NGOs call for clarity on timeline to deliver Kept Animals and Slaughter Regulations
4 October 2023
Press Release
The news that the European Commission will publish one of four promised proposals on animal welfare, while failing to provide a timeline for the rest, is unacceptable and leaves millions of animals unprotected and citizens’ voices widely ignored.
European Commission’s Executive Vice-President (EVP) Maroš Šefčovič, nominated to oversee the Green Deal, has confirmed that the European Commission intends to deliver the proposal on the protection of animals during transport by December 2023. Yet, he failed to provide clarity on the timeline for the other three regulations, namely Kept Animals, Slaughter and Labelling.
During yesterday’s hearing at the European Parliament, Šefčovič repeated that the animal welfare proposals remain a priority for the upcoming months, but when questioned by a number of MEPs from several groups, he commented that the work on the full legislation requires more assessment and dialogues, despite the fact that numerous consultations and dialogues have already taken place under the EU Platform on Animal Welfare.
Delivering only one of the four proposals will not meet the millions of citizens’ demands for better animal welfare. The latest ECIs End the Cage Age and Fur Free Europe, which collected 1.4 and 1.5 million signatures respectively, show that Europeans demand better protection for animals now. Following the ECI End the Cage Age, the EC committed to ban cages in animal farming as part of the Kept Animals Regulation to be adopted in Q3 2023.
Only updating the live transport rules will leave billions of animals at the mercy of outdated legislation, or without any welfare-related legislation. Numerous EFSA opinions have demonstrated the urgent need to update the existing rules.
While we welcome the publication of a proposal to revise the Transport Regulation, delivering only part of the expected legislation does not align to the wishes of the citizens, and to the scientific opinions that have highlighted the urgent need to update regulations impacting the welfare of kept animals. We also trust that the transport regulation will aim higher than what has transpired from the impact assessment finalised in July.
Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals
Eurogroup for Animals continues to call for the publication of the full proposals, as committed by the EC as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy.
Maroš Šefčovič promises to deliver on animal welfare, but fails to commit to timeline
3 October 2023
During today’s hearing at the European Parliament, European Commission’s Executive Vice-President (EVP) Maroš Šefčovič, nominated to oversee the Green Deal, repeated that the animal welfare proposals remain a priority for the upcoming months, yet failed to provide a timeline for their publication.
A number of MEPs, including Tilly Metz (Greens/Efa), Emma Weisner (Renew), Beatrice Covassi (S&D/PD) and Herbert Dorfmann (EPP), specifically questioned the EVP-designate on the animal welfare proposals, reiterating the importance of sticking to the promised timeline and delivering by the end of the year, to honour the demands of millions of European citizens.
We are pleased that animal welfare has been mentioned among the priorities for the coming months. Yet, we are disappointed that no concrete action or timeline has been provided, despite the many requests made by MEPs of various groups. We want to reiterate the importance for the EU to fulfil its commitments under the “End the Cage Age” ECI, which gathered more than 1.4 million signatures. Further delaying the publication of the proposals to the next term would be a democratic failure. As President von der Leyen recently said during her SOTEU address ”If it matters to Europeans it matters to Europe”, and we could not agree more, now though, we need to see it happen for the millions of Europeans who’ve been asking the European Commission to improve the lives of billions of animals
Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals
The EC initially committed to deliver the proposals for a revised animal welfare legislation, as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy, by the end of this year. With the EC expected to finalise its working programme in the upcoming weeks, the timeline for publishing them within the current term is becoming increasingly tight. The EVP-designate mentioned several times the need for more assessments and dialogues to be carried out, even if the impact assessment on the legislation has been finalised and despite the numerous opportunities all stakeholders had to contribute over the past years.
During the hearing, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Šefčovič also mentioned that the EC is finalising the Transport Regulation proposal. Having a finally renewed text on transport would be much welcome, however, delivering only one of the four proposals won’t meet the millions of citizens’ demands for better animal welfare. Indeed, the latest European Citizens’ Initiatives End the Cage Age and Fur Free Europe which collected 1.4 and 1.5 million signatures respectively, show that Europeans demand better protection for animals now. Only updating the live transport rules would leave billions of animals at the mercy of outdated legislation.
The European Commission can still fulfil the promise it made in June 2021 to millions of citizens, and millions of animals, to go cage free by 2027, but now is the time to act.
