Month: May 2019

Environmental, General News

USA: 900,000 Voices Demand Continued Wolf Protections.

USA-Flagge

900,000 Voices Demand Continued Wolf Protections

Wow. We just delivered nearly a million comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opposing Trump’s plan to end federal protections for almost all gray wolves in the lower 48.

This is the most comments the feds have ever received on an Endangered Species Act issue in the law’s 45-year history. They include 35,000 handwritten notes delivered in person to the Interior Department in Washington, D.C. The Center for Biological Diversity says thank you to everyone who submitted a comment, shared a social post about our wolf campaigns, canvassed their neighbourhood for comments, or in any other way raised their voice for the voiceless.

And we’re not done yet. At the last minute the Interior Department extended its comment deadline to July 15, so we and our allies have a new goal: 1.5 million voices raised for wolves.

Learn how you can help in our upcoming call. And consider supporting our campaign to save wolves with a donation to our Predator Defense Fund.

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/ 

 

CBD Logo

Hunting

Switzerland: the wild animal killer

 

A great article by the Swiss community “IG Wild beim Wild”, which specializes in the legal aspects of wildlife conservation.

“Virtually everything that is cruel, unnecessary and heartless is sponsored by the Hunting Association Switzerland.

schweiz fahne

The Swiss Hunting Association primarily cultivates irreverence and a culture of violence – exactly the opposite, according to which a cultured person should strive in our society.

Hobby hunters even threaten a civil war, if, for example, the fox hunt should be stopped.

Füchse

The main propagator of the fox tapeworm is not the fox, but it is mainly the mouse. And these spread diligently, also thanks to the fox hunt gorgeous and infected every fox tapeworm-spreading animal – so also dogs and cats, which are not dewormed regularly!
In fox hunting-free areas, as well as in Luxembourg, Canton Geneva, national parks, etc., there was no increase in this disease. Foxes can easily be vaccinated by bait if necessary – is already done in many urban areas long ago. Hobby hunters spread according to studies with their shabby recreational activities even diseases!

Members of the association Hunt Switzerland have relations with representatives of the power in general. Furthermore, they use force or other means of intimidation (fear, lies, propaganda, etc.) to influence politics, the media, public administration, the judiciary or the economy.

jäger-

Again and again, members of the Hunting Club Executive Committee try to sabotage our community “IG Wild beim Wild”  by demanding, under the threat of criminal prosecution, the deletion of entire articles revealing the cruel activities of hobby-hunters.

The state gamekeepers,  as in the Geneva model, do not practice cruel hunting methods such as building, bustle, drifting hunts, etc. because they have no reason for it.

There would be no abused hunting dogs.
No unnecessary hunts on wild animals like the fox.

An alcohol ban in wildlife management would be established, etc.

Sanitary or therapeutic killings practiced by game wardens are not the same as an regulatory hunt based on the hunter lie or misunderstood experience of nature!

These people of Hunt Switzerland hunt, terrorize, injure and kill defenseless animals – often just for fun or boredom. However, hunters can not tolerate hunting criticism.

fuchsjagd (1)

It is the task of the “IG Wild beim Wild”, to give the wild animals a voice, because otherwise they can not defend themselves from cowardly snipers.

Jäger mit toten Füchsen

A few weeks ago, the Swiss Hunting Association again filed an arbitrary complaint against “IG Wild am Wild” – more on that later in another documentary article.

The undemocratic approach of the Swiss Hunting Association also contradicts the right of press freedom. In Switzerland, this is still governed by the freedom of expression under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is precisely what is repeatedly disregarded in the lawsuits by Swiss Hunting Association against ” IG Wild bei Wild”.

The society has a public interest and right to know about these players from the environment of the sector like association Hunting Switzerland.

As a normal citizen you lose the composure when you experience the endless mischief on the part of hobby hunters. And you can not really blame anyone for that.
In addition, you personally do not benefit from it, but we just do animal welfare, and give those a voice that have none and are suffering. Because of these hobby hunters, wild animals in Switzerland suffer.

wildlife-photographer-füchsejpg

Just because the victims of the brutal activities of hobby hunters are not 100% human in nature, “IG Wild beim Wild” does not mean that their deeds are less abhorrent.

Wild animals have no voice and can not join in supposedly democratic decisions.
We, the “IG Wild at the Wild”, as wildlife advocates and game keepers,  give the needy a voice. Consistent with scientific and wild-biological findings.

