(01/12/2002) A cat is family, not luggage, lawsuit says
Adrian Humphreys - National Post
Owners of lost tabby furious airline deems beloved animal to be worth $63.60
TORONTO - A lawsuit against Air Canada over a 15-year-old tabby cat who was apparently lost on an airport runway claims the pet should have the same legal status as a family member.
The airline however maintains that animals should be classified as luggage when it comes to compensation for loss.
[Link]
Fu, a
15-year-old tabby, was lost during an Air Canada flight to California. Her
owners have filed a US$5-million lawsuit against the airline.
(02/12/2002) HITTING THEM WHERE IT HURTS THE MOST
2nd CIRCULAR TO ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Friday 29th November brought two important successes for the Animal
Welfare Community in South Africa.
(1) The auction sale for predators at Hoopstad was ruined.
(2) A High Court application brought by Friends of the Tahr was substantially successful.
With regard to the auction sale, apparently only four lions of the 60 predators on auction were sold. There is little doubt that this was due to the media coverage which was ignited by our High Court application. The refusal of the auctioneers to cancel the auction in the teeth of a media storm, backfired on them with a vengeance.
In a twilight world of blood and money, the buyers shied away from the glare of publicity.
The collapse of the auction caused by all the adverse publicity cost the sellers several millions in lost sales. It will be evident from these figures that the failure of the High Court application redounded to the benefit of animal welfare. Had the interdict been granted, then the canned hunting industry would never have known how devastating to their pockets media exposure can be.
Incidentally, Rick Allan, the N.S.P.C.A. inspector, was assaulted at
the auction by two of the lion breeders.
It will be interesting to see if Vleissentraal goes ahead with the
planned predator auction in the Northern Province on 23 Jan, 2003.
To all our colleagues in animal welfare, the TV journalists, radio
presenters and newspaper reporters who helped to expose the cruelty that
lay behind this auction sale, we say THANK YOU.
To round off a dramatic week for Animal Welfare in South Africa, Friends of the Tahr obtained an interdict in the Cape High Court on Friday afternoon preventing the further culling of Tahrs on Table Mountain by SanParks.
The preservation of our natural heritage will only be achieved if there are people who are prepared to make themselves unpopular with vested interests and who will stand up and fight for that ideal. This is just the beginning.
"Kalahari
Raptor Center"
Email:
krc@spg.co.za Website:
www.raptor.co.za
(03/12/2002) Elephants in European Zoos Dying Prematurely
by Bryan McCarter
A study recently commissioned by the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has revealed that the life expectancy of
Asian elephants kept in European zoos is approximately one-quarter that of
Asian elephants in the wild and half that of elephants used to haul lumber
in Asia.
The study also revealed that the reduced life expectancy of about 15
years is only one of several ways in which Asian elephants in European
zoos are adversely affected by their confinement. According to the report
issued about the study:
* the elephants are kept in enclosures that are between 60 and 100
times smaller than the territories in which the animals would live in the
wild
* the elephants in only 10 percent of the zoos are provided with opportunities to graze
* an unnaturally high number of the females - 35 percent - fail to give
birth
* an unnaturally high number of the calves - between 15 and 25 percent - are stillborn
* calves usually are taken away from their mothers while still very young
* the elephants often are significantly overweight
"(The report) provides compelling, substantiated information that
leaves no doubt that elephants' welfare is compromised in European zoos,"
said RSPCA spokesperson Rebecca Hawkes.
"In the vast majority of (European) zoos, elephant handlers try and
dominate elephants by psychological means, physical restriction and
punishment - a system known as traditional free contact," RSPCA Director
of Wildlife Dr. Rob Atkinson stated. "While elephants are still kept in
zoos, the RSPCA wants their management to be based on reward, not
punishment.
"Our job was...to give an overview of zoo elephant welfare," said University of Oxford biologist Dr. Georgia Mason, who participated in conducting the research. "We were shocked at what emerged. Now the urgent task is to find out how to solve these problems. There are a lot of strong beliefs out there, but now we need real, objective data on what captive elephants need for good welfare. Only then can we judge whether zoos can ever reliably keep these animals well."
[Link]
(04/12/2002) Tougher grizzly laws urged
By Calgary Herald
Wendy-Anne Thompson The shooting deaths of two grizzlies in five months have prompted renewed demands for laws to protect the bears.
"I
think if we had endangered-species status (for grizzly bears), people
might think twice about putting themselves in these situations," said
Tracy Henderson, a member of the Bow Valley Grizzly Bear Alliance.
[Link]
Kate Jaimet - Ottawa Citizen
Wildlife committee puts northern bottlenose on endangered species list
OTTAWA -- Oil and gas exploration is threatening the survival of a friendly, gregarious whale that lives in the deep waters off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The northern bottlenose whale was put on the endangered species list Friday by the scientists of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (Cosewic).
"There are only about 70 breeding adults. And there's oil and gas development all around them," said Hal Whitehead, a whale biologist and co-chairman of Cosewic's marine mammal committee. "When you get down to those numbers, each individual becomes important for the survival of the species."
[Link]
(06/12/2002) NORFOLK TURKEY FARM SUFFERING EXPOSED BY VIVA!
Vegetarian campaigning organisation Viva! (Vegetarians International Voice
for Animals) last week conducted undercover investigations on two Norfolk turkey farms, one owned by Bernard Matthews, the other supplying Bernard
Matthews, where they found conditions described by the RSPCA as "appalling".
Scenes of overcrowding, lameness, dead and dying birds and open wounds were
filmed and photographed. GMTV ran footage this morning (27 Nov) which the RSPCA decribed as "disgraceful".
