The Northern NJ “Vegan Pledge Program” has been moved from March to a projected start date of April 27th. Most of the meetings will still be taking place at the Main Branch of the Sussex County Library, and official details will be posted within the next week.
For more information on the P.A.N. Vegan Pledge Program, click the image below to visit the main page, or here to get to the North Jersey “Pledge Program” sign-up form. 
Winter’s not the most pleasant of times for most people (unless you know how to ski), but Spring is quickly approaching. And, while that means that the weather will finally warm up, and there will be sunshine and flowers, there are also some things that you should be mindful of.
Humans are not the only animals who enjoy Spring. The woodland creatures who have been hunkered-down for the last several months will start to emerge, and like anyone happy with Spring, frolic about. While that can be great, it’s important that people be on the look-out so that no one gets harmed. With hibernation ending, and little ones being born, more and more animals will be out-and-about. So, you need to be sure to be extra careful when driving, bike-riding, etc. to avoid anyone being harmed. On a similar note, try not to scare any animals by getting too close or being too loud, because that might cause them to run, and they could potentially be in the same danger. Take great pictures, and talk calmly from afar if you like (I can’t resist saying “hi” most of the time), but try not to spook anyone. And, whether you are a driver or a passenger, keep an eye out for animals crossing the road (and remember that many animals often travel with others–so if one has just crossed the street, there might be more), and if driving, take evasive actions to prevent any harm (drive slowly and carefully, use your brakes, and find a safe way to “swerve” out of the way if you are not able to stop).
As mentioned above, Spring is a big time for baby animals. And, similarly to how many wild animals are born in the Spring, so are many of domesticated species. Spring has come to be called “kitten season” in the rescue community, because there is such a population boom this time of year. And while ‘most everyone loves kittens, there are so many out there in need of homes, that things are often dire. 😦 SO many innocent animals (as young as a few weeks old, even–if not younger) are heinously killed in “shelters” every day, and that needs to stop! And while conquering the “system” is going to take some time, one thing that you can do to help save lives is to get pets spayed and neutered so that there are not more animals displaced. Every animal alive deserves to live, and by preventing further breeding, existing animals can find homes that might otherwise go to one of the many kittens or puppies who come into the world because of breeders or irresponsibility. (And, while I love all animals including kittens and puppies [of course!], it’s important to ensure the safety of the existing ones, as complicated as it might be to think about the “figurative” ones when it comes to spaying and neutering. [Just to clarify, this does not refer to animals who are already pregnant…They should not be spayed until after their babies have been born!!!])
If you are someone who has a pet–especially if they go outside or are around others of the opposite gender–it is important to get them spayed/neutered. And, if you are someone who cares for outdoor or feral cats, it can help a lot if you can get them spayed/neutered as well. Many areas have “TNR”–“Trap, Neuter, Release” programs that can help with the latter. And, for anyone looking for low-cost spay/neuter programs, here is a list of programs and resources that you might be able to utilize to help with that….
Please, help protect animals this Spring, and always!
For more information on any programs, or for assistance in finding a program that can help you, feel free to post in the “comments” section or e-mail The Vegan Collective at TheVeganCollective@live.com.
There are quite a few interesting and varied conferences coming up for Vegetarians/Vegans/Animal Rights Activists. Coming up in the beginning of March is the “Free the Animals Conference” hosted by Stop Animal Exploitation Now, in Florida. http://www.all-creatures.org/saen/event-20130101-registration.html That conference, also, allows opportunities for attendees to volunteer at Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary.
Further into the future are some well-known conferences including the F.A.R.M. AR Conference and Vegetarian Summerfest, as well as the No Kill Conference, and the Anti-fur Society Conference (all but “Summerfest” take place around the Washington DC area).
Two of the biggest/most widely-attended conferences of the Summer are the Farm Animal Rights Movement’s “AR 2013”–taking place on the East Coast for a second year in a row before switching back to the West Coast, next year, and the North American Vegetarian Society’s Vegetarian Summerfest, which takes place in Western Pennsylvania.
