Whale Rescue Team

 

This is a group of dedicated volunteers who have been doing fantastic work for the last twenty years, rescuing animals such as whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions and sea birds that have become entangled, beached, marooned, poisoned, or trapped.

Emmy-award winning journalist and animal activist Jane Velez Mitchell (left) presented a check of US$10,000 from Supreme Master Ching Hai to the Whale Rescue Team and conducted an interview with Peter Wallerstein (right), the founder and president of that organization.

Emmy-award winning journalist and animal activist Jane Velez Mitchell with Supreme Master Television interviewed Peter Wallerstein, the founder and president of the Whale Rescue Team in Venice Beach , California, USA. During the interview, Peter said that he was lucky to find something in life to do that actually has a positive effect in helping to save animal lives and raise the standard of marine animal care in the community. He also said that the best thing for people to do is to become vegetarians or vegans. That is the easiest and most effective solution to end a lot of animal suffering, whether it is a cow, a chicken, a turkey, a fish or a marine mammal.

Peter became a vegan thirty-five years ago for ethical reasons, because of the inhumane ways animals are slaughtered and treated in factory farms. However it also has good environmental and health benefits. Helping yourself is helping the animals, the environment and the entire world as well. Being vegan is as important as the rescues for Peter, because it’s consistent and across the board compassion for all life.

An appreciation letter from the Whale Rescue Team

Upon learning of the life-saving work they do for the animals, Supreme Master Ching Hai made a contribution of US$10,000 to the Whale Rescue Team, so they can continue their noble work. When Jane presented the check to Peter in the interview on December 10, Golden Year 3 (2006), he wholeheartedly expressed his appreciation to Master Ching Hai, because he and his team have little time to fundraise and the money will be used to save many more animals. He said that the contribution would be used to buy a new rescue truck to replace the old one of 230 thousand miles and with which they saved thousands of lives in the past decade.

Peter also sent a follow up letter to Master to express his gratitude again and said that the contribution not only helps them with their financial needs, but also encourages them to continue their work to assist injured, sick or orphaned marine wildlife.

Harpseal.org

Harp seals are lovely sweet marine animals that spend most of their lives in the sea, but also go out on ice floes. They have short, thick, white fur with black patches and a cute face. The young are all white. The areas they live in range from northern Russia to Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. In spring the harp seals migrate up to 2,500 km to where they can feed during the summer. In the fall, they return to the south before the new ice forms.

Although being threatened by other animals such as sharks, killer whales, polar bears, and walruses, reduced availability of food due to over-fishing by humans or climate change, accidental catches in fishing gear, and maybe even environmental contaminants, harp seals’ greatest enemy, sadly, is the human being. Even today, they face this danger of barbaric hunting by humans. Each year, hundreds and thousands of baby harp seals are killed by bludgeoning, shooting or skinning alive at the age of three months or younger in commercial massacres for their furs.

The world is becoming more and more aware of this situation, and is urging the Canadian government to absolutely stop this inhumane practice. The European Parliament took a decisive step by issuing a declaration, signed by 425 European Union lawmakers, demanding the European Union ban all trade in two types of seals, the harp and hooded. This ban, for seals of any age, would put a virtual end to the Canadian seal hunt.

Among the many organizations that are trying to stop the massacres, Harpseals.org is an all volunteer, non-profit organization that focuses on ending the Canadian harp seal hunt, so these beautiful animals are permitted their right to live. They promote a Canadian seafood boycott, distribute leaflets, write letters and emails to the relevant politicians, and hold demonstrations. They do everything within their power to convince the Canadian government that these animals should be allowed to live.

On December 11,  Supreme Master Television interviewed Ian Robichaud and Susan Hirsh of Harpseals.org about their work to save the seals and presented them with a contribution of US$10,000 from Supreme Master Ching Hai to further their efforts. They expressed their gratitude to Master Ching Hai in the interview and in a following up letter, they wrote, “We are touched by the light You shine onto the world and inspired by Your excellent work and good spirit on behalf of all animals and planet Earth…. We will utilize the resources You have provided us with Your donation to encourage people to seek alternatives to Canadian seafood, especially those alternatives that do not result in death for any creatures.”

Ian Robichaud ( middle) and Susan Hirsh (right) of Harpseals.org receive a check of US$10,000 as a contribution from Supreme Master Ching Hai.
	An appreciation letter from Harpseals.org

Farm Sanctuary is a national, nonprofit animal protection agency founded in 1986. They view and treat animals as friends. Their mission is to open peoples hearts and minds to create a more compassionate and loving world. Farm Sanctuary volunteers believe that treating animals with love and kindness is good for the animals and even more importantly, good for people in order to instill the desire to strive together for a better, brighter world for all beings. Through rescue, education and advocacy, Farm Sanctuary is saving and nurturing countless animal lives.

An interview with Mr. Gene Bauston, president and founder of Farm Sanctuary.

Over the past 20 years Farm Sanctuary shelters, located in New York and California, and their dedicated volunteers have rescued and rehabilitated thousands of animals from the intense cruelty brought about by factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. Through their informative educational programs, millions of people have been informed about the abuses of industrialized farming and presented compassionate cruelty-free alternatives. Farm Sanctuary uses farm tours, documentaries, videos and many other proactive educational tools to educate and motivate people towards compassionate life styles. The Veg for Life Campaign and Guide to Veg Living promote and encourage a vegetarian way of life. Another on-going project, the Humane Education Program, is specially designed for students and teachers to bring compassion into the classroom. Since 1986 Farm Sanctuary has been very active in preventing animal cruelty through legal protection and policy changes.

A letter of appreciation from Farm Sanctuary for Master’s US$10,000 contribution.

Upon learning of Farm Sanctuary’s noble work, Supreme Master Ching Hai made a generous contribution of US$10,000 to further support their compassionate endeavors for the animals. The check was presented to Mr. Gene Bauston, president and founder of Farm Sanctuary, on October 18, Golden Year 3 (2006).

Mr. Bauston, a vegan, has spent a lot of time reaching out to people and encouraging them to see animals as living feeling creatures, not as pieces of meat. He expressed, in an interview with Supreme Master Television, his appreciation for Master’s support and contribution, and Her work to make the world a better place.

 

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