Category: Uncategorized

England: Man jumps fully-clothed into canal in to rescue drowning fox cub. He does, but sadly it later dies at Wildlife Centre of pneumonia.

Great story but with very sad ending.

See the video of the rescue here:

Man jumps fully-clothed into canal in to rescue drowning fox cub (msn.com)

A man jumped fully-clothed into a canal in Leicestershire to rescue a drowning fox cub. Russ Bellamy dramatically saved the baby fox after swimming into the Grand Union Canal in Market Harborough yesterday.

The 57-year-old from Desborough said he “didn’t think twice” after spotting the animal in the water and leapt straight in. A video of his heroic actions was uploaded to Tiktok with the voiceover “not all heroes wear capes”, gaining more than 8,000 likes on the platform.

The devoted animal lover said the cub showed its gratitude once out of the water by nipping him on the finger. Russ shared how the wildlife drama unfolded near Union Wharf as he walked by the canal with his wife Sharon, 52, and his Yorkshire terrier Bonny, 13.

Speaking to the Harborough Mail after the incident, he said: “Luckily I was in the right place at the right time. I didn’t think twice as soon as I saw the poor thing in the water.

“I leapt straight in because the fox cub could have died. And I’d like to think that the vast majority of people would have done exactly the same as me.

“Bonny hadn’t been very well so we thought we’d get her out for a lovely walk in the country by the canal in Market Harborough. I do a bit of fishing and like to keep an eye on the water.

“Suddenly I noticed a ripple. I saw the fox cub swimming up and down by the opposite bank. He was struggling, he was getting weaker and he had no chance of getting out because the bank was too steep. So I waded straight in in my T-shirt and shorts.

“The water wasn’t too cold but it did get deeper in the middle and I had to swim towards the cub. He came straight to me, he was puffing and panting. I got him out and we dried him off and Bonny had a sniff. He then nipped me on the finger and drew blood before going back to sleep!

“My wife rang the RSPCA because we weren’t sure where to take him. Then a lady walked along and told us about Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital in Kibworth, We were parked up near the town’s police station.

“So I jumped in the car soaked to the skin and wrapped the tiny fox in a blanket in the back. The staff at the fantastic wildlife hospital took him from us and they are caring for him now.

Russ who has worked Joseph Cheaney shoe factory shop in Desborough for 40 years said they have since checked on the baby fox and he’s doing well.

He added: “I am just pleased that I was there to save this little fox’s life. It was a spontaneous thing to go walking by the canal in Market Harborough – usually I’m watching or playing football and Sharon’s shopping on a Saturday afternoon.

“So maybe this was just meant to be. I got checked out for the bite and luckily my tetanus jabs are up to date. I’m an animal lover as so many people are and it feels really good to know that I saved this tiny fox’s life – even if he did bite me!”

Update: Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital confirmed that the fox cub sadly passed away on May 10. They suspect the cub contracted pneumonia which led to heart failure and ultimately caused his death.

Regards Mark

UK: Boris Johnson (Prime Minister) ‘dumps animal cruelty pledges’ and makes another U turn from Queen’s Speech to please right-wingers – Rees Mogg and Co.

Leading the way or being led by the tail of the dog ? – Boris Johnson does another U turn this time on Fur imports and Foie Gras. Wonder he can walk in a straight line without making a U turn !

WAV Comment – well we all know how to vote at the next General Election don’t we ? – as if the grilling of the Tories in the local elections in the last week is not sending them the message that people don’t trust them; now we seem to have this; a U turn on animal welfare issues and anti cruelty campaigns as supported by the vast majority of the British public; issues now in doubt due to a gutless PM swayed by self opinionated snob Tory MP and his no doubt Foie Gras eating cronies who just stick their middle finger up to the millions of British voters who want to see a drastic change on these issues.

Does the dog wag the tail, or the tail wag the dog ? – something wags Boris Johnson.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, we hate you and everything about you.

