Elephants Shouldn’t Be Taught to Perform Unhealthy Tricks
Elephants are smart, social, soulful creatures. But there are some things they just should not do. For example: unnatural, unhealthy tricks like headstands.
In a recent video posted to Twitter that’s since gone viral, someone is filming as a handler washes a captive elephant. The animal leans forward onto its trunk and head, moving into a headstand while a man sprays the creature down with water.
That means they’ve been forcibly taught to perform these unusual tasks. And the way handlers train elephants is anything but humane. Instead, they employ vicious, horrific tactics like stabbing the animals with bull hooks, or shocking them with cattle prods.
The video has since been removed from Twitter, but it was online long enough for it to amass more than 300,000 views. And when a video like this goes viral, it means more and more people could be lulled into believing such cruel exploitation is normal.
More than 1.4 billion cows, sheep, and goats as well as millions of other animals are killed each year to feed the fashion industry’s demand for skin – but how much do we really know about the journeys of the sensitive individuals whose skin is stolen?
The global leather supply chain is complex, making it difficult for consumers to determine the origins and sometimes even the species of the animals used for the items they purchase.
Live export is a process in which trembling animals are pushed onto a severely crowded truck or ship and transported many thousands of kilometres.
A new PETA video tells the story of how the leather trade fuels the live-export industry from the perspective of an investigator who has witnessed it firsthand.
Butchered Alive: Australian Cattle Killed Overseas for Leather Shoes
In 2021, PETA Asia investigators visited seven Indonesian abattoirs at random, some of which were part of the Australian government’s Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System.
At these facilities, the investigators found botched stunning or sometimes none at all. They witnessed animals being prodded repeatedly with metal rods and gasping for air as blood filled their throats.
The investigators learned that the skins of some Australian cattle were sold to a fashion brand that exports leather shoes worldwide.
Chilling scenes of abuse of Australian animals have been documented at Indonesian abattoirs this year, prompting a fresh set of complaints to be filed against Australia’s live-export industry, but consumers must take action as the government has shown no inclination to lift a finger.
The footage is a harrowing glimpse into the trade that supplies flesh to dangerous wet markets and skin to the global leather industry. Some of the facilities visited by PETA Asia investigators are even part of the Australian government’s Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS), dispelling all doubt about government inaction.
In the same month this abuse occurred, Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton expressed his “full confidence in the standards the Australian industry upholds”. Watch the footage below and decide if you can say the same. If not, please stop buying leather right now!
Botched Stunning or None at All
PETA Asia investigators visited seven randomly selected abattoirs in Indonesia in April and May 2021 and filed an official complaint.
They found steers and bulls being forced into restraint boxes and shot in the head with captive-bolt guns. The cattle were often fully aware of what was happening to them. They slammed their bodies against the metal chute they were trapped in, in a futile attempt to turn around and escape.
Workers repeatedly failed to stun cows adequately. Clearly still conscious after being shot in the head, one steer was jabbed 64 times in the face and on his torso with a steel rod to try to force him to stand back up so a worker could shoot him again.
Workers also violently twisted his tail until it was broken. In a last-ditch attempt to move the struggling, panicked steer, they pulled on his broken tail a dozen times.
Then there were those for whom stunning wasn’t even attempted at all. Some cattle were simply physically restrained before their throats were slit – which, believe it or not, is a killing method approved by the Australian government.
ALEC boasts on its website that 95% of Australian cattle in Indonesia are now stunned prior to slaughter. But based on what investigators saw, that’s not the case.
Butchered Alive
Abattoir workers viciously yanked and deliberately stepped on animals’ tails, apparently in a crude attempt to check for consciousness. Some cattle still kicked, but they were butchered anyway, with no further attempts at rendering them unconscious.
Steers who were still moving and whose heads dangled by only a strip of flesh after their throats had been slit were hung by the neck on metal hooks. Their legs continued to thrash as they were dragged across the bloody floor and then hoisted up.
Investigators saw animals blinking after their throats were cut, gasping for air as blood filled their throats. Some suffered this way for up to 12 minutes after being shot with a captive-bolt gun.
Monica KH Bando, a veterinarian with more than 13 years of clinical and research experience, said the footage captured by investigators depicted “egregious violations of acceptable animal welfare standards for livestock” including “[p]oorly designed facilities, unsanitary conditions, substandard handling, restraint methods that induce stress and distress, lack of stunning and ineffective stunning, and inhumane killing methods”.
