After a two-day employment tribunal in the U.K., a judge officially ruled on January 3 that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief, akin to religion, and should be protected by the law.
Vegan zoologist Jordi Casamitjana brought the landmark case to adjudication. He accused the League Against Cruel Sports of firing him after he revealed to colleagues that the company’s pension fund invests in businesses participating in animal testing.
Casamitjana decided to take action and ascertain whether ethical veganism can be classified as a protected “non-religious philosophical belief” and, therefore, be defended by the Equality Act 2010.
In his ruling, Judge Robin Postle pronounced that ethical veganism does meet the criteria required to qualify as a philosophical belief under the act.
“I am satisfied overwhelmingly that ethical veganism does constitute a philosophical belief,” he said, “and it is now a new protected characteristic.”
Casamitjana thinks this exciting new development will help ethical vegans feel comfortable in their beliefs.
“I’m extremely happy with the outcome of this hearing and for the words of the judge who clearly understood what ethical veganism is,” commented Casamitjana after hearing the ruling. “I am not alone. Many people have supported me because they or their friends have experienced discrimination for being ethical vegans. Hopefully, from my dismissal something positive will come by ensuring other ethical vegans are better protected in the future.”
“Better protection means more vegans will be able to be open about their beliefs,” he added. “This can only be a good thing for the billions of animals still exploited by humans, an environment under duress, and stressed public health.”
In February, the tribunal will rule on whether the League Against Cruel Sports wrongly dismissed Casamitjana, discriminating against him due to his philosophy of ethical veganism.
Pester Pig is Back to Punish the Undiscerning Shopper
Farms Not Factories mascot, Pester Pig, has been campaigning alongside Jerome Flynn, to raise awareness about the lack of pig welfare in popular high street food chains. She is not happy that three-quarters of the popular supermarkets & high street food chains we surveyed sell pork from factory farms. So, when she catches someone buying low animal welfare pork, the punishment has the desired effect! Make sure to give the video a like and share, to remind friends to only buy high welfare.
It’s Time for Real Change on Pig Welfare
Tell the CEOs of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Greggs and Domino’s to only source high welfare pork, by sending them this letter.
Most High Street Chains Source their Pork from Factory Farms
Three-quarters of the 60 high street supermarkets & food chains surveyed by Farms Not Factories sell pork from factory farms. The vast majority of these don’t offer a single high welfare alternative. Pigs reared in factory farms (an intensive farming system that is permitted under the Red Tractor labelling scheme) have to endure permanent indoor confinement in barren, overcrowded pens for their entire lives. Mother pigs are kept in narrow metal cages so small they cannot even turn around for weeks on end.
The Solution
RSPCA Assured, Free Range and Organic all have significantly better standards than the Red Tractor labelling scheme and minimum UK & EU standards. Some well known high street chains have already made the switch to one of these high welfare labels. For example, McDonald’s only sell RSPCA Assured pork across their entire menu and the Co-op only sells Outdoor Bred RSPCA Assured pork throughout their entire own-brand fresh pork range. Pigs on high welfare farms, either outdoors or indoors with plenty of straw, are healthy and more contented. They have enough room to roam and express natural instinctive behaviours such as rooting, nesting and playing.
Ccso Gaon, a group of activists in Korea, have been working to close down dog farm/slaughterhouses for several years now. With a tip from an informant, on New Year’s Day, January 1, they went to find a dog farm located below the Highway in Dangjin.
They were able to meet with the dog farm owner and convinced him to sign an agreement to completely close down his dog farm within 3 to 6 months. They can rescue all the 40-50 dogs/puppies there right now, but they have no facilities to keep them and they do not have financial resources to take on rescues.
Would you please help them rescue the dogs? At least some of them? It is freezing cold in Korea and the dogs are kept in raised wire cages with no protection from harsh weather. For now, all they could do is put plastic covers around their raised wire cages to block some of the winds. They are heartbroken that they cannot rescue any of them now.
If you would like to help them rescue, please donate.
I hate the human race; and sadly having to fit the description. They claim superiority and a ‘superior being’ type ‘master of all’ status; whilst in my opinion; they are in fact the masters of destruction and the primary cause of abuse of many kinds on this planet; and that is nothing to be ‘superior’ or proud about.
