1 00:00:00,260 --> 00:00:03,220 Circuses, zoos and aquarium parks like SeaWorld 2 00:00:03,220 --> 00:00:06,780 are destinations most kids can’t wait to visit. 3 00:00:06,780 --> 00:00:09,930 But Dominic Geragi isn’t just any kid. 4 00:00:09,930 --> 00:00:13,160 An animal activist since the age of seven and co-president 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,599 of the non-profit Animal Hero Kids, Dominic firmly stands against 6 00:00:17,599 --> 00:00:20,190 the use and abuse of animals for entertainment 7 00:00:20,190 --> 00:00:23,280 and is really making waves in his community. 8 00:00:24,460 --> 00:00:26,700 Pun intended. 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,599 Hi it’s Emily from Bite Size Vegan and welcome to another vegan nugget. 10 00:00:34,599 --> 00:00:37,869 Today I’m excited to introduce you to Dominic Geragi. 11 00:00:37,869 --> 00:00:41,880 At the age of eight, Dominic had bullhooks banned in Margate, Florida, 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,329 which I’ll let him talk about more. 13 00:00:44,329 --> 00:00:49,480 Now, with five years of animal activism under his belt and at the ripe old age age of twelve, 14 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:53,990 Dominic continues to fight for captive animals in the entertainment industry. 15 00:00:53,990 --> 00:00:58,089 Dominic shared what inspired him to go vegan and become active. 16 00:00:58,089 --> 00:01:02,440 First I watched the documentary The Cove 17 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:07,760 and that got me to protesting the Miami Seaquarium, 18 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:13,000 which then caused me to become vegetarian. And we started learning about more stuff. 19 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,920 Then like a month after I became vegan. 20 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:22,870 I protest at Miami Seaquarium. Five years now, we've been protesting there. 21 00:01:22,870 --> 00:01:26,790 We've had many different events happen there. We've had a lot of cars turn around 22 00:01:26,790 --> 00:01:28,580 where the cars don't go in. 23 00:01:28,580 --> 00:01:32,790 Dominic hit the ground running and spoke out against the cruel use of bullhooks, 24 00:01:32,790 --> 00:01:34,600 resulting in their banning. 25 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,650 When I was eight years old I banned bullhooks and electric prods from being used 26 00:01:39,650 --> 00:01:42,430 in the city of Margate in Florida. 27 00:01:42,430 --> 00:01:47,310 I'm eight years old, I live in Boca Raton. 28 00:01:47,310 --> 00:01:52,220 I do not like Cole Brothers, or any other circus that uses animals. 29 00:01:52,220 --> 00:01:58,230 They use electrical rods, they electrocute the animals. 30 00:01:58,230 --> 00:02:01,450 They take bullhooks and beat the elephants. 31 00:02:01,450 --> 00:02:04,630 Little baby elephants are taken from their mothers 32 00:02:04,630 --> 00:02:06,529 to be beaten. 33 00:02:06,529 --> 00:02:10,166 Please do what you can to help these animals. 34 00:02:10,166 --> 00:02:12,663 Kids have a voice. Thank you very much. 35 00:02:12,663 --> 00:02:17,810 Bullhooks are used like batons but they have a hook at the top of them 36 00:02:17,810 --> 00:02:20,290 and they beat the elephants with them. 37 00:02:20,290 --> 00:02:25,999 And there's actually videos of the trainers using the bullhook 38 00:02:25,999 --> 00:02:32,029 to bring the elephants somewhere where they had damage on their feet 39 00:02:32,029 --> 00:02:35,639 and other parts of their body. 40 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,609 With other kids his age flocking to aquariums, zoos and circuses, 41 00:02:39,609 --> 00:02:43,069 I asked Dominic why he protests against them. 42 00:02:43,069 --> 00:02:47,189 Sea World and Miami Seaquarium where they just take-- 43 00:02:47,189 --> 00:02:52,149 and they put them into this cove and they take half of them 44 00:02:52,149 --> 00:02:55,629 and put them into Sea World and the Seaquarium, 45 00:02:55,629 --> 00:03:00,149 and they just put them into these tiny tanks. 46 00:03:00,149 --> 00:03:03,049 Some of them are illegal, like Lolita's. 47 00:03:03,049 --> 00:03:06,449 Lolita's is illegal, it's way too small for her. 48 00:03:06,449 --> 00:03:15,380 And circuses are animals being taken, tortured, and put into these places. 49 00:03:15,380 --> 00:03:18,379 And it's just really depressing there for them. 50 00:03:18,379 --> 00:03:22,019 Given this sad reality, Dominic shared that there are alternatives 51 00:03:22,019 --> 00:03:25,179 if kids and their families want to interact with animals. 