Pig Statistics and Songs

 

Our pig songs: Urgent Rougherendum Gene Drive Brother

                        Urgent Rougherendum GMO Animals

                        Urgent Rougherendum By Product

Support those that nurture not those that murder

 Let's have a little less compensating the barbaric mink skinners and send that money to save the zoo. Jeez, can this government please sort out its priorities.

Innovation For Rescuing Ill-fated Horses

Solution letter I sent to Kilkenny council's Environment Deprtment today. Better again, we have found a home for the lot and I wrote to tell them that too. I hope to God they let them be re-homed now and avoid slaughter.

There have been several senior and central people trying to contact your department about the horses you are seizing and are concerned for their welfare and future. 

I have come up with a solution for your consideration. My idea is to try a pilot project that gets the animals out of the middle of the situation between the travellers and the ACS - animal and carcass collection service. The ACS are presently the only heavy enough, violent enough and anonymous enough group to seize traveller horses as everyone else is too afraid. Instead, we can treat the travellers with respect and propose that the horses are going to be seized anyway, as they are neglected in terms of acceptable standards of care but they will be paid a nominal figure for them. 

At the moment the ACS are being paid the 950 per horse and that is incentivising the seizure of horses and their disposal as the policy is not to impound them but get rid of them. The travellers know this and it has led to extreme violence and it is not unjustified when they know the horses are just going to be shot. The travellers don't need to be told the exact amount the council pays per horse. 

A new approach would be where the owner gets €200 for their horse (God knows, every other animal abusing operation gets compensated when they have to shut down through non compliance) and the rest goes to the people who are rehoming, be they charity or individual, to help with their feed and care. 

This payment would be made only on condition that the travellers agree (and sign an agreement) that they are passing ownership and will not seek out any contact or intimidation or snatching of horses. If there is even a fear of this down the line, all the horses will be seized again and put down at once and criminal proceedings be brought against the original traveller community - the owners will be held responsible and this will motivate them to manage each other's behaviour. 

It is a revolutionary pilot scheme (although I say so myself) that takes the ACS out of the seat of power and the incentive to kill stray and traveller horses and includes the travellers in making a positive change, where their horse trade is recognised. If it works, the change can be attached to a training, feeding and care education which travellers will have to, in future, have participated in, to keep animals. It is like how we have to have a new license to tow horses safely in a trailer, even to a riding club event.  We can stipulate that it is a new policy to protect both the community, their business, the animals and improve road safety as so many are getting hit out on the ring road.  

This first 40 horses will count as a sort of amnesty and there's no commitment on the part of the council to pay for other or future neglected animals of course. What do you think?! 

If the travellers agree to relinquishing ownership of their horses, then we have several people and charities who can take a few each and would make far better use of the remainder of that payment, (€750) in rehoming and rehabilitating them. As your only other option at the moment is killing them, please do consider the suggestion. 

It could also have a longer beneficial impact as I have outlined, defusing the violence and fear between gardai, ACS, travellers and proper re-homers and rescue routes. Fairness could win out and even some integration and education.

Many thanks, I would be happy to help facilitate. Please let me know the timeline for meeting the travellers, the moving of the horses and what you would like me to do if anything.

Attack on Cupid, 3rd 4th and 5th dimensional take on it!

31st December 2019

Happy New Year everyone! Well wishes and love for Cupid please...nearly had his head ripped off at his own gate. Been in surgery for the last two hours and his jugular vein is no longer exposed and regaining consciousness. What an ordeal but the people of Bagenalstown were sound as you like!

1st January 2020

Happy New Year's Day! Update on Cupid as he got us all worrying: He is still with us thank God!!! That attack made his blood run cold and so he is under 3 light blankets, motionless but breathing. The wound itself would make you gulp. He will only lick water off my fingers and not drink or eat anything from a bowl. Probably his swallow is horribly uncomfortable too. Pain and shock are factors in his existence at the moment but he has his own space. All beings tremble before violence, Gandhi said. When I asked how Cupid was, he started singing in very similar to Eddie's dulcet tones that resonate in every chakra: 

Pearl Jam - Alive

Previous paragraphs were about the third dimension

 For those interested in the energetic insights - 4D Karma/ Intuition, 5D unconditional love, 6D proportionality, gleaned from experience, poor little Cupid was the fall guy for 6 major ones. Bear in mind that from an energetic perspective, we create our own reality – what we think about comes about. From this perspective, we are all one and all connected. From here, dogs represent our emotional life, horses our spiritual life, cats our mental life and guinea pigs our sex life…and don’t worry…many people don’t have one!!!

