JP: I remember having a deep love for animals since I was four years old. My family had household pets since I was three. When my older siblings were excluding me or I felt I needed a friend or a cuddle, my pets were always there for me and truly my best friends. I have always felt grateful and indebted to these faithful companions.

2) What campaigns have you been involved in over the years?

As far as animal rights go, the most we have done prior to joining ARAN is donate to various animal welfare organizations or shelters, sign petitions supporting animal rights, and boycott any restaurant that serves fois gras. We always make it a point to encourage people to adopt rather than purchase pets from pet stores and offer to assist them in finding the right rescue dog or cat for their lifestyles. We also did some volunteer work and fundraising for the Cork Animal Care Society as well as direct several people to them who were interested in adopting cats. 

3) Why did you get involved with ARAN's work?

Emily, formerly of the CACS, invited me to join in on a peaceful protest ARAN march in Cork City last October. After committing, I encouraged my husband Stephen to join me. Stephen and I felt rather passionate and fired-up with anger marching along with other people shouting out for those who cannot speak for themselves. We learned more than we bargained for that afternoon, and it seemed to bring up pent up emotions about how we feel about animals and whether we were doing all we could for them....

4) Is there a particular area that you think ARAN works best at?

I think it is important that ARAN ‘rises above’ any nastiness, foul behavior, obscene language or gestures, and lawlessness some protestors resort to  when caught up in their passion about any given cause. I am particularly impressed at how well-planned events are, how organized, how professionally maintained throughout, and how respectful towards others ARAN members conduct themselves. I find it impressive that ARAN consults the gardai prior to protests and special attention is given to following any given instructions (like standing behind yellow lines on roads, etc.). ARAN is truly an example of peace and treating others with respect while conveying the passionate, sincere message intended.

5) What ARAN campaigns have you taken part in?

The Animal Rights march in Cork City, Oct. 2011 and two current big ones - ARAN’s campaign against Fur Farming and Use of Animals in Circuses.

6) You've now being on a couple of ARAN events – how does it feel to be on the front lines helping animals when you can?

I believe that if one is depressed or angry about something they feel they have little or no control over, the best thing to do is get out there and 'Do Something' about it, i.e volunteer, and donate whatever one feels they can afford to give of time, creativity, and money towards the cause. It’s great to add to as well as extract from the energy of those kind-hearted ARAN members who are of like mind and spirit. I am inspired by ARAN members who selflessly give so much for our animal friends, risk criticism from the public who may not want to know the terrible truth, sacrifice their time and energy, and share the deep compassion I/we feel towards all creatures great and small. I truly feel like we are doing all we can for the animals when out on the ‘front lines’.

7) How do you feel about the current Irish animal welfare legislation?

Give me a break, it is pathetic! I’m so glad I had a chance to tell Simon Coveney’s office how outrageous it is that these laws on the books are so archaic. Come on Ireland, you may not be the worst as regards animal welfare legislation, but it’s time to show the world this country has morals and 21st Century higher standards involving ANY living being!

8) Whilst you both care passionately about all animal issues, what is closest to your heart?

It’s too hard for me to pick out one. I just cannot fathom how animals are tortured by humans, hunted, harassed, kept in restrictive, inhumane captivity, neglected, let loose from the house to fend for themselves during the day endangered by and disrupting traffic, not spaying and neutering pets, the list goes on and on. For example, how can anyone justify the fur industry or bullfights? I hate that animals areraised for human consumption, oh my God, the little lambs. Please don’t get me started, because if I ponder too much more over this I’ll become so depressed, I’ll be of no use to help fight for these lovely creatures.

9) Do you think public perception is changing?

It’s a slow process, but I’d like to think that the consciousness of human beings is indeed changing. It seems people are eating less meat. Much of it has to do with education, and that is another thing I so applaud ARAN for. Its leadership in educating the populace of the suffering caused by our treatment of and behavior towards animals, starting with children in school programs, is extremely crucial to the improved welfare of our animal friends in the future.

10) What is your favorite animal(s)?

I have always loved dogs more than words could describe but, I also adore horses, donkeys, pigs, cows, birds, foxes, wolves, lambs. I can’t control my excitement when I see the sweet innocence of any newborn animal, even mice.

