we love octopuses.
these extraterrestrial creatures have a unique nervous system that gives them extraordinary wisdom, as well as many other peculiarities that make them unique and fascinating creatures.
it is known that some species cuddle with one another
and they are escape and camouflage artists
Don’t eat them. Respect them
Regards and good night, Venus
Furtada Island, off the coast of Brazil, is known as the “Island of the Cats, is 20 minutes by motorboat from the city of Mangaratiba, at one extreme of Brazil’s Green Coast, a vast swath of mountainous tropical forest and sandy coves dotted with hundreds of islands.
Hundreds of furry felines call the island home, but they’re not doing well. The island abounds with dangers, including poisonous pit vipers and lizards who attack and bite. On top of that, there are no natural sources of fresh water on the island, meaning that the animals there are often at risk of dehydration and kidney diseases.
Luckily, kind souls have spent years caring for these abandoned and feral animals. Fishermen throw fish scraps onto the island for the cats, while others dock on the land in order to set up bowls of packaged cat food and water.
But ever since the pandemic started raging through Brazil, confining humans to their mainland homes, things for the cats have gotten extremely dire.
All the locals knew the island just west of Rio de Janeiro was teeming with cats. They left food and even brought tourists.
Then the coronavirus pandemic hit, and human support dried up, resulting in a gruesome scene witnessed by fishermen: a group of cats devouring others’ corpses.
Now numbering around 250, the population started with just two cats around 20 years ago. Their humans used to live on the island but eventually left — and when they did, they also left their pets behind.
All on their own, the two animals spawned a whole generation of more cats, and in response, local people began using the island as a sort of ‘dump spot’ for any unwanted or stray felines.
For decades, former pet owners would boat up to the island, deposit their animals, and leave.
Brazilian lawmakers have passed legislation to increase the penalties for such animal cruelty, but the situation still continues. Even worse, the cat population also keeps growing through natural means — i.e. mating and producing little baby kittens.
But even though producing such offspring is natural, it’s still dangerous in an environment as treacherous as Furtado Island.
Volunteers are stepping up and trying to do everything they can to help these little furry creatures, searching for adoptive pet-families, but they can’t be expected to do everything on their own. They need help!
Urge the Brazilian government to help resolve this situation by spaying and neutering these wild, abandoned cats, and funding efforts to help the cats who already live on the island!
Authorities are looking into ways to stop people from abandoning animals on the island. It’s already a crime, but signs noting that have had little effect.
The volunteers transport cats ashore for therapy or surgery. They try to find someone to take down any animal, otherwise, they ship it back to the island again so they can take care of others who need medical help.
“It’s a Sisyphic endeavor”, said Joice Puchalski, the coordinator of the volunteer group.
“We actually want someone who can be part of the forces with us to try to cure this crime, which for us is cruelty,” she said.
Sign the petition to demand that the government fund efforts to feed and care for these animals, and set up catch-and-release spay and neuter programs!
And I mean…There is a Chinese proverb that says “solve the problem first, not the guilt question”.
Until the authorities find methods to get this misery under control, the animals are starving and dying.
Castrations are urgently needed, the number of animals must not increase.
And castration means catching animals, bringing animals to the doctor, being there.
Even adopting a cat would be helpful.
With almost 210 million inhabitants in Brasil, it should be feasible that a dozen people can help the activists, who are definitely at the limit of their strength.
Don’t look away, the animals only have us.
My best regards to all, Venus
With seemingly endless shows ready to watch at the click of a button these days, it can be difficult to find the ones that you just have to see. So, we helped.
These 13 films will deliver everything you’d hope from a great documentary: insight, inspiration and the power to change the world.
Go to the following link for lots more info:
https://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/must-see-animal-documentaries.php
New report presents key opportunities for the EU and China to partner up in driving animal welfare and prevent future pandemics
18 November 2020
Press Release
EU and Chinese experts meet to discuss sustainability, food systems and resilience. Animal welfare could be the key to prevent future pandemics, as explained in a new report.
For immediate release: Brussels 18/11/2020
On November 18th Eurogroup for Animals organised an event entitled What could the EU and China do for animal welfare?, hosted by MEP and member of the EP delegation for relations with the People’s Republic of China Niels Fuglsang (S&D, DK). The first of its kind gathering was the opportunity for European and Chinese experts to discuss sustainability, a key topic for both partners, and its link with animal welfare.
COVID-19 demonstrated the human and economic costs of a zoonose pandemic and, while it emerged from wildlife, it has also reminded the world of the role played by intensive farming in spreading zoonoses. How we produce and consume food has an impact not only on animals but also on public health, the environment, people and climate. Working together on improving animal welfare can play a key role in finding solutions to many of the current global challenges we are facing: climate change, antimicrobial resistance, as well as the spread of pandemics. With all the developments in the EU, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy, which should see the improvement of our animal welfare standards, there has never been a better time for us to discuss this topic with China.
Stated Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, in its opening speech.
As analysed in the new Eurogroup for Animals Report What could the European Union and China achieve for animals?improving animal welfare standards can contribute to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals which are at the heart of EU and China’s future growth:
More positive effects could be achieved with moving towards more sustainable production and consumption systems, specifically reducing the production and consumption of meat and dairy products.
