Month: September 2020

Farm Animals

Germany: a paradise for the meat mafia

The meat industry can rely on its faithful servants in politics!!

The Federal Council has decided to carry out fewer controls in meat processing plants, and slaughterhouses will also have to control significantly less in the future.
What sounds like a bad joke is unfortunately a reality.

Even so-called risk companies will have to inspect the consumer protection agencies less often than the previous regulation would like.
Companies from the sausage factory category, for example: So far, 12 mandatory inspections per year, in future only four.

For companies in which the authorities expect the highest health risk in the event of poor hygiene – the largest meat companies, for example – even 200 mandatory checks per year can now be omitted because instead of daily, are only mandatory weekly checks in the regulation ..Reason: Lack of staff!!

It’s like dismantling the speed cameras if too many cars are caught violating the speed limit – and in the end, the authorities are probably proud to say that there are now fewer speeders …

hinter-den-schlagzeilen.de ›

 

And I mean…After the corona outbreaks at the exploitative slaughterhouse company Tönnies, one would have expected that the responsible politicians would be ashamed and would pay more attention to the welfare of workers and keep an eye on the health of consumers, who have to be protected from poisoned and contaminated meat!

Instead, the slaughterhouses get even less control!! So the operators of the so-called “meat industry” officially and mercilessly exploit everything and everyone. With the blessing of the state!

I would say to the Federal Council: Go into the slaughterhouses and stay with the animals until they are chopped up.
Stay there and feel their fear of death, see how they defecate their bladders in fear, see how they try to escape, how they are beaten up, how the “staff” laughs.

Hear their screams for help, the screams in the gas chamber, the screams in the scalding bath, the fidgeting with a slit throat and hear their last breath and watch them being dismembered, how almost finished babies are cut from their bodies!

Then you will find that you are the ones causing this misery.
And because you don’t even have the courage to commit suicide, the least you can do is to abolish these places.

My best regards to all, Venus

Environmental, General News

Indonesia: Two endangered Javan rhino calves spotted in Indonesian park.

Two endangered Javan rhino calves spotted in Indonesian park

21 September 2020

Two extremely rare Javan rhinoceros calves have been spotted in an Indonesian national park, boosting hopes for the future of one of the world’s most endangered mammals.

The rhino calves—a female named Helen and male called Luther—were seen with their mothers in footage taken from nearly 100 camera traps installed in Ujung Kulon national park between March and August, authorities said in a statement on Sunday.

On the westernmost tip of Java in Banten province, Ujung Kulon is the last remaining wild habitat for Javan rhinos.

After years of population decline, the arrival of the new calves brings the total number of the rare mammals to 74.

The sanctuary comprises some 5,100 hectares (12,600 acres) of lush rainforest and freshwater streams.

The Indonesian government has been surveying other areas across Java and Sumatra islands to relocate the rhinos from the danger of Mount Krakatau, an active volcano not far from the national park.

“These births bring a big hope for the continuation of the life of the critically endangered special Javan rhino,” said Wiratno, a senior official at the environment ministry.

Read more at source

Phys

Vivisection

the criminal business of the Pharma Mafia

“The vaccine against Covid-19 is being tested on rhesus monkeys”

 

“The current Corona crisis shows very clearly what a big mistake it was in the past not to adequately promote animal-free, human-based research methods such as human 3D lung models and multi-organ chips” (Dr. Gaby Neumann, spokeswoman for the association “Doctors Against Animal Experiments”.

Human animals never learn from their mistakes as other, non-human animals do.

Because in contrast to animals, humans want to secure their power and profit maximization.

However, only a few belong to this category, such as B.Gates for example.
He recognized that profit maximization can be achieved much better in the pharmaceutical sector than in the military-industrial complex.
What he’s doing there is lobbying at the top level for the Pharma Mafia, which for us, the human guinea pig, means being vaccinated, chipped, and allowed to live under total control in the future.

As for the laboratory animals, the cruel tests continue even though they do not get corona.

