How Bent (Corrupt) are different nations of the world ?
Is your government good or a specialist at dodgy deals?
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks of countries around the world, based on how corrupt their public sectors are perceived to be.
The results are given on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
This year’s CPI paints a grim picture of the state of corruption worldwide.
More than two-thirds of countries score below 50. And despite some progress, nearly half of all countries have been stagnant on the CPI for almost a decade. These countries have failed to move the needle in any significant way to improve their score and combat public sector corruption.
In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cited Envigo for 26 violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Federal veterinarians found 15 dogs denied treatment for “severe dental disease,” wounds, yellow discharge around the eyes, and more; a “depressed” puppy covered with feces in a waste pan; dogs denied food for days while nursing puppies; and much more. To view the USDA’s inspection reports, click here.
Based on PETA’s evidence, a team of USDA officials conducted a multiday inspection of the puppy mill in October 2021. The USDA corroborated PETA’s findings and cited Envigo for 13 more violations, including 11 repeat violations.
Inspectors found that a puppy and some dogs were deprived of veterinary care for an eye infection, crusted and oozing sores on their paws, and other eye and foot ailments; that puppies died after falling into a drain or getting their head trapped in a cage door; and that puppies’ legs and feet fell through the cage floors. According to the report, workers medicated dogs without consulting the facility’s sole full-time veterinarian; took no steps to prevent fights among dogs, resulting in a puppy found eviscerated in an enclosure with nine littermates and staff unaware that another dog was biting and wounding another; and, in just two months, put down nine dogs who were injured when their leg or tail was pulled through a kennel wall by other dogs. The USDA found moldy feces in dog enclosures, up to 6 inches of feces piled in a gutter, and an “overpowering fecal odor” and “strong sewage odor” in the facility. To view this inspection report, click here.
PETA’s undercover investigation found 5,000 beagle dogs and puppies confined to small, barren kennels and cages 24/7 at a massive factory farm in Virginia, operated by Envigo.
Based on PETA’s evidence, a team of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials conducted a multiday inspection of the puppy mill.
The USDA just released its report. Inspectors corroborated PETA’s findings and cited Envigo for 13 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Inspectors found that a puppy and some dogs were deprived of veterinary care for an eye infection, crusted and oozing sores on their paws, and other eye and foot ailments; that puppies died after falling into a drain or getting their head trapped in a cage door; and that puppies’ legs and feet fell through the cage floors.
According to the report, workers medicated dogs without consulting the facility’s sole full-time veterinarian; took no steps to prevent fights among dogs, resulting in a puppy found eviscerated in an enclosure with nine littermates and staff unaware that another dog was biting and wounding another; and put down nine dogs who were injured when their leg or tail was pulled through a kennel wall by other dogs. The USDA found moldy feces in dog enclosures, up to 6 inches of feces piled in a gutter, and an “overpowering fecal odor” and “strong sewage odor” in the facility.
Last July, the USDA cited Envigo for 26 violations of the AWA, after finding dogs denied treatment for “severe dental disease,” wounds, yellow discharge around the eyes, and more; a “depressed” puppy covered with feces in a waste pan; mother dogs denied food for days while nursing puppies; and more.
The USDA is authorized by law to suspend Envigo’s license for 21 days and any confiscate animals who are suffering as a result of violations of the AWA. Yet the agency has taken no action in this case to render aid to these animals or stop the violations.
A sled dog musher in Alaska has said she prayed “not to be killed” when a moose attacked her dog team, leaving four of them seriously injured.
The bull moose charged Bridgett Watkins’ dogs and trampled on them for more than an hour before it was shot dead on the Salcha River trail system near Fairbanks on Thursday.
Ms Watkins, who was training for a race, said she “emptied her gun into” the animal, but it continued to attack before a friend arrived and killed it with one round from their rifle.
“I ran for my life,” she wrote on Facebook, “and prayed I was fast enough to not be killed in that moment. He trampled the team and then turned for us.
“As he charged me I emptied my gun into him and he never stopped. This has been the most horrific past 24 hours of my life.”
The moose stopped less than a metre from the snowmobile and she managed to cut free six dogs that were tied to it, she said.