10 Years of Failure
Workers told investigators that the cows being slaughtered came from Australia, and most wore Australian National Livestock Identification System ear tags.
These are just a tiny percentage of the millions of animal victims of Australia’s live-export trade. Australia exported more than 1.8 million animals in 2020, and the vast majority of them were cattle.
It’s been a decade since cruelty in the live-export trade to Indonesia was exposed by Animals Australia on national TV in the programme Four Corners, after which a traceability programme – Export Supply Chain Assurance System – was put in place.
The programme hasn’t provided “assurance” of any kind. In fact, it’s been a colossal failure. It was supposed to stop this kind of cruelty. There have been 184 reports of non-compliance (just reports – the number of incidents would be far higher) since it was established.
When this latest footage was filmed, the Department of Agriculture was still investigating cruelty complaints against Indonesian abattoirs made by Animals Australia in 2020.
The Government Ignores This, but We Have the Power to Stop It
The Australian government should be preparing for a future without live exports, but it’s not. Every new exposé is “shocking” to those in power, but are you really surprised? When animals are crammed onto ships as though they were inanimate commodities and then sold for slaughter, how can anyone expect them to be treated as if their pain mattered?
Australia is a nation of self-proclaimed animal lovers, so many of us blame somebody else for the cruelty – the government or people overseas. Never mind that these cattle were slaughtered for meat and leather sold all over the world, potentially even in Australia.
The live-export industry is the meat industry and the leather industry. If you buy meat at an Australian supermarket or purchase a pair of leather shoes, you’re putting money in the pockets of the same people who send these animals to be slaughtered in hideous, painful ways overseas.
And since the leather produced in Indonesia is exported globally, you could be wearing or sitting on the skin of the same animals you’ve just watched in this video. PETA Asia investigators found that the skins of some Australian cattle were sold to a fashion brand that exports leather shoes worldwide.
If you continue to buy the flesh or skin of animals, you send the same message to producers that the government does, i.e. that this industry has a social license to continue and a sustainable future. Please, act now to change the market and spare animals’ lives every time you buy a meal, a pair of shoes, a jacket, or a belt. Personal responsibility will end this trade. Let’s go!
In April 2021, New Zealand announced a ban on all live exports (including breeding “stock”) by sea, citing the need to “stay ahead of the curve in a world where animal welfare is under increasing scrutiny”. New Zealand actually banned export for slaughter all the way back in 2008. In May 2021, the UK announced that it intends to ban the live export of animals for slaughter and fattening.
Meanwhile, Australia is still leaving a bloody trail around the world, causing animals misery en route and in every port they reach.
This investigation shows that no regulations, reviews, or reports are making the barbaric business of shipping and killing live animals more humane
Around 8/6/22 we wrote to our (UK) Member of Parliament (MP) expressing our concerns over the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and animal welfare issues. We had serious concerns over the UK animal standards being lowered down to Australian levels by this deal, especially with Australia still undertaking the mulesing of sheep, using up to 16 times as many antibiotics on Australian farms compared to those being used in the UK, and of course, the continuation of live animal exports from Australia to the Middle East.
You can read our letter of concern by clicking here:
We now have a letter returned to us dated 22/6/22 from Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP; the UK Minister of State for Trade Policy at the Department for International Trade.
I am publishing the letter below for everyone to read if they wish.
Minister Penny Mordaunt (MP)
Today is the 24/6; and I need to inform people that yesterday, the 23rd; the British government led by Boris Johnson, suffered 2 defeats in by elections in the South West of England and also in the North.
We at WAV are non politically biased; we just fight for the better treatment and welfare of living, sentient beings. These defeats though cannot simply be dismissed as a mid term ‘thing’ that happens in politics; many see this as something deeper, possibly a reflection of a government in crisis which is doing little and expecting the ‘normal working man (and woman)’ to pick up the tab.
Animal welfare deals included in the UK – Australia FTA are a concern to us here in the UK. Australia has lower standards, the UK has better. We are keen to read in Penny’s letter that things are still moving on to deliver the (UK) Governments Manifesto commitment to end the live export of live animals for both further fattening and slaughter. We are pleased to announce that despite the Bill not reaching law yet; live animals have not been exported to any degree (when compared to the past) for many months now. The Bill is working its way through both houses of Parliament in order to become law; and as we have campaigned against this sick business for nearly 35 years, we want to see action now !
