Category: Farm Animals

Birds, Farm Animals, General News, Uncategorized

(UK) Secret video reveals gas chamber deaths of egg industry hens

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chickens-gas-chamber-video-tesco-b2760844.html

Exclusive: World-first footage exposed of birds past their egg-laying days being suffocated for supermarket meat

Monday 09 June 2025 17:26 BST

Secretly recorded footage reveals hens apparently writhing in distress and desperately trying to escape as they are suffocated to death to provide meat for supermarkets including Tesco.

In what’s thought to be the first-ever video of its kind, the birds are seen twisting their necks as they are killed with carbon dioxide. They are also heard gasping for breath and emitting high-pitched shrieks.

The recording – which activists say was made at an abattoir endorsed by RSPCA Assured – shows hens being lowered into the gas chamber and dying over the course of several minutes.

Hens were filmed apparently trying to escape from the crates before flopping back in; at times their eyes were open and they were calling (Joey Carbstrong)

Critics said the scenes laid bare the “horrors” behind egg production in the UK, including the fate of even free-range and organic hens.Hens whose egg production has declined are dubbed “spent”, before they are killed and their carcasses are packaged for meat.

Animal-lovers have for years objected to the gassing of pigs with carbon dioxide, warning the animals “burn from the inside out” and suffer immensely in the last minutes of their lives.

Last year 99 per cent of “spent” hens were stunned and slaughtered with CO2; and 77 per cent of meat chickens were killed this way, according to government figures.

In recent years carbon dioxide as a slaughter method has gradually replaced electrical water bath stunning, which raised concerns over the inconsistency of stuns.

Activist Joey Carbstrong said the footage highlighted the discrepancy between images of egg production and the reality (Joey Carbstrong)

The footage, taken with hidden cameras, shows hens – female chickens used for laying eggs – twisting in distress as they die, and some birds apparently trying to escape.

The floor of the gas chamber was littered with dead birds that had jumped out of the crates, according to activist, filmmaker and vegan advocate Joey Carbstrong, who installed the cameras.

Mr Carbstrong and other activists say they shot the video at an abattoir in West Yorkshire run by HCF Poultry. The company denies it was shot at its premises.

HCF supplies Cranswick Foods, one of the UK’s largest meat producers, which processes the hens into chicken-meat products widely sold in Britain.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by either Cranswick or the abattoir as using CO2 is an entirely lawful way to slaughter chickens. However, Mr Carbstrong said the video exposed “the callous treatment of free-range hens when they are no longer profitable”.

“This footage dismantles the industry’s carefully curated image of ‘happy hens’ and reveals the horrifying truth of how these sensitive birds are discarded,” he said.

The footage included a paper label with HCF’s name and address on it (Joey Carbstrong)

“The public are being misled by labelling and have a right to know the reality behind what they are buying.”

Mr Carbstrong added: “Egg-laying hens have been genetically manipulated to produce around 300 eggs per year – far beyond the 10 to 15 eggs naturally laid by their ancestor, the red junglefowl.

“This excessive egg production takes a severe toll on their bodies in multiple ways. Regardless of whether they are free-range, barn-kept or caged, most hens are crammed by the tens of thousands into filthy sheds, where disease runs rampant and cannibalism of dead and dying birds is widespread.

“After just 18 months of relentless exploitation, they are forced to experience a terrifying and agonising death, before being processed into food products.”

The Independent has previously revealed one case of hens being kept in “cruelly overcrowded” cages with insufficient water and another when sick and dying hens were found alongside living ones at a free-range egg farm supplying leading supermarkets as well as Marks & Spencer.

Around 35 million “spent” hens a year are killed for their meat, figures show. HCF can process 10,500 birds per hour, according to a document from 2018, the latest available.

Even free-range hens are put into gas chambers, activists say (Getty/iStock)

Jenny L Mace, an associate lecturer in animal welfare at the University of Winchester, wrote in a report on the footage that the most concerning findings were the high-pitched shrieks, gasping, collisions with equipment, and chickens falling against one another and out of the crates.

“Without use of a significantly less aversive gas or gas mixture, it is difficult to see how this method equates to a viable (high-welfare) replacement to the former slaughter method of shackling chickens upside down and stunning in a water bath, and a humane death,” she wrote.

She said CO2 caused respiratory distress, adding that describing it as an anaesthetic “may be misleading” because of the distress inhaling it causes.

“There is no suggestion of this case being a ‘bad apple’; this is standard practice and in accordance with legislation,” she wrote.

Egg-laying hens have been genetically manipulated to produce around 300 eggs a year, Joey Carbstrong said (Getty/iStock)

Andrew Opie, of the British Retail Consortium, said on behalf of Tesco and other supermarkets:“Our members know how important animal welfare is to their customers and take their responsibilities to animal welfare very seriously to ensure that expected standards are being met.”

