Should Surfers Boycott the 2020 Olympics in Japan over Taiji and Whaling?
Should surfers be competing for Olympic medals in the same waters where dolphins & whales are being slaughtered or is this an opportunity for us to take a stand and defend.
“The well-known pain in my chest is back, I can just walk, they can not.”
(Jo-Anne McArthur, photographer and animal welfare investigator)
Activists who exposed animal cruelty to the largest pig farm in France were TROUBLED.
What activists experience when they discover animal agony, you can see in the video!
This is how an activist describes the action in this slaughterhouse:
“The last days I hadn’t found any words for everything that happened, I tried several times to write this post and then deleted the lines again.
Five days ago I participated in the mass action of civil disobedience #OccupyCarrefour and we peacefully occupied one of the largest pig farms in France. Together with other activists i had my neck chained to the bars of the cages where the pigs are trapped, while other activists documented the terrible conditions to make it available to the public.
We were subjected to the same violence as the animals are every day, we were pushed and beaten by the farmers and I was even hit in the face with an iron bar.
People who use violence against animals on a daily basis do not shy away from violence against humans. While i was chained at the same height as the pigs, I had to look into their eyes the whole time and could hear their screams. But I also had to look into the eyes of my friends – full of fear and grief.
We had to experience what it’s like to be trapped there and were helplessly at the mercy of this violence just like the animals. The other activists tried to protect us with their bodies, but nobody protects the animals.
A young farmer even threatened to shoot us, there was so much hatred in the eyes of these people. We were lucky to be able to leave this cruel place alive again, but the animals are in captivity all their lives and are killed in the end.
Imagine what it is like to be locked up in a small cage for the rest of your life, where you can’t even turn around. Imagine what it’s like when your babies are taken away shortly after birth and you never see them again. Imagine what it’s like when you can’t run away from violence, when you can’t even try to save your own life. The animals are born in this hell, they don’t see daylight or sunlight all their lives, they don’t get fresh air and they just vegetate until their day of execution. Humane agriculture or humane killing does not exist in reality.
Let us make conscious choices and end systematic exploitation.
Such cruel conditions are even permitted by law and the police monopolize the use of force that is applied against the people who oppose this system. Police violence and repression thus affects the wrong people, who are free to denounce the bearer of a message instead of responding to the message itself and changing something. The consumption of dead animals and animal products is not only morally reprehensible, but also ecologically unacceptable as it contributes significantly to the climate – consuming huge amounts of water and energy.
Next time you buy meat or animal products, think of her face. Think of their fate and the suffering they have experienced. Think of the life they could never live just because of your taste. In today’s society, eating meat is no longer a necessity, but a decision. A decision for violence, indifference, suffering and death. And a decision against compassion, love, respect and freedom. Is this really what we as human beings want to stand for?
The only thing this industry fears so much is the truth and the truth is what we will reveal. Just because something is legal, does not mean it is also right. If there is a law to legitimize and legalize cruelty to animals, exploitation, oppression, discrimination and environmental destruction, then it is our moral duty to disregard these unjust laws.
When injustice becomes accepted, resistance becomes an obligation!
Please reconsider your decisions in the future, you have at least three choices a day. Do not apologize, do something! Become active and speak for the animals, they cannot speak for themselves”.
Direct Action Everywhere – DxE
There’s nothing to comment on, just a lot to think about, and it’s best to make your decision here and today to stop cooperating with this fascist system of exploitation.
This is the meat and milk industry.
It’s time to finish it.
We thank the brave activists very much for their civil courage.
My best regards to all, Venus
Because we humans have raised ourselves to the pyramid of creation, we take every right in relation to animals to enslave, slaughter and eat them.
This also includes dogs and cats for China and some other Asian countries.
Recently, there have been heated discussions and even struggles in the circles of animal rights activists.
Some, those with the pet protection mentality, say: “Yes, it is terrible to eat pets, they are more sensitive than others, they are the best friend of man living with people …”
The others say: “Why should we rescue the dogs and eat the pigs? The slain pigs are smarter than dogs and at least as friendly, playful and trusting as dogs are when we let them.” Both arguments are wrong, because it means: If death, then for all! that is justice”.
Although people might have a right to their opinions, it does not follow that their opinions are correct. Especially when it comes to ethical issues.
