxen, geese and bees.
Not surprising, there are no pictures showing the animals being killed for
consumption. The catalog does mention protein, meat, selling offspring, but
pictures of slaughter would make this catalog messy and off-putting to the
folks they want to sucker in with cutesy writing such as: Your granddaughter
is celebrating her very first Christmas. What better way to share the joy
you see in the eyes of such a happy, healthy little girl than to give a trio
of bunny rabbits to a struggling family in her name. (p.12)
A trio of HPI rabbits is a low-cost, high-yield gift that helps impoverished
families increase their protein intake and income. (p.12)
How happy and joyous will this child be when she's old enough to know that
violence was done in her name? How happy and joyous would a child be
witnessing the killing of rabbits?
According to the catalog, in 1983, HPI gave 105 rabbits to four families in
a province in China. Now there are hundreds of thousands of rabbits
"providing meat and income for villagers." (Boston Globe) One recipient has
set up a training school for rabbit farmers. The rabbits no doubt live in
factory farm conditions.
Here's another ditty: The holidays are right around the corner and it's time
for more piglet gifts for your mother. Something about their cute, squishy
faces and their curlicue tails brings a smile to Mom's face. Over the years,
her holiday gifts have ranged from pig T-shirts to pig doorstops to pig
weathervanes...This year, how about the gift of a real live pig to put a
smile on Mom's face and brighten the future for a struggling community? If
HPI animals are 'living savings accounts' for poor families, the pig is the
most interest- bearing. When you donate a pig, you give a struggling family
a valuable source of protein, income from the sale of offspring, and natural
fertilizer to nourish crops and soil. .....An average sow can provide a
family with up to 16 piglets a year. (p.9)
There's a nephew story concerning a suggested "gift" of goats (p.6); an
uncle story concerning a suggested "gift" of llamas (p.18); and a teacher
story concerning a suggested "gift" of chickens (p.14).
You also get a chance to be an "Ark" angel. The Gift Ark is $5,000 (for a
company, civic group, congregation). "You'll be sending farm animals on a
voyage wherever they are needed most." I wonder how many die en route? How
many die within the first year? Within five years?
Although the catalog states that families undergo training by HPI in the
care of the species they will receive, there is no description of training
content, duration or follow-up. HPI sends animals all over the world, but
apparently doesn't establish regional veterinary practices. It doesn't
appear that HPI provides funds to send people to school to become
veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
How does HPI train families to deal with illness, injury, unrelieved pain?
What happens to water buffalo, donkeys and camels who can no longer plow or
transport due to illness or injury or age? Are they cared for, or are they
killed and eaten? How does HPI define and implement euthanasia for so many
species? What medical supplies and medicines does HPI supply? What does HPI
do about medicines that require refrigeration? How are medical instruments
kept sterile or sterilized after use? What about anesthesia and analgesic
training and supplies?
A supposed true story is "A Hero's Story." A young grandson in the Dominican
Republic is heralded for saving the life of his nanny goat who had a
difficult third birth. "Jose's HPI training had taught him how a kid should
be positioned in the womb. Using plastic bags as gloves, Jose carefully put
his hands inside the nanny's womb and discovered one of the kid's legs was
in the wrong position. A few minutes after Jose moved the leg, the goat gave
birth to healthy twins." (p.7)
How old is this young grandson? If this story is to be believed, why didn't
HPI supply sterile gloves to Jose and his grandmother? Hard to believe the
goat just stood there while Jose stuck his hands and arms into her uterus
and shifted the baby. How was the goat restrained? What would Jose have done
next if the goat's difficulties continued? "If she died, his family would be
set back dramatically." (p.7) Had Jose and his grandmother been trained in
analgesics, anesthesia, surgery and euthanasia?
According to the catalog, HPI provides "free Sunday school lessons and
faith-based materials similar to 'A Hero's Story' that teach children ages
5-12 about the problems of hunger and poverty." (p.7)
No doubt, those materials fail to mention that HPI teaches exploitation and
a lack of compassion for other living beings. HPI fails to mention that it
teaches killing. HPI doesn't tell young people that it is invested in
spreading animal agriculture, rather than plant-based sustainable
agriculture. There is no education about the politics of hunger and food
distribution, and the dire health and environmental costs of animal
agribusiness.
The catalog states that a family is supposed to prepare so-called "adequate
facilities" for the animals living quarters, but the text emphasizes how
little the animals need: "Goats can thrive in extreme climates and on poor,
dry land by eating grass and leaves." (p.6) "To help hungry, undernourished
families put protein back in their diets at little cost, HPI teaches farmers
how to raise healthy pigs in countries where waste products are the only
available feed. In Honduras, pigs eat rejected bananas, and in the Dominican
Republic, they thrive on damaged yams." (p.8) "Pigs need little land and can
eat crop and garden scraps." (p.9) "Sheep often give birth to twins or
triplets and can graze even the hilliest, rockiest pastures unsuitable for
other livestock. Some HPI families use managed grazing techniques or keep
their sheep in zero-grazing pens, to protect the environment and permit
efficient collection of manure for fertilizer that improves soil and pasture
land." (p.10) "Because chickens require little space and can live on readily
available food scraps, families can make money from the birds without
spending much." (p.14) "When resources are scarce, it is important that
livestock don't use up land reserved for people." (p.18) "Llamas are
remarkably disease-resistant and require little care; they can live five
days without food or water and can carry as much as 75 pounds for 20 miles
over rugged slopes at high altitudes." (p.18)
In case you read too quickly, HPI states that land is RESERVED for people.
What arrogance! Says who?
In small print on the order form, HPI informs donors that a "purchase" from
the catalog represents a contribution to the entire mission of HPI. I guess
that means donations just go in a general fund and HPI decides how the money
is spent.
HPI is insidious and dangerous because it promotes violence and labels it
"doing good." The animals are invisible except as tools for labor,
reproduction and transportation; for cash crops-- selling offspring and
wool; for items of consumption-- flesh, milk, eggs, honey.
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