7/5/22

Boris Johnson ‘dumps animal cruelty pledges’ from Queen’s Speech to please right-wingers

The Prime Minister had pledged to ban imports of foie gras and fur – but both are said to have been dropped from the Animals Abroad Bill ahead of the speech, after the PM caved to complaining Tory ministers

Boris Johnson has dumped his promise to tackle animal cruelty in the Queen’s Speech, it has been reported.

The Prime Minister had pledged to ban imports of foie gras and fur.

But both are said to have been dropped from the Animals Abroad Bill ahead of the speech, after the PM caved to complaining Tory ministers.

Jacob Rees Mogg – Tory MP and ANTI Foie Gras ban leader – probably eats a lot with his ‘supper friends’.

It’s claimed Cabinet ministers, led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, Commons leader Mark Spencer and Scotland Secretary Alister Jack, moaned banning cruel food and clothing was “fundamentally unconservative”.

It’s already illegal to produce foie gras and farm fur in the UK.

But the UK imports around 200 tonnes of the pate a year, mainly from France and Spain where it is made by force-feeding geese and ducks until their liver grows to several times its normal size.

Campaigners – including a recent intervention by After Life starts Ricky Gervais and Peter Egan – have long called for a ban on products coming from overseas.

In February, Gervais and Egan wrote to the Government, branding foie gras a “cruel and unnecessary product”.

And today Oscar-winning actress Kim Basinger backed the Mirror’s campaign to ban fur sales in the UK.

The Hollywood star has urged Boris Johnson not to “betray the animals”.

Kim, 68, called on the Prime Minister not to ditch the proposed ban on fur imports.

She said: “Please, Boris, listen to the British people. Please ensure the Animal Abroad Bill is in the Queen’s Speech next week.

“Be the voice of the majority of your people. Stop the cruelty and suffering in the name of vanity and greed.

“The UK has to stop buying from Finland, China and the US to stop the bloodbath. It is so antiquated. Until we stop exchanging blood between countries, the suffering won’t stop.”

The Batman star also urged the Prime Minister to consider how he would feel if his dog, Dilyn, was confined to a cage.

It’s said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has also raised concerns about banning imports of black bear fur, used by military Guardsmen.

Last month, it was revealed that Mr Johnson had backed the use of real black bear fur to make ceremonial hats worn by the Queen’s Guard.

Animal rights campaign group PETA last year named Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie – a passionate campaigner for animal rights – their “person of the year.”

A government spokesperson told the BBC no final decision had been made on imports.

They said the government was “united in its commitment to upholding its world-leading standards in animal welfare”.

Regards Mark

Boris Johnson ‘dumps animal cruelty pledges’ from Queen’s Speech to please right-wingers – Mirror Online

Above – European Foie Gras Production, as supported by Boris Johnson, Rees Mogg and others who don’t give a toss.

Ukraine: Young Lad (15) Murdered By Russians At Zoo Whilst Trying To Help Evacuate Animals.

Ukrainian teen, 15, killed in artillery fire while trying to evacuate animals from zoo.

Kharkiv area has seen heavy fighting during Russia’s invasion of Ukraineents

A 15-year-old teenager reportedly has been killed in eastern Ukraine while trying to help evacuate animals from a zoo. 

The Feldman Ecopark outside the city of Kharkiv – which has seen rampant fighting during the war – said Wednesday that “during the evacuation of buffaloes… the team of our employees and volunteers got under fire.” 

“One person died. Two people were seriously injured. Doctors are fighting for their lives,” it posted on Facebook

“The deceased boy was only 15 years old,” the zoo added, noting that “he helped his parents to feed and evacuate the animals.” 

“The blessed memory of the hero will always remain in our hearts,” Feldman Ecopark also said in a statement. “This is the sixth victim from among members of our team.” 

Two evacuated white lions from the Feldman Ecopark are seen in an enclosure at the zoo in Odesa, Ukraine, on April 14.  (STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Dnipro deputy city head Mykhailo Lysenko stands by a cage with a tiger evacuated from the ruined Feldman Ecopark in Dnipro, central Ukraine, on April 8. (Mykola Miakshykov/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

https://www.foxnews.com/world/ukrainian-teen-killed-trying-to-evacuate-animals-from-zoo

May 5 (UPI) — A 15-year-old volunteer was killed in Russian shelling at the Feldman Ecopark zoo in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday as rescuers worked to evacuate animals.

