Judges ‘tougher’ on cruelty cases

Jaylene Musgrave and Tracy-Lynne Geysen

PEOPLE guilty of animal cruelty should no longer expect to get off lightly when they face a judge, an animal rights lawyer has warned.

Tracey-Lynne Geysen said animal cruelty cases were being taken more seriously by the courts, resulting in more substantial sentences for offenders.

That was due, in part, to the efforts of Bleats – Brisbane Lawyers Educating and Advocating for Tougher Sentences for animal cruelty cases.

The organisation comprises 300 lawyers, barristers and QCs who give their time and expertise freely to the RSPCA, to prosecute cruelty cases.

Ms Geysen, who co-founded the group and helps manage its case load, said it started with the brief to stop cruelty to animals, and since then has been credited with improving the legal clout behind RSPCA prosecutions as well as boosting community awareness.

She spoke for the first time with Coast supporters at a function at Mooloolaba Beach Park yesterday.

Ms Geysen said the RSPCA had a legal budget of about $50,000 annually, but Bleats had helped with legal representation valued at about $1.9 million since its formation in 2007.

Animal rights campaigner Jaylene Musgrave, who helped organise Ms Geysen’s visit, said anyone “walking out of court laughing their heads off” after receiving small fines, needed to be aware of the growing community sentiment against animal cruelty.

“We’ve got to show them that this is the next step in society, to show them it’s not acceptable,” she said.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/05/28/judges-tougher-on-cruelty-cases-sunshine-coast/

Sunshine Coast Koalas Soon To Be A Memory

Wild koalas in south-east Queensland will be extinct in the near future if nothing is done to protect this iconic species.

In the past twelve months over 700 koalas have been treated from around Queensland, including areas of the Sunshine Coast and Morton Bay.
An Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital (AZWH) spokesperson said “The biggest threats to the current wild koala population include disease, car hits, domestic dog attacks, and deforestation of traditional koala habitat.”

 
Koala populations in south-east Queensland are in a steep decline and are expected to become extinct in the coming years.  Sunshine Coast Koala Wildlife Rescue (SCKWR) media manager Jaylene Musgrave stated the public needs to become more proactive about making a difference in the world, especially in the case of our national wildlife.  Growing expansion and development on the sunshine coast is causing a major issue. Ms Musgrave stated “development is like a virus” and the continual destruction of koala habitat as happened in places such as Peregian Springs needs to be closely monitored by not only Government officials but also the community as a whole.

 
With local councils heavily promoting national wildlife as a major tourism draw, Ms Musgrave says that it is disappointing that they do not invest any money into the conservation and protection of the species.  Local organisations such as the SCKWR being funded by the founders, twin brothers Ray and Murray Chambers, and public donations with no Government support.

 
An AZWH spokesperson stated “If nothing is done to protect wild koalas in our area, the sad reality is that they will very soon become extinct,” and that the public needs to be aware of deforestation in areas where koalas are living.
Ms Musgrave displayed how frightening the current situation is, stating “you are more likely to see a koala as road kill than in the wild on the Sunshine Coast”.
Kelly Butterworth, USC Journalism Student.

“You cannot make me eat my friends”

Welcome all my beautiful friends to my first ever personal blog!

Although I started Vegan Warriors a few years ago, it is only recently I have been able to really connect with so many like minded people because of my website and facebook. These two conduits of technology were made possible because of something that happened that taught me nothing in this precious world is random.

I held the first ever rally for animals on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia to express my deep disgust and anger over our country’s treatment of live animals being exported to Indonesia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. For those of you that arent aware, these animals are treated as things to torture by slaughtermen who barbarically dissect them whilst they are fully conscious (footage available http://www.4corners.com.au). We had a turnout of about 20 people all up including a couple in their late 70s who had never attended a rally in their lives but told me how the footage made them so sick, they immediately stopped eating meat and came along and held banners to passing traffic. Another gentleman there on the day was an ex slaughterman…I will never forgot feeling my life was truly worthwhile whilst watching him wave his banner saying “Stop the Cruelty, Ban Live Export!” proudly. Sarah was another amazing person I met on that day. She was wearing a Sea Shepherd tshirt and brought her own large sign which screamed “Torture!”. Sarah has since become my friend and offered to built a website and facebook page for Vegan Warriors. She did this without any expectations from me. She then offered to do the same for the twin brothers Ray & Murray Chambers who run the Sunshine Coast Koala Wildlife Rescue Service – once again without expecting anything in return, apart from wanting to help animals. Saz as I affectionally call her, is a fellow vegan and has taught me that we are meant to be where we are at every second of every day.

