Animals is an animal rights group based in Israel. It focuses on several animal rights issues: the consumption of meat and animal source foods, using animals for clothing and entertainment, and animal testing. The group started organizing protests in the 1990s and became formally organized in 1994. Till 15 October 2018 it was named "Anonymous for Animal Rights". The name Anonymous was chosen as a form of identification with the anonymity of animals in industrial farms, labs, and other industries.
Principles
Animals oppose animal-based food industries due to the suffering caused to animals in these industries; it calls for a vegan lifestyle.
Activities
Animals activities are focused in three areas: documentation, information dissemination, and legal areas.
Documentation
Animals documents cases of violation of animal rights. It regularly visits industrial farms, and compares their practices to those allowed by law, assisted by theoretical agricultural research and by animal rights groups in Europe and the United States.
Information dissemination
Animals distributes printed material regarding animal rights. Leaflets and booklets are distributed in public events and in lectures in schools. The organization's weekly publication is titled "This week in Animals Rights" and is distributed by e-mail since 2001. The organization also maintains a web site that describes cruelties in animal industries, including photographs and films that were taken in chicken coops and cowsheds. The web site also contains practical information about vegan lifestyle, including nutritional advice and recipes. Animals are also responsible for maintenance and updates to the Israeli Vegetarian Society web site.
Legislation and regulation
Animals works with governmental units, trying to advance legislation and regulation regarding animal welfare, and the enforcement of existing regulations.
Animals also runs a project named Challenge 22 primarily headed by volunteers providing both personal and group support, advice through Mentoring, and access to qualified dietitians
Animals conducted a campaign against the use of animals in circuses. Following the campaign, new regulations were enacted that prohibit the use of wildlife animals in circuses in Israel. Additional regulations exist in Tel-Aviv and some other cities that prohibit the use of any animal in circuses.
Activists in the organization documented cattle dehorning without anesthesia in Gat. Following exposure of these findings on a television show, new regulations were enacted that prohibit it.
Similarly, regulations were introduced regarding the protection of calves. The new regulations make isolation of calves and the denial of drinking water illegal, and specify required levels of hemoglobin in the blood, intake of fiber in the calves' nutrition, and ventilation and footing material requirements. This achievement is a result of a campaign initiated by Animals in 2001.
Letters sent by Animals activists led to stopping dissections of animals in elementary and secondary schools.
Animals is the largest animal liberation movement in Israel. Some smaller groups splintered from it during the years, including "Ma'avak Ehad" and "Shevi".
