Recent research by the Italian magazine “Repubblica” documents the animal suffering and environmental impact caused each year in Europe by illegal fishing.
The report, entitled “La Guerra del Tonno Rosso”,“The Bluefin Tuna War”, deals primarily with the problems that arise in connection with the commercial catch of a fish whose meat is internationally traded as a valuable commodity.
The market for bluefin tuna, also known as bluefin tuna, caught in the Mediterranean is worth billions of euros a year.
The high market value is decisively influenced by the demand from Japan, which, according to the Repubblica, consumes 90% of the tuna caught in the Mediterranean.
Animal Equality, has documented both the natural behavior of tunas underwater, and the plight of the bluefin tunas who are brutally killed. Bluefin tunas are able to feel pain and suffering like any other animal. This slaughter in Carloforteis a cruel practice that must stop immediately.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
• Unnaturally high densities of tuna at the catching stage presented a significant stressor to individual animals.
• Fish were dragged from the ocean with giant sharp metal pick hooks and brought onboard ships.
• Extensive tissue damage was caused by the piercing, blunt hooks, and this is likely to have inflicted acute pain on the fish, who was still alive and conscious.
• The suspension of the tunas’ body weight caused the further tearing of tissues as a result of gravity working against the hook.
• The struggling, frantic movements of the tuna whilst suspended in the air indicated that the fish were in pain and stress.
• Fish were observed being repeatedly stabbed with knives in the thoracic (chest) region and major arteries, causing death via exsanguination.
• Animals were slaughtered in the presence of conspecifics which is likely to cause additional stress.
Every year, from late May to early June, hundreds of bluefin tuna are caught in traps called “tonnaras” as they migrate to their spawning areas.
“Tonnaras”is a complex system of nets in which the tuna are caught and then slaughtered.
Every year thousands of individuals suffer and die during the well-known “Tuna Slaughter of Carloforte” on the island of San Pietro.
In the Mediterranean, tuna are mainly caught in mobile traps.
However, fixed traps are still used during the slaughter of Carloforte off the southwestern coast of Sardinia.
On the migration to their spawning areas, the tuna are forced to swim through a system of fixed nets that lead into several enclosed areas.
After they have passed these “net tunnels”, they reach the “killing zone” where the animals are herded together and slaughtered.
VICTORY! After a decade of pressure from PETA!
PETA (and animals) just claimed a historic victory when fashion retail giant PVH Corp. — the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and others — announced that it would ban exotic-animal skins across all its brands!
Every alligator-skin or snakeskin purse, belt, or shoe is made from skinning someone who didn’t want to die a violent, bloody, and painful death.
PETA and our affiliates have documented and exposed that in the exotic-skins industry, alligators’ necks are hacked open and metal rods are shoved into their heads; snakes are pumped full of water to loosen their skin, which is then peeled off, often while they’re still conscious; and feathers are yanked out of ostriches while they’re still alive.
This win comes after a decade of pushing from PETA and will prevent countless snakes, crocodiles, ostriches, and other animals from being warehoused and killed in the fashion industry for their skin.
Alligators are social animals who like to hang out in groups and use a range of bellows, growls, hisses, and roars to communicate with each other. They make great mothers, too, and are known to use tools.
When they’re not killed for boots, they can live for up to 50 years!
Snakes are generally shy animals. King cobras are cautious parents, and some snakes even give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. You don’t need much more than a snake’s eyesight (which is poor) to see that these animals are sensitive individuals and that no modern brand should profit from killing them to make garments that could be made out of vegan materials instead.
Wildlife biologists also point out that capturing, imprisoning, and killing wildlife is not only cruel, it can also cause pandemics – like those we are all currently going through.
This isn’t our first victory when it comes to the company. In 1994 Calvin Klein became the first major fashion designer to stop selling fur after PETA supporters occupied its office in New York, in 2013 PVH pulled all items made of angora off its shelves in response to PETA Asia’s investigation into angora rabbit farms in China, and in 2019 PVH made the compassionate decision to remove all mohair items from its stores by 2020.
