EBAA Press Release Issued about Little Debbie Campaign:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LITTLE DEBBIE BRAND, NAMESAKE TARGETED IN NATIONAL ANIMAL CRUELTY CAMPAIGN
Group Encourages Snack Food Giant to Reduce Animal Suffering in Supply Chain

(June 28, 2010) – Little Debbie, owned by Collegedale, Tenn.-based McKee Foods, is the new target of a national campaign against animal cruelty by East Bay Animal Advocates, a California-based animal protection charity that works to alleviate farm animal suffering.

Little Debbie products contain eggs from hens confined in tiny metal cages. These barren cages prevent them from engaging in many behaviors important to their well-being, and they are so small, they nearly immobilize hens for their entire lives. The practice of confining hens in cages has been outlawed in California and Michigan and condemned by public figures from Oprah Winfrey to Ellen DeGeneres to Pope Benedict XVI. Little Debbie competitors Sara Lee and Pepperidge Farm have started using cage-free eggs, as have dozens of other major companies (e.g. Burger King, Wendy’s, Denny’s, Cracker Barrel, and Hellmann’s Mayonnaise).

At the center of EBAA’s campaign—launched after McKee Foods ignored several attempts to engage in private communications about the issue—is the website LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com, which is a parody of the Little Debbie website. Viewers of LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com will see a graphic video detailing the cruelty inherent in confining hens in cages and are encouraged to contact both McKee Foods’ president, Mike McKee, as well as Little Debbie’s namesake – Debbie McKee-Fowler, whose grandfather founded the company and who now serves as Executive Vice President of McKee Foods.

EBAA is also sending copies of its new “Little Debbie Tortures Animals” leaflet to activists nationwide, who will distribute them at gas stations and grocery outlets where Little Debbie products are sold.

“Little Debbie could greatly improve the lives of animals in its supply chain simply by switching to cage-free eggs, as many other companies have started doing,” stated Shannon Campbell, president of East Bay Animal Advocates. “There’s no excuse for confining birds in such small cages that they can’t even extend their wings.”

For more information, please visit www.LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com or email shannon@eastbayanimaladvocates.com.

New Little Debbie Tortures Animals Leaflet

EBAA has begun distributing thousands of our new "Please Don't Buy Little Debbie" leaflets nationwide. Animal activists throughout the country will be distributing them in front of gas stations, grocery stores and other outlets where Little Debbie's (battery cage egg-filled) products are sold.

Download the leaflet here!

Little Debbie Leaflet

(And remember: Please be sure to check your local ordinances about where you can and can't distribute it.)

Little Debbie Tortures Animals!

Following our success urging Pepperidge Farm to switch to cage-free eggs (see below), East Bay Animal Advocates began contacting other companies asking them to follow Pepperidge Farm's lead. One of those companies was Little Debbie (owned by McKee Foods). After repeated emails to the company president (Mike McKee) and other executives with no replies, we decided to launch a new web site: www.LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com. Please go there today and use the contact info to contact Mike McKee and the real Little Debbie (Debbie McKee Fowler), and urge them to switch to cage-free eggs. Thanks!

-Shani (shannon@eastbayanimaladvocates.org)

Good news about Pepperidge Farm!

We received news that Pepperidge Farm is going to phase more than 2 million cage-free eggs into their supply chain! Thats about 2% of all their eggs! This follows countless emails and phone calls from EBAA members, generated through our website PepperidgeFactoryFarm.com, which we were thrilled to take down! Congrats to Pepperidge Farm and its parent company (Campbell Soup) for making this compassionate decision!

Ask Pepperidge Farms to switch to Cage-Free eggs...

East Bay Animal Advocates has launched our new campaign website www.PepperidgeFactoryFarm.com. Please take a minute to visit it and ask Pepperidge Farm to switch to cage-free eggs.

Please email: douglas_r_conant@campbellsoup.com

Many major companies have begun to use cage-free eggs, however Pepperidge Farm still exclusively uses eggs from caged hens. These hens live their entire lives crammed into tiny “battery cages” where they are barely able to move an inch. This practice is so cruel it has been criminalized in California, Michigan, and the entire European Union. EBAA has tried reaching out to Pepperidge Farm privately about this issue but instead of converting to cage-free eggs, the company just sent a form reply defending its suppliers' animal cruelty. Please let Pepperidge Farm know that these inhumane practices are unacceptable and ask them to go cage-free! More information is available at www.PepperidgeFactoryFarm.com

Thanks from everyone at East Bay Animal Advocates...

Tell the Cheesecake Factory NO more caged hens!