1) Cupid, like myself, didn’t really believe that anyone would really have it in for him. But now we've both realised it's a dog eat dog world out there!!! Beware of and avoid the blood suckers is the essence of discernment in whatever shape or form they approach!
2) To keep joining in, in good faith with optimism and enthusiasm is tantamount to having an exposed jugular vein. Very vulnerable indeed! Because? Everyone knows what you care about and everyone thinks you’re naïve.
3) Oh yes, my big dog, Lucretius, who was also there at the attack…wagging his tail rapidly, nervously, still too self absorbed to realize that his main friend, in the whole world was in mortal danger. This is like friends and family in the past who are/appear to be at least, big enough to help but are too worried for themselves to get involved or think of protecting anyone else.
4) Life, in this day and age is structured to keep you busy, ricocheting from one priority to another: For me it was my brother, then the pigs in the hands of a convicted monster, then my own back giving way and isolation, then Lucretius – beloved golden boy who is very scarred (as well as starved) by abuse in his past. Now, though, I for one am determined to reconcile all aspects of life into one productive, not too intense flow. No more rushing to help one then another.

5) Finally, the fifth insight came this morning. I thought I’d better write an update…and I couldn’t get on line. DON’T FALL FOR IT!!!! They want you to be frustrated by 3 and 4 G today so they can roll out the 5G killer frequency and you might think it’s a good thing. Let’s all calm down, turn the phones off, read a book and cuddle a disturbed or injured or perfectly healthy and responsive companion!
6) Oh yes, how did I contribute to bringing this horrible experience on? I always keep myself clear, even after working with people and places that are in serious trouble with illness, violence and earth energies….BUT! I have ‘resonated’ with so many troubled and dark situations now (that people are shedding happily, as I clear them) that I have spent too much time and energy there. Also, with the animals rights problems. Too long thinking about badness – of which there is always more than enough – and that means I set someone up for something. Thankfully Cupid is through the worst and I was able to bring his soul back, that left and to see his eyes so dull was desperate to see.
Keep safe and happy, everyone, in 2020 and mind your thoughts too. Thing good ones, creative and epic ones only! Cupid now means to rise up and find his direction magnetically!

Comments

Francess K-d Hi Frances, I've just sent you a pm outlining concerns about how the following way of viewing life can lead to victim blaming in society. Nobody brings violence upon themselves....😥😿😥
Some sentences taken from your article:- 
""Bear in mind that from an energetic perspective, we create our own reality – what we think about comes about. Oh yes, how did I contribute to bringing this horrible experience on? I have ‘resonated’ with so many troubled and dark situations now that I have spent too much time and energy there. Mind your thoughts too. Think good ones.""

Eddie Vedder - Rise (Into The Wild)

My understanding is diametrically opposed to blame, it is about personal responsibility. The only empowering way forwards as it means we can always look for our part in situations and only that way not recreate them. And, not be a victim of them.

Dee Sewell Am guessing yo was your neighbouring animals again? So sorry to hear about his attack again 😪 hope he gets better soon x

Frances Micklem Thanks yes but they totally took it on this time which was good - in terms of paying for the operation, checking and mending their fence, checking in on Cupid. It really cheered Cupid up actually, the visit. He moved for the first time all day and came out to stand around. It was like he felt there was acknowledgement that his situation was being taken seriously and also - as you know - he's a die hard optimist and was determined to make friends and build bridges!!! Happy New Year to you and yours. I can't wait to see more of your landscape designs, they're such beautiful creations .... and I'll totally help when you start work on your garden design. My back is so much better. I could do at least 20 minutes without mishap! xxx

Dee Sewell Frances I'm so glad to hear that. I didnt want to jump to conclusions but pleased they're finally taking steps to address the situation. Thanks for your offer 😊 not sure my back is up to it yet lol but will keep you posted! Xx

Margaret Denmead Delighted to hear that he is still here Frances. Give him a soft hug for me

Raw Organic Vegan 'Meals On Wheels' in Ireland

Harmony Hall in Kilkenny, Ireland 

Making
Raw Organic Vegan Food
the norm rather than the exception!

Meals on Wheels Service – so far available in the Kilkenny Area For the well but busy, the unwell and agents of positive change. 

Menus and reviews. 

 Raw - Vitamin profile & enzymes of all ingredients remain intact and available to the body because the dishes are not heated beyond 40 degrees. 