11) If you want to share a few lines with our supporters about a call of action to help animals, what would it be?

Please be polite and tactful, but please do stick your necks out and help bring awareness to others of the matters and crimes against animals that offend you most. Please become informed on the issues animals are enduring because of human interference with nature and human greed and exploitation. Report abuse or neglect of any kind to animals of which you are aware or witness. Please get out there and help us educate, spread the word via peaceful protests, petitions, email, phone calls, etc., and encourage change in attitudes towards animal welfare in Ireland and globally. There are just so many causes for animals. We all need to do our utmost to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. For me, I find it necessary to inform people of the hideousness of the huge consumption of Fois Gras. I’m shocked by the ignorance of many who serve it in their restaurants or people who enjoyeating it. Most people seem to be clueless of what they are eating! At The Taste of Cork a waiter told me ‘All I know is it tastes good!’ How pathetic. And, when told, most refuse to believe how inhumanely it is produced.

Please encourage people to spay and neuter dogs and cats and keep them appropriately contained and safe in your homes. The time has come to microchip and use identification collars. How often do we try to rescue wandering dogs without any i.d. that has local owners who are simply irresponsible? How are we supposed to help? Please encourage your friends and family to act responsibility for pets, feed them healthy food, and don’t leave them outside all day or night to fend for themselves against the elements and traffic, or to potentially become someone else’s responsibility. Please encourage your friends to join us as there is so much more strength in numbers. Most importantly, remember our actions speak louder than any words. Please be a model of kindness to animals in your everyday lives, and lead by example.

Part two) Stephen Podesta

1) Where did your compassion and kindness come from or more so how did it begin?

I have no doubt that any compassion and kindness that I have comes directly from my parents and my loving wife.   My late father was a degree qualified electronic engineer at the cutting edge of computer technology in the 50’s. He literally worked in computers at that time!  He was very artistic and loved nature. During his working life he painted pictures when he had the time, but when he retired he took that painting and art hobby to a new level and created some beautiful artwork. He was always a keen and crafted gardener and a ‘digging’ hero. In later years he was instrumental in ‘causes’ himself and assisted in ensuring his local village library remained open in the face of council funding cuts and it remains a centre of village life to this day. My mother is still very much active as the President of two local Women’s Institute Branches in England, ensuring people and wildlife are kept at the forefront of the community. She is a retired Social Worker Team Leader and Training Leader. During the 60s, 70s and 80s she worked as a Social Worker in some of the most deprived areas ofLiverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow and was considered by all her peers to be an ultimate professional of great integrity, strength and kindness. Both my parents equipped me with the tools to be kind, compassionate and understanding through their example and guidance. Sometimes I feel that I am too sensitive for the World we live in but they are/were always realistic and pragmatic and knew that you can only do what is in front of you, so do it as well as you can. My wife, Jennifer, is such a good influence on me in terms of kindness and compassion because her love of all living things is a beauty to behold. She is an inspiration in terms of taking action, especially in assisting to provide avoice to the animals.

2) What campaigns have you being involved in over the years?

As Jennifer says, as far as animal rights go, the most we have done prior to joining ARAN is donate to various animal welfare organizations, sign petitions supporting animal rights, and boycott any restaurant that serves fois gras. Other more direct action I have taken part in over the years have generally been on political or human rights issues while I was a student in Brighton and when I lived in London in the 90s.

3) Why did you get involved with ARAN's work?

Jennifer committed to some events with ARAN, and when she told me what they were about and what you did, and, as importantly, how you did it, the decision to support ARAN seemed obvious.

4) Is there a particular area that you think ARAN works best at?

I have always been reluctant to be involved with, and get associated with, what are normally described as ‘activists’ as often what they do, albeit for a good cause and passionately, can border on [or even cross the border of] legality. I am very impressed at the way ARAN conducts itself with patience and dignity, even in the face of ignorance and obstruction, to get a message across that stands for itself without resorting to violence, vandalism or bad language. It is difficult to remain composed when faced with such emotive causes, so I admire and respect the methods that ARAN adopts because the result is that nobody who sees it can miss the simple message being portrayed and who can argue with the statement that ‘there’s no excuse for animal abuse’, unless there is an excuse, but in a civilised society how can there be? 

