Month: July 2021

General News

USA: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is finally over!

The Ringling Brothers Circus was founded in the USA in 1884 as a family-run circus.
In 1909 the seven brothers bought another circus and the two companies eventually merged to form the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was long considered the largest American circus.
Again and again, the company was in the public eye for cruelty to animals – among other things, a former elephant trainer disclosed grievances.
At the beginning of 2016, the circus company announced that it would discontinue elephant training from May of the same year.
In May 2017, the circus finally gave up operations completely.

Again and again animal cruelty in what is probably the most famous circus in the USA

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is probably the most famous in US circus history: For example, the Barnum & Bailey Circus served as a template for the musical film “The Greatest Showman”, in which the background is played down, however.
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus failed even to meet the US state minimum standards for the keeping and care of animals in the circus set out in the American Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

In November 2011, it was announced that the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus had to pay a record $ 270,000 fine for a number of alleged animal welfare violations.

PETA USA has been denouncing the grievances at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey for over 30 years and has also released video recordings showing elephants being beaten by circus employees.
The list of the sometimes serious grievances is long, the circus has repeatedly violated the American animal welfare law, and deaths and outbreaks of animals for which the US circus company was responsible were not uncommon.

Animal suffering at Ringling: animal trainer reports of diseases and cruelty to animals

Recordings from 2009 show how circus trainers from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey force baby elephants to do tricks – and not through rewards, as is usually claimed: For example, very young baby elephants with elephant hooks were forced to climb onto a pedestal while they were on Ropes were tied down – in some cases electricity was even used.

If no dressage took place, some of the animal children were forced to spend around 23 hours chained on a bare concrete floor.

In the US circus even elephants weighing around 4,000 kilograms were made to sit down or even do a headstand.
In order for the elephants to perform these “feats” on command, trainers break the will of these animals when they are still vulnerable young animals that should actually be with their mother.

Former elephant trainer Sam Haddock, who repeatedly worked for the company between 1997 and 2005, made serious allegations against the circus.
He himself trained baby elephants for the circus and later regretted this decision badly.
The elephant keeper provided the unpublished images to PETA USA to educate the public about the suffering of the animals and to help the elephants.

Continue reading “USA: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is finally over!” →

General News

London promotes veganism!

Foto: Lesley Denman

Veganism goes just a little further:
As soon as this something is recognized as someone, it must also get its rights, which we have robbed it.

We fight for animal rights and are optimistic that we can soon damage or weaken this system of exploitation

My best regards to all, Venus

Farm Animals

EU Commission: circulate economy with slaughterhouse waste

Animal meal: EU Environment Committee votes in favor of feeding animal protein
20 years after the BSE crisis, the EU Commission wants to allow animal protein for feeding to pigs and poultry again.
The Environment Committee of the EU Parliament is now behind it.

Tiermehl

The Environment Committee of the European Parliament voted with a narrow majority of 39 to 35 in favor of feeding animal by-products.
As part of its “Farm to Fork” strategy, the European Commission had proposed to allow animal by-products from pigs to be fed to poultry. Animal by-products from poultry should also be able to be fed to pigs.

the Ravioli Scandal -1978

In addition, the EU wants to allow the feeding of insect meal.

The Greens and the Left had raised an objection to the Commission proposal. Social democrats and right-wing nationalists supported this.

The ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party)–MEP Alexander Bernhuber spoke of an important milestone in the feeding of farm animals after the committee vote.
“The use of processed animal protein from pigs in poultry feed and poultry in feeding pigs is an economically sensible measure to increase productivity in food production. The corresponding adaptation of the legal framework must be based on the state of the art, and I therefore support that Project of the EU Commission “, quoted the press service aiz.info

The politician recalled the BSE crisis 20 years ago, triggered by the incorrect use of animal meal. With a strict ban in all areas, politicians quickly made the right decisions. “But now we have come to a point where we have to think about a meaningful use again,” explains Bernhuber.

The planned new approval of processed insect proteins plays an elementary role here.
“In the future, insect proteins can be important sources of energy in animal nutrition. It was now right to set an example, although any approvals must undoubtedly be accompanied by positive scientific safety assessments,” says the MEP and calls for sufficient funds for research and development in this area also on the part of the EU.

