Posted on April 21, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Mark,
I love working at SumOfUs. And it’s all because of YOU.
Thanks to you, we’ve been able to stand up to agri-giants like Bayer and Monsanto and give them a run for their money. We’re also closer than ever before to a global ban on deadly neonic pesticides.
It’s been a busy month on both sides of the Atlantic! I have two exciting updates to share with you:
We’ve made big strides to ban neonics in Canada A few weeks ago, we took your voices straight to the Canadian capital of Ottawa, where the government health agency is close to banning one of the deadliest bee-killing pesticides, imidacloprid.
Together with our friends at the David Suzuki Foundation, Équiterre and Avaaz, we let decision-makers know more than 5 million people all around the world want Canada to ban imidacloprid as soon as possible.
We also met with a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office to share our message.
Next up, we’ll be running a full-page ad in the Ottawa Hill Times — the paper that politicians read — to make sure they know why banning imidacloprid is so essential.
Stopping the merger from hell At the very same time, we took your message — that a Bayer-Monsanto merger would be a marriage from hell — right to the front door of the European Commission in Brussels. With farmers, beekeepers and environmental organisations, we delivered a letter signed by more than 200 organisations from all over Europe — calling on the Commissioner to stop this disastrous merger.
Our allies at Friends of the Earth pulled off this photo stunt and the pictures were picked up by news agencies all over the world. Now everyone knows what this marriage would look like:
On the same day, SumOfUs members from all over Europe emailed and tweeted their opposition against the merger at Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition. She could be our most important ally in stopping Bayer and Monsanto.
And because so many of you took action, we got Vestager’s attention:
As always, thanks for all that you do,
Anne, Liz and the team at SumOfUs
PS: All this is only possible thanks to your support! But we need to ramp up our campaign to protect the bees and stop Bayer from merging with Monsanto. If you can, please consider becoming a SumOfUs core member so we can keep up this fight together. Thank you!
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 21, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Monday 24th April is the World Day For Laboratory Animals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NclApYS0D-U
Check out a lot more on this and other lab animal campaigns at London based ‘Cruelty Free International’ (CFI) – formally known as the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) which was founded as long ago as 1898.
Read more about the fantastic work of, and many campaigns from the BUAV and its change recently to CFI at the following –
Check out the current site at:
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), SUPPORTERS, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 21, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO):
The dog meat trade in Asia is an unregulated industry
imposing dangerous health risks.
We are urging the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization(UNFAO) to join us in the fight to end the dog meat trade in Asia. The ugly truth is that dog tonics and soup are harvested and created in an unregulated industry in the most disgusting and unsanitary conditions. From start to finish the treatment of the dogs is incredibly cruel and inhumane.
We are reaching out to the UNFAO to help us bring an end to the dog meat trade in South Korea.
How does Dog Meat Cruelty fit into “Eco-Paradise”?
Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province seeks to achieve the status of “Eco-Paradise”, the reason why they pursued Sister City agreements with two American Indian Nation tribes in 2005. They sought to learn from them, how to live in harmony with the natural environment. But where does dog meat farming fit into “Eco-Paradise”?
Let’s tell the Korean cities that they can no longer hide their shameful practices. It’s time to wake up and join the modern world.
Take action today to urge Hwacheon’s Sister Cities to help in the fight to end the cruelty toward our best friends.
Click each of below campaigns to take action.
We will keep going until the South Korea ends the horrendous and barbaric dog eating!
Please add your voice today!
CARE is building a safe ‘Healing Shelter’
for over 300 dogs in their Organization.
Sharing for CARE:
Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), is currently protecting over 300 dogs at their no-kill shelters. Yet, the shelters are built in a temporary residence and the time that they need to move out has come. They need their land to permanently stay and to safely protect their rescued dogs from the harsh environment. Their ‘Healing Shelter Program’ is looking forward to solving this problem.
Clock is Ticking!
This may be the once in a lifetime opportunity for the Korean dogs.
Some opportunities only comes once in a life time. PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic in South Korea might be one of those opportunities. What would you do to save your best friends from horrific cruelty and unimaginable suffering? Probably a lot. But we only ask a few minutes of your time (more if you can) to help speak out for these animals who have no voice. Feeling sorry for them would not change anything. Only action can. Thank you for caring!!
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 20, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
China’s biggest airline bans shark fin cargo
China Southern Airlines says it is taking a stand for animal conservation
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 20 April, 2017, 5:13pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 20 April, 2017, 11:07pm
The ban on shark fin shipments by China Southern Airlines will narrow the options for traders of the delicacy.