This could benefit public health, lowering cases of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (SDG 3 – Healthy Lives), but also climate and environment, since the dairy and meat sector represents around 14.5% of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions (SDG 13 – Climate Action) and it is a massive source of water pollution (SDG 6 – Water Quality, SDG 15 – Live on land; SDG 14 – Live under water).
Animal welfare can play a key role in finding solutions to many of the current global challenges we are facing such as zoonoses and climate change. At the heart of many of these challenges lies an unsustainable food production system that lacks resilience. Improving animal welfare, as well as moving towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns that rely less on meat and dairy products, can help prevent these situations in the future.
Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals
In the future, [China] will proactively promote animal welfare to meet the needs of sustainable socio-economic development. Firstly, [it] will carry out in-depth science-based animal welfare research with Chinese characteristics, to promote the safe, high-yielding, resource-saving and environment-friendly development of animal production in China. Secondly, [China] will participate proactively in the development of international standards on animal welfare, to coordinate and cooperate for a just and fair international trade in animal and animal products.
Dr. Xiao Xiao, OIE animal welfare China liaison, Associate Researcher of China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
The innovative agricultural and technological practices developed in China and in the EU could serve as a basis to a fruitful cooperation. Eurogroup for Animals recommendations for this cooperation are the following:
ENDS
In Medinaceli, a picturesque town in the province of Soria, a “tradition” called Toro Júbilo brings shame upon Spain.
It’s the silver lining for animals amid Spain’s latest COVID-19 restrictions: Toro Júbilo, the sadistic “Fire Bull” festival, has been cancelled this year.
Normally – On the second weekend in November, balls of pitch (a sticky, black substance made from coal tar or petroleum) are stuck onto the horns of a bull and set on fire.
The bull is then released onto the streets and can do nothing but run around in pain, often smashing into walls in an attempt to douse the fire. The agony he must endure is unimaginable.
These fiery balls can remain alight for hours, burning his horns, eyes, and body and causing him tremendous stress – all while spectators cheer and run around him.
This sadistic ritual is called Toro de Fuego (literally “bull of fire”).
This distressing video from PACMA (Spain’s animal protection party) shows the full horror:
This year’s edition of the barbaric festival has been cancelled because of COVID-19 restrictions. Let’s take action to make sure it never takes place again.
Take action for the bulls – click on the following link:
This is the letter you can add your name to via the above link:
To Whom It May Concern:
I was relieved to hear that Toro Júbilo is not taking place this year in Medinaceli. I urge you to seize this moment to ensure no more bulls suffer during this cruel event by replacing the Toro de Fuego with a new form of celebration that does not involve animals.
While different cultures might not understand each other’s customs, all rational humans comprehend cruelty. Attaching balls of burning pitch to a live animal is barbaric by any decent person’s standards. It is time for Spain to put these violent festivities, which are a stain on its reputation around the world, behind it.
Yours sincerely,
xxx
Thank you for helping bulls!
Sincerely,
Simon P-H
PETA UK
He was one of the strongest anti-corrida activists in France.
Jean-Pierre Garrigues, President of the “Radically Anti-Corrida Committee” – CRAC and the “Bête Noire” (black beast for the bullfighters), died three years ago on the night of November 18-19, 2017 at the age of 53 years.
He had a brain tumor for many years.
Shortly before his death, he announced the dissolution of the organization.
Together with the “l’Alliance anti-corrida et la Fédération des luttes pour l’Abolition des corridas”, CRAC was one of the main associations that fought against the bloody bullfight in French arenas.
The picture of Jean-Pierre Garrigues, with the slim figure and the T-shirt, with the letters “Corrida La Honte” soaked in blood, remains unforgettable for us.
At the head of CRAC, he chained himself to the center of the arena with dozens of anti-corrida activists on August 24, 2013, in Rion-des-Landes, France, releasing blood-red smoke before chanting slogans with their fists raised. They were beaten on the ground, handcuffed, and brutally evacuated by the bull mafia.
He was at the forefront when more than 100 activists took part in the appeal by CRAC Europe (Comité radicalement anti-corrida), Animaux en Péril, and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation to protest against the planned bullfighting event in Rodilhan (southern France).
The approved demonstration under the motto “We prevent the massacre in Rodilhan!” was brutally beaten down by the police with tear gas, clubs, and rubber bullets.
(Saut dans l’arène de Rodilhan from GrisouTV)
Jean-Pierre Garrigues was born in Nancy in 1964 and moved to the Gard in his youth. He then became an agricultural engineer and was able to work in India and West Africa, where he specialized in tropical forest ecology.
After returning to France, he became a teacher and a passionate defender of the anti-corrida cause.
Thank you Jean Pierres Garrigues for everything you did against this bloody spectacle. On behalf of the animals, thank you!
Your struggle is already bearing fruit, the time is ticking for the animals and we know it, soon there will be no such primitive kind of animal cruelty, the ones you fought so passionately.
My best regards to all, Venus
World Animals Voice 