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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 have written to all the major political parties with a list of questions about ending the badger cull and their positions and vision on associated issues that affect badgers and their habitats*.
- We have written to the Permanent Secretary at Defra to ensure no new badger kill licences are issued in the election period.
- We continue to reserve the right to take legal action after the election when Defra reports back on the recent ‘badger control’ consultation.
- We will publish any responses we receive.
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.
- Sign our petition to end the cull and show policymakers you want protection, not extinction.
- Send a letter to your parliamentary candidates asking for their views—our template will help you get started**
- Order your free End The Cull Action Pack, containing an information leaflet and postcards to share and raise awareness locally
- Donate to our campaigns to protect badgers, their setts and their habitats.
- 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
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:
Israeli minister says there is no famine in Gaza and ‘never has been’
Really ! – what planet does this cretin come from ?
Want proof – we suggest he reads:
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.
Meet Sea Shepherd’s Newest Ship: Ocean Warrior Announces ‘Bob Barker’ — Named After Legendary Animal Rights Leader
Regards Mark
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.
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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.
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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.
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
Dear all,
as a follow-up to our recent critical post on the situation of Gaza’s children, and those we, and the global compassionate community, consider responsible for their suffering, we would like to further highlight the “problem” with this 6-year old child “Fadi Al-Zant“. There is no, and we repeat, NO justification for causing such suffering to the Innocent and their helpless families.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-gaza-mother-fears-losing-last-child-starvation
2024 and the USA and Israel are making innocent children suffer like this ? – global shame on them.
Further Reading:
Thanks to Thefreeonline for publishing this post – view the photos ! https://thefreeonline.com/2024/05/09/its-okay-says-biden-as-israel-kills-23-women-and-kids-and-cuts-all-aid-at-rafah-crossing/
Metro London
Seen enough ? – the US supplies bombs to Israel – the above shows what results.
We are of the opinion that the issue of Cat torture and killings is associated directly or indirectly with issues such as this. Many platforms, despite what they say, are allowing their sites to be used for the promotion of abuses; and there appears to be little in the way of controls.
Have a look here: related:
TikTok fined £12.7m for misusing children’s data – BBC News
Summary
- The US House of Representatives has voted today on a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok
- It would require the Chinese tech giant ByteDance to sell its stake in the app within six months or face a ban from US app stores and web hosting platforms
- It follows previous efforts by American authorities to limit access to the app, citing national security risks
- The bill’s fate in the Senate is unclear, but President Joe Biden says he will sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk
- Lawmakers say TikTok’s owner ByteDance has links with the Chinese Communist Party – something denied by ByteDance and TikTok
- Former President Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to ban the app when he was in the White House in 2020.
More on social media / animal abuse:
23 May 2024
Press Release
Eurogroup for Animals and Slow Food have sent a joint letter to the European Commission, urgently demanding concrete actions on the ECIs “End the Cage Age” and “Save Bees and Farmers”!
Democratic participatory tools, designed to empower citizens in shaping EU legislation, are being disregarded by the European Commission (EC), raising concerns over the lack of action on commitments made in response to European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs).
In a joint letter addressed to Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová, Eurogroup for Animals and Slow Food expressed their concern on the inaction of the EC in response to citizens’ demands. Specifically, the NGOs highlighted the ECIs End the Cage Age and Save bees and farmers!, which both initially received clear commitments from the EC, only to be later backtracked. This failure by the EC to follow through calls into question the very raison d’etre of the ECI instrument itself and severely undermines the trust that citizens have in the EU’s democratic process.
Despite its objective to enable participatory democracy, none of the ten successful ECIs have resulted in concrete legislative outcomes, indicating that citizens’ demands have only had a marginal influence on the Commission’s legislative agenda.
The two NGOs also emphasised that the absence of a sustainable food system framework continues to jeopardise the very objectives of the EU’s Green Deal ambitions, at a time when all studies show there is a critical need for a transition to resilient farming and a focus on dietary shifts.
EU Citizens have been resoundingly vocal on the need for better legislation to protect animals, yet, the impact of democratic participatory tools have so far only been marginal. As we head to the European elections, we call on the European Commission to answer to the calls of citizens and come forward with action plans on these ECIs,
Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals
So many EU citizens have mobilised around European Citizens’ Initiatives in the past years. Such a widespread engagement cannot keep being dismissed by the European Commission, because it undermines the democratic principles upon which the EU is founded. It erodes trust in the political process and risks alienating citizens who are eager to contribute to shaping policies that affect their lives
Marta Messa, Slow Food’s Secretary General
Eurogroup for Animals and Slow Food urge the European Commission to promptly address these issues and take concrete actions to fulfil the commitments made in response to ECIs.
Regards Mark
WAV Archive Photos
17 May 2024
CAS
A survey conducted by CAS International shows that the majority of Spanish, French and Portuguese citizens are against bullfighting, and think the harmful tradition sees too much suffering to bulls.
Spain, France and Portugal are the only European countries that still allow bullfighting, including different patronal festivities with bulls and cows.
7500 citizens were polled by Ipsos I&O Public on behalf of CAS International. Key finding included:
77% agreed that bullfighting causes too much suffering to bulls;
65% agreed that children under 18 should be prohibited from attending bullfights;
Only one in every five persons thought that bullfighting is a valuable tradition that should have a place in society;
58% favour a complete ban on bullfighting.
It is clear that more and more people are becoming aware of the violence inflicted on bulls and people do not accept this anymore.
Maite van Gerwen, Director, CAS International
The European Union leaves the protection of animals that are used in cultural, traditional and religious events at the discretion of Member States. However, 74% of respondents agreed that the European Union should act to protect the welfare of animals in cultural traditions, and 67% did not agree with the use of national or EU subsidies to support bullfighting.
There are clear signs that interest in bullfighting is in a decline. In the past 20 years, the number of bullfights in France has decreased by 40%, and by 63% since 2007 in Spain. In Portugal, 166 bullfights were held in 2023, the lowest number ever recorded in the country.
Regards Mark
World Animals Voice 
