denim jacket from wasteland, thrifted shirt and scarf, tooth necklace from maya, old skirt from f21, jeffrey campbell boots
I am a fraud. I know Californians love to layer up in this "Winter weather", so here I am trying to fit in and understand. Honestly, it's too warm to layer like this during the day. And I forgot deodorant. So when looking at these photos, imagine my armpits stewing with sweat under all of that cloth. Mmm.
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Today I woke up to the sound of the rooster that resides somewhere down the hill from my house. Rooster, yeah - you heard me correctly. When I first moved into my place in East LA, the neighbors casually mentioned that there had been trouble with people holding cock fights around the area. This saddened me, as I did not realize that civilized people still regard this as an OK thing to do for entertainment. So, when I wake up to that rooster, I am so happy to know that it's still alive...and without other roosters around...except...
I found more roosters.
In a local pet shop nearby.
Jam packed amongst the roosters there were peacocks, small birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, you name it.
Inside, the roosters were so loud that I could barely hear my own thoughts, let alone the voice of the woman helping me find leashes on the dust-ridden shelves. Why does anyone need to own a rooster? A peacock? The peacocks were in tiny cages where it appeared they had to keep their heads tucked down to properly stand up without hitting the top of the metal jail cell. There were so many birds in a particular pen that somehow one managed to squeeze its way through the wire and flutter around outside of the cage, frantically squawking at the other birds. And the rabbits! The poor rabbits, sitting in the window with the sun beaming down on their sprawled out bodies, trying to keep cool in that tiny packed cage. They looked like death.
I left that pet shop almost in tears, and wanted to pull an Edward Furlong Lobster-tale stunt. But where would they go if I had let them out? Onto the street only to be run over by cars? Chased by the many homeless street dogs? I'm sad and at a loss. These animals are living (dying?) every day in a horrible environment with people who are probably just annoyed by their presence and I don't know how to help.
I hate humans. If you have any solutions, please let me know. I can't be okay knowing this place exists in the condition it is currently in.
FREE THE ANIMALS, DAMNIT.
Call the LA SPCA? Here's the number:
ReplyDelete1-800-540-SPCA (7722)
This really bums me out. :(
I hate humans too; this makes me so ill!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above - def. call the ASPCA. Just from a quick search online it looks like this site has an advocacy dept. based in CA and will apparently keep track of the case and possibly help support it once you file a report: http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty/reporting_abuse/pet_stores.php
Also I would talk to the store owner and make a fuss. You could also stage a demonstration outside the store (or at least threaten to)... :)
That is absolutely terrible. Humans are cruel. I must agree with both comments above. I would have walked out bawling. :(
ReplyDeleteThese are the type of conditions (and worse) that animals reared to be eaten live in. Although this pet shop sounds terrible, if you are disgusted by it and want it to change (as you should) you should care just as much about the meat industry, just because it's not seen as much doesn't mean it's not happening on a giant scale. sorry for the ramble, this stuff just gets to me
ReplyDeleteI am aware. This particular thing was seen first hand and got to me. This does not mean there aren't other pressing issues that I don't care about.
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ReplyDeleteFirst, I want to say - wow! love ur style! Especially in purple :) Now ... when I first moved to this area (back in the mid-90s) my then-husband & I delivered newspapers (w/ our doggys -each girl had a certain route she did - doggy celebration times! :) ) which of course was at dark o'clock ... and there was one particular neighborhood - the roosters! Now, we were smack in the middle of the CITY, so at first I was confused - had the hubs ask a very friendly woman who literally waited for a dog-delivered newspaper w/ a fresh bone :) and she said, "Mexicans have moved in - cockfighting!" I had NO CLUE EITHER that such still goes on in this day and age ... and I wish I had something to relieve animal cruelty about it - just wanted to give you a nod in empathy that it occurs on this coast, too.
ReplyDeleteGreatt reading your blog post
ReplyDelete