Posted on August 11, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
7 Easy Ways to Help This World Elephant Day
by Alicia Graef – August 10, 2015
On Wednesday, August 12, animal lovers around the world will be coming together to celebrate elephants and support a future where they’re respected and protected for the fourth annual World Elephant Day.
World Elephant day was launched in 2012 by Canadian documentary filmmaker Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand. On the same day, Sims’ film Return to the Forest premiered, which explores the journey and beautiful transformation that takes place when captive elephants are returned from a life with us to their home in the forest and how vital their presence there is.
Despite being a charismatic species loved by people of all ages, elephants in both Africa and Thailand are in serious trouble. Since the first World Elephant Day, individuals, celebrities and dozens of organizations that are working on solutions that will ensure their future survival around the world, have joined in support because the threat of losing them forever is becoming a very real possibility.
Poaching in Africa has reached unprecedented levels, which some believe could wipe elephants out entirely within the next 10 years if it continues at its current rate, and there are now estimated to be less than 40,000 Asian elephants left in existence, who continue to face the threat of poaching, habitat loss and being taken for the tourism industry.
“So many people around the world love elephants but aren’t aware that elephants are in crisis. World Elephant Day helps increase security for elephants and expand habitat because it creates an opportunity to raise a rallying cry. We have to turn up the volume about the elephant crisis in order to put more pressure on leaders to take meaningful action, attract desperately needed resources, and to convince people to not buy ivory,” Misty Herrin, #SaveElephants campaign director for The Nature Conservancy, said in a statement.
Unfortunately, wild elephants aren’t the only ones in trouble. Animal advocates have also been working to end their exploitation in captivity and entertainment and raise awareness about why elephants belong in the wild, not circuses, zoos or tourist attractions.
How to Help
This year elephant advocates will again be stepping up to raise awareness about the plight of captive and wild elephants by hosting and attending events, urging officials to take action to protect elephants and using social media to gain support and there are a lot of easy ways to help.
Support Increasing Protection Under the Endangered Species Act
In June, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to have African elephants declared as two separate species – forest elephants and savannah elephants – and upgraded from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act, which would add even more strength to laws intended to protect them.
Please sign and share the petition urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reclassify elephants and upgrade their status to endangered.
Tell the U.S. to Crack Down on the Ivory Trade
As the second largest market for ivory behind China, the U.S. has been called on by wildlife advocates to step up its efforts to tackle wildlife trafficking with meaningful action. Now it’s hoped a proposed rule which was formally announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in July will virtually wipe out the market in the states by applying more restrictions to imports and exports and banning the sale of ivory across state lines.
Please sign and share the petition urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support a ban on ivory.
You can also make a public comment in support of tougher regulations for the ivory trade directly at the Federal Register until September 28.
Don’t Buy Ivory
That should go without saying, but even legal ivory and antique items help keep the market going and help provide a cover for the illegal trade of ivory from recently killed elephants.
Support Elephant Sanctuaries
Be a Voice for Captive Elephants
While more and more areas are banning the use of wild animals in circuses and Ringling Bros. recently took a big step by announcing it would retire its elephant performers, there are still other traveling shows around the world that continue to use elephants. We can send a strong message that it’s time to stop by avoiding companies and venues that continue to use them by speaking out for elephants like Nosey, who desperately needs to be retired, and by signing the petition asking Congress to pass the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act, which would ban the use of wild animals in circuses for good.
We can also help give a voice to elephants in zoos who need help like Asha, Lucky and Lucy by signing petitions on their behalf and asking countries like Zimbabwe to stop taking calves from the wild for captivity.
Make an “Elegram”
The Nature Conservancy, which is an official sponsor of World Elephant Day this year, is asking supporters to get a little crafty and make 20,000 handmade images for its #Elegram Project, which will be matched with $150,000 by generous donors for elephant conservation work in Africa. Just paint, draw, sketch or sculpt an image of an elephant, take a photo of it and upload it to their gallery.
Spread the Word
If you’re spreading the word about efforts to help elephants on social media sites, check out World Elephant day for badges and banners to share and add the hashtags #WorldElephantDay #GoGrey #BeHerd #Elegram #SaveElephants #JoinTheSTAMPede #96Elephants and #SayNoToIvory.
For more info on ways to help elephants and support organizations working to resolve conflicts and stop poaching, visit World Elephant Day.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, CIRCUS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, HUNTING - Primarily UK and Germany, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 11, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
PLEASE SHARE, HELP… VERY URGENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last month, we had no food nor in two weeks … now we have no food, dogs are hungry , and that is why we have a big problem…
Lina’s Animal Rescue is a small shelter bursting with 23 dog now saved from the streets and public shelter in Coka, Serbia.
Some of them are ill and require urgent veterinary care. Some are seniors and cannot survive on their own. There are also puppies and disabled dog. Also , we have dogs who eat special food because they are ill. There is also 19 dogs in boarding kennel.
Please help us to buy medicine and food for them. Each month is a struggle. Please share our story and give what you can, no gift is too small.
We are in constant need of funds to maintain these animals.
Thank You – Please try to help the animals. Every little bit helps.
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 10, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
We had a nice surprise today – a message sent from our good friend Lesley – Founder of ‘Eyes on Animals’ which is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and someone who we have worked with re animal transport investigations in the past.
Lesley informs that she and some of the team have been checking livestock transporters heading from the EU into Turkey (for slaughter). This has included trailing some.
