Farm Animals, General News, Stray Animals, Uncategorized

India: ‘Animal Aid Unlimited’ March 2024 Newsletter and Rescue Videos.

Dear Mark,

Welcome to this week’s beautiful cast of characters representing the hundreds of animals we treat every day. Among them is a new horse, Gusto, we’ve admitted with a serious chest wound. Scroll down for a brief overview of Rajasthan’s traditional use of wedding horses. We thank you for being the reason we’re able to treat such a magnificent being.

Scrumptious little Tofoo couldn’t even stand. But that was then!

Night had fallen and the chill had set in. There in the road was an abandoned baby who couldn’t stand. Blinding headlights swept past him as he lay in pain and terror. One after another, cars zoomed by, not slowing, not stopping. But then, someone’s wheels slowed and a kind motorist came to a full stop. “What is it, little one?” she must have asked. She realized that this recumbent little bundle could not stand.

There was no blood, but he was absolutely helpless. She immediately took action and called Animal Aid’s ambulance to the spot, and we hurried him back to our hospital. We snuggled him in blankets and gave him hydration and medicine. 

We surrounded Tofoo with love from all sides– from other orphaned babies, grown-up cows, from our loving care-givers, and, we know, from you.

Turn “orphaned and abandoned” to loved and cherished – please donate.

Emergency surgery saved Bright-Eyes, and now those eyes shine with love! 

Dear Bright-Eyes had a huge tear just below his chest area. But he wagged his tail as if to say “Please. Help me.” We hurried him back to our hospital where we treated him for pain, trauma and wrapped the wounded area.

He needed surgery to save his life. Bright-Eyes even wagged his tail during the surgery preparation. When Bright-Eyes regained consciousness he had a wonderful appetite–and not just for food. He gobbled up love, too!  We felt so lucky to save him. After two weeks of healing, we neutered him, and as always, fully vaccinated him on admission. He’s one of the most charming, sweet and gentle boys we’ve ever met. Thank you for helping us give Bright-Eyes his life back.

For those who keep giving love, no matter what – please donate.

Above – Gusto

No more weddings for Gusto!

Already, Gusto is happier. He’s a beautiful boy recently admitted with a serious chest wound and severe malnutrition. Gusto is also very lame, and was apparently abandoned on the road, where a passer-by found him wandering. He is extremely gentle, and he’s making it easy for us to treat him with daily wound dressings, pain relief and plenty of nutritious food.

He is the Marwari breed used extensively in Indian weddings. It is tradition that the hired horse will be heavily draped in colorful cloth, blinkered and ridden by the groom from his home through the neighborhood so that friends and family can join the celebration. 

Commercially used wedding horses like Gusto are usually never pastured. If there is no wedding to serve, they are made to stand in one place for days in a row, often with front and back legs tied together, watered and fed in place from a feed bag hanging from their face. This inactivity is perhaps more difficult psychologically than the wedding itself.

The wedding causes immense stress because of sprays of fire crackers, traffic and music at high volume from speakers powered by a loud portable generator wheeled behind the procession on a wagon.  There are thousands of horses in this situation across the state. 

Even just days after admitting him, Gusto’s eyes have brightened and we can see him relaxing, interacting gently with the animals around him, and that all-over-sore affect is already gone. Being able to wander at will, safe among the cows and the people in the large animal treatment area must seem to him like a luxury of freedom. 

Mango’s feet are dancing to the rhythm of your beautiful compassion.

When we rescued Mango he had a large, painful neck abscess. But, thanks to your compassion and generosity, we were able to provide the care he so desperately needed, turning his pain to joy. This is the power of compassion in action, and we are endlessly grateful for each of you whose help means Mango’s little paws won’t stop dancing with the thrill of life itself.

Shimmer extra in the Spring Sunlight knowing your purchase saved a beautiful life!

Go shopping here:  https://shop.animalaidunlimited.org/

We thank you deeply for all you do, are, and inspire for animals.

Founding family Erika, Claire and Jim, and the Animal Aid Unlimited team.

