Month: May 2020

Environmental, General News

Taiwan: Whale shark added to protected species list.

Taiwan

 

Aquarium of the Pacific | Online Learning Center | Whale SharkPhoto – Aquarium of the Pacific.

 

Whale shark added to protected species list

 

The whale shark has been added to the nation’s list of protected species, the Ocean Affairs Council said on Tuesday, adding that offenders face fines and imprisonment.

The whale shark, along with the giant oceanic manta ray and the reef manta ray, were on Tuesday last week added to the list, making the disturbance, abuse, slaughter or capture of any of the three species punishable by up to five years in prison, and a fine of NT$300,000 to NT$1.5 million (US$10,033 to US$50,164), the council said.

Whale sharks have been sighted in waters near Hualien for a few years now, and in March this year a roughly 6m whale shark swam into the Port of Hualien looking for food, it said.

The capture of the three species has long been prohibited by stipulations in the Fisheries Act (漁業法), which require fishers to return the animals to the sea if accidentally caught, alive or dead, Hualien County Bureau of Agriculture Director Lo Wen-lung (羅文龍) said, but changes were made to enhance protection of the species by increasing the severity of punishments for offenders.

People who have whale sharks or manta rays in their care, or possess products made from any of the three species before Tuesday last week, must register them with the county government between June 1 and Aug. 31, according to Article 31 of the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法) or face a fine of between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000, Lo said.

The three species are popular pets among fish enthusiasts due to their gentle temperament, Lo said. Whale sharks in particular are an oddity among sharks as they swim slowly, and feed on small fish and plankton, he said.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2020/05/09/2003736089

Environmental, General News

Vietnam: A woman jailed for illegal trade in wildlife has her prison sentence increased from two to five years.

viet nam flag

 

A woman who was jailed for illegal trade in wildlife in Vietnam had her prison sentence increased from two to five years this week.

Pham Thi Thuan, 58, was given more jail time following a hearing by an appeals court on 12 May in the central province of Quang Nam.

She had originally been sentenced to two years and a fine of 60m Vietnamese Dong ($2,560 USD). However prosecutors pushed for a harsher sentence.

Ms Thuan was found in possession of 13 king cobras, eight Bengal monitor lizards, nearly 300 turtles and other rare species without any documentation at her home in August 2018. The home was registered as a wildlife breeding facility, according to Vietnam Plus. The 58-year-old had been subject to administrative sanctions twice before in 2011 and 2013 for the unlawful possession of wildlife, the site reported.

The case was first reported by the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), a non-governmental organisation which has tackled the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam for the past 20 years.

ENV Deputy Director Bui Thi Ha commended the investigation while urging authorities to revoke Ms Thuan’s wildlife breeding licence.

The conservation group also reported that on 13 May, Tran Quy, director of company Hai Dang Ltd, received 13 years in prison and a 100m VND ($4,283USD) fine by the Provincial People’s Court of Ca Mau for operating a pangolin trafficking network through the ruse of an ecotourism business. Several accomplices also received jail time.

A recent report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) found that Vietnam faces a huge wildlife trafficking problem ”with large-scale consignments of ivory and pangolin scales from Nigeria and other countries continuing to enter the country and vast quantities of tiger products available for sale”.

The country is taking steps to address the illegal wildlife trade.

In 2018, penalties were increased for trafficking in endangered species. Criminals now face up to 15 years in prison and fines up to US$660,000, WildAid reported.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered a directive on banning wildlife trade and consumption in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/illegal-wildlife-trade-wild-animals-vietnam-jail-a9517541.html

Farm Animals, General News

Slaughterhouse: “they go from being alive to being in pieces”.

‘It’s horrible killing cows when you see how they do it,’ admits slaughterhouse worker
‘You see the blood, and they go from being alive to being in pieces’.

schlachthof_afp

A slaughterhouse worker has admitted that killing cows is ‘horrible when you see how they do it’.
The worker made the admission to the “Guardian”, who changed his name to Florin in a bid to retain his anonymity.