Wild animals also have feelings and emotions. They can suffer, grieve and feel joy. They live like us humans in family associations and social structures, which destroy the today’s hobby hunters mostly for the fun”.

https://wildbeimwild.com/2019/01/27/die-wildtierkiller

My comment: In their blog, this great group has posted a flyer, whth the title:

Five cartridges for five truths.

Cartridge 1- Swiss hunting is An association whose members are involved in law violations year after year in the four-digit range.

Cartridge 2- Culture If hunting is culture, cannibalism is gastronomy.The hunt has caused many problems in Switzerland but still no one problem solved sustainably.

Cartridge 3- Wild life The hunt has caused many problems in Switzerland but still no one problem solved sustainably.

Cartridge 4- Ethics What Hunter considers “good” has nothing to do with truth, science, decency, ethics, etc …

Cartridge 5- Politics Hunter slogans are sham and empty words

I mean, they are right!

Jagd-Schweiz. Flyerpg

My best regards to all, Venus

Farm Animals, General News

England: Viva ! City – May Newsletter.

flagge-england_jpg

 

England: Viva ! City – May Newsletter

https://mailchi.mp/viva.org.uk/vivacity-may?e=26c03356b8

 

Includes:

Moo Free May

First Vegan You Tube Ad

End the Cage Age

Veganism 25 years on –

Viva’s ! 25 Anniversary

https://www.viva.org.uk/?utm_source=Viva%21+Vegan+Charity+-+Email+List&utm_campaign=b1add7fe69-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_VIVACITY_MAY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dc176d21d2-b1add7fe69-50196206&mc_cid=b1add7fe69&mc_eid=26c03356b8 

General News

Armenia: Free the Restaurant Bears – Petition; Please Sign.

Armenia

 

ANIMAL EXPLOITATION: SURRENDER THREE SUFFERING BEARS CAGED AT A RESTAURANT

 

Petition 2

Free the Bears – Petition link –

https://www.change.org/p/surrender-three-caged-bears?recruiter=350017660&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=79e3ddd0-32ee-11e5-9cdd-efd8ee0adfea&share_bandit_exp=initial-15501876-en-GB&share_bandit_var=v1

These three caged bears are used by the owner of Ashtaraki Dzor restaurant in Armenia to attract visitors and tourists to the venue.

In spite of complaints from local animal lovers, he refuses to let us rescue them . He is fighting hard to hold on to the bears who have been robbed of their dignity, their freedom and their ability to express all natural wild bear behaviour. They should be roaming in the Armenian mountains, not locked in a cage so that visitors to the restaurant can laugh and poke fun at them.

Our petition aims to raise awareness of the miserable plight of these poor animals and put pressure on the owner to surrender them. Your signature really will make a difference.

Please help us set these helpless bears free. They are suffering mentally and physically from their imprisonment. The sight of their misery is heart-breaking. But once we have the go-ahead to rescue them, we can move them to our purpose-built rescue centre where they will be treated with compassion and respect. The expert team at our centre has a wealth of experience in the rehabilitation of rescued bears and will give them all the treatment and care they need to recover from their years in captivity.

These three beautiful bears are relying on the kindness of animal lovers like you to stand up and fight for them. Please don’t let them down.

Please sign the petition urging the owner of Ashtaraki Dzor Restaurant to surrender the bears to International Animal Rescue.

Thank you

International Animal Rescue launched its Great Bear Rescue campaign in November 2017 and has since rescued 23 caged bears from lives of mind-numbing boredom and frustration behind bars. Some of these bears will be candidates for reintroduction into protected areas of the Armenian countryside, while those that can no longer fend for themselves will be given lifelong care.

Support our Great Bear Rescue campaign here.

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

Australia: Federal Elections 2019 – Saturday 18 May. Live Animal Exports A Big Issue

Australia

 

schönes lämmlein jpg

https://www.animalsaustralia.org/ 

The 2019 Australian federal election will be held on Saturday 18 May 2019

Hi Mark,

I wanted to take this opportunity to convey a very personal and heartfelt thank you. It’s because of you: your compassion, your commitment, your resilience, your heart-fuelled dedication to giving a voice to the millions of victims of the live sheep trade, that its end is now in sight this election.

Our work to end the entire live export trade is far from over. But ending the sheep trade will not only save millions of sheep from the cruelty of live export, it will represent a historic shift in political thinking towards dismantling the regulatory system that underpins all legalised animal cruelty.

While I have great hope that we’ll have reason to celebrate on behalf of animals after the weekend, I know that our greater journey together will also continue. That, regardless of the outcome of the election, we won’t stop until we have an end to all animal cruelty; that we all share an unquenchable thirst for a kinder world and an unshakeable belief in our capacity to make it so.

