Challenging the Portland Meat Collective’s “9 Baby Bunny” Claim

January 9th, 2012

News broke tonight that 23 rabbits destined for a Portland Meat Collective Butchery class were taken from the back yard of an instructor. Full text below.

Rather conveniently, right before today’s rabbit class, 23 rabbits were stolen from a PMC instructor’s backyard. Unfortunately, whomever stole the rabbits left 9 still-nursing baby rabbits without a mom. Because the baby rabbits lacked a food source, the nine babies died. We’re not sure whether the robbery was politically or economically motivated or both, but we would like to try and find out who did it and why. If anyone has any information or leads regarding this, please contact us at info@pdxmeat.com. Thank you.

I want to challenge the claim made by the Portland Meat Collective that 9 baby rabbits were left at the scene and have died as a result. There has been no claim of responsibility yet, nor a communique that I am aware of, but there are a lot of inconsistencies that would lead me to believe that this claim is false.

The butchering class was to be run by Levi Cole a “rabbit rearer and DIY butcher.” This suggests that Levi has some experience raising rabbits – most likely in a backyard setting (even though an article in 2010 in Oregon Live states that he does not have his own farm or raise his own animals.) Although the rabbits were taken from his backyard and he is presented as a “rabbit rearer,” Levi was seemingly incapable of keeping baby rabbits alive (assuming they existed in the first place.) In an article with Oregon Live about the incident he relays that the babies died because he “couldn’t” find a foster home. From that article we are also led to believe that these rabbits were not actually the source of the rabbits to be used for the butchery class and that with PDX Meat Collectives extensive network of breeders these rabbits were left to starve to death (within 24 hours) – even though caring for newborn rabbits is fairly commonplace.

Aside from the fact that the way the story is crafted it is actually Levi who would have let these babies die, it seems extremely odd that a lactating mom would be separated from her babies and be with the 22 other rabbits. If there actually were babies it would be very odd to not have them in a separate location with their mother. It is also odd that Levi would have a breeding operation instead of just a backyard operation – the choice of “rearer” instead of “breeder” points to this as does his complete inability to keep (real or imagined) baby rabbits alive. If they weren’t separated it would make no logical sense for 23 rabbits to be rescued and to have these 9 babies left. They are easier to handle, easier to carry and they already have their mother with them to raise them.

All of this is far too inconsistent. There is absolutely no press story and no public sympathy with a story of 23 rescued rabbits saved before death, even though this spin is some kind of twilight zone bullshit anyways. I think it is much more likely that Levi has a small backyard operation that is supplied by a breeder and that these 23 rabbits were destined to be a part of his farm to fridge nightmare – the fetishization of local prefers a selling point of the “closest possible” and it only fits the narrative.

I think there are a lot things that would suggest that the story of 9 baby rabbits was concocted in an attempt to gain public sympathy and dismiss the people who took the 23 rabbits. There is a long history of this being done by those who have been visited by liberators. It is important for people to always remain critical of the press that comes out of direct actions and to place the onus back on those attempting to spin their exploitation into victimization. Until we learn more about Levi Cole’s operation and/or the steps taken by the people who removed the 23 rabbits I would remain highly skeptical of anything presented by the Portland Meat Collective.

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43 Responses to “Challenging the Portland Meat Collective’s “9 Baby Bunny” Claim”

  1. Anonymous says:
    January 9, 2012 at 4:27 am

    Vegans often remind me of fundamentalist Christians and Hayekian economists. Nothing makes the facts fit the world view like an extra helping of ideology, right buddy?

  2. Anonymous says:
    January 9, 2012 at 5:17 am

    You bonehead, a very young baby rabbit without its mother will die of hypothermia within an hour or so of being left alone on a cold winter night. They were most likely found dead.

  3. Brant Neal says:
    January 9, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    Cheers to whoever rescued these animals. I hope they are rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Far, far away from blood thirsty PMC.

  4. Meat Lover says:
    January 9, 2012 at 11:53 pm

    Love the way you people try to push your beliefs on others. Pathetic.

  5. Deborah says:
    January 10, 2012 at 1:38 am

    Cannibals have brains and hearts covered in the toxic by-products of using their colons as graveyards. They can’t think. They can’t love. They can only spew odorous toxic crap into the air. In other words, they’re full of shit. We can’t expect them to tell the truth about anything to anyone. They can’t even manage to be honest with themselves! Their days are numbered. Evolution is on the horizon!! Long live the critter folk! And those who will risk anything to love and protect them!!!

