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posted on May 31, 2023
JUNE IS ORCA ACTION MONTH! HELP SAVE THE ORCAS! |
posted on May 13, 2023
Peace For All Life! |
posted on April 30, 2023
World Week for Animals in Labs and the Wild Ended April 30th
BUT ...
It’s A Changing World! It’s Time to Implement a Humane, Effective Research System!
Humans now understand that they have caused major harm to Earth. Global Warming is a warning that damaged ecosystems impact all life. Wastes and pollution generated from animal experimentation are recognized as a threat to environmental and human health. Millions of animal bodies are rendered as hazardous wastes. Animal waste incinerators pollute the land and water
As we try to protect all life there are major changes coming. For example, the worldwide auto industries are now phasing in electric cars. Previously Opposed! Whether it is to save the planet or if it is to replace their lucrative businesses it proves that major industries will change. Industries will find other ways!
Lifeforce 10 Year Plan to Phase Out All Vivisection!
The Lifeforce 10 Year Plan was created over 10 years ago when the ruling industries and their supporters were not open to changes. Will the lucrative vivisection industries end the failed “animal models” and phase in non animal humane, reliable methods? As with the transportation industries, Lifeforce believes this will be achieved within 10 years. Big businesses must heed the changing Health Care times. Politicians who will work to change legislation that will end vivisection no longer need to fear losing their campaign donations and business deals!
The Vivisection Industries
The Vivisection Industries have a lucrative product line of instruments of research torture tools. Even pet food companies profit and some even conduct animal experiments for tax write offs! Torture devices... NO! Products which are humane and help people and animals... YES!
New Changing Times
“Animal models” do not stop human experimental “trails” that can harm people. “Animal models” have retarded medical breakthroughs. Innovative non-animal methods are advancing biomedical research at the Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods located at the University of Windsor in Ontario.
All Anti-Vivisection, Environmental and Animal Protection organizations must unite to lobby for Ecologically Friendly Research Methods. We all must compile a list of what can end now and what will follow through the Vivisection Phase Out! With cosmetic “tests” industries as one of the first.
Organizations and individuals must also find industries that are open to changes! Find one and others will follow!
The Future
Now is the time to act for the phase out of “animal models” that have been part of a very long barbaric past and presence. We must take these actions to protect people, animals and ecosystems!
Let’s All Work Together!
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce Founder
Take Action Now! Start a Petition!
Donate to the Anti-Vivisection/Pro Health Organizations of Your Choice if they are part of the Phase Out All Vivisection Campaign, Contact your Governments, Contact your Doctors and get your Friends, Churches, Schools, Libraries and others to help!
The greatest gift for my birthday on April 26th would be your donation to continue the work of Lifeforce. Donations for a Lifeforce documentary and important projects can be made to Lifeforce Foundation either by mail to: Lifeforce Foundation, Box 3117, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3X6 or through PayPal on “Support Us” on our web site www.lifeforcefoundation.org
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posted on April 28, 2023
Pro Research Captivity Conference
In 2007, a conference was held at the Vancouver Aquarium to discuss how to get lucrative government, military, and private business grants. The meeting included the US Navy. They actually discussed the major differences between captives and those living in the wild. They deemed wildlife rescues and captives to be “untapped resources” and research “tools”.
Twenty-two sea lions pups were abducted from their moms in the wild for UBC research at the Vancouver Aquarium. Fur seals were also captured. One of the report photos showed them joking about restraining sea lions with an employee lying in the restraint device with 2 sea lions forced to stand on each side. See “Marine Mammals in the Lab: Tools for Conservation and Science” LAB "TOOLS" CONFERENCE.
Canadian Bans on Cetacean Captivity
In 1996, Lifeforce succeeded in implementing a Cetacean Bylaw to end the captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium. It was watered down over the years. In 2017, it was improved and finally achieved the intended end of cetacean captivity.
The 2019 Canada wide “cetacean ban” perpetuates captivity because it permitted keeping “rescues” for claimed “legitimate scientific research”. This is the same old excuse used for decades to animals in research laboratories.
At the Senate hearings the Vancouver Aquarium employees stated that needed captive cetaceans for research. One, who studied captive belugas there for 7 years, claimed that captive belugas studies were needed and could not be done in the wild. This person is studying now cetaceans in the wild and is an advisor to the Whale Sanctuary Project. (Note: Contrary to researchers’ claims beluga vocalizations were discovered decades ago by Leone Pippard et. al. and helped her established the St. Lawrence habitat protection.)