Regards Mark

General News, Uncategorized

USA: Alaska – 2 dogs die during 1,000-mile Iditarod, prompting call from PETA to end the race across Alaska.

All our (WAV) past posts relating to Iditarod:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/?s=Iditarod

Two dogs died during Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race, the first deaths in five years, renewing calls to end the 1,000-mile competition.

The Iditarod race involves mushers and their canine teams traversing mountain ranges, frozen rivers, and sea ice, often in treacherous weather conditions.

The deaths of the dogs have raised concerns about the safety and welfare of animals participating in extreme racing events.

Check out several media reports of this by clicking on:

Ground News – 2 dogs die during 1,000-mile Iditarod, prompting call from PETA to end the race across Alaska

Regards Mark

General News, Uncategorized

Big News in Lady Freethinker’s Fight to END Animal Torture Online!
Dear Diana,

I have some exciting news for you: thanks to the support of some generous donors, Lady Freethinker has just become a Meta shareholder to strengthen our call to end animal cruelty on their platforms. As a shareholder, Lady Freethinker will be able to submit a proposal to end animal abuse and torture on Facebook and we cannot be ignored.

Even as the Lady Freethinker team continues to track animal torture on Facebook and report it directly with Meta contacts, sickening videos and images of baby monkeys, puppies, kittens, and other helpless animals being brutally harmed continue to be posted daily on the platform.   Enough is enough.

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the generous supporters who have made this effort possible. Lady Freethinker will keep doing all we can to stop this horrific content until it is a thing of the past.

Thank you for joining us in the fight to stop animal cruelty on social media.
General News, Uncategorized

UK: General Election Could Be 10th October 2024.

Rishi Sunak is working towards an autumn general election on 10 October, The Independent has been told.

The prime minister on Thursday ruled out a snap election on 2 May amid mounting speculation in Westminster that he wanted to coincide with the local elections.

Mr Sunak did not indicate when the election would be called, but Downing Street sources told The Independent that the date has been pencilled in for the second Thursday in October.

Lots of issues to fight for !

Regards Mark

Environmental, General News

UK: Airline ‘EasyJet’ To Make Animal Welfare a Key Priority Of Its Business Operations. In Short – All Animal Abuse Related Holidays – OUT.

We say – Excellent ! – well done EasyJet for setting the standard we now want to see from other airlines also.

EasyJet has announced plans to change holidays, trips and excursions to make animal welfare a key priority of its business operations.

After consulting leading animal welfare charities including World Animal Protection, the tour operator has scrapped all tours that include animal-based attractions. This includes marine parks, zoos, animal performances, animal rides and sporting events involving animals.

Keep reading:

New animal welfare guidelines at easyJet prompts changes to tours and holidays (msn.com)

Top Airline ! – Regards Mark

Environmental, General News

England: Plan to step up badger cull prompts fresh row between ministers and wildlife defenders. We Say – Fight The Cull !

There is a General Election on the horizon – almost certainly this year 2024.

Badgers have friends, and those friends have votes.

A new government plan to wipe out all badgers in certain areas has prompted a fresh row between officials and wildlife activists.

Badgers are blamed for carrying bovine tuberculosis (bTB), which forces dairy farmers to have infected herds culled.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has back-tracked on earlier promises to end the badger cull, which began in 2013.

Instead, as revealed by The Independent last month, officials are proposing to allow 100 per cent of populations to be killed in “cluster” hot spots for the disease. Until now, the target was 70 per cent or above.

Continue reading at:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/plan-to-step-up-badger-cull-prompts-fresh-row-between-ministers-and-wildlife-defenders/ar-BB1jUaN1?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=c8bbe024ae6a4632a7fdcd1fac297081&ei=48

Regards Mark

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/uk-government-overturns-plans-to-phase-out-badger-cull/ar-BB1jTpW2?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=8a167932fd2445378d9a8c7acc9d84bb&ei=54

Above and below – Beautiful – In My Garden (Mark).

