If there’s anything the Brits love more than any democracy, it is their dogs.
Politicians come and go. Governments form, try to function and usually fail. But dogs are a universal constant.
Brits take their dogs everywhere – and the polling station when they vote is one such place. In the UK a kind of ‘polling station dog’ photo trend has developed in recent years; people take pictures of their own dogs at the polling station and then share with others.
God forbid; but dogs are not allowed in the polling area; and so they patiently wait outside for a few minutes whilst owner casts his or her vote.
Here are a few (randomly selected) polling station dogs from the event of 12/12/19. Enjoy.
Surge have launched a brand new campaign Dismantle Dairy, featuring 18 months of undercover footage obtained from inside UK dairy farms. Independent investigators placed hidden cameras in dairy farms around the UK, as well as obtaining HD footage during visits. The footage revealed widespread incidences of physical and emotional abuse of mothers and calves.
Surge found repeated incidences of punching, kicking, excessive tail twisting, swearing/shouting, beating with sticks, separation of calves from their mothers, force-feeding of calves and the disposal of calves. Investigators also recorded HD footage during visits, capturing harrowing scenes such as dead cows and calves left to rot outside for days.
However, rather than draw attention to individual farms and create the impression that these are isolated cases or “bad eggs”, the campaign seeks to expose the dairy industryas a whole, revealing how even standard practices such as separation at birth and removal of calves is abuse. Violence on dairy farms is ubiquitous and occurs in all farms, including those associated with high ranking officials within the industry.
This is not about one “bad farm”, or one “bad farmer”, Dismantle Dairy is about the foundations the dairy industry is built upon. Standard, legal dairy industry practice involves (but is not limited to):
This particular farm is owned by Guy Smith, Deputy President of The National Farmers’ Union, the largest organisation representing farmers in the UK. What we found on the farm was so horrific, so brutal, that The Independent couldn’t show all of it in their press video; however, it is available to watch below:
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The 🎄Christmas season is high season for the 🐎Vienna Fiaker. Regardless of whether it is icy cold or the risk of slipping when wet, the horse-drawn carriages are always on the go. One carriage after the other travels through the tourist crowds in downtown Vienna. For the horses this means anything but a “contemplative time”. Vienna has so much more to offer than animal suffering.
Sad but true: the Vienna Fiaker tours are not missing from any travel guide, which are listed as a “must”. Numerous pictures of the horses stretched in front of the carriages can be seen. This should convey the right Vienna flair and make you want to visit the Danube metropolis. But traveling is different in the 21st century. Animals are sentient beings who feel suffering as much as we humans.
And the animals suffer.
Education is important to draw attention to the suffering of horses. Because many don’t know that
➡️ horses have a high risk of falling and injury due to the uneven and slippery floor.
➡️ they need constant access to roughage, which is hardly possible in the city.
➡️ the horses suffer from traffic stress, noise and hustle and bustle in the city center.
In spring 2019 we asked the publishers of the largest travel guides as well as a city tour provider and a large travel platform what the level of awareness of the suffering of the Fiaker is and whether they are willing to no longer advertise the Fiaker as an attraction or to present it more critically. We have observed the main editions of the travel guides:
Big Bus Vienna = romantic carriage ride
Dumont = a must
Lonely Planet = best city tour
Marco Polo = expensive, but great pleasure
Polyglott on Tour = tourist icons
Trip Advisor = Recommendations by users possible And under “Animal Welfare Problems ?” there is an outrageous X!!
Cause for concern
Not only from an animal welfare point of view, but also from a safety point of view, fiasco tours are extremely questionable. It becomes clear here how great the risk potential is in the city center. The driver himself says that it is not always possible to control the animals. This is also proven by the frequent accidents in downtown Vienna.
From an animal welfare point of view, it is unacceptable to say that the drivers do not feed the animals in the city, but “only at night in the stable”. Horses need continuous access to roughage, everything else is cruelty to animals. The animals’ digestive system should always get small portions of hay, because it is not suitable for long feeding breaks. These can lead to serious health problems such as painful stomach ulcers and colic.
That is also a fact, of course: last year, the Inner City district itself estimated the annual repair costs of the road surface as a result of the horse-drawn carriage rides at 750,000 euros.