And now it joins the ranks of Brooks Brothers, Jil Sander, Chanel, Diane von Furstenberg, HUGO BOSS, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, and many others in banning exotic skins.
PETA Victory! Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein Owner Ditches Exotic Skins
And I mean… The precious skin is peeled off, the innards cut out, the meat packaging. This is the most money to be made in this creepy business.
In Thailand, Africa, Zimbabwe and Vietnam the animals are kept in huge breeding and slaughter farms and processed en masse into leather and meat. Even products of the endangered Siamese crocodiles are exported.
Handbags made of crocodile leather bring the equivalent of a little more than 2060 euros. A suit made of crocodile skin costs around 5000 euros.
For the meat, there is a good 7.50 euros per kilogram and the bile and blood of the animals can also be turned into money because the fluids are said to have healing properties.
This is how the reptile business works in breeding farms in many Asian countries.
The decisive blow against this industry can only come from above if we apply organized and massive pressure
Big fashion designers stop selling exotic leathers, that’s the solution!
If brainless buyers can’t find an exotic bag on the shelf, this chapter is over.
It is that simple!
It is simply immense animal cruelty under the guise of trade benefit and primarily, profit by those who do not care about much else other than what goes into their bank accounts and back pockets.
I personally hate and feel very sorry for the low life people that work in this business. Normally I do not hate; but in the live export case I make exceptions !
I have been directly involved with UK (English) live animal exports for 30 years, maybe more now. Philip (CEO at CIWF) and I became good friends in all the campaigning years at South East English ports where live animals were exported. We still communicate regularly.
Here is a picture of me from ?- lets just say many years gone by when we were at Dover harbour in Kent, England; campaigning against live calf exports; the issue of this post now. They were sad times for all the campaigners involved; witnessing the baby innocents being shipped to foreign lands for financial gain only.
Photos – Putting the (then) UK Prime Minister John Major MP into the veal crate instead of the calf – how do you like it John Boy ?
As a campaigner against the trade at Dover; you always heard the calves way before you actually witnessed the transporters arriving with them at the docks. Why did we always hear first ? – because they are / were mere babies; deprived of their mothers milk; calling out for the mothers that they would never see again because of the ‘want’ by the human species to require some bovine milk for their cup of tea or coffee every morning.
All animals going for export suffer in the live trade. There is the silence of the (baby) lambs; the immense crying of the (baby) calves; and the pigs and the horses who make noises probably and simply because they are not happy in their situation.
You can read a lot more, with one link giving route to an undercover investigation for Irish calves going to Cherbourg in France; by clicking on the following:
The link, is to ‘Serbian Animals Voice’ (SAV, which is the sister site to this (WAV); and was founded by myself to help stray dogs and cats in the Balkans back in 2oo5.
Your contribution and actions:
Now I am asking for your help and support to aid Philip and the crew at CIWF (London), as putting massive pressure on UK governments is vital to getting this abhorrent trade stopped for once and all.
The following is largely copied directly from CIWF campaigning.. Action links are also provided; and this is the essential route where I personally ask for your support.
(From CIWF) – Dear Mark,
Together, we scored a big victory for calves last month: the courts REJECTED the Scottish Government’s request to INDEFINITELY DELAY our Judicial Review of live calf exports.
However, our legal battle rages on – and we must ramp up the pressure on decision makers who are still prepared to defend this vile trade in court.
The legal battle against British live calf exports rages on – and we must maintain momentum to deliver justice for calves.
As you may know, Compassion’s Judicial Review of the appalling trade in unweaned calves from Britain to the Continent is set to be heard in court in the autumn.
Thousands of compassionate people have already lobbied the Scottish Government to drop its opposition to the case.
Following those emails, it has indicated it may consider reviewing its live exports policy.
But the Scottish Government is still fighting us in court – and Defra, acting on behalf of the UK Government, is backing them.
Given that UK decision makers have repeatedly pledged to end live exports for fattening and slaughter, this is a bitter betrayal.
Please, help end this hypocrisy: urge the UK Government to drop its legal defence of cruel calf exports.