In the early hours of November 21, Viva!, accompanied by a reporter from GMTV, visited a Bernard Matthew's fattening unit at Weston Longville and a
breeding unit at Friars Farm near Morningthorpe, which supplies Bernard Matthews. They entered through unlocked doors, damaging nothing,
disinfecting boots, and in one instance unclogging a blocked feeder. What they found included:
~ thousands of birds packed together in stinking barns on sodden litter;
~ birds so overweight their legs were unable to support their bodies and were lame or collapsed; birds with deformed and broken legs; birds dragging
themselves across the floor on their wings; some birds' joints so swollen they were up to four times the normal size;
~ a bird collapsed on its back, gasping for air and dying in front of them;
~ birds with large, open wounds;
~ countless birds with extensive feather loss; birds with no feathers on their breasts, apparently burnt away by ammonia from the litter;
~ a dead bird left to lie in the corridor;
~ birds mutilated by debeaking;
~ an artificial insemination unit, including a "masturbating" chair on which
semen is forcibly collected from male birds to artificially inseminate the
hens;
Martin Potter, the RSPCA's Head of Farmed Animals viewed the footage of Bernard Matthews' farm at Weston Longville and described what he saw as
"appalling". He went on: "I have to say that that was a true picture of intensive turkey production." He also commented: "the management of that
farm seemed to be really quite disgraceful."
"Sadly, these conditions
will be replicated on turkey farms up and down the country," Viva!
campaigner Claudia Tarry said. "All that turkeys get for Christmas is a
violent death following a short, pathetic life. Christmas should be a time
for compassion, not killing. The best present you can possibly give is the
gift of life - you can do that by not eating animals and going veggie
instead. Viva! has been calling for an end to all factory farming and
these sad scenes are yet more proof of its cruelty."
Photographs and footage of the breeding unit have not yet been published or
transmitted.
Around 30 million turkeys are killed each year in the UK. This year around
11 million will be killed for Christmas.
Turkeys are artificially inseminated because they are too big to mate normally (can weigh up to 60lb).
Turkeys are de-beaked to prevent injuries from fighting or aggression as a
result of stress and cramped conditions. De-beaking can result in permanent
pain.
Turkeys in the wild live up to 10yrs old; meat turkeys are killed between two and six months old. Wild turkeys can fly: domestic turkeys have been
bred to carry too much weight to fly.
Viva!
Vegetarians International Voice for Animals
12 Queen Square, Brighton BN1 3FD, UK
Tel: 01273 777688
Fax: 01273 776755
Website:
http://www.viva.org.uk
(07/12/2002) Opposition to Bear Hunts in Spring Still Strong
A recently conducted survey of residents of Ontario, Canada has revealed that 79 percent oppose allowing bear hunts in spring, which were banned by the government of the province in 1999, to
resume.
Before the hunts were banned, approximately 4,000 bears were killed in Ontario each spring.
"Because of ethical concerns surrounding the orphaning of cubs, most jurisdictions in North America either never had or got rid of spring bear hunts," said International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Director Rick Smith.
The results of the survey, which were released on the same day Ontario Minister of Natural Resources Jerry Ouellette announced the formation of a four-member committee that would consider means of eliminating problems associated with "nuisance" bears, are consistent with those of seven previous surveys conducted during the last five years.
"Given public opinion and the availability of nonlethal bear control measures, the government's consideration of hunting bears with hounds is a throwback to archaic practices best left in the history books," said IFAW Provincial Issues Coordinator Rob Sinclair.
[Link]
(08/12/2002) Give your opinion to the Commission on animal transport to the slaughterhouse
The Commission is currently reviewing EU legislation and is expected to bring out a proposal for new legislation on live animal transport - but without any limits on journey times. The RSPCA is extremely concerned at this possibility and is urging the public to demonstrate in the consultation a demand for better standards.
Animal suffering
Every year millions of live animals destined for slaughter suffer on long journeys across Europe - the law allows some species, where certain conditions are met, to be on vehicles for 31 hours. The RSPCA believes the current law is inadequate and is calling for major improvements - including:
- a maximum journey limit of eight hours for all slaughter and fattening animals
- improved conditions during journeys - particularly space allowance and ventilation
- more inspections and improved enforcement of the legislation.
(Notice) Important Update - Dolphins Escape Futo
Hunters. Hunt for other Dolphins Continues. Urgent: Action Required Now
You can help stop the slaughter!
Please forward this message to your friends and family. We must speak
out together about what's happening to dolphins and small whales!
The response to TedDanson's appeal from BlueVoice.org has been overwhelming. Thousands of emails and faxes have poured into Japanese
officials protesting the brutal slaughter of dolphins. The fishermen at Futo
have cut their intended kill from 600 to less than 50. But that is still 50
dolphins too many.
At Taiji the killing continues unabated. Hundreds of dolphins have been killed so far this fall.....AND THE KILLING CONTINUES.
WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW. Our protests ARE hitting hard. Please DONATE NOW to BlueVoice.org's winter campaign so our teams can be in these villages to document the killings. When we are there they do not kill. And our video exposes spread word of these dreadful dolphin massacres around the world.
The lives of hundreds of dolphins are at stake. Together we can end this brutal killing.
Please click the Take Action button and send your email protest and tell a friend. If you have already sent a protest email or fax do so again. The moment is critical.
BlueVoice In The Internet Age
BlueVoice.org was founded by film star and ocean activist Ted Danson and wildlife film producer Hardy Jones. "The dolphins are brilliant and marvelous fellow
creatures. We must not stand by while they are brutally and senselessly slaughtered. Please act now," said Danson.
Describing the purpose of BlueVoice.org Hardy says "with modern communications technology we can be on the scene to expose events such as the slaughter of dolphins in Japan. These atrocities can only exist if they are hidden. We shine light on them and expose them to the world."
Streaming Videos on BlueVoice.org
On our home page (www.BlueVoice.org) you will find links to exciting web documentaries: take flight on a manta or view the fight to save the pilot whales at Taiji.
Please take action now by clicking on the links to send emails to the Japanese fishing cooperatives, donate to BlueVoice and tell a friend.
(09/12/2002) EU Parliament votes for review of outdated EU laws on animal experiments and
criticises UK enforcement as result of BUAV investigations
The European Parliament has voted to accept a Report by Plaid Cymru MEP Jill
Evans on EU Directive 86 609, which governs all animal experiments across Europe.