With your petition you send a protest email prepared by us to Lonely Planet, Polyglott, Marco Polo, Dumont and TripAdvisor. This email will be sent from your (private) email address.
By sending the email, you give your consent for the companies mentioned above to receive mail from your email address.
Sign our petition now and call for better living conditions for the Fiaker horses.
My comment: 12 hours in scorching heat or freezing cold, these animals have to pull a massive, heavy carriage behind them, loaded with people who care a shit about the obvious animal suffering.
Because how else could one understand that people pay a lot of money for this primitive pleasure of a carriage ride, even though they have two horses in front of their eyes, with blinders and very often with earplugs, because otherwise they would not be able to stand the noise of the carriages and the traffic?
Without a doubt, these people know instinctively that standing of the horses for a long time at the horse-drawn carriages is a great challenge for their tendons and joints, because they are escape animals, accustomed to movement;
Then there is the pulling of the load on asphalt-like ground. Many of these workhorses suffer from hoof diseases and joint complaints, which will be massive with increasing age.
And even in their ‘free time’ – if we can even speak of ‘free time’ for carriage horses – they usually live a lonely and completely unnatural life. 365 days a year, the official ‘working time’ (of course without calculating the arrival and departure) in winter from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in summer from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The horses are often the reassured-medium Sedalin administered.The animals become apathetic to their environment, they have a reduced sensation of pain and can be easily manipulated.
From August 2017, the Viennese Fiaker may no longer drive at 35 degrees in summer.
Anyone who does not follow this can expect fines of up to 3,500 euros.
But high, low temperatures, less or a lot of work, that’s not the point.
The exploitation of animals for tourism must stop in general and in principle.
Animals are not a tourist attraction, they are not our slaves and they are not our pleasure.
Something like this belongs no longer to a civilized society, and everyone who has not yet understood it, is a primitive, underdeveloped person who deliberately ignores the suffering of animals for a romantic horse-drawn carriage.
Or make money with it, like the politicians who promote it.
My best regards to all, Venus
Latest info: I got a good reaction to my mail! right now:
Dear Ms. Venus …,
Thank you for your email and your critical feedback about our Vienna travel guide.
The welfare of animals is also very important to us and we will pay even more attention to animal welfare when choosing the “attractions” in the future. Our authors are informed and corresponding recommendations will be avoided in the future i.e. deleted in the next issue.
Yours sincerely
GRÄFE UND UNZER VERLAG GMBH
Your reader service team
Box 86 03 13
81630 Munich
Tel: 00800- 7 23 73 333 *
Fax: 00800 – 5 01 20 544 *
Email: leserservice@graefe-und-unzer.de
It works!
Please keep on writing your protest emails!
I wanted to get in touch with an update about the capsized live export ship disaster in Romania. Last time I emailed, I asked if you could help us call on the Romanian Government to save the survivors stranded in the upturned ship out on the ocean.
Thank you for taking that action, Mark. Your voice, alongside thousands of our other dedicated supporters, helped save 180 lives. These gentle sheep are now safe. Thank you.
Your determination — in unity with rescuers and thousands of other caring people globally — provided the beacon of hope amidst the overwhelming tragedy.
The rescued sheep are currently under the care of the Romanian veterinary authority, and the Prime Minister of Romania has given his word that he will do everything he can to ensure the sheep will soon be transferred to sanctuaries where they can live their lives in peace.
But your advocacy goes beyond the immediate situation to save the survivors. You’ve directly contributed to a kinder future for all sheep who face live export in Romania. Since you and others so strongly encouraged the country’s Prime Minister to take urgent action, a bill to end live export has been put forward in the Romanian Parliament.
The Prime Minister himself has acknowledged the need for this cruel trade to end. Romania is Europe’s biggest exporter of live animals — this is historic, and such progress could very well have taken years. But ending live export is now firmly on the political agenda there.
While we still have a long way to go, Mark, I can tell you with certainty that without your action on behalf of these animals, these historic steps forward simply couldn’t have been achieved.
As I know you understand, this disaster has again highlighted the needless cruelty at the heart of all live export. You helped save those who could be saved, but together we will never forget the tens of thousands onboard who perished, for nothing other than profit. I know we are now only more committed to ending live export globally, for good. Heartfelt thanks for providing such crucial support towards that goal, now and in the future.