ACTION – tell the UK government to stop defending calf exports:
But it is still fighting CIWF in court – and Defra, acting on behalf of the UK Government, is still supporting them.
UK decision makers simply cannot get away with protecting a trade they claim to want to end. Do they really want to use taxpayers’ money to defend animal cruelty?
ACTION: Urge Defra to drop its oppsition to the CIWF calf court case:
The case: journeys over eight hours for unweaned calves are not permitted unless, after nine hours of travel, they receive a one-hour break for rest, water and, “if necessary”, food. In practice, the calves can only be fed when unloaded at an appropriate facility. For calves exported from Scotland, the first time this happens is in Northern France – which means they can go up to 23 hours without food.
The aim: a court ruling that these journeys are unlawful, because the legal requirement for food during travel isn’t being met.
If we win: British live calf exports could not continue in their current form, which could spare thousands of animals every year from unnecessary suffering. Plus, since UK and EU legislation on live transport are identical, the case could trigger action across Europe.
For the first time in Germany, African swine fever was detected in a wild boar. This was confirmed by Agriculture Minister Klöckner. The region’s farmers are on alert.
The African swine fever, which is highly contagious and mostly fatal for domestic pigs and wild pigs, has reached Germany.
“Unfortunately, the suspicion has been confirmed,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner on Thursday in Berlin. The epidemic has been present in Europe for years and has apparently been introduced to Germany from Eastern Europe. More carcasses in the region are now being sought.
“The virus is extremely infectious and easily transmitted,” said Klöckner. Therefore, so-called restriction areas must now be defined. This means areas in which the disease is suspected. In the affected state of Brandenburg, where the infected wild boar carcass was found, the first villages are to be cordoned off today.
However, the consumption of pork is harmless: “African swine fever is harmless to humans,” said Klöckner. “Even contaminated meat can be eaten by the consumer without any problems” (!!!)
The wild boar carcass was found on the German-Polish border on Wednesday. The suspected case was then checked on Thursday night by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, which, as a national reference laboratory, clarifies suspected cases.
“We analyzed three samples and the results are clear,” explained the head of the institute, Thomas Mettenleiter.
The carcass in Brandenburg had already rotted heavily. “So it has been a long time since the virus may have spread,” said Mettenleiter.
Farmers are very concerned about the economic impact.
With the current evidence of swine fever, Germany is losing its “disease-free” status and there could be a risk of export bans for pork to non-EU countries, such as Asia.
One thing is certain: in the event of an outbreak among domestic pigs, all animals on the farms affected must be killed.
And I mean…A few days ago we received great reports from the conservative media..“When examining pork and pork liver, researchers in Germany found hepatitis E viruses in more than ten percent of all samples”.
Great!
Now we’re getting a visit from a new terrorist group, that of the pig front. It doesn’t look good for farmers, farmers threaten high losses.
Great!
So… we still haven’t lost hope that the new terrorist will do a better job than his predecessor, this weakling Corona.
Hundreds of workers have tested positive for Covid-19 at meat plants across the world
New Study Shows Virus Survives on Contaminated Meat
Over the past few months there has been much in the news about serious outbreaks of Covid-19 affecting workers in meat plants and slaughterhouses in several countries, including the UK. Hundreds of workers have tested positive for Covid-19 at UK meat plants in Anglesey, Wrexham and West Yorkshire. Major outbreaks have also occurred in Germany, France, Spain and the US.
These outbreaks represent serious issues of worker safety and public health, with much of the focus being on the conditions for workers and their potential to spread Covid-19 amongst themselves and their communities.
However, much less attention has been focused on the possibility of meat becoming contaminated in these highly infected slaughterhouses.
Recent research published by Dale Fisher and colleagues from the National University of Singapore has found that the Covid-19 virus can survive on frozen meat and fish for up to three weeks, prompting warnings that contaminated food imports could have the potential to cause new outbreaks of Covid-19, demonstrating a clear potential public health risk.
The paper comes against the backdrop of otherwise unexplained outbreaks in several countries, including Vietnam, New Zealand and China, where the virus had previously been eradicated.
