Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 5

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare

The Broyle, Ringmer, East Sussex, BN8 5AJ, UK

Tel:  (01825) 840252

e:  info@raystede.org

Today I saw some horrible men

Who were happy in their pursuit

Of rabbits with their tiny dogs

Who were sent down the holes by the brutes.

These horrible men, these are the type

Who work at the pig farm or kill shed.

They hang and they slash, they pluck and they chop,

And afterwards sleep sound in their beds.

And while they sleep, these horrible men,

Some nice people smile and are friendly.

At their fundraiser for a good cause

They eat ham rolls and beef ravioli.

Horrible men, paid by the masses,

To torture and batter and kill.

The coins in those brutal, blood-stained hands

Are from Raystede’s blood-stained till.

I’m so sorry to have to write such a sad poem when we were in such a happy place looking at the other sanctuaries this week, but for the animals’ sake I have to draw your attention to this again.

It’s true that there are many animal charities which confine themselves to working for just one, or a couple of species – eg Cats’ Protection, Dogs Trust – but Raystede never used to be one of these.

Their website used to display the slogan: “We believe that every animal has the right to health, happiness and freedom from suffering” but since this campaign started they have taken it down.

Raystede was started in the 1950’s by a woman, born in 1902, who had convictions and compassion as strong as those of the other sanctuary hosts we’ve met this week.  She described herself as a ‘non-meat eater’ and, as she reiterated again and again, cared about ALL animals, without exception.  Miss M Raymonde-Hawkins wrote in her book Sensible Pets and Silly People,

“My own view, and that of every decent minded person, is that no animal should be caused to suffer at all for any reason.”

and

“Too often our entertainment, our food, our clothing and so-called sport are all at the expense of animals and a civilised society in years to come will look back with horror at the way that we have exploited animals during this century.”

She concluded her book with:

“Those of us who have grown old in the work and who have so little to encourage us for the future welfare of animals can at least only hope that having carried the banner so far, we can, in falling, fling it to the hosts behind to carry on the work and hope that they will be more successful than we have been during this century.”

She died in 1998 and the “hosts behind” dropped the banner.

They betrayed her.

They betrayed the animals.

Roll up your sleeves guys, looks like this is gonna take a while.

Let’s Shawshank them!

We can do this.

For as long as it takes.

For the sake of back-to-front Grace and Archie No-Tail  in Hugletts’ video, and all the billions of others, please join this campaign and tell Raystede to make their cafe vegan.

Write a letter a week (or email or phone call) until Raystede stops serving the products of animal cruelty.

Until they stop instigating unspeakable suffering.

Thank you so much.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare

The Broyle,

Ringmer,

East Sussex,

BN8 5AJ,

UK

Tel:  (01825) 840252

e:  info@raystede.org