Target: Henrik Studsgaard, Secretary of Denmark’s Ministry of Environment and Food
Goal: Revise rapid replacement breeding methods that prematurely end pigs’ lives.
Half a million sows face slaughter annually in Denmark: an estimated half of the country’s total pig population. Of these slaughtered sows, only about 15 percent will be killed because of sickness. Instead, the majority of pigs are seemingly put down because they can no longer pump out enough young piglets to satisfy Denmark’s profit-rich, welfare-impoverished pork market.
This market fuels the agriculture-driven economy of Denmark, and it is heavily subsidized by the government. These heavy investments have led to sows birthing as many as 35 piglets per year. While these numbers soar past global averages, they often prove devastating to the sows’ health and well-being.
Denmark also leads the way in sow mortality rates. Over 10 percent of the animals essentially either drop dead in their pigsties or must be euthanized because they are too incapacitated to function. Even when they do survive this grueling existence, slaughter still awaits the poor sows after they have given birth to two or three litters… and apparently outlived their usefulness. Perhaps worst of all, Denmark’s supposedly ‘superior’ methods for pig production are being ramped up and exported to other countries.
Sign this petition to urge government officials to honour their oath in making animal welfare a central part of this unforgiving, often abusive process.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Studsgaard,
“I am ready to welcome the aim of producing twice as many pigs in Denmark if we can handle both animal welfare and the environment.” The facts are clear: Denmark has not met the benchmark envisioned by your predecessor. Upwards of 500,000 sows lose their lives prematurely every year because of “fertility” or “mothering” issues. Thousands of others apparently drop dead from the wear and strain imposed on them. In regards to animal welfare, Denmark has not offered much in the way of “handling.”
The “rapid replacement” philosophy not only leaves hundreds of thousands of animals subject to unneeded slaughter, but it also undermines any claims of production efficiency. This country is summarily killing half its pig population every year. In many cases, you discard more than you produce. Humane breeding and production methods may hinder profits in the short-term, but long-term gains would make the commitment more than worthwhile.
Please end rapid replacement breeding and implement human standards for pigs, for the longevity of your agricultural sector and, more importantly, for the health and well-being of these living beings entrusted to your care.
We arrive at that time of year when many people think of giving a dog to their children for Christmas, a dog that will surely be abandoned when the child gets bored. This happens every year, as in the holidays, so we have so many dogs abandoned in the streets. But that is not all abuse, since those puppies they sell come from hatcheries where their parents live constantly being mistreated.
The UK had a General Election this week on 12/12/19. In reality, it was really more like a contest to see who would be successful in the battle to either remain in, or to leave the EU. The British public voted in 2016 to leave the EU, but this has always been blocked and contested by some political parties in the UK Parliament. 12/12 was a decisive day to see what the people thought after 3 years of debates, arguments and general troubles in the Parliament.
We watched with interest on the night of 12th; polling stations closed at 2200hrs. By the morning it was very clear that the real opinion was for the UK to leave the EU and instead take up other international trade deals around the world; which were prevented by being a member state of the EU. Trade deal negotiations are always done by the EU when it comes to member states; they are not allowed to go off and do their own thing. This is what annoys a lot of British people; that the EU does the deals on their behalf, and they then have to put up with the result. People wanted out, as the 2016 ‘In / Out’ referendum showed by its result.
Some political parties fought the election on a ‘remain in’ approach; others fought in a ‘get Brexit done’ approach. By the morning of 13/12 it was clear what the majority thought – ‘get Brexit done’ had made huge winnings in the form of the Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn on an attitude of getting another deal done and then putting it back to the people (again) – a 2nd referendum; were tranced in the election; losing dozens of seats in what had always been Labour heartlands.
The Liberal Democrat Party; fighting on a ‘stay in the EU’ approach, were very heavily defeated. Both the Party leader (Jo Swinson) and their Brexit spokesperson, one Tom Brake MP; lost their seats in the election. They had hoped for massive gains at the election to remain as members of the EU; but the voters thought otherwise. They were trounced.