Regarding the debate of dog food in general, it seems that not the killing is criticized but only the torture.
However, there are a few things to note when it comes to the difference between slaughter and slaughter:
First, there is a crucial difference between the slaughter of animals in slaughterhouses and the private, amateurish slaughter of dogs on the street. While slaughtering animals in abbatoirs is wrong, dissecting a live dog is even worse and deserves special criticism.
Secondly, the rationalization of dog food can not be confirmed by legitimizing the eating of meat in all countries, because it is an argument based on the wrong ethical basics.
And that, for one simple reason: if something wrong is legitimized, it must not be broadened and tolerated at all levels.
For us, the animal rights activists the fight against the atrocities in the slaughterhouses does not stop in pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, but extends to ALL slaughterhouses and slaughter practices of the world.
And even small successes in this direction are in danger of relapsing, when cruel folkloric idiosyncrasies, primitive traditions, and miserable cultural heritage are permitted by corrupt and demagogic politicians.
A cultural practice can be immoral, although it seems immensely logical to its practitioners. This applies to both the Chinese and the non-Chinese.
There is no human meat food culture, all the food cultures on the basis of meat in the world do not represent moral practices.
If U.K actually annulled the prohibition of dog meat internally, that would only prove a pseudo cultural tolerance, a cheap demagogy for “cultural” dog eating, motivated in the reality by their absolute indifference to the suffering of animals; of slaughter animals and domestic animals.
My best regards to all, Venus
Please make a donation to help rescue street animals in India : https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr…
Three puppies were submerged in rock solid tar where they had been stuck, unable to move even an inch for many hours. They were terrified and being unable to move, could only cry out in fear.
It took many hours over several days for our team to soften the tar by massaging oil and giving many baths, but these three puppies had incredibly strong spirits.
Please donate to save street animals in the most desperate need : http://www.animalaidunlimited.org/how…
WAV Comment – remember we recently covered the entire shipment of the ‘Al Shuwaikh’ when it was transporting 70,000 live sheep from Romania to Kuwait and Iran – well now it is setting its sights on live exports from South Africa – read more below.
From Animals Australia:
The Kuwaiti company responsible for Aussie sheep ‘cooking alive’ at sea is trying to gain a foothold in South Africa.
Little did they know, we were already there waiting for them.
On Sunday night, their hopes of loading South African sheep onto the notorious Al Shuwaikh without any scrutiny or opposition were fully shattered when the country’s premier current affairs TV program, Carte Blanche, aired an unforgettable ’60 Minutes’ style segment as to why South Africa should not export live sheep.
Please take a moment to see how our efforts to protect animals from the live export industry are going global: WATCH NOW!
Along with former live export veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson, I was interviewed for the program. Caring South Africans are now venting their outrage that this company — having been stopped from getting Australian sheep during the Middle Eastern summer — has turned its sights on South Africa.
The Al Shuwaikh is currently sitting off the South African coast hoping to wait-out the public furore created by the Carte Blanche program. We are teaming up with local animal protection group, the NSPCA, to lobby the South African government to not allow this shipment.
The NSPCA would love Animals Australia supporters to band together with caring South Africans to call on their government to say ‘no’ to live sheep export. You can sign their petition here:
https://nspca.co.za/animal-cruelty/campaign-against-live-export-animals/
When I landed in Johannesburg to be interviewed for Carte Blanche, it was impossible not to reflect on the enormity of our efforts to bring an end to the global live export trade and the different continents it has taken us to.
Little by little, these powerful export companies are realising that their industry is now being held accountable globally due to the efforts of a relatively small animal charity from ‘down under’ and our band of compassionate and generous supporters.
Achieving this unprecedented exposé on South Africa’s highest-rating current affairs TV programme would not have been possible without our investigations, and without your support. As an investigator and an advocate, I send you a heartfelt thank you.
For the animals,
Shatha Hamade
Legal Counsel – Animals Australia.
From the RSPCA Australia:
Mark, we know how strongly you feel about ending the cruelty of live animal exports.
So we wanted to update you on some recent developments in the trade.
Despite the clear evidence that suffering is inevitable, live sheep exports resume
After a moratorium was placed on live sheep exports from June to 22 September, exports are due to resume this week. This is despite the overwhelming evidence that heat stress is unavoidable for the entirety of the high risk May to October period.
