Category: General News

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News, Live Transport

EU: Unique mobile exhibition for better animal protection to tour Europe.

5 June 2024

Project 1882

The conditions of animals in factory farms will be put under the spotlight in a mobile exhibition set to tour in 15 European cities in the coming months. The mobile truck, which will make its way across Europe, transforms into an interactive exhibition place, offering a unique experience to visitors.

The initiative For the Animals, by Project 1882, will allow citizens to witness first-hand the mistreatment endured by animals in factory farms around Europe and emphasise the urgent need for stronger EU legislation to protect them.

The mobile exhibition will offer visitors informative, knowledge-building and engaging activities that will help to inform them about current animal welfare issues, as well as opportunities for change. It also seeks to urge policymakers to prioritise animal welfare at the EU level, particularly by pushing for the long-awaited animal welfare legislation, which is yet to be published. 

The unique mobile event acts as a meeting place in large European cities, where both the public and elected officials have the opportunity to meet and share information.

How we treat animals is one of the great existential questions of our time. With our tour across Europe, Project 1882 will shed light on the systematic suffering endured by animals in factory farms every day. The European Commission has failed to deliver on its promises. Proposals for new animal welfare legislation exist, but they are not being presented, which is a betrayal of both citizens and animals.

Benny Anderson, CEO, Project 1882

Since its establishment in 1882, Project 1882 has been working to improve the lives of animals who are widely exploited and suffer most. The For the Animals tour marks the organisation’s latest effort to elevate animal rights issues on the Commission’s agenda.

The tour will start in Helsinki on 6 June, followed by visits to cities such as Berlin, Madrid, and Lisbon, before finally reaching the EU headquarters in Brussels in the fall.  

The list of tour stops will be regularly updated here.

Mark

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News

England: This English Village Might Soon Be Overrun With a Megafarm.

Petition link  petition: This English Village Might Soon Be Overrun With a Megafarm (thepetitionsite.com)

Please support this petition thank you.

This English Village Might Soon Be Overrun With a Megafarm

In a troubling move, the food producer Cranswick is proposing an aggressive expansion of its operations in Norfolk, England, aiming to build one of the UK’s largest industrial farms. The plan includes adding millions of chickens and tens of thousands of pigs on a site formerly known for its serene landscapes and vibrant wildlife. Local residents are understandably deeply concerned about the increased traffic, pollution, and the inhumane treatment of animals that such a massive scale of operations would entail. It’s simple: We cannot let this project continue.

Sign the petition to urge West Norfolk Council to reject this mega-farm proposal and protect our community and natural environment!

This massive farm expansion threatens to disrupt the local ecosystem, diminish residents’ quality of life, and could potentially create a hotspot for diseases due to the high concentration of animals. Industrial-scale farming practices like this one not only undermine animal welfare but also pose significant risks to public health and our environment.

Also, the impact on local infrastructure and the natural beauty that attracts tourists to Norfolk could be devastating. With increased traffic and foul odors emanating from animal waste, the character of this beloved village is at risk. 

Sign this petition to demand that West Norfolk Council prioritize the welfare of our communities, the protection of wildlife, and the integrity of our environment over the interests of big business.

Environmental, General News, Uncategorized

UK: General Election Actions From The Badger Trust – Demo Dates And Template To Write To Your MP.

I am passionate about helping Badgers. Half an hour ago I had the pleasure of watching a badger feeding out on my own back garden – – with tasty food I had specifically put out for him to enjoy.

Following photos – Mark (WAV).

The following is copied directly from The Badger Trust; who are asking supporters to be a voice for badgers at the UK General Election which is only about 5 weeks away now. If you want to write directly to your own MP; then a template letter is provided at the end for you to use.

Regards Mark

Copied from, and helping badgers with the Badger Trust:

General Election 2024: Our Manifesto for Badgers (badgertrust.org.uk)

General Election 2024: Our Manifesto for Badgers

We outline our asks as we seek clarity from the main political parties on their visions for badgers and their natural habitats. 

The General Election has been called for 4 July 2024, and we look forward to clarity from the main political parties on their visions for badgers and their natural habitats.

In particular, we want to know their plans for the future of the badger cull.  It’s an ineffective, costly and unethical policy of mass killing badgers to control bovine TB.

It’s not a cull, it’s a slaughter. 