RSPCA Assured said the birds in the footage were already unconscious and were not in pain.

A spokesperson said the footage was deeply upsetting but that carbon dioxide was permitted under RSPCA welfare standards, adding: “However, RSPCA standards set requirements that go above the law to ensure a more humane process.

“Due to their physiology, when birds lose consciousness their brains no longer have control over their bodies, which can cause involuntary movements as seen in the footage. This can be incredibly difficult to watch but the birds are actually unconscious when this happens, and are not experiencing pain.”

Cranswick Foods did not respond to a request to comment.

Farm Animals, General News, Uncategorized, Working Animals

(Egypt) Investigation uncovers horrific systemic abuse of animals …

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13865257/peta-investigation-horror-abuse-animals-cairo.html

Published: 22 September 2024

Top tourist destinations in Egypt are blighted by animal abuse, with horses and camels starved, beaten and left to die in squalor, an investigation has uncovered.

MailOnline has seen exclusive footage revealing the extent of cruelty inflicted upon animals by guides offering visitors tours of historic sites, documented in harrowing detail by animal rights group PETA.

Investigators said they found the bodies of animals dumped behind the great Pyramids of Giza on a daily basis, with horses and camels worked to the bone in miserable conditions.

Horrific footage showed euthanised animals, broken by long hours in 35C heat, left out to rot as crows and stray dogs pick at their carcasses. Some – starved to the bone and exhausted – are visibly still breathing, but too weak to get up.

More than 14 million people visit the Pyramids of Giza every year, bringing trade and tourism to Cairo. But with this number set to double by 2030, rights groups are calling for tourists to avoid exploitative traps that come at the expense of many lives.

Unsettling video taken in Cairo between 2023 and 2024 showed horses eating rubbish from skips or the ground, not properly looked after by the tour operators

Many appeared thin, struggling to stand on their own and struggling under the weight and heat of thick saddles and blinkered masks.

Ribs protruded from animals with dirty manes and mottled skin, swarmed by flies in undisclosed areas around the city. 

Across from them, about a dozen animals lined up to take the next group of tourists around historic sites.

Open wounds attracted midges, causing horses to squirm and writhe in pain with evidence of medicine or treatment. 

Those filmed still had saddles on their back, expected to continue working under the strain.

Others twitched as they lay on the ground with ropes embedded in their skin, eyes half shut as they tried to brush off flies with limp gestures. 

Bloodied ‘handles’ made from twine appeared to have been poked through the bodies of abused animals for easier control and manipulation.

PETA also documented how horses were whipped while being forced to pull carriages for tourists in Cairo.

Thin horses baring their teeth are seen outside the famous pyramids being beaten as tourists watch on unmoved.

Various draft animals are used to ferry visitors around the historic sites for a fee. 

Jason Baker, PETA Senior Vice President, told MailOnline: ‘No decent person would dream of climbing onto a horse or camel if they knew that behind every ride is a disturbingly cruel industry that physically abuses these sensitive animals up until the moment their exhausted bodies give out.’

He said that their investigation had shown how ‘half-starved’ animals at the Giza pyramids are ‘literally worked to death’.

If they collapse first, they are ‘whipped mercilessly to force them to get up and pull carriages or carry tourists’.

‘Most suffer from wounds, mange, and painful scarring and receive no treatment, then when they’re no longer considered useful, they’re dumped like rubbish or dragged to a slaughterhouse, where their throats are slit while they’re fully conscious,’ he assessed.

‘PETA’s shocking findings – and the Egyptian government’s shameful attempt to cover them up – sends a clear message to all tourists: avoid all animal rides like the plague.’

PETA’s investigation showed how camels, suffering from open wounds and infection, were also beaten in front of tourists.

Animals are seen with ropes through their faces and chains around their bodies, with loose skin hanging from bloodied lacerations.

The animal rights group said its investigators had come across dead camels with their throats ‘slashed’.

Footage showed camels limp or dead, some bleeding out, by the sides of roads as bystanders walked past reactionless. 

One live animal was left to sit next to the corpse of another slowly bleeding into the street with a large gash in its neck. 

Others, thin and weak from malnourishment, were seen being beaten with sticks to get up or dragged into trailers unwillingly on thick ropes.

Camels face a dire existence in Cairo; when no longer deemed useful, many are sold on to slaughterhouses.

Death in these abattoirs is a painful, grisly affair: footage showed live camels fully conscious as other working animals were slain, cut by the neck and left to bleed out on a cold, bare floor.

In an instant, another is approached from the front and slashed. But death takes some time. The animal cries out what it can as it writhes on the floor in pain.

One tries desperately to get up in its last act before collapsing and falling on its side. The chorus of screams continue around the building, bodies twitching for long, painful seconds before going limp.

For many thousands of animals, this will be the only life they know. Tourism contributes some 10-15 per cent of the Egyptian economy, incentivising keen entrepreneurs to cater their businesses to tourists.