The opposition of the Greens and Left caused trouble. They are accused of a number of shortcomings:
“The greens and left are ignoring the scientific assessment of the European agency EFSA. They use wrong definitions and come to absurd conclusions, ” said a member of the Environment Committee.

Feeding animal proteins will be in line with the Green Deal.
PAP (processed animal protein), which is left over from the slaughter of animals, is burned or exported to other EU countries. Soy is imported from overseas to meet the protein needs of pigs and poultry.

“While the valuable animal proteins are being exported, we import tons of soy. That cannot be in the sense of a sustainable circular economy ”, so the Environment Committee.

The Environment Committee does not consider the argument that the cattle feed could be contaminated and thus lead to a renewed outbreak of BSE to be valid. “We only allow pigs to be fed to poultry and poultry to pigs. But BSE is a pure ruminant disease ”!

The European food safety authority (EFSA) also sees no risk to human or animal health in the event of a re-authorization.

https://www.topagrar.com/schwein/news/tiermehl-eu-umweltausschuss-votet-fuer-verfuetterung-von-tierischem-eiweiss-12598222.html

And I mean…They breed chickens to be fed to pigs and they breed pigs to be fed to chickens – and all so that we, the human animals, eat them in the end.

Of course, the European food safety authority sees no risk for a new pandemic in this shitty concept.

And above all, none of these highly paid “experts” comes up with the idea of getting out of factory farming and preferring to advertise a diet without animals and their products

Schlachtabfälle

Apparently the Commission thinks it is more nutritious that meat eaters not only eat corpses, but corpses that have been fed corpse powder!

My best regards to all, Venus

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

Australia: PETA Sends Meat-Themed Crossword to Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce – But, Do They Understand ???

WAV Comment – we have taken liberty and snatched a few images from our archives (from Animals Australia etc) just to add what this is about. We still dont think that they have the capacity to understand what this whole issue is about.

We will leave it to our Patron, Philip Woolen to make it clear:

14/6/21 – Mr Philip Wollen Becomes The First WAV Patron; We Are (More Than) Delighted, and Welcome Him To The Group. – World Animals Voice

Home – Winsome Constance Kindness (kindnesstrust.com)

PETA Sends Meat-Themed Crossword to Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce

Amid increased discussion about ways to mitigate farmed animal-generated methane – a greenhouse gas that’s up to 30 times more potent than carbon – PETA has sent a unique meat-themed crossword puzzle to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, among others, urging them to “get a clue” when it comes to the problems with meat.

The puzzle’s clues include, “A small, native marsupial facing extinction, largely because of land clearing for meat production” (koala) and “A slab of muscle, cut from the corpse of an animal who wanted to live” (steak).

In an accompanying letter, we warn leaders of placing all their focus on changing cows’ diets and digestive systems, saying, “No matter what ‘solution’ is latched onto next, be it tinkering with cows’ feed or their microbiomes, it’s always only going to be part of the puzzle.”

As scientists warn that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases must fall by between 25% and 50% to limit global warming to below 2°C, it’s little wonder that animal agriculture and governments are scrambling to try anything – from seaweed to vaccines – to limit the sector’s methane output.

However, we can’t help but notice that by zeroing in on this one problem with meat – when there are so many others – Australia is overlooking the simplest solution: making the transition to a kinder, greener vegan future.

Click the link below for the solutions to the crossword.

Can Morrison and Joyce work it out, or do they need to be given the answers ?

Solution_Final.pdf (peta.org.au)

Regards Mark

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News

BREAKING: Argentina Becomes The First Country In The World To Ban Salmon Farming.

BREAKING: Argentina Becomes The First Country In The World To Ban Salmon Farming

New legislation has outlawed salmon farming in Argentina following concerns about sustainability

The Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego approved a bill this week that bans salmon farming. The practice has come under fire due to concerns about sustainability.

The decision follows a proposal to begin farming in the Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego. According to MercoPress, it’s the only area that Argentina could feasibly farm salmon in.

