https://animallabourunion.org/
*************
What a wonderful site!
There’s more to explore!
Have a Look!!
Category: Farm Animals
This article below, written for The Independent (UK) national newspaper, by Danny; a well known journalist and AR campaigner himself, is a very well written account of events in Spain, Summer 1995, when campaigner Vicki was undercover filming and taking recordings of the ‘Bull Run’ held in the town of Coria.
Tragically, she was gored by one of the very same Bulls being tortured by locals and drunk tourists that day; one of the very same animals she was attempting to obtain footage of, in her campaign to get the Bull Runs STOPPED.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/protester-gored-by-bull-cried-for-animal-1593226.html
Vicki suffered terrible injuries as a result of her encounter with the Bull. Tossed into the air 10 times, and gored 11 times in the chest, back, groin and legs. She also suffered a punctured lung, had 8 badly smashed ribs, and lost one of her kidneys. She was in a coma for around 4 weeks.
Her husband Tony, said that she ‘burst into tears for the Bull’ when told that her attacking Bull has been shot and killed, as he was considered ‘too dangerous’.
http://www.faace.co.uk/accident.html
Vicki was a professionally trained actor and singer from the North of England, UK.
She was also one of those amazing people who put their life on the line in the defence of animals; a beautiful person in every sense.
Vicki was involved with FAACE – the Fight Against Animal Cruelty in Europe.
The Blood Fiestas – FAACE – http://www.faace.co.uk/blood_fiestas.html
http://www.faace.co.uk/bullfight.html
Below a ‘Darted’ Bull – Picture FAACE.
Vicki died on 6th February 2000. Thanks to her work exposing the Blood Fiestas and Bullfighting; major changes have happened in Spain much to the benefit of animals.
Her biography, called ‘Life on the Line’, has been written and is available now.
http://www.faace.co.uk/vicki.html#bio
Now, of course this is what it is .. the killing of animals. Which most, if not all of us, reject. For whatever reason.
Where it gets really difficult is when stuff is hidden, done illegally, behind closed doors – often with animal abuse being rife. Here at least people are open about what they do, how they do it – even if faced with people they know think differently.
In the end everyone has to make up their own mind. I have cats of my own, and nature made them meat eaters. Every commercial pet food contains meat, fish, offal, and often stuff that does not belong in there at all. In most cases the source materials are low quality, and as good as never do you know what animals they came from – meaning not the species, but how they lived and were killed. If chicken in a tin comes from Asia, you can imagine … I always read labels attentively.
So, I feed fresh often, where I can trace the source, and can be relatively sure I do not support animal abuse.
Part I and II
Being a caring Vegan nowadays … uphill struggle.
The Dover protest days; which lasted decades actually; along with many other protests at other ports in SE England at various times, united the British people; who turned out in massive force against this abhorrent business. We cried long and hard at what we were witnessing with every shipment; but despite the utter feeling of being so helpless; there were some good times – you have to have them sometimes; right ??
In the first video you can see us all being held by the police in order to get the livestock transporters down to Dover port as quickly as they can. But as the video also shows; if you cannot stop them near to the port; then you actually go to the port to take action.
As you can see; the trucks sped through as quickly as they could. Being England; weather conditions were often foggy, raining and just dangerous with 40 plus tonnes of livestock transporter rushing past. The police attempted to intimidate protestors by filming them anywhere and everywhere as you can see; but really they had ‘lost the plot’ and had no real control. I Mark was proud to be part of all this; if there were no live animals needing our support then we would have been at home with loved ones watching tv or something ?
It was risky given the trucks speeds and the weather conditions; to this day I an still amazed that nobody was killed; unlike our beautiful Jill who was killed by a truck whilst protesting against live calf exports out of Coventry Airport. She was too lovely a person to have had her life cut short by a calf carrying transporter.
Beautiful Jill – Coventry Remembered.