This is how the criminal logic of capitalism works.

And you can’t stop its devastating inventiveness

Whoever has the money has the power

My best regards to all, Venus

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

England: Amazing News: The Scottish Government has Halted Live Calf Exports. A Major Massive Victory for the Campaigners.

23/9/20.

Breaking news in from Compassion In World Farming (CIWF) – London.

Dear Mark,

Amazing news: the Scottish Government has halted live calf exports.

After our gruelling, six-month legal battle, the Scottish Government has now accepted that live calf exports that breach maximum permitted journey times – a regular occurrence since April 2019 – can no longer be tolerated.

It has therefore instructed that no further applications for unweaned calf exports that breach these rules should be approved – effectively halting the current trade.

This is a huge victory for calves – and it’s all thanks to the support of people like you.

We are pleased to announce that, after a gruelling legal battle, the Scottish Government has finally stopped live calf exports.

Having spent six months defending the inhumane export of unweaned calves to Europe, they have conceded that this trade was being conducted in breach of the legislation on the protection of animals during transport.

With backing from our dedicated supporters, we launched Judicial Review proceedings to challenge the lawfulness of this practice back in February. Both the Scottish and UK Governments resisted for several months – wasting taxpayers’ money – shamefully defending a trade which can see calves go for 23 hours without food and often water.

In a major U-turn, the Scottish Government has now instructed the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), which is responsible for approving export journeys, to not approve any further applications for unweaned calf exports that breach the time limits in the regulations.

“The Scottish Government’s conduct during this dispute has often fallen far short of that expected from a responsible authority,” said Peter Stevenson, our Chief Policy Advisor. “They have neglected to disclose key information, run misleading arguments, and despite export journeys exceeding the maximum permitted travelling time since at least April 2019, that these journeys were exceeding the maximum permitted travelling time, they failed to act and did not issue an instruction to halt the trade until over a year later. Above all, they have vigorously defended this cruel and unnecessary trade.”

Over several decades, millions of British calves have been forced to endure long, inhumane journeys to Europe for slaughter and fattening. We have fought this all the way. The ending of calf exports from Britain represents a turning point in the battle to stop this horrific trade.

“We welcome this decision that means thousands of calves will be spared such gruelling journeys every year,” said Natasha Smith, our Senior Campaigns Manager. “However, it is outrageous that it took legal action and years of argument to bring the Scottish Government to this point.”

Whilst this is a major victory for the welfare of Scottish calves, the policy must now be secured by legislation. The Scottish Government has promised a public consultation on banning journeys over 9 hours for calves, and the UK Government has previously committed to a separate consultation on live exports. Similar consultations in the past have yet to yield results.

“More consultations and empty promises are not enough,” Natasha continued. “We need new legislation to protect animals from this cruel and unnecessary practice once and for all.”

Now, our fight continues far beyond the courtroom. We will not stop until there is a complete ban on live exports from the UK for slaughter and fattening.

You have helped achieve justice for calves. A huge thanks to every person who has donated, emailed politicians, or even joined Kent Action Against Live Exports to protest the sailings in person.

Read more about our Judicial Review proceedings here.

Regards Mark

Hunting

Austria: Prince hunter arrested!

The Welf Prince Ernst August von Hannover, 66, was arrested in Austria on Monday evening (September 7th).

This was confirmed by the Wels regional court.
Reason: There should be reports against the nobleman for coercion, threats, and property damage.
A spokesman had told the “Bild” newspaper after the incident that all points should be charged together.

Prince Ernst August would then have threatened up to three years in prison.
The Wels public prosecutor had ordered the arrest of the prince, which was then carried out on Monday (September 7th).

The scandal prince was kept in custody for two days.

Now he’s out, but he has to adhere to the judge’s requirements.
One of his employees has reported against the Guelph Prince.

