Purple Paw Badge

Hi!

I found out recently that Animal Aid has come out with a new symbol for all the animals that have been affected by human exploitation. The symbol is a purple badge, shaped like a paw.

It is for all the animals that have suffered from Horse racing, animal experiments, zoos and circuses and in war. There are many other reasons, such as greyhound racing, that they have not mentioned.

Animal aid previously came out with a purple poppy for animals who had died in war, just the same as the red poppies we use to commemorate the soldiers who fought in WWI and WWII. However, the meaning gradually changed and people began to use it to remember the ‘animal heroes’ that helped win the war, when nobody had asked them whether they were willing to do it or not. Here is a link to a booklet about animal victims in war.

Since Animal Aid had intended the purple poppy to signify that animals were victims of exploitation rather than heroes, they abandoned the purple poppy. They replaced it with a paw, to remember ALL the animals who had suffered in ANY way and so as not to exclude any (BUT I DO THINK THAT ALL ANIMALS ARE HEROES, BTW, JUST NOT FOR HELPING WIN THE WAR: THEY ARE HEROES BECAUSE THEY ARE ANIMALS AND ALL ANIMALS ARE THE BEST!!!).

I really like the idea of the purple paw badge because it can be worn all year round to celebrate animals (not just around Remembrance Sunday). They are also not that expensive (at £3) and can be bought online. All proceeds support Animal Aid in its campaigning work against all animal suffering.

And if you want to join Animal Aid, it costs only £8 per year for under 16s .