He was speaking to the outlet for a report about how meat industry workers in Ireland are seeing high rates of COVID-19 infections.

The report follows news that U.S. slaughterhouses are ‘hotspots’ for outbreaks.

Hängende Kuh im Schlachthof_o

Horrible!

“It’s horrible killing cows, when you see how they do it,” he said.
“They kill it – shoot it, cut the neck, cut the legs. I don’t like it. The cow is slow, an emotional thing. And you see the blood, and they go from being alive to being in pieces. That’s the way. When you see the conditions – it’s a dirty and nasty place, nobody is happy.”

The “Guardian” adds that the ‘ job is repetitive and tough; workers take painkillers to get through their shifts’ and the temperature are kept very low (4°C) to ‘keep the meat free of microbes’.

Schlachter mit Kuh Kopf_n

Slaughterhouse work
Many animal advocates have spoken out about the horrors of working in slaughterhouses.

A piece published in January this year by vegan charity PETA discussed the work.

It said: “Animals are tortured and butchered in slaughterhouses, but they’re not the only ones who suffer. While it may be hard for kind people to feel sympathy for someone who is paid to kill animals, many slaughterhouse employees become mentally unwell, even suicidal, not long after working at the ghastly places”.

schlachter mit kälbern
And workers often become sick or are injured because of the unsafe and unsanitary working conditions of these gruesome facilities. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) records show that about 17 ‘severe’ accidents occur each month in U.S. slaughterhouses.

“Approximately two slaughterhouse workers have a limb cut off by slaughterhouse machinery each week. It’s not uncommon to hear of workers losing an eye, fracturing their fingers, or suffering from head trauma.”

Schwein unter Stiefel des Schlachters_n

https://www.plantbasednews.org/culture/horrible-killing-cows-admits-slaughterhouse-worker

 

And I mean…Did I understand it correctly, that we should keep the slaughterhouses alive so that some people can continue to process living “things” into pieces?

Do slaughterhouse workers expect us to feel sorry for those who, unlike animals, have a way of avoiding exploitation and poor working conditions because they can look for another job?
Should we also feel sorry for a matador losing an egg or an eye during bullfighting?

It is the case with such professions that they always have a risk.

We are for animal rights and animals have no unions or associations to defend them.

We wonder what is the purpose of this article.
If it is intended that the “horror” conditions for slaughterhouse workers have priority and should be improved urgently, so that torture and murder in slaughterhouses continue as before, then we can realize a well-known media propaganda for a system that is the most cruel of human history.

Best regards to all, Venus

General News

EU Commission: the pencil-pushers of Brussels

EU report reveals abuses in animal exports by ship.

Tiertransport

In view of a current report by the EU Commission on the implementation of animal transports by ship, the German Animal Welfare Association – together with the European umbrella organization Eurogroup for Animals – is once again calling for an end to live animal transport to countries outside Europe.
The report of the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante) of the EU Commission documents various grievances in transport: from loading in trucks and in the port to shipping and arrival in the destination country.

Tiertransport 222221-pg

“The documented massive grievances show once again that animal welfare requirements cannot be met during animal transport to countries outside Europe.
As a consequence, this must mean an immediate exit from these transports.
We call on the EU Commission: End these inhuman conditions! It is about the well-being of fellow creatures, not goods or goods, ”said Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association.

Continue reading “EU Commission: the pencil-pushers of Brussels” →

General News

the color mouse as a pet

The color mouse represents the domesticated form of the house mouse.

farbmaus-anja-

It owes its name to its variety of colors.

Countless colors, which are divided into color groups and exciting sounding color drawings explain the expression “color mouse”.
But it’s not just their looks that are exciting. A look at their nature and their extraordinary senses shows how fascinating the little rodent is.

Farbmaus 2jpg

Color mice are not only characterized by their friendly nature and curiosity. In particular, they are highly social. They live in groups in which they take care of themselves. It is therefore not appropriate to keep a color mouse individually.

