Great news out of Sacramento! On Saturday, October 12, Governor Newsom signed AB 44 (banning the sale and production of new fur products) and AB 1254 (bobcat trophy hunting) into law. This momentous legislation will spare countless wild animals from the cruel and unnecessary fur trade and bobcats from the horrors of trophy hunting.
Animals raised for the fur trade languish in tiny cages on factory farms and are cruelly killed by gassing or electrocution. Wildlife including foxes, coyotes, beaver, and otter are also trapped in their native habitat and their skins sold at auction. These two laws send a message to the fur industry that consumers no longer want animals skinned for fashion clothing and accessories.
The ban on bobcat hunting will spare countless bobcats and other nontarget species from being sport-hunted—following up on California’s precedent-setting ban on bobcat trapping in 2015. It will also help preserve the species, which faces a range of threats including human encroachment on their habitat and consequences from climate change.
Join us in thanking Governor Newsom and the bill sponsors—Asm. Laura Friedman (who introduced the fur ban bill) and Asm. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (who championed the bobcat bill)—for taking a stand against these inhumane practices. Please shoot them a quick email—contact information is at the links provided.
We are deeply grateful to all of you who supported these bills and spoke out for the voiceless animals.
Posted on October 16, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
In the first-ever undercover investigation into a fish hatchery in the United States, an investigator from animal advocacy nonprofit Compassion Over Killing worked at Cooke Aquaculture in Bingham, Maine. This hatchery raises millions of salmon each year and supplies Martha Stewart’s True North Seafood line. The investigator documented horrific treatment of salmon, including fish being thrown, stomped on, suffocated in barrels, stuck with needles, and left to die.
For salmon at the hatchery, life begins in giant metal tanks stuffed with thousands of tiny pink eggs. The dirty conditions are perfect for fungi and parasites, which grow in clumps on many of the eggs. Some babies hatch with severe deformities, while others develop them after being handled, as one worker explains: “Spinal deformity. Happens when they’re babies in B building. If you’re too rough with them, you’ll break their back and they’ll grow back like that.”
During vaccination procedures, many salmon are not properly anesthetized and thrash as workers inject them with needles. One worker says, “Once the needle’s in them and they flop, that tears a f**king huge hole in them.” Another worker describes the psychological effects of the process:
The vaccinating stresses them out, takes its toll on them. Some of them die off. Once you vaccinate them, it takes them like a week before they start eating again.
Salmon considered unprofitable are thrown away like trash. The video shows a worker tossing a fish into a giant barrel and raising his arms in triumph. Once in the barrels, salmon are left to slowly suffocate or are crushed by the weight of other fish. One worker seems to acknowledge the brutality of this treatment. “They just suffocate,” he says. “It’s so rough. Over the years you kinda get desensitized.”
Some of the fish die from infections with parasites and fungi that thrive in the filthy environment. A worker says, “They get, like, lesions and stuff from the fungus, and it kinda eats away at them and they start bleeding from that.” The undercover investigator captured footage of salmon whose faces were partially eaten away.
The fish who manage to survive are kept in overcrowded, stressful conditions and often underfed, which can have tragic consequences. “If the fish aren’t fed enough, they’ll actually think the little pupil on the other fish is food, and they’ll come after it and they’ll peck the eye out,” one worker explains. “You happen to see some missing eyeballs, that’s the reason.”
After going through all this horror, adolescent salmon are usually transported to cages in the ocean to be fattened up for slaughter. In these cages, salmon often suffer sea lice infestations and are fed a diet that includes ingredients from wild-caught fish, who are taken from increasingly depleted oceans. And because these cages are stationary, the salmon cannot flee certain dangers. Harmful algal blooms can suffocate and kill millions of fish at a time.
Although the aquaculture industry treats these animals like unfeeling objects, fish are complex, sensitive beings, many of whom use tools and recognize themselves in mirrors and all of whom feel pain.
You can make a difference for fish and other animals by choosing more plant-based meals. Get started by ordering your FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide today.
Posted on October 15, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
from Venus
The EU Commission’s right-hand man is the Eurogroup for Animals.
On their website states: We create a favorable political environment!
and further … “it is of the utmost importance to show that as a membership organization we keep our promises”.
The 8hour campaign (1.2 million votes) in 2012 failed because of the rejection of the then corrupt Commissioner John Dali.
Has the Eurogroup contemplated how to honor its promises to EU-Citisens if the Commission now ignores the 1.5 million votes in the “End of Cage Age” Campaign?
The “case John Dalli” may have forgotten the employees of the Eurogroup, they like to suppress sad defeats.
This case should always be a warning sign of how easy it is to betray the animals and those who want a better world for them.
But in this game are also involved those who make big promises, even though they know that they have no power to make big changes in animal suffering under the EU Commission. And by that I mean the Eurogroup for Animals!
The 36 employees of Eurogroup working for the Commission for good money should be sparing with their promises and nice words.
The Eurogroup can not make any promise, because they do not take any decision.
They preach visions and missions into their web site but the thing is very simple: if the commission (even now like under Dalli back then) does not abolish caging, in spite of 1.5 million votes, then they should not give us lectures on trust or active animal welfare, but they have only to answer one simple question: what is their right of existence?
Those who participate in the moral and political EU format are cheated and betrayed, so like the animals are.
The Eurogroup is just as weak as we are, the citizens of the EU, the Groupe is powerless, as we are, with the only difference that they are paid to sell illusions, campaigns, visions and hopes in an area, this of animal welfare, which the EU does not care at all.
“We exist because European citizens believe animals deserve a voice” says the groupe.
Indeed! there are demonstrably 1.5 million EU citizens who want to give the voiceless, the suffering, the enslaved beings a voice, a better world.
But no one believes that this can be done with the Eurogroup.
With the employer of the Eurogroup anyway not.
I got this message from Compassion in World Farming today:
170 organisations, united by Compassion in World Farming, came together to make this happen. An unprecedented pan-European movement for farm animal welfare!
So what’s next? The UK Parliament (with 389,057 signatures ) is now expected to debate a ban on farm cages. And, to force the European Commission to act, at least 1 million ECI signatures must be validated.
This process could take three months, and then we’ll submit the petition.
We’ll keep you fully updated on progress and new ways you can get involved!”
After this message, I had the same bitter feeling as back then in the 8hours campaign.
Unfortunately, the bad sides of history are always repeating themselves.
The Dallis, the corrupt commissars and their naive servants.
I want to pick up again on some of our (SAV) past work in Serbia; not for any specific reason; just that it fits well into the recent post by Venus which deals with stray animals within the EU -here is the link: https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/10/14/stray-animals-abandoned-friends/ – I have also added some links and video footage at the end of this post.
Firstly, welcome to everyone and anyone who visits the site from around the globe – it is good to see you and I hope you and I hope you find our articles of interest.
Secondly, and very importantly; never judge the way of a nation by the actions of just a few folk that live there. Serbia has some brilliant animal campaigners, and it has been my pleasure over the last 15+ years to work with many of them – people who have my full respect and people that I can call friends. There are some great little private, individual shelters where people are doing everything they can for animals – check out this SAV Facebook site of ours to see what I mean: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SerbianAnimalsVoice/
Today I want to track back to an issue we dealt with many years ago – that of the welfare of animals on some Serbian farms. Please remember, Serbia is currently a nation which is a ‘Candidate Country’ to join the EU. To become a member state, it will supposedly enforce all the legislation required of it under EU rules. But we know these don’t work anyway, and the EU never enforces its own legislation; as we have proven so many times with animal transport breaches over the years regarding Regulation 1/2005.
So, the (EU) rules say that all farm animals must be kept to certain standards – which is a joke really considering how many times we have helped to expose EU wrong doings in the past:
Going back; we looked into specific farm animal welfare in the past. As part of the CIWF campaign team in the past; https://www.ciwf.org.uk/ I was able to call on their extensive experience to help me with regard a few things about EU / Serbian farm animal welfare legislation. Phil helped me a lot and contributed to one of the articles I did on SAV.
Have a look at these pictures that we published at the time – taken on a Serbian farm:
If you are / have been a meat eater in the past; would you want to eat meat that has been raised in this way ? – this is footage that was taken undercover on a Serbian farm a few years back. It is totally non compliant with EU standards; as detailed in the following links:
In the end, the Serbian authorities had to come clean and confirm that the sheep had been shipped live from Serbia. And just for the record, all the shelters threatened with closure by the authorities as part of this expose were left to carry on with their excellent work.
Remember – Serbia is a EUROPEAN NATION – we expect better animal welfare standards of it.
Still to come – out expose of Serbian Zoos and the terrible conditions which animals have to endure – fighting to survive daily whilst the authorities ignore meeting their legal requirements to undertake inspections.
Posted on October 15, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Great milestone for #SaddestBears in Albania!
Numerous demands and campaigns from several national and international NGOs, including FOUR PAWS, have forced Albania to tighten its action against environmental crime!