Thank you so much for your magnificent advocacy on behalf of all animals and for leading the way to a kinder world.

I feel absolutely honoured to be sharing this journey with you.

For the animals,

Lyn
watch the video

P.S. Here is a heartfelt video message to you from my team in appreciation of your dedication, Mark.

Lyn White AM
Director of Strategy

——————————————————————————————

Remembering Jill, and what she died for:

JillPhippsBan

 

-Lamm-Titelbild-c-PETA-D

 

Regards Mark.

General News, Hunting

USA: Good News! Minnesota Moves to Ban Recreational Wolf Hunting.

USA-Flagge

 

More great news from the USA – Mark.

 

Good News! Minnesota Moves to Ban Recreational Wolf Hunting

Posted by Carly Day | May 5, 2019

Good News! Minnesota Moves to Ban Recreational Wolf Hunting

Image Credit: Pixabay/Skeeze

 

The Minnesota House of Representatives has voted in support of a bill that would ban the cruel sport of recreational wolf hunting in the state.

Although the bill narrowly pushed through with a 66-65 vote, the victory was unexpected in this largely pro-wolf hunting region.

Representative Peter Fischer introduced the amendment to an environmental bill, stating that wolves are an important species for Native American tribes and should not be hunted for sport.

Since 2014, federal law has banned wolf hunting in Minnesota (and most other states). However, a recent proposal by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to delist gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act could change that. If wolves are delisted, each state would manage their own populations, and hunters could be allowed to needlessly slaughter these graceful animals as early as 2020.

Most areas of the United States classify gray wolves as endangered; however, Minnesota, which has an estimated gray wolf population of 2,650, lists them as threatened.

While gray wolf populations are gradually recovering, they are still only present in about five percent of their historic range, and conservationists say that it’s far too early to consider removing protections.

Although the bill still needs to progress through the Senate, it is a promising first step in ensuring one of the United States’ most iconic species continues to be protected from trophy hunters.

 

NRDC

Update – pm 15/5/19  from the NRDC:

https://www.nrdc.org/ 

Dear Mark,

In most of the range where gray wolves once lived, played, and roamed, no one has heard a wolf howl in decades.

Once driven to the brink of extinction, only about 6,000 remain in the lower-48 states. Yet the Trump administration has proposed to strip wolves of their vital Endangered Species Act protections.

Help NRDC ensure beloved species like the gray wolf receive the full protection they deserve under the law: Become a Monthly Partner by May 17, and your first three gifts will be MATCHED, up to $150,000.

Gray wolves could once be found across the country — until the mid-20th century, when a massive government-sponsored program eradicated almost every gray wolf in the lower-48 states.

When the Endangered Species Act passed in the 1970s, the unmitigated slaughter of gray wolves ended, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was charged with their recovery.

Help NRDC ensure beloved species like the gray wolf receive the full protection they deserve under the law: Become a Monthly Partner by May 17, and your first three gifts will be MATCHED, up to $150,000.

Gray wolves could once be found across the country — until the mid-20th century, when a massive government-sponsored program eradicated almost every gray wolf in the lower-48 states.

When the Endangered Species Act passed in the 1970s, the unmitigated slaughter of gray wolves ended, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was charged with their recovery.

Although wolves have made progress in some areas, they are still missing from significant parts of their historical range. But instead of helping wolves fully recover, the Fish and Wildlife Service has been trying to cut them loose for the better part of a decade — and now, the Trump administration plans to let that happen.

It’s heartbreaking to think we might have saved the gray wolf from extinction just to wind up here. The Trump administration is doing the bare minimum for gray wolves before yanking away the critical protections they need to fully recover.

NRDC has fought in court to protect gray wolves before — and we’ve won. And we’re prepared to file suit again to give wolves the chance at recovery that they deserve.

But Mark, we’re currently embroiled in dozens of other active cases against the Trump administration, too — and we urgently need your help to ensure we can respond swiftly and forcefully as soon as protections for gray wolves are stripped away.

For only a few more days, you can DOUBLE your impact to protect endangered species from the Trump administration’s cruel, deadly attacks. Please become a Monthly Partner now — this is urgent.

For the last few years, we’ve beat back a record number of threats against endangered species, from rusty patched bumble bees and giraffes to elephants and North Atlantic right whales. Responding to these mounting attacks requires unprecedented resources — but we can’t slow down. Not when so much is at stake.

Today, you can do twice as much to help make sure we stand strong, no matter what. Thank you for helping safeguard the earth — its animals, its plants, and its people.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sylvia Fallon
Senior Director for Wildlife, NRDC

 

I have given today to protect endangered species in the USA.

