PLEASE NOTE:
Portions of this now amended Action Alert were based on representations made to VINE by the Green Mountain College Farm Manager, who led us to believe that he was speaking for the college. We have since learned that was not true and that some of his statements did not reflect the official college position. We sincerely regret any hard feelings caused by that misunderstanding. We encourage the college community to revisit any decisions that it may have made based on inaccurate information
Specifically, we have since learned that the college asserts that (a) killing Bill and Lou would be best for them, and (b) killing Bill and Lou would be the “sustainable” thing to do, to keep them from wasting resources now that one of them is disabled. The college does intend to serve them as hamburger but does not see this as the primary motive for the slaughter.
Green Mountain College does still plan to kill Lou and Bill, and action is still needed.
Please see subsequent blog posts for details.
Green Mountain College is poised to kill two oxen named Bill and Lou who have served their college farm for ten long years. ACT NOW to prevent it!
Bill and Lou have been a working team of oxen at Green Mountain College in Poultney, VT for ten years. They were pressed into service by staff at Cerridwen Farm – the teaching farm on campus – to do everything from plowing fields to generating electricity. Over the years, they became so well loved that they’re even the profile picture for the farm’s Facebook page!
A few months ago, Lou became unable to be worked any longer. Bill won’t work with anyone else. Therefore, the college has concluded that both of them must be killed.
DEATH is their reward for 10 long years of hard work.
Yes, Green Mountain College has decided that Bill and Lou’s long lives of service should be rewarded by their slaughter – and for what? According to their own press releases, the school will get, at best, a couple of months of low-grade hamburger out of their bodies.
This is especially heartbreaking because they have an excellent home waiting for them.
VINE Sanctuary has offered to provide Bill and Lou with permanent homes. We have the ability and resources to care for them for the rest of their natural lives. Sadly, though, the college is determined to kill them instead.
Farm Manager Kenneth Mulder (with whip) working Bill and Lou
For ten years, they served the needs of those more powerful than they are.
Now it’s time to let them serve their own needs.
Please contact the folks at Green Mountain College and urge them to reconsider. It would be especially powerful for people from Vermont to contact them, and even more so for alumni to add their voices, so if you know someone from Vermont and/or Green Mountain College, please forward this notice to them as well. Feel free to use and/or modify the letter below, or write your own. Please send the letter to the following people:
Bill Throop Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs: throopw@greenmtn.edu
Kenneth Mulder Farm Manager, Research Associate & Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies: mulderk@greenmtn.edu (We no longer believe that letters to Farm Manager Mulder would be helpful.)
Dear Sir:
I am writing to urge you to allow Bill and Lou to live out the remainder of their natural lives, in peace and contentment, at VINE Sanctuary, a reputable organization which has offered to care for them.
Should you choose to reverse their death sentences, the rewards garnered by Green Mountain College will far exceed whatever paltry sum their slaughter would bring to the school.
Conversely, whatever small amount of cash would be made by killing them will be far outweighed by the negative press which will follow in the wake of their deaths. (We now know that economics is not the primary motive for the slaughter.
Bill and Lou have served your college well for ten long years. Students and faculty alike have expressed how much they care about these individuals. They deserve to be given the rest of their lives to live as they choose. Just because they are not human does not mean they do not care about their existence.
We will be watching to see what decision you make.
Sincerely,
NAME
-marji, animal place
Thus far, the only response has been from Kenneth Mulder, the farm manager, with whom I spoke on Friday. He said many things, including that the school was concerned that the resources of the world would be wasted on Bill and Lou (you know, like air and water) if the college didn’t kill them. He also tried to put it out there that everything the college did was by the consensus of the students, but when I pressed him, he said that the provost makes the final decisions for the school.
There was a forum coming up that afternoon (or the next day) at which students would once again have a chance to voice their feelings about the matter, as it has been quite contentious (which is why we heard about it in the first place, via another AR group in VT). When we hung up the phone, the general conclusion was that we would both (both sides) wait to see what happened at that forum.
In the meantime, GMAD (that other AR group) sent a letter to the school asking that it be read at the forum, which did not happen (most likely because of the timing of the situation).
