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  #11  
Unread 09-11-2021, 11:15 AM
Martin Elster Martin Elster is offline
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I agree, Cameron, that there are many other things to be angry about and that you could try changing. But to save the life of even one animal is something. It’s a start anyway. Have you ever heard The Starfish Story? Here is one version of it (there are many):

Quote:
The Starfish Story: one step towards changing the world
July 9, 2011

You may have heard this one, but I find that it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of it every once in a while. First let me tell you the story, and then we can talk about it.

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977)

We all have the opportunity to help create positive change, but if you’re like me, you sometimes find yourself thinking, “I’m already really busy, and how much of a difference can I really make?” I think this is especially true when we’re talking about addressing massive social problems like tackling world hunger or finding a cure for cancer, but it pops up all of the time in our everyday lives, as well. So when I catch myself thinking that way, it helps to remember this story. You might not be able to change the entire world, but at least you can change a small part of it, for someone.

They say that one of the most common reasons we procrastinate is because we see the challenge before us as overwhelming, and that a good way to counter that is to break the big challenge down into smaller pieces and then take those one at a time–like one starfish at a time. And to that one starfish, it can make a world of difference.

https://eventsforchange.wordpress.co...ing-the-world/
Here’s another version:

http://www.infj.com/ChickenSoup18.htm
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  #12  
Unread 09-11-2021, 01:12 PM
F.F. Teague F.F. Teague is offline
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'FT appears to be invisible,' marvels W.-B., 'but that is not the case elsewhere' :>)
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  #13  
Unread 09-11-2021, 01:33 PM
Martin Elster Martin Elster is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F.F. Teague View Post
Gov's still disputing the test results, of course.
I hope Brian Allgar won’t mind if I quote him. This is what he said on the NVN thread in The Accomplished Members:

Quote:
Yes, it was unnecessary, cruel, botched, and apparently based on a lie. In other words, business as usual for Boris Johnson's Tory government.
Added in: I think the word "apparently" is being too generous. It was based on a lie.

Last edited by Martin Elster; 09-11-2021 at 01:39 PM.
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  #14  
Unread 09-12-2021, 01:18 PM
David Anthony David Anthony is offline
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It was heartbreaking to watch Geronimo being seized and taken away. He was terrified: I think he knew what was going to happen.
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  #15  
Unread 09-12-2021, 01:34 PM
Martin Elster Martin Elster is offline
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Yes, David. I'm sure he knew. Animals have great instincts. And they also have emotions, maybe even more than us, because they don't have the intellect to dampen them. He was obviously scared as hell. I'd be, too, if I were surrounded and then dragged away by a dozen masked monsters?

As for Helen losing her pet, imagine a gang of thugs coming to your home and taking your dog away.

And, by the way, he wasn't "euthanized" but executed.

eu·tha·nize | ˈyo͞oTHəˌnīz | (British also euthanise)
verb [with object] (usually be euthanized) North American
put (a living being, especially a dog or cat) to death humanely: older dogs may find loving homes instead of being euthanized.

eu·tha·na·sia | ˌyo͞oTHəˈnāZH(ē)ə, ˌyo͞oTHəˈnāzēə |
noun
the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The practice is illegal in most countries.

Last edited by Martin Elster; 09-12-2021 at 01:42 PM.
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  #16  
Unread 09-15-2021, 01:35 PM
Martin Elster Martin Elster is offline
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Update on Save Geronimo - Stop killing healthy alpacas without valid science

PRESS STATEMENT
Geronimo the Alpaca
The Government’s Wall of Silence;
DEFRA Refuse to Release Information regarding Geronimo’s Death and Post-Mortem

15.09.2021; It has been over two weeks since Geronimo the alpaca was executed by DEFRA, and the Government are still refusing to disclose where, how and when Geronimo was put to death. DEFRA continue to hold back crucial information following his post mortem, despite their lawyers confirming that “given the detailed nature of [the] request, and the fact that various teams across DEFRA and APHA are involved in preparing the response,” DEFRA would respond directly to Helen Macdonald, Geronimo’s owner, by close of business on Monday 13th September 2021. The Government have failed to meet their own deadline.