Ernst August von Hannover is said to have threatened her and her husband with hounding a group of thugs and smashed a window with a traffic sign. The police moved out on Monday because of “suspicion of coercion”. …

Since the 66-year-old had already attacked a police officer in July, the officers carried body cameras to record the arrest.

The German nobleman caused a stir several times in the past few months. After the attack on the police, Ernst August von Hannover was briefly admitted to a psychiatric ward. Just a week later, it hit the headlines again.

Armed with a baseball bat, he allegedly drove to the police station and threatened officers there to kill them(!!!)

wildbeimwild.com

And I mean…“Hunting is a subsidiary form of human mental illness,” said Theodor Heuss!
And obviously, someone who massacres animals in the forest develops himself into one who loses empathy and compassion for his fellow human beings.

My best regards to all, Venus

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

Live Exports – KLTT sells twin-tiered live export ship.
AL_SHUWAIKH another 4

https://www.farmonline.com.au/story/6930681/kltt-sells-twin-tiered-live-export-ship/?cs=4698

KLTT sells twin-tiered live export ship

Aidan Smith19 Sep 2020

KUWAIT Livestock Transport and Trading (KLTT) – Australia’s largest buyer of live sheep – has sold its twin-tier livestock vessel the Al Shuwaikh for an undisclosed amount.

KLTT’s Western Australian subsidiary, Rural Export and Trading WA managing director Mike Gordon said a Jordanian company, Al Delta Company, purchased the vessel about two weeks ago.

The Al Shuwaikh was due to be phased out from the Australian trade because of new marine orders that prohibited twin-tier vessels from operating in Australia beyond January 1, 2020, without an exemption.

Until now the vessel did have an exemption but it was only used for sheep.

A clause in the paperwork was discovered only when it was pointed out to the company by agriculture department officials, that denied them the ability to load cattle on deck five, costing KLTT $1million per voyage from WA.

Mr Gordon said the 34-year-old Al Shuwaikh was “due to be retired”.

He said the company would continue to service Australia “for the foreseeable future” with its two remaining vessels, the Al Messilah and the newly-purchased Al Kuwait, the world’s largest livestock carrier.

Mr Gordon said the vessels would be spaced to run back-to-back trips from September 16 to May 30, 2021, until the northern hemisphere summer moratorium prohibited trade to the Middle East (June 1 to September 15).

The company would also divert the vessels to South Africa when needed.

Two other twin-tier vessels had been servicing the Australian market – the Maysora and the Bader III.

Livestock Shipping Services, which owns these vessels, had cut the upper deck from the Bader III but decided to utilise the vessel in other markets.

Farm Weekly understands that the company has applied for an exemption for the Maysora to continue to service Australia in the short-term, however it’s last known position was off the coast of north-west Africa.

Just a few of our (WAV) past posts related to the AS:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/09/18/remember-the-al-shuwaikh-and-the-romania-sheep-now-it-is-trying-to-take-sa-sheep-read-the-latest-from-animals-australia-and-the-rspca/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/08/03/al-shuwaikh-sheep-transporter-vessel-expected-in-qatar-today-3-8-19/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/08/01/the-al-shuwaikh-tragedy-a-collective-failure/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/07/23/al-shuwaikh-romanian-sheep-shipment-70000-animals-current-position-red-sea-has-departed-jeddah/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/10/10/south-africa-legal-battle-against-the-death-ship/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/10/02/south-africa-surprise-surprise-ship-transporting-60000-sheep-on-journey-of-death-gets-clean-bill-of-health/

Regards Mark

Environmental, General News

Australia: Tragic – Mass Whale Deaths After Stranding Off Coast. Valiant Rescue Attempt Made by Many.

380 whales have died after becoming stranded off Australian coast

Officials believe that the new group of the whales found stranded are mostly dead, and cannot be rescued.

Around 380 whales have died after becoming stranded in an inlet off the coast of the Australian island of Tasmania, according to officials.

In the remote town of Strahan, rescuers had been scrambling to save the survivors among what was thought to be 270 pilot whales on Monday, from a beach and two sandbanks.

