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Iran: Dog shelter worker cries over dead animal after Iranian regime ‘raids property and slaughters 1,700 canines taken in as strays’.

‘This was the most vulnerable & obedient one,’ the inconsolable volunteer cried, before the camera panned to show several canine corpses strewn across the roadside and a nearby valley.

Dog shelter worker cries over dead animal after Iranian regime ‘raids property and slaughters 1,700 canines taken in as strays’

  • Authorities allegedly massacred up to 1,700 dogs at a shelter this weekend
  • Heart-wrenching footage showed a volunteer crying as she held the dogs 
  • Ebrahim Raisi’s regime is looking at a law which would ban pet ownership
  • The bill initially proposed in December would also see fines dished out for the ‘import, purchase and sale, transportation and keeping’ of many common pets
  • Bill authors see the practice of keeping pets as a ‘destructive social problem’

Iranian regime ‘raids property and slaughters 1,700 canines taken in as strays’  | Daily Mail Online

Dog shelter workers are protesting President Ebrahim Raisi’s regime in Iran after authorities allegedly stormed their compound and slaughtered up to 1,700 dogs.

Heart-wrenching footage shared on social media showed one volunteer in floods of tears as she clasped one of the dead hounds in her arms.

‘This was the most vulnerable and obedient one,’ she cried, before the camera panned to show several canine corpses strewn across the roadside and a nearby valley.

Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist who shared the footage, said of the slaughter: ‘The ruthless rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran spare no-one’

Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist who shared the footage, said of the slaughter: ‘The ruthless rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran spare no-one. 

‘In addition to repressing women, ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTQs, they also annually kill countless stray dogs. Animal rights activists in Iran need your attention.’

The massacre comes with Iranian lawmakers set to pass a bill which would restrict pet ownership without possession of a special permit.

It would also see considerable fines dished out for the ‘import, purchase and sale, transportation and keeping’ of many common pets, which some parliamentarians believe is a symbol of decadence which could ‘replace’ healthy family relationships.

The bill, initially proposed in December, pits growing numbers of people with pets against those who consider the practice a symbol of decadence and hold that, under Islamic law, dogs and other animals are unclean.

Authors of the bill condemn the practice of humans living under one roof with domesticated animals as a ‘destructive social problem’.

Heart-wrenching footage circulating on social media showed one volunteer in floods of tears as she clasped one of the dead hounds in her arms.

Dogs are a common animal in Iran and have been kept in rural areas for centuries, but more urban dwellers began to develop an affinity for raising pets in the 20th century.

The middle eastern nation was once one of the most tolerant with respect to pets, passing animal welfare laws as early as 1948 and pushing for the development of animal rights. 

But the 1979 Islamic Revolution drastically altered daily life for millions of Iranians, and dogs are now held in contempt by ultraconservative lawmakers.

The bill proposed late last year aims to rid Iranian society of the practice of keeping pets.

Anti-pet lawmakers say the practice could ‘gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life’ by ‘replacing human and family relationships with feelings and emotional relationships towards animals’.

Their proposed law would prohibit ‘importing, raising, assisting in the breeding of, breeding, buying or selling, transporting, driving or walking, and keeping in the home wild, exotic, harmful and dangerous animals’.

It lists the animals to be banned as ‘crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards, cats, mice, rabbits, dogs and other unclean animals as well as monkeys’.

Offenders would risk a fine equivalent to 10 to 30 times the ‘minimum monthly working wage’ of about £80 and the ‘confiscation’ of the animal – though it is highly likely the animal would simply be killed.

However, there have already been reports in Iran of police officers making arrests on those walking their dogs or carrying pets in public.  

Tehran’s police chief General Hossein Rahimi announced on July 8 that entering the parks with dogs will be forbidden and police will consider and deal with it as illegal action.

Regards Mark

China: Hoopla Stall Where Sick Punters Throw Hoops at a Strapped-Down Live GOOSE.

Hoopla stall where punters throw hoops at a strapped-down GOOSE is condemned by PETA (msn.com)

A fairground game in which people aim to throw hoops around the neck of a goose tied down to a stool has been condemned by animal rights campaigners.