England: Setts, Drugs and Rock n Roll. Dr Brian May Speaks In Defence of Badgers at Oxford University.
Environmental, General News

UK: Giant Sequoia Redwoods Now Flourishing In The UK, Study Finds.

WAV Comment – I have enjoyed the majestic Sequoia on my travels around California in the past.. Back home here in England; there is a local park approx 2 miles from my house. Here they have a mighty Sequoia which must be 30. 40, 50 ? years old; it is huge. The following from the BBC relates to very recent info:

Giant sequoia trees, first imported to the UK 160 years ago, are flourishing despite the dramatically different climate to their native California, a new study has found.

The huge trees, which are declining in numbers in California due to increasing heat, are adapting well to the British climate and growing taller, according to a study conducted by UCL researchers.

Continue reading at:

Giant sequoias thriving in UK and could grow as tall as in California (msn.com)

Regards Mark

General News, Uncategorized, Vivisection

USA: Fantastic ! – Rescue Group Shuts Down Animal Testing Lab and Plans to Make It a Sanctuary for Former Lab Pets.

The Beagle Freedom Project is transforming a 30-acre property in Oklahoma that used to be an animal testing facility into Freedom Fields.

  • The Beagle Freedom Project shut down an animal testing facility in Oklahoma in February and purchased the property surrounding the lab
  • The animal welfare organization is planning to turn the 30-acre property into a sanctuary and adoption center for pets rescued from animal testing
  • Over 200 pets used in testing at the Oklahoma facility are now in the Beagle Freedom Project’s care and are looking for forever homes

Over 200 cats and dogs are getting a fresh start in a familiar place.

In February, Beagle Freedom Project (BFP)— an animal welfare organization dedicated to saving lab animals and ending animal testing —shut down a private facility in Nowata, Oklahoma, performing tests on cats and dogs for the flea and tick medicine industry.

Beagle Freedom Project took over the former lab’s 30-acre property and the more than 200 animals remaining on the premises. The organization is now transforming the property into Freedom Fields, a sanctuary and adoption center for the former lab animals at the facility and future pets rescued from animal testing.

For Shannon Keith, who founded the Beagle Freedom Project in 2010, Freedom Fields is a success story that was hard to imagine 13 years ago.

When Keith started BFP, “the status quo was that facilities would typically kill animals at the end of testing,” she tells PEOPLE. Through Beagle Freedom Project’s work, hundreds of lab animals slated to die have been rescued and adopted out to loving families. The organization has also passed its “signature legislation,” the Beagle Freedom Bill, in 13 states and is working on passing federal legislation.

“What that does is mandate the release of animals after the testing is over. So instead of killing them, they release them to organizations like ours, so they have a second chance at life,” Keith explains.

Keith, an animal rights attorney, doesn’t rely on legislation alone to save animals used in product testing. Each year, she writes a letter to every operational animal testing facility in the United States, asking them to release their animals to the Beagle Freedom Project.

While Keith says it’s “very rare” she gets a response, one of these letters led the Beagle Freedom Project to the property that will eventually become Freedom Fields.

“This facility in Oklahoma, the owner of it finally called me, and he said, ‘Hey, I got your letter. I actually got it a couple of years ago.’ And he said, ‘I ignored your letter,'” Keith says.

What changed the facility owner’s mind were citations from the USDA. The agency encouraged the owner to contact Beagle Freedom Project to surrender the dogs and help clear up some of the citations.

“To his credit, he called us, and we started working with him in 2021. And so, we started going there, and whenever he was done with dogs and cats, we would get them and adopt them out,” Keith shares.

This relationship allowed Keith to pitch shutting down the testing facility and purchasing the property to the owner when she felt the time was right.

“I suggested he close his business and that we purchase the land from him, not the business, but the land. It’s a beautiful 30 acres. We would turn it into a sanctuary, and he’d be done with it. And I literally thought that he would laugh me off the phone,” Keith recalls of the conversation.

To her surprise, the owner was ready to retire and agreed to the Beagle Freedom Project’s proposition.