But the moose went back to her sled and began stamping on the dogs still tethered to it, standing over them and trampling them repeatedly for more than an hour.
“I have never felt so helpless in my life,” Ms Watkins wrote. “He would not leave us alone and he even stood over the team refusing to retreat.”
She and a friend who was trailing her on a snowmobile took cover next to the vehicle before calling friends who arrived with a rifle.
The four injured dogs were taken to a nearby vet and are on the mend.
She is back training with the others in preparation for the nearly 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage next month.
Ms Watkins said: “These are freaking amazing athletes that just survived probably the most traumatic experience of any dog team ever in history, and they’re survivors and they’re still pushing through.”
The experience has shaken her, she said, but it is no different from what other people face.
“People have these situations in their life all the time. They’re just different obstacles that they have to overcome, and this is mine, and this is my story, and I just hope that I can be inspiring.”
Breaking news: Following years of pressure from PETA, including protests all around the world, shocking ad campaigns, and phone calls and emails from nearly 500,000 supporters, Millennium Hotels and Resorts is dropping its sponsorship of Alaska’s deadly Iditarod dogsled race!
More than 150 dogs have died during this race, not even counting those who were killed during the off-season because they weren’t fast or fit enough to make the grade. Up to half of the dogs who start the race don’t finish it because of exhaustion, illness, injury, or other causes, leaving the remaining ones to work even harder.
Millennium Hotels joins over a dozen other companies—including Alaska Airlines, Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, Jack Daniel’s, and Wells Fargo—in cutting ties with the Iditarod’s cruelty to dogs following PETA campaigns.
With the Iditarod slated to begin in less than a month, we need your help to keep the pressure going to urge other companies to drop their sponsorships, too.
Met Police officers have rescued dogs from an alleged “dog fighting” property in northeast London.
Police officers executed a warrant at a property on Sewardstone Rd, Chingford last Thursday and found adult dogs and puppies from prohibited breeds.
Officers also discovered a firearm, combat knives, and stolen plant machinery.
Three men aged between 28-35, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of dangerous dog offences, handling stolen goods, possession of a firearm and possession of offensive weapons in a private place.
PC Tom Landels of the Met’s North East Command said: “There was a significant amount of property and a number of dogs seized during this operation.
“The plant machinery will be returned to the lawful owners and the dogs will undergo assessment while they are cared for at a police kennel facility.
“Dog fighting is brutal, fundamentally cruel and is an organised crime that operates secretly with no regard for animal welfare.”
The three men in question have been released under investigation, while enquiries remain ongoing.
If you know about dog fighting in your area call 101 or Tweet @MetCC. To remain 100% anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The outcry over Kurt Zouma’s mistreatment of his pet cat has continued to grow in the wake of a video showing him dropping, kicking and slapping the animal. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA
Yesterday, 9/2/22, I wrote a post about the French footballer who plays for a London team being filmed by his brother abusing one of his own cats. You can read about it here:
Well this story is getting more coverage all the time and has been debated here in England on national breakfast tv this morning. Overnight there have been further actions with ‘Experience Kissimmee’, who are based in Florida USA announcing that because of this issue it has ended its sponsorship of West Ham United Football Club.
Actions are being taken in the way of sponsorships (or not), and the message is a clear and simple one; don’t abuse animals – you are people in positions that young children should look up to; and by NOT showing or personally becoming involved with any animal abuse is setting a very good example.You are not gods; even if you consider you are, you are just footballers – act your age to get respect and do the right things.
In the UK there was the ‘black lives matter’ issue where footballers knelt before the start of a match to show their support for players. This has now been dubbed as ‘CAT LIVES MATTER’ in support of the cat abused by Zouma.
Kurt Zouma cat abuse video: Second West Ham sponsor withdraws support
The player, who has apologised, has also lost his Adidas footwear sponsorship
A second West Ham sponsor has withdrawn its support for the club as the backlash continued over a video showing the defender Kurt Zouma dropping, kicking and slapping one of his cats.
Experience Kissimmee, the tourism authority for Osceola County, Florida, had been evaluating its relationship with West Ham since Zouma was selected to start Tuesday’s game against Watford after the footage went viral.