Please support the excellent work of Lesley, Margreet and the crew at EoA if you can – check out all the links at http://www.eyesonanimals.com/contact/
Thank You.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 10, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Posted on August 7, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
UPDATE!
VICTORY FOR BORKO AND HIS FRIENDS..!!
-A BIG Thank you to all of you who signed the petition!
But Please Please continue to share Borko’s petition:
-The more voices we can get condemning the actions of this Mayor, the more embarrassed the authorities will be and more likely to step in against the Mayor!! Thank you!
A last minute decision of the Smolyan Administrative Court STOPPED the preliminary execution of the intended by the Mayor of Devin seizure of Borko and his family.
A small group of animal welfare activists, journalists and Borko supporters occupied early in the morning the Surgery in the village of Selcha, waiting for the municipal “action group” to arrive. They had already been informed by Dr. Litov’s attorney of the court’s decision, but were not sure if the Mayor would comply with it.
An hour later the group drove off to the town of Devin to meet and confront the Mayor himself and ask for explanation of his intended actions. The coward had run off and could not be found anywhere. Instead, the Mayor’s legal adviser and the municipal property manager were questioned thoroughly.
It became evidently clear that the authorities were becoming very concerned by the international uproar, caused by the death threats to Borko and his family.
They were assured that unless they take all necessary steps to remedy the situation and guarantee that Borko and family will never be threatened again, the international pressure will continue non stop with all negative consequences. We’ll wait and see.
Borko is alive and well and sends hugs and kisses to all those who stood up for him.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, SUPPORTERS, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 7, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Bear bile replacement breakthrough in China
Dear Mark,
I’m absolutely thrilled to share with you news of a major step towards ending bear bile farming.
Our hope for an end to the suffering of China’s moon bears in the bile industry has been hugely boosted as Chinese manufacturer Kaibao Pharmaceuticals announced it has successfully synthesised a substitute for bear bile to be used in traditional medicine.
This is a HUGE step that could eventually save thousands of protected moon bears from farms by drastically scaling back China’s bear bile industry.
Kaibao is the number one consumer of bear bile purchasing around 18 tonnes of powdered bile annually, approximately half of all purchased. Make no mistake this is big news.
And the fact that this project is heavily backed and funded by the Chinese government shows a clear intent at the highest levels to move away from bear bile farming and actively seek ways to make this industry obsolete, once and for all.
Read the story here.
We have come a long way. For those estimated 10,000 bears that are currently held in horrific bile farms around China, this could be the breakthrough we have been working so hard to achieve for the past 17 years.
Thank you for your continuous support throughout. This remarkable progress is because of you. We really couldn’t do this without you.
Jill Robinson MBE, Dr med vet hc, Hon LLD
Founder and CEO
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 5, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Above – EU.
We have uncovered this link (below) today as part of our investigation work producing the reports for the EU which are described in previous posts. It is rather graphic but is also a clear indicator of the things that need to be done, – improvements; especially as Serbia is hoping to gain EU membership in the relatively near future.
Above: Serbia.
Here is the link to some of the standards in Serbia – WARNING – Graphic Footage:
In EU nations, when an animal carcass has been slaughtered and prepared at a slaughterhouse, it is then ‘approved’, a slaughterhouse employee marks it with an EU health symbol to prove that the meat is safe for human consumption. We doubt that this is happening at the Serbian facility shown. Is the carcass fit for human consumption ? – just look at the outside floor conditions at which this sheep was killed.
Above: Serbia.
Below: EU.
As non meat eaters we do not like doing things about slaughterhouses; but we feel that is a necessity here especially as we are currently working on reports of animal welfare standards within Serbia. Compare the EU slaughterhouse conditions with those in the link re Serbia. There is no real comparison; and once again this shows where Serbia has to step up to the plate to put its animal welfare house in order. When Serbia joins the EU; it will have to have slaughterhouses of the types shown in the photographs for the EU – what is shown in the above link (Serbian standards) will not be acceptable to the standards of EU nations. Serbia will have to comply.
The thing we found really disturbing on the link photographs is the fact that in several shots, you can see several bottles of beer; and the slaughterman having a drink of beer in between slaughtering animals. In an EU facility alcohol would not even be allowed on the site; let alone a quick ‘guzzle’ in between animal killings !!
Serbia has a lot to learn about animal welfare; and we will do all we can to show up the differences between EU and Serbian standards. There are no if’s or but’s; if Serbia becomes a future member of the EU then it will have to comply with EU standards.
We will do all we can to show these regulations are being enforced.
Post UPDATE 5/8/15.
26 November 2014
Company to end waste meat to energy operation at the end of the year, but will seek international arbitration in the United States over the project’s long-term future
Serbia’s only plant turning hazardous meat waste into an energy source that complies with all national legislation has been shut down over an argument between its owners and the government.
Belgium company Energo Zelena claims the Republic of Serbia’s “failure” to enforce its own legislation on treatment of hazardous animal by-products and ongoing “discriminating” against its business means its operation is not financially viable.
According to the company Serbian authorities have not treated its bids for work fairly and have instead handed deals to local companies run by Serbs. A spokesman said: “As foreign direct investors, we have been continuously discriminated against. As a result our investment is severely jeopardised and the company is operating with substantial loss.”
The company further claims waste meat is being illegally dumped as local authorities are failing to ensure it is sent to a proper processing facility.
See our past post from 2011 – does this have any relationship to this we ask ??
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 