We will be watching this space closely, and are continuing to call for the Department of Agriculture to heed the evidence and protect sheep from suffering by ending this trading period.
What is the Department of Agriculture trying to hide?
Late August, the RSPCA was advised that the Department of Agriculture would refuse to release video footage from live sheep export journeys to the Middle East (footage we requested under the Freedom of Information Act).
On the day the footage was due to be released, we instead received a letter from the Department stating that the footage could not be released, because it could result in adverse criticism of the live animal export industry as a whole and be used by those who are opposed to the industry to lobby for the banning of the trade.
It’s extraordinary. How bad must this footage be (captured under the watch of the government observer), if the Department is concerned it could be used to advocate for an end to the trade altogether?
If the footage is so risky to the future of live export, it’s even more important that we see it.
We’ll continue to challenge this decision, and bring you updates.
Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports Bill passes Parliament
In good news this week, the Bill to establish an Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports has passed through Parliament, meaning greater oversight and accountability for the live export trade.
The establishment of an independent Inspector-General to oversee the Department of Agriculture’s regulation of live export was a key recommendation of the 2018 Moss Review.
The Moss Review found that the Department’s focus on trade facilitation negatively impacted its culture as a regulator of animal welfare.
As long as the regulation of animal welfare falls to the Department of Agriculture, the need for strong oversight by the Inspector-General will remain.
More evidence of cruelty to Australian cattle in live export
Sadly last week, we also saw more horrific footage coming out of Indonesia, showing Australian cattle suffering shocking slaughter conditions after they were ‘leaked’ outside the approved supply chain.
Once again, we have evidence of the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) failing to protect Australian livestock.
The RSPCA is urgently calling for a review into the ESCAS, and will be watching developments on this issue closely.
We will keep bringing you updates, and letting you know how you can help end the suffering in live exports. Thank you for your support.
Regards,
Dr Jed Goodfellow
RSPCA Australia
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Scotland Raises Maximum Penalty for Animal Cruelty to Five Years Imprisonment
The Scottish Government has strengthened its Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 by introducing several new measures, including upping the maximum prison sentence for the most serious animal welfare crimes from one to five years.
The Government has also introduced an unlimited fine and raised the maximum penalties for some wildlife offenses. In addition, it will enforce ‘Finn’s Law’ — which is already being implemented in England and Wales — to toughen protection for service animals.
The changes were announced in the country’s Programme for Government, which states: “The Bill will also provide powers to make regulations for fixed penalty notices in relation to animal welfare offenses and provides a new process to allow animals that have been taken into possession on welfare grounds to be sold or rehomed without the need for a court order.” This aims to decrease the time that animals involved in lengthy court cases will have to wait to find new homes.
The Government says it is continuing work to protect the welfare of animals in Scotland and is recruiting members to its interim Scottish Animal Welfare Commission to provide advice on the welfare of sentient animals. It is also planning to launch a media campaign to put an end to the barbaric and cruel puppy farming trade.
“The positives this will bring to animal welfare in Scotland are genuinely transformational. From the thousands of court cases we’ve been involved in, its evident sentencing is wildly inconsistent,” says Mike Flynn, chief superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, which welcomes the move. “A number of Sheriffs have recently stated that they thought their current powers were inadequate. It’s clear that the courts would benefit from the ability to hand down lengthier custodial sentences to protect animals and deter other people from acts of mistreatment.”
“For years, we have worked hard to reform animal welfare legislation with MSPs and Government officials,” adds Scottish SPCA chief executive, Kirsteen Campbell. “Credit must go to the Scottish Government for identifying the need for reform, taking on board both the invaluable expertise of the Scottish SPCA and our partners and the overwhelming public support for this and acting on it.”
SIGN: Stop Chaining Animals’ Heads and Legs Together for Cruel ‘Hobbling’
Petition Link: https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-stop-chaining-cows-heads-and-legs-together-for-cruel-hobbling/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email
PETITION TARGET: Mayor of Paros, Markos Koveos
In the Greek Island of Paros, locals tie animals’ legs to their heads to disable them from walking in an incredibly cruel process called hobbling. The ropes and chains cut into the helpless animals’ skin, creating wounds that become painfully infected. The animals are so desperate to escape, they often break their bones trying to get free.
Hobbled donkeys, cows, and sheep are kept in areas without shelter or water, left to suffer in the baking sun or freezing cold. This often leads to an agonizing death.
