Category: General News

General News, Uncategorized

USA: Two Facing Animal Cruelty Charges In Etowah Co.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/two-facing-animal-cruelty-charges-in-etowah-co/ar-BB1ped9E?ocid=BingNewsVerp

ETOWAH COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) – Two people have been charged with animal cruelty in Etowah County after a video was found on social media.

According to Sheriff Jonathon Horton, on Saturday morning, June 29, 2024, the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office was told about a video on social media of cruel treatment of a dog.

By Saturday afternoon, investigators identified all the people they say were involved in the incident and the weapon that was used was recovered.

Two people have been charged. One of those people is a juvenile and wasn’t named because of their age.

The second person accused is 18-year-old Trenton Dewayne Sudberry of Gadsden.

Sudberry was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. He was taken to the Etowah Co. Detention Center to await bond.

Officials say “Bullet” is back home with his family and is safe as of Sunday night. “Bullet” will be examined, but appears to be in good spirits and should make a good recovery.

“It’s unfortunate that animals are mistreated! Animals cannot speak up, so we have to make sure we do our best to take care of them and be their voice. Animal cases are just as important as any case we work,” said Sheriff Horton.

Well said Sheriff Horton !

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News

Paris Olympic Games To Serve Foie Gras !: Stark Reminder The Cruel Industry Continues.

All photos – WAV Archives.

1 July 2024

Animal Equality

Foie gras is set to be provided at this year’s Olympic games: a product connected to the intense suffering of countless ducks and geese in Europe. Animal Equality has launched a petition calling on the committee to rethink this decision, while the issue itself serves as a strong reminder for why an EU-level ban on force-feeding for foie gras production is still needed.

13 million meals will be dished up at this year’s Olympic games, which will take place in Paris between July 26 and August 11. Of these, 60% will be plant-based, according to the International Olympic Committee. 

While this shows a positive commitment to more sustainable and healthy diets, it is a stark contradiction that a cruel and controversial product  is also on offer to the games’ VIP guests: foie gras.

The suffering behind foie gras production

The production of foie gras is brutal. Geese and ducks are force-fed large quantities of food through a funnel up to three times a day for 12 to 16 days, after which they are then slaughtered. In most cases, these birds are made to live in horrible conditions during this process: in small cages fitted with a moving grid, within which they are squeezed at the time of force-feeding, to make their necks easier to grasp.

22 Member States have already recognised the barbarism of this practice and have outlawed the production of foie gras, with the exception of some countries including France, Hungary and Spain. In the countries that still allow it, the savage treatment of geese and ducks in the sector has been well-documented, including by the French NGO L214 and our Belgian member GAIA, which launched a legal action at the end of 2023 against the Walloon Region for continuing to turn a blind eye to this practice.

It is critical the European Commission steps in to align all 27 of its Member States on this issue, and bans force-feeding for foie gras in legislation, so this cruel process cannot be conducted anywhere within the EU. Indeed, this is a step the European Parliament already called for in 2021. It’s vital we see this change enacted as soon as possible.

The message needs to be clear: foie gras must not be offered to guests at this year’s Olympic games. Having claimed it would like to “[showcase] French food that is sourced, produced and consumed in a responsible way”, it would be a hypocritical move by the International Olympic Committee to then include a product that is so closely linked to needless cruelty and suffering. 

Stop foie gras from being served at this year’s Olympic games

Our member, Animal Equality, has launched a petition asking the International Olympic Committee to revoke its decision to serve foie gras:

Sign the petition here. 

Alternatively, try this link https://animalequality.org.uk/campaign/ban-force-feeding/olympics/

With the world watching, the Olympic games is a powerful moment to take a stand for animal welfare, and show that foie gras has no place on the menu.

A disgusting show of what the movement thinks – disgusting; I will keep my thoughts and words to myself – but please sign the petition; this is gonna be a big issue at the games; so lets make it one !

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News

EU: EFSA scientific opinion on the welfare of sheep and goats during killing for purposes other than slaughter.

28 June 2024

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released a scientific opinion addressing the hazards and welfare consequences associated with the on-farm killing of sheep and goats. Eurogroup for Animals calls on the European Commission to take this assessment into account when it revises the Regulation 1099/2009.

EFSA’s new assessment covers situations where sheep and goats need to be killed for purposes other than slaughter for human consumption, such as for disease control, environmental contamination, or the individual euthanasia of unproductive, injured or terminally ill animals. 

