Very Welcome News – China’s biggest airline bans shark fin cargo – China Southern Airlines says it is taking a stand for animal conservation.

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.

No to shark fin: China’s biggest shipping line Cosco pledges total ban on carrying product

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.

Air China becomes first mainland carrier to ban shark fin cargo

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.

 

Hong Kong airlines Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon impose total ban on carriage of shark fin

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.

 

 

 

 

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USA: Urgent Action Needed – Down to the Wire: Comments Needed to Pass Bill Protecting Hawaii’s Fish From Aquarium Trade

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! 

You can contact Senator Rhoads at senrhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov and 808-586-6130.

Thanks,

Peter Fugazzotto, Strategic Programs Director
Turtle Island Restoration Network

 

 

 

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UK: News from the world of whales and dolphins.

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.

A wild minke whale

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. 

You can help. If you have a Twitter account, please take part in our action and ask the EU to say ‘no’ to a trade deal with Japan while Japan kills whales. And please make a small donation to help fund our campaign .

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

http://uk.whales.org/

 

 

 

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England / China: CIWF (England) Work On All Fronts To Improve Pig Welfare In China – With Great Results.

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_NNDG5tHx4

 —————-

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.

https://www.ciwf.org.uk/philip-lymbery/blog/2014/09/compassion-celebrates-higher-welfare-pioneers-in-china

https://www.ciwf.org.uk/philip-lymbery/blog/2015/05/in-china-what-will-the-future-look-like

 

———————-

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.

https://www.ciwf.org.uk/philip-lymbery/blog/2013/11/moving-forward-in-china

 ——————-

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.

https://www.ciwf.org.uk/philip-lymbery/blog/2013/10/pig-welfare-programme-launched-in-china

 

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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.

https://www.ciwf.org.uk/news/2013/10/compassion-launches-awards-in-china

 

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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”.

https://www.ciwf.org.uk/news/2013/03/chinas-river-of-pigs

 

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Check out loads more from CIWF and their work in China for better animal welfare at  https://www.ciwf.org.uk/search/?q=ciwf+china

 

 

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Sri Lanka: Animal Welfare Bill Not Yet Enacted After More Than A Year – Lets Get It Enforced !

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 

 

The Animal Welfare Bill was approved by the Cabinet on 13 January 2016, but one year later it has not yet been enacted by Parliament.

Let’s get it enforced!

Background:

After almost a decade of tireless campaigning, and several appeals from animal welfare groups and 30,000 citizens including you, the Animal Welfare Bill was finally approved by Sri Lanka’s Cabinet on 13 January 2016. The Bill was originally presented to Parliament by Ven. Athuruliye Rathana Thero in 2010 as a Private Member’s Bill in an attempt to persuade the then government to take it up as government business, but there was no progress. In 2012, through a court case, animal welfare groups were able to draw the attention of the government to this Bill, yet the progress was slow and after a campaign in October 2014 where over 30,000 citizens signed an appeal to the President and Prime minister, the bill was finally passed.

Current status:

12 months later the Bill continues to languish within the political and bureaucratic process without much interest or urgency to present it in Parliament for enactment. 

What can you do about it?

We feel enough time has passed now. Let’s raise our voices once again to urge the government to get the much needed Animal Welfare Bill  enacted so that we will have laws in Sri Lanka which protect our animals from the horrendous acts of cruelty they are increasingly being exposed to.

What we advise is for you to please write in to the below officials and request they expedite the process so that the animals of Sri Lanka can be protected by law. We believe all sentient beings deserve the right to live without cruelty and suffering in Sri Lanka which is their home as much as it is ours.

Writing directly to the below mentioned officials will ensure that our collective voices will be heard. Please ensure you write to all 3 parties below. You can use the same email messaging below and simply update the ‘Salutation’ to ‘Honorable President’, ‘Honorable Prime Minister’ and ‘Honorable Minister’.