Bizarre footage from the funfair in Yantai in eastern China‘s Shandong province shows a white goose strapped down to a stool precariously balanced on plastic crates.

Punters are encouraged to throw plastic hoops at the helpless bird, with prizes on offer should they manage to get one of the hoops its neck.

The footage recorded at the funfair last month shows fairgoers launching ring after ring at the animal, which ducks and moves its head frantically to avoid being hit by the oncoming objects.  

Elisa Allen, a programme director at the animal welfare organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) strongly condemned the incident.

‘These videos of fairgoers throwing objects at helpless geese show that, regrettably, there are still people who see animals as commodities whose fears and feelings are of no consequence.’

She added: ‘Geese are intelligent, sensitive birds who deserve to be respected as individuals, not as the sum of their body parts or as amusement.

‘PETA Asia is pushing for stronger animal welfare legislation in China while working to change public attitudes towards our fellow animals.

‘We remind everyone that the best way to help animals is by never eating or wearing them and always speaking out whenever you see them being abused.’

Click here to see all the pictures:

Hoopla stall where punters throw hoops at a strapped-down GOOSE is condemned by PETA  | Daily Mail Online

Regards Mark

England: Introducing Viva ! – For Animals and Humans.

Viva! is the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity, specialising in undercover investigations and high-profile animal campaigns. Founded in 1994 by Juliet Gellatley, we have spent almost 30 years creating a kinder, more sustainable world for humans and animals alike.

Diet is linked to the diseases that kill most people in the affluent West – ‘degenerative’ diseases. Researchers at Viva! Health keep up to date with the latest science to show you why a varied vegan diet cuts your disease risk, and can improve your health.

And let’s not forget our magnificent Vegan Recipe Club which has hundreds of healthy, delicious and colourful recipes, helping people go and stay vegan.

Please, consider joining Viva! today so we can continue educating the public about the benefits of living vegan.

Join or renew:

Donate or join us | Viva! The Vegan Charity

If you can, please give £5 or more a month and become a Viva! Friend. You’ll receive Viva!life magazine PLUS an exclusive I’m a Viva! Friend mug, keyring, sticker pen and bookmark.

You’ll also receive some handy guides, wallcharts, and a free Films For Change 60 day trial where you can enjoy any film on their site – including an expansive collection of vegan documentaries! 

Yours for the animals,

Juliet Gellatley
Founder and Director

Regards Mark

England: The Viva! Vegan Podcast, Talks To Ronnie Lee – Founder of the Animal Liberation Front, Hunt Saboteur and Vegan Activist.

Ronnie Lee | Viva! Vegan Podcast

The Viva! Vegan Podcast, August

Episode #70: Ronnie Lee – Founder of the Animal Liberation Front, hunt saboteur and vegan activist

Born in 1951, Ronnie stopped eating meat aged 19 when his sister’s vegetarian boyfriend convinced him that it is wrong to eat animals. Two years later, he became vegan and got active with the Hunt Saboteurs Association to disrupt hunting activities and save lives.

In his pursuit to carry out direct action against all forms of animal oppression, the Animal Liberation Front was born.

In this interview, Viva!’s head of investigations, Lex Rigby, gets to ask Ronnie what it was like being vegan in the 70s, what happened to the rescued guinea pigs he stuffed up his jumper and whether he really thought a gallon of petrol was going to burn down an animal research laboratory.

Following the interview, Lex is joined by Viva!’s head of comms, Faye Lewis, to discuss Ronnie’s uncompromising commitment to the animal rights cause.

Regards Mark

Ukraine: 640,000kg of pet food distributed in Ukraine by UPAW. Donation Link Included.

640,000kg of pet food distributed in Ukraine by UPAW

1 August 2022

Four Paws

Image – UPAW.

UPAW (Ukrainian Pet Association Worldwide) was created on the first day of the war in Ukraine, in partnership with Animals ID, Dogs Trust Worldwide and Four Paws. It is a logistical platform that unites and coordinates the efforts of 18 Ukrainian animal welfare organisations.

In the past four months the organisation has distributed 640,000kg of pet food, taking care of the challenging logistics in Ukraine.

