WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:03.220 Circuses, zoos and aquarium parks like SeaWorld 00:00:03.220 --> 00:00:06.780 are destinations most kids can’t wait to visit. 00:00:06.780 --> 00:00:09.930 But Dominic Geragi isn’t just any kid. 00:00:09.930 --> 00:00:13.160 An animal activist since the age of seven and co-president 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:17.599 of the non-profit Animal Hero Kids, Dominic firmly stands against 00:00:17.599 --> 00:00:20.190 the use and abuse of animals for entertainment 00:00:20.190 --> 00:00:23.280 and is really making waves in his community. 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:26.700 Pun intended. 00:00:30.720 --> 00:00:34.599 Hi it’s Emily from Bite Size Vegan and welcome to another vegan nugget. 00:00:34.599 --> 00:00:37.869 Today I’m excited to introduce you to Dominic Geragi. 00:00:37.869 --> 00:00:41.880 At the age of eight, Dominic had bullhooks banned in Margate, Florida, 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:44.329 which I’ll let him talk about more. 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, 00:00:49.480 --> 00:00:53.990 Dominic continues to fight for captive animals in the entertainment industry. 00:00:53.990 --> 00:00:58.089 Dominic shared what inspired him to go vegan and become active. 00:00:58.089 --> 00:01:02.440 First I watched the documentary The Cove 00:01:02.440 --> 00:01:07.760 and that got me to protesting the Miami Seaquarium, 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:13.000 which then caused me to become vegetarian. And we started learning about more stuff. 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:16.920 Then like a month after I became vegan. 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:22.870 I protest at Miami Seaquarium. Five years now, we've been protesting there. 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 00:01:26.790 --> 00:01:28.580 where the cars don't go in. 00:01:28.580 --> 00:01:32.790 Dominic hit the ground running and spoke out against the cruel use of bullhooks, 00:01:32.790 --> 00:01:34.600 resulting in their banning. 00:01:34.600 --> 00:01:39.650 When I was eight years old I banned bullhooks and electric prods from being used 00:01:39.650 --> 00:01:42.430 in the city of Margate in Florida. 00:01:42.430 --> 00:01:47.310 I'm eight years old, I live in Boca Raton. 00:01:47.310 --> 00:01:52.220 I do not like Cole Brothers, or any other circus that uses animals. 00:01:52.220 --> 00:01:58.230 They use electrical rods, they electrocute the animals. 00:01:58.230 --> 00:02:01.450 They take bullhooks and beat the elephants. 00:02:01.450 --> 00:02:04.630 Little baby elephants are taken from their mothers 00:02:04.630 --> 00:02:06.529 to be beaten. 00:02:06.529 --> 00:02:10.166 Please do what you can to help these animals. 00:02:10.166 --> 00:02:12.663 Kids have a voice. Thank you very much. 00:02:12.663 --> 00:02:17.810 Bullhooks are used like batons but they have a hook at the top of them 00:02:17.810 --> 00:02:20.290 and they beat the elephants with them. 00:02:20.290 --> 00:02:25.999 And there's actually videos of the trainers using the bullhook 00:02:25.999 --> 00:02:32.029 to bring the elephants somewhere where they had damage on their feet 00:02:32.029 --> 00:02:35.639 and other parts of their body. 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:39.609 With other kids his age flocking to aquariums, zoos and circuses, 00:02:39.609 --> 00:02:43.069 I asked Dominic why he protests against them. 00:02:43.069 --> 00:02:47.189 Sea World and Miami Seaquarium where they just take-- 00:02:47.189 --> 00:02:52.149 and they put them into this cove and they take half of them 00:02:52.149 --> 00:02:55.629 and put them into Sea World and the Seaquarium, 00:02:55.629 --> 00:03:00.149 and they just put them into these tiny tanks. 00:03:00.149 --> 00:03:03.049 Some of them are illegal, like Lolita's. 00:03:03.049 --> 00:03:06.449 Lolita's is illegal, it's way too small for her. 00:03:06.449 --> 00:03:15.380 And circuses are animals being taken, tortured, and put into these places. 00:03:15.380 --> 00:03:18.379 And it's just really depressing there for them. 00:03:18.379 --> 00:03:22.019 Given this sad reality, Dominic shared that there are alternatives 00:03:22.019 --> 00:03:25.179 if kids and their families want to interact with animals. 