The 'Own Initiative Report' includes an extensive list of recommendations to the EU Commission for the long-awaited revision of the
Directive. Only two MEPs opposed, and 21 abstained.
Leading anti-vivisection campaigners, the British Union for the Abolition of
Vivisection (BUAV) has welcomed many of the recommendations such as extending the Directive to include research conducted for educational
purposes; greater protection for GM animals; a ban on the use of wild caught
primates and a complete review of the use of all primates in experiments.
The BUAV is also delighted to see that the Report condemns inadequate
enforcement of Directive 86 609 by Member States, and specifically
highlights examples of UK breaches of the Directive exposed during the
BUAV's undercover investigations into primate brain research and GM mouse
experiments at Cambridge University. At least for the moment, the UK
government seems content to set aside concerns raised by the BUAV and to
push ahead with its very public support for the expansion of Cambridge
University's monkey brain research facilities. At the same time however,
MEPs in Brussels have clearly taken the Cambridge investigation extremely
seriously by supporting recommendations that highlight the UK as an
example of a Member State with poor enforcement.
The Report states that the Directive is badly out of date, and due to changes in public opinion and new scientific developments, the Commission
must update the Directive as a matter of urgency. The BUAV has been working
extremely hard on this issue in Brussels, and whilst the recommendations do
not go far enough, they do represent a very clear recognition of the poor state of current legislation and the urgent need for reform. The report now
calls on the EU Commission to bring forward a proposal by the end of 2003,
and Commissioner Wallstrom has confirmed that an expert working group is to
be set up in March 2003.
Wendy Higgins, BUAV Campaigns Director says:
"A review of EU law on animal experiments is long overdue, the legislation
is badly out of date and doesn't reflect widespread public and political concern about what animals are subjected to in labs. It is shameful but not
surprising that the UK has been singled out as an example of poor enforcement. The UK government and the UK research industry constantly claim
that the UK has the toughest legislation in the world, but in truth the UK's
attitude to animal experiments is hopelessly outdated and it may take action
at a European level to knock Britain into the 21st Century.
It's ironic that whilst the breaches highlighted in Jill Evans' report have
so far been ignored by the UK government to the extent that it is publicly
backing an expansion of the very animal laboratory at the centre of the case, politicians in Europe are actually taking notice and pointing the
finger at Britain as a bad example."
The Motions for a Resolution relating to the United Kingdom following the BUAV's undercover investigations at Cambridge University (a 10 month
undercover investigation of primate brain research at Cambridge University,
and a BUAV undercover investigation at Cambridge University's Wellcome/Cancer Research Campaign Institute in 2001) are:
· J: Whereas there is evidence in at least one case in the UK
of research facilities having received licences for experiments far less intrusive and painful than those actually undertaken.
· K: Whereas there is evidence in at least one case in the UK of researchers exceeding the number of animals for which they have
been licensed yet not reporting this.
· L: Whereas there is evidence in at least one case in the UK of animals being left unsupervised for long periods of time - even
whilst recovering from traumatic experiments and food and/or water deprivation is being practised.
NOTES:
1. The vote took place on December 5th. 281 voted in favour, 2 voted against and 21 abstained.
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection www.buav.org
(10/12/2002) The HSUS Calls On Bush Administration To Heed
Warnings In Commerce Department Study As Deadline For Decision On
Dolphin-Safe Label Looms
WASHINGTON (December 5, 2002) - The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is calling on the Bush Administration to heed warnings on depleted
dolphin populations found in a Commerce Department report as the deadline for a decision on whether to
weaken the familiar dolphin-safe label on canned tuna approaches.
The Secretary of Commerce has until the end of the year to determine whether
the tuna fishery in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean is having a significant
adverse impact on dolphin populations. If, as expected, the finding is "no
significant adverse impact," the Commerce Department will weaken the dolphin-safe label by broadening the definition of dolphin safe
to include tuna caught by fishing methods that include chasing and encircling dolphins.
"A no significant adverse impact finding would be contrary to the scientific evidence presented in the report by the government's own
scientists," said Kitty Block, special counsel to the HSUS United Nations and treaties department. "The Humane Society of the United States encourages
the Commerce Secretary to base this decision on science rather than politics, in which case there is clearly only one correct decision -- to
maintain the current standards for the dolphin-safe label."
The Mexican government has been lobbying for this change to give the Mexican tuna industry access to the lucrative American >market, which
currently has the highest standards in the world for protecting dolphins who
were dying by the hundreds of thousands in tuna nets before boycotts and trade embargoes forced changes in the fishery in the late 1980s and early
1990s and American law blocked imports of dolphin-deadly tuna.
In the mid-1990s, Mexico threatened action against the United States on the
grounds that the U.S. dolphin-protection laws violate the free trade rules
of the World Trade Organization. Clinton administration officials backed the
Mexican government and advocated not only for opening U.S. markets to Mexico's dolphin deadly tuna
but also for changing the definition of dolphin safe to allow tuna caught by methods that harm dolphins to be sold
under the dolphin-safe label. A lengthy legislative and legal battle ensued,
with dolphins receiving a temporary reprieve as the Commerce Department complied with a Congressional mandate to develop a study of dolphin
populations before changing the criteria for using the dolphin safe label.
Scientists completed that report this summer but the Commerce Department has
yet to release it, undoubtedly because it demonstrates ongoing concern about
dolphin populations. Earth Island Institute obtained the report and released it late yesterday. Primary results of the report show:
° Northeastern offshore spotted dolphins are at 20% and >eastern spinner
dolphins at 35% of their pre-fishery levels
° One model predicts recovery in 78 years for northeastern
offshore spotted dolphins and in 65 years for eastern spinner dolphins. A second model,
equally supported by the data, predicts >that neither stock would recover in
200 years.