 Vegan - No animal products: free from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey and palm oil. Only use of animals is as moral support and motivation to launch the brand and provide a crucial alternative food industry. 

 Organic - No chemicals used in fertilizer, pest or weed control, cleaning or preservation – and bear in mind that everything that is not organic has been sprayed at every juncture. 

 Locally sourced - Irish nuts, grains, seeds, vegetables and fruit – but we have yet to source good Irish lemons and coconuts! We do what we can and look towards the future for full certification! 

 Sustainable - Mindful use of water in production. Less electricity used by not using ovens. Re-use of cartons for local customers. When products go on sale in the shops, packaging will be card rather than plastic. , 

 Gluten free and sugar free - No flours or processed sugars are used in the crusts and bases of our sweet or savoury lunches 

 Home made – All recipes developed by Frances Micklem of Healing by Franc 

Taking Up the torch for a pound Dog

I am trying my hand at fostering, through the Protecting Pound Dogs system. It's funny how it happened as obviously someone like me mustn't look at dogs who need a home!

The thing was that my parents were thinking of looking for a new dog to replace beloved Jonah. Jonah was black - and hard to see in room with no light on. So, the question came up, should it be a golden labrador puppy - with microchip and background check as to it's genetic lineage - good hips and eyesight etc or should it be an older, established dog. Maybe a rescue dog could work but mightn't they have issues?

I swear I only clicked on one picture. Lucretius was in the pound right now.

 Then I saw his soulful eyes and ribs and without another thought sent the photos on to my folks and said what about if I look after him and get him to his former glory or full potential - health and family-dog behaviour wise - then they wouldn't have to worry about that bit. As my back is so weak at the moment, I am here anyway and happy to do that work.

They wrote straight back and said they want to find their dog and meet him (so over in England) and not yet, more like next spring. So that made sense and that was that.

Or was it? Of course, the next morning I woke up and thought, well I can hardly leave him there now, can I?

The brilliant Protecting Pound Dog system means that they knew of the dog, knew he needed fostering before rehoming in his hopefully forever home and they found out that he hadn't been booked to go elsewhere (like PAWS of Dogs Trust I imagine or another local interested in him).

Yesterday, lunchtime, my good friend and neighbour Klaus took me down to collect him. Brian at the pound was great, despite a few jibes about how raw bones and livers and hearts would be the best thing for Lucretius to put condition on - even after he said he remembered I was vegetarian! He even suggested Green Lipped Muscles from New Zealand for my back ache! But I didn't get drawn into my week's topic of 'How To Heal without eating anybody else's body parts or tested, casein-drenched drugs!' He said the dog was 'unsure but really wanted to connect' and in that he was spot on. He microchipped him and carried him out to the car. Very scaredy cat, with tail between his legs but not any more!
 

His kennel name is Lucas, formal name Lucretius, who was my favourite Roman philosopher poet. 

• De rerum natura (Latin:  [deː ˈreːrũː naːˈtuːraː] ; On the Nature of Things) is a first-century BC didactic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius(c.  99 BC – c. 55 BC) with the goal of explaining Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience. 

TD Josepha Madigan HAS LIFTED the ban on senseless hare capture

Pippa Hackett for the Green Party pointed out:

“Minister Madigan has an abysmal record on wildlife protection, and this decision is a total abuse of power and a reckless act of wildlife vandalism. She is pandering to a minority group of people and amoral backbenchers that support this cruel activity, and it’s risking the increased spread of this fatal disease.

I wrote:

Dear Josepha,

I don't know what pressure you are under or from who but if you don't reinstate that ban on hare netting...hares being the national emblem of Ireland and endangered and horribly kept and tortured in coursing, you are literally licking the *****of the hare coursers. 

I have demonstrated outside the championships in Clonmel 4 years in a row. I can safely confirm that that is something you do not want to do. The men are gross, cold, ignorant and indifferent. Or should I say attached to their violent viewing.

 There are a few women who show up too, but they just don't want to be hated. This, I understand. But in your position, where you can make a change for the better and you started the ball rolling.

 I ask you to make up whatever pretext you need to protect the hares. Or just keep the threat of imminent extinction going as a reason to keep the ban on netting hares going. They have never done anything to you. To anyone.  

Every other country has banned it. 

The greyhound cruelty has even at last been highlighted in Ireland. Oh yes and some of the public don't like the hare torture, Is that what you want to mention at the pearly gates? That you didn't care? That you didn't respond to public opinion? That you had every back up?

 The RTE have exploded the situation.