China Southern Airlines, the mainland’s biggest carrier, has banned shark fin shipments and promised to “actively participate” in animal conservation.
The decision is significant as the company is based in Guangzhou, the world’s largest trading hub for the delicacy, and it narrows the options for Chinese importers.
It means that 51 per cent of international airlines, based on seat capacity, have now banned the cargo. Flag carrier Air China had already banned shark fin, leaving just China Eastern among the big three state-owned airlines yet to declare a position.
Robust campaigning by wildlife activists over the years has also led the nation’s largest shipper and logistics firm, China COSCO Shipping, to come onside.
In a letter to WildAid Hong Kong, seen by the Post and confirmed by the airline, China Southern’s vice-president Han Wensheng said the company “attached great importance to the issue” and had “taken immediate action”.
The nation’s largest airline by revenue and eighth biggest globally said it had banned shark fin on passenger and cargo flights as of March 1, but the letter was its first public announcement of the policy change.
“I would like to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to the global coalition of shark and marine conservation groups for your constant attention and support to China Southern’s air transport business,” Han said.
The airline said it would “shoulder its social responsibility” and pledged to “actively participate in the cause of wild animal and plants conservation … to jointly promote conservation culture and the sustainable development of [the] human community with the general public.”
Environmentalists have long campaigned against the trade in fins – a staple at weddings and banquets – saying the harvesting methods are cruel and that shark populations have declined dramatically.
Other carriers making the same commitment include Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways, British Airways, American Airlines, Emirates and Singapore Airlines.
Worldwide, 17 of the 19 biggest shipping lines measured by container capacity have banned shark fin, impacting 71 per cent of the global market.
Notable signatories include Maersk, the world’s biggest, and former Hong Kong chief executive Tung Chee-hwa’s family company Orient Overseas Container Line, better known as OOCL.
Alex Hofford, wildlife campaigner at WildAid Hong Kong, applauded the move.
“This particular shark fin airline ban will be hugely impactful for the simple fact that Guangzhou is the world’s largest shark fin trading hub, even eclipsing Hong Kong,” he said.
“China Southern’s ban will no doubt send a strong message to the many Guangzhou shark fin traders that their business activities are often illegal, but always unethical, immoral, cruel and unsustainable.”
Attention will now turn to the United States with the likes of FedEx and United Airlines – whose recent mistreatment of an Asian-American passenger thrust it into the spotlight – likely to face growing pressure to change their ways.
More than a dozen protesters descended on a press conference held by FedEx on Thursday to protest about shark fins as the company launched an online service in Hong Kong to tap into the burgeoning e-commerce and online shopping market.
“Questions remain on why United States air carriers FedEx and United Airlines still continue to ship shark fin, often illegally,” Hofford said.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 20, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Down to the Wire: Comments Needed to Pass Bill Protecting Hawaii’s Fish From Aquarium Trade.
Mark,
We’re down to the wire on passing the bill protect Hawaii’s fish from the aquarium trade. Comments from wildlife lovers like you have helped the bill get this far. We need your help again to ensure this bill makes it all the way to become law!
The bill saves wild fish from being collected for the aquarium trade by ending aquarium permitting in Hawaii with a freeze on existing permits, pending a clean management plan that excludes aquarium trade interests.
But Senate Water & Land Chair Karl Rhoads may seek to gut that language.
Call and e-mail Senator Rhoads to encourage him to pass SB 1240 HD 1 and protect Hawaii wildlife, not wildlife profiteers!
Thanks,
Peter Fugazzotto, Strategic Programs Director
Turtle Island Restoration Network
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere ! | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 20, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
News from the world of whales and dolphins
Hi Mark
I thought I’d share this wonderful image of a minke whale with you. This beautiful whale is a symbol for me of how all whales should be – living their lives, undisturbed in the ocean, without the threat of a harpoon.
You can help us stop the whale hunts
I’m sure you were as saddened as I was to hear that Japan’s whaling boats returned from their Antarctic hunt with 333 minke whales. After the outcry it sparked last year, the Japanese government hasn’t yet released figures on how many of them were pregnant. If we go by the 2016 figures then we can guess that well over 100 of the whales they killed could have been carrying a baby.
I have some good news for you too – travel industry giant, Thomas Cook, is taking great strides in the right direction by reviewing its stance on promoting captive whale and dolphin facilities. I’ll bring you more news on that next month as well as on the progress we are making in our project to create the world’s first sanctuary for ex-captive beluga whales.
Until then, thank you for being part of WDC. We couldn’t be here for whales and dolphins without you!