In contrast to rats, the cute rodents are not very keen on cuddling with humans.

Farbmäuser 4

Color mice can live up to 4 years if kept well.

From the fourth week on the females are sexually mature. Your wearing time is about 21 days. Depending on the age and nutritional status of the mother, a litter of up to 18 young can see the light of day. Immediately after birth, the female again presents herself as ready to conceive.

Mice are often referred to as “beginner pets” for children – but be careful!
They are demanding pets! Keeping these active creatures as pets requires extensive knowledge to avoid improper handling and ensure a long, healthy life.

Color mice are very fragile due to their size – they are not an easy-care entry-level pet for children. There are some animal welfare issues to consider when deciding to keep colored mice as pets.

farbmaus 3 pg

Agony breeding

Continue reading “the color mouse as a pet” →

General News

We fight for animal rights

 

affen mutter mit Kind schönes Fotopg

What right allows us
to determine
who loves and who doesn’t
who feels and who doesn’t
who is suffering and who is not,
who receives protection and who does not
who has rights and who doesn’t

This is the privilege of the ruler,
the so-called Homo Sapiens, whose main business is killing.

Best regards to all, Venus

General News

Wildlife Traffickers Are Openly Selling Pangolins on Facebook.

Pakistan's pangolins fall victim to Chinese demand, misinformation ...

Photo – Earth Journalism Network

 

 

Here are a few links we have done in the past re Pangolins:

 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/02/16/15-2-is-world-pangolin-day-learn-more-about-these-wonderful-animals-now-critically-endangered-due-to-man/

 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/03/10/cites-lawless-china-pangolins-and-coronavirus-spot-the-link/

 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/04/15/largest-pangolin-scale-shipment-ever-seized-contains-parts-from-36000-dead-animals/

 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/03/13/china-proposes-ban-on-pangolins-in-traditional-medicine/

 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/04/06/coronavirus-how-did-it-start-and-can-we-stop-it-in-the-future/

Wildlife Traffickers Are Openly Selling Pangolins on Facebook

Posted by Jane Wolfe | May 8, 2020

 

Pangolins are being traded on Facebook despite the social media platform prohibiting the sale of live animals or products derived from endangered species, an investigation by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) revealed.

 

A number of Facebook pages openly sell live pangolins and pangolin scales, which are typically used in traditional Chinese medicine, according to the Campaign for Accountability (CfA).

 

“The ant-eating pangolin, which is found in parts of Asia and Africa, is considered the most trafficked mammal in the world,” the report reads. “But the sale of pangolins on Facebook has become even more troublesome given their potential role in the coronavirus pandemic. The animal has emerged as a possible intermediate host in the transmission of COVID-19 to humans.”

 

Despite Facebook joining the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online — which aims to reduce the illegal sale of wild animals by 80 percent across tech platforms by 2020 — CfA found the social media company is not effectively policing its own policy.

 

“Poachers and their dealers should not be able to openly sell illegally trafficked pangolins on Facebook and its platforms,” said CfA Executive Director Daniel E. Stevens. “Facebook claims that it prohibits the sale of endangered or threatened animals on its platforms, but pangolins are easily available for anyone who searches for the animal. This is yet another example of Facebook failing to enforce its own rules across its platform.”

 

Pangolins are not the only endangered species being sold on Facebook’s platform, according to the report. The social media giant has also been accused by animal welfare campaigners of serving adverts on pages offering threatened species’ body parts, including rhino horns, elephant ivory and tiger teeth. Corporations need to be held accountable for their actions.

 

https://ladyfreethinker.org/wildlife-traffickers-are-openly-selling-pangolins-on-facebook/?texturl&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email

 

General News

Various Petitions – Please Sign to Support.

petition 3

 

 

 

Punish Woman Who Starved Her Dying Grandma’s Dogs To Death

Lani Elizabeth Taylor was asked to look after her dying grandmother’s two dogs. Instead of caring for the pups, Taylor let them die a slow and agonizing death by starvation. The veterinarian who performed the necropsy on the dogs’ bodies stated that they “suffered severely until they passed.”