° The tuna fishery is cited as one of the major reasons for this lack of
recovery in dolphin populations. The tuna fishery is responsible for deaths
caused by separating calves from mothers and stress resulting from chasing
and encircling dolphins.
"A finding of no significant adverse impact is simply impossible based on these findings," said Block.
The HSUS is the nation's largest animal protection organization with over seven million members and constituents. With active programs in companion
animals, wildlife, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture, The HSUS works to protect all animals through legislation,
litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and field work. For more information, visit the HSUS' Web
site:
http://www.hsus.org
(11/12/2002) Lost bearings: Town seeing an influx of furry invaders
CHURCHILL, Manitoba — It's been a busy year at the polar bear jail.
Tubby's there again, and Whiskers is back for the fourth time.
Each fall, hundreds of polar bears migrate past this chilly hamlet, waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can venture onto the sea ice to pounce on unsuspecting seals.
[Link]
(12/12/2002) Predator sellers hit SPCA man
Hoopstad, Free State - A senior inspector for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) was attacked by two lion breeders at a controversial predator auction in Hoopstad in the Free State on Friday.
Inspector Rick Allan was punched in the mouth and hit with a walking stick in a brief skirmish about an hour before the auction was to start on Friday.
His attackers said they were angry about a media statement Allan made on Thursday in which he condemned the auction without personally inspecting the animals and conditions first.
According to Shorty Durand, one of the breeders who put animals on sale and on whose farm the auction was held, Allan did not turn up for an appointment to inspect the animals on Thursday.
[Link]
Stop car boot sale of lions
Bloemfontein - An environmental group is threatening legal action to prevent an advertised auction of what it calls "canned" predators, including lions, tigers and jaguars, from taking place in Hoopstad.
This comes amid controversy about what environmental critics call the "legalisation of canned hunting" in South Africa.
Chris Mercer of the Kalahari Raptor Centre in the Northern Cape sent an open letter on Thursday to Vleissentraal, which is organising the auction, demanding the cancellation of the auction which was advertised in the prominent agricultural magazine Landbouweekblad.
Mercer called the planned auction a "car boot sale of endangered predators".
[Link]
Still looking for an original present? Then why not give a sponsorship for a goose rescued from becoming a Christmas roast and living now in safety under the protection of ASBL FABIENNE in Belgium?
The sponsorship costs 2,48 Euros per month and can be arranged with Marie Jeanne (see address details below) who will send a photo as well as regular updates and news regarding the chosen animal which, of course, can also be visited! But you can already get “acquainted” right away under
this
link.
ASBL Fabienne is taking care of about 150 rescued animals and this is very expensive! All costs must be met on a private basis which makes sponsorships an important way of making ends meet. Of course, donations are also more than welcome.
So please, do have a goose for Christmas – but a live, happy and noisy one!
The legend began in the small fishing village of Bayahibe, (pronounced
buy-a-hebay) which is located on the southeastern coast of the Dominica
Republic.
In the year 1925, an annual celebration was organized by the local fisherman to give thanks to the Virgin Mary whom they considered to be the "divine shepherd" of the fishing boats of Bayahibe. The nine-day event climaxed with a colorful boat procession along the coast. Word of this event traveled far and wide, and in 1954 a Franciscan Monk who had heard of the celebration traveled from Brazil to the village to participate. He brought with him the gift of a beautiful painting of the Virgin Mary, which was lovingly restored and then hung in a place of prominence, above the alter in the village church. On May second of each year, which is the ninth and final day of the celebration, the painting is carefully removed from the church and placed into the lead boat in the procession. The boat is beautifully decorated with flowers that surround the painting of the Virgin Mary.
To this day, the nine day celebration is very important to the village people of Bayahibe. It is their way of giving thanks to the Virgin Mary for protecting the fisherman throughout the year. It is also the time that they pray to Virgin Mary for protection during the upcoming year.
On May 2 2002, a very unusual and beautiful thing happened. During the parade of boats, a group of dolphins -- some say a group of eight--- surrounded the boat that carried the painting of the Virgin Mary. This was the first time that this had ever happened. In fact this was the first time that the villagers have ever seen the dolphins up close. The dolphins of Bayahibe have always kept their distance from humans, as most wild dolphins do, and nobody in the village could remember a time that the dolphins came so close.
This beautiful scene amazed the people who witnessed the procession boat full of flowers, the beloved painting and the dolphins leading the procession, it was indeed a sight to behold. In fact, the village people were so impressed with this unusual event, they have commissioned a group of artists to paint a mural of this spectacular scene in the village.
Enter the Dragon.
In August 2002, just three months after the celebration, a cruel and terrible thing happened in the early morning hours as the village slept. Eight dolphins were violently captured in the nearby waters of the Parque Nacional del Este, which is the largest protected natural reserve in the Dominican Republic. The captures were the work of the local dolphinarium known as Manati Park. The village was outraged and vowed to liberate the eight dolphins that had been taken from their waters. The villagers started a search for the dolphins, guessing that the dolphins were kept in a temporary sea pen someplace along the coast. Had this been the case, they would have simply freed the dolphins by cutting the fence that separated the dolphins from their family and pod members. But the villagers could not find the dolphins, and with good reason: The eight victim dolphins were hidden away, out of sight and under heavy security in a tank on the back lot of Manati Park, just one hour by truck from the village.
The village prayed to the Virgin Mary for guidance in their efforts to
liberate the eight dolphins. The local environmental group Fundation
Bayahibe took the lead role and organized a campaign to free the eight
dolphins of the Virgin Mary, with help from the Academy of Science, local
animal welfare/environmental organizations "Fundation Dominicana de
Estudios Marinos" (FUNDEMAR), and "Patronato Amigos de los Animales"
(PADELA) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) for
help and support. Lawyers for the coalition maintain that the captures
were a violation of Dominican Republic law; article 175 of the law 64-00
of the environment, which declares that the capture and exploitation of
resources that could be a detriment or cause the death of legally
protected species like dolphins is forbidden. Furthermore, it underlines
that these actions violate the protocol on flora and fauna of the
Agreement of the Cartagena Convention as well as other treaties, both
regional and international.