Lawmakers unanimously approved the bill to ban salmon farming. The decision is the first of its kind globally.

Estefanía González of Greenpeace told the publication that ‘Argentina is making history’.

“This is very important because once this industry is installed it is very difficult to combat it, even when they commit illegalities and environmental disasters. The impacts they leave can be irreversible.

“In the eyes of the world, it manages to take a tremendous step towards protecting the ecosystem and also its culture,” she said.

Is salmon farming sustainable?

Salmon farming has attracted criticism for its impact on the planet and animal welfare. Fish farms spread parasites like sea lice to each other but also wild fish.

To combat this, farmers use antibiotics. However, these then enter the surrounding waters, contributing to antibiotic resistance in both marine life and the people consuming them.“There is no right way to do the wrong thing,” González commented. “Salmons are an exotic species in the seas of Argentina and Chile, they are not a species that is present naturally.”

“Therefore the amount of chemicals and antibiotics that are needed for their production and the impact they generate on the ecosystem makes it is practically impossible for this activity to be carried out without environmental consequences.”

Argentina Becomes The First Country In The World To Ban Salmon Farming | Plant Based News

Regards Mark

One of my favourite bands – ‘The Cure’ (England) – Enjoy

Farm Animals, General News, Vegan Recipes

UK: Leading British Supermarket Known For Its Animal Welfare Commitment Stop Selling Unnaturally-Fast Grown Fresh Chicken.

WAV Comment:  M&S are a national chain.  With regard food and animal welfare they have always been one of the best promoters of.  Although we do not support meat eating, we accept that people still do, and buy from M&S; therefore, if things can be done to improve animal welfare then we fully support it.  Interesting to note that ‘it beats rivals’; hopefully many other food stores will move away from selling un natural growth chickens in the near future.

M&S becomes first UK supermarket to stop selling unnaturally-fast grown fresh chicken | Daily Mail Online

M&S becomes first UK supermarket to stop selling unnaturally-fast grown fresh chicken – after probe revealed how birds buckled under own weight and spent final days lame and in pain

  • Marks and Spencer beat out rival retailers and promises change by next autumn
  • Several industry leaders have praised the British retail giant’s ‘landmark’ move 
  • Fast-grown chickens used by many major supermarkets use genetic selection, but several media outlets revealed the shocking conditions the birds endure

Marks & Spencer is set to be the first UK supermarket to stop selling unnaturally-fast grown fresh chicken after a probe unveiled the shocking conditions such birds live in. 

The British supermarket giant has become the first in the country to pledge to replace its fast-grown fresh chicken with slower breeds by next year.

And in a further promise and major boost to British farmers, M&S said all the chicken it sells will come from homegrown farms that use slower growth methods and are backed by the RSPCA.

A 2019 report by the Times revealed how the fast-growing chickens, developed using genetic selection, were buckling under their own went and would spend their final days lame and in pain. 

M&S beat out competition from rival retailer Waitrose and other High Street luminaries such as Greggs, Nando’s, KFC and Pizza Express – who have all signed the ‘better chicken commitment’ that promises better welfare for the birds.

Chicken remains Britain’s most popular bird, with more than 2.7million of them eaten daily. 

Marks & Spencer signed the ‘Better Chicken Commitment’ – an industry-wide pledge to better protect the welfare of birds – in 2017.

While most UK chickens are bred with the expectation of gaining almost 100 grams in weight each day for just over a month, slower-growing and less profitable breeds tend to be slaughtered at 56 days.

The Times reports that the growth rates of UK chickens have nearly quadrupled over the last half century from 25g per day. 

After the news broke, a host of industry leaders praised the supermarket’s newest announcement and called on other retailers to follow the ‘landmark’ move. 

Chris Sherwood, RSPCA chief executive, explained that the move by M&S was a ‘landmark achievement for animal welfare’. 

‘By simply switching to using only slower growing breeds of chicken, retailers can make an enormous difference to the lives and welfare of millions of chickens reared in this country every year for their meat.’

Dr Tracey Jones, Director of Food Business at Compassion in World Farming said: ‘We applaud M&S for being the first retailer to sign up to the Better Chicken Commitment, the first to start transitioning supply, and the first to roll out product on shelf with their ‘Oakham Gold’ fresh chicken.