Hello EBAA Supporters & Members!

EBAA has launched a new campaign asking the Cheesecake Factory to stop using eggs from hens confined in barren battery cages! Check out our website at www.CheesecakeFactoryFarm.com to contact the Cheesecake Factory and ask them to stop supporting this cruelty!

Battery cage confinement is one of the worst practices in factory farming, where hens are crammed into cages so small they spend their entire lives barely able to move. Please let the Cheesecake Factory know that you will not support this kind of animal cruelty, and that you request that they stop using eggs from caged hens.

The Cheesecake Factory’s home state of California passed The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act (Prop 2) which outlaws the confinement of hens in battery cages. Contact the Cheesecake Factory today and ask them to follow the lead of California voters by ending the use of eggs from caged hens in their products. More information can be found at: www.CheesecakeFactoryFarm.com.

Thanks so much!

action alert- contact BOCA & help suffering hens in battery cages...

1) ACTION ALERT: TAKE TWO MINUTES TO HELP MORE EGG-LAYING HENS!

After helping to make Proposition 2 the most popular citizens' initiative in California history, banning inhumane confinement cages on factory farms, APRL, COK and MFA are teaming up to continue to take action against the cruel egg industry.

Many of us know Boca Foods as the company behind delicious vegan Boca Burgers and Spicy "Chicken" Patties. Unfortunately, while many of their competitors like Lightlife and Morningstar Farms have either eliminated or greatly reduced the amount of eggs used in their products, Boca has refused to make any progress on this important animal cruelty issue.

Please take two minutes to contact Boca Foods and ask them to eliminate or greatly reduce their use of egg products by visiting:

http://boca-egg-facts.com/

Gardein's new Veg Meat is a hit in San Francisco...

Another successful Veg Demo by East Bay Animal Advocates and their amazing volunteers. We ventured into the busy streets of San Francisco and handed out over 250 Gardein samples and 175 Vegan Outreach booklets! To volunteer at our next demo please email: volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org

Also, check out Gardein's veggie chicken strips sold at your local Trader Joe's under their own label.

Listen to Grandma: Try Everything Once...

Kicking off the New Year with FREE delicious Veg Meat is how East Bay Animal Advocates does it! On Saturday January 24, during a small break from the rain and drizzle, EBAA headed out onto the busy streets of Berkeley California armed with over 200 free samples of Gardein's new vegetarian Chicken and just as many Veg Starter kits.

In less than one hour we handed out those 200 Gardein samples and about 185 Veg Starter Kits. Every single person who took a sample was not only surprised at how delicious the "meat" was, they also questioned if it was really "fake meat".

One guy walked by with a box of real BBQ Chicken and turned down our offer of a tasty alternative- I asked him, "why not just try it? I guarantee you will like it!" He stopped in his tracks and replied, "You are absolutely right! My Grandma always said, try everything once..." Needless to say, he was glad he listened to his Grandma's advice and now knows a more compassionate choice for food!

Check back for information about our next demo and remember, Grandma knows best!

Inaugurating Change: EBAA Welcomes New President

Dear Animal Lovers:

Today is an important day in history, as we welcome our new US President in to office. For East Bay Animal Advocates, we celebrate today with new leadership as well.

I am very excited to take the lead as president of East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA). Our grassroots organization has accomplished so much for animals since we first began our work over five years ago.

I started as a volunteer over two years ago, leafleting at EBAA public outreach gatherings and helping at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary. I have been on the EBAA Board of Directors since the beginning of 2008. Within that time, we have accomplished so much for farm animals. Join us in celebrating our achievements for 2008:

· Throughout 2008 EBAA worked diligently on Proposition 2, which was a massive victory for farms animals in California.

· In July, EBAA honored our "Five-Years of Advocacy" and raised funds to continue our important work for farm animals.

· On July fourth, properly named Independence Day, EBAA safely transferred 200 "broiler chickens" from Oakland to a sanctuary in the Los Angeles Area.

· EBAA "sponsored" a new chicken barn at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary, enabling them to take in more injured and discarded birds.

· We continued our campaign against Lunardi's Supermarket, holding demos at all Bay Area locations, educating the public about the cruelty of battery cages.

For 2009, EBAA has many exciting new efforts in the pipeline. Building on the momentum of Prop 2, we are asking everyone to get active for animals by exploring cruelty-free living, volunteering at an EBAA event, or making a donation (SupportEBAA.org). We have proven with Prop 2 that if people organize themselves with a clear mission, huge accomplishments can be made, saving millions of animals from unnecessary suffering.

