VHS and other things

I was going to go to bed, but something reminded me I wanted to research some animal cruelty stuff regarding the Vancouver zoo. It's just disgusting.

Then I got sidetracked and ended up on the Vancouver Humane Society's website, which for some reason I have never been to! 665 million animals are raised for food each year in Canada...something I never knew before. I don't know why, I guess I wasn't looking hard enough, but I could only ever find worldwide or US specific stats.

Here is one stat I took from the VHS' website:

The Fraser Valley has the highest animal stocking density in Canada (UBC Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, Dr Hans Schreier).

There are approximately:

* 15.4 million chickens
* 128,000 cattle
* 95,500 pigs
* 9,000 sheep
* 5,000 goats
* 767,000 turkeys

Disgusting right?

Here is a website about egg production in Canada. In Jan 2008 SFU apparently switched to cage-free hens (which means nothing to me) but at least we're trying! You can email and ask which restaurants in metro-vancouver offer cage free eggs too, which I think is nice. I emailed them, not that I eat eggs, but it would be useful for people I eat out with.

My heart hurts now, I can't help but cry for all these poor souls. Even just last night me and Bella shared a very peaceful moment. She was sitting by my side purring and sleeping and she started to knead her paws totally unprovoked and I just knew she was so happy and relaxed and dreaming of better times ahead because she can finally rest her head on a soft couch with a loving family and not in a crowded, stressful and sad shelter. I felt so happy for her, but it made me sad to think of all the animals, on farms and in shelters or abusive homes, that are sad right now. I wish I could give them all hugs and tell them that one day they will be safe.

I don't know what I research animal issues at night time, it always upsets me and then I can't sleep. I am going to go read the first of the True Blood series now, so far it's exactly the same as the tv show but apparently in the next book it changes quite dramatically. Hopefully the terrible writing will ease my mind!