Sun, Dec 29, 2024 – Monthly Vegan Meetup
Feeling sluggish amid the holiday indulgence?
Join us for a mid-holiday-season “reset” this Sunday, December 29 starting at 10:00 am at Juicilicious in Salem, NH (224 N Broadway).
Juicilicious offers a delicious array of juices, smoothies, bowls, and other plant-based options made with locally sourced, gluten-free, and raw ingredients — perfect for a healthy, refreshing start to the new year!
Shining a Light (Literally) on Animal Abuse
For the fourth year (sigh), NHARL had vegan boots on the ground at the SNHU Arena in Manchester to protest the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) tour.
Despite snow and frigid temperatures, the League led two impactful demonstrations before each scheduled show, Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.
New this year, we projected an anti-bull riding message onto the SNHU arena during the Friday night show.
Arena management was not pleased and called in the Manchester Police.
See our press coverage on Manchester Ink for details!
On Saturday night, we left the projector home and brought back the video of bulls getting hurt at PBR events, which played on a loop as eventgoers walked past.
While most ticketholders were not visibly receptive to the message that bull riding is animal abuse, we succeeded in handing out 100 flyers (shown below), reinforcing the fact the bull riding isn’t fun for everyone.
USDA-Regulated Animal Use in New Hampshire
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the care of certain animals that have been granted protection under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The AWA defines the base level of care required by law.
Serious Animal Welfare Violations in New Hampshire
NHARL monitors inspection and annual reports for all USDA licensees and registrants in New Hampshire. When we learn of serious animal welfare violations — Direct (immediate threat to health/life) or Critical (serious but not immediate threat to health/life) — we make an effort to respond with action alerts, protests, letters, and social media.| Date | Violation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | New England Ovis (licensed Breeder) — During a Jan. 6, 2025 inspection, the inspector found a faulty automatic waterer. Once it was fixed to provide adequate water flow, sheep were observed pushing to drink in turns for over 20 minutes, suggesting severe thirst. |
| 2023 | Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (licensed Exhibitor) — During a Dec. 7, 2023 inspection, this facility in Holderness, NH received a critical citation for an owl that suffered a leg wound due to an overly tight anklet, which ultimately resulted in the loss of a talon. |
| 2023 | UNH (licensed Researcher) — During a review of UNH’s 2023 Annual Report, a USDA inspector cited two violations related to drowning animals. View our Action Alert |
| 2022 | Dartmouth College (licensed Researcher) — 3 voles died after being left without food and water in a cage that had been moved to an unattended area. |
| 2021 | Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (licensed Exhibitor) — As a result of poor facility maintenance, a wild opossum entered the fox enclosure. Five days later, the fox died from an untreated bite wound that went unnoticed by staff. |
| 2020 | Living Shores Aquarium (licensed Exhibitor) — During a 2020 inspection, this aquarium in Glen, NH received two citations, the more serious of which resulted in an otter needing an injured limb amputated. Read our letter to the Conway Daily Sun |
| 2020 | Wildlife Encounters (licensed Exhibitor) — In March of 2020, an arctic fox, one of approximately 50 regulated animals kept at the Barrington facility, escaped his unsound enclosure (licensee had been told to fix) and exited the grounds through a gap in the perimeter fence. The fox was never recovered. |
| 2017 | Dartmouth College (licensed Researcher) — In March of 2016, 7 voles died and an 8th was euthanized due to poor health after they were left without water for 2 days, despite daily checks. |
| ___ | Inspection reports from before 2014 are no longer available |
Animal CARE REQUIREMENTS
The level of care required under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is shockingly low — allowing, for example, animals to be caged 24/7 for their entire lives.
On top of that, enforcement is highly unreliable. Countless documented cases reveal welfare violations that have gone unaddressed and unpunished.
Under the Animal Welfare Act, a mother dog in a puppy mill can legally spend her entire life in a cage
Animals protected under the AWA include those used in the following regulated activities, with exceptions.
Regulated Activities
- Exhibiting animals to the public
- Dealing animals for use as pets (breeders not retailers)
- Using animals in research
- Transporting animals commercially
Broadly, the AWA covers all warm-blooded animals and birds (added in 2023), with the following exceptions:
Animals Not Covered by the Animal Welfare Act
- Farm animals used for food, fur, or fiber
- Horses used in biomedical research
- Rats and mice bred for research*
Exempt animals are not granted even a basic standard of care.
* Estimates suggest that rats and mice account for 95-99% of all laboratory animals, yet they are not covered by the AWA.
Public Access to Animal Care Records
The list of all animal exhibitors, dealers, researchers, and transporters licensed or regulated by the USDA is publicly available on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) page.
Inspection Reports
Government inspectors visit the premises of licensed and regulated exhibitors, dealers, researchers, and transporters to check for compliance with AWA standards. In most cases, inspections occur just once a year, leaving millions of animals vulnerable to unchecked neglect. Inspection reports are accessible via the APHIS site.Annual Reports
Along with being inspected, research institutes are also required to submit annual reports that include:
- Number and types of animals used
- Number of animals subjected to painful procedures who received anesthesia or pain relief
- Number of animals subjected to painful procedures who did not receive anesthesia or pain relief (and the justification for this decision)
Filing an animal welfare complaint
Anyone with concerns about the care of an animal protected under the Animal Welfare Act may file an animal welfare complaint on the USDA web site.
Fri, Nov 29, 2024 – Fur Free Friday
Join NH Animal Rights League on Fur Free Friday, November 29, 2024 to protest fur.
The protest will take from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm near the headquarters of the NH Fish and Game Department, at the intersection of Loudon Road and Hazen Drive in Concord.
You can join for any portion of the protest. Dress for the weather!