So please join us in this new year of change and hope for our future and most importantly, the animals suffering immensely on factory farms. The misery must end now and the people to end it are us.

Thank you everyone for your continued support and advocacy!

Shani L. Campbell

Follow the Leader: Vote Yes on Prop 2

The Field Poll report released today says it all: 60 percent of California voters will likely vote YES on the hotly-contested Proposition 2.

In the final stretch to Election Night on November 4, encourage all your friends, family and co-workers to support this important proposition to give farm animals for space to live. Check out the last minute updates at YesOnProp2.com.

A Happy Ending for a Happy Flock

It's once again National Chicken Month. We are happy to report that all the chickens from the Oakland Flock have found homes. Many of the brave birds found sanctuary at California havens for farm animals. We would like to send a huge THANK YOU to:

Animal Acres

Animal Place

Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary

We encourage everyone to support these sanctuaries by making donations and visiting them.

Following the feathers,
East Bay Animal Advocates

Round two for "The Advocate"

If you liked the freshmen edition of EBAA's The Advocate, there is no doubt you will be delighted to read the second issue of the magazine.

It features a one-on-one with the King of Food Politics, Michael Pollan, an inside look at aquaculture, and important updates on PROP TWO.

Download a free copy of The Advocate - Summer 2008 today!

It's Time for Tuesday!

EBAA is extremely excited to promote Tofurky Tuesdays. Turtle Island Foods, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, wants to help you reduce the amount of meat you eat each week. It’s easy! Just sign–up for Tofurky Tuesdays and you will get the Tofurky Tuesday Care Package. It includes:

* Complimentary magazines from the Vegetarian Resource Group, Vegetarian Times and VegNews.

* Educational materials on vegetarian nutrition and factory farming information.

Take the Tofurky Tuesdays Pledge!

On another inspiring note, don't forget to tune in tomorrow for a good show with a good message about animal advocacy. Shani Campbell, EBAA's Outreach Director, will be featured on the Womens Entertainment Network on Tuesday, August 19 at 10 PM. Check out the newest installment of Secret Lives of Women to see Shani protect animals. It's a must-see!

Right on the Mark

Mark Hawthorne is a fixture in the Bay Area animal protection community, and the author of the invaluable new book, Striking at the Roots. A book that is both inspiring and informative, it should be required reading for budding activists, seasoned advocates, and everyone in between. Guiding us through the myriad ways we can make a difference for animals, from leafleting and corporate outreach to protesting and direct action, Striking at the Roots provides an in-depth yet easy-to-read look into each type of activism. What’s more, this book is chock full of personal anecdotes and advice from activists across the globe that are sure to resonate with anyone working on behalf of the animals.

Mark took some time from his busy schedule to talk with EBAA's Karin Olsson and Eileen Mello about his own experiences as an animal advocate, his views on the shape of activism today, and the ever important topic of vegan beer.

What are your own personal favorite forms of activism?

I love one-on-one activism -- getting into discussions with one or two people, like when you leaflet or table. Or when you bring cookies into work and everyone is amazed you baked them without eggs or butter and people remark that maybe being vegan isn’t hard after all. A lot of my activism is in the written word: letters, magazine articles, op-eds, newsletters and, of course, my book.

In your research, did you find that a particular form of activism made more of an impact than another in attempting to eradicate animal suffering?

All forms are important, because you never know what is going to inspire someone, and it’s usually not just one thing that does it. Having said that, I think it’s hard to beat leafleting at a college. It’s easy to do, the students are ripe for change and it helps disabuse people of the myth that activists are in some way different from the mainstream.

I think what is really important is how we frame our message to the public, whether we’re leafleting to one person or speaking in front of 200. It is critical that people understand why animals are suffering and how their choices do make a difference for beings who are no different than their dogs and cats – except that abused animals are being raised for food or fashion or vivisection or used in circuses or some other torture. All these animals feel pain, and they all deserve a life free of exploitation by humans. People have to make that connection. Activists have to connect the dots for them.

The title of your book refers to a quote from Walden by Henry David Thoreau: "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." What do you believe is the fundamental root cause of non-human animal abuse?

I believe the root cause is the public’s nearly total lack of knowledge about what is happening to animals every moment of every day. This in turn is enabled by animal enterprises like agribusiness and medical researchers, which work to make people feel good about eating animals, using them as test subjects, exploiting them for our amusement and so on. That’s why effective animal activism addresses both the public and the businesses abusing animals. People need to understand animal cruelty is happening all the time, not just when an undercover video is shown on the news, and that our daily choices directly impact how animals are treated. Businesses and policymakers need to know people won’t tolerate animal abuse.