Please watch this video (link below) and then tell me that I am wrong !
Regards Mark – WAV.
I may be adding more later to this post to give further support to my views – if they are even needed.
Mark, we’ve greeted the new year with aching hearts as we watch our beautiful country burn.
Like so many, I’m reminded of the continuing crisis by the smell of smoke and the haze that hangs in the air. I know many of you, our closest supporters, live in the areas impacted by these devastating fires. And I know that some of you will have lost all that is dear in recent days and weeks. My thoughts and prayers have constantly been with you, and, of course, with the animals who have suffered and perished on an incomprehensible scale.
I’m writing with a critical update, and to let you know that our action plan has been enacted. Our team has been working to ensure that animals receive the help they need, and that the courageous individuals assisting them on the frontline are also provided with relief.
Getting vets to the firegrounds
Bound for fire devastated Mallacoota and Tallangata, Dr Elaine Ong and Dr Chris Barton, from Vets for Compassion, with medical supplies and drugs to join the local carers.
The most critical need at present is getting qualified disaster-response vets on the ground to assist the animal survivors. The best way we can currently support animals is to help make this happen, as soon as possible.
We have been liaising with key organisations who can deploy teams to firegrounds where animals need them. Access is very difficult in most areas, and some continue to be impacted by fires that aren’t yet under control.
Yesterday, we flew specialist wildlife vets from Vets for Compassion to Mallacoota to assist animals and wildlife carers in the region. We are also providing financial support to two other veterinary emergency response teams. The South Australian Veterinary Emergency Management (SAVEM), who have been deployed to Kangaroo Island, where catastrophic fires have had a devastating impact. And, in NSW, to Vets Beyond Borders, who are mobilising vets to firegrounds throughout the state.
We are hoping, through this appeal, to also provide these organisations with two off-road vehicles that they will need to access firegrounds as part of their search-and-rescue operation, which will be ongoing for weeks, if not months.
We are doing everything possible to ensure all animals receive the help they need as soon as possible — whether they are ‘farmed’, wildlife or domestic pets.
You can support these initiatives by donating here.
Getting help to wildlife carers
We want to support the many selfless individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for our native wildlife. Many of them have either been directly impacted by the fires, or are preparing to be inundated in the coming weeks as survivors are found. There will be a long-term need to support wildlife as their habitat ranges and food sources have been destroyed. Much of this work will be carried out by volunteer carers, and we won’t forget them.
Animals Australia will provide significant funding to the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, to boost their grant program for wildlife groups across the country. This organisation will provide equitable grants to wildlife carers who are affected by the fires and need assistance.
You can support these initiatives by donating here
Our CEO, Glenys Oogjes, and I will remain in touch with both state and federal government agencies to ensure that emergency plans are enacted, and that animals are made a priority. We will also work closely with, and financially support, the Australian Veterinary Association as needed — to enable vets and supplies to rapidly reach the firegrounds.
Mark, while this is such a distressing time, everywhere we look we are seeing the very best of humanity — communities supporting each other, opening up their homes and properties, offering anything and everything they have to help others.
And, as thousands have been forced to flee for their lives, we see firefighters running toward the danger — literally into deadly fires. Tragically, some will never return. The bravery, compassion and sacrifice of emergency services workers is unmatched, and we stand with the rest of Australia in extending our deepest gratitude to them.
If you are able to assist our efforts to help animals on the firegrounds, and the humans who are helping them, you can donate here. All of the money raised through this appeal will be immediately channelled into bushfire response initiatives.
My team and I have been overwhelmed by your generosity and support — your emails, phone calls and messages — not just within Australia, but from all around the world. Please know that there are so many others like you who care deeply for the beautiful animals we share this planet with, and that united, as a compassionate collective, we are giving them the very best chance.
P.S. Our deepest gratitude to those of you who have already donated to support this bushfire crisis — whether through this appeal, or others. I know there have been many of you who have already shown incredible generosity that will help alleviate suffering. We will continue to keep you up to date as the days progress
Reported by activists in Spain (click here for video from the rescue):
On entrance to the farm, as always we checked the farms bins first. As we opened the lid this duck lifted his head and opened his eyes, he was full of blood and laying amongst loads of dead bodies that were already decomposed.