00:03:25.179 --> 00:03:30.409 Sanctuaries is a perfect place to see animals, and take care of them. 00:03:30.409 --> 00:03:33.399 Where you can see them, and if you want to volunteer 00:03:33.399 --> 00:03:39.770 you can help them. And basically help them to help their health. 00:03:39.770 --> 00:03:43.909 Dominic advocates other kids to get active in their communities and schools. 00:03:43.909 --> 00:03:48.519 He shares his thoughts on the power of kid activism and how to get involved. 00:03:48.519 --> 00:03:54.579 I mean, people listen to kids more than they do to adults nowadays. 00:03:54.579 --> 00:03:57.749 They think, when they see an adult sitting down, holding a sign: 00:03:57.749 --> 00:04:00.749 "Oh, that person is crazy.", or something. 00:04:00.749 --> 00:04:05.779 But when they see a kid talking up there, they think: "Wow, this is serious." 00:04:05.779 --> 00:04:09.959 and they actually get more of an impact. 00:04:09.959 --> 00:04:17.280 Spread awareness is probably the easiest part. You can make your own leaflets 00:04:17.280 --> 00:04:21.310 and print them out and give them to people in your neighborhood. 00:04:21.310 --> 00:04:24.920 Or if it's easier just go to your school and talk about it, 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:29.060 and have kids spread awareness, make presentations. That's what I did. 00:04:29.060 --> 00:04:32.830 So more people know about what is going on 00:04:32.830 --> 00:04:37.210 with circuses and Miami Seaquarium and Sea World 00:04:37.210 --> 00:04:41.970 and all these bad places. And on factory farms and all of those. 00:04:41.970 --> 00:04:44.120 Given that most kids his age aren’t out there 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:46.880 fighting for the rights of animals, I asked Dominic 00:04:46.880 --> 00:04:49.110 what motivated him to keep going. 00:04:49.110 --> 00:04:53.230 Seeing that animals have more rights nowadays, 00:04:53.230 --> 00:04:56.230 you see more sanctuaries and all these other places. 00:04:56.230 --> 00:05:01.430 That people actually care about animals makes me want to help even more 00:05:01.430 --> 00:05:06.600 and try to get it completely-- like no circuses and no Miami Seaquarium. 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. 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:18.780 I Dominic, Animal Hero Kid president, pledge to speak out for all animals in need. 00:05:18.780 --> 00:05:22.550 All of our voices together will stop animal abuse. 00:05:22.550 --> 00:05:25.860 We need to be the voices for the voiceless. 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:30.550 We, the Animal Hero Kids, promise to stop animal abuse 00:05:30.550 --> 00:05:35.350 by not going to circuses that use animals for entertainment. 00:05:35.350 --> 00:05:38.230 Wild animals belong in the wild. 00:05:38.230 --> 00:05:41.320 We, the Animal Hero Kids, across the nation 00:05:41.320 --> 00:05:44.490 will speak up for the most abused animals of all: 00:05:44.490 --> 00:05:48.410 factory farmed animals, like cows, chickens and pigs. 00:05:48.410 --> 00:05:51.690 If you want to find out more about Dominic and his activist network, 00:05:51.690 --> 00:05:53.980 check out the links in the video description below. 00:05:53.980 --> 00:05:56.870 Stay tuned to the channel to hear from more Animal Hero Kids. 00:05:56.870 --> 00:06:00.070 If you liked this video, do give it a thumbs up and share it around 00:06:00.070 --> 00:06:02.460 to help show what kids can accomplish. 00:06:02.460 --> 00:06:04.970 If you’re new here, I’d love to have you as a subscriber. 00:06:04.970 --> 00:06:08.220 I put out fresh content covering all aspects of veganism 00:06:08.220 --> 00:06:10.680 every Monday, Wednesday and some Fridays. 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:14.820 To help support Bite Size Vegan’s educational efforts, please see the support links below 00:06:14.820 --> 00:06:18.030 or click on the Nugget Army icon or the link in the sidebar. 00:06:18.030 --> 00:06:22.340 Now go live vegan, end captivity, and I’ll see you soon! 00:06:22.340 --> 00:06:26.210 When I say rip his head off, rip his f--ing head off... 00:06:26.210 --> 00:06:28.240 It's very important that you do it. 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! 00:06:33.590 --> 00:06:36.770 Sink that hook into 'em. 00:06:36.770 --> 00:06:40.340 When you hear that screaming, then you know you got their attention!