International Respect for Chickens Day !

So, what am I doing about International Respect for Chickens Day ? 

• I am recommending that you check out a stunning photography book by Janet Holmes, who respects chickens whole-heartedly.
• I am sharing with you a fantastic recipe to replace those chicks with chickpeas.
• I will introduce some ways that we can respect chickens throughout the year and why they need a little more of our ducking attention.

The Book: “Nest – rescued chickens at home”

by Janet Holmes

This beautifully photographed book gives us a glimpse into the lives of families who open their homes to rescued chickens and their endearing behaviours. I didn’t realize how much my cat has in common with a chicken until my introduction to Dualla, who is also intrigued by a clothes dryer. 

Janet sells some individual prints on her website (listed below) and I am eager to order a print for my wall of “Jon Snow”. It’s the question of what came first, the chicken… or the tiles !? The urban planner in me can’t be more excited when engineering is compatible with nature or better yet, reflects it.

This is my favourite photo book purchase of 2020 ( and I bought quite a few to get through that year ). It has brought on some thoughtful discussions about what family means to us, and why, as a society we choose some animals to be family and some to be food.

Janet’s short bio:

I have always loved animals, but for many years I was afraid to get involved with rescuing them because I couldn’t imagine how I would deal with the heartbreak. About six years ago, I decided that animals needed me more than I needed to be comfortable, and so I began volunteering with rescue groups as a caregiver and photographer. As I spent more time experiencing animals as individuals through the lens of my camera, I  began to question how I could profess to love them, yet continue exploiting them for food, clothing and other materials. I committed to become vegan and use photography to advocate animal liberation. I work primarily on a non-profit basis, donating my services and at least 50% of my profits to support animal rescue.

Follow Janet Holmes (online that is):

Website: https://www.janetholmesphoto.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetholmes_photo/

The Recipe: Lemon Dill Chickpea Salad

Replace that chick with chickpeas !

1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas ( or a 398 ml can)

1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 green onions thinly sliced

2-3 tablespoons vegan mayo

1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

• in a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with potato masher until flaky ( leaving some chick peas in-tact so it doesn’t turn into a paste)
• stir in bell peppers, green onion, vegan mayo, yellow mustard, lemon juice and fresh dill.
• serve on a bed of mixed greens or in a pita for a take-with-you version.
• the salad will keep in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. Stir well before serving.
• Enjoy !

Respect: How can we up our respect for chickens ?

• Eat plant based meals.
• Follow along and get involved with people who are working really hard for animal rights in Canada and around the world.

Eat Plant Based Meals

Here are a few of my favourite plant based blogs to get inspired by:

Oh She Glows ! : https://ohsheglows.com/recipe-search/

Sweet Potato Soul : https://sweetpotatosoul.com

Forks Over Knives : https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/

Get Involved

Follow along and get involved with people who are working really hard for animal rights in Canada:

Animal Rights Toronto : https://animalrightstoronto.com

Animal Justice : https://animaljustice.ca

Humane Canada : https://humanecanada.ca

Here is the site for the fine group of people in the U.S. who launched this great day of recognition:

United Poultry Concerns : https://www.upc-online.org

Their Mission:

United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the compassionate and respectful treatment of chickens, turkeys, ducks and other domestic fowl. We hold that the treatment of these birds in the areas of food production, science, education, entertainment, and humane companionship situations has a significant effect upon human, animal, and environmental welfare. We seek to make the public aware of the ways in which poultry are used, and to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.

Here’s why chickens need our ducking attention :

The truth can be sad. Chickens are the largest number of abused warm-blooded animals in the world. Along with the billions of birds who are slaughtered for “food” each year, millions more suffer in laboratories, get dumped in animal shelters, and die miserably in poultry houses without anyone knowing that they ever lived. Chickens are intelligent, loving, and empathetic beings who need our help. We can make a difference by learning and contributing to a community that is making the world a better place for all life.