Anyone who is a regular to this site will be aware of the beautiful photos that Pauline sends me regarding wildlife around London and the River Thames. Pauline also visits my home to do a bit of Badger watching if they decide to show up early enough to enjoy all the food that is put out for them; and importantly for us, to be seen ! – they are being rascals lately and arriving well late !
You can visit all of the past Pauline photos by clicking on the following section of the site:
Well P told me recently that she was having a tattoo on her arm relating to both veganism (she is Vegan) and animal welfare. Last week she contacted me again and said that it had been done, but was still covered in a protective plaster. Now the plaster has ben removed but it will probably take about 6 weeks to look its best. So here is the current version, and I am promised another photo in a few weeks time.
‘All creatures are my family’ + Vegan symbol.
Thanks Pauline; great reminder of all your work for the animals.
Regards Mark and Pauline
Above – one of my badgers photographed in the garden – early !!
New EFSA scientific opinion on the protection of cats and dogs in commercial breeding establishments
15 September 2023
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the new scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), but notes that the apparent lack of scientific evidence for common sense approaches prevents further welfare improvements.
Evidence supports that cats and dogs used for breeding should not be kept permanently in boxes, crates or cages (whether multi-storey or not). Such confinement compromises their welfare, leading to abnormal behaviour and distress.
According to EFSA, further evidence is needed to support the fact that breeding dogs need an outdoor area for exercising and socialisation on a daily basis. It is at least acknowledged that such needs should be fulfilled regularly and preferably on a daily basis.
EFSA concluded that ideal housing temperature for the majority of adult cats is 15- 26°C. An ideal housing temperature in adult breeding dogs could not be provided due to the diversity of breeds and types of dogs. There is little or no research to conclude on the ideal housing temperatures for young kittens, pregnant bitches or puppies.
Although the role of light in regulating physiological, behavioural and hormonal parameters is widely known, EFSA believes there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the idea that access to daylight has an impact on the welfare of breeding dogs and cats.
Health
Specific focus was placed on welfare issues associated with reproduction, as well as breeding frequency.
EFSA concluded that no breeding should take place before skeletal maturity, even though puberty may happen first. On the frequency of pregnancy, it is advisable to assess the body condition score and general state of health to prevent exhaustion and, for queens over 6 years and bitches over 8 years, a check-up by a vet is recommended.
There is no universal approach to the minimum breeding age for bitches and queens, or to the minimum time between whelping. In the case of dogs, size is considered an important factor: for small breeds an age of 18 months is considered as fully grown, while for larger breeds, a prior check is necessary.
Painful surgical interventions
So-called cosmetic surgeries such as declawing to prevent scratching in cats (a perfectly natural and necessary behaviour), tail docking in dogs, ear cropping and debarking should never be performed unless necessary for the animal’s health.
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes EFSA’s conclusion on the clear impairment of dog and cat welfare during painful surgical procedures, as well as the irreversible damage caused by living permanently in boxes, crates and cages. Nevertheless it is regrettable that the lack of scientific evidence for what we could call common sense approaches may put a hold on improving inadequate living conditions.
Why do fast-growing broiler chicken breeds need to be phased out?
18 September 2023
Photo – Act 4 Farmed Animals.
95% of the broiler chickens currently reared on factory farms are fast-growing, selectively bred to reach slaughter weight in just five to six weeks. Their growth rate has a huge impact on their health and welfare. Here’s why the EU must ban fast-growing broiler breeds as soon as possible.
Sickness. Exhaustion. Starvation. Broiler chickens commonly face all of these problems on factory farms, as the way in which they are bred results in a string of health issues that have a major impact on their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. From the immense pressure their rapid growth puts on their bodies to the crowded conditions they are housed in, it’s clear fast-growing broiler breeds must be banned in the EU’s anticipated update to the animal welfare laws.
The European Commission is currently working on revising the animal welfare legislation for the first time in decades.
Learn more about the policies we are asking them to consider for all kept species, including broiler chickens, here.
What are the biggest health problems experienced by fast-growing broiler chickens?