“Experience Kissimmee announced today that it has ended its sponsorship of West Ham United Football Club,” the club’s destination partner said in a tweet.
Its move comes after Vitality, West Ham’s wellness partner, suspended its sponsorship “with immediate effect”, saying it was “hugely disappointed” with the judgment shown by the club in response to the video.
West Ham said on Wednesday that they had fined Zouma “the maximum amount possible” – understood to be two weeks’ wages, amounting to £250,000 – and have condemned his behaviour.
The RSPCA has taken Zouma’s two cats into care and is conducting an investigation. The player, who has apologised for his actions, has lost his Adidas footwear sponsorship. – Guardian
Kurt Zouma was selected against West Ham, less than 24 hours after a video of him abusing a cat was made public ( Image: Getty Images)
WAV Comment: Who the hell does this half beat tosser think he is ? – a shit arsed footballer that nobody can dare touch ? – We greatly welcome the actions taken against Zouma within 24 hours after being shown to be a cat abuser. Great to hear he was booed at every contact in the recent football match and the chants made when he was hurt in tackles – fans calling ‘that is how your cat feels’. Good news that the RSPCA have removed his cats and that there is now a possibility of prosecutions.
Please sign and share the above petition link – Thanks.
Kurt Zouma loses boot deal and West Ham sponsor suspend partnership over vile cat abuse
Vitality have suspended their partnership with West Ham after David Moyes selected Kurt Zouma, who was lost his Adidas boot deal after being filmed abusing a cat
Kurt Zouma has lost his Adidas boot deal and an insurance company have suspended their partnership with West Ham after the defender abused a cat.
Kurt Zouma was selected against West Ham, less than 24 hours after a video of him abusing a cat was made public (
Many were outraged to see the Frenchman start the Premier League game, less than 24 hours after a horrific video of the abuse was brought to the public’s attention.
A significant aspect of Vitality’s brand is their love for animals. Alfie, an eight-year-old dachshund, stars as “Stanley” in the company’s adverts.
“We were very distressed by the video we have seen of Kurt Zouma,” read a statement. “At Vitality, we condemn animal cruelty and violence of any kind.
“We are hugely disappointed by the judgement subsequently shown by the club in response to this incident. We are suspending our sponsorship of West Ham with immediate effect.”
West Ham have fined the player two weeks’ wages – around £250,000 – and will donate the proceeds to animal welfare charities.
The club have stopped short, however, of suspending or sacking the Frenchman.
“West Ham United can confirm that the club is supporting an RSPCA investigation into the actions of Kurt Zouma in the video circulated online this week,” read a club statement on Tuesday.
“Kurt and the club are co-operating fully with the investigation and the player has willingly complied with the steps taken in the initial stage of the process, including delivering his family’s two cats to the RSPCA for assessment.
“Kurt is extremely remorseful and, like everyone at the club, fully understands the depth of feeling surrounding the incident and the need for action to be taken.
“Separate to the RSPCA’s investigation and pending further sanction once the outcome of that process is determined, West Ham United can confirm that Kurt Zouma has been fined the maximum amount possible following his actions in the video that circulated.
“The player has immediately accepted the fine, which will be donated to animal welfare charities.
“West Ham United would like to reiterate our condemnation of Kurt’s actions and make it clear that the matter continues to be handled with the utmost seriousness.
“However, we believe it is now important to allow the RSPCA to conduct their investigation in a fair and thorough manner, and will be making no further comment at this stage.”
The RSPCA have confirmed the two cats abused by Zouma are now in their care.
“The two cats are now in RSPCA care,” said a RSPCA spokesperson. “Our priority is and has always been the wellbeing of these cats.
“They’ve been taken for a check-up at a vets and then will remain in our care while the investigation continues. We’re grateful to everyone who expressed their concern for these cats.
“We were dealing with this issue before the video went viral online and are leading the investigation. We continue to investigate so we cannot comment further at this time.”
