The Compassion Experiment

I've been a creative writer since I was still in high school and have amassed a huge catalog of stories, books and novels that no one has ever read. I've recently decided it's finally time for some of my older stuff to see the light of day - if only because it doesn't cost a cent to post my work. The first story I'm releasing is Fish Food. It was originally set to be published in a horror magazine based out of Calgary, but it folded before it my story was printed. I wrote Fish Food at a time when my ultimate goal was to become a graphic horror fiction writer. I've since changed a lot as a writer, but this story is a good representation of the writer I used to be. I wanted to post the story as I originally wrote it, but then I read it. The original version was too over-the-top violent, even my liking, so I've made some changes to it. Fish Food was the first story in my Animal Revenge Series, which makes it a perfect fit for The Compassion Experiment blo...

As promised, The Compassion Experiment is back with a new blog two weeks in a row! I'd like to start out by congratulating Melissa McClelland (Ladybird Animal Sanctuary, Whitehorse) for co-winning the Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album - Leave No Bridge Unburned. This marks the first time a Juno Winner and Juno Performer has been in my living room. I've included the video I made of the Ladybird Animal Sanctuary founders - Lisa Winn, Janine Stoll and Melissa McClelland - a couple months after they had first started their amazing rescue.  These days LAS is doing incredible things for the animals of Hamilton and are saving lives every single day, which is completely inspiring. When LAS applied for their charity status they asked if they could use this interview with their application - and of course I said yes!  When they ultimately secured their charity status (meaning: if you donate you can get a tax receipt), I couldn't help but feel a little pride k...

Making A Difference Mike P I was lamenting to friends Brian and Nancy about the fact that the cats at the shelter no longer have access to 'Stretch and Scratch' - individual cat scratchers that can be attached to the kennels at work. "What's the problem?" they asked. "It costs as much to get them across the border as it does to buy them in the first place. We need a place in the US that we can have them shipped to and then someone has to go and pick them up," I said. "We have a friend who lives in Buffalo. We'll ask him if it's okay to have them shipped to his place and we'll go pick them up. We'll even buy two boxes of scratchers and donate them to the shelter," they offered. And voila! - two weeks later every cat in the shelter has their own 'Stretch and Scratch'. Making a difference can be so simple, sometimes all you need to do is speak up. It's been awhile, I know, but life gets in the way a...

This is a picture of me and a pig I called Orson. Orson was given up by his owners, and surrendered to the shelter I work at. He was awaiting his new home, which is on a farm where he will be loved and not eaten. Orson was house trained, and walked on a leash, but the one thing he apparently didn't like, was being picked up by a d-bag who wanted a picture with him. Before the film Deliverance, the term "Squeal like a pig" meant something totally different, it meant the sound a pig makes when being picked up, and being none to happy about it. Orson was very popular at the shelter, people were constantly popping by to say hello, and they would toss him some lettuce, or carrots, or sweet potatoes. And he was happy to see them, he was a friendly, outgoing guy, and loved to eat. The thing that confused me, is that these same people who swooned over him, later went home and ate bacon, pork or ham, and seemed to have the ability to ignore the fact that the flesh they are pu...

       The Compassion Experiment continues to grow and expand, and we'll continue to promote animal welfare and vegan living as we always have, in our own little way.        We sold out of our vegan cookbook Compassionate Eating for Everyday Folk, and raised more than $150 for the Oakville Milton Humane Society in the process.        This year we will continue to search for a publisher for Compassion Eating as we still firmly believe in Compassion Eating, and would love to find an avenue to a larger audience. Not so easy, it seems, but it's a fight worth fighting.       On the side, there will be many writing project that will see the light of day this year, some that have been on the back-burner for a good decade or so. Maybe it's time?        Plans have been tentatively made to visit the new vegan pub in Toronto, can't wait to go!             ...

        Earlier this year, Dogs of Oakville - New Beginnings, was finally published, which was exciting because it featured a page with Spencer, and foster dog Mary Agnes (her diaries can be found on an earlier post). It also featured their stories, which I had written. Dogs of Oakville - New Beginnings, was the second Dogs of Oakville book, the first book raised $25,000 for the Oakville Milton Humane Society, and the two incredible ladies behind the books, Maria Bell and Orayln Whyte, were hoping to raise $50,000 with this second book. To date, they have raised over $25,000+ with the new book, and are working hard to get all the copies sold, because the shelter needs the money very badly. We were honored to have Spencer and Mary Agnes included in the book, and are happy to announce that Morgan and Tito will be included in the Cats of Oakville book! The Dogs of Oakville, and Cats of Oakville books are a great idea, and ...