Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Today, the European Commission decided to register a European Citizens’ Initiative entitled ‘Stop Finning – Stop the Trade’ related to sharks and rays. The aim of the Initiative is to ‘end the trade of fins in the EU including the import, export and transit of fins other than if naturally attached to the animal’s body.’

The organisers state that ‘although the removal of fins on board of EU vessels and in EU waters is prohibited and sharks must be landed with their fins naturally attached, the EU is among the biggest exporters of fins and a major transit hub for the global fin trade’.

Prior to Regulation (EU) No 605/2013, the previous regulation from 2003 prohibited shark fins from being separated, but left a loophole that allows boats with a “special permit” to continue this practice.

Around 200 such “special permits” were held annually by Spain and Portugal (!!!)

The Initiative specifically calls on the Commission ‘to extend REGULATION (EU) No 605/2013 also to the trade of fins and […] develop a new regulation, extending “fins naturally attached” to all trading of sharks and rays in the EU’.

Under the Treaties, the EU can take legal action in areas of common fisheries policy and common commercial policy. The Commission therefore considers the initiative legally admissible and decided to register it.

The Commission has not analysed the substance of the initiative at this stage.

The registration of this initiative will take place on 2 January 2020, allowing the organizers to start, within next 6 months, a one-year process of collection of signatures of support.

Should the initiative receive one million statements of support within 1 year, from at least 7 different Member States, the Commission will have to react within 6 months.

The Commission can decide either to follow the request or not, and in both instances would be required to explain its reasoning.

Background

The European Citizens’ Initiative was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as an agenda-setting tool in the hands of citizens. It was launched in April 2012.

In 2017, the European Commission tabled reform proposals for the European Citizens’ Initiative to make it more citizen-friendly. In December 2018, the European Parliament and the Council agreed on the reform and the revised rules will start applying as of 1 January 2020.

The revised rules, among others, will give the organisers more flexibility to choose the starting date of their campaign as well as revise the proposed initiative before the Commission’s registration decision.

In the meantime, the Commission has been raising awarenessof the European Citizens’ Initiative through a communication campaign and offered support to organisers via a collaborative platform. In total, the Commission has registered 71 Citizens’ Initiatives and refused 26, with only 6 refusals in the past 5 years.

Once formally registered, a European Citizens’ Initiative allows one million citizens from at least one quarter of EU Member States to invite the European Commission to propose a legal act in areas where the Commission has the power to do so.

The conditions for admissibility are that the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act, that it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and that it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union.

Please sign the Petition:  https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_19_6783

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Received anonymously:

The fur selling store Törnqvists Hattar, in Örebro, Sweden, finally closes down after many (unreported) actions such as glued locks etc.

Action counts. For the animals.

ALF.

https://animalliberationpressoffice.org/NAALPO/2020/02/08/fur-shop-closes-after-repeated-sabotage-orebro-sweden-2/

We start Sunday with good news.
And we thank ALF, in the name of the animals.

My best regards to all, Venus

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We work every day to make animal rights finally more acceptable to our society.

With the documentation and presentation of animal suffering, due to human ignorance and economic interest, we are trying to create a better, fairer world for animals.

We fight for a world in which animals and humans live together in peace and freedom.

We will never stop fighting for this vision, we will never betray the animals.

My best regards and a good night from Venus

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Of all the nutrients that vegans must pay attention to, Vitamin B₁₂ is at the very top of the list.

It is essential for nervous system health, so every vegan needs to take this nutrient seriously. People with B₁₂ deficiency risk developing numerous conditions ranging from worrisome to horrific.

Only animal-based foods, or supplemented vegan foods, contain Vitamin B₁₂. Unfortified vegan foods contain virtually none of this nutrient. Deficiencies may take several years to arise though. That’s because the liver often stores comparatively large amounts of B₁₂. It’s dangerous to be complacent about finding a reliable source of B₁₂ because deficiency can creep up over time, silently doing damage before symptoms arise.

Article reproduced without change from https://www.vegan.com/b12/

Do Vegans Need to Take Vitamin B₁₂?