But the scale and conditions of such abuse only exist due to lack of enforced regulation and the willingness of tourists to pay for such tours.

Video on Page

PETA revealed the lengths some guides will go to to stop the horrifying shadow of their operations coming out in their harrowing exposé.

Video showed how a man organising camel and horse rides called the police on a visitor after he began taking photographs.

Police, along with a representative from the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism, detained the man for nearly an hour and a half, PETA reported.

They allegedly ‘intimidated’ him, insisting he clear his memory card, before confiscating his camera.

On camera, the man is questioned over his documentation of the abuses.

Someone out of view says: ‘When you take photos coming to the pyramids, you can take photos of the pyramids, of the second… of the sphinx.

‘But it’s not allowed for anybody to take photos of the policemen, of the cart, of the camel, of the horses.’

The man apologises and is told: ‘Whether you are sorry or not, you did something wrong. You broke the law.’

They then tell him they are going to delete all of his photos ‘for the whole visit’ in a disturbing cover-up.

Egypt does have special rules about taking photos of historic sites due to potential damage from flash photography.

But the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism relaxed more general laws about street photography in 2022 after tourists and influencers complained about officials shutting down their photo opportunities. 

Taking photos of children is still not allowed, taking photos of adults requires written consent and taking photos of police or military is generally unadvised.

There is no clear law pertaining to the photography of animals. 

The man is seen on camera asking where they are taking him. He is told he will be taken to the Ministry. 

Another off camera denies working for the government, claiming to be a tour operator. 

Millions travel to Egypt every year to enjoy a rich history today synonymous with the height of culture and civilisation.

But behind the scenes, a sinister reality exists in stark antithesis to the wonders of human brilliance all around. 

New footage shows a pressing need for reform and awareness in a country where attempts to expose the truth are often repressed with force.

But until Egypt shows willing to tackle the issue, the industry will be propped up by tourists bringing demand.

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And yet some – indeed too many – are totally blind to what is going on right in front of them ..

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14770657/Tammy-Hembrow-slammed-animal-activists-Egypt.html

Tammy Hembrow slammed by animal activists for ‘cruel’ act in Egypt after trying to cover it up on social media

Farm Animals, General News, pets, Stray Animals, Uncategorized

(UA) Animals can feel good and evil’: film puts new perspective on Ukraine war

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/19/animals-can-feel-good-and-evil-film-puts-new-perspective-on-ukraine-war

Collection of seven shorts due out in 2025 tells story of conflict from perspective of animals

The occupying Russian soldiers paid little attention to the elderly woman shuffling through the farmland surrounding the villages outside Kyiv, taking her goat to pasture. But she was focused closely on them. After locating their positions, she headed back home with the goat, and later called her grandson, a soldier in the Ukrainian army, to give the coordinates.

The story is one of seven episodes, based on real events from the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion but lightly fictionalised, that make up a feature film about the war in Ukraine, due out later this year. All seven of the shorts have one thing in common: they tell the story of the conflict from the perspective of animals.

Continue reading …..

Producer Oleh Kokhan during filming. Photograph: Sota

Environmental, Farm Animals, Fish, General News, Uncategorized, Wildlife

(ES) Legislative proposal seeks to preemptively ban octopus farming in Spain

https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/legislative-proposal-seeks-preemptively-ban-octopus-farming-spain

28 May 2025

The opposition stems from serious welfare and environmental concerns: the extreme cruelty of confining intelligent, solitary animals like octopuses in farming conditions, the lack of humane slaughter methods, and the damaging impact such farms would have on fragile marine ecosystems.

The Spanish association of law professionals, INTERCIDS, has presented a legislative proposal to national politicians that aims to establish a proactive ban on octopus farming across the country. The proposal responds to the growing chorus of scientists, animal and environmental protection organisations, and citizens who have spoken out against octopus farming.

Although no industrial octopus farms currently exist in Spain or elsewhere, seafood multinational Nueva Pescanova announced plans to establish the world’s first industrial-scale octopus farming in the Canary Islands.

Submitted to the Parliamentary Association for the Defence of Animal Rights (APDDA), the proposal seeks to amend Spain’s national Law 23/1984 on marine farming/aquaculture in order to prohibit the farming of octopuses for food and any other productive purpose. It would also ban the commercialisation of octopus products derived from such activities.

Octopuses consumed as food are currently caught in the wild, primarily by small-scale fisheries. There are no existing legal frameworks regulating octopus aquaculture in Spain. Therefore, INTERCIDS’ proposal aims to close that gap preemptively by enshrining a ban into law that addresses the grave risks associated with the farming of captive octopuses.

The next steps for the proposal will depend on national politicians, who must decide whether they will move forward with submitting it as a formal legislative proposal to be approved by the Parliament in the coming months.