This platform serves the purpose of redistribution of the pet’s food all over the country, addressing the needs of animals. To this end, the volunteers taking care of unowned animals, breeding kennels, individual pet owners and shelters can apply and receive help thanks to UPAW, whose recognise that “In this tragic situation all pets are equal and hungry in the same way”.

In the future, UPAW is hoping that its purpose will be threefold:

  1. Drive systemic changes in Ukraine, which will benefit animals, in cooperation with NGOs and veterinarians.
  2. Implement international best practices for the development of local animal welfare organisations.
  3. Help national authorities create a policy on animal welfare and good veterinary practice in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the war is imposing different priorities and the whole team of UPAW is focused on reaching red zones of humanitarian catastrophe and front lines in order to feed as many animals as possible. The estimated amount of necessary pet food is 1,300 tons per month.

Image

Organizations that need help

Animals in Ukraine need help | UPAW

Regards Mark

All Photos – UPAW

EU: Pioneering conference on animal welfare in Invasive Alien Species management.

Pioneering conference on animal welfare in Invasive Alien Species management

22 July 2022

We are closing the bridge between animal welfare and conservation. The “Conference on the management of vertebrate Invasive Alien Species (IAS) of Union concern – incorporating animal welfare” was held on 12 July 2022 in Brussels and gathered 150 experts in wildlife management from across Europe to discuss how to improve animal welfare in IAS management.

The Conference is the final milestone of a project assessing the animal welfare implications of management methods for IAS on the Union list. The manual detailing the assessment will be published by the end of the year. Based on these outcomes, wildlife management practitioners will be able to select the most humane methods, while also taking into consideration the cost-benefit analysis to maximise efficiency. This Pilot Project is funded by the European Commission and implemented by a consortium of academics, conservation and animal welfare organisations, including Eurogroup for Animals. 

The participants to the Conference represented a wide range of wildlife management stakeholders including field practitioners, academia, civil society and competent authorities. They could discover the content of the manual presented by the consortium, learn from case studies across Europe on the management of various species and exchange on the gaps, best practices and ways forward for the management of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish species of the Union list.

During the Conference, Eurogroup for Animals and its members highlighted the necessity to raise awareness and find solutions to

  1. Better prevent the introduction of IAS in Europe,
  2. Develop innovative methods that minimise animal suffering when management is needed to protect biodiversity.

In this context, it is essential to explore the possibilities of fertility control and similar non-lethal management methods for the species of the Union list. Such solutions could enable a better implementation of the IAS regulation. The latter indeed provides the use of methods that do not cause avoidable pain, distress or suffering.

Based on the research conducted and the outcomes of this productive Conference, Eurogroup for Animals calls on the EU to build on this momentum, conducting further research needed to develop humane management methods for the IAS of the Union list. Additionally, following this important project, Eurogroup for Animals calls for the inclusion of welfare in management to be legally binding, as well as the publication of a list of prohibited management methods which fail to meet high welfare standards.

Regards Mark

Malta: Animal Organisations Put Spotlight On Deaths of 3 Dolphins in 1 Month at Maltese Dolphinarium.

Animal organisations put spotlight on deaths of 3 dolphins in 1 month at Maltese dolphinarium

26 July 2022

Animal Liberation Malta (ALM) has revealed that that between August and September of 2021 three female dolphins died at the Mediterraneo Marine Park at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Malta.

The news was never made public nor was it registered in the non-profit cetacean register Ceta-Base, as is common practice in other international wildlife parks.

Two of the female dolphins that died, named Onda and Mar, were believed to be around 20 and 25 years old respectively, had been caught in the wild in Cuba and kept at Mediterraneo since 2000, the group said.

The third dolphin, Melita, was just seven years old and was born in the park in 2014. She never swam in the open sea.

ALM also called upon authorities to investigate why Mediterraneo is allowed to operate under a zoo licence, when their dolphin shows acted as a “permanent aquatic circus”. The law, they said, defined circuses as places where animals are introduced for the purpose of performance and shows, which Mediterraneo’s dolphin shows offer as a form of entertainment.