One of the great annoyances of being vegan is that you will sometimes encounter other vegans who insist that there’s no need to take a B₁₂ supplement. Generally speaking these people will say something like, “I’ve been vegan for eight years, never take B₁₂ supplements, and I’m in perfect health,” but meanwhile they’re all twitchy and something just isn’t right. In many cases these people will experience a health crisis, return to eating meat, and then tell the world that a vegan diet leads to failed health. Unfortunately, having a productive dialog with these folks is generally futile, just like there’s no reasoning with the Vegan Police.

Why are there so many vegans who take pride in spurning B₁₂ supplements? It’s because back in the 1980s and 1990s several prominent vegan advocacy books came out that downplayed the need for vegans to take B₁₂. Because these books referred to early and unreliable research, B₁₂ misinformation got a big head start on the truth.

Why Supplements Make Sense

There are all sorts of ludicrous arguments asserting that vegans don’t need B₁₂. Some people contend it’s produced by your intestines (it’s not, at least in a way that your body absorbs). Others claim algae or seaweed are good sources (no again, even though some inaccurate tests yield positive results). And still other people proclaim you can satisfy your B₁₂ requirements by not washing your vegetables (that’s just silly.)

In at least a couple cases, the vegan authors contributing to B₁₂ complacency went back to eating animal products. But the damage these books have done have produced ripple effects continuing to today.

Meeting Your B₁₂ Needs

Vegans can easily meet their B₁₂ needs through supplements or by regularly eating B₁₂ fortified foods. Some of these supplements contain non-vegan ingredients, but all of the supplements featured on this page are vegan.

When swallowed as a pill, B₁₂ is absorbed poorly. You’ll get better absorption from B₁₂ lozenges or ‘sublingual tablets’, which are different words for the same thing. You let these tablets dissolve under your tongue, thereby enabling B₁₂ absorption through the capillaries in your mouth. A sensible dosage is a 1000 to 2000 microgram tablet taken a few times a week. Note that many brands of B₁₂ contain methylcobalamin, but research indicates cyanocobalamin can satisfy your body’s needs with much smaller doses.

Foods commonly fortified with B₁₂ include non-dairy milks, cereals, meat substitutes, energy bars, and nutritional yeast. Check the food’s nutrition label to see its level of B₁₂. Many of these foods contain this nutrient in surprisingly small amounts. Note that B₁₂ fortified foods are dosed with the very same B₁₂ that is put into supplements. This means that obtaining your B₁₂ through fortified vegan foods is in no way more “natural” than purchasing supplements. Additionally, it may be difficult to meet your B₁₂ needs through fortified foods, since comparatively few products are fortified, and B₁₂ fortification of foods is often at low levels.

The Best Vegan B₁₂ Supplement

For most vegans, it’s therefore much easier and more reliable to simply buy a bottle of vegan B₁₂ lozenges. Sublingual B₁₂ supplements are easy to find online or at any natural foods store. Of the dozens of B₁₂ supplements Amazon stocks, probably the best buy is Now Foods’ 2000 microgram cyanocobalamin lozenges. A bottle comes in under $10, and gives you a large dose of B-12, that includes the cyanocobalamin molecule.

Unless you like burning money, avoid sprays or other high-priced B₁₂ products. While sprays may perhaps be better absorbed than lozenges, they also cost vastly more. The one thing you should care about when choosing a vegan B₁₂ brand is bang for the buck. Strive to get the most micrograms of cyanocobalamin per bottle at the lowest cost. And don’t buy tablets intended to be swallowed—instead, choose “sublingual” tablets or lozenges. There’s no good reason to buy expensive brands of B₁₂ . The purchase price of expensive supplements goes primarily to buy slick advertising.

Dealing with Poor B₁₂ Absorption

Ability to absorb vitamin B₁₂ decreases with age, and some people cannot absorb sufficient B₁₂ orally. Luckily, determining your B₁₂ levels is one of the cheapest blood work tests available, and it’s standard on every basic nutrient panel.