There may well be a new aquarium industry rebranding under the guise of tourism “research sanctuaries”.
Experiments on Endangered Orcas
In 2018, the dying J50, Scarlet, and her family were continuously pursued for experiments. It was even proposed to take Scarlet from the family and put her into captivity. Family member J35, Tahlequah, had already had mourn the passing of her newborn by carrying and mourning the loss for 17 days.
Industries, such as Sea World, Vancouver Aquarium and UC Sea Docs (affiliated with UC Gorilla Docs), want to obtain medical records and have expanded experiments on every single endangered Southern Resident orcas. They support testing vaccines and antibiotics in spite of the unknown side effects. Sea World has developed a vaccine for their captives.
Sea World was banned from Washington for capturing and killing orcas for aquariums. But they are back! ASSea World is now funding some US government’s NOAA projects. A former orca capturer even conducts experiments on the orcas. Watch the video of the Vancouver Aquarium and others chasing J pod for days to shoot with antibiotics.
The “Alternatives” Plan for Humane, Non invasive Technologies
Boat traffic is one of 3 major threats...but research approvals don’t include boat noise impacts. The research vessels can get right on top of them! It’s time that it stops!
Lifeforce’s New Plan for Orca Protection promotes humane, non invasive technological advances that will increase information about the lives and travel patterns of the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) and other wildlife.
This can include land based whale watching/monitoring (with high power telescopes and other research equipment); land based drone monitoring; hydrophones and motion sensing cameras on navigation markers and at land bases; the tracking/vocal identifications by the use of vast government, university and other hydrophone networks in the Salish Sea and oceans; satellite monitoring and many more humane methodologies.
Boat traffic is one of the three major threats to SRKW survival. Government agencies and others must recognize the threats by the ongoing unnecessary research vessels. Continuous invasive research with continuous long close follows and getting on top of frightened orcas must be stopped. These decades of experiments have not saved the SRKWs!
The research industry must stop treating marine life as research tools for lucrative grants and careers. Alternatives are available to stop the excessive, barbaric experiments and studying them to death!
Spread the Word! Spread the Petition: Orcas Must Not Be Mistreated Like Lab Animals!
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!
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posted on April 26, 2023
Orcas and other Marine Life Must Not Be Mistreated Like “Lab” Animals! (Part 1 of 2)
In April, 2021 it was revealed that a Grey whale has been suffering from a major infection due to being shot with a tracking dart called “satellite tags”. This was a joint study between the U.S. and Canada to track already known routes. The Vancouver Aquarium vet then shot the whale with antibiotics. There can be unknown side effects such as extreme sickness and death.
In 2016 an endangered orca in L pod died from infection from these types of experiments five weeks after being “tagged”. At that time two Transient orcas were believed to have also died. There were also 12 others with parts of old “tags” in them. In addition, Right whales had swelling from infections and “dolphins” have died during “handling” to attach tags. Other research victims include Humpback whales.
A lot of harm from various types of experiments has been caused for decades. Researchers admit that it is always a "risk".
History of Marine Wildlife Experiments and Vivisection
In the 90s Lifeforce discovered that the public was not aware of the research industry’s barbaric, scientifically fallacious “studies” of sentient marine wildlife in captivity and the wild.
First Unplanned Orca Experiment!
In 1964 the Vancouver Aquarium tried to harpoon a Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) for a Sculpture’s “model” but the orca survived and was towed by the harpoon rope back to Vancouver Harbour. It could be said that, in fact, this was the first orca to be experimented on. “Moby Doll” was not a female but a male and they did not know what orcas ate. They tried live and dead chickens and seals, horsemeat and a variety of other possible food. This orca died after 86 days but helped start the aquarium entertainment industry. Aquariums then took 68 orcas and killed others during the captures.
The Vancouver Aquarium support included Pat McGeer, UBC researcher/ BC Education Minister, who built his career on a mountain of dead rats, cats, and monkeys. He did his experiments at the UBC Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Science. They implanted electrodes into the brains of animals, repeatedly shocked them to try to induce convulsions, and restrained monkeys for months in epilepsy experiments. Even the head UBC researcher admitted that they found major differences between animal species and the only reliable way to find cures in “man” is to study “man”. (Note: Lifeforce did manage to expose these atrocities over the years.)
Pinnipeds
“Rescued” and captured sea lions and seals are used in shows and experiments at the Vancouver Aquarium. Researchers have also experimented with implanted data loggers etc.. In sea lions that caused major infections. In addition, issues with attaching equipment on heads and bodies for decades was eventually found to cause major increased energy needs. Lifeforce proved that these instrument packs on pinniped impedes natural behaviours and invalidate studies looking at prey consumption and energy requirements! UBC researchers at the Vancouver Aquarium later agreed that energy needs were increased significantly.