  6. baby bunny says:
    January 10, 2012 at 6:05 am

    Speaking of facts, I “believe” they were abducted by aliens or the chupacabra. Fabricated story, obviously.

  7. Jake Ricer says:
    January 10, 2012 at 7:40 am

    “You bonehead, a very young baby rabbit without its mother will die of hypothermia within an hour or so of being left alone on a cold winter night. They were most likely found dead.”

    “Because the baby rabbits lacked a food source, the nine babies died.”

    Please, learn to read before you criticize something.

  8. Anonymous says:
    January 10, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    You know who else dehumanizes those who disagree with them, breaks the law to express their political point, and uses hateful language to characterize those who don’t share their ideology, all in the name of protecting life? Right-wing anti-abortionist nut jobs. You’re just another extremist, looking for a bomb to throw while the rest of us hope you don’t find one.

  9. Ladydragon3000 says:
    January 10, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    just wait tell its your rights and home being violated. Yes I am a breeder and yes I also call it raising not breeding because that’s what I am doing raising the animals not just breeding. No I am not a vegetarian and no I am not going to be a vegetarian, so raising rabbits and soon other small animals is my way of steeping in and and taking responsibility for the quality of life of the meat animals I eat and making sure they are not just cramped in a cage for short miserable lives.

    Also for all you idiot out there that think you can abduct peoples domesticated pets and relies them out in to the wild you are condemning those poor domesticated (not wild) animals to a slow painful frightened death in a world completely foreign to them. releasing domesticated animals in to the wield means they will starve to death because they have greater calorie/nutritional needs than wild animals because of there specialized needs, and will simply be eaten sooner or latter by all the other meat eating animals out there after all have you forgotten that the world is heavily populated by meat eating animal not just Humans.
    God the arogens of people to thing that there is some thing wrong with people because we eat meat, there is some thing wrong with people because we don’t care enough. We don’t care enough about other people animals or the land to learn and then change our ways to those that would be best for every one, we are such a selfish species.

    Ps I have tried to hand raise dozens of baby rabbits over the last 20 years. the only ones I have seen survive over that time were the ones that were over 2 weeks old when they are already able to eat solid food and there little heads are more fully developed, other wise they simply aspirate the milk wither and die even with a full tummy. we simply can not replace there mothers ability to feed her offspring. and have herd the same thing from other rabbit breeder, the survival rate for one week old is less than 1 out of a hundred.

  10. Ladydragon3000 says:
    January 10, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    Oh ya ps cats and over half the other animals you are showing on your site are meat eaters and if you have a cat or a dog you are contributing to the death of animals to feed them and if you release them in to the wild, animals will still die so do you intend to let all the meat animals starve to death unless they agree to your new values that all meat eaters should evolve in to herbivores. All things die, deal with it. what you really need to concern your self with is there quality of life, so put you attention where it really belongs on the commerciall growers how could not possibly care less about the animals they use for producing their profits.

  11. Small Farmer says:
    January 10, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    See this economy failing??? Who will be running to us the small animal farmers and food growers, when it has completely failed?? Oh yeah! That would be YOU looking for food to feed your families… sucks to be you! Some of us were raised to be self sufficient and actually provide for our families on our own…NOT to rely on the government or our once great nation to do it for us. Animals are meant to be eaten….and if it comes down to my family starving or my dog being dinner…guess you know where I stand! And I think if we weren’t so spoiled here in the Great U.S.A. many more of us would be a little less picky on what our food is. And just for the record orphaned bunnies ARE NOT easy to care for…you idiot! If you don’t know what your talking about shut your pie hole!

  12. admin says:
    January 10, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    For all of the warriors out there – we have posted a new response to the new post by the PDX Meat Collective – you can find it here – be sure to post angry comments!

    http://theveganpolice.com/main/?p=1562

    Now, to business.

    Ladydragon3000, I guess humor flies over your head?

    “All things die.” There is a difference between dying and being killed unnecessarily. The “arogens” of people, eh?