I went in to pick him out of there, my hands going into the body fluids of the other poor ducks, some babies, some adults, the smell was nauseating …
he is now doing fine in a refuge.
we saved a total of 82 lives… ..
hell exsists .. its called farms
if there is no demand there will be no suffe
Original, Spanish text
PUDIMOS SACAR 82 VIDAS EN TOTAL.
Uno se ha muerto en camino … pero el del contenedor esta mucho mejor.
CUANDO ABRIMOS EL CONTENEDOR ANOCHE EN LA GRANJA ENCONTRAMOS A UN PATO CON VIDA … LA CRUEL REALIDAD DE LAS GRANJAS.
Entramos, abrimos un contenedor .. (como siempre) y encima de montónes de cuerpos de bebes y adultos, estaba, aguantando en la oscuridad, en el frío el único pato vivo de ese contenedor.
Le saque, consciente de que mis manos entraban a los líquidos de los otros pobres patos k estaban rodeándole. El olor a putrefacto ..
Sinceramente y con toda la convicción de mi alma, el infierno existe.
El pato con su cara llena de sangre, seguro gracias a una paliza … en principio no pensaba k iba a durar ni una hora vivo … pero al sentir su corazón latir en mi pecho yo sabia k si … se iba a sobrevivir.
Ahora mismo está en buenas manos … en un refugio donde se fue traslado esta madrugada …
SI NO HAY DEMANDA NO HABRÁ SUFRIMIENTO …
We thank the courageous activists.
The struggle for animal rights and abolition of slavery continues.
Together we can do it.
We do not know which of all actions works best, but in our experience we know that EVERYTHING together usually produces a positive result or changes in the consciousness this society.
It is common knowledge that giving up or cutting down on meat and dairy is the right thing to do for the sake of our planet. Veganism deserves better than eyebrow-raises from the media
Two days into Veganuary and the head-scratching confusion over just exactly what veganism is continues. The perception of veganism as a diet or passing fad has somehow clung on in the health pages of our newspapers, in cookery columns, and in the miniature portions meted out to vegans in pubs across the land.
There is a continual debate in the media about whether ‘the diet’ is healthy. This is beside the point. There is a stream of misinformation designed to trick people into believing that vegetarianism and veganism are simply not possible. This madness must stop, and it’s extraordinary that it has endured this long.
It is, or should be common knowledge by now, that giving up or cutting down on meat and dairy is the right thing to do for the sake of our planet. Bush fires are raging in Australia; the Great Barrier Reef is seriously degraded; Antarctica is melting into the sea. Yes, lacking vitamin B12 is bad for me, but – not to get too Greta Thunberg about it – so is the loss of an area of rainforest the size of Latvia.
UK:
More than 100,000 people have already pledged to stick to a plant-based diet for Veganuary, double the number who took the plunge at the same time last year.
The organisation behind the campaign is expanding into Germany, the US and Chile and is airing its first TV commercial after Christmas. “On Sunday, we finished with about 102,000 sign-ups and that is massively more than at the same point last year, 15 December, when we had 44,000 sign-ups – that’s a 127% increase,” Veganuary’s Toni Vernelli said.
It hopes to reach 350,000 by 1 January, up from 250,000 at the start of this year. The campaign is having an impact on restaurants and supermarkets, she said: “The number of companies getting in touch with us who are launching products is truly mind blowing. It does just seem to be everywhere.”
Reproduced from ‘Metro’, London. To read the full article and see all the photographs, please click on the link above.
WAV Comment – We shed no tears, apart from those for the millions of innocent animals that have been obliterated by the wrongdoings of man (called the Australian Government) once again. It is pretty clear from what has happened that PM Scott Morrison and ‘Environment’ Minister Sussan Ley have just sucked up to destructive industry for years whilst failing to listen to the environmentalists. Now they pay the price. These 2 people should have been the first to be destroyed in the flames; idiots who by their ignoramus attitudes are now responsible for obliterating entire species from the face of the planet. They are the government so called ‘environmentalists’ who have provided extinction for species rather than working to protect them. And still they will probably gripe that it has nothing to do with global warming !
In our opinion; it is a kind of ‘Karma’ time by the animals. Fools like Morrison have supported the live export industry; now the animals have gone, been destroyed and hopefully put the final nail in the coffin of this business. Morrison and Ley have got everything they deserve; their self opiniated importance is now charred and mixing with the burnt out embers of their country.
