Japan: An end to Japanese whaling?

Japan

 

 

 

 

 

An end to Japanese whaling?

Source: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/index.html

whaling_japan_australian_customs@body

Photo: Australian Customs Service

Massive cuts to subsidy may force an end to Japanese whaling

November 12 2009. A major review of Japanese government spending could spell the end to whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, according to Greenpeace, after the review committee proposed massive cuts in subsidies to a body which funds the so-called scientific research programme.

The Spending Review Committee recommended that the Overseas Fisheries Cooperation Fund (OFCF), which gives loans to the Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) to run the discredited science programme, have all of its funding revoked, except monies needed for loans in 2010.

$US780 Million subsidy

The OFCF claims it needs 70.4 billion yen (around US$780 million) for various programmes almost certainly including whaling, in 2010.   The Review Committee and Cabinet Office will have the final decision if the proposed operations for 2010 are actually “necessary” or should also be cut.  If the loans for whaling are revoked it is unlikely the ICR can continue to operate. The news comes less than 24 hours before US President Barack Obama is due to arrive in Tokyo. Whaling was already on the agenda for discussions between the two heads of state.

“Prime Minister Hatoyama has a unique opportunity to signal he is serious about his election promises to clean up government spending by ending this controversial, corrupt and wasteful programme,” said Sara Holden of Greenpeace International Whales campaign. “We urge President Barack Obama to support Prime Minister Hatoyama and at the same time uphold his election promise and support Prime Minister Hatoyama in ending whaling in the Southern Ocean.”

Tokyo two

The committee recommendations also reinforce the assertions of the Greenpeace activists, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, known as the Tokyo Two, who are currently awaiting trial for exposing the corruption of the whaling programme and the waste of taxpayers’ money.

Greenpeace launched a global protest against whaling more than 30 years ago which came to a successful conclusion in 1986 when an international moratorium on commercial whaling was declared. Since then a rearguard action has been underway to stop the Japanese government from abusing a loophole in the agreement that allowed for lethal ‘scientific’ whaling.

Greenpeace has mobilised millions of people worldwide in that time, sending ship expeditions to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, with activists placing themselves between the whale and the harpoons to stop the hunt. In recent years Greenpeace has been the only environmental organisation to prioritise its campaign inside in Japan in order to successfully turn government and public opinion.

Whale meat embezzlement

In April 2008 Greenpeace began an investigation into whistleblower allegations that organised whale meat embezzlement was being conducted by crew inside Japan’s so-called “scientific” whaling programme, which is funded by Japanese taxpayers.

The informer was previously involved in the whaling programme, and following his advice Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki began an investigation, eventually discovering firm evidence that cardboard boxes containing whale meat were being secretly shipped to the homes of whaling fleet crew – and then sold for personal profit. Junichi delivered a box of this whale meat to the Tokyo Prosecutors’ Office in May 2008, and filed a report of embezzlement.

However, the embezzlement investigation was dropped on June 20 – the same day that both men were arrested and then held for 26 days before being charged with theft and trespass.

Uk: Tailends Auction Starts Next Week

UNKG0001

 

 

 

SWT auction reminder

Just a reminder that our auction for Tailends starts next week.  It is running from Thursday 19th to Thursday 26th November 2009, on our online forums; www.sighthounds.org.uk/forums.

We have over 200 items currently listed, but please keep the donations of items coming, we really want to make this auction something special for Tailends and the dogs they care for. 

More information on the excellent work of Tailends can be found at; www.tailends.co.uk

tailend

If you have any items to donate please send details of items to wendy.hassell@sighthounds.org.uk with details and picture if possible.

We look forward to seeing you online for the auction next week!

Sighthound Welfare Trust 

Charity No. 1114709
SWT is working towards the end of abuse, neglect and exploitation of sighthounds
www.sighthounds.org.uk
& www.sighthounds.org.uk/forums

 

Serbia: Campaign Images to Copy and Paste for Your Literature

SAV are delighted that Vesna, one member of our team in the Alliance, has produced some excellent images which you can copy and paste into your campaigns literature.

All of the images are shown in this post and relate to Hunting, organised animal fighting and animal protection.

Most of the images relate directly to issues in Serbia, having the serbian national flag in the corner, but some do not carry the flag and can be used globally.

Please feel free to use the images from Vesna by simply copying and pasting.

Note – the final 3 images are flip images and will flip to a second sheet with different pictures when selected.

Thanks for all your hard work Vesna; we now hope that campaigners will copy them and reproduce your images around the World in support of Serbian animals !