Can you do the same ?- please help.

Dear Mark,

Thank you for making a tax-deductible donation to support NRDC and our campaign to save endangered species from extinction. We have processed your donation, and the transaction information is below. We appreciate your generous gift at this critical time.

To do even more to protect wildlife, please encourage your family and friends to join you in supporting this critical campaign.

You can read about the new alarming United Nations report — and what it means for our ecosystem and its millions of wildlife species — in this blog post on NRDC.org.

Sincerely,
NRDC

No goods or services were provided to the donor, and thereby the entire gift is 100% deductible for federal income tax purposes.

 

 

 

Farm Animals, General News

USA:Victory! Washington Ends Cage Confinement of Hens Used for Eggs.

USA-Flagge

 

Victory! Washington Ends Cage Confinement of Hens Used for Eggs.

 

By Rachel Krantz – May 8, 2019

In some hopeful news for farmed animals, Washington governor Jay Inslee signed a new law this week that will end all cage confinement of hens in the state by 2023.

This historic win is the strongest protection for farmed animals that any state legislature has passed to date. Banning the production and sale of eggs from hens in cages will benefit about 8 million hens each year once it takes effect.

While hens used for eggs in factory farms suffer immensely, cage confinement is particularly cruel. In cage facilities, each bird is forced to spend her life on floor space smaller than an iPad, leaving her without room to even spread her wings. Washington’s new law will address this torture by prohibiting cages and requiring more space per bird, as well as mandating that hens be given some opportunity to exhibit more natural behaviors, with perches and areas for nesting, scratching, and dustbathing.

The new law was passed in large part due to the advocacy of The Humane Society of the United States, which collaborated with both Democratic and Republican legislators and key stakeholders in the agricultural sector. It’s a hopeful sign and builds on the work that the HSUS and other groups, including Mercy For Animals, have done to pass ballot measures in California and Massachusetts banning the production and sale of products from animals kept in the cruelest confinement systems.

Hopefully, this victory in Washington is an indicator that more forward-thinking state legislatures will be open to passing similar laws.

If you’d like to be part of this progress, there are two simple but effective steps you can take right now. The first is to join Mercy For Animals’ Hen Heroes so you can receive easy call-to-action emails for all our campaigns, complete with links to tweet, sign petitions, or send emails. (I do the action every day—it literally takes less than a minute, but it never fails to make me feel a little more hopeful and productive for animals!)

The second is to join our campaign asking McDonald’s to agree to less inhumane welfare standards for chickens raised for meat in its supply chain. Sign the petition here, and find out how you can get more involved here. (If you join Hen Heroes, you’ll receive more ways to add your voice to this campaign.)

 

Mercyforanimals – https://mercyforanimals.org/victory-washington-ends-cage-confinement?utm_source=mercyforanimals.org&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=?utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=asias-richest-man-backs-vegan-start-up-venture&utm_content=footer&utm_content=blogroll

 

 

 

Farm Animals, Fur and Fur Farming, General News

China: Cruel Cashmere Industry Exposed – The Terrible Suffering of Goats.

China

H&M announces it will stop using cashmere

One giant leap for animal welfare.

H&M is taking a stand against the unethical animal practices still prevalent within the production of clothing.

According to a recent investigation conducted by PETA Asia, this brutality – in the name of fashion – has become even more evident.

From this investigation, a disturbing video has surfaced which appears to expose the cruel realities of cashmere production in China and Mongolia – the world’s two largest cashmere exporters (they supply 90 per cent of it).

The video – showcasing the violent makings of the cashmere jumper – seems to reveal the vile mistreatment of animals, showing goats screaming in pain as workers proceed to tear out their hair with sharp metal combs. More explicit footage appears to capture the inhumane practices within slaughterhouses, where the goats’ throats are slashed in front of the others, while those who are deemed unprofitable are hit in the head with a hammer.

Following PETA’s release of this research, fast-fashion giant H&M has announced that it will be boycotting conventional cashmere and will cease placing orders on the material by the end of 2020. On the brand’s site, you’ll find an outline of H&M’s 2030 goal, which promises ‘to only use sustainability-sourced materials’, with an immediate plan ‘to gradually phase out conventional cashmere’.

Just last year, ASOS updated its animal welfare policy, banning materials like fur, silk, mohair and also cashmere – a move prompted by a discussion with PETA.

