Farm Animals

Austria: where is the animal protection law?

Association against animal factories (VGT) reveals: Scandalous cowshed in Lower Austria, cattle sink in the droppings!

 

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Completely dirty floor, dirty drinking troughs, totally smeared with droppings in the milking compartment – VGT files a complaint about cruelty to animals.

The corona virus must not be an excuse to neglect animals. The VGT reveals scandalously unsanitary conditions in a dairy farm in Lower Austria and reports for cruelty to animals!

rinder1_VGT
Photos published by the association show an incredible state. All dairy cows and calves are in the deep, liquid droppings with which the entire barn is strewn.
The various departments are separated by electric fences, the generators of which are completely filthy with manure.

_rinder4_VGT
And the drinking water provided in tubs is a cloudy droppings.
But it looks the worst in the milking parlor.
There are all the furnishings, but also the milking machines and the walls, sprayed with feces.

rinder5_VGT
Due to the legal restrictions on movement due to the corona pandemic, the VGT could not personally confront the owners of this business with the photos and ask for an end to the grievances. Instead, a notification has now been filed with the responsible authority.

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VGT chairman Martin Balluch is horrified: “We are already used to a lot in animal welfare, but the conditions on this farm are really shocking.
How can something like that happen? How is it possible that the keepers of cows get the barn so dirty without doing anything about it? How can they voluntarily go to such a milking parlor?
And who, please, wants to consume such milk? Corona virus or not, the authority must intervene quickly in this case! “

https://vgt.at/presse/news/2020/news20200330mn.php

 

And…I’ve seen it very often.
I have been living in the High Black Forest for over 20 years and know this horrible type of person, the farmer, very well. With us, the farmers do it even if they leave the animals in an open stable.

There are usually 10 to 12 turbo cows in a very small open space that is immediately filled with feces because the cows only have this small piece available. And are mostly chained.
Chain connection is legal in Germany.

The animals stay there for days until someone notices that they are in their shit and have no water. Only I notice it.
The veterinary office always responds very well and quickly, they know me.
I take photos and print them on paper. Not on the phone, not on the camera.

Then I go to the office with paragraphs, the authority only understands paragraphs. And mostly it works.
They do not give penalties, the animals are simply brought next door and the farmer becomes more careful.

Until the next animal abuse.

My best regards to all, Venus

General News

A hundred years ago

spanische Grippe-maskierte Familiejpg

The Spanish flu, the most deadly in modern times, lasted from January 1918-December 1919 and killed approximately 50 million people worldwide, nearly 675,000 in the United States.

This deadly airborne strain affected everyone. Efforts to curb the flu required people to wear face masks and public meetings were discouraged.

Saloons, dance halls, and theaters were recommended to close. In some towns store hours were staggered to prevent crowds.

People were advised to avoid shaking hands and to stay indoors, libraries put a halt on lending books and regulations were passed banning spitting.

At the time there were no effective drugs or vaccines to treat this strain or prevent its spread. Researchers later discovered what made the 1918 pandemic so deadly: In many victims, the influenza virus had invaded their lungs and caused pneumonia.

(Photograph courtesy of the Saratoga Historical Foundation)

And…A hundred years after the Spanish flu, there are still no effective medicines or vaccines to treat the corona or prevent it from spreading.
And we claim that medicine works wonders today!

Regards and a good night from Venus

Environmental, General News

Useful Information About the Virus.

The following is from an Asst. Prof in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University, and is very informative.

 

* The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.

* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam).

By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.

* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.

* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.

* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.

* NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is not alive.

* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only
-between 3 hours (fabric and porous),

-4 hours (copper and wood)
-24 hours (cardboard),
– 42 hours (metal) and
-72 hours (plastic).

But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.

* The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars.

They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.

* UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin.

* The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.

* Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.

* NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.

* LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.

* The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.

* You have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.

* You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.

* Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

-JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL

 

 

Farm Animals

Give us our daily meat…

 

 

WHO experts have been warning about the outbreak of a super epidemic for years.
But we don’t need to hear it from WHO when we see such videos.

How can a meat eater continue to consume its meat when it sees the conditions of the animals that supply it?
No matter whether the consequences of such an attitude are: corona, swine flu, bird flu, or cancer … There is shit in their flesh, but they don’t want to see it.

Under the low quality standards for food, no meat eater is sure that he has not eaten spoiled meat too often.
In fact, spoiled meat in meat factories around the world does not seem to be the exception, but the rule.

But no health minister would ever warn consumers: this product can contain dangerous amounts of pesticides, arsenic, antibiotics and hormones.
This animal from which your meat was made has lived in its excrement in the middle of bacteria, parasites and dangerous viruses and may be transmitted to you.
Wash your hands is the motto!
Because every minister is also part of the meat mafia and the business must go on.

