Posted on March 31, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Dear Mark,
Lula and Simba’s rescue is finally within reach.
After two very challenging days, we’re happy to announce that a FOUR PAWS team has returned to Mosul, Iraq to rescue Lula the bear and Simba the lion from the Montazah Al-Morour Zoo.
A massive thank you to everyone who has donated over the past few weeks. Your kindness and generosity has helped make this rescue mission a reality.
After successfully removing Lula and Simba from the zoo on Tuesday afternoon, our team was detained at the first military checkpoint departing Mosul. Forced to surrender Lula and Simba to the authorities, our team was asked to leave Mosul without them. The two animals were then sadly returned to the Mosul zoo.
Being turned away was devastating. But we didn’t give up. Following our return to Erbil, we entered hours of negotiation with Iraqi authorities, military and zoo representatives. Our hard work paid off.
As of this morning, Lula and Simba have been carefully prepared for their journey to a new home. And as you read this email, the team and the animals are patiently waiting to leave Mosul for good.
Posted on March 28, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Well here we are in the week when (on Wed 29/3) the UK Prime Minister Mrs. May goes to Brussels and formally presents the EU with Article 50 – the formal declaration that the UK is going to leave the EU.Many of us are very happy about this – the UK will get its independence back from the shackles of ‘do nothing’ Brussels, and all our laws will be changed and re vamped into better UK laws by British MPs in the UK House of Commons – not by un-elected self important; the ‘do nothings’ at the EU in Brussels.
On the animal welfare front already there are many national groups within the UK who are pushing the UK government hard for updated and better legislation when we formally quit the EU.Something we have said all along – when we go it alone; animal legislation will get better than the false promises made under useless legislation in Brussels.Article 50 presentation then gives the EU and the UK TWO YEARS to hold very important talks and to establish the future trade agreements etc which we hope will benefit both the EU and the UK.But the main thing is that we get our own legislation back in the hands of the UK – not with jobsworths in Brussels who always say they can do nothing even when it goes directly against the legislation of EU law.
On the issue of live animal transport which we do know a little about, having been involved for around 30 years; work is already under way to get a complete ban on the export of live animals from the UK.At the moment, hands have been / are being tied by the ‘we cannot do anything’ bunch at Brussels, despite them being presented with overwhelming evidence that the implementation of EU Regulation 1/2005 on the so called ‘protection’ of live animals in transport simply does not work and is not being enforced.This is supposedly the main EU Regulation to ‘protect’ animals on the road.The reality is, it is joke legislation – never enforced and not wanted to be by the Brussels leaders.
Ok, so the situation is if the sand headers at Brussels will not do anything to help animal welfare, then the nation of the UK will.Hence just one of many reasons why we are getting out of the EU, taking back our own control and fighting hard now for a live animal export ban.We hope that by early fighting, new legislation for a complete ban willbe in force under new UK law on the day (in 2 years time) when we formally leave the EU behind and make and enforce our own laws once again.
Here is a link to a report from the very respected Christa Blanke – the Founder of ‘Animals Angels’ – an organisation which specialises in exposing the cruelty of long distance animal transport across the EU and beyond.
Entitled – The Myth of Enforcement of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport – the report gives a superb insight into exactly why the EU legislation is simply not even worth the paper that it is written on – and boy have we also not said enough about this over the years?All the welfare froups and their investigators have shown it time and time again – and still the EU refuses to act on the pile of evidence presented to them.
Also, as we have presented so many times in our posts, the EU is, for example, doing absolutely nothing regarding the situation for live animals being exported from the EU to Turkey.Have a look at these videos which show the actual real situation obtained by actual, real investigators; not ivory tower jobsworths sitting behind desks in Brussels:
So; things like the above report go to Brussels; and endless video evidence like that shown above also goes too Brussels; and then what do we get back from Brussels ? – word from Mr Van Goethem and the rest of the dire team that ‘there is nothing they can do’ – they hold their hands up and take no action to enforce the rules, THEIR EU RULES; whilst every day, live animals continue to suffer. On the endless trips of cruelty and despairAnother joke is that Mr Van Goethem claims to be a veterinary – yes, a vet ! – are not these people supposed to look after the welfare of animals rather than dismiss the cruelty that is presented to them ?