SAV

ban hunt1.jpg

ban hunt 2.jpg

fight 1.jpg

fight 2.jpg

let live.jpg

let live2.jpg

fighting flip.jpg

let live flip.jpg

swk flip.jpg

Macedonia: Vardariste Pound, Skopje, Campaign – Part 2 of 3

Macedonia

Video links to Vardariste facility can be seen in Part 1 of these campaign posts:

Part 1 Link:  

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/macedonia-vardariste-pound-skopje-campaign-part-1-of-3/

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A selection of photographs taken at Vardariste pound can be viewed here by accessing the following links:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=121506&id=176149692261

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=121197&id=176149692261

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133485&id=83377435960

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=128575&id=83377435960&page=2

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=140564&id=83377435960&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2744089&id=176149692261

 

Petitions – there are 2 currently running; please get as many people to sign it as you possibly can.

Petition 1 – To stop the massacre in Skopje.

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Petition Link: 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-the-massacre-in-skopje-macedonia

Petition Wording:

Target: Mayor of Skopje

There is one only shelter in Skopje, and dogs are killed in huge number and impressive frequency. The Mayor, responsible of the shelter, declared openly that dogs must be KILLED, everyone of them.

Volounteers of “Care for Animals” protested, of course, but it’s been vain
The shelter was meant to sterilize dogs and then let them go, but OFFICIALLY 56% of dogs are killed, there are about 10,000 dogs in the streets that have to be “cleaned” and volounteers  can do very little without an International support.

It’s about time to let the Mayor know that DOGS CAN’T BE KILLED!

Vi ja prenesuvam mojata zgrozenost I revolt vo odnos na nacinite so koi gradot se obiduva da %u201Cvospostavi kontrola%u201D nad prekumernata brojka na bezdomni kucinja. Stacionarot Vardariste na koj kako prvicen concept ZALOVI-STERIZIRAJ-VRATI ni predizvika voodusevuvanje bidejki vetuvase human tretman so precizni vostanoveni cekori (koi ne davaat proctor za manipulacija), se ispostavi deka e samo pokritie I NAMESTO TOA , TAMU SE SPROVEDUVA SRAMNA, NE ETICKA I SPROTIVNA SO ZAKON ELIMINACIJA NA POVEKE OD SEKOE VTORO KUCE VO GRADOV (56%) STO E NEDOPUSTLIVO, NEEFIKASNO I SRAMNO PRAKTICIRANJE NA SILA, NESTO STO SKOPJE KAKO GRAD NO VOEDNO I NAS KAKO MAKEDONIJA KAKO DRZAVA NE UNAZADUVA I ETIKETIRA PRED INTERNACIONALNATA JAVNOST, KOJA DECIDNO NE SAMO STO NE DOZVOLUVA I%u017DIVUVANJA VRZ ZIVOTNITE, TUKU I ISTOTO NAJSTROGO GO OSUDUVA I SANKCIONIRA!!

Poradi toa into e potrebno:
1. Urgenten prekin na masovna eutanazija! Vakvoto nesto ukazuva na grozomorna surovost, koncepciska zaostanatost I grubo krsenje na zacrtanite zevropski standardi vo odnos na tretiranjeto na bezdomnite kucinja!
2. Itno reorganiziranje I zgolemuvanje na kapacitetite vo stacionarot Vardariste- Sramno e da ocekuvame nekoi rezultati od stacionar koj nudi samo 1 sluzba za zalovuvanje I 1 veterinar- a treba da se istretiraat 10000 kucinja! So vakviot neseriozen pristap samo se pribegnuva kon nekontrolirano ubivanje a nepovratno se trosat ogromni sumi na pari! Preku potrebno e vklucuvanje na najmalku uste 5 veterinarni lica ili sekoja opstina da angazira vetyerinar I zalovuvacka sluzba so vozilo.
3. Voveduvanje na konstanten monitoring na rabotata na ovoj proekt- inspektorat, gradska uprava, graganski zdruzenia,
4. DOSLEDNO VRAKANJE na zalovenite kucinja na istata lokacija, obvrska koja Komunalec apsolutno ne ja sproveduva, iako se za toa plateni! (posledica: %u201Cisprazneti lokacii%u201D gi popolnuvaat kucinja od drugi lokacii, duri I od nadvor od gradot!
5. Angaziranje na kompetenti lica vo stacionarot koi bi se zalagale za zgolemena stapka na vdomuvanje na kucinjata namesto nekompetentni I KOMPROMITIRANI lica na Komunalec, KOI SE NISTO DRUGO TUKU UBIJCI NA KUCINJA!
SOOCETE SE SO OVOJ PROBLEM NA HUMAN I EVROPSKI NACIN-SVETOT GLEDA!!

