Posted on June 1, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
In the latest installment of the factory farming industry’s breeding-deadly-diseases saga, scientists have identified a new strain of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv), one that is just as virulent as the original strain.
Spread from pig to pig via infected feces, which cover just about every surface of unsanitary farm facilities, PEDv is nearly 100 percent fatal and has claimed the lives of at least 8 million animals (about 10 percent of the U.S. pig population) since it was discovered in 2013.
Researchers believe the new form of the virus mutated to outpace any immunity pigs developed to the first strain. Filthy conditions on factory farms have fanned the flames and allowed the disease to spread to epidemic proportions.
Even if the millions of PEDv victims had survived the disease, they would have been slaughtered only weeks or months later to satisfy people’s appetites for ham, bacon, and other pork products.
You can spare pigs from both deadly diseases and needless slaughter by choosing a compassionate vegan diet.
Recipes, meal plans, and health tips on ChooseVeg.com can help you get started.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 1, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
This has come as a real sudden shock to me.
As you can read in
Mark – Animal Work – A History Of
Mark is an Englishman who has been involved directly with live animal transport investigations and campaigning in England, UK, for around 26 years. In 2003 he made formal presentations to the UK Government Ministry – DEFRA (previously MAFF) in their London HQ regarding his investigation work into the export of British horses to mainland Europe for meat, although he / it was proven that the animals were not identified as officially going to Europe for slaughter.
Our beloved friend and animal rights campaigner, Carla Lane, died on Tuesday 31st May 2016. Mark has many very fond memories of Carla; especially when she helped act as the ‘middle man’ between Mark and Sir Paul McCartney many years back in the early days of SAV to buy a delivery truck for one of dog rescue shelters.
Regarding the animal work, Mark still fondly remembers the day in London when he met up with Carla at MAFF HQ; and together they went up to see the (then) Minister at the time, and present all the info on the investigations into the export of live horses from the UK into mainland Europe. “It was literally a case of sitting across the table from the Minister, and banging the table real hard to show all our blatantly clear evidence” remembers Mark.
Carla had a real passion for all animal welfare; but especially that of stopping live animal exports. For many months, she joined Mark and others at offices in Dover to present information to MAFF officials and Kent Trading Standards regarding the situation for live animals being exported from the port to mainland EU. Mark remembers – all of us (normally 5 people) on the ‘welfare’ side usually were much more switched on about regulations and the general situation for live exports than all the paid officials who represented the other side. We made our case and we made it good; ripping the opposition apart every time with the information that we had. Carla was always there with us, making her feelings known when necessary.
When calf exports resumed from the UK as a result of the beef ban being lifted, (put in place due to CJD at the end of 1995); it was very difficult for UK farmers to start exporting their livestock once again. In retribution, angry farmers turned up at Carla’s one day and dumped several dozen young calves at her home. They wanted the publicity of having an animal rights campaigner who would have to kill all the calves as they were of ‘no use’. Carla being Carla decided there and then to keep each and every calf; and over the years they became a big attraction at her ‘Animaline’ sanctuary open days. Carla even let Mark name one of the calves – and it was called ‘Hope’ with the hope that live exports of animals would decrease to nothing over the coming years.
‘Hope’ – Named (by Mark – cared at Carla’s) in memory of the future and all the calves exported over the years – with the hope of change.
Little Hope became just one symbol of the fight to stop live exports from the UK. This was happening at the time of the Shoreham export demonstrations on the South England coast, which was attended by many hundreds of protestors and which forced the government to bring down police from London and other areas completely alien to Shoreham. It was a time when protestors came up against well armed and protected police who made every attempt to get the live animal cargo onto the export ship – and the phrase ‘I’ve met the Met, and got the bruises to prove it !’ became the phrase of the day amongst the Shoreham protestors.
Appointed an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1989, she returned the insignia in 2002 in protest at the CBE awarded to Brian Cass, head of Huntingdon Life Sciences, which runs laboratories where drugs are tested on animals.
She received a handwritten note from the UK Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair, saying she could have it back at any time she cared to ask. She never did.
Carla links:
Here you can see one of Mark’s favourite photographs of Carla:
And another showing her fighting the good fight against the live export of animals. The loud hailer hidden but ready for use !
So thank you Carla for just being you and for being a massive voice for the animals.
We have happy memories and we have sad memories, but they will remain with us always.
Take care, we know you are still watching (and with) us
– and Thank You.
Mark xx
… and some news Carla would have love;
According to The Telegraph, a new survey shows people are avoiding animal products in record numbers. In fact, the number of vegans in Britain is up 360 percent from 10 years ago.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI for the Vegan Society and Vegan Life magazine, polled nearly 10,000 people and was the largest of its kind.
Around 542,000 people aged 15 and over — more than 1 percent of the total population — have adopted a plant-based diet. This is up from 150,000 in 2006. The Vegan Society cites the survey as proof that veganism is one of Britain’s “fastest growing lifestyle movements.”
Health benefits are believed to be the force driving people to ditch animal products and live a more natural lifestyle. Studies have shown that people on plant-based diets typically have reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer and lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body mass indexes. People are also motivated to go vegan by environmental and animal welfare concerns.
Jasmijn de Boo, chief executive officer of the Vegan Society, states:
To have over half a million vegans in Britain is fantastic. More people than ever are now acting upon the health and environmental benefits of veganism, and finding out what really goes on in the meat and dairy industries and deciding they do not want to contribute to the pain and suffering of animals.
Britain is yet another place where troves of people are embracing a healthy and compassionate vegan lifestyle.
Above – Autobiography.
Above – a book of poems – many related to animal rights.
Above – Credits from ‘Someday’ (above) – SAV Mark as a ‘comrade in the fight against live animal exports’.
Mark sometimes travelled round with Carla when she did book talks and signing sessions; he only ever spoke with her about ‘their’ combined fight for animals and the hatred of the live export trade.
One night whilst on a talk in Brighton; England; Carla gave Mark a copy of ‘Dreams’ (above) and had written the message in the front of the book for him as a keepsake – it was his Birthday – March 11th.
Below – a poem from ‘Dreams’ – about live export campaigning and fighting !
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Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 