I grew up in a small country town in the bush, with the main source of employment being the local aboittoir, where my father was a meat inspector. The air was always thick with the smell of fear and death. That smell stuck in the back of my throat throughout my childhood years and has never left me. My father insisted I eat the animals he helped slaughter, this was something I decided, whether I was going to be punished or beaten, was not going to happen. Many nights were spent alone at the dining room table, hours after everyone else had finished their meals and were enjoying relaxing in front of the tv. My mum would come and tell me quietly to drop the meat under the table for the dog, who was waiting patiently. This then released me from my father’s punishment and I was then sent straight to bed. Night after night, rebelling against what I knew was so morally wrong, my life felt lonely and miserable. But after school each day I would be uber excited to skip down to the chicken pen and sit and read my friends their stories whilst they pecked at me and sometimes sat in my lap quietly clucking away as I stroked their soft feathers.

I gave up my job in the music industry as a music publicist to some of Australia’s most successful rock bands to dedicate my life to giving our precious animals a voice. I have since rallied an army of stellar supporters including celebrities  Heather Mills (Paul McCartney’s ex) and Nick Nichols, Editor at Large, National Geographic Magazine. Many others including rockstars, barristers, animal lawyers, solicitors, university lecturers also publicly support my work. (Pls see my list of supporters for full details).

I am the target of much harrassment and intimidation from members of the torture industries I campaign against as well as from some in the vegan community. This is something that does, at times, get under my skin, but when I rest my head each night, I know nothing anyone says to or about me, will stop me screaming from the rooftops at and about the torturers.

It is a long dark journey as you all know, but if not for us, then who? We are the brave few who dare to be deemed “different”, “difficult”, “opinionated” and who make those who choose to own their share in torturing animals, extremely guilt and uncomfortable, no matter what their excuses.

Please see the media section of the website to see some of the past and current campaigning Im undertaking and with my new found supporters such as yourself, I feel even more energised and buoyed to keep making the lives of people who end the lives of our beautiful, precious animal friends, an absolute pain in the arse!

…9/11 – Close to 3000 human beings were killed. 9/11 – It’s happening right now in slaughterhouses all over the world. Every second close to 3000 non-human beings are killed. To these animals every non-vegan is a terrorist. Think about it.

 

For the Animals

Jaylene Musgrave

Vegan Warriors

Jaylene Nominated for Pride of Australia Medal

A well deserved nomination.  Well Done Jaylene 🙂 

Although the job is never over, every little bit of progress counts and saves many more animals from the suffering they would have otherwise endured.

Update on speakers for the Land-clearing Protest

PLEASE COME ALONG THIS SUNDAY AND HELP SAVE OUR WILDLIFE

Vegan Warriors has been campaigning Council to immediately stop approvals for landclearing with high profile criminal barrister Peter Lavac, who appeared in ABCTV’s “On Trial” representing the animal rights group.

With Council being one of the few in Australia without wildlife corridors, ratepayers are fed up with the limp excuses coming out of council’s mouths.  7,000 native animals annually are cared for by Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.  Disgraceful.  Council has blood on its hands.

Guest speakers will include Jaylene Musgrave, Anthony Walsgott, Enviro/Animal Welfare Solicitor, Ray & MUrray Chambers of the Sunshine Coast Koala Wildlife Rescue Service, with others to be announced shortly.

http://www.mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/update-on-native-wildlife-protest–animal-welfare-solicitor-amongst-speakers,22259

Go to www.veganwarriors.com.au/events for more details.

Thank you for your support – we cannot drive change without it 🙂