    Jake, this commentary was written in response to information that was put forward at the time. At the time that this was written the only thing stated by the PDX Meat Collective was that they alleged that 9 babies had died and that it was because they “could not find a foster home.” It was not until after this post that the PDX Meat Collective alleged that these babies were a day old. Still, go to the top of my comment and read the latest story. After that, please go fuck yourself.

    I don’t respond to anonymous commenters and I am really disheartened with the people here who refuse to post their name and be accountable for their words. That’s cowardice. I have kept my name in all of my posts on the PDX site/website and will remain accountable throughout. In that case, Jake Ricer actually wins an award here for at least posting his name to his comments.

  13. JJ Cobbs says:
    January 10, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    “…be sure to post angry comments!”

    How about posting rational comments to start a conversation? I think most people want to have a dialog rather than a bunch of name calling.

  14. Charles Sturm says:
    January 10, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    In Oklahoma the theft of these rabbits would be “theft of a domestic animal” and a considered a serious crime.

    There is no “liberating into the wild” for these animals. Any rabbit that escapes is soon eaten by raccons, hawks, owls, dogs, cats, or coyotes. In fact, all our predators will eat rabbit. Why do you think there are no resident populations of feral rabbits in this country?

    Domestic animals in this country are food animals. Those who steal and “liberate” them are simply thieves who kill the rabbits in a manner less humane than those of us who eat them.

    Ideology is one thing, common sense another. One does not change the attitudes of meat-eaters by stealing their property.

  15. admin says:
    January 10, 2012 at 8:27 pm

    JJ – see comments above. I don’t see much in the way of rational conversation of “dialogue.”

    Charles, the notion that liberating an animal from a live of confining, reproductive control, human profit and slaughter as being more harmful to an animal is absurd.

    Similar arguments used to be made by slave owners/traders in response to the Underground Railroad.

  16. JJ Cobbs says:
    January 10, 2012 at 9:26 pm

    Dylan – How about you start. Telling people to go fuck themselves isn’t a great way to gain support. So what if Jake called you a bonehead. If you are twelve or younger, I can understand your frustration. But if not, then who cares.

    I’m glad you are excited for the thirty new visitors to your site. It’s a big day for you.

  17. Deborah says:
    January 10, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    One thing that disturbs me about dialogue between vegans and cannibals… Cannibals always act like the vegans who actually try to get through to them are pushing their beliefs on them. As though killing innocent beings were OK so long as you believe it to be so. Talk about magical thinking. That’s like saying child molestation is a valid sexual preference. Animals are innocent. They don’t deserve to be imprisoned, abused and then murdered. It’s no accident that eating animals causes your heart to harden. I wonder if it isn’t the other way around. It takes a hard heart to kill an innocent being. I couldn’t even kill a guilty one. Although I have fantasized about going deer hunter hunting once or twice. ;)

  18. Deborah says:
    January 10, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    Little Elmer Fudd head on my wall. Complete with flap-jack hat.

  19. admin says:
    January 10, 2012 at 9:43 pm

    JJ, the fact that you would even come here in hopes of “dialogue” is hilarious to me. I don’t care to have dialogue with people who destroy animals on the topic of their destruction of animals. I tend to notice that they have a bias – they prefer the pleasure of what they are doing to anything else.

    That you would take offense – take my comments seriously – or come here at all is all very very funny to me. Also, go fuck yourself.

  20. Anonymous says:
    January 10, 2012 at 9:44 pm

    I am a stauch advocate of curbing global warming. Can I liberate your car for the havoc it (and petrochemical companies) wreaks on this planet’s ecosystems and species?

    No?

    Hypocrites.

  21. admin says:
    January 10, 2012 at 9:50 pm

    Quick – name the number #1 contributor to green house gas emissions?

    Now shut the fuck up.

  22. JJ Cobbs says:
    January 10, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    The #1 contributor to green house gas emissions: Your mom after eating rabbit. … but since you told us to shut the fuck up before we could answer….

    By they way Dylan, is your homework all done?

    Deborah, cannibals eat their own species. I think the term you are looking for is omnivore. Be sure to share your argument with the Maasai people. I’m sure they’d love to have their culture insulted.

  23. Small Farmer says:
    January 10, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    WOW! You amaze me look at the way you are treating people!! Real live human beings that are way more important in life than an animal! SAD, makes me feel sorry for you! Animals are more important in your life than humans…life must be lonely for you. Maybe you should try giving as much compassion to humans as you do to animals, life might be a little more fulfilling for you. Try visiting a country in poverty and maybe it will help you grow into a more productive and functioning adult.