Birds, Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, pets, Stray Animals, Uncategorized, Wildlife

Animals in natural disasters / Helping animals in fires and natural disasters

With ever more natural disasters occurring thought ought to be given to other Animals, and how to protect and rescue them – when often, sadly, only Human lives seem to matter. This is, in our view, an impossible situation, and all of us are tasked to change it, with our own behaviour, going forward towards a world where equal consideration is given to all.

Animals in natural disasters
Helping animals in fires and natural disasters

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Firefighters bring cat back to life in dramatic rescue video

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A book worth reading on the Issue:

https://www.amazon.com/Filling-Ark-Welfare-Disasters-Animals/dp/B09N9YTTMF

When disasters strike, people are not the only victims. Hurricane Katrina raised public attention about how disasters affect dogs, cats, and other animals considered members of the human family. In this short but powerful book, now available in paperback, noted sociologist Leslie Irvine goes beyond Katrina to examine how oil spills, fires, and other calamities affect various animal populations―on factory farms, in research facilities, and in the wild.

In a new preface, Irvine surveys the state of animal welfare in disasters since the first edition. Filling the Ark argues that humans cause most of the risks faced by animals and urges for better decisions about the treatment of animals in disasters. Furthermore, it makes a broad appeal for the ethical necessity of better planning to keep animals out of jeopardy. Irvine not only offers policy recommendations and practical advice for evacuating animals, she also makes a strong case for rethinking our use of animals, suggesting ways to create more secure conditions. 

Farm Animals, General News, Uncategorized

(UK) Call to end sheep race is ‘urban wokery gone mad’

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdr5pjlpxmno

06.06.2025, BBC News, Sark

The event is a staple in the island’s tourism calendar

A Sark resident has described calls to end the island’s annual sheep races as “urban wokery gone mad”.

In a letter to the Sark Carnival Committee, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group (Peta) wrote “using animals as exhibits has no place in modern entertainment”.

Former owner of Stocks Hotel Paul Armogie argued the Sark Sheep Racing Festival, which has taken place for 30 years, was “part of rural heritage” and said it would be a “tragedy” if it ended.

The festival committee said it had not yet received a letter from Peta, but was seeking advice and would respond “in due course”.

Money raised at the event goes to a local charity subsidising prescriptions

Jennifer White, associate director of media and communications at Peta UK, said the sheep racing was “archaic, outdated and cruel to sheep”.

She said: “Just because something is called a ‘tradition’ certainly does not make it right.”

“We know that sheep are incredibly sensitive, often timid animals and being forced to race in front of noisy crowds would likely be very stressful for them,” she added.

Ms White said: “It’s 2025, we do not need to be treating animals like wind-up toys.

“The best things is for the event to be cancelled, for the sheep to be taken out and for it to be replaced with willing human participants instead.”

Mr Armorgie responded: “If there was any whisper the sheep were being harmed or in any distress then it would not happen.”

He added that as an animal lover, if he thought there was risk, he would be the “first to shout about it”.

The race takes place annually in July and sees sheep race with teddy jockeys tied to their backs.

It often sees almost 2,000 people travel to the island to spectate.

All proceeds from the event go to the Professor Charles Saint Sark Medical Trust, which helped subsidise medical care in the island.

In the past upwards of £30,000 has been raised.

Birds, Farm Animals, Fish, General News, pets, Stray Animals, Uncategorized, Wildlife

First report on world’s animal health reveals changing spread of disease impacting food security, trade and ecosystems 

https://www.woah.org/en/first-report-on-worlds-animal-health-reveals-changing-spread-of-disease-impacting-food-security-trade-and-ecosystems/

Published on 23 May 2025

Inaugural State of the World’s Animal Health report finds several animal diseases reaching new areas, with half of those reported able to jump to people.

Key findings: 

  • Animal diseases are migrating into previously unaffected ​​areas, ​​half (47%) of which have zoonotic – or animal-to-human – potential. 
  • Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals more than doubled last year compared to 2023, increasing the risk of further spread and human transmission. 
  • Access to livestock vaccines remains uneven around the world, with disease eradication efforts facing funding and political challenges. 
  • Antibiotic use in animals fell by 5​​% between 2020 and 2022 and expanding livestock vaccination globally would reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. 

23 May, PARIS – Infectious animal diseases are affecting new areas and species, undermining global food security, human health and biodiversity, according to the first State of the World’s Animal Health report.   

The new annual assessment, published by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), provides the first comprehensive review of animal disease trends, risks and challenges, from the uptake and availability of vaccines to the use of antibiotics in animals. Released ahead of WOAH’s 92nd General Session and its Animal Health Forum – where leading experts will gather to discuss vaccination and innovation in disease prevention – the report sets the stage for high-level discussions on how science-based vaccination strategies and emerging technologies can help address current and future animal health threats through a One Health approach. 