Supposedly, according to the school, the forum resulted in the same conclusion as before: the school needs to kill Bill and Lou.
Now, we can take their word for it — OR we can figure that, given that so many of their students are vegan or veggie (30% by their own admission) the Wise and Sagacious faculty members convinced the students that this was the best thing to do. Hard to know.
So, in the days since then, we have done the petition, the action alert asking folks to send letters, and several other tactics aimed at pressuring the school to do the right thing. As of now, we have yet to hear back from the provost, whom I emailed directly this morning.
We’ll keep you posted!
Miriam
The biggest question: Did the students know that a sanctuary had offered to provide a home for Bill and Lou, or were they told that the decision was between killing them and selling them off to an uncertain fate?
Does anyone have an idea of how much these oxen can be purchased for? If it’s several months’ worth of meat for the college, then I would be happy to monetarily contribute to cover those costs so that these animals can be saved. If air and food and their ‘use’ of precious resources can be quantified, can we not put a price on it and pay it?
I have written to both Provost and Farm Mgr as your site indicates.
I wish to support you any way I can.
The slaughter of these sentient beings by an educational institution that is educating our youths is a frightening concept. I think they should stick to teaching ethics and not be giving thumbs up or down on whether animals live or die.
Wholly supporting your cause and thank you for stepping up to the plate.
Bill Throop Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs,
Please do the right thing and give the old oxen Bill and Lou a retirement. Let humane people take care of them. Let VINE Sanctuary take care of them. Those of us at the Species List Forest take care of all the plants and animals of or forest. You can certainly not kill these two oxen. This is not a judgement of good agricultural practices; it is a judgement on the ethics of agriculturalists.
Sincerely,
Richard Stafursky, Manager, Species List Forest
155 Belmont Avenue
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Species List Forest, Conway, MA
a 501(c)(3) conservation organization
802 257 9158
rhstafursky@yahoo.com
is planning to do to them. They are a legend in this town. And they do not deserve to have there lives ended this way. I over the years have not like how the college has treated these ox,and the conditions they have had to stay in and work in.And many times had to bite my tounge. But this is totally sick to feed these Oxen in the dining hall. Is the college really that bad off????? They deserve to live out there lives !!!!! They earned that and so much more. And my 11 yr old daughter has been so upset about this. We deliver a letter to Ken Moulder himslf wriiten by her asking that the college rethink this decission and let them live out there lives.
These two oxen Bill and Lou live in the field behind my house. It makes me sick to my stomach even to think about what the college
is planning to do to them. They are a legend in this town. And they do not deserve to have there lives ended this way. I over the years have not like how the college has treated these ox,and the conditions they have had to stay in and work in.And many times had to bite my tounge. But this is totally sick to feed these Oxen in the dining hall. Is the college really that bad off????? They deserve to live out there lives !!!!! They earned that and so much more. And my 11 yr old daughter has been so upset about this. We deliver a letter to Ken Moulder himslf wriiten by her asking that the college rethink this decission and let them live out there lives.
Of course we believe that living in pain is an awful way to live. But given that there exists a plethora of pain medications for cows which can alleviate such suffering — much as there exist such medications for humans — it is unconscionable NOT to medicate him and see if he can’t find some relief that way. We have a couple of steer — steer who top out over 3,000 pounds EACH — who have chronic pain and we manage it with medication. It’s sort of obvious, but then again, alleviating the discomfort of someone who has been viewed as a TOOL and a MACHINE for ten years isn’t something that occurs to people.
Moreover, who are you to determine whether or not he wants to live or die based upon the pain he is in? I know plenty of humans — PLENTY of them — who live with chronic pain. They live with pain on a daily basis. Arthritis, back pain, migraine, whatever. It hurts, they suffer, it sucks — and yet gosh golly they don’t off themselves. I dare you to suggest to them that they would be better off with a bolt gun shot to the head.
Not to mention Bill. Really? We must murder him even if his partner were to die somehow? I suggest you go around to all the old ladies whose husbands have died and ask them if they might not want you to kill them too.