Regards Mark

Marks & Spencer is set to be the first UK supermarket to stop selling unnaturally-fast grown fresh chicken after a probe unveiled the shocking conditions such birds live in
Marks & Spencer is set to be the first UK supermarket to stop selling unnaturally-fast grown fresh chicken after a probe unveiled the shocking conditions such birds live in
Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, Vegan Recipes

UK: First Ever Vegan BBQ Week ! – 2-11/7/21

Vegan BBQ Week logo

Get ready to fire up the barbecue, because it’s the UK’s first-ever Vegan BBQ Week!

Running from 2 to 11 July, it’s the perfect time to host a long-awaited gathering of friends in the garden or just rustle up a small weekday feast outdoors. Whatever your plans, we’ve got the ultimate vegan BBQ guide for you.

For the ultimate vegan BBQ guide, click here:

UK’s First Vegan BBQ Week: Everything You Need to Know | PETA UK

f you’re joining in the excitement with a delicious summer feast, share your pics with us by posting on social media and using the hashtag #VeganBBQWeek.

The best bit about an all-vegan BBQ is that you get all the flavour without harming animals or burning up the planet. If you’re more of an indoor cook, why not order a copy of our free vegan starter kit for delicious recipes you can prepare in the kitchen and top tips on vegan living?

Order your free vegan starter kit here:

Order Your Free Vegan Starter Kit | People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (peta.org.uk)

Thanks for helping to make the world a better place!

Sincerely,

Carys B
PETA

Grilling Without Killing
Rudy’s Vegan Butcher

Regards Mark

Environmental, General News, Hunting

India: Covid escalates elephant killings in eastern India to ‘crisis proportions.

Covid escalates elephant killings in eastern India to ‘crisis proportions’

Corruption and apathy lead to mounting death toll of wild animals, say conservationists

https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/elephant-deaths-covid-india-poaching-b1876632.html

The killing of elephants in eastern India has reached crisis proportions, magnified by the Covid lockdown, conservationists say.

In the past two years, 160 of the endangered wild animals have been wiped out in the state of Odisha, at least 40 of them in the past five months alone.

Many are deliberately electrocuted or poisoned by people who have taken forest land for farming, according to the Voice for Asian Elephants Society (VfAES).

Covid escalates elephant killings in eastern India to ‘crisis proportions’ | The Independent

The felling of forests for mining and other human activity also shrinks their natural habitats.

And poachers wanting tusks for ivory have been emboldened by an absence of forest patrols, which have been cut back during the coronavirus pandemic.

The VfAES accused authorities of using Covid “as a shield to avoid their responsibilities” in carrying out patrols and cracking down on corruption.

Sangita Iyer, a biologist and the organisation’s founder, said: “There is a silent catastrophe unfolding across India.

“The situation in Odisha is dire. Apathy, complacency, dereliction of duty and a significant lack of accountability by certain forest officials are some of the core issues on the ground.”

Ms Iyer accused ministers of failing to investigate the problems behind the “senseless and preventable” deaths.

She said elephant tusks have been seized from the homes of corrupt officers who know where elephants can be found and tip off poachers.

“What chance do these animals have if the very people entrusted to care for them actually end up betraying these voiceless animals?” she said.

Records show at least 82 Odisha forest officials have been accused of corruption in five years, according to the Hindustan Times.

There are 40,000 Asian elephants in the world, officially classed as endangered, 60 per cent of them in India.

But activists say a burgeoning human population, causing “reckless” land use, such as mining and agriculture expansion, and railways and roads cutting through habitats is killing the creatures.

According to a report by Traffic, a wildlife trade monitoring charity, during the pandemic the poaching of large mammals in India has increased by 44 per cent, and that of other small mammals by 25 per cent.

It’s feared the official elephant death tally is an underestimate because villagers who normally find carcasses have been out less.

In 2012, the Odisha government announced that every unnatural death would be investigated, but Ms Iyer claimed ministers have not questioned or reprimanded any officials for failing to prevent deaths.

