N.A.R.A. - A Year in Review

national | animal rights | other press Wednesday July 01, 2009 16:57 by Laura Broxson - National Animal Rights Association naracampaigns at gmail dot com PO Box 11019, Dublin 2

Today is the National Animal Rights Association's 2nd anniversary, and below is our "Year in Review" report, documenting the work we've done in the past year.

"N.A.R.A.'s Year in Review from 1st July 2008 - 1st July 2009"

EVENTS ORGANISED:

108 Demonstrations

141 Leafleting Sessions

12 Information Tables

INFORMATION DISTRIBUTED:

We have sent out a total of 210 information packs (which includes Fur Farm Expose Packs, Foie Gras Packs, Fur Packs, Vegan Packs, Campaign Starter Packs, Zoo Packs and Thank You Packs)

We have handed out over 34,800 leaflets - not including the thousands of leaflets ordered from groups such as Animal Aid, which we have distributed.

CAFT Ireland - FUR FREE SUCCESSES:

Sugar Babe (G.P.O. Arcade, Henry Street, Dublin 1)

We also received a fur free policy confirmation from the company ‘River Island’, and got notice from the ‘Benetton Group’ (which includes the ‘Sisley’ franchise) that they will be fur free by Spring 2010.

FOIE GRAS-FREE SUCCESSES:

Gourmet Burger Co. (97 Ranelagh Road, Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6)

La Mere Zou (22 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2)

Ouzos (22 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin)

Locks Restaurant (1 Windsor Terrace, Portobello, Dublin 8)

Savoy Restaurant (Limerick Mariott Hotel, City Central, Henry Street, Limerick City)

Exchange Restaurant (The Westin Hotel, College Green, Dublin 2)

Eden Restaurant (this restaurant confirmed their already foie-gras free status) (Meeting House Sq, Temple Bar, Dublin)

The Mill (this restaurant confirmed their already foie-gras free status) (Figart, Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal)

OTHER SUCCESSES:

Drogheda Arts Centre opened an exhibition featuring 2 live dogs, taken from the local pound, to be put on display 7 hours a day for a month (regardless of any adoption offers). After just over a week of pressuring both the artist and the arts centre (including 2 visits to the art centre), the dogs were released, rehomed, and it was confirmed that no dogs would be put in their place.

NEW CAMPAIGNS STARTED:

Anti-Zoo Campaign

GLOBAL EVENTS WE PARTICIPATED IN:

International Day Against the Chinese Fur Industry

CAPS’ Zoo Awareness Weekend

Global Boycott Procter & Gamble Day

OTHER CAMPAIGNING NEWS:

A expose on Irish fur farms was produced and sent to us, which we released and sent to 113 politicians, radio stations, newspapers and SPCA’s. This resulted in a lot of attention for the issue, and we were fortunate to be able to discuss the expose and campaign on many radio stations around the country, and we even had a live debate with one of Ireland’s fur farmers.

Author, John Banville, publicly got onboard with our campaign to stop animal experiments in Trinity College - which resulted in an enormous amount of media coverage and debates on the vivisection issue - as well as an investigation on animal testing in Ireland.

Countrywide list of restaurants serving foie gras compiled - adding a total of 73 new campaign targets.

In the past year, we have received 237 emails from people through our website - asking questions, looking for advice, requesting information or info packs, asking to join our group or looking for help to set up their own.

We protested against the first “Anti-Animal Rights Seminar” in Ireland, which was hosted in Dublin.

We have found homes for a number of dogs, cats, and even a snake.

Facebook Page created.

Branch of N.A.R.A. set up in Co. Offaly.

We helped supply a student anti-fur group, ‘Fur or Against?’, with campaign materials. They have now made Tralee, in Co. Kerry, Ireland’s first official fur-free town.