One more point. No one at the college has mentioned EUTHANASIA for Lou. Had this been a situation in which Lou was viewed as an individual in his own right, and he was making it clear that he was done with this life, then ending his life painlessly and without fear — as in euthanasia — might be a reasonable option. It is certainly one we have undertaken for those individuals here who have made it clear that they do not wish to live with their chronic conditions. Frankly, I personally believe that it’s criminal that humans not have this choice as well. In any case — no one from GMC has even suggested such a thing. No. He is to be shot in the head by a slaughterer in what will undoubtedly be a terrifying and painful experience. So please don’t pretend this is all coming from concern for Lou’s pain and suffering. This is a clear-cut decision made on the basis of profit and loss; namely, he can’t give us what we want anymore, so we will kill him. Again I ask you to consider how different this situation would be if Bill and Lou were human.
In case my point is not obvious, I will spell it out for you. What should not be done to humans should not be done to non-humans. We oppose human supremacy in all its forms, including double standards for who gets to live and who does not. Shame on everyone who is presuming to act as a demi-god, deciding for Bill and Lou whether or not they “deserve” to live, whether or not they “want” to live. LET THEM DECIDE. Is that really so radical a notion for a school that prides itself upon taking radical stances to traditional problems?
I have just learned about the impending slaughter of Bill and Lou. I am writing to urge you to allow Bill and Lou to live out the remainder of their natural lives, in peace and contentment, at VINE Sanctuary, a reputable organization which has offered to care for them.
Should you choose to reverse their death sentences, the rewards garnered by Green Mountain College will far exceed whatever paltry sum their slaughter would bring to the school.
Conversely, whatever small amount of cash would be made by killing them will be far outweighed by the negative press which will follow in the wake of their deaths.
Bill and Lou have served your college well for ten long years. Students and faculty alike have expressed how much they care about these individuals. They deserve to be given the rest of their lives to live as they choose. Just because they are not human does not mean they do not care about their existence.
I will do all I can to publicize the heartless and unnecessary slaughter of these amazing animals far and wide.
I will be watching very closely to see what decision you make.
Sincerely,
Marc Bekoff
Homepage: marcbekoff.com/
Marc Bekoff and Jane Goodall (EETA): http://www.ethologicalethics.org
Marc Bekoff Central: http://www.yourcybercourt.info/Bekoff/marcbekoffcentral.html
Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions
Boulder Orthopedics Cycling Team: http://bouldermasterscycling.com/2011/12/23/marc-bekoff/
Kids & animals, Marc Bekoff, Foreword by Jane Goodall; http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/ArchitecturePlanning/discover/centers/CYE/Publications/Pages/Books.aspx
Dr. Marc Bekoff
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado 80309-0334 USA
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201210/green-mountain-college-slaughter-two-oxen
Bill Throop, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Kenneth Mulder, Farm Manager, Research Associate and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Your decision to kill Bill & Lou has reached the ears of sympathetic carers of animals here in Australia and astounds us. I will all I can do to publish and promote your cruel heartless actions far and wide. Cruelty cannot stand the spotlight. Your college will suffer the consequences of your decisions for a long long time. Social media is a POWERFUL to for reform.
VINE Sanctuary has offered to take these majestic animals into their care and provide them with the life of retirement that they rightly deserve. Let this happen. These animals have been exploited and forced to work long and hard at the hands of a cruel man wielding a whip which in itself is archaic animal handling and training practice. Get with the era and learn human positive training methods !
As an organisation you are in a position to make humane choices that will affect the well-being of defenceless and innocent creatures, non of which asked to be exploited by humanities greed and total indulgence of everything that humanity can manipulate and control for humans selfish greed.
One day humanity will look back at this current human consciousness and its continued exploitation of the planet resources and animals and severely condemn those who were in positions of influence and decision making. Both of you will be judged by your decisions and actions.
Alexandria
If you care
If you dare
Watch EARTHLINGS
It will change your life
http://www.unleashed.org.au/features/earthlings/
Last week we also celebrated St. Francis’ Day. The patron Saint of animals. What a hideous and vile thing it is when a life that could be saved is destroyed for no earthly purpose.