Dennis Selevina died 30 minutes after arriving at a local hospital after the Russians shelled the zoo.

Oleksandr Feldman, Ukrainian MP delivered the news of the boy’s death on Facebook.

According to Ukraine media outlet Ukrinform, Russian troops almost completely destroyed the Feldman Ecopark.

Efforts to move the animals to safety have been going on for weeks. At least five employees have died in the invasion, along with 100 animals.

Feldman Ecopark said in statement on its website that a team of employees and volunteers came under fire from the Russians as they worked to evacuate animals.

Two people were also seriously injured in the shelling. Doctors worked Thursday to save the lives of the two wounded, according to Feldman Ecopark.

The zoo said the boy helped his parents to feed and evacuate the animals.

“The blessed memory of the hero will always remain in our hearts,” the Feldman Ecopark statement said.

The zoo said this is the sixth victim among workers at the zoo.

On April 21, Feldman Ecopark said two employees who had gone missing in March were found dead.

The zoo has been working to evacuate animals since Russian military attacks destroyed enclosures and other infrastructure.

Ukrainian forces appear to have had some success in a counteroffensive near Kharkiv in recent days, taking several small towns in the area. On Monday Ukrainian troops retook the city of Staryi Saltiv, roughly 30 miles east of Kharkiv.

Ukraine Armed Forces Commander Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said in a Telegram post Thursday that he had briefed U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley on Ukraine’s counter-offensive efforts in Kharkiv and Izium.

In the post, General Zaluzhnyi said Russia is using cruise missiles to try to destroy “logistical routes to provide military and technical assistance to Ukraine.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/15-year-old-killed-while-evacuating-animals-from-zoo-in-ukraine/ar-AAWXxSy?ocid=uxbndlbing

Regards Mark

Canada: When it comes to animal rights, report finds Canada’s legal system needs improvement.

A new report from Humane Canada shows gaps remain when it comes to how animals are recognized in the law.

“All animals have a life worth living,” says Toolika Rastogi, the senior manager of policy and research at Humane Canada.

The organization’s vision is to have a society that not only embraces its responsibility for animals but also has legal accountability for them. (Humane Canada is a federation of SPCAs and human societies across the country.)

Their latest legal framework — titled The Legal Keystone Report — looks at 12 different indicators. Those indicators range from the the way laws are enforced and the way crime statistics for animal abuse are gathered and tracked to ethical questions like how animals are recognized in the law.

The report’s findings concluded: 

  1. In Canadian legislation, animal sentience is almost entirely unrecognized.
  2. A standardized animal welfare legislation across federal and provincial governments is needed for consistency.
  3. Policies for prosecution of animal welfare offences are absent and most provinces lack a formally-recognized Crown prosecutor who specializes in animal abuse.
  4. Across provinces, definition of offences, powers, and obligations can be inconsistent. Therefore, consistent and comprehensive approaches are needed in provincial legislation. 
  5. Except for bestiality cases tracked in the national sex offender registry, other crime reporting systems don’t incorporate cases of animal cruelty, or specifically identify them.
  6. Violence link is the relationship between violence toward humans, and violence toward animals, which should be addressed together. Few Canadian laws have started to address the violence link, but more provinces need to do so.
  7. Violence link training is being delivered to justice stakeholders through police organizations, non-governmental organizations, and provincial Crown association initiatives.
  8. The development of violence link training programs is crucial but so is the participation of justice stakeholders. 
  9. At the provincial level, there is little information about public allocation of funds for animal protection enforcement.
  10. Of the charges laid in animal abuse cases, there is little information on the number of cases where prosecution was pursued.
  11. Canada lacks an animal welfare advisory body that can support ethical decision-making that reflects Canadian values.
  12. Canada lacks a central body to coordinate on animal welfare issues, or ensure animal welfare and interests are considered.

Through its analysis, Humane Canada found that only one indicator ranked well, or was headed in the right direction: training of justice stakeholders, specifically in their knowledge of the violence link.

