January 4 is the anniversary of the electrocution by Thomas Edison of Topsy, the elephant we must never forget. We know more about how her life ended than we do about how it began. Newspaper reports on her death in 1903 claim she was 28. This means she was probably caught in India, Sri Lanka, Indochina or Indonesia in the mid 1870s. She was brought to the United States and became part of the touring Forepaugh Circus. We must never forget Topsy and all the other elephants and animals forced to perform in circuses and other places of entertainment.
Grumpy From Birth But Vegan Since 1976
Welcome to Grumpy Vegan
- Kim Stallwood is an independent scholar and author on animal rights. His forthcoming book, Animal Dharma, explores what it means to care deeply about animals. Starting in 1976, he has held leadership positions with some of the world’s foremost organisations in the UK and US, including CIWF, BUAV, PETA, The Animals’ Agenda, Animals and Society Institute and Minding Animals International. A vegetarian since 1974 when as a student he worked in a chicken slaughterhouse. A vegan since 1976. His evil twin is the Grumpy Vegan.