The possibility is not new: food safety agencies have admitted the possibility of meat contamination. Meat processing facilities are cold, damp indoor environments and provide ideal conditions for the Covid-19 virus to linger and spread. There is evidence that coronaviruses can survive at low temperatures on stainless steel, for example, a common environment in abattoirs, for up to 28 days.
Not surprisingly, the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) has sought more information on the potential for persistence of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, on foods traded internationally as well as the potential role of food in the transmission of the virus.
Calls for Testing
I wrote independently to the Executive Directors of both the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to raise the question. I asked, in view of the potential risk, what measures they will be taking to test meat products for the home market and for export.
While responding politely, the agencies have so far dismissed my concern.
According to their view, the essential point is that Covid-19 is a respiratory disease, not a food-borne disease, and so meat is very unlikely to be a vector for the spread of the coronavirus – even if it comes from a slaughterhouse where large numbers of workers have been infected.
The fact is we simply do not know how much of a role contaminated meat is playing in radiating the virus into the wider retail meat sector. The latest research from the University of Singapore suggests that more attention is needed and, at the very least, testing of meat for contamination before shipping would be a wise precaution.
That is why I have repeated my call to both the FSA and EFSA to take the precautions necessary including testing of meat products for viral contamination.
With Covid-19 proving so persistent and having such profound effects on society, every sensible precaution should be taken to close down possible routes of transmission, which surely includes testing meat to make sure that we’re not putting contaminated food in our shopping basket.
Written by Philip Lymbery – CEO of Compassion In World Farming (London UK); and a personal friend with whom I have campaigned long and hard on the issue of live animal exports / intensive farming, for many years.
A man (in my opinion) who very much knows what he is talking about !
Advocate General misses the point on alternatives to slaughter without stunning
10 September 2020
Today the Advocate General of the Court of Justice released its non-binding opinion on the possibility for EU Member States to adopt a national ban on the slaughter without stunning, following a request made by the Belgian Constitutional Court.
Animal welfare remains basically forgotten in today’s opinion not permitting Member States to adopt rules which provide both for a prohibition of the slaughter of animals without stunning, and for an alternative stunning procedure for the slaughter carried out in the context of a religious rite (i.e. reversible stunning).
Even if the final opinion depends on the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice, Eurogroup for Animals is concerned about this judgement. While so much emphasis is given to the freedom of religion enshrined in the Slaughter Regulation by Art 4.4., it does not equally consider the provision laid down in Article 26.2 (c), empowering Member States to adopt “national rules aimed at ensuring more extensive protection of animals at the time of killing than those contained in this Regulation in relation to […] the slaughtering and related operations of animals in accordance with Article 4.4” .
Despite the opinion seems favourable to the adoption by Member States of technical conditions which seek to minimise the suffering of animals at the time of killing, it is negative towards the adoption of reversible stunning, which would allow for the conservation of the rites while preserving the welfare animals.
Eurogroup for Animals and its members will continue working to make sure that all the animals will be properly stunned before being slaughtered.
Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals
“In 2020 we should not think that, as cited in the opinion, animal welfare and religion ‘often sit uneasily’, as technology and best practice are there to guarantee that both values are respected at the same time”, commented Reineke Hameleers, CEO at Eurogroup for Animals.
Scientific evidence has unambiguously shown that slaughter without stunning is incompatible with the welfare of animals. It must also be noted that acceptance of stunning methods is increasing among religious communities, as demonstrated by the declaration made last year by Ismailaga Cemaati, the largest Islamic group in Turkey, announcing that stunning animals prior to slaughter is acceptable and Halal.
“This is just an opinion and in the past we witnessed that the CJEU rule can be different from the not-legally binding Advocate General advice. Eurogroup for Animals and its members will continue working to make sure that all the animals will be properly stunned before being slaughtered” added Hameleers.
Approximately 2,000 pigs have died in a shed fire on a farm in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland.
The farrowing house which was located at Glenmarshal Pedigree Pig, comprised a shed where 140 sows and their piglets were kept, was destroyed by the blaze which broke out on 7/9/20.
We understand that approximately 2,000 pigs in total have died as a result.