I am sure there are millions around the world who will be appalled and disgusted to think we are even discussing such an outlandish decision.
O tempores. O mores.
Philip Wollen
Australia
Most ethical vegans I know also strive to eat as locally as possible. We also avoid products made by slave labor, those that pollute the environment (or the bodies of workers), and those that are the result of unfair trade practices.
Do some vegans eat highly processed junk food trucked from far away? Sure! And even more omnivores gobble down highly processed foods trucked from far away that are even harder on the earth.
It’s always inherently less sustainable to cycle plant protein and other nutrients through animals before consuming them. So, just because something’s local doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.
And it’s just wrong to say we “remain silent” about these things. I personally, in talks given on behalf of the sanctuary every year since 2000, have consistently and explicitly stated that “vegan means green” and gone on to spell out exactly what that means in terms of all sorts of consumption (not just food.)
Something that is not stressed on this site or many other sites is that Lou has extreme pain to his legs and joints. He is in pain when he walks and is often found exhausted in the pasture from trying to walk on his hurting legs. These health issues were unavoidable and something needs to be done about them. I feel that processing them and putting them in the dining hall IS the best way to both help a dear friend out of pain while honoring him in a way that will live on in me forever.
Thank you
We’ve not heard that a vet has recommended euthanasia for Lou. With proper treatment and pain management–which he cannot be getting right now, if he is scheduled for slaughter, since the USDA does not allow animals who have received certain medications in recent weeks to be killed for meat–an injury such as his ought not be a death sentence.
We have heard that, as of today, Lou was up and walking around, only slightly favoring his back leg. If he came to VINE, he would receive immediate veterinary care, including pain management medications. Of course, if the vet recommended euthanasia, then we would comply, ensuring that his death was painless and stress-free.
As for Bill, well, not many widows or widowers commit suicide when their spouse dies. As we age, we do lose close friends but few of us would want to be killed ourselves. Shouldn’t Bill have the opportunity to make new friends, in the context of a freedom and ease that he has never before enjoyed?
Here at the sanctuary, animals who have suffered terrible losses come and–just like us–find solace in new relationships. We’d like to offer Bill that opportunity while also seeing how Lou does with pain medications the freedom to rest as much as he likes.
I sent out the letters and put the initial link on my facebook, I’ll add the one to the petition.
(1) It’s our understanding that, after Lou’s initial injury, he was allowed to rest but then forced to work again as soon as he showed improvement. This happened repeatedly. So, in a sense, the college repeatedly re-injured him by forcing him to work on a weakened leg. Again, we’d like to see how he does with pain management medication and as much rest as he wants.
(2) A clarification on our position concerning euthanasia. Of course, we euthanize in the case of terminal illness, when the pain of that illness has led the animal to lose the will to live. In the case of non-terminal injuries or illnesses, then we would always get the advice of at least two vets–and, if possible, also consult an ethologist or other scholar we know to be especially expert in the psychology of this particular kind of animal–in order to ensure that we aren’t making a fatal mistake. (Animals, like people, may become depressed immediately after becoming disabled but, again like people, often can lead happy lives after learning to accommodate the disability.)
(3) Speaking of ethologists, one of the world’s leading ethologists–Marc Bekoff, who has worked with Jane Goodall–has implored Green Mountain College to release Lou and Bill to VINE. This should give any animal-loving student at GMC pause.
(4) Finally, please ask some elders who are widowed or have ailments like rheumatoid arthritis whether they would feel it respectful for you to kill them in order to relieve their grief or pain.
And I understand why some see little or no moral distinction between oxen and humans whether based on sentience, subject of a life, or having eyelashes or some other criterion. The fact of the matter is there is no self-evident claim that we should treat oxen and humans by the same moral standards. Animal rights and animal welfare advocates may agree on not slaughtering Bill and Lou, but they would disagree on the reasons why.
One point that hasn’t been raised yet is the following. When Bill and Lou were acquired by GMC, their final destiny was almost certainly the dinner plate. So the complaint shouldn’t be against what the decision was this month, but what the decision was ten years earlier.