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Today, in the 21st century, we are not even able to shut down the tapes of all slaughterhouses and forbid eating corpses, even though we know that WE are the ones who can benefit from it.

My best regards to all, Venus

Live Transport

Holland: suspension of animal transports because of Corona

Breaking News: Netherlands suspend animal transports because of Corona

-hollandvlag

The unbearable situation for animals in transport and the protests on the part of animal protection are finally having an effect: From now on, breeding cattle, horses, sheep, goats and exotic animal species should no longer be exported from Holland. Dairy cows that should be transported abroad for slaughter must also remain in the country.

Tiertransport_Schlachtpferde_Italien_2019_07_20

The partial suspension of transports in Holland is a step in the right direction. We would like Germany to be guided by the legal implementation and to have a transport stop as soon as possible.

In view of the backlog of vehicles at the borders, the German Animal Welfare Association is calling for an end to long-distance transport of live animals. In the mega traffic jam on the A4 at the German-Polish border, but also on the border from Poland to Lithuania or in Croatia, animal transporters are currently stuck for hours or days due to the stricter border controls.
The situation is extremely stressful for the animals. They lack water and feed, cows cannot be milked and they are in their excrement because the litter cannot be renewed and the animals cannot be dumped.

Tiertransport-Rinder-Eingeklemmtes-BIGA-TTEU

Transports to third countries are particularly critical

Weekly animal transports to countries outside the EU start every week in Germany. Breeding associations have recently announced further transports to Azerbaijan, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Iran and Turkey. Transports to destinations in third countries, especially breeding animals, have nothing to do with security of supply in the EU, but follow purely economic interests.

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Even under normal circumstances, live animal transports across Europe and the world are torture for the animals. If there are disruptions in the process, as is the case now in the times of Corona, it will go to hell.

Generally, long-distance transport needs to be stopped. In view of the dramatic situation, you have to start immediately, ”says Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association. “When animals suffer, cows scream in pain because they cannot be milked, everyone should be aware that animals are not a commodity, they are living beings. The current situation shows us clearly how many animals are constantly transported over thousands of kilometers. ”

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The German Animal Welfare Association, together with other European animal welfare organizations, wrote to the EU Commission asking them to suspend animal transport due to the current situation. Animal welfare reasons, but also the risk of the driver spreading corona, clearly speak against continuing transport. From an animal welfare point of view, the fundamental goal must be to completely abolish live animal transport.

https://www.tierschutzbund.de/news-storage/landwirtschaft/190320-tiertransporte-tiere-leiden-in-corona-megastaus/

https://vgt.at/presse/news/2020/news20200327mn.php

 

And I mean…When countries within the EU begin to act independently in animal transport and factory farming in general, there is hope that positive changes will result.
France was the first country in the summer 2019 to stop transporting animals due to heat records. The countries must finally become independent, we all have nothing to expect from the EU.
To do this, the animal rights movement must work in a targeted and united manner.

Tiertransporte_Sommer_Hitze_MOB

My best regards to all, Venus

General News

A View on Coronavirus; From Friend Lesley at ‘Eyes on Animals’ (NL).
Dear donors and friends,

 

This is not a usual newsletter, but more of a blog. In order to give a break to our volunteer translators during this difficult time, I am only writing in English. And it’s a longer read than usual. Thanks for your understanding.

 

 

 

 

 

What caused the Corona-virus?

When Emmanual Macron, president of France announced last week “we are at war against this virus” I could not help but wonder why so many leaders of the world are announcing a war against the virus, and not against the source of this virus. I was also wondering why most media were reporting only on the effects and deaths of the virus, and very little could be found about where it came from and why.

Of course, we want to beat this virus, find a vaccine against it and stop all the suffering of people. Not just for those lying in the hospital, but also those that have lost their jobs, are isolated and lonely, not able to visit their loved ones, not knowing how they will afford to support themselves now or later without a paycheck… But without a war on the way animals are caged, handled and slaughtered at such meat markets, we will never win “this war” as more viruses will come.

 

 

Wuhan live animal and meat market is not the only live animal market where exotic and domestic animals are mixed, kept in filthy tiny cages and forced to face days of extreme fear after being transported from far away. There are hundreds of thousands of these meat and exotic pet markets all over the world. I saw with my own eyes huge warehouses even in The Netherlands full of reptiles, arachnids, parrots and even hyenas imported from all over the world.

 

 

Without putting a stop to this wildlife trade, we will face more and more viruses that threaten humans. Corona is not the first case; HIV, SARS, MERS and Ebola also all came from handling and eating wild and stressed animals and led to massive human suffering on top of the obvious animal suffering.