To Be Continued...
Spread the Word! Spread the Petition: Orcas Must Not Be Mistreated Like Lab Animals!
Stop the Experiments on Wildlife!
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posted on April 25, 2023
While the lucrative vivisection industries continue there has be some progress to end it. For the benefit of people and animals, we must support phasing out the inhumane, scientifically fallacious “animal models” of human maladies. There are major biological differences between and within humans and animals! That has prevented cures that could save lives! Time to stop it now for a better life for all life!
Some of the Great News:
1. Ending Cosmetic Testing on Animals
In Canada, the 2023 federal budget confirmed the government’s commitment to banning cosmetic testing on animals. Numerous other countries have already stopped it!
2. No More Animals in Lung Experiments
Australian scientists grow replica human lungs and call for end to animal testing. Professor Wojciech Chrzanowski finds it “heartbreaking” to recall some of his early scientific work, where research involving animal testing was inevitable. He regretted “cutting up animals” and he said that you feel sorry for them. So he has found humane, more accurate non animals methods.
They have successfully grown replica human lungs in their laboratory at the University of Sydney Nano Institute. “Everyone told me it would never work’, says the professor of nanomedicine, but science needs alternatives to experimenting on animals”
Learn All About the Lucrative Vivisection Industry
In 2010 Lifeforce produced “Vivisection 101” exposing the vivisection businesses. Posters include Better Living: Health Care and Research; Types of Animal Experiments; Pound Seizure Campaigns (researchers seizing impounded dogs); The Vivisection Industries; Harmful Results/False claims of medical successes; and Eco Friendly Non Animal Methodologies.
See “Vivisection 101” on the “Stop Vivisection Canada!”.
Let’s phase out all vivisection within 10 years! Stop Vivisection Canada!
Donations are greatly appreciated and can be made to Lifeforce either by mail to: Lifeforce Foundation, Box 3117, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3X6 or “Support Us” at Lifeforce Lifeforce Web Site.
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posted on April 25, 2023
Stopping Inhumane Experiments on Domestic and Wild Animals!
During our four decades plus, the Lifeforce endless campaigns protected people, animals and the environment. I investigated and exposed research atrocities behind the closed doors of vivisection laboratories and out of public view in the wild. Lifeforce’s new plans have included exposing the cruel, barbaric experiments on endangered orcas and numerous other marine lives.
Stop Vivisection Canada!
In the Labs since the 80s
Our work continues to “Stop Vivisection Canada”. There must be a phase out period of no longer than ten years. We are also raising public awareness of the history of experiments at the St. Paul’s Hospital since the 50s to stop it from continuing at the new 2027 hospital site in Vancouver, BC. Monkeys, dogs and many other species have been subjected to experiments including forced inhalation of cigarette smoke. See our video: No New Animal Labs at St. Paul’s Hospital!
Lab Video.
When I see dogs and cats it brings back my horrific memories of the labs. I see the electrodes implanted into their brains, chronic restraint, full body burns, severed spinal cords and much, much more. I live with the PTSD but I keep going in order to help stop all vivisection and to end the harm to sentient beings from inhumane, scientifically fallacious experiments.
My Birthday Wish
The greatest gift for my birthday on April 26th would be your donation to continue the work of Lifeforce. Donations for a Lifeforce documentary and important projects can be made to Lifeforce Foundation either by mail to: Lifeforce Foundation, Box 3117, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3X6 or through PayPal on “Support Us” on our web site
Lifeforce Web Site.
Peace for All Life!
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce Founder |
posted on April 21, 2023
Every year on April 22, Earth Day participants try to take action for the environment. However, this year we all must look at both the successes and the failures. On April 20, 2023, it was announced the Canadian Government will permit the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project. They claimed that the destruction of this ecosystem is somehow “justifiable".
In 2005, the Environment Canada’s response to the Canadian Environmental Assessment process also criticized the expansion. The report states: “EC has adopted the position that the risk of eutrophication within the inter causeway cannot be dismissed. If it does occur, the state of eutrophication is predicted to result in such massive environmental change between the causeways that there would be public outrage as well as agency embarrassment at an international scale, not to mention the loss of productive habitat for a very large and diverse assemblage of biota.”