So, now, with a majority of some 75 Members of Parliament the Conservatives are rapidly moving ahead to get out of the EU by the end of January 2020. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48256318
By leaving the EU, the UK will be able to take back control of its own policies and future destiny. UK law will be decided on and made in the UK rather than in the EU; which would apply to all member states.
As animal advocates; we are very much hoping that by leaving the EU, the UK will be able to make its own legislation for improvements in animal welfare. One issue that has been very important to us is the live transport of animals. Under EU law the UK is NOT allowed to ban live animal exports; a rule which applies to all other member states. By leaving the EU, the UK government will be free to introduce its own legislation which would allow live animal exports to be banned. Campaigning by many UK animal welfare organisations over many years has sent a clear message to the UK government; and we are confident that UK action for a ban will start very soon.
The UK has some good animal welfare policy, but that does not mean that it cannot be improved on. Free from the EU legislation; the UK will be able to make even higher standards for farm animal welfare than those which are laid out under EU regulations; many of which are not adhered to by some EU member states anyway. Why does the EU not take action about this ? – don’t ask us; it probably cannot be bothered in reality. They are, in their opinion, only animals after all.
Carrie Symonds is the partner of Prime Minister Boris. She is a very keen animal welfare activist and we think is behind his approach in government to improving animal welfare standards. Good news for welfare as it can do nothing but good from our national situation.
Above and below – Carrie protests against Taiji and whaling.
Man Who Stomped Girlfriend’s Cat to Death Sentenced to Prison
On Tuesday, December 3, a Houston man convicted of stomping his ex-girlfriend’s cat to death was sentenced to six years in prison.
On January 25, Javontae Isaiah Thrasher, 22, and his girlfriend were in the midst of a breakup when she took her tabby cat in her arms and tried to flee. According to a witness, Thrasher hit the kitten out of her arms onto the ground, kicked the poor creature, and stomped on the little one six or seven times before the tiny animal went lifeless. Thrasher then disposed of the cat in a dumpster.
Thrasher was arrested and faced charges of cruelty to animals, a third-degree felony. He pleaded guilty in September.
This was not Thrasher’s first instance of cruelty. In 2016, he faced assault charges for attacking his great-grandmother. This former charge seemed to inform Judge Nikita V. Hamon’s sentence.
Assistant District Attorney and Animal Cruelty Section Chief of Harris County Jessica Milligan said, “This is a case that shows the direct link between animal abuse and violence toward other people.
“Someone who can hurt his own great-grandmother, then kill a cat in a domestic dispute is someone who is capable of violent behavior against people, including children, in the future. We take that seriously, and we are grateful the judge took this seriously as well.”
Too often animal abusers and killers walk free with no or minimal punishment.
We thank the judge for taking a strong stand against animal abuse and for sending the message through this sentence that violence against animals will not be tolerated.
PETITION TARGET: Ambassador of France to the U.S. Philippe Etienne
Every year, tens of thousands of birds are victimized in southeastern France by a cruel hunting method called glue-trapping, which involves attracting songbirds to branches covered in glue in order to cage the birds to sell as “pets.” As birds try desperately to free themselves, they become increasingly stuck, resulting in a painful, prolonged struggle that can lead to injury or even death.
After this initial stage of torture, hunters spray birds with toxic chemicals and separate them from the glue, often causing further injury and fatal consequences, including feather loss, which can render birds unable to fly. Birds who are deemed “undesirable” are carelessly tossed aside and left to suffer with any untreated injuries they may have. The rest are exploited for profit, sold into a lifetime of misery in captivity or used as bait in future glue-trapping hunts after spending unnatural periods of time — sometimes months — in pitch darkness. This causes them to sing frantically once they see daylight, unknowingly luring other birds toward the traps.
A warning from the EU, which banned glue-trapping decades ago, and numerous court cases calling on French officials to outlaw the practice, have fallen on deaf ears. In addition to the needless suffering glue-trapping causes to birds, the perpetuation of this government-sanctioned cruelty puts steeply-declining bird populations, including endangered species, further in jeopardy.
Speak out against these barbaric glue traps that torture and kill helpless birds. Sign this petition urging the French Ambassador to do everything in his power to push for a nationwide ban on this disturbing and outdated practice.