Among its findings, the report revealed the reported number of avian influenza outbreaks in mammals more than doubled last year compared to 2023 with 1,022 outbreaks across 55 countries compared to 459 outbreaks in 2023. 

The authors highlighted that, while the risk of human infection remains low, the more mammalian species such as cattle, cats or dogs infected, the greater the possibility of the virus adapting to mammal-to-mammal, and potentially human, transmission. 

“The spread, prevalence and impact of infectious animal diseases is changing, bringing new challenges for agriculture and food security, human health and development, and natural ecosystems,” said Dr.Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director General of WOAH. 

Bird flu, or high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), which has caused the culling or loss of more than 630 million birds in the last two decades was one of several animal diseases to affect new areas last year.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), which has traditionally affected sheep and goats in developing countries, has re-emerged in Europe while Africa swine fever (ASF) reached Sri Lanka, travelling more than 1,800 km from the nearest outbreaks, the report found.

Almost half of the WOAH-listed diseases notified to WOAH between 2005 and 2023 were considered a threat to human health with zoonotic, or animal-to-human infection, potential.

The report cited climate change and increased trade among the factors influencing the spread and prevalence of animal diseases. Many are preventable through a combination of vaccination, improved hygiene and biosecurity measures, but the report noted that access to animal vaccines remains uneven around the world.

“Alongside other measures, vaccination remains one of the most powerful disease prevention tools available, saving countless lives, preventing economic losses and reducing the need for antimicrobial treatments,” Dr.Soubeyran added. 

“To limit the spread of highly damaging diseases like avian influenza, foot and mouth disease and PPR, the global community must strengthen international cooperation and ensure equitable access to safe, effective vaccines, alongside other control measures.” 

Since 2006, WOAH has supported access to animal vaccines through its vaccine banks and currently operates two, one for rabies and one for PPR. As of May 2025, the WOAH Rabies Vaccine Bank has delivered almost 30 million dog vaccines to countries in Africa and Asia. However, progress towards ending rabies has stalled in recent years, with the percentage of countries reporting implementing control measures falling from 85 per cent to 62 per cent. 

The report also emphasised the importance of disease prevention for reducing the need for antibiotic treatment and limiting the development of drug-resistant diseases. 

By 2050, antimicrobial resistance is projected to cause livestock losses that jeopardise the food security of two billion people and result in a US$ 100 trillion economic loss if urgent action is not taken. 

The latest figures indicate that antimicrobial use, including antibiotics, in animals fell five per cent between 2020 and 2022, with use in Europe seeing the biggest decline of 23 per cent, followed by Africa at 20 per cent. However, one in five countries continue to use antimicrobials as growth promoters, which is discouraged by WOAH. 

“The indiscriminate use of antimicrobials contributes to antimicrobial resistance, which is a major threat to both animal and human health,” said Dr.Javier Yugueros-Marcos, Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Veterinary Products Department at WOAH. “The declining use of antibiotics in almost all regions is encouraging but further reductions can be achieved by prioritising preventative measures against animal diseases, with vaccination as an essential component of these.”  

WOAH calls for investments to strengthen national Veterinary Services, greater global and regional coordination and improved disease surveillance systems to scale up effective disease control. This includes developing and implementing advanced diagnostic tools to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals, enabling accurate disease tracking and trade transparency. 

Read the report – For interviews, please contact media@woah.org 

Key success stories on vaccination presented in the report 

  • In October 2023, France became the first EU country to implement a nationwide vaccination campaign against bird flu in ducks, which play a key role in the spread of the disease. The campaign helped reduce the number of outbreaks from a forecasted 700 to just 10, according to the report. 
  • Türkiye developed a new vaccine for an outbreak of FMD within just 37 days, vaccinating 14.2 million cattle – 90% of the national herd – and 2.5 million sheep within six months.  
  • The Philippines has now vaccinated millions of dogs against rabies with help of WOAH vaccine bank. In the past, the country received 500,000 doses of rabies vaccine through EU funding, leading to a noticeable decline in rabies cases.  

Farm Animals, General News, Uncategorized

(UK) Birmingham bull rescued by Hillside Animal Sanctuary

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/25222476.birmingham-bull-rescued-hillside-animal-sanctuary/?ref=rss

07.06.2025

A bull that was seen roaming the streets of Birmingham is now safe at a sanctuary in Norfolk (Image: Hillside Animal Sanctuary)

A bull seen rampaging through the streets of Birmingham has been rescued by an animal sanctuary in Norfolk.

West Midlands Police started to receive calls about the animal wandering around near New Bond Street in Small Heath at around 9.30am on Friday.

Videos soon started circulating social media, sparking hundreds to plead for his protection.

The team at Hillside Animal Sanctuary – based in Frettenham, near Norwich – received several calls from concerned members of the public and sprung into action to offer to take him in.