The Criminal Code of the Albanian Law ⚖️ has just been supplemented with a list of offenses falling into the field of environmental crime. This means that serious offenses such as killing, poaching or trafficking in protected animals can now be punished with several years in prison. So far, such crimes have been punished only with a low fine.
In addition, the “Law on the Protection and Conservation of Wild Animals” was added.
As a result, a “Wildlife National Council” will be set up whose main task is to oversee and support the implementation of the new law.
We sincerely hope that these legal changes will have a positive impact on Albanian flora and fauna, including the wild bear population🐻.
A great success, considering how the bears live in Albania.
Pashuk had been chained up so tight at a restaurant that the metal had gauged into his skin by the time he was rescued. Hertwig, FOUR PAWS: ‘I’ve seen many suffering bears, but I have never seen anything like this. The chain had grown in so deeply that the skin had already grown over it”.
In March 2016,FOUR PAWS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Albanian Ministry of Environment with the aim of working together to create a sustainable and animal welfare-friendly solution for the many, in catastrophic posture lived Albanian bears.
Tomi was given alcohol during years of captivity and had become known as ‘beer bear’ where he was caged in Albania
Since 2016FOUR PAWS and other animal welfare organizations have rescued more than 30 bears from pathetic captivity in Albania, and transferred to foreign wildlife camps in cooperation with the Albanian authorities and other animal welfare organizations.
Most of them were taken illegally out of the wild as young animals.
Ten of these bears now live in the FOUR PAWS bear conservation centers and partner projects in Kosovo, Switzerland, Germany and Bulgaria.
Carsten Hertwig from Four Paws,said: ‘We are happy that the Albanian Ministry of Environment is getting actively involved now”.
My comment: As long as there are brainless people who take selfies with wild animals as a holiday experience and even pay for it, then animals will be abused, enslaved, tortured.
There is very little hope to change this society in its perversity and indifference. Therefore, the solution must come from above, with laws and penalties.
If bear dancing and bear shows are banned, then finally, every stupid tourist will realize that the selfies with suffering animals from the last holiday belong in the garbage and in the history of Middle Ages.
Posted on October 14, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
In many European countries brutal mass murders are used against the high number of abandoned stray dogs. Through state subsidies and the establishment of killing stations, the killing of dogs has become a lucrative business that has to be stopped as soon as possible!
For each animal caught, the dog catchers commissioned by the towns receive a certain amount – to earn as much as possible, however beastly any means are right: The stray dogs are pursued and hunted, poisoned and abused, tortured and killed in a cruel manner.
Just before major international events, such as the Olympic Games or the World Cup, tens of thousands of dogs are killed to clean up the streets of large cities.
With our petition we demand a ban on legal dog kills in Europe and the financial support of nationwide castrations by the countries. Killing stations are to be closed and abolished. No stray animals should be killed anymore for an international sports event. All collected signatures will be submitted to the European Parliament.
Please sign now, because your voice saves the dogs life!
My comment: Stray animals were once family members. They were faithful, happy, thankful for giving them a home.
Brainless people, without moral education, without any responsibility for the fate of the weaker ones, have put them on the street.
In Spain every 6 minutes an animal is abandoned on the street.
Then they starve, they suffer.
The accession of many southern European countries to the EU has brought no benefits for the animals.
On the contrary!
The introduction of state animal shelters has become a hell for the strays, and these homes in many EU countries are being commercialized and operators are getting money per day and per dog. The more dogs they catch and the less they spend on care, the more lucrative this business is.
In the streets they are poisoned, shot, burned, beaten to death, almost no one cares about the stray animals. In most southern countries, the strays dare not on the road during the day; they wait for the night, they run through the empty street emaciated, sick, injured, hungry and look for a piece of bread in each garbage container.
Only a consistent castration campaign across Europe could get the problem under control, at least so that it does not get bigger.
Many abandoned friends are waiting in the animal shelters.
And they demand nothing more than a little food, a little caring, and loyalty.
There is certainly enough love in the heart of a feeling person for a new friendship.
In general, nuts are good sources of fat, fibre and protein.
Most of the fat in nuts is monounsaturated fat, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. However, they do contain some saturated fat.
Nuts also pack a number of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium and vitamin E.
Many studies have investigated the health benefits of increased nut intake.
One meta-analysis of 33 studies found that diets high in nuts do not significantly affect weight gain or weight loss. Yet, despite having little effect on weight, many studies have shown that people who eat nuts live longer than those who don’t. This may be due to their ability to help prevent a number of chronic diseases.
For example, nuts may reduce risk factors for metabolic syndrome, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In fact, one study in over 1,200 people found that eating a Mediterranean diet plus 30 grams of nuts per day decreased the prevalence of metabolic syndrome more than a low-fat diet or a Mediterranean diet with olive oil.
Furthermore, nuts may reduce your risk of other chronic diseases. For example, eating nuts may improve blood sugar levels and lower your risk of certain cancers
Summary Eating nuts may help reduce risk factors for many chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.
But recent research shows that eating nuts daily offers a bounty of benefits. Here’s why you should aim for a handful a day. Really! People who ate at least 20 grams of nuts per day (about a handful) were 22 percent less likely to die prematurely, according to a 2016 review article published in BMC Medicine.
Posted on October 14, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Dogs are brutally killed in Corfu! Slain, poisoned or buried alive. There is nothing that “humans” would not be able to do. Nothing but brutal animal cruelty! If they are left helpless, then they may still have a small chance of survival. But in dog shelter is a blood fight for survival.
With living conditions that may have been copied from Romania.
Greece: the dogs of Corfu (Video)
My comment: The fight against animal cruelty in Greece has long been necessary – and from the EU side!
And? Nothing was done and will be nothing. Because these abandoned, helpless creatures do not make a profit.
Greece has now reached an incredible level of brutality and fascism against animals.
It is supported by a cowardly, indifferent society, which is largely responsible for the misery of stray animals, but/and also by corrupt and work-shy officials who do not even know the animal welfare law and if so, they ignore it.
The few active animal rights activists have turned their homes into shelters and try day and night to improve this situation. And, as a rule, they are warred, offended and despised by those who are primarily responsible for this misery.
Corfu is otherwise a very beautiful island, but who hears, sees and experiences the animal cruelty around it, can not enjoy a holiday there.
Posted on October 13, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Commission against bird slaughter (CABS) PRESS RELEASE – 12/10/2019
Today marks the 46th day of bird trapping by the biggest and most organised criminal trapper in Cyprus, in the area of Maroni, state CABS (Commission against bird slaughter) the trapping in Cyprus.
Considering that the trapping site was first confirmed as active on the 24th of August and considering that an average of 300 birds are killed in this compound each day according to the evidence collected by the RSPB; we can reasonably conclude that 13,800 birds have been killed in this single trapping compound in just the last 7 weeks.
Two of the convicted trappers leaving the orchard, one with a huge bag of illegally killed birds.
Furthermore, the site is known to everybody – including the authorities – and it has not been properly challenged or investigated for at least the last 2 years.
Despite the activity throughout the whole autumn season, the law enforcement agencies seldomly investigate this site and prosecute the owner.
The Game and Fauna Service refuse to approach the place, whereas the anti-poaching unit has never managed in the last year to make a proper prosecution on this site.
Even when they agree to make an operation there, this usually takes weeks of planning and the results are often minimal. This is basically allowing the trapper to continue the killing of thousands of birds, unperturbed during the peak period of the autumn migration season.
There is clearly something wrong with the Cyprus Police in relation to the biggest trapping site in Cyprus. CABS and the RSPB have observed several suspects trapping on full bore with more than 7 nets, electronic caller lures and catching hundreds of birds every night.
On the, 16th and 17th September, RSPB observed set nets and filmed the group trapping. The police was called and did not attend until the following day where they found nothing!!
On the 19th September again the trapping site was observed by CABS active and in full swing!! Despite 4 operations made by the police so far only 1 net and 1 bird has been found.
“We believe that the operations of the police are conducted in the wrong way or we suspect that information is being routinely leaked to the trapper” states Alexander Heyd,Director of CABS.
In another statement, Alexander Heyd says “CABS and other NGOs have been trying for three weeks to get in touch with the highest level of the Cypriot Police force to arrange a meeting about this situation.
Despite our efforts, they have so far been unable to meet and discuss our findings. It seems that they are avoiding us and are not interested in stopping this criminal or in finding out more about the suspected leak in the unit”.
Mist net rides highlighted at a notorious bird trapping site near Maroni, Cyprus (Ben Porter)
The last time the biggest trapper in Cyprus was properly targeted by police was in 2017, but the enforcement officer that coordinated the raid was subsequently moved from the unit.
CABS is always happy to cooperate with the Cyprus Police. They achieved great results against illegal bird poaching in the past, but recent events show inactiveness and an unprofessional approach, to say the least.
The Cypriot police is clearly not stepping up against bird trapping and is knowingly letting this happen without retribution.
My comment: No one has ever been imprisoned in Cyprus for illegal bird catching.
Tapped poachers are usually fined 600 euros. With a merit of up to 20,000 euros per season, a poacher can easily get over this loss.