In writing this book, you reached out to activists across the globe. Did you encounter any methods or forms of activism that were new to you, or that you felt American activists would benefit from employing?

I learned a lot about corporate outreach – that is, encouraging companies to adopt animal-friendly policies. In the book, I include restaurant outreach as part of that, since food is such a vital part of veganism and animal rights – food is our common touchstone. Activists in Europe seem to be doing a really fantastic job of reaching out to companies. In fact, Lush, the cosmetics company based in England, even hired an animal-rights activist to help them become 100% vegan.

There’s probably not a company anywhere that at some level doesn’t have influence over how animals are treated. AT&T and Coors Beer both sponsor rodeos, for example, and many pet-food companies, like Iams, kill animals in their testing labs. We can even be doing outreach to our own government, which abuses animals in the military, in research labs, on public land. Heck, the USDA’s Wildlife Services kills animals just for eating flowers or frightening people. And all of this is funded by our tax dollars. So there’s a lot of opportunity for activists to use the outreach model. Writing letters and making phone calls, and getting others to do the same, makes a difference.

How has writing this book influenced both your understanding of activism and the way in which you personally work to aid animals?

Writing Striking at the Roots showed me how large the animal-rights community around the world really is and how even one person can make a difference. Wendy Parsons in Australia, for example, got McDonald’s to stop sponsoring rodeos all by herself.

But more than anything, I learned to go easier on myself. This movement has lost too many good people – people who pushed themselves a little too hard, thinking they were superheroes, and burned out. We have to focus on our victories and not get bogged down in the mire of bad news we hear all the time as activists. Josh Balk at HSUS, uses guilt as a motivator – it keeps him going. Whatever it takes, we need to keep our heads up. If not, the animals lose. So that’s my focus now.

Your book cites methods of activism that range from "small" to "large" acts of support. While doing research, did you ever encounter individuals who believe that activism is only effective or beneficial when performed in a grandiose way? What is your response to that belief?

Actually, I encountered just the opposite. I thought activists would be extolling the importance of large protests, but they were emphasizing the need for smaller, smarter demonstrations, and I agree with them. Patty Mark of Animal Liberation Victoria, for example, told me about a protest they did to raise awareness about whaling. They brought a large, clear box to the ocean, filled it with red water and an activist, and labeled it with their anti-whaling message and Web site address. That image ended up in newspapers around the world. It’s much better to use your resources wisely, like being organized and following up with the media after a protest, than to spend your time trying to get a hundred people to a demonstration.

Of course, as we speak, the world is watching Oprah Winfrey do a three-week vegan detox on television, which may end up doing more for the movement than all the intelligent protests in history put together.

How did you become vegan? At what point did you consider yourself an activist and what actions were you taking? How do you define your own activism today?

After being vegetarian for about 10 years, I read Diet for a New America and began examining my consumer choices. Eggs were the tipping point for me. I really liked eating eggs and baking with them, so I asked Karen Davis at United Poultry Concerns if it was okay to buy free-range eggs. She basically told me, no, if I really cared about chickens, I shouldn’t be eating any eggs. Shortly after that, I went on a tour of Animal Place, a sanctuary for farmed animals here in the Bay Area, and learned more about how hens are exploited in the egg industry. And I got to meet some hens. That was the day I went vegan and started learning how easy it is to bake without eggs.

I had long been a human-rights activist, but after going vegan, I started working to advance the interests of animals. I joined the writers groups for Compassion Over Killing and PETA, and I began volunteering at Animal Place. I also started fostering rescued rabbits. Although I enjoy tabling and speaking to groups, I reach more people with my writing, so that’s probably the model I use the most now. I mean, one article in VegNews magazine might be seen by 150,000 people.

What is your favorite beer?

That may be your toughest question! Unfortunately, a lot of beers aren’t even vegetarian. I used to love Guinness stout, for example, but they use gelatin from the swim bladders of fish to refine the beer. I enjoy having seasonal beers at local breweries, and my favorite bottled beer right now is probably Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Partying n' Poultry

The last few weeks has delivered some amazing experiences for EBAA--none of which would have been remotely possible without your support and interest. Our Five-Years of Advocacy Celebration was a hit. We raised nearly $1,500. We would like to share a photo series from the party with you:

Our July 4th was a complete success as well. We safely transported 196 chickens to Animal Acres in Southern California. Every bird survived the long journey on Interstate 5. You will love to photos of our road trip:

Hugs & Cheeps,
East Bay Animal Advocates

A Gallon for the Gallos: Donate $5 to EBAA's Chicken Run to L.A. on July 4th!