Therefore, according to these statutes, both the Minister of the Environment, who issued the capture permit, and Manati Park, who captured the dolphins in the marine sanctuary known as Parque National del Este, are in violation of the laws of the Dominican Republic.
Dolphin advocates are fighting for the release of the dolphins taken under these illegal circumstances and to halt any further captures in the waters of the Dominican Republic.
Richard O'Barry
Marine Mammal Specialist
World Society for the Protection of Animals
WSPA
Phone/Fax: 305-668 1619
(14/12/2002) Live Sheep Exports from Australian Port Banned
by Teresa Giordano
The Australian government recently banned exports of live sheep from Portland in response to a spate of deaths of sheep aboard cargo ships that had departed from the port city.
"Based on the information we now have, it appears that there may be a problem with the preparation of livestock for voyage rather than onboard management processes," said Australian Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Warren Truss.
However, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia President Dr. Hugh Worth stated he had a "strong suspicion" that the vessels used to transport the sheep were old and had inadequate ventilation.
The most recent deaths occurred aboard the Al Shuwaikh, a Bahraini vessel. More than 2,400 of the approximately 75,000 sheep it was carrying died. Some of those deaths were attributed to stress experienced at Portland feedlots - others were said to have been caused by a refusal to eat or heat in the Middle East.
Shipping companies are required to file reports about deaths of animals on cargo ships with the Australian Maritime Shipping Authority if more than 2 percent of the animals die. Five such reports were filed before the export ban was imposed.
To prevent future deaths, a computer program that uses animal types, ship characteristics, time of year, weather conditions, sea temperatures and stocking densities to estimate fatalities will soon be put into use.
[Link]
Advocates for Animals and other animal protection organisations are calling
on Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to abandon plans to slaughter thousands
of hedgehogs on the Western Isles. SNH's Scientific Advisory Committee has
recommended three options for managing the hedgehog populations, which will
be discussed by its Main Board at a meeting on Tuesday 17th December. All of
the options involve the mass slaughter of healthy hedgehogs.
The well-respected animal organisations, hedgehog and wildlife experts and
animal rescue centres are urging SNH's Board to reject all three lethal options that have been suggested. Instead, they have proposed a trial
relocation of some of the hedgehogs to the mainland. All healthy hedgehogs
could eventually be moved to selected homes on the mainland.
Hedgehogs are not native to the Western Isles but a few were introduced 30
years ago. Their population at present is estimated to be 5,000. The conflict has arisen because the Western Isles have internationally important
breeding populations of wading birds, which it is claimed are being threatened by the hedgehogs eating their eggs.
In July, responding to public outcry, SNH's Board rejected ordering the hedgehogs' slaughter. Animal campaigners are furious that mass slaughter is
again being considered by SNH.
Advocates for Animals has written to SNH's Board members expressing its opposition to the slaughter. It has also contacted the RSPB and the Scottish
Executive, the other partners of the Uist Wader Project, the group formed to
conserve the wading bird populations.
Advocates for Animals Campaigns Director, Ross Minett, said: "Whilst we appreciate that the Uists and Benbecula have important populations of wading
birds, Advocates for Animals and many other respected organisations, are calling for a non-lethal, humane solution to the problem. SNH, as a
Government-funded organisation, is ultimately answerable to the taxpaying public. We believe that the vast majority of the public support our
opposition to the proposed mass slaughter of our wildlife."
St Tiggywinkles Director, Les Stocker, said: "We are calling on SNH, at this
eleventh hour, to reject all three recommended lethal options as there is a
wealth of expertise available fully experienced in saving hedgehogs and releasing them into suitable habitats all over Britain".
Notes to Editors
For further information please contact:
Advocates for Animals on 0131 225 6039 (Out of Hours: 07946 517585 or 07971
590337)
St Tiggywinkles on: 01844 290494
Advocates for Animals' Campaigns Director, Ross Minett, will be present at
SNH's Board meeting, at Battleby, Redgorton, nr Perth on Tuesday 17th December. The Uist Wader Project is scheduled to be discussed from
10.45-11.45am.
Yours sincerely
ROSS MINETT
Campaigns Director
Advocates for Animals
10 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH2 4PG
Tel: +44 (0)131 225 6039 Fax: +44 (0)131 220 6377 www.advocatesforanimals.org.uk
(16/12/2002) Burundi's not so gentle giant
By Christophe Nkurunziza
Gustave is being feted in Burundi as possibly Africa's largest crocodile. Some are
even saying he could be one of the world's biggest fresh water crocodiles.
The reptile, people are guessing could be as long as six metres and as heavy as a tonne, which, even allowing for exaggeration, would have him rivalling some of the largest saltwater crocodiles recorded.
[Link]
(17/12/2002) Two held for eating leopard meat
Indo-Asian News Service / Kolkata
Two brothers have been arrested from a West Bengal village for killing a leopard and eating its meat, police said on
Saturday.
Brothers Sanjay and Sujit Lohar hunted a full-grown leopard in the Doors jungle in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district and skinned it on
Monday.
"Then they relished its meat for three days and wore the leopard's claws as talisman. They had also intended to sell the animal's skin," district forest officer Rajiv Sharma was quoted as saying in local news reports.
[Link]
(18/12/2002) Crocs get frosty response
REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Iceland's government has refused to let a town import crocodiles to snap up fish factory waste and lure tourists to the North Atlantic island.
Iceland's chief veterinary officer said on Friday he had advised the farm ministry against granting a request to import the reptiles by the small northern town of Husavik because crocodiles can carry salmonella.
The Ministry of Agriculture has in recent months been swamped with requests to import and farm exotic animals, such as ostriches, llamas and camels.
[Link]
(19/12/2002) Pet tiger proves effective crime deterrent
A spate of burglaries has stopped in a Bulgarian village after one of the victims bought himself a pet tiger.