Read it all at:

https://news.sky.com/story/almost-500-whales-now-stranded-on-australian-island-of-tasmania-12079113

General News, Vivisection

Tackling respiratory diseases with advanced NON-ANIMAL models.

Respiratory System: Facts, Function and Diseases | Live Science

Tackling respiratory diseases with advanced non-animal models

21 September 2020

A new JRC study describes almost 300 non-animal models used for research on respiratory diseases and the development of new drugs and therapies.

Respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer are the most common of all diseases and causes of death worldwide.

However, over 90% of new candidate drugs fail to make it through clinical trials and gain market approval. Although there are several reasons for this, limitations of animal models to capture critical aspects of human physiology and disease are being increasingly cited as a critical issue.

Attention is shifting therefore to non-animal models and methods based on human relevant tools and thinking to advance our understanding of respiratory diseases and offer new hope to patients.  

The study, coordinated by the JRC’s EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM), has produced a unique knowledge base that contains detailed descriptions of nearly 300 non-animal models being used for respiratory disease research.

The knowledge base is in an easy-to-use spreadsheet format and is freely available to download from the EURL ECVAM Collection in the JRC Data Catalogue.

In building the knowledge base, over 21,000 abstracts from the scientific literature were screened and from these, a total of 284 publications were selected that described the most representative and innovative models.

“To our knowledge this is the first time that such advanced non-animal models used in biomedical sciences have been systematically collected and analysed”, comments JRC scientist Laura Gribaldo. “It’s been a real challenge to put all the information together in a structured and easily accessible format since there is a huge amount of heterogeneous data out there spread over a plethora of different scientific journals and electronic resources.”

To our knowledge this is the first time that such advanced non-animal models used in biomedical sciences have been systematically collected and analysed.

Laura Gribaldo, JRC scientist

Regards Mark

Environmental

Environmental crime? The EU regulates it!

The UN has presented an alarming report on biodiversity. Never in human history has the loss of biodiversity been worse – and the downward spiral continues.

The experts are urgently calling for a change of course in the way we live and do business.

The Fifth Global Report on the State of Biological Diversity leaves no doubt as to the extent of the crisis. Ten years ago almost 200 countries set themselves goals to combat the destruction of habitats and the extinction of species – but the international community has failed and has not achieved any of the goals.

“The extent of biodiversity loss is unprecedented in human history and the pressure is mounting. Life on earth as a whole is at risk, ” says Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Chair of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

“The states are undermining their livelihoods. Humanity is at a crossroads.”

Preserving biodiversity is critical to addressing climate change and enabling long-term food security and health.

“It’s not about luxury, but about existential issues,” says Anne Larigauderie, Chair of the World Biodiversity Council IPBES. The organization warned in a 2019 report that a million species could become extinct within a few decades.

However, a change of direction is possible.

“Extremely important is to measurably reduce the use of pesticides, effectively preserve forests, and prevent pollution with plastic and heavy metals,” says Anne Larigauderie.

The overfishing of the seas and the destruction of habitats must also come to an end.

The experts are calling on Germany and the EU to remove environmentally harmful subsidies, for example for industrial agriculture.

“It is about many hundreds of billions of dollars that directly serve the destruction of nature plus hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for fossil fuels,” says Larigauderie. In contrast, only around 80 billion dollars are available for nature conservation.

The UN also points to the link between environmental degradation and pandemics like Covid-19.

Anne Larigauderie says: “It is scientifically clear that a large proportion of infectious diseases have spread from animals to humans – and in many cases, this is preceded by forest destruction, road construction and the fragmentation of habitats, especially in the tropics.”

Paraguay, Chaco

The positive developments contained in Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 are far from being enough. The fact that the deforestation rate has decreased by a third and protected area now covers 15 percent instead of 10 percent of the land area is not enough.