What we’re asking

  • End the badger cull now and protect the remaining wild badger population before it’s too late.
  • Deliver the rapid development and roll-out of a compulsory cattle vaccine and an improved cattle test to stamp out bTB infection in the cattle herd and protect both farmed cows and wildlife. 
  • Be honest about the true levels of bTB hidden in the English cattle herd, with compulsory nationwide use of more sensitive (reliable) testing and giving enhanced compensation to farmers.
  • Commit to a ‘One Health and One Welfare’ approach to UK ecosystems by supporting farmers to integrate effective cattle-based bTB control measures into their animal welfare and environmental sustainability practices. 
  • Make badger persecution notifiable and extend the maximum sentence for convictions under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992) from six months to five years, in line with the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021.
  • Make space for badgers and other wildlife and prevent further habitat loss by ensuring new development protects and enhances our natural environment.
  • Restore Nature Now and address the UK’s nature crisis by protecting badgers and their habitats.

Save badgers. Save nature. Protection not extinction.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Badger Trust proudly supports Restore Nature Now, a campaign to address this nature crisis.  

Killing 230,000 native badgers—half the estimated population—is at the very heart of this unnecessary attack on nature. Badgers also face threats from high rates of wildlife crime and the rapid rise of property and road development. As ecosystem engineers, badgers provide many benefits to other species. Threats to badgers and their spaces are threats to the balance of our natural environment.

That’s why, on Saturday, 22 June, we will be marching peacefully with thousands of fellow nature and wildlife supporters to make all politicians sit up and take notice ahead of the election that we want them to act to Restore Nature Now—please join us. 

What we’re doing

We’re voting badger!

As a registered charity, Badger Trust is politically neutral and does not endorse any party—we only support badgers! 

We will continue to do all that we can to promote and enhance the welfare, conservation and protection of badgers, their setts and their habitats. We will work with all people who share those aims and want to see nature protected, not driven to extinction levels.  

 

What you can do

Five ways for you to get involved and show your support for badgers.

  1. Sign our petition to end the cull and show policymakers you want protection, not extinction.
  2. Send a letter to your parliamentary candidates asking for their views—our template will help you get started**
  3. Order your free End The Cull Action Pack,  containing an information leaflet and postcards to share and raise awareness locally  
  4. Donate to our campaigns to protect badgers, their setts and their habitats. 
  5. Get involved with your local badger group. Volunteers at badger groups across the country campaign locally to End the Cull, and they will be pleased if you join them.

Further Information:

*Download and read our letter to all the leaders of political parties represented at Westminster. 

Badger Trust 2024 General Election Letter to all political parties.pdf

And letter template to your own MP:

Badger Trust 2024 Parliamentary Candidate Letter template.pdf

Regards Mark

The following photos – WAV Archive.

THANK YOU

General News, Uncategorized

(Gaza) Children Starving

Once again, and as a follow-up to already published articles here, we feel compelled to show what the world must see. Clearly, if one reads the daily news, it has not sunk in with many – certainly not those who are directly responsible and/or could halt this nightmare. Especially for the very young, and utterly innocent.

We are in June, this year is not even half-over, and there’s way too many children dying – Human and Animal – at the hands of Perverts. “The Decline of Humanity in this World”, was said elsewhere today.

Previous:

Sometimes You Have To Divert From Animals; But Oh, He Kills Many Of Them Also – Hmm, So Basically Animal And Child Killers.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/gaza-children-living-in-hell-inside-the-innocent-lives-shattered-by-war/ar-BB1nCLDj?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=2ac179bd5a004813a8e7b928de7e3dd7&ei=54

Israeli minister says there is no famine in Gaza and ‘never has been’

Really ! – what planet does this cretin come from ?

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/israeli-minister-says-there-is-no-famine-in-gaza-and-never-has-been/ar-BB1mO0bZ?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Want proof – we suggest he reads:

https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Gaza+Children+Starving&qpvt=gaza+children+starving&FORM=EWRE

Children in Shabura camp in Rafah city queue to receive a bowl of food for their families from charity organizations, in Rafah, Gaza on May 03 2024.

Palestinian child dies because of famine in Gaza

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that far too little aid is reaching Palestinians in Gaza, to the extent that children are now starving.

China Cat Torture, General News

New Category

Hi all; we have now added a new category called ‘China Cat Torture’ – everything relating to this issue will be stored here as well as under ‘General News’.

You can therefore just type in ‘China Cat Torture’ in the Search box on the home left side and you should be given all of our past posts relating to this abuse.

Or, sorry, late night yesterday, forgot to add – you can simply click here for the new category:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=china+cat+torture

Regards Mark (aka Bonsai Nut)

China Cat Torture, General News

(CN) Cat Torture – A difficult decision

Hi all.