Hobbling is illegal in Greece, but still prevalent. A Lady Freethinker eyewitness described seeing the shocking practice firsthand, along with further cruelty to animals in Paros.
“Dogs with heavy metal chains around their necks, burning in the sun, with no water available, nowhere to hide from the heat and sun or from bad weather. Stray cats, sick, living in garbage, being driven over often on purpose by locals,” reports the eyewitness.
The witness saw locals drowning newborn animals and poisoning stray cats, along with a general lack of animal welfare enforcement on the island.
It’s time to stop the suffering.
Sign this petition urging Mayor Koveos to enforce the law and end all hobbling, and work to drastically improve the way all animals are treated in Paros.
WAV Comment: This was intended to stop any dog meat being eaten by folk when in the UK. We are not talking a ban in Vietnam or Korea; this is in the UK. But now scared UK desk pushers have got the jitters that the UK is ‘offending cultural sensitivities in the Far East’ by not allowing dog meat to be eaten here in the UK. Seems that the UK is not allowed to make laws for the UK for fear of upsetting someone from somewhere else.
Maybe we will have to introduce bullfighting into the UK very soon for fear of upsetting ‘Spanish Tradition’. Don’t nations governments make laws for their own nations any more ?
Mr Gove is a good man who tried to stop this – the scared UK pen pushers giving in to animal abuse on cultural grounds once again ! – Pathetic !!
A NEW legal ban on eating dogs (in the UK) has been blocked by Justice Ministry bureaucrats for fear of offending cultural sensitivities in the Far East.
Environment ministers have drawn up a new criminal offence in Britain of possessing dog and cat meat.
Mr Gove (above) attempted the right thing with a ban IN HIS COUNTRY- the UK.
Former DEFRA Secretary Michael Gove ordered the move in the summer despite the sickening practice being rare in the UK.
Dog groups persuaded him that it would send a powerful message to South East Asian countries where the practice is still rife, matching a similar law passed in the US last year.
But The Sun can reveal that nervous civil servants have stepped in to halt the ground-breaking move.
Campaigning Tory MP Giles Watling was told by the MoJ that one of the reasons it acted was that it would be “culturally insensitive” of the Government to dictate to other nations what they should eat.
Mr Watling told The Sun last night: “Dogs are our companion animals. We do not eat them, and that is a very important message to send to the rest of the world.
“It’s not culturally insensitive because we’re not telling them what to do – we’re just telling them what we do.
“We shouldn’t be worrying about that, so I was surprised that was the MoJ’s objection.”
Justice officials also argued that it would be difficult to enforce the law and the current ban on transporting or exporting dog and cat meat suffices.
Eating dog is already banned in Germany, Austria, Taiwan, South Australia and Hong Kong.
An estimated 30 million dogs a year are slaughtered to be eaten, across China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Most are stolen off the street.
Their meat it is considered both a delicacy and a health tonic.
The World Dog Alliance mounted a campaign in the UK last year for a full ban on any activity relating to the eating of dogs.
A series of MPs back a ban, including former Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan who dubbed it “a disgusting habit”.
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: “We currently have some of the strongest animal welfare laws in the world.
“The government is currently considering whether any changes are needed in this area in the UK and will set out any plans in due course.”
On September 1, individuals across the world took to the streets and stood up on behalf of dolphins. While you held up signs, and helped educate why dolphins should be celebrated, the dolphin hunters of Taiji, Japan readied their boats in preparation for the annual drive hunts. Less than two weeks in, it’s already been a brutal season.
Sixteen years ago when I first stood on the shores of the Cove, observing in horror as dolphins were selected for “life” in captivity and slaughtered for their meat, we didn’t have the benefit of social media to shed an international spotlight on these atrocities. We do, now – and this truly is the heart and soul of Dolphin Project’s campaign in Taiji. By live streaming and documenting the brutal dolphin hunts, Japan can no longer hide their crimes against dolphins and nature.
Worldwide protests
Thanks to your activism and sharing our images and live streams, much progress has been made. Japanese activists have come back to Taiji, stepping up their fight from within. In many parts of the world, the captivity of dolphins and other whales has been banned. Breeding bans have been enacted. Major tour operators have stopped selling tickets to attractions that keep dolphins in captivity. The tide is definitely changing.
