www.bwcsa.co.za
 NPO #002-882

MY SCHOOL / MY VILLAGE / MY PLANET CARD

You can now also support Beauty Without Cruelty just by having your free loyalty card swiped at certain national stores, like Woolworths, Engen, Jacks Hardware and others, and a myriad of stores in your specific area!

If you already have a card, it's as easy as calling 0860 100 445 and asking to include BWC as a beneficiary, as you can have more than one beneficiary.

For new cards, you can apply online or in store at Woolworths, and you do not have to be an account holder!

Visit the Beauty Without Cruelty website to get your application form and a list of partners in your area.

Your free card will arrive within days and with it you will receive assorted gift vouchers! So by giving, you get back.

ANIMAL RIGHTS IS NOTHING NEW

Working toward the alleviation of the suffering of animals, due to the interference or control of humankind is nothing new. Indeed, Pythagoras has been called the first animal rights philosopher. He urged respect for animals, because he believed that humans and non-humans had the same kind of soul and that we are all one with the universe. Theophrastus (371 – 287 BCE) argued that non-human animals can reason, sense, and feel just as human beings do. Saint Thomas Aquinas insisted, in the 13th century, that humans should be kind to animals to make sure that cruel habits do not carry over into our treatment of other human beings, an argument that remains influential today.

The first known legislation against animal cruelty in the English-speaking world was passed in Ireland in 1635, while in 1641 the first legal code to protect domestic animals in North America was passed. 1822 saw the introduction of "Martin's Act", the world's first major piece of animal protection legislation. It made it an offence, punishable by fines up to five pounds or two months imprisonment, to "beat, abuse, or ill-treat any horse, mare, gelding, mule, ass, ox, cow, heifer, steer, sheep or other cattle." Any citizen was entitled to bring charges under the Act. The fine, very substantial for the time, and relatively long term of imprisonment was far more of a deterrent than many penalties imposed today! Bill Burns became the first person in the world known to have been convicted of animal cruelty, which was in 1822.

A painting of the Bill Burns Trial in 1822

Concepts of sentience, intelligence and social interaction, which many have known instinctively for thousands of years, is now being proven beyond doubt. We work toward similar aims of the Ancient Greeks, two and a half thousand years later.

It is not in the interests of Big Business, governments or many individuals, for that matter, to accept the sentience of animals. Vested interests, whose only concern is money, have no inclination to consider the individuality and suffering of those they imprison, abuse and kill, or destroy their habitat for the purpose of food, clothing, entertainment, ‘medicine' or the receipt of grants, which enables them to continue risking the lives of humans while subjecting animals to abject misery and pain in laboratories.

Consumers need to understand the huge influence they have, and make a decision to consciously purchase or support only those things that are not the result of exploitation. Our daily decisions have consequences. Only you can determine what those consequences may be.

Toni Brockhoven

SCIENCE PROVES MICE SHOW PAIN WITH FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Why would we be surprised at the news that scientific studies have shown chimps display similar emotions to humans when one of their group members dies, or that mice ‘appear to indicate pain on their faces' when subjected to that mysterious and oh-so sanitised word ‘stimuli'?

Why would we be amazed to confirm that another species, albeit in this case one that has approximately 98% of the same genes as us, have feelings? It seems that the scientific community are reluctant to accept that animals are capable of experiencing distress. Humankind is not renowned for treating other species with any semblance of respect for their physical or emotional welfare, although, strangely enough, we do single some out as special cases., although that is usually for our benefit

The rest appear not to matter much, as factory farming, circuses, vivisection, animal ‘sports' etcetera, clearly demonstrate. There' is more than sufficient evidence to indicate that the majority of animals are sentient beings who experience pain, distress, fear of death, loss and psychological problems, although many people have never needed the blessing of the scientific community in order to accept this.

Everywhere we turn there is evidence of exploitation and in order to make a difference we all need to stand up and be counted. The public needs to voice their concerns to the weekly magazines, the newspapers, the community papers, the advertisers and the television stations themselves.

The situation will remain until the suppliers realise that the public at large no longer wants to see animals advertising car rentals, mobile phones or anything else. Circus owners need to understand through public voices that the age of circus animals is over. Television networks need to be made aware that so called sports such as rodeos on television are not watched and are in fact perpetuating violence in our society, both toward non humans and ultimately, toward each other. It's up to you!

COUNCIL BY-LAWS IN CONFLICT WITH THE CONSTITUTION?

For some years, the Cape Town City Council has been in the process of reviewing the its animal by-laws and after much discussion and many complaints from the public, they are now ready to be accepted by Council. However, in response to accusations that the DA led Council has been indifferent to people's concerns, a meeting was held on 12 April 2010 to allow interested parties to discuss the way forward.

A positive outcome of the meeting was the decision that a steering committee will be formed to develop a Democratic Alliance policy on animal welfare and that Mike Walters and James Vos will lead the process in the Western Cape Provincial government and the City Council respectively. The present Cape Town draft by-laws will not be postponed until the animal policy has been drawn up! While it would have been more sensible for the DA to have developed a policy, before drawing up the by-laws, the decision is a step in the right direction and will, hopefully, govern by-laws that may be developed in other DA led councils in the future.

The by-laws, in their present state, make provision for the confiscation of animals who are kept on properties in violation of specified numbers allowed by the Council and of those whose barking, or other ‘nuisance' value, violates the by-laws. A ludicrous situation exists, where one may ask if the removal of one's companion animals is not an infringement of “property" laws, which are also protected in the constitution, as animals are legally classified as ‘things' or ‘movable property in South African law!

