Serbia: 18/1/15 – Can You Help Keep the Cats Fed This Winter ?

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FELIX

 

Our real winter has begun a week ago. After a couple of sunny and rather mild days for this time of year, a bitterly cold blast arrived and we were caught in its icy grip, with temperatures plummeting to 10 degrees Celsius below zero.

Although the central heating was on day and night and despite the fact that all of the kitties had grown really thick winter coats, they were eating astonishing amounts of food and the last food delivery literally disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Actually, kitties are always eating more than usual during the cold season and even though the weather isn’t so hard on us these days, it’s becoming harder and harder to keep all of the Felix residents properly fed. This winter is predicted to be brutal and it’s highly probable the worst is yet to come, so even deeper freezes are sure to be coming our way and the first big snowstorm can easily cut us off from the rest of the world.

We simply must have ample food reserves in case this happens and we get snowed in just like we did twice last year.

All of you know that we don’t usually ask for help to buy the cats’ food, but we can’t possibly feed a three digit number of kitties on our own.

If you can donate even a little, please do so, because everything adds up and it really means a lot!
http://www.youcaring.com/pet-expenses/help-the-feline-residents-of-cat-shelter-felix/161828

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqIItXVRX9M

Become A ‘Daily Clicker’ For Free – Like Us – Make A Difference !

We are happy to be ‘Daily Clickers’ with the Care2 site.

Being a ‘clicker’ enables you to help children, abused women and a host of animals and their environments around the globe.

To become a clicker and to support any of the campaigns, just click on the ‘Click to Donate’ links given below.

You can do this every day for free, as we do.

Our own individual impact on different projects is shown on the right below, alongside the global impact from clickers all over the world.

So come on, join the global group of daily clickers; its free and yet it greatly helps all those in need !!

 

Click to Donate Your Clicks Your Impact Our Total Impact
Help Children in Need 140 140 days of
sponsorship supported
1,132 months sponsored
Save the Rainforest 175 1,243.5 sq. ft.
of rainforest saved
10,872 acres 
of rainforest saved
Save Big Cat Habitat 175 42 acres
big cat habitat protected
19,467,852 acres 
big cat habitat protected
Click to Defend Baby Seals 175 175 clicks
to defend baby seals
27,076,932 clicks
to end the seal hunt
Rescue Ocean Wildlife 176 16,900 sq. ft.
of ocean protected
67,875.2 acres protected
Rescued Animals 138 138 days supported 1,082 months of animal rescue by first responders
Feed Rescued Primates 176 176 primate feedings 27,395,810
primate feedings
Stop Global Warming 160 153 days of
computer energy use offset
21,568,414 days offset
Stop Violence Against Women 141 141 clicks to protect 
women from violence
22,515,388 clicks to end
violence against women
Click to Protect Threatened Wolves 175 175 days of
wolf adoption supported
9,902 months of wolf adoption

Serbia / Global: Almost 250,000 People Save Dog Sanctuary from Eviction on Christmas.

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Care2 Success! Almost 250,000 People Save Dog Sanctuary from Eviction on Christmas

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Watch the great clip of Sasha and all the dogs having fun after the news of being saved:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrSCZZngxI

by Laura Simpson

January 12, 2015

A quarter million dog lovers recently formed a virtual human shield around a besieged cage-free dog sanctuary in Nis, Serbia.

Care2 online petition to protect the sanctuary was an overnight sensation, delivering tremendous political impact that halted the planned Christmas eviction of the dogs (read the original story here). With just days to spare before dog catchers were scheduled to invade the sanctuary, municipal officials announced that the dogs could remain on their property for the time being. Though the city would like to use the land for other purposes, efforts are underway to persuade them to help identify a new home for the sanctuary.

sasha 2 saved

Recently, the mayor visited the shelter, and even brought a few large sacks of food with him. He stood beside the sanctuary’s founder Sasha Pesic, who was rather caught-off-guard by the appearance of cooperation from a municipal government who previously regarded the rescue center as a nuisance. Was this a simple photo op or can the sanctuary expect acknowledgment of their role in the private care of thousands of the city’s homeless dogs over the years?

One of the most amazing things to come from this experience is the change in Sasha himself. As a man who entirely devotes himself to the protection of all 450 dogs who live at the sanctuary, Sasha died a thousand deaths during the month of December when the dogs were suddenly threatened by forces he could not control. But now, we’re beginning to see something we haven’t seen in quite a while. Sasha is beginning to smile again.