The second page of Penny’s letter declares that the UK government has “secured ground breaking provisions on animal welfare with Australia, including the first stand alone animal welfare chapter in any signed FTA”. We welcome the comprehensive partnership with Australia to progress and improve animal welfare standards. These include a joint working group who will meet regularly to provide a forum to support cooperation on animal welfare issues between the UK and Australia, which includes best practices.
A ‘mulesed’ sheep in Australia.
Time to stop this abuse Australia.
We also welcome and support the UK governments and Australian efforts to stop the use of sow stalls, which were banned in the UK in 1999, 23 years ago !, and the commitments for bilateral cooperation which will see this practice also being stopped in Australia.
I will leave you to read the response to us from Penny, outing the UK government approach to animal welfare ‘move forwards’ with Australia. If we can make more efforts to stop live exports, the mulesing of live sheep, get the pigs out of sow stalls, and make differences for caged animals in Australia, then we may be on the road to further progress.
Finally, the massive government defeats in the UK yesterday sent a clear message to government that the common man and woman are not happy; and that things need to change, or else we change you by electing a different government.
So, get on and pass the (UK) animal welfare legislation to give animals a voice.
In today’s episode of headlines you just couldn’t make up we introduce a hero captain and his meerkat cargo.
Skipper Tom Sexton stripped to his boxers to rescue a meerkat called Boris confused itself for a Lemming and jumped 30ft off the side of the boat.
Luckily Boris survived the jump from the Gry Maritha when it arrived in port at Penzance, Cornwall.
His escape bid was not alone – his travelling companion Doris had managed to escape their cat cage and made a bid for freedom.
She was caught, but Boris made his bid for freedom.
They were both on their way to Axe Valley Zoo in Axminster, Devon, after being transported from the Isles of Scilly.
Tom, 33, said: ‘I think the owner originally had four of them in a sort of little petting zoo at his council house.
‘Two of them were in this cat carrier style box but managed to figure out how to break out while we were sailing.
‘The two of them were just running around the deck, but there were all kinds of cars and crates they kept hiding under so we decided to leave it until we got into port.
‘Eventually after mooring we all got out brooms and gloves and the five of us started running around the deck trying to catch them.
‘We managed to get the first one, but the second one jumped overboard. I was actually pretty impressed at how good a swimmer he was, but he seemed to be in a bit of trouble.
‘I decided I’d jump in and grab him so I stripped off down to my boxers and put on some gloves to go get him, I knew they could be quite nippy.
‘I was surprised how easy it was to get him though. We then put him back in his box and hoisted him back onto the deck.’
The use of vessels which have exceeded their ‘scrap by’ dates and then purchased to be converted into livestock carriers are something which is seen all too much (unfortunately) by those of us monitoring the live animal export industry.
When the ‘Queen Hind’ sank after leaving the Romanian port of Midia in November 2019, many thousands of sheep also drowned there. Who is pulling one when they paint ‘Safety First’ on the vessel ?
180 out of 14,600 animals survive – Safety First !
Queen Hind
Only 180 sheep survived the ‘Hind’ incident out of the 14,600 initially believed to have been onboard, which was carrying them from Romania, the EU’s biggest exporter of the animal, to Saudi Arabia.
But the revelations uncovered during salvage about the Hind having secret decks only increased the death toll of the sheep carried by several thousands, and also raised fresh questions on whether overloading was to blame for the capsize.
Seems strange does it not, that the Sudan incident happening very recently, included the failure of an official PSC ministry inspection of the vessel over a 10-year gap from 2008-18. Were the extra 4 decks fitted onto the vessel during this time ? – yes; and could this have been what caused the vessel to become ‘top heavy’ and overturn when fully loaded with animals ?
We are not afraid to say, but we also question if these incidents are about compensation issues. If you have a very old ship and it is written off, do you not get insurance money which will probably buy you a better one ? – and the livestock ?; somebody somewhere is going to get compensated for the ‘loss’ of the cargo one assumes.
A disgusting business which belongs in the history books. No doubt it will happen again, what once, twice or more ?