When he was not claimed by anyone else, the police and Birmingham City Council agreed and the team immediately set off to collect him.

“He arrived back with us at 2.45am on Saturday morning,” Hillside’s founder, Wendy Valentine, explained.

– Video on Page –

“Our patron Martin Shaw, a proud Brummie himself, is delighted that Liam, as we have named him, has been saved rather than being shot as so often happens in these situations.”

Instead of the heartbreaking alternative, Liam will now be able to “live out his natural life” alongside 750 other rescued cows at the sanctuary.

Birds, Farm Animals, General News, pets, Stray Animals, Uncategorized, Wildlife

(Balkans) What are the punishments for torturing animals in the Balkans and why does someone do it?

https://en.vijesti.me/bbc/726169/what-are-the-punishments-for-torturing-animals-in-the-Balkans-and-why-does-someone-do-it

“Thugs do not suffer any sanctions, even when a report is filed, there is no reaction from the authorities and that is the problem.”

Photo: Reuters

((Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.))

28.09.2024

The text contains disturbing details

A man from East Sarajevo shot a dog, then dragged it wounded along the street with a tractor, a pensioner from the village of Stajkovce, in the south of Serbia, beat a mare with a hammer and a pole, a six-year-old boy from Niš threw a kitten and ran over it with a scooter, a man from Leskov tortured a poisonous snake – these are just some of the creepy headlines lately that disturb people in the Balkans.

Some of the adult perpetrators are prosecuted or convicted, but as a rule, the punishments are mild or none, and that is why there are more and more cases like this, says Milica Ranković from the Feniks Animal Protection Association.

“People who have these kinds of mental problems are increasingly relaxed, because they see that there is no adequate punishment.

“Thugs don’t suffer any sanctions, even when a report is filed, there is no reaction from the authorities and that’s where the problem lies,” Ranković told the BBC.

And when there is a reaction, it is slow, and punishments are often conditional or just a warning, he adds.

The situation is similar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where because of the case from East Sarajevo, although the suspect was detained, protests were organized in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, demanding tougher sentences.

“There is enough violence against the weak, against women, children, animals… Enough!

“Monsters move freely among us, today it was a dog, and tomorrow it will be someone’s child,” said Mila Šarić, employed at the Veterinary Institute of the Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. transmissions H1.

What motivates people to be violent towards animals?

–Analysis by Marija Branković, professor at the Faculty of Media and Communications, Singidunum University*

Science today understands animals as sentient beings, which absolutely have the capacity to experience pain, fear and many other emotions.

Because of all this, violence against animals should alarm us as much as violence against people.

Based on psychological research, we know that there are complex explanations for violent behavior, it is impossible to attribute it to just one cause.

At the basic level, there are differences in people’s capacities for empathy, so we are talking about the expression of certain personality traits, which we call “dark traits” – psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism and sadism – which are associated with a tendency to aggressive and antisocial forms of behavior.

Research conducted in Serbia shows that these four personality traits are clearly related to a negative attitude towards animals.

However, this should not be understood as something that will necessarily manifest itself, because it always depends on whether this behavior is encouraged or punished in the environment.

Furthermore, we know for sure that aggressive and violent behavior is learned by model and not only in the family, but social beliefs and norms are also very important, therefore, the general climate in society.

And we live in a so-called post-conflict society.

These are societies of fear, in which people live with a sense of threat, insecurity, and mistrust, which all make fertile ground for violence.

Moreover, violence is justified and applied in the public and political sphere, especially towards dissenters, which means that at the highest and most visible level of society you have clear models of violent behavior.

It is not an exaggeration to say that violence is promoted and even rewarded, and it is certainly punished insufficiently and unsystematically.

* Marija Branković is Frpsychologist and research associate at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory and author of the book Psychology of humans and (other) animals

What penalties are threatened?

Bosnia and Herzegovina: The laws in the two entities differ – Republika Srpska (RS) i Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Anyone who severely abuses an animal or destroys animal habitats in a wider area will be fined or imprisoned for up to six months in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and up to two years in the RS. For more serious forms, when a material benefit has been obtained or a protected species has suffered, the prison sentence can be up to one year in the Federation, and up to five years in the RS.

Montenegro: Anyone who kills, injures or tortures an animal in violation of the regulations will be fined or imprisoned up to one year, and in the case of protected species, imprisonment from six months to five years.

Croatia: Whoever kills an animal without a justified reason or abuses it more severely, causes it unnecessary pain or exposes it to unnecessary suffering, will be punished with a fine imprisonment for up to two years or in more severe cases up to three years. In Croatia, the criminal offense of abandoning animals was recently introduced, which carries a penalty of up to one year.

North Macedonia: Torturing and killing animals is punishable by a fine and a sentence of up to six months in prison, and carelessness is also punished – if the animal is left without food and water, it can be obtained three months in prison.