The proposed expansions of the Vancouver Port Authority facility at Roberts Bank included a Third Berth for containers at Deltaport, a potential second terminal and a major truck highway across Delta’s farm fields. The port expansion will result in the loss of precious marine habitat (approximately 20 ha for the Third Berth), essential for a diversity of animals, birds and fish. Increased vehicle and ship traffic will also have many negative effects on this sensitive ecosystem.
The negative impacts on endangered orcas include: lack of education of ship operators when orcas are present that can result in stress, ship strike and possible injury/death; construction noise that would interrupt their lifestyles and could cause fatal injuries (such as hearing trauma); release of contaminants during construction affecting their health; increase of ship traffic resulting in noise and water pollution that can lead to poor health/death; and long term impacts that can affect food availability and the orcas' historic use of this habitat.
“The lives of orcas, humpbacks, grays and a diversity of other wildlife are endangered by the proposed expansion plans. The area should be declared a Marine Protected Area in order to protect this fragile ecosystem”, stated Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce Founder, ”That must also include the adjacent Westshore Coal Terminal that is a major polluter of the air and waters. One of the “studies” for the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project claimed to be monitoring orcas, humpbacks and other marine mammals. However, when I asked to view the videos they stated that no species could be determined because of the excessive coal dust pollution on the camera lenses! It is time to stop ALL the pollution in this fragile habitat!”
Lifeforce has been opposing these businesses since early 2000! Loss of wildlife and fragile ecosystems have also continued for decades. This “Earth Day” must act as a red flag to what may be the beginning of “Earth Extinction Day” if these assaults on nature are not finally stopped. Humans can do so much good but also so much harm! Will this ever change? Will Humans ever learn?
SAY NO TO Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project and Stop the Coal Pollution! Stop Global Warming! Protect Fragile Ecosystems!
Please Email:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
BC Premier David Eby: premier@gov.bc.ca
Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change: Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca
Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard: joyce.murray@parl.gc.ca
Your Canadian Local MPs and MLAs and/or Your American Politicians
Donations are greatly appreciated and can be made to Lifeforce either by mail to: Lifeforce Foundation, Box 3117, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 3X6 or “Support Us” at Lifeforce www.lifeforcefoundation.org. Thank you!
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posted on April 6, 2023
The Vancouver Aquarium Shameful History: Vancouver Aquarium – At least 54 deaths in 53 years!
Public opinion is against captivity, but the Vancouver Aquarium (VA) insisted on perpetuating the international marine mammal slave trade. Wildlife suffers physically and psychologically because their social and behaviour needs cannot be provided for in captivity. They develop painful ulcers from the stress and die prematurely. They are subjected to experiments for lucrative grants. Many have been sold or traded to zoos and aquariums worldwide. VA had many failed breeding programs. Three orca babies, ten beluga babies and two Pacific white-sided dolphin babies died. From 1964 to 2017 at least 9 orcas, 7 narwhals, 1 False killer whale, 21 belugas, 2 Harbour porpoise, and 14 Pacific white-sided dolphins have died as a result of their pro captivity businesses!
In May 2017 the Vancouver Parks passed an updated Bylaw based on the successful Cetacean Ban lobbied for by Lifeforce in 1996. It banned all further captivity of cetaceans. In 2019, Canada banned cetacean captivity BUT still allows it for “scientific research”!
At that time the VA had several belugas in US aquariums, and others in a Spanish aquarium that they managed. In 2021, they sold to the US Herschend Family Entertainment that operates numerous amusement parks. It has been criticized for managing Stone Mountain Park in Georgia, which has been a gathering spot for white supremacists for decades. The park has the largest Confederate monument ever built, with sculptures of confederate leaders carved into the granite mountain.
So now racism is added to the speciesist Vancouver Aquarium businesses?
End Wildlife Captivity!
Humans must end their centuries of exploiting fellow creatures with who we share this planet. Many of the abuses, threats and killings that Lifeforce and others campaigned against over the decades still continue. Humans continue the endless wars, racism, sexism, and speciesism.
Will the cruelties ever end? Will we end Aquarium Prisons?
We must learn from the past and stop speciesism in order to finally bring Peace for All Life! |
posted on April 3, 2023
Corky
In 1993, I wrote a fictional story about Corky and her A Pod family. I called them the “Hope Family” and wrote about how they could be reunited. But, too much greedy financial profits for the aquarium businesses to set Corky, Lolita and others free. In 2022, I updated the history of the plight of the many orcas.