The violence link is the connection between interpersonal violence and violence against animals. 

“Many report that their animals are also impacted by that violence, so whether they are also being threatened or they are being harmed to essentially be used for coercion purposes by the perpetrator,” says Rastogi.

She also notes that one in two domestic abuse victims delayed leaving their abusive partners, and one in three women who are impacted by intimate partner violence considered returning to the violent situation for their animals.

“It’s a really important area of violence affecting all family members, whether the human or animal family members. Everybody is at risk in those kinds of violence situations,” she says.

There are some indicators that couldn’t be assessed due to a lack of information, she adds.

“There’s a need to prioritize this area more strongly. In areas that we care about where we want to ensure that we’re doing a good job, we’re tracking information,” says Rastogi.

“And where if there isn’t that interest or drive to ensure that something is working, then resources aren’t typically put into measuring. So, a lack of information in that context means it’s not being prioritized.”

A path to a more humane Canada

When the world shut down in 2020, many Canadians sought companion animals to get through the isolation periods. In fact, three million pets joined Canadian homes.

In B.C., people were more likely to get a dog than a cat.

Rastogi attributes the interest in animal rights to the pandemic pet boom.

“That really increased and resulted in people being a little bit more sensitive to how important animals are in our families and in our lives. They’re members of our families, and members of our community,” she says.

As Humane Canada continues the research project, exploring more than 40 indicators, Rastogi hopes that it will help people see where Canada could be improving on in regard to becoming a more humane Canadian society.

“There’s a great need for further work and in terms of becoming a humane country in terms of our legal system, being reflective of a humane Canada.”


Regards Mark

How humane is Canada towards animals? – Richmond News (richmond-news.com)

England: 5/5 – Various Animal Photos From The South East.

Hi all; lots of wildlife photos taken yesterday; from animal buddy and campaigner Pauline; and the badger in my own back garden. There is a Shoreham sheep – I may write about Shoreham live exports when I get time.

Regards Mark (and Pauline).

Photo – Sparrow in nest box – Pauline.
Photo – Female Coot Feeding Youngsters – Pauline
Photo – Water Vole – Pauline
Photo – Pauline
Photo – Water Vole – Pauline
Photo – Pauline – Sheep at Shoreham.
Photo – Pauline (who says note leg ring) – Blue Tit.

Rained on Badger enjoying nibbles in the garden – Photo – Mark

UK: Animal Advocate Oldies, and Still Getting Stronger.

LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS (LACS).

The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), formerly known as the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports, is a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to stop blood sports such as fox hunting, hare and deer stalking; game bird shooting; and animal fighting. The charity helped bring about the Hunting Act 2004 and Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, which banned hunting with hounds in England, Wales and Scotland.

Thanks to our friends at Wikipedia:

  • 1924 – The League was founded by Henry B. Amos to oppose rabbit coursing[7] – he was successful in achieving a ban. This resulted in the organisation expanding its remit to include other blood sports – such as fox, hare and deer hunting.
  • In 1935, Amos was jailed briefly for throwing a copy of Henry Stephens Salt‘s Creed of Kinship through a stained glass window at Exeter Cathedral during evensong
  • He first became interested in vegetarianism in about 1886.
Henry Brown Amos (24 May 1869 – 22 October 1946) was a Scottish animal rights activist, humanitarian and vegetarian.
  • 1975 – A bill seeking to ban hare coursing, supported by the League, was passed through the House of Commons, but did not receive approval in the House of Lords.
  • 1978 – The League secured legal protection for otters, including a ban on hunting them. The aquatic mammal was up until that point hunted with packs of hounds, one of the reasons for their numbers declining.
  • 1992 – The League helped secure the Protection of Badgers Act, which expanded the protection of the mammals themselves to their setts. The homes of badgers are illegally targeted for several reasons, including being blocked by fox hunts to stop animals being pursued by hounds fleeing underground.
  • 2002 – Fox, hare and deer hunting and hare coursing was banned in Scotland under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, which was introduced by MSPs following campaigning by the League and other animal protection organisations.
  • 2004 – Fox, hare and deer hunting and hare coursing was banned in England and Wales under the Hunting Act 2004. The legislation was introduced by MPs following campaigning by the League and other animal protection organisations.
  • 2005 – The Hunting Act 2004 came into force – making fox, hare and deer hunting and coursing illegal across England and Wales.
  • 2005 – The Waterloo Cup hare coursing competition held its final meeting at Great Altcar in Lancashire, closing after 169 years following passage of the Hunting Act.
  • 2006 – A huntsman with the Exmoor Foxhounds was found guilty of illegally hunting foxes with dogs in a private prosecution brought by LACS, but the case was overturned on appeal.[8][9]
  • 2007 – Two members of the Quantock Staghounds were successfully prosecuted by the League following chasing a deer across Exmoor.[10]
  • 2008 – Two members of the Minehead Harriers pleaded guilty to chasing a fox with a pack of hounds in a private prosecution by LACS.[11]
  • 2009 – The League announced a new campaign against dog fighting, amidst news reports that there is an increase in dog fighting in London.
  • 2014 – The League celebrates 90 years of campaigning against cruelty to animals in the name of sport. Figures from the Ministry of Justice show that there have been 341 convictions under the Hunting Act 2004.
  • 2015 – Prime Minister David Cameron offered a free-vote on repealing the Hunting Act, backing down shortly afterwards following pressure form the League, MPs and other animal protection organisations.
  • 2015 – Cross-channel ferry companies stop shipping pheasants and partridges from French factory-farms to British shooting estates, following an investigation and lobbying by the League.
  • 2018 – Conservative Party drops its manifesto commitment to offer a free-vote on repealing the Hunting Act following pressure from the League, meaning no Westminster party any longer supports repealing the hunting ban.
  • 2018 – Scottish Government announces intention to strengthen the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, which bans hunting with hounds in Scotland, following pressure from the League and other animal protection organisations.
  • 2018 – Welsh Government bans pheasant and partridge shooting on public land following campaigning and pressure from the League and Animal Aid.
  • 2018 – The Labour Party backs calls made by the League to strengthen the Hunting Act – including prison sentences for those who chase and kill wild mammals.
  • 2019 – University of Wales suspends pheasant shooting on its countryside campus at Gregynog Hall following campaigning by the League.
  • 2020 – In January 2020, an employment tribunal in Britain ruled that ethical veganism is a “philosophical belief” and therefore protected in law. This is the first time an employment tribunal in Britain ruled this. This case was in regards to vegan Jordi Casamitjana, who stated he was fired by the League due to his ethical veganism.[12

Web link: Home | League Against Cruel Sports

Photo – Mark (WAV) / East Kent Hunt Sabs.

ROYAL SOCIETY for the PROECTION of CRUELTY to ANIMALS (RSPCA)

The society was the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world.

Founded on the 16th June 1824, by Richard Martin, William Wilberforce and the Reverend Arthur Broome, at the Old Slaughter’s Coffee House, near Trafalgar Square, London, who together agreed that the neglect, cruelty and abuse of animals was unacceptable.

William Wilberforce – One of the RSPCA founders and anti slavery staunch campaigner.

Now very close to its 200th anniversary; and going stronger than ever.

Wilberforce was an advocate and staunch campaigner for the abolition of the slave trade; which he achieved shortly before his death:

William Wilberforce – Wikipedia

This proves that animal welfare campaigners are also strong supporters of human welfare issues, as we show with our support for ‘Free Tibet’ who are based in London:

 

Search Results for “free tibet” – World Animals Voice

Read a lot more about the RSPCA history at:

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Wikipedia

Web site link:  The Largest Animal Welfare Charity in the UK | RSPCA

Above are a few links to enable you to read and learn more about these wonderful animal advocate organisations;

Regards Mark.

Enjoy

Guns and Roses at London:

How the Netherlands is leading the global food revolution.

29 April 2022

On 14 April, the Dutch government announced that it would allocate € 60 million to support the formation of an ecosystem around cellular agriculture. It represents the largest public funding into the cellular agriculture field ever, globally.