We have no feelings for them, apart from saying that they ignored the evidence, and now everyone else is paying the price. They must go to a burned out bare patch of land in the bush with nothing to eat or drink – they deserve no better ! – WAV
Bet these clowns are not laughing now !
The ‘Symbol’ of Australia stands amongst the ignorance of the human government
Nearly 500,000,000 animals have been killed in Australia’s wildfires
Almost half a billion animals have been killed in Australia’s raging wildfires with fears entire species may have been wiped out.
Ecologists from the University of Sydney now estimate 480 million mammals, birds and reptiles have been lost since September with the figure likely to continue to soar.
Harrowing pictures and videos have captured kangaroos desperately attempting to flee great walls of flames while rescue teams have been met by the charred bodies of thousands of koalas.
Others reported seeing cockatoos falling dead out of trees and farmers have fled only to return to their burned land and find it littered with the bodies of livestock.
Koalas have been among the hardest hit of Australia’s native animals because they are slow moving and only eat leaves from the eucalyptus tree, which are filled with oil, making them highly flammable. Up to 8000 of the animals — a third of the entire koala population of the NSW mid-north coast — are believed to have been killed in less than four months.
Nature Conservation Council ecologist Mark Graham told the Australian parliament that the fires have burned ‘so hot and so fast’ that there has been ‘significant mortality’ of animals, particularly in trees.
Stand Up for Nature, an alliance of 13 organisations, is calling for an immediate halt on logging of native forests in NSW until the impacts of the catastrophic bushfires on species and habitat are understood. In an open letter, it warned that the impact of the fires is ‘extreme and ongoing’ and the scale of the loss will ‘probably never be known’ but will certainly be in the millions.
The alliance acknowledged a moratorium could have impacts on native forest timber industry workers and have called on the government to support them in the meantime.
Ley – You can cry – down in history now as an ignoramus responsible for species extinction !
Environment Minister Sussan Ley said true animal death figures would not be known until ‘the fires have calmed down and a proper assessment can be made’.
Well here we are again drawing this time to the end of another decade – and despite all the bad issues that we have shown on the site; after all, that is what we exist for; to inform people about the bad stuff; with the hope of change; looking back it has also been a very productive year in 2019 for the welfare of animals.
Looking back; the recent disaster at Midia which took the lives of so many innocent sheep is one issue that I cannot forget. The authorities want us to, but after many years involved with live export; it is an issue very much engrained in my ‘system’; I hate it and will forever fight to stop it; all the way to the grave.
Animal Aid Unlimited in India are an organisation that I have so much respect for. Where do you start with them ?
23,550 calls requesting help for sick or injured animals in Udaipur. Each year more and more people in the city are becoming aware that they can do something when they see an injured animal, by a simple call for help, they are making their first step into becoming an animal protector.
9,384 animals were admitted in Animal Aid’s hospital to receive life-saving medical treatments for serious injuries and illnesses. About 26 new patients were taken in each day. We attempt to cover many of the stories here on WAV; just type in ‘Animal Aid Unlimited’ into the search box to get links to all the past videos.
In addition to the work back at base, AAU also provided 1,092 street treatments for animals who did not require full hospitalization. 1,317 dogs were spayed and neutered once they healed from their injuries. 3,728 incredible volunteers and visitors enriched the lives of animals, many of whom served the animals more than 2 weeks!
AAU also vaccinated 8,266 dogs against rabies both in their hospital and also directly on the street. Finally, 40 animal activists from across India have learned first aid principles and techniques from the intensive AAU First Aid Training Program.
Now that is something to be proud of, and we wish Erika and all the crew there an even better 2020 with their work.
Bloodbath
Also, 2019 can be viewed as the year in England when the Hunting Act of 2004 was given long term protection and we will never legally return to the old days of wild animals being hunted to death by those with nothing more than a ‘bloodbath’ blood lust.
We must never forget Jill and the team at ‘Animals Asia; – it is probably best that we give their link as so many positives are covered. https://www.animalsasia.org/uk/our-work/ – with the young and a new positive view on how animals should be treated, we look forward to the day when bear bile farming and the dog meat trade in the Far East are confined as atrocities carried out in past times – rightly in history books where they belong.
