Jain Spirit 2002 06 No 11

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 39

YOUTH
book or ask at the hotel's reception to find a local animal welfare organisation. Market trade
Markets are a fact of life in many countries and you may very well see animals packed in cages which are far too small and left sitting in the hot sun. Often there are no laws governing how these animals are kept, but you could write to the local authorities pointing out how much better it would look to visitors if conditions were improved. Safe souvenirs
Everyone likes to have a memento from their holiday, but this doesn't have to be at the expense of an animal. Please do not buy items such as ivory, tortoiseshell hair slides, exotic leather goods, multicoloured feathers, tropical shells, dried starfish, seahorses and coral as these all involve the death of an animal. Trade in these types of souvenirs has put many species at risk of extinction and in some cases it may be illegal to import the item without a special permit.
If you go scuba diving, snorkelling or even paddling, don't walk on the coral and don't break any off to take home as a souvenir. Cruel entertainment
Beware of beach photographers who will offer to take a picture of you with a chimp, monkey or lion cub. These animals are sedated with drugs to make them easier to handle. They spend all day in the hot sun being photographed with tourists. If you see a photographer with any sort of animal, refuse to have your picture taken with them.
Keep away from places with performing animals such as dolphinariums and circuses. Often the animals suffer greatly for the entertainment of visitors and your presence only keeps places like these in business.
Avoid going to see a bullfight at all costs. This is big business in Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico and South America and the money from tourists helps this cruelty to continue.
In some countries you may be offered a ride on a pony, donkey, camel or horse and carriage. If you suspect any form of cruelty, don't take part.
Benjamin Zephaniah
VOICES FOR
HOICES
If you did not have a car You could still walk, If you did not have a phone You could still talk, If you did not have a batter Then the cricket would not matter And you could still eat all your greens Without a fork.
If we did not have cartoons We'd all be funny, And we'd probably be more equal Without money, We could live without computers Dictators and persecutors And our lives could still be quite sweet Without honey.
You could have a great big telly With no vision, We could all live without crime And without prison, Without dark we'd just have light Without light we'd just have night And if we tried we could eat cakes That have not risen.
But I'm trying to make sure No one forgets, That we really needed Mighty Suffragettes, If they did not raise their voices Most of us would have no choices And I think that we'd have many Deep regrets.
©Benjamin Zephaniah
June - August 2002. Jain Spirit
37
Jain Education Intemational