A special UN summit on biodiversity will take place in New York on September 30th, which Chancellor Angela Merkel will also attend. There she can prove that Germany is serious (!!) about preserving biodiversity.

https://www.regenwald.org/news/9854/naturschutz-ist-kein-luxus

Please sign our petition: https://www.regenwald.org/petitionen/1181/kanzlerin-merkel-machen-sie-artenschutz-zum-top-thema

 

And I mean…“Don’t dare to go to New York”, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had warned the heads of state and government months ago, “if you do not bring substantial offers for higher climate protection measures”.
It is to be feared that Merkel and her government will have to offer climate protection in homeopathic doses that remind us of the days in Paris four years ago.
The German government has so far stuck to the EU-Mercosur treaty for a policy in favor of the car lobby.

After there was criticism of the right-wing extremist President of Brazil Bolsonaro at the G7 summit in Paris because of the fires in the Amazon, we hoped that the EU-Mercosur free trade pact would be on the brink, and may still be prevented because the national parliaments would still have to approve.

We are all aware of the damage that this shameful treaty will cause to people, nature, and animals.

Nevertheless, and until then we must continue to be poisoned by Bayer/Monsanto’s glyphosate, which is what EU law wants.
Business obviously takes precedence over the health of people and nature.

“A total ban on the active ingredient glyphosate in pesticides clearly violates current EU law,” said Vytenis Andriukaitis, former EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, when he was still in office.

It was also he, who advocated the renewed approval of the herbicide glyphosate for another 10 years in the EU until December 15, 2022.

We are firmly caught in the claws of a world dictatorship.

My best regards to all, Venus

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

New Zealand: Live Export – It Is Not Worth the Suffering, or A Bad Name for New Zealand.

From our live export campaigner friends at SAFE in New Zealand:

Kia ora Mark

Tens of thousands of animals have died in live export disasters over the last decade.

Animals are exported alive from New Zealand for breeding due to a loophole in our law. These animals are transported in dangerous conditions on open sea voyages or by air. When they reach their destination, they are likely kept and slaughtered in ways that are illegal in New Zealand.
 

Live export is not worth the suffering. 
 
SAFE has launched an ambitious international campaign to put pressure on Labour leader Jacinda Ardern to impose a complete ban on all live export.

This advertisement is running in the Guardian online and will be seen by hundreds of thousands of readers across the UK and Europe.

Jacinda Ardern is known around the world for being a good leader and in Aotearoa New Zealand for putting kindness at the forefront of her values. Sadly, that kindness does not extend to animals.
 
The appalling human and animal suffering that happened when the Gulf Livestock 1 sank cannot happen again.
 
Jacinda Ardern needs to know just how many people care about animal welfare, and that the world’s attention is on how New Zealand handles this disaster. Our international reputation depends on it.

SAFE has run an advertisement in the Guardian newspaper so that people around the world can ask Jacinda Ardern to extend her kindness to animals and ban live export once and for all. You can help by sharing this advertisement with your friends and family via email and social media.

Share the advertisement now:

This year, approximately 65,000 cows have left our shores. There are significant risks to the welfare of farmed animals transported by ship, especially over long distances. The Pacific Ocean is renowned for rough seas that can cause the cows to suffer seasickness and be thrown around and injured. The rough seas, unnatural diet, high stocking densities and heat stress all have a negative effect on these animals, with some suffering injuries and others dying on board.

Once the journey is over, they may well end up confined in concrete factory farms for the rest of their lives, never to set foot on grass again. Then, when no longer deemed profitable, these cows will be killed, most likely by methods so cruel they are illegal in New Zealand.
 
We need to keep up the opposition to this cruel trade, and we can’t do it without you. Please make a gift today towards SAFE’s international campaign so we can continue to shine a spotlight on New Zealand’s cruel live export trade.

Animals need us to all work together to end their suffering.
 
Let’s ban live export – once and for all.  

Debra Ashton
Chief Executive Officer

Donate and give a gift to the campaign:

One time donation

Show Jacinda that live export harms New Zealand’s reputation:

One time donation

Regards Mark