I simply ask the question; how are these old rust buckets allowed to cross the oceans of the world carrying livestock when they have not had an official inspection for over 10 years ? – when I have a car, it has to be inspected and pass rigorous (MOT) testing by the authorities each and every year. ‘My car’ carries 4 or 5 people, not 15,000 live animals; so should ithe floating death traps not be inspected more regularly to higher standards when operating ? – especially when they are that old in the first place.
Baffled ? – yes I am, just like many others.
Regards Mark
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The vessel Al Badri 1 (misreported as the Badr 1) began sinking at the pier at Suakin, Sudan in the early hours of a recent Sunday morning. The vessel capsized slowly, officials told The Guardian, and the crew had enough time to disembark. Only some 700 sheep escaped and survived.
The loss of the Al Badri 1 may affect the port’s operations, as well as the environment, given the potential for a fuel oil spill and the effluent from the decay of thousands of sheep. The vessel is now submerged next to its berth, interfering with the pier’s use until the wreck is cleared.
The Al Badri 1 (ex name Henry Stahl,Ester 1, Ytong 1, Malak 1) was a stern-ramp ro/ro freighter originally built in 1973 and converted into a livestock carrier later in her lifespan.
She had a history of port state control deficiencies in recent years, as well as a 10-year gap from 2008-18 in which she had no PSC inspections.
Images from before and after the Al Badri 1’s conversion suggest that four extra decks were welded on above the ship’s main deck level to add more space for livestock.
Worldwide, livestock carriers are generally older than the average merchant ship, and the average fleet age for the class exceeds 40 years. Almost all are conversions, often from ro/ro vessels.
The ships selected for the conversion process have usually already arrived at the normal age for demolition (about 30) when they begin their new life, based on a 2021 study by Animal Welfare Foundation, Tierschutzbund Zürich and Robin des Bois.
A similar incident occurred aboard the livestock carrier Queen Hind in November 2019. The vessel capsized off the coast of Romania under unusual circumstances, drowning almost all of the 15,000 sheep on board.
From the Romanian incident – Secret decks for extra animals have been found in a livestock carrierthat sank off the Romanian port of Midia in November drowning thousands of sheep, according to the company carrying out the massive salvage operation.
Only 180 sheep survived out of the 14,600 initially believed to have been onboard the Queen Hind, which was carrying them from Romania, the EU’s biggest exporter of the animal, to Saudi Arabia.
But the revelations about secret decks are likely to increase the death toll by several thousands, and raise fresh questions on whether overloading was to blame for the capsize.
The vessel was left on its side in the water as it sank not far from port, with sheep corpses piling up around it. Images of the tragedy made headlines worldwide and led to renewed calls by animal activists to impose a ban on live exports from Europe to non-EU countries, particularly the Middle East and north Africa.
We also understand that the vessel in the Sudanese incident was officially only allowed to carry 9,000 animals; yet 15,800+ being carried drowned. Thus, it would appear as we always suspect with these cheap rate bathtubs which are used in this business, the vessel was carrying twice as many animals as it should have been; which we expect (are very certain of) being the cause of the incident in the first place.
It has happed before – see the ‘Queen Hind’ secret decks data above.
Above – Founding family Erika, Claire and Jim, and the Animal Aid Unlimited team.
Hi all;
This arrived from Erika and the crew at AAU earlier in the week, but did not arrive through the usual inbox route. This has happened a few times now, and we are getting our computer people in next week to see if we can sort this, plus some other issues.
Apologies to Erika and the team for getting this out late.
Come on folks, dig deep and after watching the videos, we hope you will consider making a donation to further help the team with future rescues, or additionally you can support (sponsor) one of the special need animals by using this link – https://www.animalaidunlimited.org/how-to-help/sponsor-an-animal/
As with all animal advocates, we give our condolences to the family of Mithu Bai and thank her for being special and giving so much of her time to helping those less fortunate.
Mark
Dear Mark,
Ourbeauty salon for sheephas experienced a little bump up of activity with temps soaring into the 40s C (100s F). We’re careful though to leave enough fur to protect from sunburn, and these sweethearts–Barbara, Cashew, Raisin, Bailey and Bertie each love their day in the spa.
One of our recent UK volunteers, Paul, remarked that although there are sheep in so many pastures in his country, they’re often shy; they’re not used to being lovingly touched, so they usually run from you if you try to pet them. But our gentle sheep believe that only good things come from human contact and they’ll often nudge and nuzzle their way in as close as they can. Thank you for the help that enables us to give permanent home to many species of angel!
