Quantcast Vegetarian StarAdy Gil

Ady Gil

Ady Gil

Ady Gil is a successful entrepreneur who, as a founding partner of American Hi Definition (AHD) and Sweetwater Digital, has made contributions to digital services for film and television. This year, Ady is matching Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey adoptions up to $50,000. Vegetarian Star had the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with Ady about animal welfare, the Thanksgiving holiday and his vision for former president of the United States Bill Clinton.

How did you get involved with Farm Sanctuary and the Adopt-A-Turkey campaign?
It was my ex-girlfriend who in 1999 told me that she was adopting a turkey. She was a vegetarian, and she told me for Thanksgiving she was adopting a turkey. I didn’t know exactly what it meant then, but she told me you had to send the fee. It was $20 at the time. It was sort of symbolic, but you get a card with the picture of the turkey. The year before I ate turkey for Thanksgiving, and that year I did not. It did not make my Thanksgiving any worse. Not at all did it affect my life to not eat turkey. I adopted the turkey, and I felt proud like I saved a life, without touching it. Not always can you save a life by touching it – sometimes you can, like with an injured dog or a bird you find you might bring it to the vet, but most of the time you can’t touch the lives you save and you need an organization that can touch the lives. I see Farm Sanctuary as an avenue to save farm animals.

Recently, two large chicken producers in the U.S, Bell & Evans and Mary’s, announced they’re changing the way they slaughter chickens. Instead of electrical stunning, they’ll be using methods similar to what many in Europe and the UK do by knocking the birds out with gas first. What are your thoughts on this more “humane” way of killing and do you view changes like this as real progress for animal welfare?
I cannot put the two words together – killing and humane. I do not believe they can really coexist in one sentence. Is it less cruel? I think it is. But is it still cruel? Sure it is. Is it more humane? Sure it is. But is it humane? No. Is it better? Sure it is. But is it still evil? Yes. But it’s less evil, and so less evil is better than more evil, right? If in the last ten seconds they don’t suffer, that’s better. If they suffer their whole lives and we can give them their last ten seconds without suffering, then that’s better. Any second counts. But I do not think that killing can be humane.

Learn Ady’s wish for Bill Clinton after the jump.

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Ady Gil. Photo: Hi-Def.com

Ady Gil. Photo: Hi-Def.com

Ady Gil, animal lover, founder of American Hi Definition and Sweetwater Digital and benefactor to the Sea Shepherd Society, is aiming to save more turkeys this year with your help.

From now until November 25th, Gil will sponsor an additional turkey for every one sponsored through Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey program.

He originally offered to sponsor another turkey up to $20,000, but after that amount was raised in just a few short days, he raised the offer to $50,000!

“Thanksgiving is a symbolic holiday,” said Gil, in a press release. “I don’t believe we should celebrate by killing another species. Every animal, including turkeys, deserves to see the light of day, go to sleep and wake up without finding themselves on someone’s plate. This is a time to show people that we can celebrate without causing suffering.”

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Ady Gil May Turn “The Hump” Former Seafood Restaurant Vegan

Written by Vegetarian Star on Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 in Business, Food & Drink, Restaurants.

Ady Gil. Photo: Hi-Def.com

Ady Gil. Photo: Hi-Def.com

The Hump, the well known sushi restaurant in California that was caught serving illegal whale meat by the staff who created the Academy Award winning film, The Cove, might take seafood completely off the menu.

Owner of American Hi-Def who donated a boat to the Sea Shepherd Conservation, Ady Gil, told the LAist his lawyers have contacted the city of Santa Monica about leasing the space.

If successful, Gil would like to turn it into a vegan restaurant.

Maybe he will call upon the chefs of Planet Green’s Future Food to make a vegetarian watermelon sushi once the vegan hump is in operation.

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