I don’t scale animal suffering, it’s ALL unacceptable, thus why I’m vegan. However, regarding this investigation into Spanish “farms” by Animal Equality, exposing the continued absolute horrors inflicted on animals, I’m just going to put out there that Spain is rated HIGHER than the USA in “animal welfare”. SL
Please sign petition HERE to receive plant-based recipes and verbalize your support of Animal Equality’s efforts to investigate and stop animal suffering. Animal Equality has infiltrated farms to show what consumers don’t know, and the livestock industry hides.
Animal Equality has investigated more than 170 farms since 2010. This year we present the evidence in September, collected from five Spanish pig farms during the months of May and June 2023.
In Spain there are regulations to protect (sic) pigs but there is a high rate of non-compliance; for example, they are subjected to painful procedures such as tail mutilation without anesthesia; additionally, the conditions of intensive exploitation cause many animals to die on farms or become sick and injured. The evidence corresponds to the fattening stage that begins after weaning and shows the life of the pigs before reaching the slaughterhouse.
Investigators witnessed the diseases and injuries typical of these farms, such as lameness, infections in the sows’ teats, wounds with pus, swollen genitals, and prolapsed uterus and anus. Uterine prolapse is due to the pressure of pregnancies and births to which sows are induced for production; the same abdominal pressure causes the rectum to be pushed outwards, this can be in pigs and sows.
Animals were also found with wounds on the backs, eyes, and legs, as well as lesions on the skin of the neck and shoulder. Additionally, the housing conditions were also documented: muddy floors with worms, flies, bugs; corpses of rats and other pigs, including one in a drinking trough.
The lifeless bodies of these animals were found in hallways, containers, and various spaces. It was common to see some pigs sniffing, licking, biting the ears, and abnormal growths in the stomachs of the dead. It is important to know that what we document is not an exception but the rule, as we have documented in various investigations, which is why it is necessary to adopt a cruelty-free diet, opting for plant-based alternatives or for English version HERE.
Read more HERE … Download Your free Vegan PDF HERE Order a free vegan kit HERE Dairy-Free Info HERE Take the Dairy-Free Challenge HERE Click HERE for more Dairy-Free Fish alternatives can be found HERE Learn about eggs HERE Find bacon alternatives HERE and HERE Take PETA’s Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide along with you next time you head to the store! The handy guide will help you find humane products at a glance. Order a FREE copy HERE Searching for Cruelty-Free Cosmetics, Personal-Care Products, Vegan Products, or more? Click HERE to search. Free PDF of Vegan & Cruelty-Free Products/Companies HERE Click HERE for clothing without suffering Click below for nominal, or no, fees to vegan literature that you can use to convince others that veganism is the only humane: PETA HERE Vegan Outreach HERE Get free Anti-Speciesism Activist Kit material from PETA HERE Click HERE for Well-Fed World’s Free Climate Food Guide PDF
Delhi: Over 40 NGOs, Rights Groups Participate In Rally Against Animal Cruelty
The rally was organised by India Unites For Animal Rights, a citizen-led movement. As many as 43 NGOs and animal rights groups, including PFA and Perroayuda Welfare Foundation, were part of the event.
People from different walks of life participated in a rally to raise voice against cruelty to animals at Jantar Mantar on the eve of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. During the rally, signatures for a petition addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his attention on the issue were also collected, an official statement from the organisers said.
“Our aim is to spread awareness about the plight of animals in the country and demand strict action against people who torture them. Through this rally we also wish to guide on how to manage pets and prevent dog bites which have become a tool to justify crime against animals,” Sanjay Mohapatra, founder of House of Stray Animals, an NGO participating in the rally, told PTI. During the rally, signatures for the petition ‘No More 50’ were also collected demanding amendments to the existing laws which deal with cruelty against animals. The petition is addressed to Prime Minister Modi.
“Whether it is goats exported live to the Middle East or camels and cows openly smuggled to Bangladesh, India’s animals are being cruelly exploited and murdered. The fine for crimes against animals is a laughable Rs 50,” the statement said.
There are estimated to be 40 mink farms and 30 chinchilla farms currently in operation in the country, farming around 1 million animals for their fur each year. The bill requires fur farmers to cease trade by 2027, with the state providing financial compensation.
After successfully passing a majority vote in the Seimas last week, President Gitanas Nausėda signed a bill banning fur farming into law on 27 September.
Lithuania is the 20th Member State to adopt legislative restrictions on fur farming, providing a clear signal that European citizens overwhelmingly support the end of the fur industry.
