Written by PETA
Imagine if you could be fired from your job just for supporting animal rights on your own time. That's what Joe Hashman believes happened to him. The vegan anti-hunting activist was sacked from his job as a gardener at the Orchard Park Garden Centre in the U.K. the day after ghastly TV chef Clarissa Dickson Wright pleaded guilty to charges of attending an illegal rabbit-hunting event. Dickson Wright was brought up on charges in part because of undercover video taken by Hashman. The owners of the garden center are known to be hunting supporters.
Hashman has filed a suit, which has now gone before the court, and a pre-hearing review has been called to determine whether his animal rights positions constitute a "philosophical belief" that's protected under the law. Here's what he had to say—judge for yourself:
"Believing in animal rights means believing in the sanctity of all life." "I believe that hunting is completely morally unacceptable." "I don't believe that there can be any justification for the horrible husbandry techniques and slaughter methods which humans employ just to feed themselves." "I am devoted to the causes arising from my philosophical belief and I will not stop fighting for animal rights."
"Believing in animal rights means believing in the sanctity of all life."
"I believe that hunting is completely morally unacceptable."
"I don't believe that there can be any justification for the horrible husbandry techniques and slaughter methods which humans employ just to feed themselves."
"I am devoted to the causes arising from my philosophical belief and I will not stop fighting for animal rights."
We're pulling for you, Joe! No one should be afraid to speak out against injustice. Animals have rights—and so do the people who defend them. To find out how to work within the law to help animals, check out PETA's activism guide.
Written by Jeff Mackey
re: FireFly. PETA strongly disagrees with the statement that, we must "hunt for our survival." Very few people are in the position where there are truly no food options--besides rotting animal flesh--available. There are countless vegetarian and vegan foods in your local supermarket: and most importantly, they are cruelty-free! Also, hunting does not control population in the long-run. Natural predators help keep prey species strong by killing only sick and weak individuals. Hunters, on the other hand, kill whichever animals they come across or, in many cases, whichever animals they think would look best mounted above the fireplace—often large, healthy animals who are needed to keep populations strong. Moreover, hunting creates conditions that favor accelerated reproduction: The abrupt population decline that it causes leads to less competition for food among survivors, and ultimately, a higher birth rate, thus leading once more to the very problems that hunters claim to solve. To learn more, visit www.peta.org/.../factory-farming.aspx and www.peta.org/.../why-sport-hunting-is-cruel-and-unnecessary.aspx.
By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
Follow PETA on Twitter!