The Northern Ireland (NI) Fire and Rescue Service was called to the farm at 20:54 BST on Monday evening to attend to the fire, which is understood to have been accidentally caused by an electrical fault.
The fire was brought under control at approximately 11.50pm.
Special animal rescue teams worked alongside fire crews at the scene.
Owner Trevor Shields, who praised the fire fighters for doing a “tremendous job”, said: “It is very emotional, it’s actually difficult for me to even talk about it.
“Our losses are quite substantial because this is one of the top breeding farms in Europe and there’s bloodlines that have just been wiped away. We’ll just have to put the pieces together and get over it because they are gone.”
Some of the bloodlines believed to have been lost may still be on the farm in other parts, but there will be some of the lines lost could go back as far as 40 years.
Mr Shields said he was told the cause of the blaze is likely to have been an electrical fault and the Fire Service is treating it as an accident.
Mr Shields said Glenmarshal is a well-known name in the pig breeding world and a regular prize-winner at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society’s Balmoral Show.
‘Difficult conditions’
Four fire engines were called to the scene.
Assistant Group Commander Martin Healy said they arrived to a well developed blaze and they “worked in difficult conditions to prevent the fire spreading to adjacent buildings”.
He said it was “a very difficult scene to witness” and he was thankful they were able to stop the fire spreading to other sheds where more pigs were housed.
Special animal rescue teams worked alongside fire crews at the scene.
White striping disease found in 85% UK supermarket chicken
7/9/20
An investigative report by the Humane League UK has uncovered that eight in ten samples of standard chicken in the UK showed white striping disease.
Particularly badly ranked supermarket discounters Asda, Aldi, and Lidl with white striping present in 94%, 92%, and 92% of their standard own-brand chicken respectively.
In comparison, just 11% of organic and free-range chicken presented the disease.
White striping is a muscle disease linked with rapid growth and development and appears as thin white lines that run across the poultry, mostly impacting the breast area. It is, however, not only a visual representation of the cruel rearing conditions chicken suffer, but also impacts the quality of the products: The disease lowers the nutritional value of chicken as it increases the fat content; by as much as 224 percent as some studies have shown. Furthermore, it has been shown that the disease can reduce protein content by up to nine percent and increase collagen by ten percent.
Yet again, this new study highlights the importance and urgency of supermarkets to move away from fast-growing breeds of chicken.
One way to do so is by adopting the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), which bans this form of breeding. Animal welfare advocates call on UK supermarkets to commit for better welfare and public health.
It has to be remembered that, Mike Moser was the former CEO of the British Fur Trade Association and worked in the fur industry for over ten years. No doubt, as the voice for the animal abusing fur industry, Moser spoke out about the actions of animal rights activists against the trade, telling everyone ‘how good’ the fur trade was for animal welfare at every opportunity that came his way.
We now kind of welcome (but still have real doubts) that he has finally seen the light and has (especially with his past personal involvement in the business) decided to do a complete U turn and allegedly speak out about the abuses suffered by animals the world over on fur farms. If you need any proof of this, we can supply dozens of links; but here is literally one we posted only yesterday:
But we are extremely cautious about this change; Moser was in the highest position in the BFTA and in the past would deny the terrible conditions for the suffering animakls, and also speak out against expose by the animal rights activists whenever he could. No doubt as CEO of the BFTA he was also paid a half decent salary !
Can a leopard change its spots ? – we would like to think so but as stated, we are very cautious about it all.
This morning (9/9/20) Mark (WAV) and Mark Glover at ‘Respect for Animals’ (Nottingham, England) – http://www.respectforanimals.org/about/ has a good talk about this particular issue especially. Mark Glover originally founded ‘Respect’ and is a totally seasoned campaigner and has dedicated his entire life to exposing and speaking out against the fur trade. We very mmuch admire his professionalism and dedication to the cause. We worked with ‘Respect’ by providing lots of evidence regarding the fur farms in Serbia, which have now all been closed by the recent Serbian fur ban. Much of the work at the Serbian end must be attributed to Slavica; who we sadly lost recently.