Unfortunately; today, 2025, the export of live, sentient beings across the world is still a massive business. but, the reality and cruelties of the trade are being exposed more and more all the time; take a look:
Here are all of our site links to the live animal export business:
https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=ive+transport
Phil; a personal friend, and Global CEO at London based Compassion In World Farming – https://www.ciwf.org/ often came to Dover to give us all his support.
Very recently, Phil wrote an article for ‘the Scotsman’; and asking the simple question – Why, after 100 years of refrigeration, are animals STILL being transported live ? I can only guess that money is involved a lot more than animal sentience. Here is a link to the article – a great read !
So; here we are today, June 2025; still fighting hard for a global ban on the live animal export issue. Like in the UK, it was a very long campaign; but in the end, 2024 saw all UK live exports STOP. And so may this result continue across the entire planet.
Regards Mark.
Things changed for me when i was a little boy aged 8 years:
My beautiful dog ‘Sheba’; given to me by my parents when I was five years; started me down the long road of having full respect FOR ALL living creatures.
In my personal opinion; this was, is, and forever will be; a good fight, worth fighting for 110%. Glad to have been involved !
Saturday 14 June 2025 10:43 BST
Despite these hardworking animals being so essential to survival, they’re often the last to receive the little water that’s available, writes actor Jim Broadbent
In the 1960s, my father, who was a sculptor, joined the group Free Painters and Sculptors where he met a brilliant woman, Nina Hosali, who co-founded animal charity Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) with her mother Kate in 1923.
Together, Nina and Kate would travel across North Africa to understand the difficulties facing local communities and their working animals. My father was very impressed by Nina and they became great friends, leading to my own support of the charity since the early nineties.
At that time, it was very unusual for two women to travel independently across North Africa and to be actively working with communities. It’s hard to imagine now how difficult it must have been and how brave they were. I can’t imagine the struggles they must have gone through venturing out into the desert to help working animals.
My wife Anastasia and I took a trip in 2006 to see the extraordinary work being done in Morocco by SPANA, and I felt privileged, in some small way, to follow in their footsteps some 80 years later. I remember visiting one of the centres the charity continues to run, where I saw donkeys being treated and animal owners receiving advice on animal welfare. We also travelled to more remote areas, where hardworking animals were helped by mobile vet clinics. We learned how working animals are vital to families and communities, particularly in low-income countries and the importance of their welfare.
Growing up in rural Lincolnshire, I was surrounded by friends with farms. They were mostly dairy farms, with fairly large herds of milking cattle. These animals were all appreciated and well looked after in a part of the world where we’re lucky enough to have largely clement weather and where animals benefit from access to clean water, nutritious diets and proper medical care. This standard of care was for me the norm.
The circumstances facing the people and animals we met in Morocco were very different. Working animals like donkeys, mules, horses and oxen are used much more widely, for tasks such as ploughing fields, transporting goods to market and collecting water – they are a real lifeline for their communities.
Obviously, it’s much hotter in Morocco, particularly in the summer months. We saw animals pulling heavy loads in extreme heat with little rest, which can lead to health issues such as dehydration, heatstroke and fatigue. At that time, animal owners had limited access to proper harnesses and, as a result, we saw animals suffering from wounds caused by ill-fitting and makeshift equipment.
Globally, the climate crisis is now making life harder for working animals and their owners. Many countries at the sharp end of the climate crisis are already experiencing more frequent droughts and water scarcity. The situation is worse for the most vulnerable, who are less likely to have access to clean running water because of inadequate water infrastructure.
The climate crisis is affecting every corner of the globe, with Morocco among the most hard-hit regions. There, they’ve experienced six consecutive years of drought due to record temperatures caused by climate change. This has led to increased evaporation and threats to water supplies.
And it’s working animals who many communities around the world desperately rely on at times of water crisis. They play a vital yet often overlooked role helping people carry huge amounts of clean water over long distances, often in the most challenging conditions.
It’s animals that help communities endure these desperate circumstances. But, despite being so essential to survival, they’re often the last to receive the little water that’s available.