Retired general Kostadin Kostadinov had been burgled three times before he
bought his Bengali tiger named Raja.
Since then not a single house in the village of Selisten Dol, in western
Bulgaria, has been broken into.
[Link]
(20/12/2002) Animal Rights Activists from the "Gaia" Group Stand in Cages During
Demonstration
BELGIUM: December 16, 2002
Animal rights activists from the "Gaia" group stand in protest in cages outside the cabinet of Belgian Flemish regional President Patrick Dewael in
Brussels December 13, 2002.
[Link]
Animal Rights Activists Dressed in Furs During
Protest in Downtown Berlin
GERMANY: December 18, 2002
Claudia Haemmerling (R) of Germany's Green Party is daubed with artifical blood on her face as she argues during a protest with animal right activists
dressed as bears in downtown Berlin on December 17, 2002.
[Link]
(21/12/2002) Chinese
Government Attends Official Opening Of Animals Asia's Moon Bear Rescue
Centre...And Re-Affirms Intention To End Bear Farming
Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong
On Monday 16th December 2002, the Chinese Government Departments of Beijing
and Sichuan joined with non-government Hong Kong based organisation Animals
Asia Foundation in opening the largest Moon Bear Sanctuary in the world. Prior to the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the
parties hosted a press briefing of national and international media, where
officials emphasised that it was the intention of the Chinese Central Government to end the cruel practice of bear farming country wide.
Mr. Chen Run Shen, Secretary General of the Beijing based China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), a
Government Department of the State Forestry Administration, publicly announced several crucial statements from
the Central Government:
1. Currently the number of bear farms in China has greatly reduced and the
number of bears on farms has not increased. The international reports of the 9000 figure is pure speculation and has no grounding at all.
2. The CWCA confirms that the China Central Government has no plans or
intentions to commercialise the usage of bear bile on the international market.
3. The CWCA, on behalf of the Chinese Central Government, fully supports
and recognises the efforts of the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) in the rescue of Moon bears in China. We will continue to support the work of the
AAF and together with the AAF we will achieve our final objective of terminating bear farming in China."
Mr. Chen added: "We humans have only one planet - however the planet does
not belong to us, it belongs to the animals as well. We should treat animals
better."
Mr. Chen and other government officials were later filmed assisting the Animals Asia Veterinary team in cutting open a cage and freeing a previously
farmed Moon Bear.
Mr. Peng Huang Shi, Deputy Head of the Sichuan Forestry Department, formally
stated that the number of farms and bears in Sichuan Provincehad also decreased and paid tribute to the tripartite cooperation of the relevant
Government Departments and Animals Asia in rescuing bears from farms in that
Province.
During the briefing, officials and media were updated on the progress of the China Bear Rescue by Jill
Robinson MBE, Founder & CEO of Animals Asia, who advised that, since the rescue began in October 2000, 35 farms had
closed and 97 bears had been confiscated into the care of the Animals Asia's
Moon Bear Sanctuary in Chengdu. The farms licenses were confiscated, farmers were compensated to enable them to enter new employment outside of
bear farming, and the government was issuing no new licenses countrywide.
She emphasised that all bear farming in Asia was an unnecessary and inhumane
practice.
Professor Liu Zhen Cai, a Chinese Traditional Medicine Practitioner, gave a
formal statement on behalf of his medical colleagues: "I have been a practitioner of Chinese medicine for over 40 years and have never used bear
bile." he said. "Today we have over 50 herbal alternatives and synthetic medicines which have the same efficacy as bear bile - and
there is no need for bears to suffer any longer."
Whilst Robinson paid tribute to the help of the Government in the rescue, she also emphasised the need for addressing the issue of breeding on the
current farms and called on the relevant Government departments to issue a
country wide breeding ban in order to address one of the root problems in the industry.
Mr. David Bleyle, US Consul General in Sichuan also joined the press briefing and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and pledged his support for the rescue
and for ending bear farming in China: "Today marks an important step in the
Government's commitment for working with Animals Asia and ending a cruel and
unnecessary trade in China" he said. "We encourage the ongoing closure of
the farms and urgent attention towards the end of bear farming once and for
all."
As the first phase of the enclosed bamboo forest sanctuary was formally opened, the first group of farmed bears rescued in October 2000 took
hesitant steps into the forest watched by local and international media and
over twenty Central and local government officials. As the den doors opened, bears Jasper and Aussie cautiously raised their noses to the air and
breathed in the smell of a natural environment which was far removed from their lives on a farm. As the bears slowly disappeared into the forest,
Robinson said she was cautiously optimistic that the announcements by the Government in China were a sincere endeavour to end the trade in bile
extraction and bear farming and hoped this could happen by the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games. "We can never forget that thousands of bears are still suffering on farms for a practice which is outdated and cruel. However,
today, the China Bear Rescue is now becoming a symbol for animal protection and
conservation and we have reason to believe that there
is progress - and hope - for farmed bears in China."
Contact:
Jill Robinson Animals Asia Foundation: (852) 90958405
Annie Mather Animals Asia Foundation: (852) 27912225
Animals Asia Foundation website at
www.animalsasia.org
(22/12/2002) THE CROWN PRINCESS OF NORWAY WEARS FUR IN THE UK!
Oslo, December 17 th, 2002
The Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit, is currently studying at the School for Oriental
and African Studies in London (SOAS). We have recently learnt that she wears
fur, appearently regularily. She has repeatedly been photographed in fur, most recently in a coat with fox tails in London.
Norway produces approx. 10% of the world´s fox skins and 1% of the mink skins. The foxes are kept in single cages measuring 0,8 m2, while mink are
kept in pairs in cages measuring 0,25 m2.
This coming spring the Norwegian parliament is reviewing the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act. The future of fur farming will be the most politically
debated subject.
Our organisation is working hard to raise public and political awareness about animal welfare, and in particular, fur farming. Opinion polls show
that a vast majority of Norwegians are opposed to fur farming.
