207 Miles to the gates of hell

The first time I heard FOMO used in a sentence, a friend was lamenting not going to Burning Man. I had fear of missing out when I decided not to go to Ridglan 2 as it was building to be the largest animal rights action in our lifetime.

And I’ve got it again, as I’ll be walking the treadmill at the gym rather than joining the 207-mile, 14-day March to Abolish Animal Testing next month. It kicks off in Albany, New York, and ends with a massive demonstration at the gates of a specific hell, Marshall BioResources.

Let’s look at Marshall, the largest breeder of cats and dogs for lab use in the United States.

Their home page says: “Our animal species include the Marshall Beagle®, Marshall Ferret®, Marshall Cat®, and Gottingen Minipigs®. Our animal colonies are located in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and China. Please contact us for more information.”

The company trademarks sentient beings as product lines. Here’s some information I want: What the fuck is wrong with you?

We are talking about global “colonies” of innocent beings who are bred into tormented servitude by people armed with the knowledge that testing on animals in order to improve the lives of humans is proven ineffective. Full stop.

The FDA has long acknowledged that roughly 90 percent of drugs that pass animal trials fail in humans. Last year, the agency began talking about replacing animal testing with human-relevant methods, such as AI-based computational toxicity models, lab-grown human organoids, and organ-on-a-chip systems.

Whatever – as long as they keep all animals out of it.

Marshall also breeds animals to test veterinary applications. There isn't a comparable stat out there for efficacy, but that’s not the point. These animals do not give consent.

There are means of testing without the use of animals, and cash should be poured into discovering even more, not lining the pockets of this industry of “farmers.”

Jesus.

Marshall also has a section on the homepage called “Why We Do It.” They say “Animal studies play an important and currently irreplaceable role … If not for the pivotal role of animals in biomedical research, many lifesaving therapies for humans and veterinary treatments for pets would not exist today or in the future.”

Sure, tell me a story.

It links to a story called, “When will animals be replaced in biomedical research?”

Not soon enough for any animal suffering in a cage today. When is the right time for rescue? Yesterday.

The story comes from the European Animal Research Association, which explains the 3Rs in animal research: replace, reduce, refine – as first described in 1959. 19fucking59. When will animals be replaced in biomedical research?

The time for rescue is yesterday.

And, by the way, the right to rescue is real. It’s built on the belief that punishing someone for saving animals is unjust. Instead, the law should be written to protect rescuers rather than throw them in jail. Activists looking forward to their day in court will attempt to make the case to end criminal prosecution of animal rescuers and establish a legal right to intervene in cases of animal suffering.

Right now, four leaders face felony charges and up to 31 years in prison for the March 15 action at Ridglan. Their trial is next month.

A couple weeks ago, I sat in on an organizing call with activists from around the country. The issue: rescuing every one of 40,000+ dogs destined for torture or death in labs across the US by the end of 2026.

For now we march.

Well, some of us march.

And the CTA for all of us is to contact our civil servants. (Yes, I know you probably did not vote for them and that their staff respond on their behalf with rote letters a dime a dozen, saying nothing, signifying everything.) And when our representatives are home on recess, we need to schedule meetings and ask them to end federal funding for animal experimentation. We need to stand up at town halls en masse. We need everyone.

I keep hearing about this “big tent.” Ugh. I mean, I get it: the more people the better the chances. But ignore my fellow camper roasting marshmallows made with gelatin – the boiled skin, bones and connective tissue of cows or pigs? Oh, not that kind of tent. Sorry.

It reminds me of the story about a woman at a Ridglan rally eating fast food chicken while listening to a speech by Zoe Rosenberg – who famously did jail time for rescuing Poppy, Ivy, Aster and Azalea from Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry plant.

It’s like my friends and, likely yours too, at neighborhood dog parks across the country. We gather at the same time every day to let our adopted children socialize, to strengthen our community bonds, to get some exercise, to gossip. We are a motley crew drawn by a shared interest. Except when they go home, they commit atrocities.

They feed conventional kibble and wet food, boiled chicken and ground beef. The dogs don’t say they want to eat their fellow animals, don’t want them to suffer in factory farms before a terrifying slaughter.

I’ve brought samples of vegan kibble. I’ve talked about it. I have failed to move their red line. In the case of my group, I think the unwillingness to grant all species equal respect and protection comes from unexamined cultural norms and fear of change. Laziness, even, in some cases. Our freethinking, freewheeling vegan Maltipoo – Bunny, also Boopie, Boop – and I are outliers. As always.

Back to animal testing on dogs.

What’s going on now is a pressure campaign, and the permanent closure of Ridglan Farms last week proves that public pressure works. We’ve got miles to go – way more than 207 – but the indelible image of white-hazmatted heroes filing onto the muddy frozen landscape, pouring through the fence and breaching the prison gates (an air vent), lifting beagles from the cages and carrying them to freedom – keep that close.

There are activists’ trials, there is proposed legislation (so slow!), the federal government is mumbling. But I think there is going to have to be an open rescue. Hang on, sweet babies, the heroes are coming for you.

Note: To join the effort, you’ll find all the info at savethedogs.io and www.marchforanimals.org. I’ve written about self-flagellation for not going to Ridglan and how to support the right to rescue without being a rescuer. You can read it here: www.goveganwithme.com/animals-need-everyone