In the past year alone, citizens have written nearly 27,000 letters to decision makers to demand an end to the brutal confinement and killing of animals for fur. Lithuania has made history and put yet another nail in the coffin of the cruel fur industry.
Gabriele Vaitkevičiūtė, Tušti Narvai
An EU-wide ban is the next step to bring regulations into line throughout the Member States, as promoted by the successful European Citizens’ Initiative Fur Free Europe.
We’re thrilled to share the latest developments of the land for our new hospital. Two years ago we purchased 14 acres of land just outside Udaipur where we will build Animal Aid’s forever home. We now have zoning permission (an arduous process required before construction) and electricity has been brought to the land. This month, we were thrilled to engage an Animal Shelter Facility expert who will work with us throughout the design and planning phase over the course of the next several years. With the experience of managing the facilities and construction at one of Asia’s best animal shelters, Soi Dog in Thailand, for 10 years, we are incredibly lucky to have an expert of the highest caliber joining us in this landmark phase of Animal Aid’s history.
Thanks to your outstanding support over Animal Aid’s life-time, the future Animal Aid hospital and shelter will be one of the biggest and best multi-species hospitals for unowned animals in Asia. We will be greatly expanding our hospital services to include diagnostics like X-ray and in-house laboratory; we’ll provide various types of housing to specifically accommodate animals based on their species, condition and length of stay; we’ll have large pastures, walking trails and off-leash areas; and great facilities for our staff such as an on-site cafeteria, and so much more!
We look forward to sharing our milestones each step of the way. Thank you for making the future bright for animals. We couldn’t do it without you!
After chemo, Dev’s tumor shrank and his beautiful face returned
At first, Dev looked like he’d suffered a badly broken nose.Pus drained and his entire face was deformed from the swelling. We found him in a state of abject confusion and pain, pawing at his face. After catching him by net since he was very frightened and likely to flee as soon as we approached, we saw that it was a tumor open in several places and severely infected.
The tumor was so big thatone of his eyes was completely closed shut. We determined after testing that the tumor was a less common presentation of a cancer called a transmissible venereal tumor (TVT). TVT usually manifests in the reproductive organs but occasionally migrates to the face. TVT can be treated with chemotherapy, administered over the course of many weeks, and sometimes even months, depending on the dog’s condition.
With a tumor as big and infected as his, we could only hope that the chemo would take effect quickly. Thankfully he responded well, and the tumor began to shrink in size.
After enduring so much pain, Dev not only healed but his face returned to his base-line “handsome!” And best yet, he got back the sparkle in his eyes.
It looked like half of Jeeyo’s face was gone. But look at him now!
Our rescue staff who caught Jeeyo had to keep a cool head. To lose him now would be his death for sure. It was simply astounding that he was still alive. And strong enough to stand! Strong enough to try to get away. Maggots had filled a facial wound and consumed an unbelievable amount of tissue.
We did not know at all whether we had reached him in time to save his life. Indeed, when you see him thrive in the happy part of this video, you’re going to be amazed. We don’t like to use the word “miracle” when so much human effort has gone into the treatments, but even with all this effort, his complete recovery feels nothing short of miraculous. Meet Jeeyo today!
Thank you Bernie, for 4 years of non-stop loving help
When Bernie (UK) arrived at the gates in late 2019, she she was expecting to volunteer here for about a month. She’d closed her boutique shoe shop in London, rented out her house, and started a life of new adventure helping animals along the way.
And then came Covid. Travel became hugely problematic and Bernie decided to wait it out. Well, what the animals got in the deal turned into almost 4 years of non-stop loving help. Each day Bernie conducted nose to tail checkups for more than 100 dogs (including many disable) who live here permanently; she did daily care including cleaning eyes and ears; she became a massage artist, a dog whisperer, and regularly drenched herself in all kinds of weather to make sure dogs needing hydrotherapy received it.
A few weeks ago Bernie left for Sri Lanka to continue her adventures, scouting out new animal help centers where she can once again throw herself into assisting in whatever way she’s needed.
Saying goodbye was hard. Bernie has left a gap that only she can fill, and we look forward to whatever times ahead will bring her back to the family of Animal Aid, to which we feel she willforever belong.
New mailing address for donations by check! (cheque)
For those of you who donate by check, please save the address of our new PO box:
Animal Aid Unlimited
PO Box 94001
Seattle WA 98124-9401
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