Related: Rescue Beagle Is ‘Excited About Absolutely Everything’ One Year After Leaving Breeding Facility

“Part of our negotiations was that he would relinquish his USDA license and never test on animals again. We had no part in paying for the business; the business is over. We purchased the property and took all the animals he would release to our custody. So we got 200 plus dogs and cats. He agreed, and we officially took custody of everybody and the land on February 1st,” Keith explains.

After the sale, the Beagle Freedom Project started working on making Freedom Fields a reality. Currently, a BFP employee lives on the property with the former lab animals who have yet to be adopted.

The animals came into Beagle Freedom Project’s care with burns on their bodies and health issues from being exposed to the toxic substances used in testing for flea and tick prevention medicines — and they also came ready to be loved. Over 30 animals from the Oklahoma testing facility have already found forever homes, and more are still searching for their families.

“Our goal is to get all of them adopted out. In the meantime, they’re living there, and we are in the process of renovating and making it a beautiful place for them to live until they’re adopted,” Keith says.

Plans for turning the former testing facility into Freedom Fields include adding a rehabilitation center for animals recovering from the abuse they endured during testing and a senior center for the numerous aging pets rescued from animal testing.

“The majority of dogs used in testing were born there, so they’ve been there their whole lives, and they’ve got arthritis, cataracts, and all kinds of ailments. They need their teeth pulled. They’re in pain. So we’re building a senior center so they can have orthopedic beds, ramps, and heat, all kinds of comforts they should have until they’re adopted,” Keith details.

Freedom Fields won’t just be for pets. Keith says that BFP plans to add an education center to the sanctuary “where people can meet animal testing survivors, learn about animal testing, and learn how to take care of animals properly and be kind to animals.”

“It’s one thing to hear me blabber on about animal testing, but when you meet a survivor in person, and you look in their eyes, it’s something that really melts your heart and makes you want to do something impactful,” she adds.

Keith hopes that news of Freedom Fields inspires animal lovers to learn more about the grim reality of animal testing.

“I would just love people to know and be aware of the products that they’re using, not only for themselves but also for their beloved animals, who are family members,” she says.

To help with this goal, BFP has developed the free Cruelty Cutter app, which allows users to scan a product’s barcode and learn if animal testing was used to create the product.

To learn more about the Beagle Freedom Project, visit the organization’s website.

Regards Mark

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/rescue-group-shuts-down-animal-testing-lab-and-plans-to-make-it-a-sanctuary-for-former-lab-pets/ar-BB1jMloP#

Beagle Freedom Project Two beagles in an outdoor enclosure at the former animal testing facility shut down by the Beagle Freedom Project© Provided by People

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Farm Animals, General News

Netherlands: Animal Rights Groups Slam “Better Life” Meat Label.

Pigs on a factory farm. Photo: Depositphotos.com

The meat label Beter Leven (better lives) is misleading consumers and needs a complete overhaul, several animal rights groups have told the AD newspaper. 

The label, which consists of one, two or three stars, was developed by animal protection group Dierenbescherming but does little more “than make meat eaters feel better about themselves”, the paper said after an investigation.  

Animals producing one-star meat are supposed to have a little more room and things to do than those on unregulated factory farms. Two star animals can go outside and three star are either organic or kept in an animal-centric system. 

But, according to Niko Koffeman, chairman of wildlife protection group Faunabescherming, the system rests on ‘marginal welfare improvements” and wrongly gives the impression the meat is raised in an animal-friendly setting. 

In reality, the animals are “locked in, exploited and slaughtered in a most gruesome manner,” he said. 

Campaign group Animal Heroes said the label is, however, leading to a change in mentality. “As long as people eat meat we should cherish every improvement, no matter how small,” spokeswoman Mony de Roos told the paper.

Varkens in Nood (pigs in need) said it did not want to stop use of the label either but expressed major doubts about the “one star” system. “When it comes to pigs, it is pretty standard in factory farming. Tails are still burnt off, sows are confined to cages. That is nothing to do with a quality label.” 