Serbia: Abuse and torture of animals is punishable by a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years, writes in Criminal law, and for more severe forms up to three years and a higher fine. It is a criminal offense to organize animal fights and bet on them out of self-interest, for which the prison sentence is from six months to three years. Rulebook exact punishments for abuse of animals are also prescribed, for example, for a brown bear it is one million dinars, for a griffon vulture or a black eagle 500.000, for a wolf or lynx 300.000, for an otter 250.000, up to certain types of snails or frogs where the penalty is 1.200 dinars.

Associations are looking for a register of abusers

Legislation is completely fine in Serbia, but the problem is that it is not enforced, Milica Ranković points out.

“The same problem is in the entire Balkans,” she adds.

At the beginning of September, for the second time, the Feniks Association, together with ten other animal protection organizations from all over Serbia, sent an official letter to the competent ministries with a proposal to create a database on abusers and killers of animals.

They also request that systematic work be done on education and prevention of such cases from the earliest age – through creating empathy, but also to encourage reporting.

The state representatives were approached for the first time last year after the May tragedies, when the neighbors of Uroš Blažić, accused of mass murder in the villages of Dubona and Malo Orašje, claimed that mistreated animals.

However, the authorities never responded.

“It is devastating for our society, because it shows that it is not interested in dealing with violence.

“All associations from all over Serbia have the same experiences, we are all aware that such a database is necessary, the problems are the same and nothing has changed,” says Ranković.

Whether the introduction of such a register is being considered at all and what it would look like, the BBC did not receive an answer from either the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of the Interior.

TOMS KALNINS/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

A worldwide problem

In the past decades, there were many monstrous cases that filled the columns of the domestic black chronicle.

From Kerusha Mila, whose paws were cut off, to a video of a cat being doused with gasoline and burned alive, to individuals who kill dogs with a knife, sometimes petting them beforehand, and that’s how it is in the world.

The shocking number of cruelty to animals, which are found daily in the media or on social networks, are only the tip of the iceberg, because most are never reported, according to the website of the American association. Humane society.

Puppies, cats, horses and domestic animals are the most common targets.

According to their data, animal abusers are more often men under the age of 30, and sick collecting of animals, which is more often done by women over 60, is also considered abuse.

Cruelty to animals is strongly related to other crimes.

People who mistreat animals are five times more likely to be violent towards people, according to an American study by Northwestern University in Massachusetts.

Behavioral profiles of criminals by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regularly show that many serial killers and rapists tortured animals as children, writes the British association Peta.

Birds, Farm Animals, Fish, Fur and Fur Farming, General News, Hunting, Insects, Live Transport, pets, Religion/Philosophy, Stray Animals, Uncategorized, Vegan Recipes, Vivisection, Wildlife

Speciesism: The Root of Animal Oppression

https://www.idausa.org/campaign/farmed-animal/speciesism-the-root-of-animal-oppression/

We live in a world where we share our homes with some species, eat others, and exploit still more in myriad ways, depending on what we’ve been taught about how we should see and treat different species, and whether we should consider ourselves superior to them. Unfortunately, the misguided belief that some species are worth our moral consideration and protection and others aren’t is known as speciesism, and it’s causing immeasurable harm.

What is Speciesism?

Speciesism is a form of discrimination that considers one species superior to others. This mindset is based on the belief that humans have the right to dominate, use, and kill non-human animals for their own benefit. 

The term “speciesism” was coined in the 1970s by British psychologist and animal rights activist Richard Ryder, who introduced it in a pamphlet distributed as part of a campaign against animal experimentation in Oxford, England.

Why Is Speciesism a Form of Discrimination?

Like racism, sexism, homophobia, and all forms of discrimination against certain groups, speciesism devalues individuals based on arbitrary characteristics — and in the case of animals, their level of intelligence, their appearance, and if they have fur, feathers, and fins, or whether they walk on four legs instead of two. 

This perspective perpetuates the idea that we have the right to use, exploit, and kill other animals simply because they’re different from us. 

What Does Speciesism Look Like?

Speciesism is often the first form of discrimination we’re taught, and it manifests in two ways. The first is the belief in the supremacy of the human species over all other species. The second is viewing only certain species — such as animal companions and some wild animals — as worthy of care and protection, with some even considered part of our families. In contrast, most other animals are disregarded, and many are enslaved, tortured, and treated as commodities for food, entertainment, fashion, research, transportation, and much more.

Farmed animals are often depicted in marketing for food products as trivial, cartoonish characters, which strips them of their dignity and status as feeling individuals with their own personalities and preferences. Small family farms tend to be romanticized as wholesome places where animals live happy lives and are cared for by farmers. In reality, the basis of all animal farming is the exploitation and killing of sentient beings. Still, humans have compartmentalized their ethical views, allowing us to rationalize the cruelty and violence inflicted on animals we might otherwise be fascinated by and care about, all for our pleasure, convenience, advancement, habits, traditions, and tastes. Although it has been scientifically proven that humans can survive and thrive on a plant-based diet, most continue to consume the flesh, milk, and eggs of animals because we’ve been conditioned to believe that it’s “normal, natural, and necessary.”