The F.A.R.M. AR Conference is a multi-day event that takes place at the Hilton in Alexandria, Virginia from June 27th to 30th, this year. It includes a variety of topics relating to Animal Rights and Animal Welfare, via a plethora of different speakers, workshops, tablers, and merchants selling Vegan wares. More information about the conference can be obtained on the AR 2013 website: http://www.arconference.org/
Vegetarian Summerfest takes place from July 3rd through 7th, this year, at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown Campus, and is a conference with both workshops about Animal Rights-related issues, as well as a workshop track for those interested in the health aspect of veganism. It has a laid-back atmosphere and a large campus to explore. There are fun activities including a dance, as well as many learning and networking opportunities. More information about “Summerfest” can be obtained by visiting their website: http://www.vegetariansummerfest.org/
There are a great many Veganism/Animal Rights/Vegetarianism-related conferences, gatherings and events that take place in many different states and other parts of the world. If you are someone who is interested in being more involved in the Animal Rights movement, or learning about or exploring Vegetarianism or Veganism, or networking with others who are, you should definitely attend one of the Animal Rights/Veg conferences that peaks your interest.
Pictures from AR 2012:
Michael Weber and Jon Camp Speaking at a Workshop
Victoria Moran Presenting
Freedom (an Amazing Dog Rescued from a laboratory) standing by a bag of V-Dog Vegetarian Dog Food in the Exhibit Hall
(Websites for the other two conferences referenced are…
No Kill Conference: http://nokillconference.org/
–and–
Anti-Fur Society Conference: http://www.afsconference.org/)
For more information on any of the conferences, reach out to their organizations, or post an inquiry on here. Hope you will attend!
~*Kristin Star*
Peace Advocacy Network has been running a US version of the Vegan Pledge Program for quite some time, and as of this March, it is going to be offered in Northern New Jersey.
The Vegan Pledge Program is a program in which people who are interested in a vegan lifestyle take a pledge to Go Vegan for a month–in which time, they are mentored by vegans, and attend weekly meetings where they have a chance to hear presentations about a variety of topics relating to veganism–including health; environmental impact; and of course, animals. Participants, also, receive vegan care packages, and get to meet a variety of people. It is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in going vegan for any reason, as well as for family members of vegans who want their family to experience the way of life that they enjoy, and hope for them to embrace it themselves.
The program has a high success rate for people staying vegan after the 30-day period, and has thrived and expanded in recent years, and is being offered in 8 locations (so far) in 2013.
For more information on the Vegan Pledge Program, you can visit the P.A.N. site at http://www.panveganpledge.org/
And, for more information on the North Jersey Vegan Pledge Program that NJARC will be hosting in March, as well as a registration form, please visit http://www.panveganpledge.org/forms/PanVeganPledgeformNorthNJ2013.htm
The North Jersey program’s meetings will take place each Saturday in March–most at the Main Branch of the Sussex County Library (one meeting location is still-to-be-determined).
If you are interested in either being a program participant, or a mentor, please sign up, contact P.A.N., or send an e-mail to Kristin_NJARC@live.com
~*Kristin Star*
As a devoted Vegan, I not only want to ensure that nothing animal-related is in anything that I purchase, use, wear, eat, or deal with; I also like to try to find like-minded people to work with on projects, and to commission for help with things–as another important factor is considering where money might be going.
I thought about the wide array of people out there who are Vegans, and the impressive variety of skill-sets they surely have among them. So, recently, I had the idea of putting together a site that helps unite some people of different areas of knowledge and talent in the Vegan community in order to share insights in their specific fields; offer help to others with specific projects, issues, and questions; and work together on things that require multifacetedness. And, from that, arose The Vegan Collective.
This site is intended to serve as a hub for people with a wide variety of knowledge and skills within the Vegan community, to help others with projects, share information, and connect with other similarly-minded people for an even stronger movement, and meaningful and helpful connections. If like me, and some of my friends, you are a Vegan with a unique slew of knowledge, I hope that you will join us and share here.
(As a footnote, I should mention that, just weeks after coming up with the initial idea for this, a project for the Web Development class that I am in involved starting a blog….So, that afforded me a great opportunity to begin this site–And, might explain if there are some interesting formatting decisions in the early posts that are soon to come.)
The Vegan Collective 