And we also know that transporting farm animals around the world was causing the suffering of billions of animals when we had to “cull” them, often in horrific ways (gassing them here and in many other parts of the world burying them alive in huge pits) because of diseases breaking out and spreading like bush fire due to the sheer numbers and international transport of animals. Think of the avian flu, the African swine fever, Mad cow, Foot and Mouth… Why didn’t we fight the war against the cause off these viruses to put a stop to the suffering of these animals?

How do we win these wars? How do we put an end to the risk of causing more animal and human suffering?

 

 

Plants didn’t give us Corona

As you know, Eyes on Animals is not a radical organization. We do not see all animal transporters or even slaughterhouse managers as brutal murderers nor do we point fingers. We see that there is a food system started by all of us that is full of inherent problems and needs to change. A system that can only be changed by intelligent discussions, transparency and cooperation among all of us. We all want a good world where people, including animal farmers, transporters and slaughterers have a chance to have a happy and healthy life, the chance to work and be financially independent.

There have been many truck drivers and slaughterhouse personnel that have done their best at adopting better practices and shown genuine interest in improving animal welfare. But regardless, the system is too risky. Many people continue to think that we need to eat meat and dairy, or are worried about losing their jobs, should society stop eating meat and dairy. But that is not the case and where we can, we should now more than ever move to a plant-based diet.

Plants never caused virus among people. Plants never caused mass-cullings of innocent animals. Feeding people with plants will create new job opportunities. We see this more and more every day, with companies springing up everywhere selling everything from pea protein to pineapple leather. Even in Ghana we visited vegetarian and vegan restaurants.

 

 

Working for the animals – from home

The corona virus has made us at Eyes on Animals have to stay at home, but we have been incredibly busy trying to raise awareness about this important issue and prevent further animal suffering. We have been holding conference calls with other NGOs and together writing letters to the European Commission about the current risk of farm animals in transit and to breeders encouraging them to decrease breeding at the moment to avoid a back-log. We have been calling as many journalists as possible encouraging them to report more on the source of this virus, to expose the horrible animal suffering at these meat markets in China and beyond.

We are doing everything to help people recognize that this virus did not just come out of nowhere, but that similar situations can and should be prevented in the future, and will bring back hope to people. Bring back a sense of control for our future.

 

 

Educate!

Now more than ever is the time to educate ourselves and spread this news. Now more than ever it is time to, respectfully, phase out our dependence on meat and dairy products and replace them with the production of more plant-based foods.

Below is a list of articles we collected about the source of the corona virus that make for very interesting reading and watching. Please pass these on to friends and colleagues, particularly ones still unaware of these issues.

 

In Dutch
OneWorld Waarom vechten we tegen Corona zonder de oorzaak te bespreken
Jort Kelder in RTL Boulevard

 

In English
60 Minutes Australia – Excellent documentary about corona and its source
Video message from Dr. Jane Goodal, world renowned ethologist

The Guardian Billion-dollar wildlife industry in Vietnam under assault as law drafted to halt trading
The Guardian ‘Nature is taking back Venice’: wildlife returns to tourist-free city
The Guardian ‘Tip of the iceberg’: is our destruction of nature responsible for Covid-19?
The Guardian Cattle Gridlock: EU border delays add to coronavirus strain on meat trade
The Animal Reader This pandemic is our fault: stop exploiting animals
Brussels Times Coronavirus: Humans suffer but also animals in transport over borders

 

We hope you and your loved ones will stay healthy and safe. With best wishes from us all,

Lesley Moffat
director of Eyes on Animals

 

 

 

 

 

 
Farm Animals

Germany: crimes in the dairy industry

 

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Injured downer and pregnant milk cow left alone.

Again and again people report injured or sick animals, which are hidden behind scrap yards and cannot even get up. The farmers then like to speak of individual cases.

We discovered such a gruesome case near Stade, Lower Saxony three weeks ago. The injured animal has been lying there for at least 1 1/2 days, the animal is emaciated, obviously injured in the hind leg and cannot get up.

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Such high-performance cows need a lot of feed and water. They constantly produce masses of milk and suffer agony if they are not milked. The farm is known for bad conditions in the village and has been reported to the veterinary office several times. Citizens report observations a few weeks ago of how a cow was placed in the same place and left to die.

We immediately informed the Veterinary Office today. Unfortunately, the answer is not surprising: The only employee responsible for animal protection cases is out of the house and, due to a lack of personnel, he is unable to act in the next few hours. We then asked the police for support.

We have heard from third parties that there is now a check about 5 hours after the first report. The farmer has now blocked the field of vision with a tractor.

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SOKO animal protection. Downer Cow case update:

As the district reports, the cow was very pregnant and was unable to get up or move significantly.

If the animal is unable to get up, the apparent slurry of liquid manure that emerges from a yellow pipe under the animal is certainly a poor surface for attempts to stand up.