Lameness: the skeletal systems and leg muscles of fast-growing broiler birds cannot keep up with their rapid growth and weight gain. They therefore have muscles far too heavy for their fragile bones, leading to gait problems and considerable pain. Up to 58.8% of broiler chickens reportedly suffer from lameness;
Lesions: due to their excessive weight, fast-growing broilers spend more time sitting than their slower-growing counterparts. It is common for them to develop lesions on their bodies that can become infected due to the poor hygiene standards in place on most factory farms. Contact dermatitis is also frequent in these systems, with up to 58% of industrially-farmed broiler birds reportedly suffering from lesions;
Heart failure: their unnatural growth rate puts immense pressure on the cardiovascular system, meaning countless birds die before slaughter.
What other factors make it impossible for fast-growing broiler chickens to lead comfortable lives?
Fast-growing broiler chickens are chronically hungry, which results in them experiencing near constant mental and physical distress.
They also generate a lot of body heat due to their high metabolic rates. With typical broiler houses containing thousands of birds, these spaces quickly become inhospitable, with chickens overheating. The consequences can be fatal.
To make matters worse, broiler houses are not cleared of litter until the birds have been taken to the slaughterhouse. This means that chickens have to live in their own faeces for weeks, and often end up suffering from respiratory problems, eye abnormalities and other health issues resulting from high levels of ammonia and other noxious gases.
Due to their sheer size and subsequent health problems, broiler chickens cannot engage with their environments and peers comfortably. Evidence shows that broilers are curious birds that want to explore and play, but breeding in a way that causes them to be chronically unhealthy, while also being crushed into huge flocks, means these birds don’t have the energy nor the means to express their natural behaviours.
Here’s what a day in the life of a typical factory farmed broiler chicken looks like.
The European Commission must ban the breeding of fast-growing broiler chickens
Fast-growing broiler breeds must be prohibited in the updated animal welfare legislation, and only slower-growing breeds should be permitted in Europe’s farming systems. These animals deserve a healthy life filled with positive experiences, which is only possible for birds of breeds with slower growth rates.
Citizens’ initiative to ban fur farming in Finland breaks records
13 September 2023
Susiryhmä
Having collected the required 50,000 signatures in just 24 hours, a Finnish citizens’ initiative calling for a national phase out of fur farming will now go to Parliament for debate.
Turkistarhaus historiaan (consign fur farming to history) calls for a law to ban fur farming in Finland within a reasonable transition period, in addition to rolling out a support system for fur farmers to ensure a fair transition for all.
Finnish citizens’ initiatives have 6 months in which to gather the required level of support.
After breaking records by acquiring the required 50,000 signatures in only one day, over 100,000 names have now been added. Signatures are collected on the Ministry of Justice’s website.
The organisers highlighted the suffering of animals such as mink and foxes, the economically unprofitable industry and public health risks as reasons why fur farming must be brought to an end.
The demand for a ban will be debated in the Finnish parliament after validation of the signatures.
The success of the initiative is another clear indication that European citizens want to see an end to fur farming, as proven by the European Citizens’ Initiative Fur Free Europe which gathered over 1.5 million validated signatures.
Mass pig culling continues in Italy amid African swine fever crisis
14 September 2023
Essere Animali
Essere Animali documented serious biosecurity and animal welfare shortcomings in the management of pig culling.
First detected in Italy in January 2022, African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. Whilst posing no threat to humans, mass culls have been taking place in an attempt to limit the spread of the disease amongst farmed pigs to reduce losses for farmers.
New footage obtained by Essere Animali in the province of Pavia shows inadequately culled animals subjected to slow and painful deaths, and serious deficiencies in hygiene and biosecurity that may lead to further spread of the virus on farms.
The footage shows:
Serious deficiencies in the facility and in the biosecurity procedures
Inadequate management of culling with severe additional suffering for the animals
The lack of animal welfare training of the workers involved
At least 5 pigs abandoned on the ground in the pen leading to the killing containers in an acute distressed condition with symptoms potentially attributable to ASF
The organisation also claims that improper implementation of biosecurity measures by the nation’s health authorities have resulted in the inability to control the spread of the disease, resulting in emergency mass culls that are a disaster for animal welfare.
We think it is essential to show images that show that, in the face of all the failings of the health authorities and our institutions, in a period of time in which public money has been spent on inadequate measures and biosecurity has not been sufficiently stringent, it is the tens of thousands of pigs that will be slaughtered in these days, amidst atrocious suffering and in the absence of adequate stunning, who will pay the highest price.
World Animals Voice 