Last month, we shared news with you about an amazing rescue in
the East Bay. On May 13, 2008, Oakland Animal Services
impounded a "shipment" of 500 day-old broiler chicks bound for
meat production in Washington. Visit the flock online at
www.MySpace.com/OaklandFeathers.

East Bay Animal Advocates has been working with Oakland Animal
Services to ensure these young, bubbling birds are well cared for
and find good homes. Finding broiler chickens suitable homes is a
daunting task because of their lifelong health troubles. Chicken
adoption inquiries had been scarce. The future plans for the
Oakland Flock was unknown.

In an amazing turn of fate this week, EBAA received a phone call
from Animal Acres, a Los Angeles farmed animal sanctuary. Read
an excerpt from the miracle phone call transcript:

Animal Acres: We heard about the Oakland Flock. That's a lot of
birds!

EBAA: Roger that, L.A.

Animal Acres: We have room to take 200 birds.

EBAA: Holy feathers. Let's celebrate the Fourth of July with a
road trip to Animal Acres!

As EBAA prepares for our six-hour trip to Animal Acres next week,
we are calling on you to donate $5 for a gallon of gas. We
expect our transportation costs, including a cargo van rental, to
top at $500. Your support is critical. Donate online
at SupportEBAA.org.

To L.A. or bust!

Party with Pia the Chicken this Sunday in Oakland!

As we celebrate our five years of animal protection work, enjoy seasonal vegan appetizers, Sugar Beat Sweets, Lagunitas brews, straight-edge mojitos and much more!

You will have an opportunity to meet our guest of honor—Pia. Our friend, Pia is a young chicken recently rescued from certain-death in meat production.

From 3:30 to 5:00 PM, Micio Mambo, the premier vegan boutique, will be open for your shopping pleasure. All attendees are welcome to ten percent off Micio Mambo store times (excluding any sale items, skincare & cosmetics).

At 5:30 PM, join us for a champagne toast to the animals.

Throughout the party, we will host a silent auction. Check out the auction line-up:

· Zuzu Luxe Cosmetic Gift Basket

· Frey Vineyards Vegan Winetasting and Lunch with Wine Teaser

· A 75-minute Swedish and/or Deep tissue massage

· Autographed Book: Why Animals Matter

· Autographed Book: Striking at the Roots

· Bizarro and Other Strange Manifestations of the Art of Dan Piraro

· Farm Animal Art

· Pangea Printed sweatshirt and tote bag

· Guitar Lessons: Three Sessions

· Candle Illumination Gift Basket

· Vegan Home-Cooked "Dirty South" Dinner for Six People

$25 Donation Minimum

Can't attend, please consider making a donation online at SupportEBAA.org.

Shopping Right in Oakland: Micio Mambo

Later this month, Micio Mambo will host our five-year birthday bash. EBAA's Emily Ziebell recently chatted with Ursula Calderon, the owner of Oakland’s new vegan boutique:

What made you decide to open a vegan boutique?

I became a vegetarian in 1992 and made the transition to veganism almost four years ago. I had been looking to incorporate non-leather, cruelty-free products in my personal life, but was never very impressed with the way it was pulled together in a store and I was tired of buying online. My sister, Erika, and I were in New York about 3 years ago when I had an "ah-ha" moment. We were on the subway after a day of shopping for fashionable vegan accessories and I said to her, "I could do just as good of a job as the stores we visited today"! She looked at me and said "Why don't you?". I thought why not! I had been in retail for over 12 years and 10 years in design/advertising and knew that would give me a good foundation for success. Two years later, I quit my advertising job as an account executive and opened up Micio Mambo last November.

What kind of items do you carry?

I'm out to prove that you can be stylish and make good choices for the animals and the environment. I have everything from shoes, handbags and jewelry to skincare and cosmetics. I also just started carrying shoes, belts and wallets for guys. Everything is leather-free, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly.

What's behind the name, Micio Mambo?

Micio is pronounced "Mee-cho" and it means kitty in Italian. My sister Erika lived in Milan for awhile and we've been referring to our kitties as "micios" ever since then. When I was thinking about a name for the store I knew I wanted to use micio somehow. Mambo came about as a nod to my latin background (my father is from El Salvador). I thought Micio Mambo was unique and fun to say!

Location and contact information:

Micio Mambo
474 Santa Clara Avenue
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 836-4246
MicioMambo.com
Store Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM - 5 PM; Sunday Noon - 5 PM.

Seal of Approval

EBAA is proud to be apart of the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence Program, which is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.