It’s time for more fashion brands to follow suit.

peta.org.au

made in Chinan

A new PETA Asia investigation into the cashmere industry in China and Mongolia – the world’s top cashmere exporters – reveals extreme cruelty to and violent killing of cashmere goats.

The video exposé shows goats screaming in pain and fear as workers tear their hair out. Later, their throats are slit at abattoirs and they’re left to die in agony. Goats suffered on every farm in China and Mongolia visited by the eyewitnesses.

Together, China and Mongolia produce 90 per cent of the world’s cashmere.

Workers Stepped on Terrified Goats and Twisted Their Limbs

Eyewitnesses saw workers hold down and step on frightened goats, bending their legs into unnatural positions as they tore out their hair using sharp metal combs.

Combing in the cashmere industry is not as innocent as it sounds.

 

 

No Veterinary Care Provided

Goats left with bloody cuts from the hair-removal process received no pain relief or veterinary care. One worker simply poured rice wine into an animal’s wound.

Goat's found cleaned with wine.

Goats Hit With Hammers and Killed When No Longer Profitable

Cashmere goats deemed no longer profitable endure slow, agonising deaths. At an abattoir in China, eyewitnesses saw workers hit animals in the head with a hammer in an attempt to stun them. In Mongolia, workers were seen dragging goats by one leg onto the abattoir floor before slitting their throats in full view of other goats. They were left to bleed out on the filthy kill floor, and some were seen still moving a full two minutes later.

Goat hit with a hammer in the cashmere industry.

Their flesh is then sold as cheap meat.

Ninety Per Cent of All Cashmere Comes From China and Mongolia

Nearly all cashmere is produced in China and Mongolia, so if you buy a cashmere item, it probably came from goats who were abused in one of those countries.

One goat produces, on average, only 250 grams of hair that can be used for cashmere each year. This is so little that in order to produce just one cashmere jacket, the hair of six goats is required.

Environmental Devastation

Cashmere also has the most destructive environmental impact of any animal-derived fibre. Because cashmere goats must consume 10 per cent of their body weight in food each day and they eat the roots of grasses, which prevents regrowth, the industry is a significant contributor to soil degradation followed by desertification.

Already, 65 per cent of Mongolia’s grasslands are degraded and 90 per cent of the country is in danger of desertification, which has resulted in some of the world’s worst dust storms on record and air pollution dense enough to reach North America.

 

TAKE ACTION

https://secure.peta.org.au/page/41627/action/1

 

 

 

 

 

 

General News

England: Martin Clunes Dropped as BFF Patron for Undertaking Elephant Ride.

flagge-england_jpg

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48268174

https://news.sky.com/story/animal-charity-born-free-drops-martin-clunes-for-riding-elephant-on-itv-11719561

https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/2019051473029/martin-clunes-dropped-animal-charity-controversy/

 

England – this is a really sad story; for all involved.

British citizens especially will be so fully aware of the superb contribution Martin (and his famous ears) has made for the welfare of so many different animal species.

 

 

So really saddened today to see that Martin has been dropped by the Born Free Foundation (BFF) as their celebrity Patron. On several flights I remember watching Martin doing a fundraising video for BFF; asking fliers to give all the spare foreign change to a BFF collection which was being undertaken on the plane.

First and foremost, this guy is a massive ‘animal’ person – and I have always liked him for that.

So it has been sad to read that he has now been dropped by the BFF for taking an elephant ride whilst making a tv program in Nepal. Not something he would have done by choice, but was it required of him by the producers of the series ?

As a patron for BFF and an animal person; yes, there is no way he should have gone anywhere near taking an elephant ride. I personally do not support this kind of abuse for tv, the circus, whatever. At the time, Martin was an idiot and is now paying the price for that. The BFF organisation will also lose out on the massive publicity that Martin always gave them whenever he could. He was a real patron and I admired him for what he did.

There are no winners in this situation, but several losers. As an animal person, Martin did wrong big time by doing what he did in the making of this program. BFF have lost a dedicated patron and campaigner for their work. As for the elephant; I guess it will continue to be used to give rides to tourists as it has done in the past. There are no winners here at all; only losers all round. Martin should have known better – Fact; and it was an ideal opportunity (for him) to speak out about the use of elephants for tourist rides. Would that ‘speak out’ against the rides have been recorded and broadcast by the Tv makers ? – we will never know.

This ‘sacking’ by the BFF does send a clear message to anyone who becomes a patron of an animal welfare charity. As I say, all round losers and no winners in this situation. I wish Martin well and know he will continue to be an ‘animals voice’; despite this one off act of an idiot; which is very much unlike him.

Regards Mark.