The UK getting out of the EU is not going to change everything; but it will show the EU the strength of feeling over issues that they simply dismiss whilst shouting that they can do nothing.If the UK can get out of Europe, take back its own laws and stop the export of live animals; then so can other EU member states.But do they have the guts to do it or will they just keep on obtaining information and being continually met with the ‘we can do nothing’ shouts from the Brussels brigade over the next five, ten years or more ?.
For Brits, this is not good enough – the EU has failed the citizens of the UK when they have presented endless info and petitions etc about the horrors of live animal exports.The EU has ignored the facts.Ok, so now we ignore the EU and we go it alone, making new laws just within the UK and enforcing them.Maybe the EU will learn from this, or will ivory tower EU continue to have its head in the sand as usual, ignoring the evidence and the campaigns for enforcement of ‘EU’ legislation within Europe !
Here is a new link, one of many, that calls to get the UK government to ensure live exports are banned when we formally leave the EU.Please sign and pass on – already we have over 29,500 sigs from UK citizens.Note that this can only be signed by UK citizens, as we hope the issue will be discussed in a UK parliament which represents the UK people.
Posted on March 28, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
There are a lot of cat appeals and things going on at the moment.
As you know, we have tried to support Jasna and Danika at ‘Felix’ shelter in Serbia for many years.Felix helps take in cats from the streets and provide them with a forever home at the shelter, where they get great food, warmth, a safe place to live and they feel love and attention, often for the first time in their lives.
But like all shelters; daily upkeeps for facilities and the animals is huge.This is where we now step in – to try and help get some support for much needed updates.Felix has been having a few problems recently covering all of its costs; and without support of a regular good quality Kibble food supply from Denmark (UFFAC) over the last few months; things could have been a lot worse.In addition, the Winter has been bad with temperatures often down to -25 degrees; so the gas tank has been working overtime to keep the cats warm.Money is required here also to keep the gas tank topped up.
8 of the 9 youngsters taken in last year have already been sterilised, and the last cat has to recover from sickness before he is able to be neutered also.Vet costs also add up.
Jasna informs us that the outside fence is literally falling apart, as can be seen in the photographs.This is a big job and will probably cost around 3000 Euros.It is a concern as at the moment, anyone can open the gates and approach the cats – and as we know, not everyone always has the best of intentions !
All the fence posts need to be buried underground and strengthened with concrete; after that they should be rebuilt around the thick steel poles in the middle so they won’t crumble and deteriorate in the years to come. The same goes for the low walls between the pillars. The gates must also be replaced and the ancient iron fence badly needs cleaning and polishing.It is a big job which sadly costs big money.
So we are putting out an appeal to everyone asking if they can help; both with a donation and also by sharing this link to as many places as possible.It could end up getting to someone rich who can help cover all the costs needed – so please pass this link / info around.
Below we are providing all the links to Felix if you can help out in any way.We know that we are nearly always asking for donations; but many of the facilities we support are the only places that have ever given a loving home and food and heating to many animals that lived pitiful lives on the streets.
Please help if you can – and please pass on this link far and wide.
Thank you – SAV – for our friends at shelter ‘Felix’.
Here are some pictures of some of the residents; and also the sad state of the walls and fence that we have talked about earlier.
Posted on March 23, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Update 27/3 – Come on folks, get your dosh out !!
(an English term for giving money).
Anything please – even a few dollars will help us to reach the target.
We need to do this as soon as possible – please help – Thank you. – SAV.
Update 25/3 – well done to those who have donated; a good result for a short time.
But we really need to do this please – so give anything you can, no matter how small or large the donation – it all adds up.
Thank you – with hope – SAV.
We are putting out this special appeal to help our friend Susann in Germany.
You can read the story below – but basically it is a request to help an old couple in Serbia with food for all the homeless cats and dogs that they help; often going without themselves to do it.
Please give anything that you can – any little helps and it all soon mounts up.
Please dig deep and give what you can – Thank You – SAV.
Urgent: help for old Serbian couple and their 60+ strays
Please look at the following link to see many more pictures of the animals:
61 cats, 7 dogs and an elderly couple need urgent help.