If your levels are low despite regular use of sublinguals, injections may be warranted. Since injections go straight into the muscle, they guarantee that high levels of B₁₂ will be absorbed. These injections require a prescription in the United States. But in Mexico and many other countries, you can buy hypodermic needles pre-loaded with B₁₂ at any pharmacy without a prescription. Obviously, only people with proper medical qualifications should administer injections.

For more information about nutrients of special interest to vegans, see our Vitamin and Supplement Guide. Also be sure to check out our Vegan Nutrition Guide.

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Addressed to: People’s Republic of China, Communist Party of China, National People’s Congress

Because it is unacceptable to be a human being, torture and cook a live animal! These people must be arrested and punished to the full extent of the law! All cruelty to a living being must be severely punished, since animals are helpless and those cowards who do not care about the suffering and pain of animals deserve punishment!

Thank you,

Sosvox.org’s team

Petition Link –

https://www.sosvox.org/en/petition/initiate-a-petition-in-the-fight-against-animal-cruelty-in-china.html?utm_source=highlight&utm_medium=title&utm_campaign=campaign-p200220

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Here is the second letter that we ask you to send – this time to all those in Serbian embassies located around the world. If ‘your’ embassy is not listed below, then use this link to find more – but be careful – only go for Serbian embassies; others are also shown:

https://www.embassy-worldwide.com/country/serbia/

This letter follows on from our letter draft (for you to copy and send) to the CRC in Switzerland.

Here is the link to that (first letter) post.

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2020/02/21/serbia-mass-animal-poisonings-letter-1-of-2-to-copy-and-send-to-the-chemical-review-committee-crc-in-switzerland-asking-them-to-intervene/

We hope the content of the letter is self explanatory – it asks the CRC to intervene in the killing of the dogs in Serbia using very dangerous chemicals.

This letter (No 2) is more directly aimed at Serbia, and its embassies; asking questions about the use of such nerve agents on the streets of Serbia. Again, we hope it is self explanatory. Please copy and sent this letter far and wide if you can – Thanks.

Embassies in Serbia:

Nethrelands: bel@minbuza.nl
Germany: https://belgrad.diplo.de/action/rs-sr/2011078/action/-
Italy: segreteria.belgrado@esteri.it
Spain: ambasada.madrid@mfa.rs
France: https://rs.ambafrance.org/Kontakt-Odeljenja-za-saradnju
Russia: rusembserbia@mid.ru
Australia: embassy.canberra@serbia.org.au
Canada: diplomat@serbianembassy.ca
Amerika: belgradeacs@state.gov
UK: Belgrade.PPD@fco.gov.uk

if you dont find your Country on this list, please use google and type: “name of your country ” + Embassy in Serbia , then find contact page.

E-mail blocks: for easy sending:

belgradeacs@state.gov Belgrade.PPD@fco.gov.uk diplomat@serbianembassy.ca rusembserbia@mid.ru embassy.canberra@serbia.org.au bel@minbuza.nl segreteria.belgrado@esteri.it ambasada.madrid@mfa.rs pic@fao.org  brs@brsmeas.org

SAMPLE LETTER

Sir / Madam;

You and those involved with the endless murder of animals never seem to learn, do you ?

For over 2 months now there have been mass poisoning of dogs and other animals in over 50 cities located within Serbia.

The murders have been undertaken using the poison Carbofuran. This is one of the most toxic carbonate pesticides; and exhibits toxicity mediated by the same mechanism as that of the notorious V series nerve agents and presents a risk to human health – fatalities occur with exposure to tens of milligram quantities via inhalation or absorption through skin; It is more potent than Sarin; another nerve agent with a similar mechanism of action. On such exposure, these agents severely disrupt the body’s signaling between the nervous and muscular systems; leading to a prolonged neuromuscular blockade; causing paralysis of all the muscles in the body including the diaphragm, and leading to death by asphyxiation, or a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body.