  24. Small Farmer says:
    January 10, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    “Quick – name the number #1 contributor to green house gas emissions?”

    I am confused by this…are you saying we should kill the cows???

  25. admin says:
    January 10, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    Hahaha. You are still here. I applaud your effort JJ!

    SF – Animal enterprise is the number #1 contributor to green house gas emissions. As we control the reproductive systems of domesticated farm animals (I can’t believe I am explaining this to you) the demand create by consuming animal flesh/secretions is the number #1 contributor to our mutual destruction as a species. Humans are the ones who are complicit.

  26. Fat Man says:
    January 11, 2012 at 1:02 am

    In reply to Bryant Neal.

    Domestic rabbits are descended from European rabbits and are not the same species as the rabbits in this country. As a domestic meat breed the retain little of the ability to survive in the wild, they are large and slow. The coyotes would appreciate the effort though.

  27. JJ Cobbs says:
    January 11, 2012 at 1:03 am

    Dylan – Yep. I am still here. Call me bored, I guess.

    If you actually took the time to see what PMC really promotes, you’d probably find out many of their customers and volunteers hate large industrial animal farms just as much as you do.

    I’ve taken a class from them, and we discussed the dangers of those large farms. Hence the focus on buying from small, local farms.

    You have to accept that there are many, many people out there who choose to eat both meat and vegetables. Just as I have to accept you choose to be vegan. In fact, I applaud you being vegan.

    What I, and many people, don’t accept is breaking into someone’s house and destroying their property for the sake of an ideology. It really is not an effective way of gaining support.

    Anyhow, Whale Wars is on, but I’ll probably have to “go fuck myself” first before I can watch it. Have a good one, Dylan.

  28. Amazed says:
    January 11, 2012 at 3:11 am

    You are insane.
    “I hope they set them free!” Really? You think animals that have been kept in captivity all their lives will survive the wild?
    Where do you think the meat at the grocery stores come from? I would much rather eat “Home raised” animals that where well cared for and loved than some abused animal that is pumped full of crap. Just because you don’t believe in some of the stuff other people do, stop forceing you opinion on everyone else. Get your nose out of people’s butt and tend to your on business.

  29. admin says:
    January 11, 2012 at 4:51 am

    JJ – the issue of scale obliterates the subjectivity of an individual animal. Although I can’t say it doesn’t matter – it doesn’t particularly matter to that animal when it’s throat is being slit. Rationalizations aside, it is needless and it is killing.

    I will never accept that there are people out there who take pleasure in the domination and suffering of other animal species. I find it disturbing that anyone could.

    The conciliatory tone and the “I respect you for being vegan” misses the point. Veganism is not about respect between human beings. It is about respecting the subjectivity of other animals. Your “respect” on this issue is pointless to me.

    I refuse to acknowledge other animals as “property.” We are not that far removed from when our dominate socio-cultural narrative accepted human beings as “property.” Again, you miss the point of the tactic. It is not about “gaining support,” it is about liberating an animal from a place of domination. The focus is the individual animal – not how it will be perceived by other human beings (especially human beings who profit off of / are complicit in the domination of other animals.)

    If you actually do watch Whale Wars all of what I just wrote above should already be clear to you.

  30. Vance says:
    January 11, 2012 at 5:43 am

    Dylan,

    I’m curious to how you feel about other cultures who use animal products for diet and rituals. For example the Maasi tribes mentioned above. They will sometimes mix cattle blood with milk for ritual purposes, and have probably done so for quite some time. Do you suggest they abandon their culture?

  31. admin says:
    January 11, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    Vance,

    Your comment is cultural appropriation. You cannot find a way to justify your actions within your own cultural narrative so you steal from another. This has tactical advantage because if I answered your question you would force me into a position where I would be the one painted as a racist and a cultural imperialist. However, the ability to appropriate culture and use it as a justification for unethical behavior is the actual illustration of imperialism and racism. Are you Maasi Vance?

  32. charla hinkle says:
    January 11, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    Ok. Just so the unimformed know it is occasionally a necessity to bring baby bunnies inside during the winter and return them to their mother to feed frequently. By bringing them inside you keep them warm until they regulate their temps on their own. Some rabbits are terrible mothers and neglect to keep them warm enough. Or they smother the babies.