The Cypriot bird mafia often uses a particularly insidious and highly sustainable fishing method for illegal bird catching.
In the past, they planted many acacias on the dry island that are not native to Cyprus.
Trees that the migratory birds like to use as a welcome approach station. And between these trees, the criminal poachers now tie their nets. According to experts, around 2.3 million wild birds are killed each year in Cyprus by illegal hunting.
Killed songbirds are sold via the black market to restaurants in the Republic of Cyprus, so that guests can eat the popular Cypriot specialty “Ampelopoulia”.
Criminal gangs earn hundreds of thousands of euros from this illegal activity.
A perfidious, unscrupulous, simply disgusting human parasite that owes its existence to the corrupt country politicians.
I faithfully believe that a sick mind is extremely dangerous for any living being in any society. Therefore, I ask for a very heavy punishment, for this trio of cursed and ill-minded girls, who had nothing to do, other than mistreat and cruelly kill a defenseless animal.
I consider it vitally important to leave a strong punishment as soon as possible, and for the competent authorities to join promptly, to strongly punish these three girls, who do know what they do.
No person eats shit, therefore, they knew what they were doing.
I consider after applying the punishment, burn their hands to live skin, be fulfilled, and then submit them to intern for life in a mental health asylum.
These types of subjects, whether they be adolescent girls, are pseudo psychiatrically ill minds, and are a terrible threat to any living being, be it a human being or an animal.
Posted on October 13, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
This week saw the annual event of Kaporos take place in cities around the world. Kaporos is a customary atonement ritual practiced by some Jews on the eve of Yom Kippur.
Each year thousands of chickens are sent onto city streets from factory farms. Many of these individuals are kept confined in small crates without food or water for as long as 4 days before the ceremony.
During the event a chicken around is swung around a person’s head three times while saying a prayer to transfer their sins to the bird, before giving the chicken to a butcher, who then slaughters it.
This event happens on the streets of cities and towns, and it is estimated that up to 50,000 chickens are killed in Brooklyn alone.
Despite claims that the corpses are given to the poor, many are often found in trash bags in the days following the event.
When the chickens who survive the transport arrive at their destination, the ritual participants swing their legs and wings through the air, then cut their throats and place them in traffic cones as they bleed to death.
In the following video you can clearly see how participants of this “festival” tear off the heads of the chickens and then stuff them – still conscious – into garbage bags.
Why should they have to suffer for our sins? No matter the tradition, the custom or the culture, there is no excuse for the treatment and exploitation these individuals face.
Those who wish to celebrate Kaporos in the coming years can still do so, swapping the sentient being for money, as done by many Jews who disagree with the practice.
Anonymous for the Voiceless
My comment: Here I also see another illogical and immoral business with God, namely: I sacrifice the innocent so that my guilt will be forgiven!
Well-known deal at all geographic locations! On this basis has always and every religion worked.
Without blind, stupid and fanatical God’s servants no religion would have survived!
Innocents in the name of God are always tortured, murdered and massacred by people who preach love to God and their fellow human beings.
“You can only have peace if you give it”, Ebner-Eschenbach has said.
That is the reason, why any religion will have never peace.
Posted on October 12, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Animal Abuse Link to Domestic Violence Highlighted As Cruelty Cases Rise in Michigan
Coinciding with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Michigan State Police (MSP) have released data showing a huge rise in the number of animal abuse reports in the state.
Incidents of reported animal cruelty in Michigan soared from 93 in 2016, to 202 in 2017 and 297 in 2018 — an increase of a staggering 301% in just three years. In addition, animal abuse crimes rose by about 100 cases annually in the same time period, according to MSP’s Michigan Incident Crime Report, “Crime at A Glance.”
These rising figures are worrying in themselves, but there is further concern because animal abuse has been linked to domestic violence, with individuals who hurt animals being far more likely to carry out domestic violence offenses as well as other violent crimes.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence says there is a clear link between these two areas of crime, it explains that individuals who abuse their partners frequently have a history of animal abuse that precedes their domestic violence offenses. It also highlights the fact that “abusers demonstrate power and control over the family by threatening, harming or killing animals.”
In its “Pets And Domestic Violence” report, the organization states that 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence, and a massive 71% of pet owners who enter a shelter say their abuser had previously threatened, hurt or murdered a family pet. In addition, the investigation of reported animal cruelty within a household often leads to social services discovering hidden domestic abuse in that household.
If you need help regarding animal cruelty or domestic abuse, you can contact the American Humane Association on 303-792-9900 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE.
Posted on October 12, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
SIGN: Justice for Echo, Dog Who Lost His Eye After Being Brutally Beaten with A Log
PETITION TARGET: Porter County District Attorney Gary Germann
Sweet dachshund and beagle mix Echo of Valparaiso, Indiana lost his right eye after his family’s neighbor reportedly brutally beat him in the face with a log, fracturing the helpless dog’s skull.
Even emergency surgery could not save poor Echo’s eye after the vicious attack.
Police arrested Ronald Johnson Valparaiso for this act of abuse — but despite the horrific nature of the attack, Johnson soon bonded out for a mere $1,500.
According to Echo’s guardian, Courtney Gutowski, this wasn’t the suspect’s first attack on the innocent dog. Earlier this year, Johnson repeatedly and aggressively struck Echo with large ice pellets, but due to a lack of physical evidence, this crime went unpunished, says Gutowski. It is troubling that after two reported cases of abuse, Johnson is roaming free and officials have not taken stronger and more immediate action.
It is essential that the court treat this case with the severity it deserves, to ensure Echo’s safety and the safety of the community.
Sign this petition to urge Porter County’s District Attorney Gary Germann to prosecute Johnson to the fullest extent of the law. The court must make it clear that animal abuse will not be tolerated, to save dogs like Echo from suffering at the hands of people who believe they can harm animals without consequence.
My comment:This is a kind of fascism, as well as any enslavement and exploitation of defenseless animals.
And this kind of fascism is even celebrated in public … in the markets … at events and folk festivals and nobody is indignant, who stands by it … on the contrary! it is still clapping and laughing ..
What a primitive idiot must be one, to have fun and enjoyment in the middle of a civilized country, France, when a bear is treated in chains like a piece of shit by a tormentor….
Posted on October 12, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
The monkeys run backwards in a circle in their small cells. One always makes a somersault. Others run from left to right, from right to left.
The animals are housed in bare cages, in which a monkey does not even have a cubic meter of space.
This is much less than the law requires when animals stay in cells for longer periods of time.
That’s in Germany, not in China!
The images are from inside the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, LPT for short.
It is considered one of the larger private laboratories in the country and employs 175 people. In the rooms tests for the approval of drugs are carried out.
The photos were submitted by the animal rights organizations SOKO Tierschutz and Cruelty Free Internationalto the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and the “ARD Fakt magazine”.
An animal rights activist has been working as a caregiver in the lab for several months and has recorded scenes showing that some of the monkeys are housed in tiny cages. They show dogs that bleed heavily, captive monkeys who seem to be resisting fixation, and cats whose blood is taken by force.
The pictures also show how roughly employees deal with animals.
“This leads to such absurd situations that a pharmaceutical company from South Korea causes monkeys in Lower Saxony to be tormented, or dogs from the USA are taken to Hamburg for a laboratory to suffer a cruel death from severe bleeding for medication” so Mülln from “SOKO Tierschutz”
The federal government is under pressure. Since the summer of 2018, a so-called infringement procedure against Germany is ongoing.
Germany has to improve the anchoring of animal welfare in the law, so the accusation from Brussels. 20 points are on the list of deficiencies. It is objected, among other things, that the expertise of researchers sharing in animal experiments need not be proven.
My comment: As soon as undercover investigations reveal an illegal barbarity and animal cruelty in the name of the research, then the authority determines.
Until then, the authorities have tolerated it hand in hand with the lab.
The veterinarians know that, but nobody wants to know anything about it, until a search forces everyone to confess that all they cooperated in such crimes, even though they knew it.
According to the Federal Government, 2.8 million animals were used in animal experiments in 2017.
80 percent of them were rodents, such as mice or rats. Also listed in the balance sheet are 3,500 monkeys and half-monkeys. The numbers from 2018 are not yet available.
Surely the statistics would look different if this corrupt coalition government had implemented the EU’s intrinsic standards in dealing with animal experiments.
The deadline for this was 2012 (!!!)
On the one hand, the rules should limit the experiments with animals to the essentials and on the other hand promote alternative research methods.
Germany is practically the EU, and if the EU Commission since 2012 demands that Germany finally fulfills its obligations in animal testing lines, then even the stupidest can understand who has the power here.
Added to this is the ridiculous infringement procedure, which runs for over a year.
Here Brussels can count on success only by a miracle.
Posted on October 11, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Respect for Animals launches online database detailing the use of fur on university fashion courses
We are delighted to launch our new campaign to kick fur off campus by unveiling a database of UK fashion college policies towards the use of fur.
