Fwd: LIVE from the wetlands

[Rosemary Blemings <>]

COG colleagues,

Sometimes Animals Australia's campaigns are a bit extreme given the other disasters happening around the world including Climate change's effects.

But these attacks on waterbirds are similar to Big Game hunting for me....trophy hunting and thrill-seeking at other species' expense because the shooters are powerful.

Please voice your objection if you can.

Rosemary

Begin forwarded message:

From: Louise - Animals Australia<>

Date: 18 March 2017 10:06:19 AM AEDT

To:

Subject: LIVE from the wetlands

This is like a warzone.

Hi Rosemary,

I'm writing to from you from the scene of what looks like a warzone. The mud is thick. The sound of gunfire is ringing in my ears. Desperate rescue teams are running wounded victims to the hospital triage tent. It's carnage.

Except — this isn't a warzone. This is Victoria. Or more precisely, Bottom Marsh near Kerang.

Rosemary — I'm not someone who seeks out 'action' and 'drama'. This is about as far from my comfort zone I get. I'd much prefer writing to you from the peace of the Animals Australia office, or tending to my orphaned flying foxes (I'm a wildlife rescuer).

But on the 'opening weekend' of Victoria's shameful recreational duck slaughter season, I can't not be here. And no doubt to the regret of shooters here today, I'm not alone. I'm standing alongside my Animals Australia team mates and the dedicated volunteers from the Coalition Against Duck Shooting.


I'm here because the one person who could end this violence isn't. If Premier Andrews was standing next to me today he would see for himself the suffering and carnage that shooters leave in their wake. He'd see families literally torn to pieces. He'd see wounded animals including abandoned and left for dead. Threatened species indiscriminately shot. And he'd have to face the fact that duck shooting is not a 'sport'.

I don't think we're going to see Mr Andrews on the wetland any time soon. But thanks to your generosity, this year we were able to take the wetland to him — and to thousands of other Victorians — when our hard hitting TV ad aired this week.

This was a huge milestone! And you can bet that it was the last thing the duck shooting lobby wanted on television.

Rosemary, as we look around at what's left of the wetland today, we're all wondering the same thing. Who will survive this 12 week killing season? One thing I know for certain is we will continue working all angles — behind the scenes and on the front line — to ensure there are as many survivors as possible.

For the waterbirds,

Louise Bonomi Animals Australia

P.S. If you'd like to help our efforts to protect waterbirds and all animals who have been failed by laws and lawmakers, please make a donation today to support our ongoing work.

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