Now, it is often for us a tightrope walk what to show you and what not. We have frequently spoken about that, amongst ourselves, and it remains a difficult decision. There is still one post not published, which contains a video we hesitate to show (not the one mentioned below). Yet.

The source is a very active colleague in Japan, who, as he says in the post below, struggles with the question, and for himself, what he can see, what he can bear to see. And ultimately, he WILL see, because he feels to look away is to abandon those victims – each and every one of whom is an individual whose life and suffering is unique and not just a number of dead, in the now long list of atrocities committed every day in China.

Personally, I feel the same. And that also goes for the here, on the site, mentioned suffering of children in Gaza.

Diana

Farm Animals, General News, Hunting, Live Transport, Uncategorized

UK: Some Positive Actions / News.

Dear Friend,

We are delighted to welcome the Pet Abduction Act 2024. Under this new law – which was a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by our Patron Anna Firth and Lord Black of Brentwood and supported by the Government – anyone found guilty of stealing a pet in England or Northern Ireland will face up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.

The new law recognises that cats and dogs are not inanimate objects but sentient beings capable of experiencing distress and other emotional trauma when they are stolen from their owners or keepers.

Evidence from the Pet Theft Taskforce suggests around 2,000 dog and over 400 cat theft crimes were reported to police in 2020, causing considerable distress for owners and their pets alike. With an estimated 28% of UK adults owning a dog and 24% owning a cat, pet theft is a major concern to the public.           

 <https://mcusercontent.com/39260baecf6044e1f26ef4f9d/images/908aee09-9ac7-a6c0-ca21-11ed0c0985b3.jpeg>          

 Anna Firth, Lord Black

Support for the Act builds upon wider action to protect pets from theft, including making the microchipping of cats compulsory from 10 June 2024. This makes it easier for lost, stray or stolen pets to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely.

Anna Firth commented: “As a nation of pet-lovers, it is vital that the law recognises the emotional impact the theft of a pet can have and brings the perpetrators to justice in a way that correctly reflects this. Pets are not merely items in our lives, they are sentient beings, and it is not right that the law does not distinguish this. My thanks to Lord Black, Debbie Matthews, Dr Dan Allen, Pet Theft Alliance, Tilly’s Angels, the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and Cats Protection, the Dogs Trust, Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, Refuge and Pet Theft Awareness, all of whom have provided invaluable insight on my Bill.”

Lord Black of Brentwood commented; “I am delighted that the Pet Abduction Act is now on the statute book.  We have seen a great deal of important animal welfare legislation in this Parliament – and it seems fitting that it should end with this vital step forward. It will make a real difference to millions of families, like my own, who love their pets. I am so grateful to the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, as well as all the other charities in the sector, who have given such strong support. This is a victory for all of you.”

Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “We are delighted our Patron Anna Firth’s Pet Abduction Act which will tackle the growing issue of pet theft has become law.  This Act delivers a key component of Defra’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare (2021) and address an issue close to the hearts of the British public. Our pets are members of the family, often providing much-needed companionship and stability throughout our lives. That the theft of a treasured pet was treated no more severely under the law than that of a mobile phone was simply unacceptable, and we look forward to seeing this new legislation provide an effective deterrent against such offences. We would like to thank Anna Firth and Lord Black for the hard work and time they have spent on this important new law and our Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Secretary of State Steve Barclay for their strong support for the new legislation to protect animals.”

Live Exports Ban

We are thrilled that the Animal Welfare( Livestock Exports) Act is now law after receiving Royal Assent- it has been an important time for animal welfare! This new historical law bans exports of live cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses for slaughter and fattening abroad and is the first in Europe to do so.

These two new laws follow other notable Conservative Party achievements for animals since 2019  and include; the Animal Welfare (Sentience Act) including crustaceans and cephalopods, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing Act), the Glue Traps (Offences) Act, the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act, The Ivory Act, the Animal Welfare (Service Animals Act), the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act 2019, a ban on keeping primates as pets, a ban on third-party puppy and kitten sales, a ban on wild animals travelling in circuses, a ban on microbeads to protect marine life, mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, mandatory microchipping of cats, the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act, and the Shark Fins Act.

