The six sad bears that you helped bring home have come along in leaps and bounds. James, Alice and Bân have all taken their first steps out onto the cool grass of their exciting new enclosure. Florence and Clara have moved from quarantine to their cosy den and are getting ready to go outside. And our most recent rescue, our very calm Cotton Blossom, is fast approaching the end of her 45-day quarantine period with all of the above to look forward to. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping to heal these six broken bears.
On 29 May, after decades of work by Animals Asia and other animal welfare organisations, we celebrated the removal of dogs from China’s Catalogue of Livestock. This monumental decision reflects the growing concern for animal welfare in China and means that all restaurants, markets, and slaughterhouses countrywide selling dogs for food are now illegal. This incredible breakthrough couldn’t have happened without your dedication. Thank you for helping to improve the lives of millions of companion animals across China.
Our amazing team transferred 34 bears in just one morning at our Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre. Why? Well… as we continue to rescue bears from bile farms we need to create more space for new arrivals. But it’s also an exciting opportunity for the bears to get a change of scenery and have new adventures. Of course, we caught it all on camera for you to enjoy…
A safari park in China that featured live performances from trained bears, macaques, tigers, lions, and other animals, announced on 23 April that the shows would end with immediate effect. The park has been an active participant in workshops co-hosted by Animals Asia and the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens. And we welcome this fantastic step in the right direction, which wouldn’t be possible without your support. Thank you!
We were devastated to have to cancel our 2020 vegan BearBQ in London due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. But we’re pleased to announce we already have a date secured for 2021! So add 19 June to your diary and look forward to lots of scrumptious food, fundraising games & great company, including special guest, our founder and CEO, Jill Robinson. Tickets will go on sale again in January and we’ll be in touch to remind you nearer the time
Who says you need to leave the comfort of your own home to support Asia’s animals in need? We’ve seen some incredible online fundraisers over the last few months, from online yoga classes and virtual quizzes to Facebook fundraisers and online auctions. There are so many ways that you can fundraise for the bears without even having to go outside. And we’re here to help you every step of the way!
WAV Comment – I (Mark) have been involved with work against the live animal trade for nearly 30 years now. I think that I have seen a lot of the abuses associated with this business over those years. Got the T shirt and all that !
At the moment in England; we really only have the live trade going out of Ramsgate, which is a port here in my home county of Kent. Kent is the nearest county to mainland Europe, with very regular ferry services to the continent. Fortunately, due to excellent and very long, hard campaigning over many years; we managed to get all the major ferry operators (sailing from UK to Europe) to stop carrying live animals (for slaughter) on their ships. The only service which really operates sporadically now is from Ramsgate port by the Dutchman named Onderwater. He has been operating for a few weeks now; taking British sheep into Europe for ritual slaughter in relation to Eid. See the message below from Lyn at Animals Australia about this also.
See these links for more info /history relating to Onderwater:
Mr Onderwater runs a Dutch registered company called Onderwater Agneaux BV. He pleaded guilty on behalf of his company at Folkestone magistrates’ court on 5 July 2010 to six offences of not displaying any sign on his vehicles indicating the presence of live animals contrary to article 6(c) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 and article 6(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The prosecutor was the trading standards department of Kent county council.
And here we are in 2020 with a convicted criminal still taking live British sheep into Europe for ritual slaughter. As with all politicians; the CAWG bleats on about how terrible things are for sheep to be exported from Ramsgate; and yet they are the political party with a big majority in government who could act to stop the trade and change it now. Instead they do nothing and continually go on about how terrible it all is. Yes it is terrible; so CAWG, get off your butts and do something to get your party, the Conservatives; to stop the trade. If they don’t take action and instead just simply bleat on; then you have to ask what they really exists for ?
Here below is the message from Lyn; it is happening in England right now due to an ineffective CAWG and a useless Conservative government and animal ‘welfare’ group. Boris Johnson specialises in talking the talk; but fails when it comes to doing anything. Once out of Europe blah blah blah; nothing changes thanks to him.
eid sheep slaughter – Google Search
eid sheep slaughter – Google Search
Mark,
Tomorrow is the start of Eid al-Adha, the annual ‘Festival of Sacrifice’ — one of the most lucrative times of the year for the global live export industry and, sadly, one of the peak times of suffering for animals.
Animals from Australia, Europe and South America have been exported to the Festival. It is the companies and countries that supplied these animals that bear the weight of moral responsibility for what lies ahead for them in coming days.
For some 15 years now, Animals Australia has had investigators on the ground during the Festival to document the final moments of animals, so that we have evidence to call these countries and companies to account. This year will be no different.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19 border closures, we will have investigators working across eight countries in South East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Our in-country work over many years has enabled us to forge invaluable relationships and friendships with local advocates and investigators who share our desire to see an end to the live export trade. They will be actively operating under our coordination during the Festival.
Already our investigators’ work has paid ‘dividends’, with the lodging of evidence to the Australian regulator revealing Australian sheep being sold outside of approved supply chains in Kuwait. We know all too well what this blatant breach of exporters’ responsibilities would have meant for these animals — transport in car boots in suffocating heat and a prolonged and painful death.
This complaint reveals once again that without independent oversight, Australian live export regulations can be easily circumvented. And once again, without our investigators being active, the Department of Agriculture would be none the wiser that breaches of their regulations were occurring.
Having witnessed the treatment of animals during so many Festivals of Sacrifice, I can report that the one small mercy we will see this year, is reduced suffering. This is because COVID-19 restrictions are dramatically reducing street sales and slaughter across all affected countries. As a result, we don’t know exactly what our teams will find, but thanks to you they will be there.
As you can imagine, investigation work is highly risky for those who must live and work in the same regions, but these advocates’ bravery is driven by their collective desire to see all animals treated humanely and with compassion.
I wish you could have come to know these advocates and investigators as I have. I am so very grateful to these incredible men and women who care so deeply for animals. They are the agents for change in their countries. Their desire for kindness and compassion to be extended to all beings is no different to our own.
And of course, I’m so grateful for your support that means these investigators can be where they need to be, equipped and ready. We speak to them of the critical support that you provide that enables these investigations. Please know that they draw strength from you, and other caring people, who they know will be with them in spirit in coming days.
Thank you, as always, for making our work possible — this year more than ever.
Enfield Council in London has announced it will ban meat from future events to help tackle the climate crisis.
Starting in December, the council will be the first in the U.K to only serve veggie and vegan options at events where it provides the catering.
The council, which aims to become a net-zero organization by 2030, and a net-zero borough by 2040, recently made the announcement in its Climate Action Plan report.
‘Positive impact’
A spokesperson from The Vegan Society told the Evening Standard: “A comparison of even the lowest impact beef with plant protein such as peas shows that beef is responsible for six times more greenhouse gasses and 36 times more land.
“For councils that have declared a Climate Emergency this would be a simple policy to enact which would have a positive impact.”
The Vegan Society added that it hopes other councils and public sector organizations will be ‘inspired’ by Enfield Council’s move and follow in suit.
Mixed opinions
The announcement stirred opinions online, with some accusing the council of ‘forcing’ people to be vegetarian.
One Twitter user said: “Imagine the outcry if it was the other way around! Surely it’s not a councils job to dictate what we eat?”
Whilst another, who was in support of the ban, said: “Hats off to Enfield Council. Thank you for doing the right thing when plant-based is the only way forward for our planet, public health, and human decency.”
World Animals Voice 