If you have just a moment, watch this little video clip and you’ll be quite amazed at what crops up in the middle. Indeed, a playful Sasha seems to have rekindled his sense of joy in playing the role of pack leader to the dogs. Make sure you have your sound turned up to hear all the giggling!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrSCZZngxI

The sanctuary’s ultimate objective is to persuade the municipality to provide an equally suitable property for the dogs to relocate to. The sanctuary team are waiting patiently for meetings to spell out exactly what the city is willing to offer. Those meetings are yet to be scheduled by authorities. Meanwhile, the dog sanctuary’s monthly funds to provide food and veterinary care for the dogs comes from the Harmony Fund charity.

They have established a fund to begin saving for the cost of erecting a shelter on the new property next summer. The cost is expected to be substantial. Major developments in this story will be reported here.

For weekly updates, you may follow the Harmony Fund’s Facebook page.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/care2-success-almost-250000-people-save-dog-sanctuary-from-eviction-on-christmas.html#ixzz3OiIW3L4Q

Sasha

sasha dogs love heart

 

 

 

 

Sea Shepherd’s Epic Ocean Chase of a Notorious Poacher.

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Thunder

Illegal fishing vessel Thunder. (Photo: Courtesy Seashepherd.org)

Sea Shepherd’s Epic Ocean Chase of a Notorious Poacher

A blacklisted ship is in hot water after the environmental group busted it illegally catching Patagonian toothfish.

Taylor Hill is TakePart’s associate environment and wildlife editor.

It’s been more than three weeks since the environmental group Sea Shepherd started chasing a blacklisted vessel illegally fishing in the Southern Ocean.

One thousand nautical miles later, Sea Shepherd’s Bob Barker is still in hot pursuit.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt and the crew aboard the 788-ton Bob Barker spotted the Nigerian-flagged boat, Thunder, illegally fishing in an area regulated by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. The international watchdog had put the Thunder on its blacklist of fishing operators.

“When we found them, they were actively fishing,” Hammarstedt told AFP. Sea Shepherd said the boat was using illegal gill nets to catch Patagonian toothfish, often sold as Chilean sea bass in high-end restaurants.

When it ran from Sea Shepherd, the Thunder reportedly left behind about 27 miles of gill nets in the water, which the crew of the Bob Barkers sister ship, Sam Simon, spent weeks hauling in. Sam Simon skipper Sid Chakravarty said the nets were found stuffed with more than 700 dead toothfish.

“The Sam Simon crew has given the world a chance to observe first-hand the destruction caused by this fishing method,” Chakravarty said in a statement. “Never has any conservation movement seen the recovery, confiscation, and documentation of such length of gear. The onus is now on the relevant international authorities to use this evidence to prosecute the Thunder.”

CCAMLR in 2004 outlawed the use of gill nets in its management area in the Southern Ocean, where the Thunder was fishing.

Back on the Bob Barker, Sea Shepherd, an activist group that’s no stranger to confrontation, initially threatened to “directly intervene” if the Thunder didn’t stop fishing and turn itself over to Australian authorities. But the Sea Shepherd crew decided to play the waiting game instead—chasing the vessel for more than 1,000 nautical miles to date.

On Friday, Hammarstedt told AFP the two boats were about 900 miles southeast of South Africa, and the Thunder had taken evasive maneuvers through heavy ice floes and treacherous seas in an attempt to lose the tail.

Now, it’s a waiting game. If Sea Shepherd can stay with the Thunder until it goes to harbor, Hammarstedt said the team can alert local port authorities to intervene and seize the vessel.

“Certainly we are prepared to chase these poachers to the ends of the earth and back if we have to,” he said.

Now 22 days in, the pursuit is the longest high seas chase ever, beating out an Australian patrol vessel’s 21-day chase in 2003 of the Viarsa I, suspected of poaching Patagonian toothfish.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/01/09/sea-shepherd-middle-epic-chase-illegal-fishing-boat

Tibet: Happy New Year From ‘Free Tibet’, London.