Circuses with animal performers have been banned in Malta since 2014.

ALM called on the government as well as the park owners to shut down Mediterraneo and transform it into a rehabilitation center for aquatic animals.

“The location of the park is perfect as it is very close to the coastal shores and Malta would have the opportunity and be the pioneer of not only dolphin care but also of other marine creatures. The remaining dolphins should have the opportunity to be rehoused in sea pens, to live a natural life and end performing displays to the public.” 

The Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina has opened an inquiry to understand how the investigation was conducted by the government veterinary department.

I was very concerned when first advised of the disappearance of the 3 dolphins from Mediterraneo. A member of the public was told by the park that the dolphins had been moved to a facility in Spain, and contacted us to investigate further on the export. Having contacted authorities in both Spain and Malta, we were advised that the dolphins had not gone to another park but had, in fact, died at Mediterraneo. We continue to work alongside Maltese authorities to discover why the park were not been forthcoming with this information and an investigation is now vital to learn how these animals died, and the true situation at the facility.

Margaux Dodds, Director of UK based NGO Marine Connection

Regards Mark

USA: ‘Yellowstone Bear World’ Investigation Reveals Traumatized Cubs Desperate for Their Mothers in Public Feeding “Encounters”, and Pain Medication Denied to a Cub With a Fractured Leg. Video and Action Link.

A bear named Bean (shown) fractured his leg, but a supervisor told workers to withhold his prescription pain medication.

From Peta;

A breaking PETA undercover investigation into Yellowstone Bear World, a bear-breeding operation in Rexburg, Idaho, found that workers used traumatized cubs desperate for their mothers in public feeding “encounters,” threatened to beat bears with a stick, denied pain medication to a cub with a fractured leg, and more.

Seeking comfort, this cub tried to suckle while being held in an unnatural position and forced to endure touching and handling by a crowd of visitors at an event at Yellowstone Bear World. (Photo taken by a member of the public in April 2022).

Frantic cubs—who, according to guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are too big, too fast, and too strong to be handled by the public—routinely bit, scratched, and bruised workers. PETA’s investigator witnessed a supervisor lash out when a cub named Tootsie bit her, threatening to “throw” Tootsie across the room and rip out her teeth “one by one.”

After they become too large to use in profit-driven public encounters, cubs are moved to a drive-through enclosure. There, visitors in tour trucks toss them bread, which is not good for them in excess. They often have nothing to do but beg for food and pace back and forth, a sign of psychological distress.

When the bears are no longer used for public “encounters,” they are confined to a drive-through enclosure where they have nothing to do but beg for scraps of unhealthy bread visitors toss to them from tour trucks.

Help end this exploitation now.

Please ask Yellowstone Bear World to stop tearing families apart and end its cruel breeding operation and stressful public “encounters” now.

Take action for the bears now:

Watch the video and take action link below.

Watch the video:

Yellowstone Bear World Exploits Cubs in Public Encounters | PETA

Thanks for everything that you do to help animals.

Sincerely,

Debbie Metzler, M.S.
Director of Captive Animal Welfare
PETA Foundation

Regards Mark

EU: Animal Welfare Included in Geographical Indications (GI) Revision Proposal.

21 July 2022

Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the European Commission’s proposal on the revision of the geographical indications scheme for agricultural products, which identified that consumer concerns about animal welfare and sustainability are not adequately protected at present.

In March, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal on revising the EU geographical indications (GIs) scheme and quality schemes for agricultural products. This followed a commitment in the Farm to Fork strategy to revise the framework to improve its contribution to sustainable production and to strengthen the position of farmers and producers.

Eurogroup for Animals provided feedback on the proposed revision during a recent public consultation, in which we welcomed the proposal’s identification of the lack of sustainability and animal welfare considerations in the existing framework. This is an important recognition, as the current GI scheme’s exclusion of animal welfare standards means it does not cohere with the EU’s animal welfare or sustainability ambitions. 

The proposal aims to lay down requirements on animal welfare and environmental concerns in light of the growing integration of these issues in GI value chains, validating those producers who have already integrated sustainability actions into their product specifications. As the GI system has been promoted globally through EU trade policy, this could also lead to GI producers around the world incorporating animal welfare dimensions.