Militant campaign group Animal Rights, however, says people use the labeling system as an excuse to continue eating meat and dairy. The label’s inventor Dierenbescherming is on the wrong side of the debate, the organisation says. “They have become part of the livestock industry and that conflicts with the interest of animals. They only protect dogs and cats.”

Dierenbescherming told the paper it had no intention of stopping with the label but that it is assessing what improvements could be made to the criteria for inclusion. “Questioning the label is protecting the mainstream livestock industry,” the organisation said. “They can happily go on their way producing mainstream, animal-unfriendly meat.”

The label has been often criticised since it was introduced in 2007 and in 2021 the advertising standards authority ordered a radio advert by Dierenbescherming to promote “three star beef” off air for being misleading.

Recent research by national statistics agency CBS showed that just 5% of the population eat no meat but the number of people eating vegetarian meals regularly has gone up. One in four meals on Dutch dinner tables is now meat free. 

Regards Mark

Animal rights groups slam “better life” meat label – DutchNews.nl

General News, Vivisection

UK: ‘Cruel’ Test Which Sees Animals Forced To Swim Until They Are Exhausted Could Be Banned.

Ministers have stepped in to tackle a scientific test which has been branded as “worthless cruelty”. The forced swim test sees animals placed in small jars of water and then left to swim until they are exhausted.

Some scientists have claimed it gives valuable insight into depression however animal rights campaigners have long fought for it to be banned saying it gives no valuable results. Animal rights charity Peta, on its website said it was “worthless cruelty”.

Now the Home Office has said it is to restrict the use of the test – and will seek to ban it completely. In 2022 the Home Office asked The Animals in Science Committee to investigate the test and after it drew up a list of recommendations the government has issued its response. In a letter Lord Sharpe of Epsom, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Home Office, said their advice was being accepted.

He said: “As the Minister responsible for the regulation of animals in science in Great Britain, I accept the committee’s recommendations. The Home Office will further restrict the use of the forced swim test, as recommended by the committee, and apply enhanced scrutiny to any proposal to use the forced swim test.

“I have requested the animals in science Regulator to implement the relevant recommendations to regulation through making changes to operational processes and guidance to applicants and regulated establishments, as appropriate. However, I intend to go further. I aim to completely eliminate the use of the forced swim test.

“This will require the validation of suitable appropriate alternatives. I have therefore written to the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to request that they consider what actions they can take to enable a complete ban on the use of the forced swim test in the near future. He added most actions would be in place by the end of March this year.

The move comes as measures were signed into law top ban people keeping primates – animals such as monkeys, apes and lemurs – as pets. The legislation brings in a licensing scheme setting strict rules to ensure that only private keepers who meet new welfare and licensing standards will be able to keep primates, delivering on a manifesto commitment and Action Plan for Animal Welfare pledge to provide greater legal protection for pet primates.

The measures come into force from April 6, 2026 when all primates in England will need to be kept to these zoo-level standards – in effect banning the practice of keeping primates as pets. It is estimated that up to 5,000 primates are currently kept in domestic settings as pets in the UK.

These wild animals have complex welfare and social needs and, according to most experts, cannot be properly cared for in these environments. The new measures will improve the welfare of potentially thousands of these intelligent animals.

RSPCA Head of Public Affairs David Bowles said: “Meeting the needs of monkeys and other primates is practically impossible to do in a household, domestic environment. That’s why this legislation will be a really important moment for animal welfare – ensuring primates can only be kept in an appropriate environment, as we all strive to create a better world for every animal.

“Too often, our dedicated officers are called to properties where monkeys live in the wrong surroundings, eat totally inappropriate diets and are at risk of suffering behind closed doors. This new law has the potential to change that.”

Under the law all private primate keepers will be required to hold a licence, issued by their local authority, with failure to comply with licence conditions resulting in an unlimited fine or removal of the primate. Defra will work closely with local authorities to make sure that they have the appropriate tools and guidance to ensure that enforcement will be carried out effectively.

Regards Mark

‘Cruel’ test which sees animals forced to swim until they are exhausted could be banned (msn.com)