Signs will be provided, although you are welcome to bring your own.
Parking: Take a left onto Hazen Drive, and then your first left onto Charles Doe Drive. The parking lot is on the left.
Gentle Thanksgiving 2024 a Success!
On November 16, 2024, NHARL hosted our 4th sold-out catered Gentle Thanksgiving event at the NH Audubon McLane Center in Concord!
The Guests!
It was inspiring to see familiar faces and new ones, all united by the shared purpose of protecting the rights of animals.
The Food!
Our good friends at The Green Beautiful Vegan Cafe served up another scrumptious, animal-free Thanksgiving feast — topped off with complimentary coffee and cookies!
Raffle Prizes!
Twelve lucky guests went home with one of our fabulous raffle prizes!
Thank you to our generous raffle donors:
- Farmhouse Fresh
- MegaFood
- Trader Joe’s (Bedford)
- Granite State Naturals
- Nicole Roma – Arbonne
- A Market (Manchester)
- 900 Degrees Neopolitan Pizzeria (Manchester)
- Chunky’s Cinema and Pub (Manchester)
Our thanks to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s for donating the flowers and floral arrangements!
We also thank everyone who brought a contribution for the Vegan Food Drive. The bounty will be delivered to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry in Concord, where our donated food was greatly appreciated last year.
The Donuts!
No NHARL event is ever complete without our official dessert — the donut! This delicious batch was donated by Lovebirds Donuts, with locations in Kittery, ME and Portsmouth, NH.
The Speaker!
Bella O’Connor, a legal fellow with the PETA Foundation’s Legal Team, delivered a captivating and insightful presentation on the evolving legal landscape for animal protection. She highlighted promising strategies and pathways with the potential to drive meaningful change in the fight for animal rights.
Thank you to everyone who attended the event!
Try to find a turkey to hug this holiday season…
Sat, Nov 16, 2024 – Catered Vegan Thanksgiving
We’re back with a traditional menu of all your favorite Thanksgiving dishes, once again catered by the talented chefs behind The Green Beautiful Gourmet Vegan Cafe in Manchester!
Gentle Thanksgiving Catered Event + Speaker
Saturday, November 16
11:30 am to 3:30 pm
McLane Center
84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH
We are also hosting a budget-friendly Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck on Nov. 2
Tickets for the event are $50 for adults (same price for members and non-members) and $15 for children (12 and under). Toddlers are free.
- Seating is limited, so buy your tickets today!
- No tickets sold at door
- Ticket purchases are non-refundable
Your ticket includes:
- Thanksgiving vegan buffet with two entrées and six sides
- Two complimentary drinks — wine, beer, or signature seasonal mocktail
- Dessert buffet and coffee service
- 5 complimentary raffle tickets for a chance to win fantastic prizes!
- Presentation by Bella O’Connor, legal fellow with the PETA Foundation’s Legal Team
Featured Speaker
We are delighted to have Bella O’Connor, legal fellow with the PETA Foundation’s Legal Team, as our featured speaker!
Bella will present Pathways to Progress, a results-driven talk that delves into the importance of changing laws and policies in creating a better world for animals, and how to do this most effectively.
Bella received her J.D. from Vermont Law and Graduate School, where she served as an environmental mission scholar and completed her formal concentration in animal law.
While in law school, Bella worked on a wide variety of animal and environmental issues with the school’s Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic and during her time with Animal Partisan and Food & Water Watch.
She also holds a B.A. in peace studies from Wellesley College and previously worked as the state affairs intern with the Massachusetts Humane Society.
Bella is deeply passionate about creating a food system that protects and honors the inherent dignity of all animals and farm workers while safeguarding the precious natural resources we share.
Bella lives in South Royalton, Vermont, with her rescued fish companion, Dr. Pepper.
Sat, Nov 2, 2024 – Thanksgiving Potluck & Annual Meeting
Given the rising cost of living, we are bringing back the budget-friendly Gentle Thanksgiving Potluck that so many of you fondly remember.
Please help us spread the word to old friends who enjoyed these potlucks but whom we haven’t seen in a while.
Along with a potluck meal, this gathering will be our Annual Meeting and will include a recap of the year.
Gentle Thanksgiving Potluck + Annual Meeting
Saturday, November 2
12:00 to 3:00 pm
Marion Gerrish Community Center
39 West Broadway, Derry, NH
Please sign up by October 30, so we can plan accordingly for the number of tables, beverages, and other essentials.
We’ll be having a book swap at this event, so you can trade your gently used vegan cookbooks and animal rights books. Bring a book, take a book!
Sat, Oct 19, 2024 – Howl-O-Ween 5K
On Saturday, October 19, NHARL is once again participating in the Howl-O-Ween 5K hosted by the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire at the Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester (1 Line Drive), 10:00 am.
We need walkers/runners to join our team — captained by board member Liz Herrick.
As of Oct. 14, online registration is closed. You can still register on the day of the race for $45 or help us at the NHARL table, which costs nothing. Send questions to info@nhanimalrights.org.
This is a great opportunity to get out and be active with the whole family, including your pooch(es). Get in the Halloween spirit and wear your favorite costume!
Not up for breaking a sweat? You can also donate to support our walkers/runners or visit our table at the event.
On the donation page, be sure to type “New Hampshire Animal Rights League” in the box (shown below) so that the NHARL team gets credit.
Boston Globe reporter covers Puppy Palace protests
An article by Boston Globe reporter Jonathan Saltzman about the Puppy Palace in Manchester and its owner, Praveen Tipirneni, hit the press this morning.
He just sold a biotech company for $3.2 billion. But his puzzling venture into retail puppy sales is fueling controversy View PDF