The assessment divides the on-farm killing process into two main phases:

  • Pre-killing (phase 1): This includes the handling and moving of animals to the killing location, as well as the restraint of animals before the application of killing methods
  • Stunning and killing (phase 2): This covers the actual stunning and killing of the animals using mechanical, electrical, or lethal injection methods.

For each phase, the EFSA opinion identifies potential welfare consequences that sheep and goats may experience, such as:

  • Handling stress;
  • Restriction of movements;
  • Soft tissue lesions and integument damage;
  • Bone lesions (including fractures and dislocations);
  • Pain;
  • Fear;
  • Distress.

Additionally, the opinion identifies possible welfare hazards for each process, along with their origins and related preventive and corrective measures. Comprehensive outcome tables linking hazards, welfare consequences, animal-based measures, origins, and mitigation strategies are included.

The EFSA assessment provides a thorough evaluation of the animal welfare implications of the on-farm killing of these sentient beings. This information is expected to inform regulatory efforts, such as the upcoming revision of the EU’s Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing. It’s critical that this happens and that this scientific opinion, along with other recent evidence and research in this field, is factored into policy-making: ensuring EU-level legislation reflects the latest knowledge on animal welfare, and minimises their suffering during this vulnerable period to the greatest extent possible. 

Eurogroup for Animals calls for an urgent update to the Slaughter Regulation to ensure humane treatment of animals. Our key proposals include:

  • Replacing outdated and ineffective stunning methods with more humane alternatives
  • Ensuring all animals are adequately stunned before slaughter
  • Banning the use of electric prods
  • Introducing species-specific rules on effective stunning in aquaculture.

Regards Mark

About Us, General News

England: Doing What We Can To Be A ‘World Animals Voice’ !

https://clustrmaps.com/site/1a9kn

Things now appear to have changed at WordPress, our publishing site. We cannot put each new post to the top of the pile; instead we suggest that to see all the latest posts and get the recent news, you select any of the individual months from the ‘Archive’ (ie June 2024) on the left hand side. Why dont people leave things be; we always found it used to work fine; but now ??

Mark.

I like Bonsai as well !

General News, Vivisection

England: 18 ‘Animal Rising’ Activists Charged For Entry At Animal Testing Centre – 20 Beagle Pups Removed, 18 Never Recovered And Returned To Death Facility.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13580329/Animal-Rising-activists-charged-burglary-break-animal-testing-beagle-puppies.html

Animal Rising claims MBR Acres of holding ‘bleeding licences’ which allow them to bleed healthy dogs to death to harvest their blood and organs

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

Canada: Regan Russel Remembered, 4 Years After Killing By Livestock Transporter.

All of our WAV past posts, Regan Russel : https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=regan+russel

At the time of her death, Russell was protesting Bill 156, the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, which came into force just one day before she died. 

The bill created “animal protection zones” that prohibit animal rights activists from interfering or interacting with the farm animals in a motor vehicle.

The province enacted the legislation in response to demands from the agricultural industry and about 120 municipal resolutions calling on the government to do more to control trespassing.

Ontario argued the legislation was aimed at “protecting animal safety, biosecurity, and the safety of farmers as well as preventing economic harm that can arise from threats to animal safety and biosecurity.”

Read it all via this link:https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/regan-russell-death-fourth-anniversary-1.7244114

Like Jill Phipps here in England; Regan will always be remember for fighting the fight for sentients;

Regards Mark

Above, Jill

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=jill+phipps

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

EU: Update – Commission’s Failure To Ban Cages Reaches (EU) Court of Justice.

Recent WAV initial past post on this:

EU: End the Cage Age: Case To Be Heard In Court, Ombudsman Complaint Closed. – World Animals Voice

27 June 2024

Press Release

Eurogroup for Animals, alongside other major EU NGOs, is asking the European Court of Justice to join the court case holding the European Commission (EC) to account for failing to deliver on its promise to end cage farming in Europe, as millions of animals continue to spend their lives confined in cages.

The court case, brought forward by the Citizens Committee of the End the Cage Age ECI, spearheaded by Compassion in World Farming, is holding the EC accountable for failing to bring forward the legislative proposals it promised in response to the ECI, in which 1.4 million EU citizens demanded an end to cage farming. 

The EC had pledged to present proposals by the end of 2023, but it backtracked on its commitment, disregarding the comprehensive reports, consultations, and preparations that had been completed. This betrayal of trust undermines the legitimate expectations of citizens who demanded better protection of farm animals.