Fans BOO cat-kicking footballer Kurt Zouma every time he touches the ball: Thousands put the boot into shamed £29m star as West Ham controversially pick him hours after police launched probe into his animal abuse video
Premier league star Kurt Zouma, 27, kicked and slapped a cat in his £2m home
The defender was laughed on video as he chased the cat around the kitchen
He was also seen throwing a pair of shoes at the cat as it frantically ran away
Video was taken on Sunday – day after he played in FA Cup match for West Ham
Now Essex police said they were making ‘urgent enquiries’ about the incident
Police said they would be working alongside the RSPCA to investigate the video
Celebrities called on West Ham to sack the star, who makes £120,000-a-week
However, after telling him off, the club named him in their team against Watford
His every touch of the ball was met with loud boos during West Ham’s 1-0 win
Watford fans also chanted ‘that’s how your cat feels’ when he was hurt in a tackle
Cat-kicker Kurt Zouma was booed every time he touched the ball while playing for West Ham in the Premier League last night.
The football star was caught on video kicking and slapping his pet cat and laughing as he did it in his £2million Essex home.
Although the club dressed down the player, who reportedly earns £120,000-a-week, they named him in their starting lineup against Watford on Tuesday evening.
His every touch of the ball was met by loud booing from both sets of supporters.
When he was on the receiving end of a tough challenge and started limping, Watford fans chanted ‘that’s how your cat feels’.
Users on social media also flocked online in droves to express their disgust that the defender was named in West Ham’s team.
Zouma got the last touch in the match, which finished 1-0 to West Ham.
The release of the videos sparked calls for West Ham to sack the star, including by BBC presenter Gabby Logan, who posted on Twitter: ‘I think I would probably get rid of a player who kicked and hit an animal for ‘laughs’ in his kitchen. All in front of his child.’
Other celebrities joined fans and cat lovers on social media in mocking the London club and their star defender.
Soccer Saturday anchor Jeff Stelling sarcastically said: ‘That’s certainly taught Zouma a lesson. He must be repentant now having suffered for so long before he wears the club’s shirt again.’
Meanwhile, Match of the Day commentator Ian Wright labelled Zouma a ‘coward’.
The star apologised yesterday after being given a telling off by West Ham bosses over a shocking video showing him kicking and slapping his pet Bengal cat.
In a grovelling statement, the 27-year-old, who only joined the east London club from Chelsea in a £29.8million deal in the summer, said he was ‘deeply sorry’ over the incident and insisted his cats were ‘loved and cherished’.
The apology comes as his club side issued their own statement, in which they ‘unreservedly condemned’ the defender’s actions.
Yet the footballer is not yet off the hook and is facing a joint police and RSPCA animal cruelty investigation.
Initially the Met Police said they would not investigate the incident, before Surrey Police said they would look into the matter. However, it later emerged the attack was filmed in the millionaire’s new £2million Essex home.
Essex police said: ‘We are aware of a video circulating on social media relating to an incident involving a cat which members of our communities may find distressing.
‘We have recently been made aware that this incident may have taken place in Essex and we are liaising with the RSPCA and urgent enquiries are ongoing.’
The RSPCA, which has the power to prosecute in animal welfare cases, said it was ‘aware’ of the ‘very upsetting footage’.
If Zouma was found to be guilty of animal cruelty he could face up to five years in jail and an unlimited fine.
Social media users took to Twitter yesterday to put pressure on the RSPCA and police to investigate.
A petition calling for the charity to take action against the French international was also launched. It has already been signed more than 50,000 times.
The RSPCA, whose prosecutions carry a maximum sentence of five-years in prison for the most serious of offences, would not confirm the receipt of any official complaints that would lead to an investigation.
The charity however say it had received ‘lots of messages on social media’ and other channels about the video, which was taken on Sunday – the day after Zouma appeared for the club in their FA Cup victory over non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
RSPCA bosses urged people only to come forward to them if they had ‘first hand information’ about the incident.
Addressing the video in a statement yesterday, the West Ham defender said: ‘I want to apologise for my actions.
Vienna, February 8th, 2022- Report from the “Association against animal factories”
Update: Dogs Still At Risk From Animal Experimentation Death!
The University of Barcelona is sticking to the killing of the beagle puppies, animal rights activists protested on site – at least 6 dogs are said to have been rescued.
