Day: May 28, 2022

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News

England: Animal Rights Activists ‘Sprayed With Manure’ at Beef Event Confrontation.

Animal rights activists have been “sprayed with manure” as hordes of angry farmers confront them over a protest at Britain’s largest beef industry event, the campaign group has claimed.

The demonstration, which began in the early hours of Saturday, is said to have seen one protester taken to hospital after chaos unfolded outside Darlington Farmers Auction Mart (DFAM) in Co Durham.

Photos showed mask-clad activists from the Animal Justice Project (AJP) standing on the roof of the building holding banners and spraying coloured smoke flares.

A spokesperson for the group said campaigners have now been left “covered in excrement” after one event attendee allegedly used a sprayer to blast manure at them.

Another activist was injured after farmers allegedly ploughed towards a group of protesters in a JCB digger and “assaulted” them, the AJP claims.

The National Beef Association (NBA), which is organising the expo taking place over the course of this weekend, describes it as a celebration of the best of British beef, drawing in at least 5,000 guests  annually.

The AJP has said their protest was “peaceful” and “silent” and aimed to highlight “farmed animal suffering and environmental safety concerns”.

Police have been on the scene since 5am working to bring the demonstration to an end as guests and demonstrators clashed with one another but activists have said they intend to stay indefinitely.

Mark Dent, chair of DFAM, said earlier he believed the protesters were the sources of “intimidation”.

He told the PA news agency: “We respect people’s right to protest, but the way they go about it doesn’t help their cause.

“There is no respect for people’s property or livelihood. I’m afraid then you lose your moral high ground… It’s a tin roof and they’re jumping up and down on it, and it’s bending.

“They’ve got their faces covered. It’s intimidation (and) threatening behaviour. I’m all for people protesting what they believe in, but it’s the way they go about it – the face coverings, the intimidation.”

The Animal Justice Project said farming glorifies the killing of animals (Animal Justice Project/PA)

© Provided by PA Media The Animal Justice Project said farming glorifies the killing of animals (Animal Justice Project/PA)

He added: “If you have a pair of eyes you will see how important agriculture is around the world at the moment. Food is top of the agenda.”

An AJP spokesperson told PA: “We’ve been sprayed with cow poo by one farmer using a machine.

“It has been a peaceful protest and a silent protest and we are overwhelmed and outnumbered by hundreds of angry farmers.”

They added: “It’s really violent and there was one farmer who went along and sprayed everyone’s clothes. Shouting, swearing, spraying us with manure, ripped the banners down. It’s absurd.”

The group has said the farming event “glorifies the exploitation and killing of animals” which is “fundamentally wrong and unjust”.

Neil Shand, chief executive of the NBA, said: “Nobody has been hit by a tractor.”

A spokesperson for the NBA claimed there was a “wonderful atmosphere” at the event and did not comment further on the protest.

Durham Police said: “Our officers are working to bring the protest to a safe end and to minimize the impact on the wider community.”

Regards Mark

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/animal-rights-activists-criticised-after-scaling-roof-at-national-beef-expo/ar-AAXP8ru?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=6a291a3d4d3241d5926d1572c2c01d99
General News, Hunting, Uncategorized

Scotland: Man jailed after ‘worst example’ of animal fighting Scottish SPCA has ever seen.
© Jailed for animal cruelty: Callum Muir

Callum Muir, 25, of Logan, Ayrshire, used his three dogs, terrier Pip, lurcher Bella and bull lurcher Mig to maul badgers and foxes.

After receiving intelligence that he was involved in this behaviour, Scottish SPCA Inspectors executed a warrant on his house, where they found evidence that Muir was self treating his dogs, who were badly injured.

They also found video evidence of the fights, which show Muir laughing while watching his dogs rip apart a fox.

An undercover cruelty investigator said: “The evidence we found at Muir’s home address was consistent with what you’d typically find when someone is heavily involved in animal fighting.

“All three of his dogs had significant injuries across their faces. Pip and Bella, the two older dogs, had injuries across their neck and legs.

“Both dogs had several missing teeth as a result of the fights they’d been in, and the lack of appropriate veterinary treatment would have made the suffering even worse.”

“Mig had some scarring to her muzzle and legs but as she was a much larger, stronger and younger dog it’s likely she’d been able to avoid serious injury up to this point.”

During the search of the property, several items associated with animal fighting were found, including locator collars which are used to track dogs when they are underground in badger setts.

