BARC has bite

Wednesday, November 18 will be the first of two days for the community to help support BARC.
The Brock Animal Rights Club (BARC) is a social justice-based action group, under OPIRG-Brock, which is comprised of students and members of the community.
"BARC's mission is to raise awareness about all forms of animal-exploitation," explained Kimberly Costello, an active BARC member. "Through educational outreach, we hope to encourage more inclusive compassion towards all animals, both human and non-human, and more ethical and compassionate lifestyles."
BARC actively promotes veganism, which is a strict vegetarian diet that eats plant products only and that uses no products derived from animals, such as fur.
Costello stressed that BARC advocates veganism as a "plant-based diet and cruelty-free living which is the most effective and compassionate way to help animals, world hunger, the environment and personal health".
This year marks the fifth annual holiday companion animal food and toy drive for BARC.
"The holiday season should be a time for us to reflect on and recognize our own privileges and responsibilities for helping those less fortunate," said Costello. "BARC hopes to encourage and offer an opportunity for people to give back to less fortunate human and non-human animals in our community." ??
To achieve their goals, BARC will be collecting vegan food donations such as pasta and rice, which will be donated to local food banks. As well as vegan collections, BARC will be gathering animal food and toys to donate to local animal charities in attempts to combat any shortages of these items.
?"In addition to collecting healthy vegan food for the many people living in poverty and food and toys for the thousands of homeless companion animals in our local community, BARC also hopes to raise awareness about two important social issues," said Costello.
These issues are veganism and world hunger and the pet overpopulation crisis.
BARC's strong support of veganism has led to their additional collection of food.
"We are restricting our donations to vegan food items because veganism is one of the best ways people can contribute to stopping world hunger," said Costello.
"Well over 800 million people on the planet are starving while the rest of us gluttonously consume and waste massive amounts of food every day," she said. "The consumption of animal flesh directly contributes to this unequal distribution and scarcity of food."Bringing more light to the situation, Costello stressed the inefficiencies that the production of meat is thought to be plagued with and its adverse effects on the world population.
"Eighty per cent of crops that could be used to feed the starving people are instead used to fatten animals so that we can eat their flesh," said Costello. "Clearly if trends towards increased meat consumption continue, we will never be able to produce enough food to feed the world population and global hunger will continue."
However, Costello does not raise an issue without offering a solution.
"On the other hand, if everyone went vegan, there would be more than enough food to nourish the world's entire population, if distributed equally of course."
BARC's second point of interest is the pet overpopulation crisis, which their annual drive also raises awareness for.
"Thousands of cats in particular end up in shelters annually in the Niagara Region, most of which end up being euthanized," said Costello. "According to recent statistics, approximately 3,500 cats are euthanized annually in the Niagara region due to pet over-population."
BARC urges everyone to help bring this cycle to an end by adopting a pet instead of going to a breeder and by having pets spayed or neutered.
In addition to all other campaigns that BARC is pursuing, they are also running the "Paws (Pause) for Thought" fundraiser in association with Niagara Action for Animals. The proceeds will go to animals in need within the area.
BARC's current composition boasts approximately 20 active members in addition to many more occasional supporters. The group always welcomes new student and community members to its cause.
BARC's annual fundraiser will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 18 in Thistle Hall and Wednesday Dec. 2 in Mackenzie Chown A Block from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.