The “Association against animal factories” (VGT) reported on the local and international outrage after the discovery of a case of animal testing on behalf of the University of Barcelona.
A total of 38 beagle puppies were to be used and given varying doses of a drug over 28 days.
Animal rights activists have been working for weeks with strong support from the population to ensure that the dogs are placed in a loving home after the experiment. Even high-ranking politicians in Spain have already spoken out.
However, these demands continue to be ignored by the university and the contract laboratory.
Only six dogs are to be adopted – the rest are to be “slaughtered” and cut up after the end of the trial.
The animals remain behind the walls of the laboratory, being tortured and mistreated every second of their tragic lives.
What does the contract laboratory say
Those responsible now argue that the killing and cutting up of the animals were already stipulated in the test contract. While local animal rights activists and international animal experimentation critics advocate minimally invasive biopsies to save the lives of the dogs, the university and laboratory remain merciless.
The fact that a laboratory that has already been conspicuous for animal cruelty in the past is commissioned is still part of the criticism.
“Stress, violence and poor housing conditions in the laboratory not only cause animal suffering, they can also render test results unusable. For example, stomach ulcers can be triggered by medication or by stress and pain! This fact is inexplicably often ignored in the animal testing industry,” explains VGT campaigner Denise Kubala.
We support the tireless efforts of local animal rights activists in Barcelona who continue to fight for the lives of beagle puppies.
Universities should set an example when it comes to research.
Instead, the University of Barcelona hires a lab that has repeatedly violated EU and Spanish laws.
The published recordings from there are difficult to bear, but they illustrate the need to finally act and to promote and establish non-animal methods comprehensively.
And I mean…The University of Barcelona claims that the killing of the 32 dogs was necessary in order to be able to research the effect and safety of the tested preparation through autopsies.
And because the university does not have any space to carry out such animal experiments, the company Vivotecnia was commissioned to do it. The university’s statement goes on to say that there is currently no known alternative that could replace this type of research.
However, the Vivotecnia company was banned from lab work by the Madrid regional government after a video by animal rights organization “Cruelty Free International” showed the lab’s staff brutally and illegally treating the animals, further calling into question their research methods.
There can be no question of research, it is about business between politicians and private companies!
We demand an immediate end to the outdated, dangerous and cruel animal toxicity tests and the closure of the lab. These tests bring no safety for humans and for animals only a cruel life and an even more cruel death.
We stand in solidarity with the animal rights activists in Spain who are trying to save these animals.
Thank you for your courage, perseverance and fighting spirit.
WAV Comment – It always rains in London ! – Giving the horses a change of scenery – away from Hyde Park. Certainly better than all the cars and other traffic clogging the streets. VERY well looked after animals – mucked out 3 or 4 times every day I think when in the London barracks.
All the Royal Horse Art, dropings and urine soaked straw is collected from the barracks each day and taken by truck to the royal botanic gardens at Kew (West London); where it is made into compost for the gardens as explained: – there is a famous saying at Kew where all the horse dung in the ‘windrow’ reaches a very high temperature (spontaneous combustion) and the London fire brigade sometimes get a call from Kew asking them if they can come over and put all the poo out ! (with some water to lower the temperature). RHA Horse poo – great compost = great plants at Kew gardens.
Mark
Residents in South London street were left puzzled this weekend after a ‘parade’ of 30 horses were seen casually walking past their street. The animals were seen on Friday (February 4th) on an early walk in the rain, filing past houses in pairs, the were captured by one curious resident who shared a post on Reddit
“Anyone know why there’s a parade of horses marching round Battersea?” the user asked. A flurry of comments on the social media platform followed with many users quick to offer suggestions as to what the horse might be doing.
One said: “It is the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment taking their horses out for exercise. They do this once a week to get them away from Hyde park. “I once saw the entire line going through the McDonald’s drive through at the Wandsworth Roundabout.”
Another had a different theory as to why they seem to have ventured further from home. “I’m guessing they’re related to the Household Cavalry that are based in central London. They’re often seen around the Hyde Park neck of the woods but perhaps they fancied a change of scenery?”
A third said it was routine exercise for the animals: “This is the Kings troop – usually based in Woolwich but also have stables in St James and exercise around central.”