See Orca: A Family Story
The 1993 "Orca: A Family Story" is a fictional story of an endangered orca family who faced a cruel aquarium capture. Many died and others faced a life imprisoned in barren pool prisons torn from their families. Generations of orca families were lost because the aquarium industry took only the young males and females. It has taken decades for any recovery. We hope that the ending in this story will come true for present and future generations of orcas and marine wildlife. Freedom: Not Captivity!
ORCA: A FAMILY STORY.
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posted on April 1, 2023
Lolita’s Freedom? Hopefully Immediate Action will be taken to also Free Corky!
Corky II, often referred to as just Corky, is a female from the A pod. At approximately the age of four, Corky was captured from off the coast of on December 11, 1969. She has lived at SeaWorld since 1987. As of 2022, she is the oldest and longest kept captive orca.
Lolita, initially called Tokitae, was hauled out of Penn Cove at the Penn Cove Shellfish farm dock in San de Fuca on August 8, 1970.
Corky was born in 1965. Her mother, designated A23, nicknamed "Stripe", died in 2000. Corky, along with a young unnamed male and a young female later named Patches, were sold to Marineland of the Pacific. As of 2022, Corky is the only surviving captured orca from her family group. She lost all of her babies.
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posted on March 11, 2023
Lifeforce has fought against the captivity of cetaceans since the 80s. In 1993, we exposed the capture of belugas in Churchill, Manitoba and that ended International captures! In 1996 we suceeded in getting a ceatacean ban at the Vancouver Aquarium.
There were at least 53 cetacean suffering and deaths caused by the Vancouver Aquarium and partners.
Shut down Aquariums and Zoos with live animals!!! Support "waterless" aquariums with modern, humane non-animal exhibits! |
posted on March 3, 2023
URGENT UPDATE
Killing Wildlife: All About $$$
The Pacific Balance Marine Management (PBMM) Applied for $194,000 “Research” Grant for a “seal and sea lion stomach sampling program”
Please Help Stop the Cruelty by writing directly to Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard at Joyce.Murray@parl.gc.ca
Please Sign and Share the petition at https://www.change.org/.../say-no-to-a-west-coast-seal...
STOP THE WILDLIFE KILLING!.
Also Canadians please write to your Member of Parliament (MP) and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)! |
posted on January 31, 2023
Canada Geese have long been a part of Canada’s national identity. However, wildlife hunters continue to want to kill them to reduce an “overpopulation” that they created decades ago!
The Board of the Capital Regional District (CRD) on Southern Vancouver Island, wants to establish a regional Canada Goose monitoring and coordination “service” to address “increasing” populations of non-migratory, resident Canada geese populations.
You can voice your opposition by Signing and Sharing this petition.
Let Canada Geese Live In Peace! |
posted on January 1, 2023
Exploitive animal industries have been fighting for a Canadian West Coast Seal Hunt. There has been the infamous seal clubbing East Seal “Hunt” for decades. More recently Lifeforce was instrumental in stopping the BC-based Pacific Balance Marine Management (PBMM) killing plans. The Lifeforce petition was a Victory! However, they continue to lobby and the “Fur Canada” business is funding a program called “Seals and Sealing Network”!
In the 90s, Lifeforce became aware of an unreleased government study that supported anti- sealing campaigns. Some pinnipeds were killed and the report concluded that adult seals and sea lions are not healthy to eat because the dangerous toxicity levels increase with age. Well newborns may be a bit safer to eat it was concluded that the public would likely not support killing the babies/pups.
Recently, this November 8 to 9, there was a “Seal Summit” in St. John’s, Newfoundland. A BC First Nation “representative” from the PBMM and others met Hon. Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, to once again urge a West Coast Seal Hunt.
It was shocking to read that the Government of Canada promoted it as a “Seal Summit” for stakeholders to discuss opportunities for industry development. They said, “... we are committed to exploring opportunities for Canadian seal products, all while respecting the latest science advice.”
The pro-hunting lobby stated it was “to discuss the issues preventing effective Management of Canada’s seal populations and opportunities for seal and sea lion “products”! This “Seals and Sealing Network”, states that they are a program of the Fur Institute of Canada formed to bring together “Canada’s sealing industry harvesters, processors, manufacturers, retailers, and Indigenous peoples of Canada to promote and market high quality and sustainable Canadian Seal Products (seal oil, seal meat, seal fur)...”.
Sign and Share the petition Petition to Stop a West Coast Seal and Sea lion Slaughter.
Also, Canadians please write to your Member of Parliament (MP) and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)!
Please Give A Gift of Life to Wildlife! Help Lifeforce Stop a Canadian West Coast Seal Hunt Industry!
In Respect for All Life,
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce Founding Director |
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