President : ps@presidentsoffice.lk
Prime Minister : info@pmoffice.gov.lk 
Rural Economic Affairs Minister : secretary@reco.gov.lk

You can also message them directly on Twitter with the following message:

“I am disappointed that the #Animal Welfare Bill has still not been enacted in parliament. I urge you to speed up the process.Thank you”

President : @MaithripalaS
Prime Minister : @RW_UNP

Here is an example of the letter / email you can send:

———————————————————————–

Honorable Sirs;

RE: THE ANIMAL WELFARE BILL

As you are aware, Sri Lanka’s Animal Welfare Bill which received Cabinet approval on 13 January 2016 is yet to be passed by Parliament, giving it the force of law.

Today, our animals –  stray, captive, domestic or wild, face many  difficulties at the hands of humans. They are beaten, abused, exploited, stoned, shot, trapped, killed, neglected  and exposed to many other forms of cruelty daily.

We are a compassionate nation and our government claims to be a compassionate government. But compassion needs to be demonstrated through action rather than just words.  There is no more time to lose. The time to act is now.

I humbly request that you do what is needed to speed up the process so that the long outstanding Animal Welfare Bill is finally enacted in Sri Lanka so that it becomes law. Any nation and especially one with our heritage must show commitment to animal welfare and there is no better way of demonstrating that , than by ensuring  that this Bill is enforced without further delay.

I along with many of Sri Lanka’s citizens would like to create an environment where animal lives are protected by law so that they too have the chance to live their lives in peace in our beautiful country.

Yours sincerely,

<Your name>

 

 

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Russia:  ‘I have no sympathy for the animals…’

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 

 ‘I have no sympathy for the animals… I feel a deep satisfaction’:

Barbarity of Russian fur farms where thousands are slaughtered to make $1m coats and blankets then left to rot in stinking corpse mountain

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3572756/Barbarity-Russian-mink-farms-thousands-slaughtered-make-1m-sable-coats-blankets-left-rot-stinking-corpse-mountain.html

Further Information on Fur:

This is not related to the above, but for great anti fur campaigning, visit Respect for Animals (Nottingham England) at 

  http://www.respectforanimals.co.uk/home/  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tax This !

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 

Dear Mark, I send you my thoughts on the results of popular vote in Turkey. My central idea is: when a people decides for its dictatorship, the whole world is stirring up, but the people do it voluntarily. If we decide for the dictatorship of the animals every day, nobody cares.

Best regards Venus

——————————————–

When the folk decides… Actually I am not active for human rights. I would even say: I left that to other people, they do it better, and I have full respect for them. I do not write about the result in the popular vote in Turkey because I want to comment on it politically.

I see this only as a just tighten for a people that abolish their own rights, as always have done with the animal rights. But this result has sparked great joy for me also for another reason: Turkey is finally out as an EU candidate.

A country with the worst illegality in the transport of animals in Europe, a country of brutal slaughterhouses, remains permanently out of the EU. I do not want to say that if Turkey got soaked, it would have improved. Many countries, however, with similar crimes in animal transport are nevertheless in the EU. But at least the country will not receive any subsidies from the EU.

Strangely, the new dictatorship was chosen according to the will of the people. The same thing we recently had with the democratically elected Trump. By this I will say: a people can vote for (example Turkey) or against (example UK vote) its dictatorship.

These results in Turkey have raised the following question for me: what would be the result of a popular vote in Germany for meat tax. Because mass animal farms produce so much CO2, every meat consumer has to pay tax for the environment and animals.

I guess, and I’m even betting, that about 80% of the interviewees would be against taxation, and they would practically decide further for the dictatorship of the meat barons and the misery of the animals. The animals experience a dictatorship every day according to popular decision: we have decided to torment them, kill, to slaughter, eat, bear, enslave them.

I am therefore against popular decisions, which serve as safeguards of the ruling class. And I am now glad that this people and not only the animals will experience a dictatorship. Although still with a difference: the people has decided for this, the animals have not.

Venus

 

 

 

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