Ms Macdonald has repeatedly requested all information relating to Geronimo’s last hours, including if, following his shocking abduction, animal welfare standards were followed including whether he was killed by lethal injection under veterinary supervision, and requesting the trailer CCTV footage. To date, DEFRA have not confirmed that there was a single vet present at Geronimo’s apparent slaughter. All requests for information have to date been stonewalled by the authorities, causing further and unnecessary distress to Ms Macdonald.

Preliminary findings of the post-mortem on Geronimo the alpaca showed no clear evidence of Bovine Tuberculosis. The Government, represented by their spokesperson Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, denied this assessment of the preliminary findings without providing any scientific evidence to support the Government’s claim. They continue to refuse to provide any information to back up their denial. Ms Middlemiss made reference to ‘tb-like lesions’ but despite multiple requests for information, has not provided any further details or images of these alleged lesions.

Further, Ms Macdonald has still not received the crucial TB50 form, which is the material examination form detailing which samples have been sent to the relevant laboratories for testing, or a copy of notes taken at the time of the post-mortem.

Dr Iain McGill, Helen MacDonald's veterinary scientific advisor and Director of the Prion Group said:

These findings would have been available within five days of the post-mortem – the Government will already have a comprehensive set of results. Despite repeated requests, there has been no disclosure of which blood or tissue samples have been taken from Geronimo, nor the results obtained from tests upon such samples including: Enferplex, Idexx and Actiphage PCR blood tests; histopathology findings from formalin fixed tissue samples, including the crucial Zeihl-Neelsen staining results which, if he were infected, would be able to visualise the bacteria M bovis, which causes TB; and no results from molecular testing such as immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridizatoin and phage PCR (Actiphage)."

Ms Macdonald said earlier today, “The Government continue to make this as distressing and as difficult as possible for everyone concerned. They are using every tactic they can to prevent any disclosure, and indeed any closure for myself and everyone who was campaigning to save Geronimo’s life and improve Bovine TB policy. DEFRA know very well that the information they are refusing to provide, will not support their claim that there was any suspicion of Bovine TB in Geronimo. That is why they refuse to provide this information and hide behind their wall of silence.”

The Secretary of State, George Eustice, has to date refused to comment or engage in the issue.

END.

Thank you so very much for your support, I must carry on without Geronimo but he is with us all in spirit xxx
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  #17  
Unread 10-03-2021, 01:15 PM
Martin Elster Martin Elster is offline
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Default Update on Save Geronimo

Update on Save Geronimo - Stop killing healthy alpacas without valid science

PRESS STATEMENT
Geronimo the Alpaca

New detailed DEFRA Post-Mortem Report Confirms that Geronimo DID NOT have Bovine TB;
Report purposely withheld until after Cabinet Reshuffle so George Eustice could keep his job

01.10.2021; The full histopathology report of DEFRA’s postmortem on the alpaca Geronimo, executed by DEFRA on 31 August 2021, further confirms that he did not have Bovine Tuberculosis (Bovine TB). The Pathology Report from the Animal & Plant Health Agency dated 10 September and provided to Geronimo’s owner, Helen Macdonald on 17 September, clearly shows no evidence of Bovine TB. Despite pleas for information on Geronimo’s exact cause of death and the post mortem results, DEFRA, having promised to release the report on 10 September, withheld this crucial document for a further week to ensure that George Eustice MP kept his job as Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Mr. Eustice held on to his job in the recent cabinet reshuffle on 15 September, despite overseeing a deeply flawed and defective Bovine TB policy. He masterminded a heavy-handed, misleading and ultimately a very cruel approach to Geronimo’s case, and willfully refused to engage in constructive discussions around an alternative solution to save Geronimo through scientific research to progress a Bovine TB vaccine. Instead, the Government proceeded with their blinkered policy to kill first and cover up the facts later. When questioned by journalists on 15 September about Geronimo, Mr. Eustice laughed, obviously finding the enormous trauma inflicted on Geronimo, his owner and many other parties negatively affected by the Government’s bovine TB policy, a source of amusement. On 16 September, the Secretary of State lied to listeners of LBC’s morning programme by stating that the ‘full post mortem’ had been shared with Geronimo’s owner. The full post mortem report was not provided until 17 September, after Mr. Eustice’s interview, during which he failed to tell the truth of what the document contained.