52 00:03:25,179 --> 00:03:30,409 Sanctuaries is a perfect place to see animals, and take care of them. 53 00:03:30,409 --> 00:03:33,399 Where you can see them, and if you want to volunteer 54 00:03:33,399 --> 00:03:39,770 you can help them. And basically help them to help their health. 55 00:03:39,770 --> 00:03:43,909 Dominic advocates other kids to get active in their communities and schools. 56 00:03:43,909 --> 00:03:48,519 He shares his thoughts on the power of kid activism and how to get involved. 57 00:03:48,519 --> 00:03:54,579 I mean, people listen to kids more than they do to adults nowadays. 58 00:03:54,579 --> 00:03:57,749 They think, when they see an adult sitting down, holding a sign: 59 00:03:57,749 --> 00:04:00,749 "Oh, that person is crazy.", or something. 60 00:04:00,749 --> 00:04:05,779 But when they see a kid talking up there, they think: "Wow, this is serious." 61 00:04:05,779 --> 00:04:09,959 and they actually get more of an impact. 62 00:04:09,959 --> 00:04:17,280 Spread awareness is probably the easiest part. You can make your own leaflets 63 00:04:17,280 --> 00:04:21,310 and print them out and give them to people in your neighborhood. 64 00:04:21,310 --> 00:04:24,920 Or if it's easier just go to your school and talk about it, 65 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:29,060 and have kids spread awareness, make presentations. That's what I did. 66 00:04:29,060 --> 00:04:32,830 So more people know about what is going on 67 00:04:32,830 --> 00:04:37,210 with circuses and Miami Seaquarium and Sea World 68 00:04:37,210 --> 00:04:41,970 and all these bad places. And on factory farms and all of those. 69 00:04:41,970 --> 00:04:44,120 Given that most kids his age aren’t out there 70 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,880 fighting for the rights of animals, I asked Dominic 71 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,110 what motivated him to keep going. 72 00:04:49,110 --> 00:04:53,230 Seeing that animals have more rights nowadays, 73 00:04:53,230 --> 00:04:56,230 you see more sanctuaries and all these other places. 74 00:04:56,230 --> 00:05:01,430 That people actually care about animals makes me want to help even more 75 00:05:01,430 --> 00:05:06,600 and try to get it completely-- like no circuses and no Miami Seaquarium. 76 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:11,980 I’ll leave you with some excerpts from Dominic’s Animal Hero Kids State of the Union Address. 77 00:05:11,980 --> 00:05:18,780 I Dominic, Animal Hero Kid president, pledge to speak out for all animals in need. 78 00:05:18,780 --> 00:05:22,550 All of our voices together will stop animal abuse. 79 00:05:22,550 --> 00:05:25,860 We need to be the voices for the voiceless. 80 00:05:25,860 --> 00:05:30,550 We, the Animal Hero Kids, promise to stop animal abuse 81 00:05:30,550 --> 00:05:35,350 by not going to circuses that use animals for entertainment. 82 00:05:35,350 --> 00:05:38,230 Wild animals belong in the wild. 83 00:05:38,230 --> 00:05:41,320 We, the Animal Hero Kids, across the nation 84 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,490 will speak up for the most abused animals of all: 85 00:05:44,490 --> 00:05:48,410 factory farmed animals, like cows, chickens and pigs. 86 00:05:48,410 --> 00:05:51,690 If you want to find out more about Dominic and his activist network, 87 00:05:51,690 --> 00:05:53,980 check out the links in the video description below. 88 00:05:53,980 --> 00:05:56,870 Stay tuned to the channel to hear from more Animal Hero Kids. 89 00:05:56,870 --> 00:06:00,070 If you liked this video, do give it a thumbs up and share it around 90 00:06:00,070 --> 00:06:02,460 to help show what kids can accomplish. 91 00:06:02,460 --> 00:06:04,970 If you’re new here, I’d love to have you as a subscriber. 92 00:06:04,970 --> 00:06:08,220 I put out fresh content covering all aspects of veganism 93 00:06:08,220 --> 00:06:10,680 every Monday, Wednesday and some Fridays. 94 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,820 To help support Bite Size Vegan’s educational efforts, please see the support links below 95 00:06:14,820 --> 00:06:18,030 or click on the Nugget Army icon or the link in the sidebar. 96 00:06:18,030 --> 00:06:22,340 Now go live vegan, end captivity, and I’ll see you soon! 97 00:06:22,340 --> 00:06:26,210 When I say rip his head off, rip his f--ing head off... 98 00:06:26,210 --> 00:06:28,240 It's very important that you do it. 99 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:33,590 When he starts squirming too f--ing much, both f--ing hands -- BOOM -- right under that chin! 100 00:06:33,590 --> 00:06:36,770 Sink that hook into 'em. 101 00:06:36,770 --> 00:06:40,340 When you hear that screaming, then you know you got their attention!