Finally, the question arises: if the animal cannot walk, how did it get there?

The animal was released as part of the inspection on the instructions of the authority. The district speaks of “no animal protection case” and “no gross misconduct by the animal owner”.

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The Office did not respond to the question from SOKO animal welfare, how the animal was brought there. The press release says that organic causes could not be determined. An autopsy, which SOKO animal welfare requested, did not take place. So it remains in the dark why the animal was in poor condition.

The district did not answer the following questions:

6) Have fines or periodic penalties been imposed?

7) Was the company already known and had a history of animal welfare and / or hygiene issues?

8) How often has the company been checked in the past?

9) Has the rest of the barn been examined?

So a weak animal with a dangerous, difficult birth was left alone, day and night. What was previously done for the mother and her unborn child? Why doesn’t this stable even have a protected birth area for such cases?

The injury that you can see on the distance pictures was not even mentioned and the exploitation for milk is back on the agenda.

 

And I mean…Germany is the largest milk producer in the EU. This is made possible by the turbo cows and the agricultural lobby, which is an incredibly powerful device.

And oh yes, the farmers …

a) they show solidarity with the only party in parliament that has officially recognized fascists in leadership positions,
b) they insist on using pesticides even in nature reserves,
c) they absolutely want to continue poisoning the groundwater,
d) they are not interested in animal welfare but they are only howling, howling and howling …

They also protest against the anesthetic during piglet castration, are jointly responsible for groundwater contamination, insect mortality and antibiotic resistance.

Saumutter mit Ferkel
They find it completely ok to put pigs in cages for 4 months, in which they cannot turn around, mothers take away their children, kill excess piglets and if they have exploited cows enough, they let them die without help or they sell the, illegal, in order to make the last money again.

Kuh-SOKO Investigation

They keep thousands of animals in stalls, densely crowded, with no activity or daylight.
The animals stand on slatted floors in their own shit, which then accumulates as manure.

How much groundwater is contaminated by the manure? The farmers never answered the question.

And then they are offended when we say that they enjoy treating the animals as if they were a piece of shit.
So, yes: obviously they enjoy it.
And even more if they conduct this cruelty to animals with the support of the authority.

My best regards to all, Venus

General News, Hunting

Coronavirus may mean Botswana’s hunting season is cancelled.

Botswana

Game Change

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-botswana-hunting-season-cancelled-200324063714759.html

 

Coronavirus may mean Botswana’s hunting season is cancelled

First hunting season after controversial ban was lifted likely to be hit by coronavirus pandemic.

 

Animal rights campaigners have welcomed the uncertainty surrounding Botswana’s first hunting season since 2014, which has been hit hard by hunters pulling out because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Everything is at a standstill. All clients that were supposed to come in have either postponed or cancelled,” said Clive Eaton, owner of Tholo Safaris, a hunting company that last month bought licences to hunt 20 elephants.

Botswana, home to the world’s largest elephant population and almost one-third of Africa’s herd, lifted a ban on hunting in May 2019, saying the elephant population had increased to the point where farmers’ livelihoods were being affected.

While the country has no confirmed cases of coronavirus infection so far, it has banned arrivals from 18 high-risk countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.

The Botswana Wildlife Producers Association (BWPA) said bookings across the industry had been cancelled or postponed and that it had asked for an extension of the hunting season, due to start in April.

But animal rights campaigners have urged the government to reinstate the ban lifted last year.

“We welcome the fact that foreign trophy hunters cannot kill elephants in Botswana, and hope that the government takes the time to reflect on and rethink its deadly strategy towards elephants and shake off this colonial pastime altogether,” Siobhan Mitchell, UK Director of Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, told Al Jazeera.

“People in Botswana can find peaceful ways to co-exist and benefit from elephants and ensure rural people benefit. This time of global crisis is a great time to look for new and innovative ways to benefit economically and sustainably.”

More than 16,500 people have died from the coronavirus across the world. The pandemic poses a threat to economies like Botswana, where tourism is big business. The country’s vast tracts of wilderness are a magnet for those who want to see – or hunt – wildlife.

Proceeds from hunting licence auctions, worth around 13 million pula ($1.08m) annually before hunting was banned in 2014 due to declining elephant numbers, go to community trusts used for development.

However, a resumption in hunting, to reduce the impact of elephants on people and crops, proved controversial.

A leading wildlife charity, the Born Free Foundation, urged Botswana to abandon any return to trophy hunting.

“Born Free has always maintained that commercial hunting does not offer an ethical or sustainable wildlife management tool, nor is it an effective or sustainable way of funding conservation activities or local communities,” its policy head Mark Jones said.

An auction of licences to hunt 15 elephants is due to go ahead as planned on Friday.