You know there's a fatal disease. Why would you let  the ban go now? You have a chance to enforce something that has needed, cried out for and required someone to deal with it for years.

 The disease is spread by the empathy-free conditions of the cages the lads put them in. And yes it is only men. I would love to hear if there are any girls out there 'lamping': Petrifying and killing rabbits and hares.. I really doubt it.

Did you get the memo?

Is it six months since Kilkenny County Council declared a climate change and biodiversity loss emergency and unanimously agreed it? No one else in the council seems to have heard about it!

Dear Councillors,

Is it possible that following the unanimous agreement to declare a climate change and biodiversity loss emergency,  that there was not even an internal memo sent to the council’s own departments to put any sort of focus on this?

I would like to raise three specific instances and requests. Firstly,  council workers are still spraying pesticides and herbicides on hedgerows…formerly known and recently accepted as being important as habitat. Outside my own home, in the middle of absolutely nowhere, I found a group of council workers strimming. They said that it was for safety around the junction. The junction was over 200 metres away.  They agreed that it would in no way help with seeing around the corner, even if they strimmed right up to the corner. They agreed to put my sign up as much more useful. I asked them had they heard the the council had declared the environmental emergency and they had not. They said they were still doing a lot of spraying too.  All those sprays are poisonous to wildlife, I thought you understood that now. And poisonous to our food.

Secondly, in regard to poisoning our food. I ask Kilkenny County Council to make a request to government to halt the new VAT of 23% they are threatening to put on Health Food Supplements on November 1st. In case some in the council don’t know, Kilkenny City supports 4 extremely good health food shops, which basically supply natural and chemical-free food and plant extracts to support the immune system. We are talking about the trace minerals and vitamins that our lifestyles and food no longer provide and also boosts for people who are vulnerable or under physical pressure, like in training or during pregnancy. 

To derive good quality products requires diligence at every stage of the supply chain. Everyone knows that producing high quality, organic small-scale plants and remedies takes skill, time and more money than mass-produced convenience foods. Instead of supporting health food shops, their suppliers and customers, the government is recommending that people over 65 or pregnant get a flu vaccine.  Our complex and brilliant immune systems can fight any bacteria, virus or fungal infection, if people are given affordable access to health supplements and education on their diets – to reduce sugar as it blocks the absorption of vitamin C for example. Please make a collective statement to the government to stop this VAT, which will make them unviable, unsustainable, unprofitable, intolerable and consequently shut them all down and compromise public health still further.

Thirdly, the council have not told the local department of agriculture office about the emergency or an adaptation plan or even to include it in their assessments of new farms, planning permissions, licenses or herd numbers. I have just had my inspection by the local Department of Agriculture and been approved to become a farmer and been awarded a herd number. The inspection was carried out by two senior, County Vets. They checked that automatic water was available and that the fencing was secure. We talked about the 5 freedoms that should be afforded to farm animals and they were amused to hear me mention them. The one improvement they remembered was that sows are no longer tethered in their crates. One stood up for the use of concrete and steel as the best way to avoid infection. I showed them my organic growing space and descrbed why I feed organic pig nuts; so that the manure they produce can be used on the land to feed the soil. I showed my rainwater conservation measures and the re-wilding of my garden and turning it to mainly native and edible fruit and nut trees and shrubs. I asked them what had they added to their farm inspection criteria to support biodiversity recovery  and address the climate emergency. That is when they said they had not heard of the council’s declaration back in April.  Not one thing. 

Please send that memo out. It can say simply:

There is to be no more spraying of pesticides or other chemical use. 

Budget and time spent previously on that can be used pulling ragwort and other notifiable and noxious weeds all over council land and verges and planting in their stead, willow coppicing plantations or fruit/nut trees or wild flowers. Bare root planting starts now and spring bulb planting starts now (autum). Let’s seize the moment and show the birds and the bees that we’ve got some cop on.

There is to be a clear and public veto of the natural health supplements VAT  from Kilkenny County Council, on behalf of its people and demonstrating awareness that will support every county in following suit and the government re-thinking its proposal.

There is to be a clear change of direction in Agriculture, with a focus on quality of life for workers, animals, wildlife and land. Inspections could involve a simple survey of soil quality, water quality, responsible animal ownership and supports offered for organic standards of practice, produce and welfare.

I am not even sure if you have got the adaptation plan totally worked out, these things take time I understand. But get each draft out to each department for consideration and additions. Don’t wait until everything and everyone is dead or wishes it was dead through ill health, intolerable conditions or toxic breakdown…and that goes for people and animals.

