Day: October 5, 2023

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

England: Hope !

Years ago I was the investigator for Carla’s charity; and we were both devoted to stopping live animal transport.  I did a lot of investigation work into British hoses being exported for the meat trade; though their official paperwork; approved by Defra, was saying that they were being exported to mainland Europe for ‘Riding’.  Time, and a lot of work at the docks, combined with visiting horse sales markets gave us the proof we needed. I still have all the information in several files; information which took ages to gather, collate and write about ready for presentation.

Carla and I met with the Minister in London one day to present them with our investigation evidence.  Around the same time farmers dumped many dozens of baby calves at Carlas, expecting her to have them destroyed because of sheer numbers involved and the money needed to raise them – they wanted to be able to say that the veggie animal rights activist had killed calves.  NO WAY !

Carla kept every calf and raised them all into beautiful adult cattle.  One day, when they were still young, Carla asked me to name one of the calves.  I decided to call him ‘Hope’, as I hoped for a future free of live animal exports, and my own personal hope that there was a future with more hope and compassion for innocent beings.

Here is a photo of ‘Hope’

Above – ‘Hope’

Here my favorite photo of wonderful Carla:

Live export unfortunately still continues all these years later; but many of us gather evidence and footage which is presented to he powers that be – with a simple message ‘stop it’.  It will happen and I think and hope soon, in the near future,

I came across this video, and noted that this suffering dog was also named ‘Hope’ by the wonderful people that took him in and literally changed every aspect of his being; from mere existence and survival on the street to one of a loved and very cared for dog.  It is a video which tells a story which has not yet finished.  Every credit to all involved; especially the girl who saw him suffering on the street, and who initially took time off work to help and feed this sentient.

Enjoy he video; a story of ‘Hope’

Regards Mark

About Us. | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

In the past, Mark worked with television comedy scriptwriter Carla Lane for many years; and had the position of being the investigator for her animal charity (Animaline) throughout the years of the horse export investigations.  Through undercover investigation work, port monitoring, visits to UK horse markets, and trails into Europe, it was shown that British horses were being exported from the UK whilst being declared as ‘going for riding’ to Europe.  In reality, the animals were being exported to Europe for their meat.  What was declared on the export licenses was a complete and utter lie to get around the complexities of exporting  sentient animals for one thing when they were actually going to their deaths !

After all the investigative work was completed and documented, which involved a lot of work, Carla and Mark teamed up in London one day and made formal presentations to the UK Government Ministry – DEFRA (previously  MAFF) about all the investigation work.

To this day, Mark will never forget what was witnessed in the investigations into beautiful, live horses being exported from the UK to Europe as a scam for the meat trade under the guise of ‘riding horses’.  This, combined with live farm animal export work over the last 27 years or so has meant that the export of live farm animals is a top ‘hate’ and will always be campaigned against – be it in the UK, Europe, Australia, South America, North Africa, Anywhere !

In the early hours of one morning, after investigating yet another consignment of UK horses being exported to the EU; declared as ‘going for riding’ but really destined for the meat trade; Mark returned home and decided that he just had to get something down on paper to express what he had experienced so many times, with the real knowledge (and proof) of what was happening to these beautiful animals despite what the (false) paperwork declarations said.  Gorgeous Jo was at home and supportive as always.  Unable to just go to bed and sleep for what was left of that night; something had to be recorded as a simple memory of what ‘official’ wrongs had been experienced so many times during these horses journey.

Mark penned the following to sum his immense anger and feelings of the scam events through an official government Ministry that allowed 14+ beautiful horses to be exported to Europe each week for meat; whilst passing and stamping the paperwork to say that they were ‘going for riding’.

The poem was called:

EXH6 – For Beautiful Horses Betrayed By The System

EXH6

‘EXH6’ is the official export license which is required for horse exports from the UK.

Mark says – ” eventually some time very late that night Jo and I climbed into bed; but despite being with her, my thoughts very much remained with those innocent animals – I was asking myself questions like: where were they now ?; what were they experiencing ?; were they suffering ? – and how was this being allowed to happen when Jo and I could easily see the wrongs on the paperwork, why cannot the Ministry officials !”

To all the guys at CIWF undercover investigations unit – we had some great times and we had very sad depressing times; Steve and I felt the bad arm of the law a few times; but in the end the evidence was gathered. You want to beat the shit out of these animal abusers, but evidence gathering and biting your tongue is more important.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ciwf+investigator

For John:

England: Another Terrible Loss – John Callaghan.

Photo – Val C.

Environmental, Farm Animals, Fur and Fur Farming, General News, Stray Animals, Uncategorized

Man Knows Best – I Think Not !!

Latest EFSA report on avian influenza cause for concern

5 October 2023

Infections now regularly occur not only in wild and domestic birds but in an increasing number of mammalian species, with occasional human cases.

According to the latest report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), between the end of June and 1 September 2023, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks continue to be reported worldwide. 

These are worrying results, especially regarding infections in mammals: numerous cases occurred in raccoon dogs, foxes, and American mink kept for fur, as well as in wild otters and seals. Occasional infections in domestic cats and dogs have also been recorded. Some strains now have developed mutations that improve the virus’ ability to infect human cells, increase its resistance to certain antivirals, and augment its virulence. Research is ongoing into the effects of such mutations, but these new subtypes could have a higher zoonotic potential (not yet demonstrated). 

What is clear is that some of the circulating HPAI variants have the ability to jump from one species to another. For instance, it is believed that A(H5N1) which carries markers for adaptation to mammalian cells jumped from chickens to cats in one outbreak in Poland. On Finnish fur farms, the virus jumped from wild birds to kept mammals and further mutated once inside the farms. For this reason, the EFSA recommends increasing biosecurity in fur farms and promptly culling all animals in case of a HPAI outbreak. As long as fur farming remains lawful in the EU, we can thus expect more mass culling events like those witnessed in recent years and even very recently due to COVID infections in animals. 

For now, human infections are infrequent and are therefore considered sporadic, usually as a consequence of direct human contact with infected poultry. However, the situation is evolving and the EFSA recommends consistent and continued monitoring of outbreaks in wild and domestic animals.

Recommendations from the report include:

Increased surveillance of the circulation of the virus both in wild birds and in free-living domestic carnivores;

Increased biosecurity in fur farms with prompt culling of all animals in case of a confirmed outbreak of HPAI, because of the increased risk of mammalian adaptation of the virus;

Timely and accurate reporting of cases in mammalian species for epidemiological purposes;

Both people and domestic carnivores should avoid contact with infected carcasses;

Hospitalised human patients with severe respiratory symptoms should be assessed for exposure risk to HPAI.

Of particular concern is the finding that “about 47% of the characterised viruses contain at least one of the adaptive markers associated with increased virulence and replication in mammals […]. These mutations with potential public health implications have likely emerged upon transmission to mammals.” 

Additionally, in April 2023 a HPAI virus identified in farmed dogs in China had a key mutation that would allow it to jump directly from birds to humans. 

As this report was published, South Africa was (and still is) dealing with the devastating economic consequences of its latest HPAI outbreak, which has resulted in the culling of several million broiler chickens and laying hens. A vaccination program will probably begin in the coming weeks.

Regards Mark