 <https://mcusercontent.com/39260baecf6044e1f26ef4f9d/images/df2d47e7-6048-a4e6-ce62-d2baf7a8a3ba.jpg>            

Politicians and CAWF team:( left to right top to bottom). Giles Watling, Damian Green, Rebecca Harris, Sir Roger Gale, Louie French, Mark Francois, Kevin Foster, Theresa Villiers, Sir Roger Gale, Selaine Saxby, Sir Roger  Gale, Louie French, Dame Tracey Crouch, Theresa Villiers, Rebecca Harris, Kevin Foster, Peter Gibson, Paul Howell,  Chris Platt( CAWF) Baroness Hodgson, Baroness Fookes, Lorraine Platt and Jenny Lewis( CAWF) Theresa Villiers, Chris Platt( CAWF) Rebecca Harris, George Eustice, Lorraine Platt, Chris Platt and Dame Andrea Jenkyns          

The General Election

Now, with the 2024 General Election underway, it is crucial the Conservative Party continues to build on the positive momentum gained thus far in its upcoming manifesto. We like to call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, and we know that animal welfare is an important focus for the public. It is essential that the Conservative manifesto contains pledges on issues that the voting public care about. We know that there is increasing concern on the lives of billions of farm animals on intensive industrial farms. Our campaigns focus on ending cruel systems where farm animals are confined to small cages and crates, unable to exhibit any of their natural behaviours or see natural daylight or even feel a blade of grass under their feet for their entire lives.            

 <https://conservativeanimalwelfarefoundation.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=39260baecf6044e1f26ef4f9d&id=7389e84bb8&e=57f5095601>

Our  Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation 2024 Manifesto for Animals <https://conservativeanimalwelfarefoundation.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=39260baecf6044e1f26ef4f9d&id=fb4815b4c4&e=57f5095601> outlines the following primary asks, which are critical for the advancement of animal welfare.

1.         Commit to a fixed and fair phase out period of the use of farrowing crates for sows and gilts in the UK with ongoing transitional support for farmers during the phase out period.

2.         Commit to a fixed and fair phase out period for enriched cages for laying hens in the UK with ongoing transitional support for farmers during the phase out period.

3.         Introduce mandatory animal welfare labelling on all meat products for human consumption.

4.         Legislate to ensure that farmed fish have the equivalent legal protection to that of terrestrial farmed animals, including at time of slaughter.

Additionally, our Manifesto includes asks to ban the commercial importation of foie gras, ban fur imports, trophy hunting imports, prohibit the remote sale and shipping of live animals for food to non-commercial customers, ban the importation of cats or dogs that have been mutilated in ways that are illegal in the UK (such as tail docking, ear cropping or de-clawing), ban the use of snares and introduce a close season for brown hares in England and Wales to align with existing legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It’s important to enshrine core standards for animal welfare in all future trade agreements, in order to safeguard the UK’s existing animal welfare standards and to protect British farmers.

We know that animals matter to the public and we hope that our proposals are considered for the General Election Manifesto.

Thank you for your kind support

Best wishes

Lorraine, Chris and the Team

Regards Mark

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News

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

31 May 2024

The legal action brought against the European Commission (EC) before the General Court on its failure to uphold the commitment to the European Citizens’ Initiative End-the-Cage-Age will now supersede the complaint made to the European Ombudsman on the same matter.

The complaint

In November 2023, 57 animal protection NGOs submitted an official complaint to the European Ombudsman on the EC’s failure to uphold governing rules. Despite having generated legitimate expectations on acting on the ECI, the EC failed to come forward with a legislative proposal, putting into question the purpose of this democratic tool. This was the first time in which a large number of NGOs submitted a complaint to this inter-institutional European body.

Subsequently, an inquiry was open, in which the EC was asked to send an official reply to the complainants. The delayed response of the EC was however unsatisfactory to the complaints, providing no clear timeline or action plan on when the proposal will be published.

The court case

In March 2024,  the Citizens Committee of the ECI launched a landmark legal action against the EC at the European Court of Justice of the EU over its failure to act on its commitment, ignoring the demands of 1.4 million EU citizens.

What happens now?

The complaint at the European Ombudsman has now been closed, and animal protection NGOs will focus their efforts on the official court case. The court case has been officially logged on the 6th of May, and further details on next steps are expected in due course.

What’s at stake?

Over 300 million farm animals, including hens, quails, rabbits, sows and ducks, are confined in cages on farms in the European Union each year, with many kept like this for all or most of their life. Animals are severely restricted in their movements, prevented from exhibiting natural behaviours, with detrimental effects on their health and welfare.

Without the promised legislative proposal, the phasing out of animals in cages in the EU remains on hold, and animals continue to suffer in millions.

Mark

Further reading https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/improve-pig-welfare-standards-demand-animal-rights-advocates/