Cellular agriculture, with cultivated meat as its emblematic product, is the technology to produce animal products directly from cells outside of an animal: it is therefore a product derived from an animal, with the same characteristics and nutritional value, but without the need to kill or maintain large numbers of animals in industrial conditions. 

The funding is awarded under conditions by the National Growth Fund, which aims to create structural economic growth by investing in the public domain to support innovative economic sectors.

This financial impulse represents a first step towards funding a larger growth plan proposing to invest € 252 – € 382 million in cellular agriculture, specifically stimulating cellular agriculture education, academic research, publicly accessible scale-up facilities, societal integration (including farmers and consumers) and innovation. The broader growth plan is projected to generate an incremental €10 – €14 billion in Dutch GDP growth per year by 2050, with considerable benefits for animals, the environment and global health.

The National Growth Fund Committee said about cellular agriculture:

Although the products are not yet on the shelves, the science is promising and the first companies are already active. The committee is pleased with the potential and the parties involved.”

The proposal for funding was made by a newly created consortium of 12 organisations (academia, NGOs, startups, industry) called Cellular Agriculture Netherlands. The group is currently shaping the executive teams and governance structure to start executing the proposed growth plan as soon as the funds become available, which is expected to be towards the end of 2022 after meeting a specific set of conditions. The team will also reach out to potential partners in the Netherlands for execution of the programs.

The Netherlands has a strong history of innovating food production. This public investment in cellular agriculture is a demonstration of the Dutch government’s commitment to building an agricultural ecosystem that is healthy and sustainable for both humans and animals. In combination with reforms to traditional farming, cellular agriculture can be an additional tool to satisfy the world’s growing appetite for protein.

While individual cellular agriculture companies have been successful in attracting private funding, the National Growth Fund financing is explicitly aiming to support the public part of the ecosystem. The expectation is that this impulse will attract more companies, more funding, and more collaboration across the cellular agriculture field in and with The Netherlands over the next few years. 

Mosa Meat

Read more at source

Regards Mark

Northern Ireland: USPCA calls on public to challenge election candidates on animal welfare issues.

USPCA calls on public to challenge election candidates on animal welfare issues

21 April 2022

USPCA

Ahead of the upcoming election, Northern Ireland animal welfare charity, the USPCA, has launched its ‘Act for Animals’ campaign which calls on the public to challenge their prospective political representatives on their views regarding animal welfare legislation.

The campaign highlights four areas of animal welfare which are in need of urgent address including greater enforcement and regulation of the puppy trade, the introduction of a banned offenders register, the impending indiscriminate badger cull, and the introduction of a ban on hunting wild mammals with dogs. 

The outgoing Assembly voted against introducing a ban on hunting wild mammals with dogs, did not afford time to consider a private members bill which would have enhanced the regulations around the cruel puppy trade and the DAERA Minister announced a cull of badgers – a protected species. Our incoming Assembly needs to do better, and we all now have the opportunity to use our vote to enhance animal welfare in Northern Ireland.

Brendan Mullan, USPCA Chief Executive

The USPCA are asking the public to challenge election candidates to commit to:

Better enforcement and regulation of the puppy trade

Voting against an indiscriminate badger cull

Supporting a ban on hunting wild mammals with dogs

Supporting the introduction of a banned offenders register

A recent Lucidtalk poll commissioned by the Northern Ireland Companion Animal Welfare Group (NICAWG) reinforces this with 83% of respondents agreeing that there needs to be improvement in the enforcement of current animal welfare law in Northern Ireland. 

Animals play an essential role in our community and natural environment, enhancing our quality of life – but at the same time, can be taken for granted or worse still, abused. As a compassionate society, we must recognise our duty to protect all animals – be that our much-loved companion animals or our native wildlife. The public has demonstrated time and time again, their appetite to see real change in animal welfare here in Northern Ireland. We thank our supporters for rallying behind our campaigning work and look forward to their continued support in the months ahead. We all play an important role in shaping Northern Ireland’s political landscape for the next five years – we hope Northern Ireland has a future in which animals are afforded the protections they deserve.

Brendan Mullan, USPCA Chief Executive

For further information visit the USPCA’s website

Regards Mark