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Free Tibet (London) – http://freetibet.org/

http://freetibet.org/news-media/na/third-fatal-self-immolation-tibet-eight-days?utm_source=Free+Tibet+email+updates&utm_campaign=0e2d31a277-Appeal_3_14_1512_19_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8b3b75e260-0e2d31a277-49881965

http://freetibet.org/news-media/na/china-arrests-young-tibetan-writer?utm_source=Free+Tibet+email+updates&utm_campaign=0e2d31a277-Appeal_3_14_1512_19_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8b3b75e260-0e2d31a277-49881965

http://freetibet.org/news-media/na/young-monk-solo-protest?utm_source=Free+Tibet+email+updates&utm_campaign=0e2d31a277-Appeal_3_14_1512_19_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8b3b75e260-0e2d31a277-49881965

http://freetibet.org/shop

http://freetibet.org/regular-donation

http://freetibet.org/join-free-tibet

Happy New Year?

free tibet new year Picture – FT

Dear Mark,

Lovely image isn’t it?

It shows Tibetan New Year celebrations in Lhasa… but manufactured by China.

Since 2008 many Tibetans have chosen not to celebrate their New Year – there seems precious little to be happy about.

No matter when China creates lavish festivities like these. Which is ironic when the government is determined to eradicate true Tibetan culture

Propaganda like this shows how desperate China is to hide the truth. Together we need to make sure they fail.

Together we made many positive impacts in 2014, exposing the lies and sharing the reality that lies beneath:

Thousands of us supported the worldwide campaign for Khenpo Kartse’s release and the UK government took up the case after we lobbied them. He was sentenced to two years six months – indisputably unjust but much shorter than expected.

Following an appeal from Free Tibet and others, the UN demanded information from China about jailed singers and two have now been released.

We forced Twitter and YouTube to take down hundreds of fake accounts which China hoped would spread their propaganda to millions.

Our innovative ‘Tibet: know the facts’ graphic has now been seen by over 250,000 people – spreading the truth across the world.

There are simply too many real stories coming out of Tibet for China to win. Can you help us combat China’s lies and share the truth in 2015 with a donation of £10?

Namgyal Dolkar Lhagyari is part of the Tibetan exile community in India and is vice president of Gu Chu Sum, an association which provides support to ex-political prisoners and their families.

She has this message for you:

“I have so much faith in the power of the people. I’m sure a change is possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being who you are. Please continue, the battle is still not over!”

Thank you for all the support you give our work – we simply couldn’t do it without you.

Yours,

Eleanor, Free Tibet Director

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Two Very Important Petitions – Please Sign and Pass On.

Importance: High

PLEASE SIGN & CIRCULATE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE – TELL THE WORLD & SHARE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER ETC.

From: Cornwall’s Voice For Animals [mailto:cvfa.uk@virgin.net]

Sent: 11 January 2015 11:47
To: United For Animals
Subject: ban-gas-chambers-for-coyotes-in-california/

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/277/538/048/ban-gas-chambers-for-coyotes-in-california/

Importance: High

How could Farra do Boi ever be called a festival?

It is unimaginable cruelty that defies all description, since according to some estimates as the featured picture reflects that the ox having had its legs hacked off and its chest slit open?

PLEASE SIGN & CIRCULATE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE – SHARE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER ETC. ETC.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/668/563/154/terrifying-and-tearing-oxen/

EU: PETITION – Reject the proposal contained in the draft of the ‘EU Animal Health Law’ that defines stray domestic animals as “wild animals”

EU AW LOGO

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Reject the proposal contained in the draft of the ‘EU Animal Health Law’ that defines stray domestic animals as “wild animals”

 

Petition Link  https://www.change.org/p/martin-schulz-reject-the-proposal-contained-in-the-draft-of-the-eu-animal-health-law-that-defines-stray-domestic-animals-as-wild-animals?recruiter=23094829&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

Petitioning President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and 38 others

This petition will be delivered to:

President of the European Parliament

Martin Schulz

First Vice-President of the European Commission

Frans Timmermans

President of the European Commission

Jean-Claude Juncker

Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development

Phil Hogan

President of the European Council

Donald Tusk

Rapporteur

Marit Paulsen

Member of the European Parliament

Michela Guiffrida

President of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals

Janusz Wojciechowski

Minister of Agriculture – Austria

Andrä Rupprechter

Minister of Agriculture – Belgium – Flanders

Joke Schauvliege

Minister of Agriculture – Belgium – Wallonia

Willy Borsus

Minister of Agriculture – Bulgaria

Desislava Taneva

Minister of Agriculture – Croatia

Tihomir Jakovina

Minister of Agriculture – Cyprus

Nicos Kouyialis

Minister of Agriculture – Czech Republic

Marian Jurečka

Minister of Agriculture – Denmark

Dan Jørgensen

Minister of Agriculture – Estonia

Ivari Padar

Minister of Agriculture – Finland

Petteri Orpo

Minister of Agriculture – France

Stéphane Le Foll

Minister of Agriculture – Germany

Christian Schmidt

Minister of Agriculture – Greece

Karasmanis A. Georgios

Minister of Agriculture – Hungary

Sándor Fazekas

Ministers of Agriculture – Ireland

Simon Coveney and Tom Hayes

Minister of Agriculture – Italy

Maurizio Martina

Minister of Agriculture – Lithuania

Virginija Baltraitienė

Minister of Agriculture – Luxembourg

Fernand Etgen

Minister of Agriculture – Netherlands

Sharon Dijskma

Minister of Agriculture – Poland

Marek Sawicki

Minister of Agriculture – Portugal

Assunção Cristas

Minister of Agriculture – Romania

Daniel Constantin

Minister of Agriculture – Slovakia

Ľubomír Jahnátek

Minister of Agriculture – Slovenia

Dejan Židan

Minister of Agriculture – Spain

Isabel Garcia Tejerina

Minister of Agriculture – Sweden

Sven-Erik Bucht

Head of DEFRA

Elizabeth Truss

Companion Animal Project Leader, Eurogroup for Animals

Joe Moran

Eurogroup for Animals

Mr Andreas Erler

Health Commissioner

Vytanis Andriukaitis

Member of the European Parliament

Herbert Dorfmann

Reject the proposal contained in the draft of the ‘EU Animal Health Law’ that defines stray domestic animals as “wild animals”

Occupy FOR ANIMALS

Luxembourg, Luxembourg

This petition is a joint action by Occupy for Animals and Rescue Association Hobo Dogs Finland, started on 21st of December, 2014. The petition was submitted for official registration to the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions by Occupy for Animals on the same date.

All information about this important petition is compiled on a dedicated website, at:http://strayanimalsarenotwildanimals.weebly.com/

ABOUT THIS PETITION

Up to now, the Commission made a substantial difference between wild animals and kept animals. Unfortunately, this could now change with the introduction of the new ‘EU Animal Health Law’ which is currently being discussed in its final stage.

For the last three years, the European Commission has been drafting an Animal Health Law, which is supposed to replace and encompass most of the present EU legislation on animal health, striving for simplification and greater consistency under common principles and general rules, and under the initial draft of the ‘EU Animal Health Law’, stray domestic animals, such as dogs and cats, should have been considered ‘wild animals’.

It seemed as if, due to the voting of the MEPs in April 2014, this had been avoided and they would no longer fall under the scope of ‘wild animals’ but would be defined under a new category of ‘non-owned animals of domesticated species’. It is crucial not to let abandoned and non-owned animals fall under the category of ‘wild animals’ in order to avoid a massive eradication of them. Dogs and cats must always be considered as domestic animals, even if they are no longer under direct human control.

Unfortunately, in December 2014, FOUR PAWS European Policy Office in Brussels, reported that the proposal is presently being discussed in the last stage of the legislative process conducted through the Trialogue (which includes European Council, Commission and Parliament), and that in the present draft of the ‘EU Animal Health Law’, an opposing trend has become apparent which might now even determine the decrease of protection: the proposal tabled by the European Commission wants to consider stray domestic animals again as wild animals, despite the fact that a majority of MEPs voted against this definition in April 2014.

According to FOUR PAWS, this is happening without publicity, in the attempt to get this unacceptable definition passed without attracting criticism as it would deliberately ignore the constant requests of EU citizens to increase the level of protection granted to all animals, not to decrease it.

It is extremely important that European citizens, and compassionate people from all over the world, speak up against this  ‘two-class system’ for dogs and cats, depending if they have a family or not.

This classification is not only ridiculous, but it could lead to confusion in legal terms – to serious misunderstandings and legal uncertainty in all Member States – and be downright dangerous not only for homeless dogs and cats, but also for owned animal companions that might have got lost, or have escaped.

All in all, such an illogical distinction is scientifically wrong as it ignores the fundamental biological distinction between wild and domestic animals, and poses a serious threat to homeless animals as it would stigmatize them as ‘second class animals’. It would decrease their level of protection, ignoring the will of the European citizens who are calling for a BETTER protection of ALL animals, and it would indeed mean a major step back for the European animal welfare.

Please don’t let this happen!

Please speak up for Europe’s homeless animals by signing our registered petition and please ask your family and friends to sign it, too.  

Thank you very much, in advance.

Pia Berrend / Founder & Campaign Manager at Occupy for Animals!
Taija Jolanki / Rescue Association Hobo Dogs