With very best wishes,
Julia Thoms, WDC campaigns manager
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Posted on April 19, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Mark (SAV) and Philip (CEO CIWF) have campaigned together for around 25+ years on a variety of farm animal welfare issues; especially live transport and intensive farming. Mark keeps Phil informed of farm animal welfare issues in Serbia; especially as Serbia is now an EU Candidate Country.
CIWF have been working a lot to improve the welfare of animals in China; especially Pigs as over half the worlds population live there in some of the most basic and terrible conditions. Below are a few points relating to CIWF’s work in China, and at the very end we have provided a link where you can read on and select many more CIWF posts on the issue of Chinese animal welfare work.
Now we have our global map up and running again we can see where all our visitors are located. It is great to see that we now have some visits from people located in China – something we have not had before. Hence the reason for this post – we hope that now our Chinese friends will view what we are providing and will get further information and links about people and organisations working in their country to improve the welfare of farm animals – SAV.
Above – Mark (SAV) with the CIWF tour truck that campaigned for better farm animal welfare all over the EU.
Pictured in the Netherlands at a Goat Farm.
“Hugely damaging to the environment; it’s affecting people’s lives every day.”
China: The most populous country on the planet; home to half the world’s pigs; and the epicentre of an unprecedented surge in mega-farms.
I took on the role of investigative journalist to find out what’s really going on. It was a journey that brought me face to face with the jaw of the Asian tiger; a mighty powerhouse already exerting big influence on the shape of farming tomorrow.
Join me (Phil) over the next couple of weeks as I uncover the stark reality in China, for animals, people and the countryside.
Half the world’s pigs are farmed in China – the vast majority in appalling conditions. This massive industry is not only responsible for untold cruelty but is polluting waterways and forcing people from their land.
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Our distinguished guests were led by Ms Xi Chunling, founder and executive president of the China government-backed International Cooperation Committee on Animal Welfare (ICCAW). Ms Xi was accompanied by deputy director, Mr Wan. It was also a great privilege to welcome Mr Zhou, the vice president of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation (CAPIAC), an influential body who support the joint ICCAW/Compassion project.
So what is it we’re trying to do? Well, put simply, we are working with the authorities in Beijing to encourage the adoption of higher welfare practices for pig farming. What a proud moment then to recognise the first group of pioneering farmers there with our prestigious Good Pig Production Award! All the recipients have pledged to make a real difference to the welfare of their pigs by using higher welfare alternatives to confinement systems like sow stalls and farrowing crates where the pigs can’t turn around.
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Having just attended our Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards in Paris, I’m even more excited about the potential opportunities for improving the lives of farm animals in China through work with food companies.
As I wrote before, we launched our Good Pig Award programme in Beijing last week at the ‘2013 Animal Welfare and Animal Products Quality Safety Forum’, which we co-hosted with the International Cooperation Committee on Animal Welfare (ICCAW).
I’m looking forward to building on this further to bring the benefits of better animal welfare standards to China and to working in partnership with ICCAW to help companies and producers to play their part in benefitting the lives of farm animals and improving food quality.
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I have some hugely exciting news – we have just launched our Good Pig Award programme in China! In the country that is home to half the world’s pigs, our work to persuade food companies to step up their animal welfare standards couldn’t be better placed.
The unveiling of the Good Pig Awards for China took place at a well attended conference in Beijing, organised by the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW), newly inaugurated with the backing of China’s Ministry of Agriculture.
As Compassion in World Farming (Compassion) was proud co-host with ICCAW, I had the great honour of giving an opening address. My colleague, Phil Brooke, also gave an excellent presentation on what we mean by animal welfare and the kind of improvements that companies must demand if they are to win one of our internationally recognised awards.
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Compassion in World Farming’s ground-breaking work with major food companies on raising animal welfare standards has taken a new leap with the launch of its ‘Good Pig‘ Award programme in China.
As the country that is home to half the world’s pigs, Compassion’s latest initiative couldn’t be better placed.
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Pig carcasses are supposed to be disposed of by burying. However, land is limited. It’s not unusual for farmers to dump unwanted dead animals into rivers. One Chinese news source states the “dumping of dead pigs in rivers is common among Jiaxing villagers due to over expansion of the hog industry and a lack of burial sites”.
According to local officials, “the reason for the pigs’ death is the cold weather but many don’t believe this”, Jeff told me. “If the pigs can still be sold to market, it doesn’t make sense for farmers to dump them into the river for nothing”.
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Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE, VIDEOS | Leave a comment »
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 