Using Freedom of Information requests, Respect for Animals has contacted every university in the country running fashion courses, regarding the use of real fur and what, if any, policies are in place on the subject. This includes both the use of fur as a material by students and any co-operation agreements with sections of the fur trade.
The responses have been collated and published on our website, with each university given a degree-style grading according to their position in the use of real fur: the best colleges (those refusing the use of real fur backed up with a formal fur-free policy) receive a ‘First’, while other institutions receive a grading accordingly: 2.1, 2.2, 3rd and the worst rating, which is a FAIL.
Many people have a moral objection to the use of fur in fashion and this resource will allow potential students to make a fully compassionate and principled decision about their education and future careers.
Mark Glover, Campaign Director at Respect for Animals, said:
“The morally abhorrent fur trade must be consigned to the dustbin of history. There is no need for fashion courses to continue to use this product of cruelty, or to take blood money from the fur trade. Thankfully, many university departments have told the fur trade where to go, but there are others who continue to work with this morally bankrupt industry.
The future of fashion is fur-free. The fur industry has never improved animal welfare and never will. Meanwhile, fashion that rejects real fur continues to innovate in the most exciting ways- just look at Stella McCartney’s latest collection unveiled in Paris.”
Posted on October 11, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
An orangutan female must be moved from the former Buenos Aires Zoo to an apes rescue center in the United States. The court awarded the animal the rights of a “non-human person”, the release is mandatory.
At the request of the Argentine judiciary, orangutan lady Sandra moves to the United States.
A court in Buenos Aires awarded the animal the rights of a “non-human person”, so their release is mandatory. The animal was already taken to Dallas by direct flight – but not as a passenger, but in the cargo hold.
Born in Rostock, Germany
Sandra had made it famous. She was born in 1986 in the Rostock Zoo and brought to Argentina in 1994. Animal rights activists fought for their release in 2014 because the monkey lady suffered an “unjustified imprisonment” at the zoo in Buenos Aires.
Although it is not biologically identical with humans, it would be psychologically just like people under captivity. Orangutan Lady Sandra was the first “animal” to be awarded the “habeas corpus right”.
In freedom, she would be happier, argued the animal rights activists – and got right. The judgment allowed the monkey with the rights of a “nonhuman person” to become known worldwide from one day to the next.
After Sandra was awarded human rights in 2014, she was a headline worth all the media, but what became of her, unfortunately, only very few interested. It had been promised to take her to a protected area in Brazil, where the 33-year-old orangutan lady born in a German zoo was to spend her old age.
But although the “case” Sandra became known worldwide, no one was interested in her fate, let alone her release.
Many came to the zoo to see her, but she lived in a small enclosure, chewed on a blade of grass given to her, and waited for her end.
She did not move much afterwards, she did not feel well at the Buenos Aires Zoo. This was eventually converted by the authorities into an eco-park.
Fortunate for Sandra: Experts from the University of Buenos Aires then explained that the changed living conditions posed a threat to the orangutan lady and that she needed to be housed in a more spacious enclosure. Again, the judges have agreed in this case, too.
Since the 53-pound monkey lady is unable to adapt to life in the wild, she should live in the future in the outdoor enclosure of the Center for Great Apes in Florida. There are already 21 other orangutans and 31 chimpanzees.
Before entering Florida, however, Sandra still has to endure a 40-day quarantine at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.
My comment: The fact that they want to finally release the lady after a total of 33 years of imprisonment into freedom is the only right step and hopefully others will follow this example.
On the other hand, after such a long time “Guantanamo” will not be easy for Sandra to get along with freedom and a totally foreign environment.
Animals indeed have abilities that we humans do not have, or have never had, and they always find a way to live with one another, but 33 years in prison have certainly ruined her adaptability and natural behavior.
After all, it’s worth a try, and we wish Sandra all the best.
Posted on October 10, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
LEGAL BATTLE AGAINST THE DEATH SHIP
On Friday, 4 October 2019, sorrow and anguish filled the harbour as Inspectors from the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) and SPCAs watched the last sheep being loaded onto the Al-Shuwaikh vessel, along with an estimated 57 000 other sheep destined for the Middle East for inhumane slaughter. There were inspectors monitoring the loading at the feedlot and on the harbour for the entire process.
Inspectors on the feedlot and the harbour worked tirelessly from the early morning until late at night monitoring the loading of these sheep on 1 and 2 October 2019, finally working a 27 hour shift on 3 October 2019 until the morning of 4 October 2019 when the last sheep was loaded.
“We were standing on the harbour after a final inspection of the vessel was undertaken, the atmosphere and sheer devastation was suffocating, we all knew what it meant for the sheep on board. However, the evidence collected over the last four days will protect millions of animals from ever being loaded onto these death ships in the future” said Meg Wilson of the NSPCA.
Dr Molefe, the Director of Veterinary Public Health of the Department of Agriculture, accompanied the NSPCA’s veterinarian and a Senior Inspector on an inspection of the vessel on 3 October 2019. Dr Molefe appeared to be horrified at the conditions on board the ship, including dangerously high ammonia levels on some of the decks, parasitic conditions including faeces in food and water troughs, among other serious concerns, this was only on day 2.5 of the loading – the sheep still have to endure these worsening conditions for their entire journey. Curiously, later that day, two veterinarians from the provincial government department undertook an inspection and advised our inspectors that nothing was wrong.
At the insistence of Al Mawashi, the loading process continued throughout the night of 3 October 2019. The NSPCA appealed to the provincial government representatives to put a stop to the loading as animals were being manhandled as a result of exhausted handlers and the dark conditions but the intransigent government officials stood by and did nothing.
The NSPCA called upon Dr Shawn Morris, an experienced veterinarian and feedlot expert in South Africa, to attend an inspection of the loading site on the harbour, as well as the vessel itself following the NSPCA’s horrific findings on board the vessel and during the loading process.
“Having had an opportunity to attend the unloading on the Al-Shuwaikh on Thursday evening and having been granted access to the vessel itself, it was evident that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development’s (DALRRD) lack of concern and more importantly, their absence at the loading point as well as on the vessel (save for short periods of time) is of serious concern”, said Dr Morris, “I would describe the role of DALRRD as nothing more than window dressing”.
The NSPCA asked Dr Morris to describe this shipment, and others like it, using one word, his response was “disaster”.
The only authority in attendance during the entire loading operation at both the feedlot and on the harbour was the NSPCA, with the assistance of Eastern Cape SPCAs, whose personnel, including their veterinarian worked around the clock to ensure that no sick, injured or lame animals were loaded, clearly a role that should have been fulfilled by DALRRD veterinarians – especially if welfare was a primary concern.
“Our authorities, in my opinion, have not given enough thought and consideration to the problem at hand and have certainly not applied their minds when it comes to the welfare of the animals” explained Dr Morris, “the authorities, in this instance, DALRRD, who have the powers vested on them should do the right thing and not simply turn a blind eye when it comes to animal welfare.”
The NSPCA will be laying charges in terms of the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962 against the South African Government, including the Provincial Government, as well as animal cruelty charges, assault charges and multiple charges of obstruction against the personnel that handled the animals inhumanely, those that assaulted and hindered NSPCA Inspectors from fulfilling their duties, and personnel of Al Mawashi who have a registered company in South Africa.
Furthermore, the NSPCA will take the necessary legal action to ensure that there is an end to the unacceptable and unnecessary cruelty involved in the live export trade.
“Seeing the suffering of these sheep even before their departure, and watching the Al-Shuwaikh depart has been heart breaking, but it has also affirmed our determination. We may have lost this battle – but we have not lost the war. We will do everything in our power to ensure that no animal is ever loaded on board these death ships again” said Wilson.
A new eyewitness video reveals pigs’ agony and slow death amid filth at East Fork Farms near Brownstown, Indiana.
The farm supplies JBS USA, the nation’s second-largest pig slaughterer, which sells pig flesh branded Swift Premium and La Herencia. The company is a subsidiary of Brazil-based JBS S.A., the world’s largest slaughterer of farmed animals.
The video shows piglets dying slowly in crates, out of reach of their distraught mothers, while others rot just a few feet away.
You can make a tremendous difference today for the intelligent, sensitive pigs who are suffering right now at East Fork Farms—and bring millions more pigs closer to a day free of unrelenting stress, fear, misery, and agony—by lending them your powerful voice.
Posted on October 10, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Martin Balluch* writes for international dog day:
“When I came out of the prison cell in early September 2008, in which I had to innocently sit for 105 days, I decided to free another innocent being from a cell. I wanted to (again) for the third time a dog from a shelter with me.
My wish soon became known in all animal shelters in Austria and a call from the animal paradise Schabenreith reported a dog, which would absolutely fit in with me.
Actually, it was love at first sight! After a short time we were inseparable!
We are already together for over 11 years. And what we did not experience anything! Never have I been so close to another being because we spend the day and night together.
Even for my many lectures and presentations gets Kuksi – that’s his name! – a special permit for entry, whether in the Ministry, in the Natural History Museum or in the Casino Linz, just to name a few examples.