While a fourth agreed that the animals were from the royal cavalry but disagreed on their regiment.
“It’s King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. The Household Cavalry have black horses and would be wearing blue or red silks, depending on regiment (Blues & Royals or Life Guards). They’d also only lead 1 horse, not two like in this video.
“However they look like the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery – who may be rehearsing for the ceremonial events this year for the jubilee.
Others were distracted by something else, and instead more interested in the house from where the pictures were taken. One person said,
“I don’t know anything about the horses but can I just say I often walk past your flats and envy the people who live there, they’re absolutely gorgeous
While another added: “I was going to mention this too, I’ve walked past them since childhood and it’s always been a dream of mine to live there.”
Alaska’s dangerous Iditarod dog race is set to begin on March 5. And despite the fact that the 2022 death race hasn’t even started yet, already at least one dog has been killed. Just last month while training for the Iditarod, a team of dogs was hit by a truck. One of the dogs, Noddy, was killed.
Last year, in addition to holding in-person protests, PETA exposed abundant abuse during the race:
Nearly 200 dogs were pulled off the trail during the race because of exhaustion, illness, injury, or other causes.
Musher Dallas Seavey finished first after four dogs he pushed beyond the breaking point had to be removed from the trail.
Musher Martin Buser apparently put an injured dog back in the harness and forced him or her to continue racing, despite video footage showing the dog limping.
This pointless, cruel race is a matter of life and death for dogs.
Please take action now to urge companies to drop their Iditarod sponsorships.
Take action for dogs:
Note that here you can send several messages one at a time – simply follow the send instructions to each supporter company:
It’s been reported that in the first Iditarod race, at least 15 dogs died—and the body count has continued to pile up since then.
Other dogs barely make it out alive. Take 2021’s race: By the time it ended on March 18, nearly 200 dogs had been pulled off the trail because of exhaustion, illness, injury, and other causes, forcing the rest to work even harder. Musher Dallas Seavey—who has raced dogs who have tested positive for opioids, operates a kennel accused of killing dogs who didn’t make the grade, and owns property where a whistleblower reported finding dying puppies—finished first after four dogs he pushed beyond the breaking point had to be removed from the race. Musher Brenda Mackey admitted that she pulled out of the race after the dogs she forced to run suffered from “the most awful diarrhea I’ve ever seen,” violently vomited, and developed aspiration pneumonia, the leading cause of death for dogs in the Iditarod. And musher Martin Buser apparently put an injured dog back in the harness and forced him or her to continue racing.
Discover nine other reasons why the Iditarod is a deadly nightmare for dogs forced to race:
Dog deaths in the Iditarod are so routine that the official rules call some of them an “Unpreventable Hazard.”
The Iditarod has killed more than 150 dogs since it began in 1973. Five died in 2017 alone. In just the last decade, dogs competing in the event have died from various causes, including asphyxiation, heart attacks, trauma from being struck by a vehicle, freezing to death, excess fluid in the lungs, and acute aspiration pneumonia—caused by inhaling vomit.
If the dogs don’t die on the trail, they’re still left permanently scarred.
The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicinereported that more than 80 percent of the dogs who finish the Iditarod sustain persistent lung damage. A separate study in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine showed that dogs forced to take part in endurance racing had a 61% higher rate of stomach erosions or ulcers. And in a paper in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise—the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine—researchers concluded that dogs used in sled races suffer from airway dysfunction similar to “ski asthma” (an asthma-like condition caused by intense exercise in cold weather), which persists even after four months of rest.
There’s no retirement plan.
Breeders of dogs used in sledding have freely admitted that “surplus” dogs are killed. They may be killed if they aren’t fast or fit enough for competition or if they don’t meet certain aesthetic standards—for example, if they have white paw pads. Dogs who finish the race but are no longer useful to the industry may be shot, drowned, or abandoned to starve.
Even when the race ends, dogs’ misery doesn’t.
A PETA eyewitness worked at two dog kennels owned by former Iditarod champions and found widespread neglect and suffering there. Dogs were denied veterinary care for painful injuries; kept constantly chained in the bitter cold with only drafty, dilapidated boxes or plastic barrels for “shelter”; and forced to run even when they were exhausted and dehydrated.