That’s why, this International Working Animal Day, SPANA is urging governments around the world to prioritise inclusive water services that meet the needs of working animals and the people who depend on them, to ensure fair and reliable access for all. Having witnessed how central these animals are to the communities they support, and the suffering they endure, I’m proud to wholeheartedly add my voice to this call.
****************
Please also refer to …
Please remember this next time go to vote. Prime Minister Starmer could act IMMEDIATEY and stop this; but he does not.
Photo – Mark.
The UK Government has just released the 2024 Badger Cull figures – and they show that now, HALF of the UK Badger population has been murdered. And yet, despite this mass murder frenzy, the Labour Government is allowing yet more kill licenses to be issued in the form of 9 Supplementary Cull Zones:
https://www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/labour-issue-supplementary-badger-cull-licences-for-2025
Data just obtained from the excellent Badger Trust https://www.badgertrust.org.uk/ shows that a staggering 94% of Bovine TB, for which the Badgers are taking the blame, is actually spread by Bovine to Bovine transmission rather than Badger to Cattle. Who in their right mind ‘fixes a problem’ by ignoring 94% of it ?
https://www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/bovine-tb-focus-on-the-real-cause-not-the-badgers
Exposed – the politics behind the Natural England Controversial Badger Cull Licenses.
I will leave to review the links provided above, decide; and them take actions as proposed.
Regards Mark – and supporting ALL Badgers; as are many others.
Set to open in 2026, the shelter will provide safe refuge for up to 150 animals during disasters, including goats, cows, pigs and dogs
Date: March 14, 2025
WAYANAD, Kerala—A pioneering emergency evacuation shelter designed to evacuate animals prior to disasters like floods and landslides, is set to be established in Kottathara panchayat in Wayanad district, Kerala. Situated in a region prone to multiple hazards including annual floods, cyclones and landslides, this commitment marks a significant step forward in disaster preparedness for animals in India. The collaborative project will bring together the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the Wayanad District Disaster Management Authority, Kottathara Grama Panchayat and Humane World for Animals India (formerly called Humane Society International India) to make India’s first such shelter for animals.
The shelter, set to begin operating in 2026, will have the capacity to accommodate up to 150 animals such as goats, cows, pigs, dogs and cats. The single-story structure is expected to include dedicated space for a veterinary clinic and a quarantine area, along with storage and equipment rooms. The shelter is intended to serve as a model for similar facilities across the country.
Praveen Suresh, disaster preparedness and response team manager at Humane World for Animals India, said: “This is an historic moment for Kerala and India from both an animal welfare and disaster preparedness point of view. It is especially significant for Wayanad district with its growing need for a dedicated facility to evacuate and care for animals during disasters like floods and landslides. While the shelter will provide immediate medical care and relief, it will also serve as a long-term resource to support animal welfare in the community. We are grateful to the Government of Kerala and the State Disaster Management Department for approving this important initiative. This animal shelter highlights the power of collaboration between multiple agencies to safeguard animals and their communities and to strengthen disaster management efforts in India.”
Over the last seven years, Humane World for Animals India has gained a notable presence in Kerala through its disaster preparedness, response and relief efforts. During the 2024 Wayanad landslides, the organization’s rescue team aided over 180 animals. Along with partner organizations, Humane World for Animals India is working to make Wayanad a disaster-resilient district for both humans and animals. Among other activities, the organization is conducting capacity building programs for the community through outreach to schools and self-help groups like Kudumbashree. Once constructed, the shelter will serve as a hub for efforts to safeguard animals and the families who depend on them during disasters and a catalyst for continued commitment to build community resilience in the face of future emergencies that put humans and animals at risk.
Please also refer to ..
Published 13th Jun 2025, 06:00 BST
Sometimes, it feels like we’ll never learn. That our mistakes of the past are just waiting to resurface, to be repeated all over again. That our promises to do better are just window-dressing for a harsher reality. It seems particularly pertinent when anniversaries come round to remind us that something as wrong as exporting live animals over long distances, simply to be slaughtered at the other end, just aren’t necessary. And haven’t been for a long time.