We grew old together. He unfortunately much faster than me. One eye he has lost, but – in good times as well as bad – we will of course continue to help each other. In loud demos, he remains at home now, but we still go great hikes together, over 10 hours and more a day!
He has not lost his great love for nature and the wilderness, is happy as a puppy about the first snow and every new day, whether rain or shine, the main thing somewhere outside.
I want to take this as an example, to be able to enjoy nature, even if the signs of old age become more and more.
I’m looking forward to more wonderful years with you, old friend, my dear Kuksi!”
Dear Martin,
We wish that to you and Kuksi with all our heart.
We think that only someone who has loved an animal knows all the facets of love!
*Dr. Dr. Martin Balluch is a well-known (and not only in his country) Austrian animal rights activist. He studied mathematics, physics and astronomy at the University of Vienna. He holds a doctorate in physics and philosophy, and from 1990 to 1997 he worked as a university assistant alongside Stephen Hawking in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) at the University of Cambridge.
Since 2002 he is the chairman of the VGT(Association against animal factories).
Posted on October 9, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Every year in November, Medinaceli is in a festive mood, celebrating the “Cuerpos Santos” church festival, when a bull must be cruelly tortured. “Toro de Jubilo” in Medicaneli!
Spaniards call it tradition, which is nothing but a brutal murder in the name of the church.
The “Toro Júbilo” is the most famous festival of Medinaceli. Five campfires are lit in the square of the play, five symbolic campfires, components of the “Sacred Body”: Paulilo, Arcadio, Pascasio, Probo and Eutiquiano. The origin is attributed to the Celtic Iberians.
They put burning bad-luck torches to the horns of the bulls and let them run in panic in the arena: Participants of the traditional festival ‘Toro Jubilo’ roar with criminal energy and let themselves be magnificently entertained by the cruel action, like every mentally weak and primitive proletarian.
For centuries, bulls have been tormented in Medinaceli,Spain, with no chance of ending.
This medieval torture is to attach to the bull a kind of metal frame on the horns, to which in turn balls are fixed, consisting of tar and sulfur.
These are lit, after rubbing the bull’s back with clay to “protect” it against the falling sparks !!
The bull is let go and is thus driven through the streets. These balls burn for hours and the strong heat melts the soft and sensitive part of the inside of the horn, causing the bull unimaginable pain.
How strong the pain must be, one can only guess at the terrible and desperate cries of the bull. The tar melts slowly and begins to drip, causing deep burning in the animal.
The burning liquid penetrates his eyes and scorches them.
Not infrequently the bulls throw themselves blind against pain and despair violently against walls, whereby they hurt themselves so much that they often kill themselves.
When the party is over, the bull is executed, with the famous dagger blow, known from the bullfights. Days later, his body is served at a feast in the village.
PETA has launched a petition,PACMA party has been trying for years to end this massacre, which is Spain’s shame.
My comment: In less than a month, this bunch of mentally ill idiots will again massacre innocent, defenseless animals to death, in the name of a barbaric tradition for which not even the stupidest of God’s believers have understanding.
If one can enjoy with enthusiasm and sadistic fanaticism how innocent and totally defenseless animals suffer and are tortured to death like this, he is nothing more than a miserable monster and does not deserve anything like own human rights.
For me, it is a mystery how one came up with the idea of calling the human species the “coronation of creation”.
Posted on October 9, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Surprise! Some moviegoers in Los Angeles got a special treat Saturday when Joaquin Phoenix made surprise appearances during the end credits to his new blockbuster ” Joker”
Joaquin Phoenix was the “voice” in the well-known film by Shaun Monson “Earthlings”.
We have already reported about the new movie “Dominion” by Chris Delforce, which is considered as a preseason for “Earthlings”.
One of the voices in “Dominion” is that of Joaquin Phoenix.
In short, he is a dedicated and committed vegan who uses his fame above all for animal rights.
Now another film is filmed with Joaquin Phoenix, who has nothing to do with animal documentation and its name is “Joker”.
With Joaquin Phoenix as the lead actor, the film has won the “Golden Lion” in Venice.
In this interview about “Joker” , Joaquin renounced his character’s vivid red suit for a reserved black hoodie for the Animal Liberation Front, a leader-less animal rights organization.
We thank him for that!
Nice, if we have powerful friends to support the animal rights idea!
WAV Comment – the EU Commission has always been a slave to the meat mafia; and regardless of what EU citizens and the EU Parliament ask for in the way of change; the Commission does nothing thanks to the meat mafia lobby. Do we actually expect changes now ? – watch this space !
Did you know that hundreds of millions of animals in the EU are still kept in cages, either for their entire lives or prolonged periods of time? That more than 11 million animals are used in research every year with no guarantee that the experiments translate to better healthcare? That huge numbers of animals – 4 million cows and 28 million pigs in 2019 alone – are transported on journeys of more than eight hours, often without food or water?
The exhibition will take visitors on a journey through the situation for animals in Europe today, which isn’t a happy one. The problems hampering the welfare of farm animals, equines, cats and dogs, wildlife, animals in science and traded animals as diverse as animals are themselves.
While the Treaty of Lisbon acknowledges the sentience of animals, current legislation is inefficient and ineffective in ensuring their welfare. The last Commission failed to adopt any new legislation, despite repeated calls from civil society and MEPs. Major negative effects for animals weren’t the only result of this stagnation; it also affected citizens’ confidence in the functioning of the EU. In surveys and the Future of Europe consultation, the people of Europe have stated time and time again that they want better welfare for animals.
With a parliamentary term, though, the future could look brighter – but only with the help of our new MEPs. The exhibition will invite MEPs to take the Act4Animals commitment: fourteen realistic, measurable solutions to achieve better welfare. We’re looking forward to seeing the 117 elected MEPs who earlier this year signed our VoteforAnimals2019 pledge return and deliver on their promise and turn words into action, and to welcome other new MEPs who also want to make a change for animals, perhaps by even joining the Intergroup.
The exhibition will launch on 8th October with an event co-hosted by MEPs Pascal Durand (Renew, FR), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, LU), Anja Hazekamp (GUE/NGL, NL), Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, FI), Maria Noichl (S&D, DE), Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR, PL), Emil Radev MEP (EPP, BG), and Younous Omarjee (GUE/NGL, FR) which will feature talks and round table discussions.
“The aim of today’s event is to show a groundswell of support towards the new European Commission to reverse the tide and deliver positive change for animals,” says Reineke Hameleers, Director of Eurogroup for Animals. “Solutions exist for animals, and with political will from the Commission and the support of MEPs in the Intergroup, we could be in a much more positive situation in five years than we are now.”
Badger culling may increase spread of tuberculosis, say researchers
Culls cause badgers to roam further, potentially worsening risk of disease in cattle
start to roam much further afield when culling starts nearby, research has found, potentially increasing the spread of bovine tuberculosis, the disease culling is meant to control.
The findings raise questions about the government’s culling strategy, begun in 2011 and intended to reduce the harm to dairy herds from a rising incidence of bovine TB in hotspots around the country. Last month the government announced a major extension.
However, farmers disputed the findings and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the cull had been shown to be effective.
Surviving badgers in populations that were culled covered nearly two thirds more land each month than they did before the culling began, and the likelihood of a badger visiting neighbouring territories each night increased twentyfold, according to the study from the ZSL’s Institute of Zoology. The increase in badgers’ range came despite the animals being less likely to leave their setts overall in the aftermath of a cull, making them less visible to the marksmen carrying out the culls.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, covered 67 badgers on 20 cattle farms in areas of Cornwall both with and without culling, from 2013 to 2017.
Lord Krebs, whose landmark review of the science of bovine TB in the 1990s resulted in a 10-year trial of culls, said: “This research shows how important it is to find out about badger behaviour. It shows that culling badgers can cause surviving individuals in an area to move around more, and as a result they could come into contact with infected cattle and help to spread TB. The ill-thought-out plan to control TB by killing badgers could therefore backfire.”
The National Farmers’ Union said the ZSL study was small and covered only one county, and that it was “vital” the cull should continue to be rolled out across the country.
Stuart Roberts, the vice president of the NFU, said: “Culling badgers has a proven impact on TB outbreaks among cattle – the aim must be to get rid of this awful disease. Previously published peer-reviewed research, and anecdotal evidence from farmers in these areas, indicates strongly that TB is being reduced as a result of controlling the wildlife which carry and spread the disease.”
He added: “We do not see similar convincing outcomes from vaccination. Vaccination may have a role to play in areas where TB hasn’t taken hold but it cannot cure a sick badger so, in areas where TB is endemic, culling is vital.”
Nearly 33,000 cattle were slaughtered in England last year because of bovine TB, and 3,600 farms were newly affected by the disease, according to the NFU.
Bovine TB is the greatest threat to animal health in the UK, according to Defra. A spokesperson said the culling policy already took into account the potential increase in badger movement, by intensively culling across a given area, and that research showed it was effective. “Bovine TB [costs] taxpayers over £100m a year and causes devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities,” they said. “There is no single measure that will provide an easy answer and we are pursuing a range of interventions to eradicate it by 2038, including tighter cattle movement controls, regular testing and vaccinations.”