Increased attention to animal welfare can also help to protect the quality of GI products. Although GIs are commonly viewed as high quality by consumers, many producers do not even respect the EU minimum animal welfare standards.

Indeed, investigations into GI products have uncovered illegal practices, such as brutal violence on farms breeding pigs for Parma Ham (Essere Animali, 2018 investigation), cows farmed to produce Parmigiano Reggiano unable to graze on pasture (Compassion in World Farming, 2017 investigation), and dead calves and serious hygienic/sanitary neglect on farms producing Grana Padano (Essere Animali, 2021 investigation). 

Going forward, the references to animal welfare in the Commission proposal must remain. This includes a mention in the introduction and in the preamble, as well as the statement in Article 12 that producer groups can choose to adhere to sustainability undertakings higher than EU requirements. Crucially, the delegated acts that will have to be adopted to define the sustainability standards must include animal welfare requirements based on appropriate animal welfare schemes.

At a minimum, this should include enriched indoor conditions, no cages or restrictions, access to fresh air, lower than standard stocking densities, and an end to mutilations and forced early weaning. Where GIs do adopt animal welfare criteria, pressure must be applied to ensure that they are respected, and assistance should be provided to farmers to support this transition.

Regards Mark

France: Amazingly Brilliant News: In a Campaign That Started Back In 1996, Air France Now (2022) Announces It Will Put an End to Future New Primate Shipment Contracts to Laboratories. Brilliant !!

Doing Our Bit for the Primates In London (Mauritius Embassey) – Photo: Mark (WAV).

Hi all;

Have been dealing with specific animal issues over the last few days, but here now there is some good news for you all to read about.  I will put each story on as an individual post in order that you can read and copy link if you wish.

Lets start with some amazing news, and huge congratulations to each and everyone involved with this campaign, for their tenacity and continuation of the fight for the primates.  Since 1996; wow; I knew it was a long campaign as we have followed and done our bit here in England over the years; but I did not quite realise it was that long.  Excellent and so very well deserved – well done all !!

London Mauritanian Embassey Demo. – Photo – Mark (WAV).
Sad Primate destined for the labs – Paradise Lost. Photo – Mark (WAV).

Click here to see us doing our bit in the past (37 years ago actually) in London for Mauritius caught primates:

UK / Mauritius: ‘Paradise Lost’ – 35 Years On (for us) and Mauritius Still Supplies Primates to the UK for Research. – World Animals Voice

Regards Mark

Air France puts an end to primate shipments to laboratories

1 July 2022

On Thursday 30 June 2022, Air France publicly announced that it would stop carrying primates for animal experimentation. After years of hard fighting, One Voice has succeeded in getting Air France to stop transporting primates.

France is one of the countries in Europe that continues to experiment on primates, experiments in which the suffering inflicted on our cousins is particularly severe. Since 1996, we have been asking Air France to stop taking part in this torture inflicted on primates. We are extremely happy with this decision, even if it comes late in relation to the issue and other companies.”

Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice

Air France was one of the last major national airlines to continue to take part in the cruel trade in animals for use by laboratories, and in particular monkeys, most of which come from the Republic of Mauritius, where they are violently captured in the wild and destined for reproduction. Many of them are sent abroad, turning France into the hub of this trade, which is certainly legal, but dreadful. 

This decision comes against the backdrop of the collection of one million signatures for the Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics European Citizens’ Initiative to stop animal testing for cosmetics and the unanimous vote by MEPs to phase out animal testing in the EU by September 2021, and the effective implementation by the end of the year of the ban on the use of F1 primates(first generation primates born in captivity from wild-caught parents), with many other national and cargo companies having ceased these activities.

We have a thought for the macaques from Indonesia, Cambodia, Mauritius, transiting via the Silabe platform (in connection with the University of Strasbourg), for those still transported by other companies (Wamos Air, Egyptair or AirBridgeCargo), but also via Russia or the United States.

The decision will not be effective immediately but at the end of Air France’s current contracts with research laboratories.

Read more at source

One Voice