Suri was stuck in tar, now she’s surrounded in love.
Little Suri was almost lost in hardened tar covering literally every inch of her body. Saving her precious life took 10 loving hands working for hours. We don’t know how long she’d been stuck in the tar, or how she made her way into the yard where the tar had been carelessly dumped in the dirt, but she was almost unconscious from exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke. Her tail was stuck to her thighs and herlegs were stuck together. All she could move were her eyes.
Our team went to work with vegetable oil and soap to loosen up the tar so that it could be washed off. It took hours of gentle massaging to soften the tar and frequent breaks had to be given to allow her to rest and drink water by syringe. When Suri was finally freed from the grip of the tar, she nearly jumped for joy. And so did we.
Sometimes it’s not medicine that does the trick. It’s hours of work, a pinch of luck, blended in love.
Sukie is blind and had been abandoned after a road accident. After we rescued her, and she recovered from her injuries, she was on her own amongst our 100 plus cows as the only horse in hospital. She was surrounded by animals and humans, but she was clearly lonely. Sukie desperately needed another horse, because horses need horses to talk to, to groom, to play with, to take comfort from in their shared language.
In a separate incident across the city, a horse lay dying from a suspected twisted intestine. But she wasn’t alone. Her dearest companion was a little red mare, who appeared out of the blue following the ambulance at full gallop, as we transported her critically ill friend to our hospital.
Back in the hospital, we did everythingp we could to help the suffering horse, but sadly she didn’t have the strength to make it. She passed away quietly within a few hours, with her friend by her side. Her friend circled and seemed to grieve. But then, she saw Sukie.
This video is a tribute to all friends.Belle was the answer to Sukie’s prayers. And Sukie must be the answer to Belle’s in turn.
Our rescue team must have gasped when they saw the sheer size of this street dog’s gaping neck wound. He couldn’t lift his head and he was nearly unconscious.
We rushed him to our hospital and began work to heal this complicated and horrible wound. At first, we weren’t sure he would have the strength to survive. But he wouldn’t give up hope, and neither would we.
After receiving oxygen,puppy bounces back in one day!
This sweetheart was hit by a car and neighbors found himcollapsed, bleeding from his nose.We were relieved to find no fractures but his breathing was labored and we worried he had internal injuries.
After receiving oxygen, soothed with rest and comfort and medicine, this littlelove-magnet has bounced back with adorable enthusiasm.
Thank you for being the reason why we can help when animals need it most.
In loving memory
We sorrowfully share with you that our loving member of staff,
animal caregiver Mithu Baipassed away on May 31st.
She had been a part of the Animal Aid family since 2016. We are deeply saddened, and grateful for the thousands of animals comforted by her loving spirit, and the staff and volunteers whose lives she brightened.
Her memory will be part of Animal Aid Unlimited forever.
New Hydraulic Lift Ambulance is a special gift for big cows and bulls
When a cow or bull needed rescue, it used to take 5-10 people to lift the usually panicking animal into the rescue vehicle, and the stress and risk of injury was high. Now we have 3 ambulances outfitted with hydraulic lifts, thanks to the generosity of several very special donors.
Phillips, 57, and Pereira, 41 went missing on 5 June, at the end of a short trip down the Itaquaí River in western Brazil. Photograph: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
In a statement issued on behalf of Phillips’ sister Sian, his brother Gareth, and their partners and children, the family offered their thanks to those who had taken part in the 10-day search.
The Repórter Brasil news and investigations website, with whom Phillips collaborated, blacked out the top of its front page. “Mourning”, it said. “Repórter Brasil continues to investigate violence against traditional people in the countryside, as well as against all who defend you”, it said.
Phillips, 57, and Pereira, 41 went missing on 5 June, at the end of a short trip down the Itaquaí River in western Brazil.
Pereira was accompanying Phillips on a reporting trip for a book about sustainable development in the Amazon but their boat did not arrive as scheduled at Atalaia do Norte, not far from Brazil’s border with Peru.
At a press briefing late on Wednesday, the regional police chief, Eduardo Fontes, announced that one of the two men arrested in connection with the pair’s disappearance had confessed to killing them.
Philips’ siblings said in their statement that were particularly grateful for the leading efforts of the Indigenous people at a time when the local authorities were widely regarded as having taken a lethargic approach to the men’s disappearance.
