Meet Sea Shepherd’s Newest Ship: Ocean Warrior Announces ‘Bob Barker’ — Named After Legendary Animal Rights Leader
Regards Mark
Category: Uncategorized
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
Animal rights group PETA asks Idaho to investigate ‘deceptive’ Yellowstone Bear World (yahoo.com)
An often-controversial animal rights group has asked Idaho’s attorney general to investigate a wildlife park’s business claims, which the activist group said misled the public into believing the park is a rescue operation.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, filed the consumer protection complaint about Yellowstone Bear World earlier this month, urging the attorney general’s office to investigate alleged insinuations from the park and its staff that Yellowstone Bear World is a sanctuary or nonprofit. The animal rights group also alleged Bear World made misleading claims about keeping bears on its property for life and falsely advertised the size of its property.
Bear World is a drive-through wildlife park in eastern Idaho that is home to numerous animal species, including its namesake black and grizzly bears. The park has faced intense scrutiny over its animal care, bear breeding and cub bottle-feeding practices, particularly after the viral 2020 “Tiger King” documentary drew attention to roadside animal exhibitors.
Continue reading via the above link.
China: Cat Torture – X STORM – Wednesday 22nd May 2024. – World Animals Voice
15 May 2024
Over 60 organisations gathered in Copenhagen for the first General Assembly of the World Federation for Animals (WFA). They collectively committed to embark on a journey to ensure animal welfare is recognised as essential to the achievement of the global sustainable development agenda.
The event brought together leaders and advocates from five continents to solidify their commitment to integrating animal welfare into the global sustainable development agenda.
A Promise to Animals & Our Future
During the Assembly, the WFA launched its Promise to Animals & Our Future. This commitment builds on the understanding of the urgent need for systemic change in how animals are treated across sectors and underscores their profound impact on global health, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods.
The Federation has promised to work with international bodies, governments, corporations, and communities to establish animal welfare as a fundamental aspect of sustainable development.
This promise comes at a critical moment, as the world evaluates progress at the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015.
With countries nowhere near reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, this initiative offers a new perspective on achieving a sustainable future that includes animal welfare.
The UN’s global policy agenda must include animal protection: not only for the animals but for humans, future generations and the whole planet. We can only achieve sustainable development, tackle the current environmental crises, foster resilient societies and ecosystems, and prevent the next pandemics if we transform how we treat animals.
Dr James Yeates, CEO, World Federation for Animals
WFA is a membership organisation founded in 2020 by and for national, regional, and international animal protection organisations. WFA is the result of these organisations’ decision to join forces and work together towards a broad representation of the interests of animals in international policy.
Eurogroup for Animals is proud to support the WFA as a founding member.
Regards Mark
World Animals Voice 