Mark (Glover) also provided some very encouraging news regarding Poland – see the video on the first link above. He forwarded on to us some information which is hot news today which we wish to share with you –
Poland – Ruling party plans to ban fur farming, use of animals for entertainment
Poland’s ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) plans to file a bill banning fur farming and the use of animals for entertainment purposes. The legislation is to go to the Sejm (lower house) still this week.
Earlier on Tuesday, PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński said Poland needs new animal protection legislation, and voiced hope for the bill’s support above political divisions. He added that the proposed laws were motivated by humanitarian considerations, and strove to raise animal protection in Poland to western-European standards.
The new laws ban fur farming with the exception of rabbits, and all use of animals for entertainment, including their use in circuses. Also foreseen is the stricter control of animal shelters and the establishment of a council for animal affairs under the agriculture minister.
Mark Glover was involved with UK live exports for a while; and so Mark (WAV) gave him some information on the current situation and the continued use of the ‘Joline’ vessel by Dutchman Onderwater out of Ramsgate.
It was a great chat and I closed by wishing Mark continued success with Respect and being a huge voice for animals suffering in the fur trade.
Regards Mark (WAV)
———————————————————-
‘I saw animals in cages, stressed and suffering’: Former fur trade boss calls for UK sales ban
Mike Moser, who has visited fur farms across the globe, said sales of fur have “no place in modern society”.
The former CEO of the British Fur Trade Association has called on the prime minister to ban fur sales in the UK.
Mike Moser, who worked in the fur industry for a decade, described it as “anachronistic, barbaric and unnecessary”.
In an exclusive broadcast interview with Sky News, he said: “I visited fur farms across the globe. I saw animals in cages, stressed and suffering…prime minister I’m calling upon you to stop this inconsistency, to stop this cruel practice and to ban the sale of fur – now.”
Fur farming was banned in the UK in 2000 after a consultation found overwhelming public support for the move.
However, the UK still imports foreign-farmed fur including fox, rabbit, mink, racoon and chinchilla, which Mr Moser believes is “inconsistent, ambiguous, and hypocritical”.
He told Sky News: “Fur is not a necessity. It’s for vanity. In 2020, there is no justification for fur – full stop. That an animal is caged for its entire life is wrong.”
He says the fur trade “has no place in modern society” and “is out of place and out of time”.
He claims it was coming home to his pet labrador after visiting fur farms overseas that made him increasingly question the ethics of keeping foxes and raccoon dogs in wire cages for their entire lives.
He added: “It’s a big U-turn for me, but it’s OK to change your mind and I would implore people who are considering buying fur to change their minds.”
Mr Moser resigned from his role as chief executive of the British Fur Trade Association after he gave evidence at a parliamentary inquiry launched due to a Sky News investigation into the mis-selling of real fur as fake.
We found major high street stores were advertising products as “faux” fur when in reality they were rabbit, mink, fox, raccoon dog, and most consistent with cat.
After Sky News presented the findings in parliament, the select committee concluded retailers were failing consumers and recommended a public consultation on a fur ban should take place.
Mr Moser told Sky News: “As soon as the committee report was published, I resigned. I resigned from the fur trade because I could no longer in all good faith, and with a good conscience, defend what I believe to be indefensible.
“I no longer believed it possible to raise animals in cages and maintain good welfare. I no longer believe in the right of the industry to exist when its product, the fur is produced solely for vanity.”
During his 10 years working for the fur industry, Mr Moser visited farms on five continents and found the confined conditions “upsetting”.
He told Sky News: “The animals on the fur farms are born in cages, and they lead their short lives in the cages. They never know what it’s like to run free. The cages are mesh cages.
“They have to be so that the faeces of the animals can fall through the floor. So in the case of the mink and young fox cubs…their feet are too small to walk on the mesh and quite often they fall through the floor.
“Both these animals, particularly the mink, have padded feet, walking on these metal grids causes sores. It must be immensely uncomfortable.”
He was also distressed by what he felt were high density farm conditions.
“If you take foxes in particular, the cages are barely larger than the animal,” he said. “Now the welfare regulations in Europe, which are held to be gold standard by the industry were published in 1999, they haven’t changed for 21 years.