Unfortunately, any legislation, regulations, or even a political party's animal welfare policy, will still exist within the framework of animals not having legal rights and the fact is that any improvement in laws protecting the well being of animals in this country rests heavily on their legal status being changed from that of “things", or moveable property, to that of “sentient beings". At the moment animals are regarded as nothing more than inanimate objects and if this classification remains, they will never be accorded the basic rights and protection to which they are entitled, nor will effective animal welfare laws be put in place to monitor such rights. Animal welfare legislation should be an adjunct to animal's rights, in the same way as child welfare laws are to children's rights!

Children's rights are protected in the constitution, with child welfare laws and organisations in place to protect those rights. Similarly, animal's rights must be included in the constitution, with animal welfare laws and organisations protecting those rights! At the moment we have the tail wagging the dog, so to speak, with animal welfare working without the benefit of rights laws! Animals are our nearest relatives, with whom we share our lives, the environment and the planet. The time has come for us to acknowledge the duty we have, which is enshrined in the constitution, to protect and respect the vulnerable among us and this duty must be applied equally to animals; we must extend the constitution to reflect this duty to all sentient beings.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO RECENTLY

In the last couple of months, we have attended to following, in between the standard issues

• DSTV changed their advert pertaining to foie gras, with a voice over after a letter from the NFG campaign, requesting a voice over instead of pulling the advert. They now say caviar not foie gras (for miming purposes, instead of the truffles suggested) but far fewer people have any interest in trying caviar, in fact most people pull their noses.
• Letters published in papers around the country on animal experiments for World Day for Laboratory Animals
• Radio interview on WDLA
• Library exhibits for WDLA arranged
• Letters on killing of baboon published
• A positive review on the Living Without Cru-elty cookbook in CT weekend paper
• 1/2 Page article in Islamic Times newspaper, on Animal Rights and Islam
• Article in Animal Talk - a prècis of BWC
• Article in travel e-newsletter (‘Weekends Away')
• Letter about proposed Egyptian Goose slaughter in CT published
• Presentation to 200 women on animal rights and women's right to health
• Presentation on history of animal rights to group at animals symposium
• Presentations to various schools
• Interview and cooking demo for Supreme Master TV which will also be aired on Cape Town TV.
• Shannon Keith agreed to be our guest for the up coming film festival
• BWC is now a beneficiary on the ‘My School' Card
• Meetings with CT City about fireworks issue as well as animal by laws, both ongoing issues
• Bad Medicine, Behind the Mask & Skin Trade have been aired on Cape Town TV.
• Communicated with the SA CITES representatives about elephants before the March meeting, regarding ivory sales
• Letter to Fundisile Mketeni (dep director of biodi versity etc) about sterilization and not slaughter of our elephants
• Communicated with Dr Motsepe of African International Fashion show about the use of fur, which they condemn, but continue to allow the designers to make their own choices.

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SUPPORT US HERE

Beauty Without Cruelty can only continue to fight animal exploitation, in all its forms, with your ongoing support.

Please consider placing a stop order on your account, from as little as R50 monthly.

The funding, without which no organisation can survive, goes toward educational  materials and essential day to day running costs. 

Standard Bank
Branch 025109
Savings Acc 077 491 645

Donation Tax Exemption Number

Beauty Without Cruelty finally has a
Donation Tax Exemption Number

viz # 8/11/13/4836.

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The Beauty Without Cruelty 2010 Approved List

We have strict criteria that includes the
subsidiaries and suppliers.

Humane Criteria

CONTACT US

BERYL SCOTT
chairperson@bwcsa.co.za

HEAD OFFICE
021 438 2282 

MEDIA LIAISON / MARKETING
TONI BROCKHOVEN
toni@bwcsa.co.za

BEAUTY WITHOUT CRUELTY COOKBOOK

Order your Living Without Cruelty coobook now and enjoy easy, tasty food now!

ORDER NOW

PRAISE FOR LIVING WITHOUT CRUELTY COOKBOOK

Patricia Glyn, author, traveller extraordinaire and internationally acclaimed speaker had this to say about the Living Without Cruelty Cookbook, to which she also contributed:

LEMON CUPCAKES

1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon bicarb
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
2/3 cup & 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest Icing
1/4 cup Cardin Margarine
1/4 cup soy or rice milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups icing sugar

Directions

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until smooth. Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes for 17-20 minutes.

Remove cupcakes from muffin tin, and place on wire cooling rack. Ice when fully cooled. ICING : Beat the margarine with a hand mixer until fluffy. Stir in soy milk and lemon juice. Add icing sugar and mix until smooth.

DID YOU KNOW?

Spirulina is a form of one celled algae about 300 billions old and is considered the healthiest Superfoods.

Dr. Gabriel Cousens confirms that “gram for gram spirulina could be the most nutritious and well rounded food on the planet". Spirulina contains more protein than soy, legumes, and animal protein. Spirulina provides excellent levels of vitamins A, E, K, and vitamin-B complex (B1, B2, B6, and B12), is rich in minerals such as iron, calcium and others, and contains nutrients such as amino acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, enzymes, trace elements, and antioxidants such as phyto-pigments. Deeply pigmented spirulina contains phycocyanin, helping build blood due to its effect on bone marrows' stem cells.

Due to the range of nutrients and minerals supplements spirulina is a great superfood, which can boost your immune system and support your heart and brain.

It is available as tablets and powder. Note : it must be kept in dark containers to prevent oxidisation.

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Clearer Conscience is a Cape Town based business
that has grown out of a need to do something today,
to help the planet. right now.