Perpetual Mourning

Earlier this week, I witnessed a pigeon get run over by a car. Eric and I were in the car on our way to get some dinner and we noticed a pigeon in the middle of the street, wings flapping, struggling to right herself, clearly injured. In one instant, we took in the scene — […]

Near Escape: A Story from a California “Livestock” Auction

A group of young breeding bulls just sold at auction were herded into the chute to the transport truck. Their coats were black and shiny and they were in good shape. Strong and energetic — the picture of health. Two men herded them, one with a paddle and the other with an electric prod. As they neared […]

“I’m not your mother!”: A Story from a California “Livestock” Auction

A day-old Holstein calf stood alone in the auction pen. Tish and I sat in the bleachers waiting for the auction to begin. The auction ring was clean — this was the first auction of the day and the wood shavings lining the floor of the pen had not yet been soiled by animals passing […]

Guest Post: Animals, Violence, and Social Justice

Today we have the treat of having a guest post from my very own sister, Lucy Gillespie. A while back, Lucy called me, upset about an experience she had had in her workplace. She works in a mediation (or ‘alternative dispute resolution’) center in Baltimore, MD. She has been trying to think through the experience she […]