“In that time selective breeding by fur farmers has increased the size of animals. So simply by that measure alone, those cages are too small.”
When challenged by Sky News over whether it should be left to consumers to decide whether they purchase fur, an argument Mr Moser had himself regularly used, he responded that “there’s lots of decisions governments take for the greater good”.
In his decade working in the fur industry, footage sometimes emerged of alleged animal cruelty at farms.
“Farmers would come back and explain that these were out of context or not on regulated farms or have been set up by the animal rights extremists,” Mr Moser said.
“If you can’t stop these practices, even on one or two farms, then it’s the system itself that’s wrong. There’s no doubt from the footage that we’ve seen over the years that there are many animals in great distress on many fur farms.”
Mr Moser is now working alongside the Humane Society International charity to campaign for a ban on fur.
Claire Bass, HSI executive director, told Sky News: “Mike spent 10 years on the inside of the fur trade, so his verdict that this is an inherently and unacceptably cruel business is a pretty damning indictment.
“I fully respect Mike’s change of heart, and he now has an important and powerful message for the UK government – if someone like him with a decade’s experience inside the fur industry says it’s right to ban fur sales, then it’s time to take action and end the suffering.”
Responding to a written parliamentary question, environment minister Victoria Prentis said last week: “During the transition period, it is not possible to introduce restrictions relating to the fur trade.
“Once our future relationship with the EU has been established there will be an opportunity for the government to consider further steps it could take in relation to fur sales”.
Mr Moser’s high profile U-turn follows that of multiple designers – who have pledged fur-free policies including Prada, Gucci, Armani, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, DKNY, and Burberry.
Want the proof ?
Then watch the video of an undercover investigation by a person who worked at one of the worlds largest mink facilities in Poland.
Terrible animal suffering revealed on huge Polish fur farm
“This is a shocking investigation. The suffering of these animals can scarcely be imagined.
I personally know what impact seeing these atrocities first hand and close up can have.
As the undercover activist says in the video, some of the things he has seen will live with him forever.
I still live with some of what I saw in UK fur farms more than 20 years ago and it is not easy, but is certainly one of the things that has driven me on to work to end this disgusting industry.”
Mark Glover, Respect for Animals
Respect for Animals’ colleagues at the Fur Free Alliance, Otwarte Klatki, have today released the results of a two-month long investigation using an activist as an undercover farm employee.
The farm in Goreczki is potentially the biggest mink farm in the world, with around 500,000 animals kept in small cages.
The worker documented shocking cases of cannibalism, open wounds and untreated sick animals. He also recorded the reality of working conditions on fur farms: low wages, little training and lack of employment rights. This is of real importance because the fur trade is currently trying to reimage itself as sustainable and ethical. These claims are lies and this investigation is further evidence of the moral bankruptcy of the fur industry.
The undercover activist, called Yevhen, used a phone and hidden camera to document the distressing conditions on the mink farm.
Yevhen agreed to openly speak on camera about his experiences. The activist describes dead mink found every day in cages, and the shocking “hospital” – supposedly for sick animals, but where they did not receive veterinary help, instead simply killed by gassing or dying untreated and in agony.
This is the reality of industrial fur factory farming. This is why fur farming must be banned.
Take action! Add your name to this letter to the Polish Embassy, calling for fur farming to be banned:
Every single animal you have ever eaten had feelings, hopes, dreams, and a unique personality.
Every single animal brought into this world for the sole purpose of exploitation has a story.
Like male chicks ground alive on the day they are born, their story can be very brief.
Or like dairy cows that are repeatedly and forcibly impregnated and milked to the point where they can no longer bear calves to be taken from them on the day they are born, where their bodies can no longer produce milk efficiently.
Their stories are longer.
What they all have in common, however, is that their stories are very tragic stories.
Made by the fascist law of the stronger species
Don’t get involved in the daily animal holocaust.
Nothing humane even happens inside of slaughterhouses
Slaughterhouses are the incubators of human fascism.
If brainless buyers can’t find an exotic bag on the shelf, this chapter is over.
World Animals Voice 