Animal Welfare
This is where
you can find out about my involvement in animal welfare issues.
Especially the horrific case of Spindles Farm, Hyde Heath, and learn a
little about why I do it.
"Animal cruelty is totally unnecessary in any country in any centuary but
when it takes place in a civilised country like ours in the 21st
Centuary it is all the more grotesque, vile and inexcusable."
My Silent Protest outside
Spindles Farm 12&13/01/08
Your Comments on
Spindles Farm
Travesty of Justice Oxford
Magistrates Court 04/04/08
NEWC Petition against
return of animals 09/04/08
James Gray goes to
Royal Court of Justice
James Gray High Court Hearing
London 11/04/08
Sandeep Kainth overturns his own ruling 14/04/08
A big thank you to Sandeep
Kainth 16/04/08
My
D - Day Demonstration planned for 18/04/08
James Gray
guilty of assault on PC Metcalf 06/05/08
Jamie Gray & family pre-trial Review Banbury 09/05/08
Another
dead horse found at Spindles Farm12/05/08
James Gray & family Animal
Cruelty Trial 2008
[Details]
James Gray Sentencing Aylesbury Magistrates 10/06/08
James Gray & family Sentencing Friday 12th June 2009
James Gray released from Woodhill Prison 16/06/09
Jamie
Gray & son at Langley Market Sun 5th July 2009
James
Gray breaches bail conditions again 01/10/09
James Gray appeal Bicester Magistrates Court 11/01/10
Hell Farm appeal verdict Thursday 6th May 2010
Hell Farm For Sale
Monday 26th April 2010
James Gray
Appeal Verdict Thursday 6th May 2010
If you have pets of your own, whether they’re dogs, cats, horses, or
hamsters, you know that they need a lot of love and attention. I’ve
always believed that people should be more aware of animal rights,
whether that is physical rights - rights that are in the law, or moral
rights – things that animals deserve anyway.
I do a lot for animals, and that’s why I call myself an animal rights
pacifist. That means that I protest against cruelty and mistreatment,
but I don’t take extreme action, such as burn down places of cruelty, or
take animals away from bad owners without permission, even though I feel
sometimes I would like to do that. These people are called activists,
and some are unfortunately arrested, because although they are helping
the animals, they are taking extreme risks to do so, some of which are
against the law.
Anyone can be an animal rights pacifist, no matter how young or old you
are. I started my pacifism when I was nine, doing my first silent
protest against the cruelty at Spindles Farm Hyde Heath. The thing that
really helped me get on was the determination of wanting these horses to
be freed of the terrible cruelty, and the thought of doing something
good for animals. Although facing these situations can sometimes seem
scary, it’s better to stick up for what you believe in, than lie low and
let animals suffer.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 states something called “The Five Freedoms”.
These are five rules that, by law, any domestic animal owner should
obey. These are:
(1) Freedom from hunger and thirst – by making sure your pet has enough
of the right food to eat and fresh, clean water.
(2) Freedom from discomfort – by making sure your pet has a good shelter
and a comfortable resting place.
(3) Freedom from pain, injury and disease – by prevention of accidents,
or having a vet who will give a quick and rapid diagnosis and/or
treatment if your pet is sick.
(4) Freedom to express normal behaviour – by providing the right amount
of space, and another animal if your pet enjoys company of it’s own
kind.
(5) Freedom from fear and stress – by making sure your pet is happy and
feels loved, and is not under any mental suffering.
These
rules are obeyed by many animal lovers and owners across the UK, but
sadly, some animal owners don’t, whether they neglect their pets and
leave them without what they need to survive, or abuse them by
inflicting pain on them on purpose. Both of these crimes are types of
animal cruelty, and that’s what I fight against. The response that I’ve
had from my work from people all over the world has been phenomenal over
the past few years, and I can guarantee all of you that I will keep on
fighting until the message gets across that animals are important and
have rights and do not deserve to be abused.
"Compassion for animals is directly connected with goodness of
character; and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to
animals cannot be a good person."
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) German Philosopher
Animals are
very trusting and able to understand commands and love. They often crave
love. They would not understand love if they had no soul.
All About Me
What Katy did
The Horse Trust Speen
My Silent Protest outside
Spindles Farm
Detailed instruction on how to view
RSPCA Video if you are having problems.
Me protesting outside
Aylesbury Magistrates Court
Meeting my MP David
Ldington
to discuss the Animal Welfare Act.
"How could you" by Jim Willis
On Animal Rights From the Animal perspective
A new friend I met in the Lake District
From the preface to
“The Story of San Michele” by Axel Munthe
(written in 1929)
“All that is best in me I have given to the Animals and I mean to stand
by them to the last and share their fate whatever it may be. If it is
true that there is to be no heaven of rest for them when their
sufferings here are at an end, I for one, am not going to bargain for
any heaven for myself. I shall go without fear where they go, and by the
side of my Brothers and Sisters from the Forests and the Fields from the
Skies to Seas, lie down to merciful extinction in their mysterious
Underworld, safe from any further torments”.
Axel Munthe 1857 -1949