The Pathology Report, which follows the preliminary post mortem findings provided to Ms. Macdonald on 3 September, clearly shows that the Government’s execution warrant relied on a flawed testing protocol and that Geronimo was killed for no reason other than DEFRA’s inexorable reluctance to consider that their current procedures and policies are imprecise and invalid. Despite their own scientific evidence, the Government continue to cling onto their assertion that Geronimo tested positive for Bovine TB, continuing a communication strategy that is based on propaganda and not factual evidence.

Dr Iain McGill, Director of the Prion Group, and veterinary scientific advisor to Helen Macdonald, said:

“There is nothing whatsoever in this histopathology report to suggest infection with M bovis, the causative agent of bovine TB. Put another way, if Geronimo had died naturally, and this post mortem had been carried out and yielded these same results, any veterinary surgeon or pathologist would state that there is no evidence of Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) at all. It is important to stress that evaluation of the Ziehl-Neelsen stained sections, which would be expected to pick up any kind of mycobacterial infection including M. bovis, are all negative. Simply put, there is not one shred of evidence from this report to suggest that Geronimo had bovine TB.”

Dr. Bob Broadbent, Geronimo’s long-standing veterinary surgeon, added, “If Geronimo had had bTB for over four years as claimed, you would expect to find large, classic pyogranulomas produced as a result of bTB infection. None of the lesions identified are pathognomonic (specifically indicative) of bTB. Defra’s expert pathologist refers to granulomas which have been classified on the TB50 form as ‘atypical’ of bTB. Despite Defra claiming on the 8th September that all of the lesions are ‘TB-like’, the post mortem report expressly rules out any mycobacterial infection such as bovine TB relating to the lesions found in the neck area. It is important to note that there are absolutely no lesions in the lungs or the respiratory tract, which is the most common place you would expect to find lesions in an animal infected with bTB. This is the strongest indicator yet that Geronimo did not have Bovine Tuberculosis. A following negative culture will be conclusive and final evidence.”

It is also now clear that Geronimo met a brutal death. Page 1 of the Pathology Report states “Occasional low number of free erythrocytes [red blood cells] in alveoli and bronchioles”. There should have been no red blood cells in Geronimo’s lungs, strongly indicating that he suffered a traumatic death. DEFRA have so far refused to disclose any evidence-based information regarding the nature of his death, despite multiple requests by Ms Macdonald and her legal team, resulting in further avoidable distress.

Ms Macdonald said today, “I fully expected the post mortem results to be negative for bTB but there is no joy in being proven right. I am outraged and devastated by the way Geronimo and I have been treated. As we have been saying for four years, DEFRA have never had any credible evidence to support a suspicion of disease in Geronimo. They knew this, yet forced his death regardless. It is a well-documented fact that Geronimo was never exposed to bTB in New Zealand and that the only test relied upon by DEFRA was entirely unvalidated in alpacas and known to cause false positive results following injections of tuberculin.

She continued; “DEFRA chose to deliberately misuse the test and abuse their power to maintain their barbaric ‘kill at all cost’ regime. George Eustice and his department have acted immorally and unethically, resulting in Geronimo’s needless death. DEFRA are guilty of deliberate wrongdoing, withholding information for political gain and publishing deliberately misleading claims about Geronimo’s results; they need to open their mind up to the fact that they are wrong, and stop repeating over and over again the same lies and the same spin. The facts speak for themselves. I would like to receive a public apology from George Eustice, and very importantly, an admission from DEFRA that they were wrong, and what they are going to do to avoid this happening again in the future.”

END

Enc. Animal & Plant Health Agency Pathology Report – Geronimo (Dated 10/09/2021)
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