Defra’s research has found a 58% reduction of bovine TB in the area culled in Gloucestershire, compared with unculled areas, while there was a reduction of a fifth in Somerset, after two years.
TB bacteria can remain viable over long periods in the environment, meaning that if infected badgers are roaming further after a cull, as ZSL found, this could create new sources of infection for months afterwards. The changes in behaviour were noted by the researchers as soon as the cull started in a given population, meaning even badgers that are subsequently killed in the cull could have spread the disease much further than if they had remained undisturbed.
Arthur Thomas, the campaigns manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said: “This report raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the badger cull policy. We believe that the evidence against the culling of badgers as a response to bovine TB is well established and overwhelming. Government must act quickly to put a stop to an ineffective and inhumane practice.”
A “zombie” disease which makes deer become emaciated and more aggressive may sound like the opening to a horror film.
But experts have warned the deadly disease has already affected 24 US states – and could spread to humans next.
Nevada has now become the latest US state attempting to block the highly contagious disease from taking hold with experts warning the outbreak could destroy deer and elk populations.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), as it is officially known, makes deer drastically lose weight, struggle to walk, more aggressive and less afraid of human contact.
The illness has been compared to mad cow disease because it is also spread by pathogenic proteins called prions and cause a range of symptoms that resemble dementia and ultimately death.
Prion diseases belong to a family of rare brain diseases that affect both humans and animals, including mad cow disease in cattle and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised concerns that CWD may also pose a risk to humans.
So too has Doctor Michael Osterholm – the American expert who warned the British government of the risks of mad cow spreading to people in the late 1990s.
Dr Osterholm, who is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told lawmakers that laboratory research suggested it was “probable” that human cases of CWD would occur in future.
Discussing his experience of mad cow disease being transmitted to humans, he said it was likely CWD would also occur through eating contaminated meat. “It is possible that the number of human cases will be substantial and will not be isolated events,” he told a hearing with lawmakers.
He added: “If Stephen King could write an infectious disease novel, he would write about prions like this”.
CWD can incubate for more than a year before animals display the symptoms, so US officials recommend that deer hunters test meat before consuming it.
Wildlife experts have warned that while still rare, the disease is virtually impossible to contain because the disease is neither viral nor bacterial and can remain in the environment for several years.
Peregrine Wolff, a Nevada Department of Wildlife veterinarian, said the state’s officials have taken to testing corpses and monitoring migratory elk and deer at the state line with neighbouring Utah for signs of the sickness.
Nevada also introduced a ban earlier this year on bringing certain animal body parts into the state, including the brain and the spinal cord that can contain large concentrations of prions.
But Ms Wolff said despite those efforts, the disease is unlikely to stop at the Nevada state line.
“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” she said. “We know that we can’t wrap Nevada in a bubble.”
Posted on October 8, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
The documentary “Dominion” (2018) is a sequel to “Lucent,” released in 2014, which features the dark side of the Australian pig breeding industry in feature film length. “Dominion” goes further and gives a comprehensive insight into the different livestock industries in Australia.
Worldwide attention caught on Australia’s Animal Welfare business model in 2018 after shocking pictures were released showing sheep being crammed together on a ship from Australia to Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, dying painfully. Then there were protests against the unspeakable animal transports worldwide.
How to finance a documentary that reveals the reality of the meat industry?
The film aims to present facts about the way animals are used. “Dominion” was written and directed by Chris Delforce and co-produced by Shaun Monson, director of “Earthlings” in 2005.
The documentary is told by vegan celebrities such as Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Sia, Sadie Sink and Kat Von D. This film was financed by donations.
And there is one man who has a big stake in making such films financially possible.
Philip Wollen
Philip Wollen
He was a successful investment banker and even became the vice president of Citibank and general director of Citicorp at the age of 34. Oh, a banker? Yes, and what for one! He was even named one of the Top 40 Most Influential Leaders by Australian Business Magazine.
Then came the turning point in his life that was to change everything.
His rethinking should have taken place after visiting a slaughterhouse of one of his customers. He then researched and knew that there would be no going back to his ordinary life as he had led it.
He sponsors the anti-whaling ship Sea Shepherd and the South Australian Children’s Ballet Company and has built schools, orphanages, lion parks and much more.
His Winsome Constance Kindness Trust supports more than 400 projects in 40 countries.
Wollen says his goal is to die broke and to give away all he has with “warm hands” and that he is on the right track. Incidentally, he also financed the “Earthlings” trilogy and thus made it possible.
The wish of Philip Wollens came true because the film has sparked national protests against Australian livestock.
Meanwhile, “DOMINION” is even free, which means that everyone has the opportunity to look at this documentation. Website: dominionmovement.com
And I mean…Not everyone who earns, or has earned a lot of money is automatically a capitalist asshole.
We need money for our fight, and above all to keep up the competition with the conventional media.
If the money comes from people who also ideologically support our fight and stay behind the idea of animal liberation, the better.
Posted on October 7, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Dear Mark,
There’s no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it: We are flushing Canada’s Boreal Forest, one of the earth’s greatest defenses against climate change, down the toilet.
The majestic boreal forest stores huge amounts of our climate-busting carbon pollution, but it’s being cut at a dizzying rate — much of it for toilet paper.
Toilet paper brand Charmin uses absolutely no recycled paper in its toilet paper… just 100% virgin forest fiber from the boreal forest. This destroys its trees, hurts the livelihood of hundreds of Indigenous communities, and threatens the iconic boreal caribou, billions of songbirds, and other wildlife that call this ancient forest home.
All to make a product that people use once before they flush it away. This has to stop.
Hundreds of thousands of people have called on Charmin’s manufacturer, Procter & Gamble (P&G), to stop this “tree-to-toilet pipeline”. And on Tuesday, October 8th, NRDC will be on the ground at P&G’s annual shareholder meeting, demanding they listen to our collective voice. Will you add your voice as well?
Here’s the deal: every American uses nearly 3 rolls of toilet paper a week on average, and much of the pulp for toilet paper and other tissue products come from the boreal forest.
This very forest holds more than 300 billion tons of carbon in its soils, plants, and wetlands — making it one of our planet’s best natural defenses against climate change.
But the roughly one million acres of land being logged every year puts the hundreds of Indigenous communities’ way of life and the survival of threatened boreal caribou in peril.
P&G should be using more recycled paper in its products. It should not be putting Indigenous communities, our climate, and boreal caribou on the line to make a product that’s used once, then flushed down the toilet. So, while NRDC will be at their shareholder meeting demanding they dramatically reduce the virgin pulp content in its products and increase the use of recycled materials, we need you to share your demands as well:
In a landmark move, travel giant TripAdvisor and its subsidiary Viator announced the end of all commercial relationships with entities involved in keeping dolphins and whales in captivity.
After a thorough evaluation of scientific research on the well-being of captive cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises), TripAdvisor and Viator will discontinue advertising for companies that breed or import these animals.
“Whales and dolphins do not thrive in limited captive environments, and we hope to see a future where they live as they should—free and in the wild,” said President of TripAdvisor Experiences and Rentals Dermot Halpin.
In recent years, companies like SeaWorld have come under fire for their captive orca programs in particular. The documentary “Blackfish” highlights the suffering of SeaWorld’s killer whales, trapped in the wild and ripped from their families. In their natural habitat, the highly intelligent creatures swim dozens of miles daily. In captivity, they live much shorter, sicker and more stressful lives.
“The ‘Blackfish Effect’ continues,” said Animal Welfare Institute marine mammal scientist Dr. Naomi Rose. “As more companies such as TripAdvisor reflect the growing public consensus that using captive whales and dolphins to entertain people is anachronistic and inhumane, at some point the marine theme park industry will have to get on board. Cetaceans do not belong in captivity.”
TripAdvisor joins the ranks of travel companies like AAA Northeast, Virgin Holidays, Southwest Airlines, and others that no longer promote captive whale and dolphin entertainment.
The company hopes to promote the eventual end to dolphin and whale captivity by supporting “seaside sanctuaries” as an alternative way to experience marine mammal wildlife.
“Seaside sanctuaries have enormous potential, but they need more backing from the tourism industry,” said Halpin. “As long as facilities with captive whales and dolphins continue to profit from keeping these animals in smaller, cheaper and less natural living environments, then they don’t have enough incentive to adopt serious change. We hope our announcement today can help turn the tide.”
Condemning the hunting of endangered animals as “morally indefensible,” the UK Government has announced it will set out new rules to protect animal welfare, claiming: “There is no place in this country for animal cruelty.”
The government has pledged to significantly strengthen wild animal protections by holding a consultation to prohibit the import and export of trophy hunting souvenirs gained from the vile slaughter of endangered animals.
The move could help save thousands of endangered species globally – including lions, tigers, elephants and rhinos – from being killed for “sport” by ruthless trophy hunters.
Animal rights advocate and recently appointed Minister for International Wildlife, Zac Goldsmith (Above), announced the good news ahead of the Conservative Party Conference on 29 September.