    So if the rabbits got “liberated” or what ever word you choose to use in replacement for stolen, it is possible the thief or thieves did not see babies because they weren’t with the mother.

  33. admin says:
    January 11, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Charla,

    The PDX Meat Collective has since stated that the babies were with their mother at the time they were allegedly taken and that the babies – and the box they were in – were taken and left on the front step of the breeders home (Levi Cole). If you read our updated response this is why we believe that this may not have been an act of liberation as the person may only have been interested in taking the rabbits for food themselves.

    http://theveganpolice.com/main/?p=1562

  34. Vance says:
    January 11, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    Dylan,

    I can justify why I eat meat and vegetables in my culture because it’s part of my balanced diet. I grew up on a small farm an this is what we ate. Today, I make sure all my food is organic and try to buy locally as possible to support small farms. This is my choice.

    To go back to my question, do you think other culture (Maasi, small French farmer, whoever) should abandon their practice? I think this is a valid question that is not racist or imperialist because there are many cultures out there that are different. If anything it will show that you shouldn’t think it is ok to scold others because they do not follow your way of life. Be and let be.

  35. admin says:
    January 11, 2012 at 8:00 pm

    Vance,

    Reducing other animal species to “meat” and “diet” shows that you are already at starting point where commidification and domination are considered codified and inescapable.

    Regardless of where you grew up in white-settler North America and most of the Northern Hemisphere, I personally grew up in a similar setting, products made from the flesh and secretions of other animal species are unnecessary. Simply acknowledging that you have a “choice” does not mean that the choices you are making are ethical.

    Again, I don’t play into cultural appropriation because it is offensive.

    It is absurd that you would end your comment with “be and let be.” What logic is this? You control the reproduction system of other animals, you confine and separate other animals from their families and then you desecrate their bodies for personal gain and profit. How is that “be and let be”? In what parallel universe does that make sense?

  36. Deborah says:
    January 11, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    We’re all earthlings. Hence the term cannibal. Cannibals eat their own kind. Got it? Maybe you’d be quicker on the uptake if you didn’t gum up your brain with the toxic by-products of using your colon as a graveyard?? Ya think?

  37. Deborah says:
    January 11, 2012 at 8:57 pm

    The news explicitly said that their kitchens were desecrated with messages in support of animal liberation. I’m not convinced that there were babies involved at all. Sounds like a ploy for sympathy to me. It’s ridiculous how they can slit the throat of animals that grew to trust them and yet feel bad for newborns dying. Smells like BS to me.

  38. admin says:
    January 11, 2012 at 9:30 pm

    Deborah,

    Can you provide the source where it states that animal liberation slogans were written in Levi Cole’s kitchen? I have not seen that.

  39. JJ Cobbs says:
    January 11, 2012 at 11:12 pm

    @Deborah – What are you talking about? I don’t think I’m the one with the gummed up noggin. That is some broad logic with so many holes.

    Earthling: An inhabitant of the earth.

    So by that definition, eating anything would make one a cannibal. Plants inhabit the earth, as do bacteria.

    I can see now how you “win” arguments. You guys just make up shit and mold it to your belief.

    Anyhow – this is now completely pointless and just sad. You two take care.

  40. admin says:
    January 12, 2012 at 12:05 am

    Eating plants directly means eating less plants and also eating no animals. It’s not rocket science.

  41. Meat eater says:
    January 19, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    This rather poorly written response just continues to prove how uninformed most radical liberal groups are. Including it would appear radical vegetarians. Get your facts straight; in this case learn a little more about rabbits and how they are raised. Try shutting your pious mouth and read a little on how they are managed in the back yard setting. You sound like a fool to those that do know something about it.
    Once you break the law to force your views on others you are a terrorist, and should be treated as such. Theft to feed your family is one thing, stealing from some other family to make your opinion known should be punished by the full extent of the law.
    At least at this point we might find some small solace in the fact that the thieves will have to buy feed for these rabbits until the rabbits die of natural causes, if they turn them out they will get killed by predators within days.

  42. admin says:
    January 19, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    Just so we are on the same page.

    I am not a liberal or a vegetarian.

    I am a terrorist though.

  43. Anonymous says:
    March 6, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    Wow, admin proves that intelligence doesnt negate crazy. Interesting read.

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