Month: December 2018

General News

Thanks Steve Irwin!

 

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Sea Shepherd’s flagship STEVE IRWIN has been involved in 18 campaigns around the world, helping to defend, protect and sustain our seas. During the eleven years of its mission it was traveling in some of the roughest seas. In December 2018, Sea Shepherd Global’s Board of Management decided to leave the STEVE IRWIN with a heavy heart.

Steve Irwin

The reason for this decision is the bad condition of the ship, which was noticed during regular inspections of our fleet. Since overhauling the ship due to serious damage was no longer worthwhile, the ship unfortunately had to be retired.

Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson said:

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“On December 7, 2007, Terri Irwin and I inaugurated the STEVE IRWIN – a ship that was to become our flagship for a decade. I have had the honor of being the captain of the ship during many successful campaigns on the high seas. We made heavy use of the ship, raced with it through heavy storms and bursting ice. Now the machinists have decided that the STEVE IRWIN is no longer safe for use at sea. Although we have taken many risks over the years, we have learned when the time has come to part with a ship. Unfortunately, this was the case with STEVE IRWIN. However, it will be remembered forever as a victorious battleship that has saved countless marine life. “

Team von Shee Shepard

STEVE IRWIN will make its final trip to Hong Kong, where it will be disassembled under international labor and environmental regulations. Before all equipment is removed such as the radio and the radar. These devices will now be distributed to the rest of the fleet.

New flagship of the Sea Shepherd fleet, which consists of eleven ships and small boats, is now the OCEAN WARRIOR.

Thanks STEVE IRWIN!

https://sea-shepherd.de/

And we say thanks to Captain Watson and his brave warriors!

Best regards, Venus

 

Farm Animals

Ghana: a small victory with a big impact!

 

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It is hard to call them victories, as the level of suffering is still so horrible, but had Eyes on Animals and West Africa Centre for the Protection of Animal Welfare (WACPAW) not been present, the animals would still be jumped on, have their legs tightly tethered and their neck cut all while fully conscious. We have successfully got the much more humane procedure of rapid stunning into 4 slaughterhouses in Ghana. Thousands of cattle and pigs will now be rendered unconscious and spared the worst part of the slaughter process. It is just the first step, but if we can achieve this after just one year of working with WACPAW in Ghana, imagine what we can achieve if we stick to it?


We have prepared 4 videos of different Ghanaian slaughterhouses to show you the difference between how it was and how it is now, thanks to your support. I know the conditions are still far from ideal, but within the context of today’s reality, I hope you will understand that this is a major step forward.

We want to also say a personal thank-you to Roy. Roy is a full-time employee of a slaughterhouse in The Netherlands. He is the stun man, responsible for rendering animals unconscious before slaughter. He is an example of how we can, and must, respect each other and all work together towards making this world a gentler place for animals. He took 10 days’ holiday from work in order to volunteer for Eyes on Animals in Ghana.

Roy von Eyes on animals

He did a fantastic job at teaching the local slaughtermen how to use the stunner and the importance of acting calmly and with respect to the animals. Thanks to him, stunning was able to be put into practice so quickly in Ghana. Here are a few words he wanted to include in this newsletter:

“The mission in Ghana to improve animal welfare was extremely necessary and successful. Eyes on Animals is doing excellent work there and I am very happy to be able to help them get concrete changes into place. I will definitely continue helping them on this project in the future, because no animal should have to suffer from fear, stress or pain. Via Eyes on Animals I can make a difference”- Roy.

https://mailchi.mp/e79ff70e2657/victories-in-ghana?e=9bd2d98733

My comment: Only for those who have never set themselves the goal of saving animals, or who do not know how difficult it is to improve the Dachau slaughterhouses of this world, only these would say that it is not a victory, what the activists of Eyes on Animals achieved.
Nothing that diminishes the pain, the suffering, the battle of animals is little.
In the name of the animals in Ghana, thank you very much Eyes on Animals and WACPAW!

Best regards to all, Venus

 

 

 

 

Farm Animals, General News, Hunting

UK: Leading experts say latest badger culls will not stop TB

 

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Leading experts say latest badger culls will not stop TB

Two leading Scientists, Christl A. Donnelly Imperial College London, and Rosie Woodroffe, Institute of Zoology, London reveal in an article, published today for www.nature.com magazine that the latest badger culls unlikely to stop TB. Two months ago, the government advice body Natural England approved further licensed badger culls in parts of the United Kingdom in 2015. The aim is to reduce local badger densities by at least 70% to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB) to cattle. This figure is critical because reductions of less than 70% can, paradoxically, increase TB transmission rates (see H.C.J. Godfray et al. Proc. R. Soc. B 280, 20131634;2013).

On the basis of current badger population estimates, we calculate that these culls are unlikely to achieve the necessary reduction.

The latest minimum cull numbers derive from the lower 95% confidence bounds on population size estimates. For example, licensees in part of Dorset are required to kill at least 615 badgers in a population that are estimated to contain somewhere between 879 and 1,547 animals (95% confidence interval). Killing this number would give an estimated population reduction of between 39.8% and 70% (95% confidence interval).

Equivalent confidence intervals for the 2015 Somerset and Gloucestershire culls are, respectively, 50.8–70% and 54–70% relative to the baseline population estimates. It is, therefore, unlikely that a 70% or greater reduction can be attained by these minimum cull numbers, assuming that the population estimates are accurate.

In our view, populations that are either reduced by greatly more than 70% or left undisturbed (and potentially vaccinated) are likely to offer better prospects for the control of cattle TB. The choice depends on a range of epidemiological, economic, social and ecological factors.

Authors; Christl A. Donnelly Imperial College London, UK. Rosie Woodroffe Institute of Zoology, London

 

badger artworkbadgers north west hunt sabs

Fur and Fur Farming, General News

Chanel Is Kicking Fur and Exotic Animal Skins !

 

Hi Mark,

Have you heard the great news?

Chanel is kicking fur and exotic skins – including crocodile, lizard, and snake skin – to the kerb.

For decades, PETA and our affiliates have been sharing exposés of the fur and exotic skins trades. Crocodiles, lizards, and snakes may be poached from their natural habitats or raised on squalid farms and killed in the most gruesome and painful ways before their skins are exported to Europe and used by “luxury” brands.

Reptiles, just like mammals, are sensitive to pain, yet they are frequently mutilated without any prior stunning or painkillers.

Mark, this horrendous cruelty needs to stop. You can help end it by asking Louis Vuitton to follow Chanel’s lead.

Please urge luxury fashion company LVMH to shed exotic skins from Louis Vuitton and all its other brands.

 Take Action Now 

Thanks for speaking out for animals.

Kind regards,

Priya S

PETA UK

General News

Mexico: Petition – Justice for a Brutally Beaten Puppy.

 

mexico

 

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Please sign the petition – https://www.sosvox.org/en/petition/justice-for-this-little-dog-who-was-brutally-beaten.html?utm_source=highlight&utm_medium=title&utm_campaign=campaign-p011218

In Mission San José 1, Puebla, a neighbour filmed this man cruelly beating his dog, and I am already tired of so much abuse to these poor animals without anyone doing anything. They filmed this man beating him savagely and the complaint was made, the dog was protected by the Animal Welfare Institute of the State of Puebla but the man is at liberty.

This savage gets involved with a defenseless animal that all he does is let himself be beaten, because this wretch is brave with whom he can not respond to the blows. Surely this damn also hits the family.

I want Justice to put him in jail and give him there to feel like the abusers and rapists. That they take away the animal, so that it wants to have it if only it is going to hit it to feel more man this poor unhappy.