Above – Dolphins selected to become circus performers will never lead a normal life again, now totally dependent on their human captors for food, Taiji, Japan.
Credit: DolphinProject.com
With the Taiji annual dolphin hunt now underway, more than ever, I’m asking for your help. As the only organization consistently on the ground in Taiji, we are determined to keep shining a light on what happens there. It’s imperative we live stream and keep documenting, but we can’t do this without your generous support.
Our field team will be vigilantly documenting the hunts all season, because it is our duty to do so. Together, we must do all we can to end this war against dolphins.
PLEASE SUPPORT DOLPHIN PROJECT’S COVE MONITOR CAMPAIGN IN TAIJI TODAY!
Let’s protect dolphins together,
Ric O’Barry,
Founder/Director of Dolphin Project
For access to clothing, blog, and to donate to support, please go to:
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WAV Archive photos and videos:
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Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, China is considered the largest aquarium in the world and opened in 2014.
This huge factory also includes a full theme park with rollercoasters and co and a walk-in underwater observation dome.
The aquarium should have cost the equivalent of about 2.4 billion euros.
Nine Russian orcas were first introduced at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Park in 2017, and at least two more entertainment venues will open in the next few years, the park said.
On July 10, 2017, six dolphins, one male and five female, were transferred from Japan to Qinhuangdao Lertao Ocean Kingdom.
This dolphin female lies on a dry cloth, his eyes exposed to the bright, artificial light. She had just been flown from Japan to China when the picture was taken, and she looks exhausted and miserable.
Brain sick people are gathered around her, taking pictures and touching her backs. These poor wild dolphins are dragged out of the water in Japan, taken to an airplane, hung there simply, with no water at terrible noise and stuffy, and those who survive it then end up in a Chinese “seaworld” for the amusement of the Chinese.
In the small Russian port of Nakhodka, more than 100 whales were found in November 2018, caged in small cages. The whales had been caught for illegal sale to China. Now their suffering is over because they were released after a worldwide protest in June 2019.
The animals were reportedly accompanied on their six-day journey by 70 specialists. The whales should be exposed where they were caught.
Incidentally, the second largest aquarium in the world is in Portugal.
Oceanario de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal was created as part of Expo98.
João Falcato, CEO of Oceanário de Lisboa, says: “We are honored that our visitors continue to value our work and mission to protect the oceans. Thanks to our large and dedicated team we can offer you a unique and unforgettable experience. Twenty years after the inauguration, it is a source of pride and motivation to continue to promote the sea, if you consider it the best aquarium in the world. “
By the way, the operators call it “for the protection of the oceans”
One of the largest aquariums in Europe is in Spain
Oceanografic, Valencia in Spain is considered the largest aquarium in Europe. It was opened in 2003 and on 110,000 square meters are about 45,000 animals.
Among them about thirty dolphins and also sea lions, penguins and other marine life are shown there for amusement.
The big aquarium in Italy
Acquario di Genova, Genoa, Italy, where dolphins, seals sharks and turtles live.
It was opened in 1992 on the occasion of the celebrations for the 500th Anniversary of America and expanded several times. There are 15,000 animals in 71 pools and dolphins are also used for entertainment.
In Canada, a law has been passed and dolphins and whales may no longer be captured to be mistreated for the enjoyment of visitors. Those who do not comply will be fined up to $ 150,000. We have already reported: https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2019/06/14/canada-stopps-the-captivity-of-whales-and-dolphins/
Britain has no captive whales. While there is no absolute prohibition on keeping whales in captivity, the rules for their attitude are so strict that no aquarium will ever try to import and display whales.
India, Switzerland, France, Barcelona and Croatia have similar bans, in with India even recognizing whales as “nonhuman persons”.
My comment: It may not be known to many that the largest animal parks that still harbor whales are in Europe.
Why are there laws in Europe that are supposed to protect animals?
Nowhere else is the profit with animals made so much as in the entertainment industry!
Obviously, Europe is not only the largest meat producer in terms of factory farming, but with huge animal parks, whales and dolphins make a huge profit in Europe.
A shame for a continent that wants to assert itself progressively in education, enlightenment and animal welfare !!
And that is being financed with taxpayers’ money.
But after the worldwide and strong protests, even the biggest aquarium industrialists get into trouble.
We stay active and alert!
My best regards to all, Venus