Carbofuran usage has increased in recent years because it is one of the few insecticides effective on soybean aphids; but as a nerve agent it presents a risk to human health. It is classified as an extremely hazardous substance in the United States; and it usage and storage are rigorously monitored and controlled.

Further, Carbofuran is forbidden by International Act of the Chemical Review Committee- banned in Canada and the European Union. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a ban on Carbofuran because reports showed that this chemical compound killed more wildlife and animals overall than any other poison.

Are the shinters and local authorities who allow / use this aware of the destruction it can do to humans ? – are you prepared for claims and financial compensation that may be directed at you by individuals ? It can kill dogs and wildlife in a terrible way; but also humans.

If the Serbian public knew that you were undertaking the usage of this nerve agent and putting them at a health risk; or even the possibility of death; would you allow its use to continue ? As you are currently a ‘Candidate Country’ for EU membership; would the EU view your actions as good for human safety ? – I doubt very much; but regardless; they must be informed of your actions using nerve agents.

Ways in which you are undertaking the elimination of dogs is barbaric; especially as there are no kill options available, including a national sterilisation policy. But for some, adopting this strategy would mean an end to the corruption that I / we know exists in your system at present.

Poisoned dogs, cats and other animals are dying on the streets and in the parks of Serbia; children also play in parks – remember that.

Who is in direct control; and has overall responsibility for this operation and the use of nerve agents ? – the Republic Public Prosecutor and the Police Directorate do not appear to want to respond, despite having been approached about this.

As a concerned citizen I feel it is my responsibility to go ‘global’ with this and inform the world about what is being done to living things in Serbia.

Stop all killings now; and adopt a sterilisation, no kill policy.

Yours in disgust

Name –

Nationality –

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BREAKING: A day after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor—and subsequently making a headlining acceptance speech in which he spoke to the plight of mother cows and their babies used in animal agriculture—Joaquin Phoenix helped to liberate a cow and her newborn calf from a Los Angeles slaughterhouse and bring them to Farm Sanctuary, where they will live out the rest of their lives in peace.

Phoenix named the mother Liberty and her daughter Indigo.

Phoenix said, “I never thought I’d find friendship in a slaughterhouse, but meeting Anthony [President/CEO of the slaughterhouse] and opening my heart to him, I realize we might have more in common than we do differences. Without his act of kindness, Liberty and her baby calf, Indigo, would have met a terrible demise.”

Phoenix was joined at the slaughterhouse by his fiancée and fellow activist Rooney Mara, both his and Mara’s mothers, Earthlings Director Shaun Monson, Los Angeles Animal Save Founder Amy Jean Davis, and Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur.

The group worked with employees onsite to rescue Liberty—who had recently given birth at the slaughterhouse—and her newborn calf Indigo.

Phoenix added, “My hope is, as we watch baby Indigo grow up with her mom Liberty at Farm Sanctuary, that we’ll always remember that friendships can emerge in the most unexpected places; and no matter our differences, kindness and compassion should rule everything around us.”

It’s hard to imagine an experience more terrifying for a mother—or for her baby—than to give birth at a slaughterhouse. Witnessing the birth tugged at the heartstrings of the slaughterhouse owner—and not for the first time. This is the fifth mother-child bovine rescue secured by Los Angeles Animal Save from Manning Beef.

Phoenix concluded by saying, “Although we will continue to fight for the liberation of all animals who suffer in these oppressive systems, we must take pause to acknowledge and celebrate the victories, and the people who helped achieve them.

Shaun Monson, Amy Jean Davis, and the entire LA Animal Save community, have taken their pain of bearing witness and turned it into effective, diplomatic advocacy for the voiceless.

As a result, Liberty and Indigo will never experience cruelty or the touch of a rough hand.”

Special thanks to documentary filmmaker Shaun Monson for producing and directing this beautiful video.

https://vegnews.com/2020/2/joaquin-phoenix-rescues-cow-and-her-week-old-calf-from-slaughterhouse

And we want to give Joaquin Phoenix an other Oscar for his support and active participation in the fight for animal rights.

My best regards to all, Venus

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