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Petition 2

There is also another Petition to EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn asking that he fully investigates if there is actually any animal welfare legislation enforcement by Balkans states requiring EU membership prior to them being granted official EU membership.

Petition Link: 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/EU-Investigate-Balkans-Animal-Welfare 

Petition Wording:

Target:  European Union Enlargement Commissioner: Olli Rehn

Sponsored by: Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)  https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/

Several Balkans states are now seeking either full membership (Accession) to the European Union (EU), or are attempting stronger links with the EU.

These include:  Republic of Macedonia,  Montenegro,  Serbia,  Bosnia
and Herzegovina,  Croatia and Kosovo.

Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) has been campaigning for the improved welfare of Balkans animals for several years.  We have extensive experience and data relating to the terrible daily suffering inflicted on animals, despite existing Balkan states national legislation which should legally prevent much of this.  There is very little evidence to show political and municipal authority enforcement of animal welfare legislation. %u2013 details of this on a %u2018nation by nation%u2019 basis can be seen via our site at https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/

In October 2009, SAV wrote to Commissioner Olli Rehn; EU Commissioner for Enlargement, expressing our deep concerns regarding an apparent lack of existing national animal welfare legislation implementation and enforcement by governments throughout the Balkan states.

Over 25 prime evidence links from the SAV site were provided to Commissioner Rehn, each of these containing many sub links, showing extreme Balkans animal suffering video footage which relate to our concerns.  A few examples are shown in the following links ;

**WARNING Graphic Animal Suffering**:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZSXlSH4pEA&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sewZvVbQro0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAEfxbysd_Y&feature=channel

We have expressed our concerns to the Commissioner, that even when provided with such evidence, clearly showing extreme animal abuses, nothing with regard investigation and prosecution is being followed up by the Balkans authorities to press charges; to enforce (the) often existing national animal welfare legislation.  In Serbia for example, the Public Attorney appears to be dismissing all evidence provided by animal welfare campaigners; instead, they themselves are themselves being accused of obstructing them (the Public Attorney) from getting on with their legal work.

In our letter, we have reminded Commissioner Rehn that (on his website) his very own words declare:

The European Union currently has 27 Member States. The Western Balkan countries, Turkey and Iceland may also join once they meet the conditions for membership. The aim of enlargement is simple: to extend the area of peace, stability, democracy and the rule of law, and prosperity and well-being throughout Europe. 

We draw particular attention to the statement by Commissioner Rehn of – democracy and the rule of law, as it is felt that despite Serbian animal welfare campaigners providing large amounts of evidence to Serbian legislators, no action appears to ever be taken by Serbian authorities to apply the rule of law, a fundamental condition necessary for EU membership.

If no action (in the form of prosecutions against animal cruelty) is being shown to be taken by Serbian legislators following the production of evidence and documented requests by animal welfare campaigners, then we declare that Serbia is not meeting some of the necessary and fundamental aims of EU enlargement with regard showing the implementation of both democracy (ie. requests by animal welfare campaigners) and the rule of law (ie. by not prosecuting perpetrators of causing animal suffering), even when evidence is provided. 

As a consequence, Signators of this petion request that Commissioner Rehn now fully investigates if there is actually any animal welfare legislation enforcement by Balkans states requiring EU membership prior to them being granted official EU membership.  Or is animal welfare legislation implementation simply being ignored.

We request the implementation of democracy and the rule of law for all animal welfare issues within Balkans states at all times prior to their EU Accession.  Where this is not happening, we rquest the EU demands it prior to accession.

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Past Macedonian SAV Post Links:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/macedonia-update-vardariste-pound-111009-sav-formally-writes-to-eu-animal-welfare-intergroup-requesting-investigation-into-conditions-at-and-eu-funding-of-same/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/macedonia-mayor-of-skopje-dog-killer-contact-him-and-the-eu-animal-welfare-intergroup-please-read-on/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/eu-balkans-sav-launch-new-petition-asking-eu-to-act-in-advance-of-balkans-states-eu-membership-accession-please-read-and-sign-petition-link-in-text-below/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/eu-sav-writes-to-eu-enlargement-commissioner-olli-rehn-regarding-concerns-about-balkans-animal-welfare-legislation-enforcement-or-lack-of/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/macedonia-exposed-the-alleged-wonderful-conditions-at-vardariste-animal-pound-via-eu-funding-of-10000-euros-a-year-we-demand-eu-intervention-now-to-stop-this-terrible-abuse-of-animals-par/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/macedonia-eyewitness-report-of-skopje-macedonia-wants-eu-membership-but-the-eu-does-not-want-them-whilst-animal-abuse-and-suffering-continues-now-we-ask-the-eu-animal-welfare-intergroup-and-mep/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/take-action-now-for-dogs-in-skopje-macedonia-video-footage-and-oipa-action-links/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/macedonia-mayor-of-skopje-declares-all-dogs-must-be-killed-please-read-and-send-sample-letter-supplied-also-2-petitions/

The final Post (3) of this initial campaign series will provide full details of how you can give your support to the animals at Vardariste facility. 

