Animal Rights/Vegan Activists' Strategies Articles

Be Careful What You Wish For...

FROM Michael Budkie, SAEN Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
April 2022

I have been a full-time animal activist since 1986. While I have had victorious days — instrumental in lab closures, ending individual experiments, levying fines, etc. Victories are only achieved by personally absorbing a plethora of animal abuse — more than anyone should ever have to consume, even if only by reading about it. Yesterday was no different as I studied a horrific, damning report about a dog breeder who sells beagles to labs. This report was 21 pages of unforgettable abuse.

Caged Beagles...

Many think they want to be full-time animal activists — as their work would align more with their beliefs.

I have been a full-time animal activist since 1986. While I have had victorious days — instrumental in lab closures, ending individual experiments, levying fines, etc. Victories are only achieved by personally absorbing a plethora of animal abuse — more than anyone should ever have to consume, even if only by reading about it.

Yesterday was no different as I studied a horrific, damning report about a dog breeder who sells beagles to labs. This report was 21 pages of unforgettable abuse. Puppies dying of exposure to cold while indoors — euthanasia by cardiac stick on fully conscious dogs — food hoppers containing damp, moldy food full of maggots — inches high piles of moldy feces accumulating under enclosures.

I am working to close this hellhole facility. No one who treats animals this way should be allowed to have animals in their possession ever again.

But, this is the rub — this is only one report for only one facility. Attacking vivisection on large scale involves hundreds of these reports — full of pain, agony, and abuse. To fight effectively, one has to be immersed in the details — to speak the truth.

Let me warn you. Activism isn't glamorous, it is a sacrifice. Once exposed to these horrible truths, they are forever etched into one’s mind — painting haunting putrid pictures. Something never forgotten, no matter how hard one tries.

All exploitations contain nightmarish truths. Ending any exploitation requires one to internalize horrific details, and every time one does, the price is a part of one’s soul and innocence never to be recovered!

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