For the past years, Eurogroup for Animals has continuously supported the End the Cage ECI, and if accepted by the Court, it will have the opportunity to present its arguments, alongside the ECI Campaign and Animal Equality Italy, as an official intervener.

Across the EU, around 300 million pigs, hens, rabbits, ducks, quail and geese spend most of their lives in cages every year. Laying hens and rabbits are confined to barren cages about the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Sows are forced to nurse their piglets in crates so small they can’t even turn around. Ducks and geese are caged for force feeding to produce foie gras. 

While the court case might take up to 18 months to complete, animal protection and democracy NGOs encourage the EC to quickly come forward with a proposed timeline, and to make the file a priority in the next legislature. This will allow concerned stakeholders to start to invest in future-proof solutions.

EU citizens have made use of the democratic tool at their disposal – they want these millions of animals out of cages. There is no argument against ending animal suffering.

Yet with the Commission’s silence on the issue, we do question the very democratic purpose of the ECI, which was specifically introduced to allow EU citizens to shape EU decision making.

Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals.

The European Commission must deliver on its legally binding commitment to ban caged animal farming. Its failure to do so not only impacts around 300 million farmed animals suffering every year in cages, it damages our environment and makes a mockery of the ECI as a democratic tool for EU citizens, especially for the 1.4 million who signed it. We will not rest until the Commission delivers on its promise and every cage is an empty cage.

Annamaria Pisapia, Head of Compassion in World Farming Italy and spokesperson for the Citizens’ Committee of the EtCA ECI.

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News, Uncategorized

Ukraine’s EU accession: opportunity to improve animal welfare across Europe.

24 June 2024

Press Release

As accession negotiations between the EU and Ukraine start this week, Eurogroup for Animals highlights the need to prioritise animal welfare in the discussions, to ensure that through the right support, Ukraine elevates its standards to match those envisioned in the Union.

The accession of Ukraine to the EU is an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of animals, given Ukraine’s substantial livestock agriculture. At present, Ukraine represents the second largest egg producer after France, and has the fourth largest poultry sector. Agricultural products account for 41% of Ukraine’s exports, with animal products estimated to make up almost a third of this, most of which are poultry and eggs. In 2023 alone, millions of animals were farmed and slaughtered in the country, of which 712 million poultry. Yet, current animal welfare standards in Ukraine fall below current EU standards.

While it is welcome that Ukraine is already taking steps to match EU standards through the adoption of rules on keeping farm animals, it is crucial that negotiations reflect upcoming EU standards, like cage free-farming. This will allow producers to make future-proof investments, avoiding additional changes and costs in the coming years, and ensuring that Ukraine is already aligned with standards in other Member States when accession is complete. The EU should support this transition by providing details on the upcoming animal welfare legislation and through adequate support to joining countries. 

This should also apply to the implementation of other animal-related EU laws, such as protection of wildlife and biodiversity, which have been significantly threatened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as animals used in science and companion animals. 

These negotiations also offer a chance for the EU to rethink its farm policies, particularly in ensuring that funds are not supporting unsustainable farming practices. 

Considering the scale of agriculture in the country, Ukraine would be eligible for a quarter of the CAP budget, sparking discussions on the current payment model based on hectares. These policies should include stronger conditionality to the improvement of animal welfare and supporting transitions from intensive farming to a resilient, sustainable one.

The accession negotiations coincide with the next legislative term, a crucial one for animal welfare: the European Commission must come forward with revised animal welfare legislation that provides adequate protection for all farm animals, from farm to slaughter, while a concrete timeline and action plan for ending cage farming should be a priority.

We welcome the start of negotiations with Ukraine to join the EU, and hope that the chance is used to elevate the lives of millions of animals in the country. Failing to support Ukraine to transition to anticipated EU animal welfare standards would lead to a two-speed Europe, which would not only be bad news for the animals but also for EU consumers and producers. It is therefore vital that the EU comes forward with revised legislation and an action plan to end cage farming across the continent, including in Ukraine, as soon as possible.

Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals

Regards Mark

General News, Uncategorized

(CN) YULIN Dog Meat “Festival” 2024

Years of campaigning against this infamous public “festivity” have sadly not yet resulted in it being closed down. Change, unfortunately, is slow in coming, and this year again many dogs and cats will be cruelly slaughtered.

However, there is hope. Increasingly Chinese activists and organisations stand up against this atrocity, and as we all know that is the most important part of it, as criticism coming from outside the country, and/or “the West” is often seen as ignorant of Chinese culture and customs.

So here some current news on what is happening on the ground.