“The fight against trophy hunting of endangered animals matters,” said Goldsmith. “It is clear that it is morally indefensible and that is why I am delighted that the Conservative Government will consult on a ban on the import of these trophies. By placing a higher value on animals alive rather than dead, we will begin to turn back the tide of extinction.”
Goldsmith’s appointment by Prime Minister Boris Johnson marked a significant step forward for animal rights in the UK. Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds (Below) has long campaigned against trophy hunting, and Johnson himself recently tweeted: “We must end this barbaric practice.”
It is anticipated that the ban will be passed by parliament following the consultation and will come into effect as either primary or secondary legislation. The new rules will relate to animals listed on the Cites Appendix I and II lists, and on the I UCN list.
This is a very welcome move, especially considering that over the past ten years, 2,242 body parts taken from murdered animals – 15% of which were endangered – have been imported into the UK.
Other measures announced by the Government include looking at prohibiting the importation of exotic animal rugs and furs, a total ban on keeping primates as pets and ending all live exports for slaughter.
Four countries have united to form the Vegan World Alliance (VWA). The group aims to promote vegan values on a global scale.
The VWA consists of four activist groups: the Dutch Association for Veganism, the Vegan Society of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Vegan Society of Canada, and Vegan Australia.
One of its first initiatives is a standard for food labeled suitable for vegans. The organization notes that many countries have no legal definition of what vegan food is. A uniform certification would be used by all alliance members and would provide concrete rules for manufacturers to adhere to.
Why a Vegan World Alliance?
The VWA envisions a world where animals are valued as individuals whose exploitation is morally wrong across the board. It believes that animals should not be used for food, clothing, entertainment, or in other areas where their bodies are commodified.
The initiative would benefit more than just vegans. A growing body of research shows that the majority of people buying plant-based food aren’t vegan themselves. It’s 52 percent in the U.S., according to a survey from DuPont Nutrition and Health. Globally, that number jumps up to 65 percent.
“There is a seismic shift occurring in eating habits globally, creating a significant market opportunity,” said Greg Paul, marketing leader at DuPont Nutrition and Health. “Most important, our research reveals that for most consumers, this has moved beyond experimentation into a permanent change brought on by health, lifestyle and social factors.”
Health is a major motivator for consumers adopting “flexitarian” eating habits. Animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs have been linked to a number of health concerns ranging from heart disease to type-2 diabetes and inflammation.
The environment is another reason why more are choosing to eat less meat. The livestock industry is responsible for 14 to 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). It is the leading cause of deforestation, water and air pollution, and biodiversity loss worldwide.
The increased interest in vegan food is expected to drive the market to $6.5 billion by 2026, according to some estimates.
The VWA’s First Four Members
Research shows that interest in plant-based food is on the rise in all four countries in the alliance.
Canada’s food industry is readying for change. The government updated the nation’s food guide at the start of the year, emphasizing plant-based protein as part of a healthy diet and nearly scrapping dairy entirely. Previous years recommended four servings of dairy a day, but the updated guide cut the number down to a daily pint of milk.
The prairie provinces in the west — Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba — are now home to the Protein Industries Supercluster. Kicked off by the Protein Industries Canada, the supercluster is a nonprofit, industry-led organization that aims to make the country a leader in plant-based protein. Its focus will be on processing peas — the same ingredient that makes up the Beyond Burger — and improving technologies. The Canadian government has invested $153 million in the project, which was matched dollar for dollar by the private sector.
Plant-based food has also gone mainstream in Australia. A report from independent research agency Roy Morgan revealed earlier this year that 2.5 million Australians (12.1 percent of the population) eat food that is all “or almost all” vegetarian. Prior studies showed that red meat is the biggest concern due to its links to an increased risk of heart disease.
Another study revealed that vegan meat is on the rise in Australia. The industry currently generates $30 million in economic value each year. According to the report, it may be worth as much as $3 billion by 2030 if farmers, brands, and the government work to grow the plant-based meat market.
New Zealand is changing with the global market. The country is known for its dairy industry. Dairy cow populations outnumber people living in New Zealand, with 4.8 million cows to the human population’s 4.794 million. The conversation in New Zealand is centered around the environment. A report from the Ministry of Health last August suggested that the entire health sector should adapt plant-forward menus to cut carbon emissions. Agriculture accounts for 49 percent of New Zeland’s GHGs.
Both Australia and New Zealand are seeing more vegan food options in restaurants. Lord of the Fries, a vegan burger chain founded in Melbourne in 2004, now has 23 stores in Australia and four in New Zealand. Its future is looking bright; expansions into the UK and India are in the works.
A recent study from market researcher IRI Netherlands found that vegan food sales increased 51 percent from 2017. Two of the country’s biggest supermarkets — Albert Heijn and Jumbo — have increased plant-based offerings. Some home-grown brands, such as Vivera and The Vegetarian Butcher, are gaining international ground due to increased demand. Bolscher, a leading meat brand in the Netherlands, recently acknowledged that it “can’t see a future” in selling meat alone, so it’s launching a plant-based range.
The Dutch Parliament introduced legislation that requires the country to drastically reduce GHGs by 2050. The environmental council suggested a reduction in livestock herds and the encouragement of plant-based protein.
The newly formed VWA will first focus on building the framework necessary to bring its vision to life. Other efforts include sharing research, resources, and outreach programs, running joint campaigns, and facilitating cooperation between vegan organizations.
Take PETA’s Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide along with you next time you head to the store! The handy guide will help you find humane products at a glance. Order a FREE copyHERE
Searching for Cruelty-Free Cosmetics, Personal-Care Products, Vegan Products, or more? Click HERE to search.
Want to do more than go vegan? Help others to do so! Click below for nominal, or no, fees to vegan literature that you can use to convince others that veganism is the only compassionate route to being an animal friend:
Posted on October 7, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
In an accident near Kasel,Germany, on October 3, a poultry truck is overturned. According to initial findings about 6000 non-human persons(chickens) have died.
Eyewitnesses report a cruel scene that showed up between meadows and fields. A big overturned truck immediately catches your eye before you see the many boxes of thousands of squashed chickens.
80 percent of the chickens did not survive!
A forklift carries one box after another into the van. Sad is the sight that offers itself because the animals seem to have been crushed by the thousands.
So here stands out a foot, there a wing or the tender comb of a cockerel.
The whole thing is overshadowed by the typical chicken stall smell, which always hits your nose when hundreds of dead animals pass by again. The beeping of the survivors sounds desperate and powerless, considering the many hours in this hell, no wonder.
At some point there are no more cages on the dirt road from where you can still see their former home. In just over an hour, the survivors will have reached Gudensberg, the largest poultry slaughterhouse in Hesse, Germany.
Overall, the 40-tonner had loaded 7500 animals. The vehicle was no significant damage according to police, even the 38-year-old driver of a company from the district of Lower Saxony remained unhurt.
The driver claimed that it rained in torrents and it was correspondingly dark. Suddenly he noticed that the right rear tires have strayed off the road and he has lost the control of the truck.
As a result of the impact, some of the transport boxes were opened so that some of the chickens had to be caught in the adjacent field. Although the van “very slowly,” slipped into the ditch, so the driver, 80 percent of the animals did not survive the accident. All persons were 32 days old!
The surviving chickens can not avoid their fate even after the disaster. After the transporter has been raised again, they should be brought to a slaughterhouse in Gudensberg, Germany.
My comment: If an accident happened to 6000 human animals, the third world media war would break out.
And the driver would have been responsible for negligent homicide in 6000 cases before the court. He would also have been accused of grievous bodily harm in another 1500 cases.
Now the message has disappeared, nowhere can you get new information about the “accident”. And so these messages get the color of a torture voyeurism for a gossipy society!
Coming soon, the farm animal exploiter will probably receive a generous compensation for the damage, because the EU agricultural subsidies are intended for such crimes.
This way, he can rebuild his Dachau as soon as possible and possibly gets more inmates.
And Germany can continue to produce 57 million tonnes of poultry (carcass weight) as in 2018. Because Germany is one of the largest meat and milk producers in the world, it produces 8 million tons of meat every year!!
And this business is subsidized with taxpayers’ money!
There may be some who have difficulty responding to this crime if they are to be “reasonable” or “appropriate” without being “fanatical”.
I can say that I am very sad that there is not at least ONE human person among the 6000 dead. That would be fair for me.
Whoever wants to define this as “fanaticism” is a pseudo-moralist and accepts the right understanding of a banana republic.
Posted on October 6, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
New “committee” video about the larks hunting in France: The hunt for larks and lovebirds is in full swing. Despite declining stocks across Europe, France, Spain and Italy have once again released millions of larks and lovebirds for hunting this month.
That is why today the “Committee against Bird Murder” has submitted a comprehensive environmental complaint to the European Commission. The shooting of these species on the train is not sustainable and accelerates the decline of breeding birds in Germany and elsewhere.