Many thanks and kind regards,

Frances Micklem

Harmony Hall Think Tank

Co. Kilkenny

Why Do Councils Delight In The Death of Horses?

'It's a waste of animals' lives': A new film looks at why 2,000 horses are killed by Irish councils every year

Is it possible that while investigating the situation, they didn't spot it's not a waste of life at all for one party, it's direct exploitation; someone is cashing in on the collection of loose horses and their 'disposal' for councils and then again will get a good price at the carcass stage too. 

The ACS are the carcass collection company who are the firm who have the major national contracts for 'horse control' and who the guardai call at first sight of a loose horse. At 950 euro of tax-payers' money a pop, for coming out to collect each horse - a figure that every other rescue or even horse owner could work miracles with - they just keep that. 

The ACS registered business address is in Riga, Latvia - home of the biggest animal body parts factory in Europe and is a handy destination for the slaughtered horses too. They don't have to take them to a factory to be killed in Ireland first, the not even slightly glorified knackers lorry drivers carry a gun. That way, they can save time and money and the horse can already be considered a 'fallen animal' and they well get more public funding and a thank you from the councils, for disposing of the bodies.

Then of course there is an explicit policy by councils now, which we are all upset about (especially when councils came down so heavily on no-kill pet shelters and threatened not to give them their measly 5-20k a year support, if shelters didn't agree to kill animals not re-homed in 6 weeks) So the councils' policy is to NOT look for owners, re-home or keep horses in a pound even over night, so old or new owners could be found. This is literally not only 'a license to kill' but incentivised killing and big, big business. The article says that horses are kept five days in a pound and release fee is 700 plus more each day held. I know for definite of horses, microchipped, not on the road, had owners, who had passports and several of the horses were in foal were seized and were dead within the few hours, the owners were granted the right to check them and arrange for them to be brought home.

The moral of the story is, next time you see a horse out - don't call the guards, try and usher him or her in somewhere safe and call a rescue like my lovely horse or post a photo here and somebody good and decent and competent will respond....very different from the council, guards and ACS classic combo.

Live Export - We all want it to stop.

Cattle Left Standing in Petrol Stations

I just don't know what to do about live export. These poor cows were going ballistic today. The sounds from them made my blood run cold they were so distressed. I asked the Apple Green manager to call the driver and he said 'he's probably gone off home, they usually leave the trucks here and go off' and then he went about revisiting his cctv camera footage to find him. 

You Can't Go Very Far Ballistic In a Truck

You can go as ballistic as you want but with no room to turn around, solid sides and only air and light at the top out of reach, I sensed a hell. A hell repeated day in day out, thousands and thousands on their way to the hold of a boat and days in transit and no food, water or let out for a bit, never. Slaughter at the end every time. 

Abject Terror and Desperation Irish-style

We've broken their spirits with intolerable treatment and somehow I'm considered nonsensical for asking it to stop. Isn't it normal to want it to stop? Isn't it abnormal to allow such carnage and suffering to continue? Maybe I'm mad but I realised, when the guy at the garage said that, that it is even worse than I thought for animals in transit. The drivers don't give a flying toss, totally blind and indifferent to the animals on the back. Like really.

22Lucy Glendinning, Vesco Bondov and 20 others

9 Comments4 Shares

Like

CommentShare

Comments

• 

  Liselott Olofsson Every time I see one of those trucks I feel so upset .
  We will be sickened in years to come realizing that we allowed these animals to suffer in that way .. when we finally put an end to speciesism and see that these animals are fully capable of feelin…See More

  2

  • Love
  •  · Reply
  •  · 15h
• 

  Lucy Glendinning We will.... Unacceptable, animal cruelty. Imagine if this was dogs

  2

  • Sad
  •  · Reply
  •  · 15h
• 

  Yeti McBett thanks for acting and telling... I feel so sick about these poor animals and I got many enemies after that

  1

  • Like
  •  · Reply
  •  · 14h
• 

  Helen Murray Barbaric. Because it's unnecessary. Will we become vigilantes? Are we morally obliged too?

  • Like
  •  · Reply
  •  · 14h
• Active Now

  Marilyn Melfi Cruel beyond words ! This saddens me so much . I wish I could free them all

  1

  • Like
  •  · Reply
  •  · 13h
• Active Now

  Anne Walsh Live export is the cruelest and most unnecessary of suffering. All for human greed #BanLiveExport

  • Like
  •  · Reply
  •  · 3h