Animal companions and certain wild species are granted some legal protections, while all other animals are not. Cruel practices and mutilations without anesthesia, such as castration, tail docking, burning off horns, and extreme confinement, are inflicted on farmed animals like pigs, cows, chickens, goats, sheep, and turkeys, yet would be considered horrific abuse by most in Western culture if done to dogs or cats.

If we would never subject a dog or cat to these practices, nor send them to a slaughterhouse to end their life, we must recognize that no animal deserves to be used or enslaved by us, nor to have such pain and terror inflicted upon them. Even the desire to keep some animals as companions has led to their exploitation through breeding and selling, prioritizing profit over their well-being, which inevitably results in neglect, abuse, and often death. Beagle dogs and rabbits, usually seen as ‘pets,’ are also tormented and killed in research labs.

How is Speciesism Justified?

Humans often try to justify their oppression of animals by saying that humans are the most intelligent species. Yet many animal species possess sensory and physical abilities that humans do not have.

For example, bats use echolocation — the ability to use sound waves to navigate and find objects — to navigate in complete darkness. Tiny wrasse fish can recognize themselves and others in a mirror, joining chimpanzees and dolphins in this rare skill. Octopuses excel at problem-solving and camouflage, altering the texture and color of their skin to blend into their surroundings. Birds like the Arctic tern navigate thousands of miles using environmental cues, including the stars and the Earth’s magnetic field. 

Chickens can recognize faces, form social bonds, and have memory and problem-solving skills on par with many other birds and mammals. Cows demonstrate empathy and many other complex emotions and can also solve puzzles. Pigs can navigate mazes and exhibit emotions and intelligence equivalent to a 3-year-old child.

Regardless, is intelligence truly the measure of whether someone deserves to be protected from harm by others? Some cognitively impaired humans are less intelligent than many animals. Does that mean we can also use and kill them? Of course not. No individual should be required to justify their right to safety and protection from human harm based on their cognitive or physical abilities. 

How Can You Be Anti-Speciesist?

Whether human or non-human, each individual thinks and feels and has their own subjective experience of life, deserving the right to share this planet with us without being dominated by us. Unlike all forms of discrimination that focus on our differences, we must focus on what all species have in common — our will and desire to live and be free, and our capacity for pain, suffering, and joy. 

If we would not tolerate discrimination and harm based on race, gender, or other differences, we must apply the same reasoning to speciesism and view it as equally unjust. 

To embrace liberation, justice, and compassion for all Earthlings, live vegan—the principle that calls on humans to live without exploiting any other animals.

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Excellent book on the subject, for more in-depth study:

https://www.amazon.com/Speciesism-Joan-Dunayer/dp/0970647565

Ryce Pub., 2004 – 204 Pages

Defining speciesism as “a failure, in attitude or practice, to accord any nonhuman being equal consideration and respect,” this brilliant work critiques speciesism both outside and within the animal rights movement. The author demonstrates that much of the moral philosophy, legal theory, and animal advocacy aimed at advancing nonhuman emancipation actually perpetuate speciesism. Speciesism examines philosophy, law, and activism in terms of three categories: “old speciesism,” “new speciesism,” and species equality.Old-speciesists limit rights to humans. Speciesism refutes their standard arguments against nonhuman rights. Current law is old-speciesist — legally, nonhumans have no rights. Dunayer shows that “animal laws” such as the Humane Slaughter Act afford nonhumans no meaningful protection. She also explains why welfarist campaigns are old-speciesist.

Instead of opposing the abuse or killing of nonhuman beings, such campaigns seek only to make abuse or killing less cruel; they propose alternative ways of violating nonhumans’ moral rights. Many organizations that consider themselves animal rights advocates engage in old-speciesist campaigns, which reinforce the property status of nonhumans rather than promoting their emancipation.New-speciesists espouse rights for only some nonhumans, those whose minds seem most like those of humans. In addition to devaluing most animals, new-speciesists give greater moral consideration and stronger basic rights to humans than they do to any nonhumans. They see animalkind as a hierarchy, with humans at the top.

Dunayer explains why she categorizes such theorists as Peter Singer, Tom Regan, and Steven Wise as new-speciesists.Nonspeciesists advocaterights for every sentient being. Speciesism makes the case that every creature with a nervous system should be regarded as sentient. The book provides compelling evidence of consciousness in animals often dismissed as insentient — such as fishes, insects, spiders, and snails. Dunayer argues that every sentient being should possess basic legal rights, including rights to life and liberty. Radically egalitarian, Speciesism envisions nonspeciesist thought, law, and action.