The veterinarian report also states:

“Based on the photos of the scene there was no food or water present, but also no feces/urine in the kennels where the canines were found. Trapped canines will ingest their own feces/urine in order to survive for as long as possible to survive.”

Taylor’s grandmother had asked asked for the dogs to be cared for while she was in hospice for cancer – if Taylor was unable to care for the dogs, she was to find them new homes or take them to a shelter. Instead, she put them in cages and let them die a slow, painful death.

Please join us in asking for Taylor to receive the maximum sentence for her cruel crime. Taylor does not deserve a plea deal and she should never be allowed to own a pet!

Sign here: http://www.animalvictory.org/punish_woman_who_starved_her_dying_grandma_s_dogs_to_death?recruiter_id=804964

 

 

Puppy Reportedly Strangled and Thrown to Ground Deserves Justice

 

Target: Kim Ogg, District Attorney of Harris County, Texas

Goal: Pursue charges against individuals reportedly caught on tape hitting and strangling dogs.

If two recent cases of apparent animal cruelty are any indication, Houston has become the latest ground-zero for horrific abuse gone unpunished. Both cases involved dogs and puppies caught on video reportedly being seriously injured by their supposed caretakers. In the first video, a dog tied up with shoestrings is seemingly battered in the face over and over with a knife. The second video allegedly depicts a puppy being strangled and then callously thrown to the ground outside the premises.

Fortunately, both animals—and a second puppy also taken from the dog’s residence—are now safe and under the care of the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Yet despite seeming concrete evidence, neither of these cases has resulted in charges. In fact, the DA’s office refused to pursue charges in one case due to supposed “insufficient evidence.”

Sign this petition to demand justice be served for these survivors of apparently blatant animal cruelty caught on tape.

 

Petition link:

https://forcechange.com/560418/dogs-reportedly-maliciously-beaten-and-strangled-on-video-deserve-justice/

 

 

 

Justice for Dogs Killed, Packed in Styrofoam and Smuggled for Vietnam’s Meat Trade

 

PETITION TARGET: Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S. Ha Kim Ngoc

After traffic police stopped a passenger bus in the Nghe An province of Vietnam, an overwhelming stench alerted the officers to the horror of over 1,300 pounds of rotting dog and cat corpses packed into styrofoam boxes to be transported and sold in a Hanoi meat market, according to VN Express.

These innocent animals likely endured unimaginable suffering before being slaughtered and shipped off for human consumption. Sadly, there is no law banning the sale or transportation of dog and cat meat in Vietnam, but transporting goods from an unknown origin is illegal. The bus driver, Dinh Minh Hieu, failed to provide documentation for the shipment, and police are currently unsure about where it came from.

Dogs and cats are frequently trapped in small, barren wire cages, beaten to death, and burned or boiled alive for Vietnam’s cruel dog and cat meat trade. Languishing in slaughterhouses and live animal markets, these creatures are at risk of spreading deadly diseases and parasites, greatly endangering human lives.

Sign this petition urging Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc to push for a full investigation and strong prosecution in this case, and an end to the cruel and hazardous dog and cat meat trade throughout the country.
Petition link:

https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-justice-for-dogs-and-cats-slaughtered-for-vietnams-meat-trade/?texturl&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email

 

 

I just watched a video where two heartless teenagers claimed the life of a baby kitten who was stomped to death. We cannot continue to allow these types of people to harm innocent animals !!

Thank you,

Sosvox.org’s team

 

Petition link:

https://www.sosvox.org/en/petition/two-girls-stomp-a-kitten-to-death-i-want-justice-and-go-to-jail.html?utm_source=highlight&utm_medium=title&utm_campaign=campaign-p150520&uuid=fd376f375efd72ffbb9b53f8573be8925cc4f75c7aa9a1671739edf280fb793a