Dear ARAN Members & Supporters,

Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) staged our third rally in Dublin on December 6^th, 2009. Despite the torrential rain that poured heavily across the country, which deterred many hundreds of supporters that planned on coming - from coming along. In Dublin, however, the weather could not have being better � for what many would agree was the most successful and well attended rally for animals ever. The weather in Dublin was a summer�s day � the only city in Ireland to have good weather this weekend! The sky was bright, clear blue and the sun glared down on top of us. Early that morning some radio stations were carrying the story that hundreds were due to protest animal abuse in Dublin and that we did � it was upbeat, lively and most importantly peaceful, whilst sending a strong message.

Although the animal rights movement in Ireland is still young, it is growing. People began gathering shortly after one pm at the Garden of Remembrance - at one stage it seemed that there was only a handful of people or no more than 100 attending - until shortly after crowds of people began gathering. As we made our way onto O�Connell Street, the rally line started filling out and thickening. Passing traffic, tourist busses and onlookers cheered, beeped horns and waved in support - whilst a chant �There�s No Excuse for Animal Abuse� and �There�s No Excuse for Animal Abuse, Animals Have Rights� kept the march going. There were children of a few months of age in attendance, up to supporters in their 70�s � it was a huge spectacle of old and young coming together as one voice to call for the war on animals to end and to establish rights for them. ARAN would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to many of Ireland�s other animal protection groups and their supporters for their attendance and vital support - groups such as, ICABS, CIWF, IAVS, Animal Care Society, Mayo SPCA, Limerick Animal Welfare, LSPCA, Galway SPCA, Clare Animal Welfare, Second Chance Animal Rescue, Northern Ireland Animal Rights Defenders, Ash Animal Rescue, Galway Vegetarian Group, Vegetarian Society of Ireland, Supreme Master Television, Rainbow Re-homing Centre, Dogs in Distress and many more. We thank those that could not attend but helped to spread the word and highlight the event on their website, through facebook, distribute leaflets, put up posters ect. As the rally proceeded through O�Connell Street, it started building up in numbers as we made our way onto Dame Street and up George�s street where we went onto the Camden Court hotel to hear speeches from our friends at the Vegetarian Society of Ireland, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Animal Consultants and Animals Count. Other speeches were also given by CIWF, ICABS and Trish Forde Brennan from the Limerick Greens who brought us up to date with the animal welfare bill plus many more. Recording the event were a camera crew from Supreme Master Television International who are a group that focus much of their work on promoting vegetarian, veganism and climate change, this international television station has interviewed most of the world�s top animal protection groups and campaigners, so ARAN was grateful for them choosing to support our work too. The hotel room where speeches took place was filled out for the most part.

Press coverage for the event was also positive. Great coverage in the Irish Independent, Irish Times, Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sun, Irish Examiner, Eircom.net, Breakingnews.ie and various online sites, plus radio stations doing interviews the following day for an update on the march and animal welfare bill. Letters of support also came in from groups such as the BUAV, PETA, Animal Defenders International, National Anti-vivisection Society, Advocates for Animals, Animal Aid, Viva and of course Uncaged who organize International Day for Animal Rights which ARAN�s rally was also supporting.

Once again for those that could not make it, we�ve captured some interesting video footage for you to see. Please click here and be sure to send this video onto all your friends and family, and urge them to get involved in ARAN�s work to help animals. ARAN would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the rally - the groups that supported the event, the people that could not make it due to weather or recession problems but support ARAN through various other ways, and of course to the army of loyal ARAN supporters who kindly help to make all our work happen. We would also like to give a huge thanks to cruelty free company LUSH for their unwavering support of ARAN and to all their staff and shops in Ireland supporting our work. LUSH are a strict ethical company that are still against animal testing and most of their products are either vegetarian or vegan.

As we go into 2010, ARAN promises the animals that we�ll re-double our efforts to stop their suffering and abuse and we hope that you�ll stand by us as we go into another year fighting to creature positive and meaningful change for the animals, you are all they have.

Wishing you all a great compassionate Christmas and an action packed New Year for the animals.

From us all here at Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN)

www.ARAN.ie