The destruction of the Environment is a massive concern for every one of us. The deaths and suffering that is going on in Australia at this very moment, combined with recent events in Amazonia largely to increase space for cattle grazing at the cost of the indigenous peoples only shows that those in power there have one thing on their mind, and nothing else; and that is called ‘money’.
Circuses and sea life centres are really being shunned by the educated public now; and we very much welcome that. It is fantastic to see that some dolphins are even being returned to purpose built sanctuaries for them; where they can once again return to the type of lives that were cruelly taken from them in the past.
Turning to Serbia; it has been a positive year with regard the fur industry. We personally worked with the team at ‘Respect for Animals’ http://www.respectforanimals.org/ in England, and with Slavica and Serbian activists, supplying lots of information and undertaking lots of research which led to getting the fur farming ban introduced at the start of 2019; saving tens of thousands of Chinchilla in the process – http://www.respectforanimals.org/serbian-fur-farming-ban-comes-into-force/
Chinchilla – Saved by the Ban.
In the United States, there have been some really positive moves; and we thank all our US visitors for the work they have done behind the scenes. California has become the first US state to ban the sale of animal fur products http://www.respectforanimals.org/history-made-as-california-fur-ban-becomes-law/ The new legislation, AB44, bans the manufacture and sale of new fur products across the state and is already considered to be the most ground-breaking moment for the anti-fur campaign for many years. We hope and look forward to other states following the example of California.
Staying in the USA, we have seen a lot of positives with regard ‘killing contests’ – where animals are deliberately killed for prizes etc. In recent months we have seen bans introduced in Massachusetts, Arizona, as well as Coyote killing contests in New Mexico.
Food has been a big issue in America; with many major food chains now providing plant based options as part of the menu. This is great news and reflects the huge amount of people that have decided to change to a plant based diet, thus contributing to cutting down on global warming which is an intrinsic part of the meat production system; and which is very much responsible for some of the huge fires that we have witnessed this year in Amazonia due to forest clearance to make more grazing area for meat cattle. Many of America’s largest food chains have now moved to producing Vegan foods for consumers as part of their range – https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/03/20/usa-americas-biggest-food-companies-are-moving-to-meatless/ .
We thank Stacey at Our Compass https://our-compass.org/ for working with us, and giving links to many issues and videos associated with a meat free Vegan diet. Thanks Stacey; and keep up the great work !
We also say “thank” to our companion commentator Slavica; under the name “eparslavicaepar”, (we know who she is) for the faithful accompaniment (almost) for each article. Comments are a strengthening of our work, even if they are critical!
Whizzing over to South Korea, we wants to give thanks and credit to Korean Dogs.org https://koreandogs.org/ for all their tireless work aimed at stopping the live dog and cat meat trade. On the site given, you can find endless ways to give your support to their work, and we encourage you strongly to do that.
Back here in England, we need to highlight the huge amount of work being done by CIWF all over the world on so many different farm animal issues; https://www.ciwf.org.uk/our-campaigns/ from the ban the cages campaign in Europe, through to helping pig producers in China to be more animal welfare considerate and change (improve) their methods of farm animal husbandry.
All in all; we have just skimmed the surface of what has been a very positive and productive year (in 2019) aiming at helping animals across the world. We cannot cover everything as it would take far too long, but we know that you, our friends and supporters are able to investigate a lot more about specific issues that may be of concern to you.
To try and give you a little assistance, we have provided on our site an A to Z listing of major animal welfare organisations, complete with their web site links, in order that you can hopefully find out a bit more much easier. Here is the link to this section:
… and for me (Mark), I especially wish to give support to free Tibet from the current rule of China which is covered so fantastically by London based ‘Free Tibet’ – https://www.freetibet.org/
Be a voice and fight the fight – results are never immediate and campaigns can take a long time to win – just look at the League Against Cruel Sports (London) – formed in 1924; but it was not until 2004 that they managed to get Hunting with dogs stopped for wild animals – https://www.league.org.uk/about-us
You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide !
Happy New Year for 2020 – Regards Mark and Venus xx.
In memory of 2 great campaigners against live export: Sadly Missed.
World Animals Voice 