This week on Full Frame: Saving ‘Man’s Best Friends’

Full Frame

This week on Full Frame: Saving 'Man’s Best Friends'

Lions, tigers and bears. From the Amazon in South America to the mountain ranges of Africa to the concrete jungle of New York City. This week on Full Frame, we get a close-up look at some of the planet’s most vulnerable animals and the people dedicated to ensuring their survival.

Tune into Full Frame on CCTV America at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 18, 2015. 

Ethical Veganism with James Cromwell

Animals - Cromwell 1

While veganism may be referred to as a diet, James Cromwell says his decision to refrain from consuming animal products goes beyond the dinner table. Cromwell is an ethical vegan, rejecting the animal cruelty he sees in the food industry.

But he also says that the end to animal agriculture is necessary in order to provide a sustainable and peaceful worldwide ecosystem.

Cromwell started the process of eliminating animal products from his diet decades ago, but it wasn’t until his portrayal of Farmer Hoggett in the 1995 classic film Babe that he says he realized the importance of the vegan lifestyle. His activism for animal rights and welfare has taken on many forms over the years, but the fight is far from over. To that end, he lent his voice to the eye-opening documentary Farm to Fridge, a revealing exposé of the horrors of animal agriculture.

James Cromwell joins Mike Walter on this week’s episode of Full Frame to share his thoughts on the importance of fighting for animal welfare around the world.

Animal Defenders International: A Global Crusade

Animals - ADI 5

Jan Creamer is a superhero of a new form, rescuing animals throughout the world.

The circus has been a quintessential family attraction for generations. With elaborate outfits and awe-inspiring tricks, circus animals appear happy. But inside their cages, and hidden from the eyes of the public, their lives are comprised of suffering and pain.

Jan Creamer says that she has made it her lifelong mission to save these animals. With her organization, Animal Defenders International (ADI), she has rescued circus animal in Latin America, monkeys from testing laboratories, and Europe’s oldest elephant.

American actress Alexandra Paul, best known for her role in the hit TV series “Baywatch,” is a staunch supporter of ADI’s efforts to promote animal rights and put an end to animal cruelty around the world.

Paul is a longtime advocate of animal rights and makes a distinction between animal rights and animal welfare. Animals, she says, have rights and should not suffer for the purpose of human entertainment or so-called “scientific testing.”

On this week’s episode of Full Frame, Jan Creamer and Alexandra Paul sit down with Mike Walter to discuss how every one of us can make an impact in ending the suffering of animals for human entertainment and testing.

Follow Animal Defenders International on Twitter: @AnimalDefenders
Follow Alexandra Paul on Twitter: @alexandra_paul

Orlando Von Einsiedel: Saving the World’s last Mountain Gorillas

Animals - Einsiedel 4

If a picture says a thousand words, then maybe a documentary can truly make a difference. That’s Orlando Von Einsiedel’s hope.

Professional snowboarder turned film-maker, Einsiedel’s documentary “Virunga” shares the story of a team of park rangers devoted to saving the world’s last mountain gorillas and their home in the Congo’s Virunga National Park.

The gorillas are an integral part of Virunga’s vast biodiversity and these park rangers, Einsiedel says, risk their own lives to protect the park and to ensure the mountain gorillas’ survival.

You won’t want to miss this episode of Full Frame as Orlando Von Einsiedel sits down with Mike Walter to discuss the dire costs of human greed.

Follow Virunga Movie on Twitter: @virungamovie

The Urban Jungle: Rescuing Birds in Manhattan

Animals - Wild Bird Fund 2

As city landscapes grow taller, concrete walls and glass windows become dangerous obstacles for wild birds trying to navigate Manhattan’s urban jungle. After discovering that they city had no resources to come to the rescue of injured wildlife, Rita McMahon founded the Wild Bird Fund in 2001.

To date, the Wild Bird Fund has helped to rehabilitate over 3,000 birds and other wildlife, including orphaned opossums and squirrels with burn injuries.

McMahon says that birds share a unique bond with people. But even more important, birds offer people a direct connection to nature – something she says is crucial for our own survival.

Tune into this week’s Full Frame Close Up for a first hand glimpse inside the rescue efforts of New York City’s Wild Bird Fund.

Follow the Wild Bird Fund on Twitter: @wildbirdfund