Post 3 will be visible on SAV over the next couple of days – please keep visiting.

 **  Important Information Link: 

ANIMA MUNDI:  

http://www.demotix.com/users/anima-mundi/profile

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USA: Pound Seizure / Behind Closed Doors

USA

 

 

 

So much for the „myth“ of animals from shelters NOT going to labs …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7mjiqFUwachttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmzJAFYMyI&feature=related

And behind closed doors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmzJAFYMyI&feature=related

Macedonia: Vardariste Pound, Skopje, Campaign – Part 1 of 3

Macedonia

Welcome to the first of three initial campaign posts intended to highlight the situation for dogs and cats at  the Vardariste facility in Macedonia

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The video footage links given below relate to the conditions at the facility.

All of the Macedonian posts on this site are dedicated to the small number of incredible campaigners who work endlessly to help suffering animals.  All of the videos and photographs you see are a result of their dedication to expose the reality of the Vardariste facility despite all out attempts by the authorities to stop photographs being taken. 

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SAV previous link:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/macedonia-exposed-the-alleged-wonderful-conditions-at-vardariste-animal-pound-via-eu-funding-of-10000-euros-a-year-we-demand-eu-intervention-now-to-stop-this-terrible-abuse-of-animals-par/

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Video footage links:

Why Does My Heart Fill So . . . ”WARdarishte” ! !:o((

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG9L2ZhZWi4

NE UBIVAJ (ME!), VDOMI (ME!) — DON’T KILL (ME!), ADOPT (ME!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG4T5XZlWfM

DO YOU FEEL LUCKY !?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdGJyqf2l8A

ISTOWAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yEtSJf4vo8

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**  Important Information Link: 

ANIMA MUNDI:  

http://www.demotix.com/users/anima-mundi/profile  

The final Post (3) of this initial campaign series will provide full details of how you can give your support to the animals at Vardariste facility.  Posts 2 and 3 will be visible on SAV over the next couple of days

– please keep visiting !

Macedonia: ** IMPORTANT ** New Campaign Launch: Save the Dogs at Vardariste Pound, Skopje.

Macedonia

 

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ANIMA MUNDI Link:  

http://www.demotix.com/users/anima-mundi/profile

Past SAV Posts:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/macedonia-update-vardariste-pound-111009-sav-formally-writes-to-eu-animal-welfare-intergroup-requesting-investigation-into-conditions-at-and-eu-funding-of-same/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/macedonia-mayor-of-skopje-dog-killer-contact-him-and-the-eu-animal-welfare-intergroup-please-read-on/

Introduction

We (SAV) have been provided with lots of data and very disturbing videos and photgraphs from our great campaigner friends in Macedonia relating to the dogs which are held and regularly killed at VARDARISTE Pound, Skopje.

For ease of SAV visitor information and visitor actions associated with this campaign, over the next few days we will be publishing several posts, each post detailing one area of the campaign; it is very much hoped that you will visit ALL of the posts and then help us by taking action which will be detailed in the final post – Number 3.

Post 1 details:

video footage obtained of the Vardariste facility.  A couple of photographs taken at the facility, showing the conditions in which the dogs are held, are also included.

Post 2 details:

photographs of the Vardariste facility and includes links to PETITIONS for the dogs which it is very much hoped you will add your name and comments to.  Facebook links are also included in this post.

Post 3 details:

a SAMPLE LETTER which can be copied and e mailed directly to the Mayor of Skopje and also to the government of Macedonia via an e mail direct link form – the link which will be provided in the post.

Copies of the letter can also be sent to Macedonian Press and other media – again here, all e mail addresses will be given within the post.

Links to MACEDONIAN EMBASSIES / CONSULATES around the World will also be provided, so that you can forward on your own mail / letter to your national embassy if you wish.

So Post 3 is the most important ‘Action’ post which requires your help and support.

It is hoped that Post 3 will be acted on by you only once you have visited Posts 1 and 2, as these provide background video footage links, photographs and petition links showing the terrible conditions in which the dogs at Vardariste facility are held.

Please, please give your devoted attention to this campaign to help the dogs at Vardariste facility in Macedonia.

Thanks – SAV

***  Keep Visiting Us – Posts 1, 2 and 3 to be published over the next few days.  ***

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