5) What ARAN campaigns have you taken part in?

The animal rights march in Cork City in October, and the telephone request to please desist in using fur in fashion products to a glove retailer in Dublin.

6) You've now been on a couple of ARAN events – how does it feel to be on the front lines helping animals when you can?

It is actually empowering as you feel less helpless and you get the buzz of being able to say to yourself, “Other people just whinge and moan about things, the government, banks, people who treat animals badly, but I did something, I stood up for the animals and you can go home and look your dogs in the eye and just know they understandthat you are on their side”.

7) How do you feel about the current Irish animal welfare legislation?

Outdated, inadequate and unenforced. Ireland is a modern Western European country and it should really be embarrassed about the state of its Laws and enforcement regarding the welfare, treatment and general attitude towards animals when it compares itself to some of its European neighbours.

8) Whilst you both care passionately about all animal issues, what is closest to your heart?

Firstly, the use of animals in circuses and zoos. Circuses with trained wild [slave] animals performing ridiculous tricks for humans is something that needs to be consigned to history. Humans don’t need to revel in that sort of pathetic entertainment derived from cruelty. If animals are to be kept in captivity then safari parks [as opposed to zoos] are the way to go. Better still, with the fantastic television documentaries with wonderful camerawork and vivid photograph why not just sit back and watch them in wonderful HD where they belong, in the wild and in their natural habitat.

I am not strictly vegetarian, but I do not see the need to eat animals that have been caused pain in the process of their shortened lives e.g. veal calves, geese for fois gras, battery hens etc.

9) Do you think public perception is changing?

We have been in Ireland for almost 6 years now and we do see some evidence of change. However, it seems to be generally coming from the younger generation. I believe the utilitarian attitude to animals is still quite prevalent generally in the older generations as the culture of what is still mainly a ‘country’ based society is the main driver for the consideration of animal rights. People all around the World often say that as we are at the ‘top of the food chain’ so we have some divine right to do anything we want with animals e.g. rear them for food or kill them for entertainment or art [e.g. bullfighting]? However, if aliens came from outer space who were stronger and more intelligent than us, they could similarly claim that they were higher in the food chain than us, and they may then decide that they could treat us how they wished. I think humans would complainabout that not being right and fair, well I am sure the animals on earth feel the same way and would express that view, if they could speak. The most that they can do if badly treated, if anything, is snarl and bite. When, or if, they do that then we humans call them wild and put them down, not fair indeed

10) What is your favourite animal?

No doubt on this one - dogs, especially terriers. I grew up with West Highland White Terriers at home. When I was a child I had a pet rabbit [after reading Richard Adam’s book Watership Down] and I loved him. However, I have a special interest for birds. Mainly, small birds like robins, tits and finches, but especially kingfishers and swallows/swifts/house martins. The swallows and house martins are wonderful creatures. Their journey to and from Kinsale to South Africa for such small winged birds is a wonder and a miracle and when I see the little guys return in May my heart always lifts a little.

11) If you want to share a few lines with our supporters about a call of action to help animals, what would it be?

Generally, they should look to educate and advise people on a daily basis, but do it in a nice way without being overly zealous and evangelical about it, as that can turn people away from the message however good the message may be. For example, I may say at work that I don’t go to ‘such and such’ a restaurant because they serve fois gras. People may ask why not, and it is a perfect excuse to tell people how it is produced, and in doing so it is amazing how many people don’t know the reality. Also, it seems that many people seem morethan happy to let their dogs loose in the street. It is easy to say they shouldn’t allow that but the reasons for ‘why not’  are not often raised. For example, dogs unattended will foul the streets [even many attended dogs foul as well!] but it is well documented that children can get diseases from dog mess that may cause blindness, so dog mess in communal grassed playing areas is a public health danger. In addition, if your dog is wandering the streets and causes a car accident it could result in human and animal injury or death, and you could get sued!  I think general discussion of such consequences can be a good educational way to get messages across and it can be done in a way that is not considered by the person receiving it as an order, or a criticism, but just as an ‘fyi’ and a ‘did you know.’

NOTE FROM ARAN: A special thanks goes to Jennifer and Stephen Podesta for taking time out of their busy schedules to conduct this interview. It only takes a moment of your time to change the life of an animal in need.