It is very regreatable that the Crown Princess wears fur and in this way promotes a product that on ethical and animal welfare grounds should be
abolished.
We hope that you will be able to help us raise awareness concerning the use
of fur by Her Royal Highness by asking your members to address their concerns to her.
A faximilie of Her Royal Highness in fur is attached, as well as her contact
details.
(23/12/2002) Pacific Whale Foundation's Ocean Odyssey - Reports First Newborn Calf
Sighting of Season
MA'ALAEA (MAUI), HI -- A tiny calf, so new that it still displayed fetal fold wrinkles, was observed early this morning by the crew of Ocean Odyssey
in Ma'alaea Bay, about a half mile from the McGregor Point Lighthouse. At 6:38 a.m., the eco-friendly power catamaran was enroute to Ma'alaea Harbor
to pick up the first passengers of the day, when an adult whale appeared nearby. The boat stopped, and the crew watched as the little calf came to
the surface.
"It was a teeny little gray thing," said Captain John Patti, who was at the
helm. According to Patti, the calf was accompanied by its mother. Both animals were in about 80 feet of water.
"It used to be that we'd see the first newborn humpback calves of the season
after the first of the year, in mid-January," says Greg Kaufman, President
and Founder of Pacific Whale Foundation. "We are observing a trend over the
years, of seeing calves earlier and earlier in the season. Last year, we saw
our first newborn right after Christmas," he noted. "This year was even earlier."
Scientists estimate that 4,500 - 6,000 humpback whales migrate to Hawaii each winter to mate, calve and nurse their young. Calves conceived here are
born 10 -12 months later, during the following winter season. Pacific Whale
Foundation research shows that mother and calf pairs tend to be found within three miles of shore in the early months of the season. From March
onward, as the calves mature, the mother and calf pairs move off shore. Mother and calf pairs seem to prefer waters of 100' deep or less, where the
presence of predators (namely tiger sharks) is reduced.
Maui County has the highest concentration of humpback whales in Hawaii, with
the area of Penguin Banks off Molokai displaying the highest concentration
of whales per square kilometer.
"In the early weeks of the season it is common to first see females with their yearling calves, followed by immature animals of both sexes, adult
males and females, and finally females in late pregnancy," notes Kaufman. "The presence of an early birth, while not unusual, is certainly a sign the
whales prefer the near shore waters of Maui County to rear their young. It
is commonly accepted that the humpback whale population in Hawaii is increasing at a rate of 6 to 8% per year," says Kaufman. "The good news is
the humpback whales are recovering and the first newborn of the year is reason to rejoice."
Not all of the calves are thriving, however. "Last year, depending on who you talk with, there were 4 to 10 calves reported last season that were
distressed or in trouble," he notes. ''Still, we have had a terrific start
to the '02-'03 whalewatching season, with many sightings of whales, and we
expect the number of whales to in the area to grow and reach its seasonal
peak in early March," remarks Kaufman. "On March 1, Pacific Whale Foundation
will be conducting The Great Whale Count, an annual citizens' count of the
humpback whales that can be seen from the shores of Maui; we're already curious about what this count will reveal."
Pacific Whale Foundation is celebrating the presence of the whales with The
Great Maui Whale Festival, which runs from December 1 through May 15, and includes free talks by researchers, special celebratory whalewatch cruises,
a Run and Swim for the Whales, a Parade of Whales, and Whale Day -- an all-day music, food and arts festival. You can learn more about these
events at
www.greatmauiwhalefestival.com.
Pacific Whale Foundation has studied whales and dolphins in Hawaii andother
parts of the Pacific for 23 years. To help fund its research, education and
conservation programs, and help Maui visitors and residents learn about whales and the marine environment, Pacific Whale Foundation offers
educational whalewatches and ocean ecotours. To learn more, visit
www.pacificwhale.org or call 1-800-WHALE-1-1.
For more information contact:
Anne Rillero
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Pacific Whale Foundation
The Harbor Shops at Maalaea
300 Maalaea Rd, Suite 211, Wailuku HI 96793.
Office: (808) 249-8811
Home Office: (808) 876-0799
Email:
publicrelations@pacificwhale.org -or-
PRpwf@aol.com
(24/12/2002) Thai elephant torture video sparks animal rights row
By Tessa Unsworth
BANGKOK - Bound and dragged from his mother into a crude wooden enclosure, three-year-old Plai Boonsom screams as he is beaten on head and body with metal
hooks.
The ritual, carried out daily for up to a week, is part of a young Thai elephant's training by villagers for a working life entertaining tourists in Thailand, and has been secretly videotaped by animal rights activists.
"Our footage shows elephants covered with wounds, blood, bruises...and back of the legs covered with diarrhoea as a result of the fear and stress," says Jason Baker, Asia representative for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
PETA used the video to launch a global campaign last week urging tourists to boycott Thailand, hoping to hit the country where it hurts and force the government to ban the tethering of elephants and their use in tourist shows.
But PETA's findings have been challenged by conservationists and the Thai government, which says the group is promoting a one-sided campaign about the treatment of elephants, Thailand's national symbol.
Conservationists and the government say there are few alternatives to domestication or living in captivity for the country's estimated 4,000 elephants.
In a word, space is the issue.
The elephants' natural habitat is disappearing fast, eaten away by rapid urbanisation, greater demands for resources and a growing human population.
"IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS"
Critics say the campaign video misrepresents the overall humane treatment of most domesticated elephants and could do more damage than good in the long run.
[Link]
(25/12/2002) Project to free 'Paddington' bears in Peru
MACHU PICCHU, Peru - Breaking the stillness of Peru's thick green jungle, deep growls rumble forth from a cage that is draped in black plastic and
houses a cousin of none other than Paddington, the fictitious bear beloved
by millions of children around the world ...
[Link]
(26/12/2002) Hounded Greece says stray dogs have had their day
ATHENS - Greece moved on Thursday to keep a tight leash on the growing number of urban stray dogs ahead of the Athens Olympics without upsetting animal-lovers.
