The commercial processing and sale of ivory will stop by 31 March, and all registered traders will then be phased out, bringing a full halt to the market by the end of the year.
Conservation group WWF welcomed the latest news, calling it a “historic announcement… signalling an end to the world’s primary legal ivory market and a major boost to international efforts to tackle the elephant poaching crisis in Africa”.
I wrote to you a few days ago about the shocking scenes of violent abuse and prolonged suffering our investigators captured on Pyrland dairy farm in Somerset.
In case you missed it, you can read the full story here.
Today I have better news. After widespread media coverage across the UK, including BBC TV news, the worker we filmed committing the most violent acts has been sacked by the farmer and both the RSPCA and Muller Milk are investigating.
While we still expect those responsible for this horrendous cruelty to be prosecuted, at least the worst offender no longer has contact with these vulnerable animals. So thank you for making this investigation possible.
But even without deliberate abuse, commercial milk production is inherently cruel. Cows must be forcibly impregnated year after year and have their newborn babies taken away so the milk that nature intended for these calves can be bottled and sold. This is emotionally traumatic for both cow and calf.
The physical strain of producing huge volumes of milk while simultaneously pregnant for most of her adult life wears out a cow’s body quickly. After only 3-5 years dairy cows are so physically exhausted they can no longer get pregnant and are sent to slaughter, ending up in low quality beef products.
With so many healthier plant-based alternatives available there is simply no reason to make cows and their calves suffer. If you, or someone you know, are still struggling to ditch dairy then why not sign-up for Veganuary? It is the perfect way to start the New Year!!
Posted on December 31, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
To all friends and readers of this blog I send my best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year!
For you, dear Mark, I wish a lot of strength for the further excellent work which you bring for the animal rights every day!
best regards
Venus.
Every end marks a new beginning.
Keep your spirits and determination unshaken, and you shall always walk the glory road. With courage, faith and great effort, you shall achieve everything you desire.
Posted on December 31, 2016 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Dear Mark,
I hope this e-mail finds you well. Thanks to the generosity of caring PETA supporters, 2016 was a year full of tremendous progress for animals.
Earlier this month, we learned of an important victory made possible by kind people like you. The wool industry tries hard to make people believe that producing wool is harmless to animals, but as PETA exposés have shown time and again, it’s anything but humane. PETA U.S. investigations of the Australian and American wool industries revealed that shearers kicked and stomped on sheep, punched them in the face, and jabbed them in the head and eyes. Shearers stood and kneeled on animals’ heads, necks, chests, and legs and crudely stitched up the bloody, gaping wounds that they’d caused with their clippers.
Five others will appear in court for similar offenses in the new year.
These charges are a direct result of an incriminating PETA U.S. investigation that produced video evidence of 235 separate incidents—in a single Australian state—of suspected cruelty in shearing sheds, generating more than 40 pages of formal legal complaints.
From the first-ever criminal conviction of an animal experimenter for cruelty to animals and the first-ever police raid on a factory farm to these groundbreaking charges in Australia, many of the most significant milestones in the animal rights movement are being driven by the support of compassionate people like you around the world.
Thank you for strengthening our work and for making tremendous progress for animals possible.
Kind regards,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
Founder
Watch: Joaquin Phoenix Reacts to PETA’s Wool Exposé
China requires that almost all imported cosmetic and personal care products be tested on animals, which means that companies that sell beauty products in the country are paying for these cruel tests—even if they don’t pay for testing in the U.S. market.
One of these brands is Avon, which was cruelty-free but then decided to increase its profits at the expense of animals, which PETA uncovered in 2012.
Avon didn’t need to change its policy on animal testing—China is the one that needs to change. But instead of encouraging the country to rise above cruelty, the company sank to its level.
Let Avon know that it’s not dragging us down with it, because we won’t buy any of its products until it stops selling them in countries that require animal testing.
