We're ready for Felix now...

Another day the same as yesterday
They'll come to get me and they'll wheel me away
I'll touch the screen what does it mean
To be a monkey in a cage?
I learnt the game the same as yesterday
My world is pain and I just can't get away
I hear a voice there is no choice
I am a monkey in a cage...

Day after day and year after year
They use the little monkey's in a cage
And day after day and year after year
They use the little monkey's in a cage

Get out of my way there's an animal in there dyin' for the day that he passes away
Get out of my face there's an accident in that evil place n' it's a waste of space

Get out of my way there's an animal in there dyin'
Get out of my way there's an animal in there dyin'
Dyin'....

---

Maria Daines:

We were inspired to write this after receiving the letter from Kerry (see below). Kerry's words painted a powerful picture and an insight into the emotions of an animal rights advocate. I wanted to demonstrate through music what I see as the turmoil of needing to free animals from a living hell, and also show the sadness of being the monkey in the cage. We hope to encourage empathy towards sentient beings and highlight the need to change laws in favour of protecting all animals from the horror of experimentation.

We can learn so much from sentient beings. Instead, the human race chooses to use animals as a disposable resource. MiaC is inspired by the misery inflicted upon primates who are used and abused in research labs world wide, it is also a way to thank the caring activists who call for freedom for laboratory animals, those who speak up for them and never give up.

Kerry

'We all watched that programme on BBC2 on Monday and I don't know about you but I can't get Felix out of my head. He is living in a tiny cage right now and being prepped to have excruciating experiments performed on him which will (likely) last YEARS. He is still whole and hasn't had his brain exposed for torture just yet - can't we do something?

I don't think I could live with myself if we didn't make an effort to save him - now that I have seen him and looked into those intelligent eyes I don't see how I could abandon him knowing what is going to happen. I am also gutted that that there has been no public outcry over this, why hasn't it been posted everywhere and a rally of compassionate people fighting to save him?

I am not a songwriter and am not talented in that way at all but my feelings speak for me which is why I am so grateful for someone like you who understands the emotion people like me feel and can convert it into music! The 'song' in my heart is angry - there are elements of disappointment and sadness, frustration and incredulousness; but the overriding theme is, (unfortunately), anger - how dare we, seriously HOW DARE WE? At what stage in our evolution did we come to the conclusion that every other living being is ours to use and abuse. I am not just focusing on animals now but our host, our Mother Earth.

I realise I am going off topic but all this is related isn't it. Humans are on the top of the proverbial food chain and most feel this gives us the green light to use anything as a 'resource' whether it be another sentient creature or the very planet that gives us life! How arrogant our species is, I am disgusted to be a part of this. We are parasites. The definition is simply an organism who feeds off another life form and gives nothing back and ulitimately destroys its host. Who can honestly argue that the human race is not the greatest threat to all life? We have raped the earth, (as a species), and need to make amends.'