Officers also discovered nets for catching wild animals when they bolt from their den.

This evidence was analysed at Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture and fox and badger DNA was found.

© Scotland crime news: Man jailed after ‘worst example’ of animal fighting Scottish SPCA has ever seen

Muir was sentenced to six months in prison at Ayr Sheriff Court on May 24, and has been banned from owning animals indefinitely.

The inspector added: “In my line of work you see a lot of stomach churning examples of animal cruelty, but the videos and images relating to this case are among the worst I’ve ever seen.”

“The complete disregard for the wellbeing of the dogs and wild animals in the videos is appalling. In many of them, Muir can be heard encouraging his dogs to attack wild animals as they scream in pain. In one clip, he laughs as a fox’s skin is torn away and they are ripped in half by dogs. In another, two of his dogs attack a fox whilst a man stamps on its head as Muir laughs.

“New legislation has now come into effect which means offenders can receive up to five year sentences for animal welfare crimes. We’ve been involved in thousands of criminal cases and this ranks up there as one of the worst.”

Regards Mark

Man jailed after ‘worst example’ of animal fighting Scottish SPCA has ever seen (msn.com)

Farm Animals, General News, Uncategorized

Iceland: (Horse) Blood Farms – This Must Be Stopped Now – Please Watch Video and Then Sign Petition.

BLOOD MARES;

Farmers Stab Pregnant Horses With Huge Needles At “Blood Farms.” Iceland Must End This Practice Now!

Click ‘Watch on YouTube’ to see (disturbing) undercover footage:

More than 5,000 horses in Iceland are currently locked in any one of the nation’s 119 “blood farms.” In these facilities, farmers mine live pregnant horses for hormones inside their blood. Handlers extract the mares’ blood during summer months, turn it into powder, then sell and ship it internationally to other farmers. That includes to facilities in Europe and the UK, where farmers use the hormone to force their livestock, such as cows, pigs, and sheep, to reproduce more than is natural. Animals endure all this exploitation just so farmers can enjoy more profits.

One undercover video shows handlers hitting pregnant mares before shoving and imprisoning them inside “restraint boxes.” Once locked in place, handlers then push huge needles into the pregnant horses’ jugular veins — extracting frightening amounts of blood. Farmers in Iceland regularly extract around 4x the maximum amount advised by International standards, taking 5 liters (1.3 gallons) of life-giving liquid from each horse, every week, for 8 weeks in a row. These pregnant animals’ blood is necessary not just for their own survival, but also for providing their foals with vital nutrients. Icelanders are speaking out in opposition to the cruel practice, and the European Parliament is considering a ban on these blood-hormone imports. We must stand with them in order to help these defenseless horses.

Tell Iceland’s lawmakers to ban “blood farms!” The government must stop allowing farmers to harm pregnant horses by harvesting their blood!

Please sign the petition now:

petition: Farmers Stab Pregnant Horses with Huge Needles at “Blood Farms.” (thepetitionsite.com)

General News, Uncategorized

England: Police Dog Dies of Heart Failure Chasing Moped Thieves. Brave Stanley – Another Injustice.

© Provided by The Telegraph Police dog Xavier who collapsed while on duty

A police dog known for having a “larger than life character” has died after chasing down two moped thieves, the Metropolitan Police said.

Six-year-old PD Xavier Charles, better known as “Stanley”, collapsed on Sunday morning while on duty.

The dog, who worked across London as a general purpose and firearms support animal, was described as “one of the very best police dogs” by the force.

The Met Police believe Stanley died from heart failure after collapsing on a job.

Stanley “loved to work”, the force said, and also competed in the national police dog trials in 2019.

In a post on Twitter, a spokesman for the Met Police said: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news of the sudden passing of one of our very own serving dogs whilst on duty.

“Six-year-old PD Xavier Charles, aka ‘Stanley’, was one of the very best police dogs who worked across London as a general purpose and firearms support dog alongside PD Stella, his best friend, & handler Pc Williams.

“A larger than life character, Stan loved to work and amassed over 280 results in his shorter than average career & making it to the national police dog trials in 2019.

“In the early hours of Sunday morning whilst chasing down two moped thieves, Stanley collapsed and sadly passed away, believed of heart failure.

“Whilst this is still very raw, we have been asked to share this sad news to not only remember this wonderful, faithful and loyal friend.”

Regards Mark

Police dog dies of heart failure chasing moped thieves (msn.com)