The hunting laws of France, Spain and Italy therefore violate the EU Birds Directive. Our complaint is based on recent studies showing both the massive decline of these species in Germany and the United Kingdom and the official firing of around 900,000 larks and 1.5 million lovebirds per year in the Mediterranean.
On the French Atlantic coast skylarks may additionally be caught with huge nets. A video released by the committeetoday shows for the first time how skylarks are captured by French hunters and then killed.
The footage is already several years old, but has been withheld by us for legal reasons so far. The documented fishing method is still common practice today.
As bait live decoys serve. The specially caught larks are tethered at their feet and connected with a long cord to the bird catcher, who sits in a hut on the edge of the plant.
When birds approach the nets, the bird catcher pulls on the cords and the tailed animals start to flutter excitedly. The catcher imitates the air call of the larks with a whistle and can thus lure a whole swarm into ruin.
When enough birds have gathered, the bird catcher triggers a mechanism and the several hundred square meters of nets collapse over them.
It is allowed in two departments each bird catcher to set up to 300 catching cages for larks.
Officially, more than 3,000 birdcatchers are allowed to catch larks, the rate differs depending on the department and is in the Gironde, for example, at 336 larks per catcher per year. A total of 1 million skylarks may be caught, but in truth there are probably a few hundred more!
My comment: Crimes against animals have become more professional.
Mafia methods everywhere.
It continues to be hunted, murdered, tortured.
All these crimes are partially ignored, tacitly condoned or made possible on corrupt hunting lobbyists in politics.
In addition, they are made possible by a perpetrator friendly judiciary and an indifferent society, which does not want to openly condemn these crimes, and sells its cowardice as “tolerance”.
Ruthless dog dealers tried their best to hide the sickening conditions, keeping the dogs deep in the farmland behind rows of tarps. And when LFT’s investigation team found this farm of horrors, the “dog meat mafia” approached menacingly and chased the camera away. But they could not stop us from exposing the truth to the world.
Trapped in dark, filthy, lonely metal cages, these dogs never even get to feel the sun on their faces before being brutally slaughtered for meat. It’s time to stop the cruelty.
TAKE ACTION
Speak out to help end the suffering. Contact Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Cho Yoon-je at generalusa@mofa.go.kr and respectfully urge him to work toward finally outlawing the killing of dogs and cats for meat in Korea.
Six elephants have fallen to their deaths in Thailand while trying to save each other from a notorious waterfall.
Officials said the incident occurred after a baby elephant slipped over the waterfall in central Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park.
Two other elephants were also found struggling on a cliff edge nearby, and have been moved by Thai authorities.
The waterfall, known as Haew Narok (Hell’s Fall), has a history of similar incidents.
A herd of eight elephants died after falling in 1992, in a case that brought national attention.
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said officials were called to the scene on Saturday at 03:00 local time (20:00 GMT on Friday) when a group of elephants was blocking a road by the waterfall.
Three hours later, the body of a three-year-old elephant was spotted near the base of Haew Narok, and five others were discovered nearby.
Khanchit Srinoppawan, chief of the national park, told the BBC that the two remaining elephants were being monitored.
Edwin Wiek, the founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, said the pair may have difficulty surviving as elephants rely on their large herds for protection and finding food.
The incident could also take an emotional toll. Elephants have been known to display signs of grief.
“It’s like losing half your family,” Mr Wiek told the BBC.
“There’s nothing you can do, it’s nature unfortunately,” he said.
Around 7,000 Asian elephants remain in Thailand, with more than half living in captivity.
Posted on October 5, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Received anonymously:
LPN Fazan “Pheasant” Beltinci is the biggest Slovenian hunting farm for pheasants, Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and partridge (Perdic perdix) are also raised.
They are being hunted with dogs or/and falcons. The cages were opened and pheasants, partridges, mallards were guided towards freedom.
Their ascent towards full Moon was something that belonged to them and life purposed.
Their future death should be natural and free. Authorities counted 850 escaped beings.
….and another good news from Chile:
Three torture rings damaged by arson
On September 17, a rodeo ring in La Ligua (Valparaíso) was heavily damaged by fire. According to media reports, leaflets were found at the site, including one that said, “See how your tradition burns. Justice for animals”!
It was the third attack this month against Chilean rodeo.
In the early hours of September 14, a rodeo ring in Paredones (O’Higgins) was set on fire.
Early on September 7, a rodeo ring in Curacaví was damaged by fire. Firefighters found leaflets against the rodeo at the site!
The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to permanently ban offshore drilling in the Pacific, Atlantic, and eastern Gulf of Mexico. Both bills passed and are on their way to the Senate.
If passed, this legislation will be an incredible victory for marine wildlife and ocean ecosystems. Offshore drilling causes habitat destruction, ocean acidification, and oil spills, resulting in immense loss of wildlife and damage to coastal communities.
Mark, we need your help to thwart President Trump’s plans for expanded offshore oil drilling. Will you email your Senators today and urge them to pass this critical legislation?
H.R. 1941, the “Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act of 2019,” would permanently block offshore oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic Ocean, Straits of Florida and the Pacific Ocean. H.R. 205 would amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to permanently block offshore oil and gas leasing off the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Our diverse marine ecosystems are already imperiled as a result of human-driven climate change. We cannot let the Trump administration continue to expand offshore drilling – to the benefit of the oil industry and huge detriment of wildlife, and indeed all life – and increase the burning of fossil fuels at a time when we need to be curbing use dramatically to slow the climate crisis.
Marine wildlife, including endangered sea turtles, dolphins, whales and sea birds, will continue to be injured and killed senselessly if we don’t put a stop to President Trump’s plans to expand offshore drilling.
Please, urge your Senators to act NOW for marine wildlife … for our irreplaceable oceans … and for our future generations. Tell your Senators to vote YES on H.R. 205 and H.R. 1941, and enact a permanent ban on offshore drilling in nearly all U.S. waters.
Posted on October 4, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
WAV Comment – May look good on paper, but we heard NOTHING about taking action against Romania over the 70,000 exported sheep that went to the Middle East in conditions which were NON COMPLIANT with EU Regulations on the Welfare of animals during transport ! – Paper talk is one thing – action is another.
UPDATE:
1630 GMT 4/10/19 – Mark telephones the EU and says that he has been given the info (below) by the EU.
He then asks what violation action is being taken by the EU regarding the 70,000 sheep exported recently from Romania (EU) to Kuwait and Iran in temperatures which do not comply with EU Reg 1/2005 on the welfare of animals during transport.
The man on the phone cannot find anything or provide answers. He takes Marks contact details and assures that they will ask EU authorities for updates on the situation.
We now wait to hear back via e mail from the EU to find out what, if anything, has happened. We actually doubt if anything at all has taken place.
Regards Mark.
Animal Welfare: Commission designates a second European Union Reference Centre
Today, following a public selection process, the Commission has designated, as EU Reference Centre for the welfare of poultry and other small farmed animals, a consortium formed by the Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation (France), and also composed of the Institut de Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (Spain), Aarhus Universitet – Institut for Husdyrvidenskab (Denmark), and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (Italy). A first centre was designated in March 2018, with works focusing on the welfare of pigs. This second Centre will expand the technical support and coordinated assistance to the Member States to carry out official controls on animal welfare. It will also contribute to the dissemination of good practices, as well as carrying out scientific studies, training courses and disseminating research and information on technical innovations. Improving the enforcement of the legislation is one of the Commission’s priorities in the area of animal welfare. Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis welcomed this designation, stating that “it confirms the Commission’s consistent and long term policy to support strong enforcement on animal welfare. After the designation of a first centre on the welfare of pigs, a second centre on poultry and other small-farmed animals was essential since these animals are subject to intensive production methods”.
Posted on October 3, 2019 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
We know that animals have no rights anywhere in the world, from clams to primates. What we, the human species, define as animal rights is merely a limitation of the violence and exploitation that we attribute sui generis about the existence of “other” animals.
We want to remind everyone of this fact today.
We must stop being the perpetrators, the animal tormentors, the privileged class in the animal kingdom, the rulers.
The World Animal Day is a memory of the still long way of fighting for the rights of animals.
If no animal is discriminated against because of its species affiliation, then we can speak of a just world.
In this sense, our contribution to this day is to confirm that we will continue to fight for our fellow creatures so that injustice stops and every “other” animal gets what it deserves: the right to life, freedom, happiness.
“Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.” — Martin Luther King
“It is not an act of kindness to treat animals respectfully. It is an act of justice” – (Tom Regan)
“Who has rights is respected. Who has no rights is despised!” (Bertolt Brecht)
“No animal ever tortures, only to torment; but man does this, and that makes the devilish character, which is far worse than the mere animal!” (Arthur Schopenhauer)
“The deliberate transformation of a living being into a bundle of suffering and dumb despair is a crime – what else should be a crime?” (Prof. Dr. Robert Spaemann)
“If you do not close your eyes, ears, brain and heart to how terribly people treat animals, you MUST love the animals more than the people who tyrannize, torture and kill these innocent animals” (Helmut Kaplan)
“There is no fundamental difference between human and animal in their ability to feel joy and pain happiness and misery” (Charles Darwin)