Rather than put down hundreds of dogs that roam Athens's streets, authorities are to sterilise the animals and release them again if owners are not found, Deputy Agriculture Minister Fotis Hatzimichalis told reporters.
In other measures, the ministry plans to charge a fee of 300 euros (dollars) to register pets. And it will be the dog-house for pet owners who release their animals because they no longer want them - they face new fines.
Athens, which will host the 2004 Olympic Games, is home to thousands of stray cats and dogs that roam freely through the city, including around its main central square.
City authorities said last year said as many as 3,000 dogs were loose in the capital.
Former French film star and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot wrote to the Greek president a year ago, urging him to muzzle plans to exterminate the stray dogs.
"This is our answer to those who with malice accused our country of creating crematoria of stray dogs ahead of the Olympic Games," Hatzimichalis said.
Local people cite a boom in the city's dog population in the 1990s when residents, fearful of an influx of refugees from unrest in neighbouring Balkan nations, went on a buying spree for fearsome guard dogs.
When anxieties receded with the end of the Balkan wars, many unwanted large dogs like German Shepherds were released onto the streets.
The animals have become so used to life in central Athens that many of them wait at traffic lights like pedestrians to cross busy streets when the green light shows.
The new measures are in a draft bill, soon to be presented to parliament, which is guaranteed to be made law because of the ruling Socialist Party's hefty majority.
[Link]
(27/12/2002) Dony : The Strangest Dolphin ambassador ever seen now in Belgium and
Netherlands!
After leaving the Haringvliet inlet (just south of Rotterdam, Holland) via
the Stellendam lock on the 16th December, Dony re-appeared at another sea lock further south on the 20th December. The lock at Neeltje Jans is the
only opening in the sea wall which guards the entrance to the Oosterschelde
inlet. Both inlets were formerly parts of the southern Rhine delta but are
now separated from the sea by dams. Fishing boats have to pass through locks
to gain access to the North Sea, and it seems that during his travels in the
Low Countries, Dony the dolphin has learnt to do the same. He now follow boats in and out when he wants to and appears to be equally at home in the
freshwater basins and the open sea.
Today 23rd December Dony was spotted back in the Westerschelde near the town
of Breskens (opposite Vlissingen).
The map shows the area of Dony's recent travels. He entered the area via the
southernmost inlet, the Westerschelde and has since passed through numerous
sea locks to visit all the other inlets, the Oosterschelde, Grevelingen and
Haringvliet, as well as stopping off in the inland port of Antwerp and swimming through the two branches of the Rhine-Schelde canal.
This has to be the most amazing journey ever recorded by any dolphin in the
world. Why is he doing it? One of our correspondents thought the answer was
obvious: He is studying mankind - and where better to do this than in one of
the most built-up and intensively managed parts of Europe that a dolphin can
still gain access to?!
(28/12/2002) Circuses Featuring Animals Banned in Rio de Janeiro
by Larissa I. Estell
The government of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil recently enacted legislation that bans circuses featuring performing animals and permits only authorized zoos to own wild animals.
The enactment was the result of lobbying by a coalition of animal welfare organizations and calls for protection of wildlife from abuse by Rio de Janeiro Mayor Cesar Maia.
Circuses in Brazil import baby primates - often chimpanzees - and in many cases mistreat the animals while training them to perform. Once the animals become too large to handle easily, the circuses usually sell them to a breeding center, private collector or laboratory.
"This law is very important in our fight to end torture and
mistreatment of primates in circuses," said Great Ape Project-Brazil
Director Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian. "Now we want to extend this law to other
Brazilian cities."
A number of sanctuaries for former circus animals have been opened in Brazil in recent years. Among them is a refuge for chimpanzees operated by Great Ape Project-Brazil near Sao Paulo.
(29/12/2002) DDT levels in moles threaten birds of prey
Yomiuri Shimbun
The high density of organic chemicals found in moles could endanger the lives of eagles and owls that prey on them, a recent study has determined.
The list of persistent toxic chemicals found in the creatures includes DDT and dioxin.
In the study, researchers, including Fumio Yamada of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, captured moles at two sites in the prefecture to examine how much DDT--an agrochemical--and dioxin--created when refuse is incinerated--accumulated in the moles.
[Link]
(30/12/2002) Dog's life for pooch-loving monks
By Marcus Warren, New York
A remote community of Orthodox monks who breed pedigree Alsatians has been overwhelmed by would-be owners.
The nine monks of the New Skete monastery in upstate New York have closed their waiting list for buyers and can no longer respond to requests.
The puppies, which sell for $US1600 ($A2840) each, and their mothers live with the monks in their cells. At one stage, dogs also attended church, although eventually they were banned for snoring during services.
[Link]
Cocoa Beach, FL recently became the sixth city in the United States to
adopt a proclamation stating that farm animals are "sentient
beings...capable of awareness, feeling and suffering...who deserve to be
treated with respect and protected from inhumane treatment."
The proclamation, which is being circulated by Farm Sanctuary in order to
improve the welfare of farm animals in the United States, had previously
been adopted by Cincinnati, OH and four cities in New Jersey - Morristown,
Cedar Grove, Newark and Trenton.
Although the document is not legally binding, its adoption does signal a
sensitivity to farm animal suffering from which new laws could stem.
"Farm animals, like all animals, have feelings, and they should be
protected from cruelty," said famed actress Mary Tyler Moore, who is
the honorary chairperson of the campaign to have the proclamation adopted
throughout the United States. "But, unfortunately, on today's factory
farms, these gentle creatures are commonly treated like commodities rather
than as living, feeling animals. As a civilized nation, we have an ethical
obligation to prevent animal cruelty and to recognize animals, including
farm animals, as sentient beings who are capable of feeling pain and
suffering."
Laws declaring that farm animals are sentient and banning a number of more
cruel methods of confinement, fattening, transport and slaughter have
recently been enacted by the European Union.
[Link]
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