With reference to the two men’s partners, Alessandra and Beatriz, the family wrote: “We are heartbroken at the confirmation that Dom and Bruno were murdered and extend our deepest sympathies to Alessandra, Beatriz and the other Brazilian family members of both men. We are grateful to all those who have taken part in the search, especially the Indigenous groups who worked tirelessly to find evidence of the attack.”
The statement went on: “In due course we will offer our perspective on the courageous lives and important work of these remarkable men but for the moment, we request that representatives of the media allow the family some peace to deal privately with what has happened to their beloved Dom.
“We thank the many people who have joined us in urging the authorities to intensify the search and those who have reached out with wards of comfort and sympathy.”
The suspect who confessed to taking part in the murder of Phillips and Pereira informed the police on Tuesday of the location of the bodies and he joined investigators to retrieve them on Wednesday.
The location, an area known as the Lago do Preguiça is 1hr 40min by boat from the river town of Atalaia do Norte and another 1.9 miles by foot into dense forest.
Phillips’ wife, Alessandra Sampaio, had issued a statement on Wednesday evening in which she spoke of her relief that the bodies had been recovered after an agonising week and a half.
“This tragic outcome puts an end to the anguish of not knowing Dom and Bruno’s whereabouts,” she wrote.
“Now we can bring them home and say goodbye with love. Today, we also begin our quest for justice. I hope that the investigations exhaust all possibilities and bring definitive answers on all relevant details as soon as possible.”
Pereira’s wife, Beatriz Matos, tweeted: “Now that Bruno’s spirits are wandering in the forest and spread among us, our strength is much greater.”
Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner said she was “deeply saddened”.
“Dom was an outstanding reporter and long-term contributor to the Guardian”, she said. “His brave and humane journalism did so much to bring the stories of Brazil and Latin America to a global audience, through the pages of the Guardian and other news organisations.
“Bruno Pereira was a renowned defender of the rights of Brazil’s Indigenous peoples and totally committed to the traditional peoples of the Amazon. At the Guardian we are so very sorry to hear this heartbreaking news and all our thoughts are with Dom and Bruno’s families and friends.”
Jonathan Watts, the Guardian’s global environment editor, said he hoped that the two men’s lives would be an inspiration to those who cared about the Amazon.
“This is a horror story that will chill anyone who is a journalist, anyone who cares about the Amazon, about Indigenous people, about our planetary life support systems,” Watts said. “But I hope it will inspire rather than deter editors and reporters, so that there is even more attention on the stories that Dom cared about.
“I really hope that the work Dom started can be continued and amplified. And that for me would be the only way something decent could come out of something so utterly monstrous.”
Pat Venditti, executive director of Greenpeace UK, praised Phillips and Pereira as “brave, passionate and determined men”.
In a statement, he said the men “were murdered while doing their vital work of shining a light on the daily threats Indigenous peoples in Brazil face as they defend their land and their rights”.
Venditti accused Brazil’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, of giving “political and moral licence for predatory activities in and around Indigenous lands”.
“The greatest tribute we can pay Bruno and Dom now is to continue their vital work until all of Brazil’s peoples and their forests are fully protected,” the Greenpeace official added. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to support the families of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira. Donate here in English or here in Portuguese.
WAV and its founder have been involved with CIWF for several decades now.
It was in the campaign fighting against the live animal export trade that CIWF CEO Phil Lymbery and Mark of WAV first met, what 35 (or more) years ago.
As someone who does not exploit animals in any way through diet, it is always difficult to give credit to organisations which do use animal flesh, or eggs etc in their production methods.
But only through awards such as those given globally by CIWF today can we encourage and better animal welfare standards by putting those who are making improvements for better welfare to be the recipients of the awards presented today. There is no way forward other than conversion to better animal welfare methods – and I hope these awards will do this.
The world is not completely vegan; nor unfortunately will it ever totally be; I think we all have to accept that whilst doing what we can to throw the bad boys out of the bus and encourage those who are doing better to improve their standards even more. That is the basis of these awards. We all want a perfectly cruelty free world, but it takes a long time to get anywhere even near this.
It is through award schemes such as this; and recognising those who are making efforts, can we move on even more and persuade them to throw more into animal welfare.
Please click here to read lots more from CIWF on the awards given today:
World Animals Voice 