And so, it was with a big sigh of disbelief that we heard the news earlier this year that Brittany Ferries was resuming live animal exports from Ireland to France. Dame Joanna Lumley and Pauline McLynn joined forces with over 120 high-profile individuals, experts and civil society organisations to condemn the decision.
Out of kilter
It seemed to particularly go against the grain as Britain had just banned live exports from Scotland, England and Wales to the continent only a year before. The ban from Britain in May 2024 finally enshrined in law the will of the people, many of whom had come out to protests around ports and docklands around the country for decades.
Finally, the voice of reason had been heard. Action had been taken to condemn a redundant and cruel trade to the history books where it belongs. Scientific evidence shows that when live animals are exported or transported long distances, they often suffer extremes of temperature and are deprived of rest, food or water.
It doesn’t take a scientist to know that putting sentient beings into lorries and taking them on journeys that can last days, causes them fear and distress.
While Great Britain introduced a ban on the live export of farmed animals last year, and Australia has announced the end of the live export of sheep by sea from 2028, the trade continues in the EU. It is a matter of shame that the EU’s current revision of its animal transport rules is appallingly weak. Journeys can last several days or even weeks, exposing animals to exhaustion, dehydration, injury, disease, and even death. Some 44 million farm animals annually have been found to be transported between EU member states and exported internationally, many of them on long distance journeys lasting eight hours or more.
The trade is flourishing owing to the rising demand for meat in some parts of the world: European companies are cashing in on the need to stock farms in countries such as Libya and Vietnam with breeding and fattening animals. For some countries – including Spain, Denmark, Ireland and Romania – livestock export is still seen as a key part of the farming economy.
Yet it is not only cruel, but also totally unnecessary.
Redundant for a Century
This year is the 100th anniversary of the invention of the first refrigerated truck. Made for the ice cream industry in 1925 by American inventor, Frederick McKinley Jones, it meant that chilled desserts, or carcases for that matter, could be transported over long distances and arrive in great condition.
From that day on, loading cattle, sheep and pigs into lorries to ship them abroad for slaughter was no longer needed. Instead, they could be slaughtered at a local abattoir and the carcases transported to wherever they are required. Refrigerated sea transport has an even longer history. In 1877, the French steamer Paraguay completed the first successful travel with its shipment of 5,500 frozen sheep carcases from Argentina arriving to France in reportedly excellent condition despite a collision that delayed the delivery for several months, thus proving the concept of refrigerated ships.
From that day on, we’ve never needed to subject live animals, often young animals just weeks old, to long distance sea journeys for slaughter or fattening again.
Blind persistence
Yet, we carry on despite clear evidence that doing so causes profound harm. Recommendations published recently by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), identified multiple welfare concerns in the transportation of live animals including “group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, respiratory disorders, restriction of movement, resting problems and sensory overstimulation”.
The EU is believed to be the world’s biggest live animal exporter. What fuels this outdated trade? Not need. Not compassion. Just cold, hard cash. A backward pursuit of an outdated economic model whereby animals are treated as inanimate objects and where farm specialisation has fuelled a trend towards fewer, but larger farms and slaughterhouses. Against this backdrop, meat producers aim to minimise production and slaughter costs, maximise revenues and optimise economies of scale by exploiting cost differences between member states.
spirit, innocence and blamelessness renders them defenceless in the face of unyielding, uncaring and backward-looking practices.
To throw another pertinent anniversary into the mix, this June sees the tenth International Ban Live Exports Day raising awareness of the scale and impact of these cruel journeys by land and by sea and sending a clear message to the companies that profit from this misery that it is totally unacceptable. Brittany Ferries, are you listening?
Philip Lymbery is Global CEO of Compassion in World Farming International, President of EuroGroup for Animals, a Board Member of the UN Food Systems Advisory Board, a former United Nations Food Systems Champion, an animal advocate and award-winning author. His latest book is Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future.
*********
https://www.suecoe.com/artworks/categories/43-sheep-of-fools/
World Animals Voice 