Dogs pull mushers’ sleds up to 100 miles a day.
During therace, they’re expected to run approximately 1,000 miles in less than two weeks, and race rules mandate only 40 hours of rest over the entire span of the race. They’re prohibited from taking shelter during any part of the race, except for veterinary exams or treatment.
As many as half the dogs who start the Iditarod don’t finish
Injured, sick, and exhausted dogs are often “dropped” at checkpoints, but event rules require that only dogs who started the race be allowed to finish, meaning that the remaining animals must work under even more grueling circumstances, pulling even more weight.
No dog would choose to run in this arctic nightmare.
Orthopedic injuries are the number one reason that dogs are “dropped” from the Iditarod—which makes it clear that no dog, regardless of breed, is capable of handling the grueling race on ice, through wind, snowstorms, and subzero temperatures. Even wearing booties, many incur bruised, cut, or swollen feet. They also suffer from bleeding stomach ulcers, pull or strain muscles, and sustain other injuries.
Thousands of dogs are bred each year for sled racing.
While only a few dozen dogs raised for the race will ultimately be deemed fit enough to compete, many more will be kept tethered and chained for most of their lives, some with nothing more than dilapidated plastic crates as their shelter.
Dogs at dogsled breeding compounds have died of numerous ailments.
Some have frozen to death, while others have died of complications from eating rocks—presumably a result of the intense frustration of spending years on a chain.
Dogs Deserve Far Better Than a Lifetime of Isolation, Cruelty, Suffering, and Death on the Iditarod Trail
An investigation has been ordered after the world’s second-biggest trawler shed more than 100,000 dead fish into the Atlantic, sparking claims they were dumped deliberately.
The spill from the FV Margiris off the French coast was caused by a tear in the super trawler’s net, according to the fishing industry group PFA, which represents the vessel’s owner.
Footage of the giant floating carpet of dead fish in the Bay of Biscay was taken by environmental campaign group Sea Shepherd France.
France’s maritime minister Annick Girardin has described the images as “shocking” and said she had asked the country’s national fishing surveillance authority to investigate.
The fish were blue whiting, a sub-species of cod, which is used by the industry to mass-produce fish fingers, fish oil and meal.
Sea Shepherd France has cast doubt on claims it was accident and believes the fish were discharged on purpose.
The group’s head, Lamya Essemlali, said: “It’s forbidden for a fishing vessel to throw overboard bycatch.
“It is supposed to bring the bycatch to port and to make a declaration.
“The EU regulation has been implemented so that we can reduce the non-selective fishing methods because it’s very demanding, time-consuming and costs money for a fishing vessel to go back to port and unload the bycatch, and then go back at sea.
“So the temptation is big for these vessels at sea without any witness, any control, to just throw overboard all the bycatch and stay in the area, and keep on fishing.”
She added: “There is total impunity at sea. There is no control, no witnesses and no fines.
“There is a lot of money to be made and we have to improve the controls at sea, we have to put remote e-monitoring cameras onboard all the fishing vessels.”
Trawlers like the Margiris use giant drag nets more than a kilometre long and process the fish on-board.
Ms Essemlali said: “It has an impact on the fish population itself but also it has an impact on the predators, like dolphins, because the fish that these super trawlers are fishing are the main preys of dolphins and sharks. And basically, we are driving dolphins to starvation.”
Thousands of dead dolphins have washed up on France’s Atlantic coast over the past years.
Following protests by activists against super trawlers, the Margiris was forced to leave Australian waters in 2012.
Traffic data by marinetraffic.com on Friday showed the vessel, which is owned by the Dutch company Parleviliet & Van der Plas and sails under the flag of Lithuania, was still fishing off the French coast.
Trawlers like the Margiris use drag nets measuring over a kilometre in length and process the fish in on-board factories, a practice heavily criticised by environmentalists.
Following protests by activists, the Margiris was forced to leave Australian waters in 2012.
However, these demands continue to be ignored by the university and the contract laboratory.
We support the tireless efforts of local animal rights activists in Barcelona who continue to fight for the lives of beagle puppies.
World Animals Voice 