And she called on the government to launch a thorough investigation into the deaths.

In the longer term, underpasses and overpasses should be built for railway tracks and roads to prevent elephant deaths, she said, and drivers flouting the traffic laws should be suspended.

“The consequences of the disappearance of Asian elephants would be colossal to the forest ecosystems, not only in India, but around the world, as elephants play a vital role in climate mitigation. Their decimation simply cannot be underestimated,” she added.

Maria Mossman, founder of Action for Elephants UK, said: “This kind of mistreatment of elephants in a state that houses India’s fifth-largest population will tarnish Odisha’s reputation around the world.”

Odisha government has not responded to requests from The Independent for comment by the time of publication.

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, Fur and Fur Farming, General News

Poland: New outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 on Polish mink farms means 37,000 mink will be culled. Yes, 37,000 Animals !

Otwarte Klatki

New outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 on Polish mink farms means 37,000 mink will be culled

According to official information from the General Veterinary Inspectorate, a new SARS-CoV-2 mink farm outbreak has been detected in Poland. This is the second outbreak of coronavirus detected on mink farms in Poland.

The outbreak was detected in two farms which hold a total of 8,000 breeding females and 29,000 young mink, both located at the same address in the Biała-Podlaska district.

The presence of the virus was discovered from the results of laboratory tests carried out at the State Veterinary Institute in Puławy. The samples were collected on June 16, as part of ongoing disease control procedures put in place after the dramatic outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 across European mink farms in 2020.

The inspectorate reported that “all control procedures foreseen in the event of SARS-CoV-2 in mink” had been implemented on the farms where the infection was identified.

The local veterinary inspector confirmed that all mink on these farms, a total of around 37,000 animals, will be culled.

Earlier this year Eurogroup for Animals and the Fur Free Alliance released a scientific statement on public health risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 and intensive mink production, signed by numerous scientists from the fields of virology, infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, veterinary medicine and environmental health. 

Despite the mandatory SARS-CoV-2 screening of all European mink farms introduced by the European Commission, in addition to the introduction of more stringent disease prevention methods, this outbreak demonstrates that the risk of continued spread of the virus on fur farms is still extremely high.

We are calling on the European Commission to act immediately to suspend mink farming across the European Union to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, to protect human and animal health.

Disgusting – time for a total ban on fur farming.

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News

Netherlands: Dutch court rules in favour of chicken welfare.

Dutch court rules in favour of chicken welfare | Eurogroup for Animals

Andrew Skrowon

Dutch court rules in favour of chicken welfare

28 June 2021

Handling chickens by their legs, as prohibited in the Transport Regulation, will finally be enforced in the Netherlands. An example to follow for the rest of Europe.

Thanks to the case submitted by Wakker Dier on April 29, the Dutch Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal ruled that it is not allowed to handle chickens by their legs on farm and when loading and unloading the animals, as stated in the Transport Regulation. 

This cruel practice however, is the common one used across the EU, even if this type of handling was prohibited for the past 15 years. Alternative methods, such as the Swedish one introduced by Eyes on Animals, could provide for a more humane approach.

After the court case, the Dutch Agriculture Ministry supported the Wakker Dier position and, as a result of their enforcement request, three catching teams in the Netherlands were checked and fined (each 1,500 euro) for not complying with the Regulation. 

The Dutch chicken sector is working hard on this issue: which catching method to use, how to instruct and train trapping teams, and what time frame they need to properly implement it.

This decision, while causing a commotion in the Dutch chicken sector, could have important downfalls in other countries too. Indeed, without a Court of Justice of the European Union’s (CJEU) ruling it is only relevant in the Netherlands but it could definitely start the same conversation in other EU countries. 

The Dutch government indicated that it will possibly bring this matter up at the upcoming Agrifish meeting (28 and 29 of June). 

The Transport Regulation is at the centre of the current revision of all animal welfare laws and we call on the Commission to maintain the ban on handling chickens by their legs and ensure proper enforcement.

With our No Animal Left Behind campaign we will make sure that chickens are properly protected and we hope that other Member States will take the Netherlands as an example to follow.

Regards Mark