Jelka and Branko live in Pancevo, a town close to the Serbian capital Belgrade. They’re both 65+ and not very well off, sometimes not having enough food for themselves, they go without in order to ensure the animals are fed in order to give them a better life than the one they had on the streets of Pancevo.
Luckily the very kind soul and animal rescuer Slavica happened upon them and is now helping them with the animals. Feeding them, heating the house in winter in order to keep them all warm as Serbia has extreme temperatures in the winter, spaying & neutering and getting the animals vaccinated or to the vets if they are sick is very time and money consuming. Especially because no one has a car and it is 4 bus rides away.
A small facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/306259319732027/) is helping Slavica, Jelka and Branko with a bit of money monthly but it is not enough to cover everything that is needed.
Things seem to get worse instead of getting better. Branko had a stroke and it is still unsure if he will survive. A new law requires all cats to be chipped and vaccinated incurring more costs, the fence is broken, etc… Slavica, Jelka and Branko need you to help them and would be forever grateful for any donations.
Posted on March 23, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
You know who doesn’t wear seal fur? Just about everyone.
No caring person wants Canada’s commercial seal slaughter to continue—which is why 35 countries around the world have already banned imports of seal-derived products and Canadian citizens continue to speak out against the barbaric practice of shooting and clubbing tens of thousands of baby seals to death every year.
Canada is about to turn 150 years old, and to celebrate, we’re calling on its prime minister, Justin Trudeau, to stop using Canadian tax dollars to support the mass murder of baby seals.
Target: David Leyton, Prosecuting Attorney for Genesee County, Michigan
Goal: Seek maximum penalties for those allegedly responsible for binding a dog with tape and beating the poor animal to death.
The remains of a Shih Tzu mixed-breed dog were found days after the animal had been tortured, stomped to death, and left by the roadside. Photos of this shocking discovery appeared on social media after local Sheriff Robert Pickell urged residents to speak up, and called for tougher penalties for animal abusers. Within days, a tip was received, which led to the arrests of a couple living near where the dog had been found. The tip had come from the mother of one of the alleged abusers, who was concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren after learning what had happened to the 7-year-old dog.
Allegedly, one of the abusers, Nathan McCue, had gotten enraged after the dog, Dakota, had urinated on his clothes. What happened next is unthinkable. According to police, it is suspected that both McCue and his girlfriend Jessica Brown proceeded to bind the dog’s feet and face with electrical tape and tied him to a tree. They then reportedly stomped on the dog’s neck and back until he died.
This couple has allegedly committed a disgusting crime against this innocent animal and must be punished, if found guilty. The fact that they had small children in the home is troubling, considering the fact that if a dog’s misbehavior could prompt such malice, one wonders what could have happened to a child who had done similarly. McCue has a prior history of violence, which means he should be considered particularly dangerous if found guilty of this crime.
Too many dogs have suffered in Michigan with too little done in response. Just earlier this month in the same county, a man received a paltry $375 fine after he plead no contest to charges that he had beat and starved his three dogs. This level of leniency is inexcusable, and should not be applied to this case or any other cases of abuse going forward. Please sign this petition to demand that this case be taken seriously and that these alleged abusers get served the maximum penalties, should they be found guilty.
Shocking photos of a dog lying dead and bound with electrical tape that were posted by a Genesee County Sheriff are heartbreaking and difficult to view. The dog in the photos, a 7-year-old Shih Tzu mix named Dakota, had his feet and head bound before he was stomped to death. The reason for this shocking act of cruelty? The dog had apparently urinated on his owner’s clothing.
This inexcusable behavior cannot be tolerated. If the two suspects are found guilty, they must not be allowed to remain free and able to cause more harm to other animals or to their children. If such malicice could be carried out against a helpless animal, one wonders what they are capable for doing to another human being, particularly one reliant on their care.
More must be done to prosecute and punish those who abuse animals in Genesee County. Earlier this month, a man named Lavelle Gulette pleaded no contest to charges he had beaten his dogs and starved them, and was given only a $375 fee.
We cannot allow these two alleged criminals to get off so easily should they be found guilty. I urge you to do all you can to seek justice for this dog so that his death will not be in vain.
PAWS UK
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 