Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

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

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UPDATE 17/6/15.  As of today, we have now published 2,460 different posts on this site.

You can select the posts for each month using the left hand calendar, or you can do a search using the box on the upper right.  There is a mass of information on past work and campaigns.  If you are looking for something special and you know the country where ‘it’ will have happened; just stick the country name in the search box and this will help you with a shorter list.

Regards SAV.

Published in August 2014.

Well very soon we will be preparing to publish our 2,000^th post for SAV.

As of 21/8/2014 we have the following figures for the site:

562,870  VISITOR VIEWS

 4,472  COMMENTS LEFT

1,979  POSTS ON THE SITE.

Looking back, there are mixed feelings on my part about it all.  I can cast my mind right back to the start when Slavica contacted me (I don’t know how she found out about me or my contact details – that’s the AR movement for you !) asking basically for some help from an English speaker  and old codger / campaigner regarding helping Serbian stray animals.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO_6qmBHLbo

Almost immediately, I thought it would be a good idea to set up a site through which we could campaign to the Serbian government and authorities by the written word; whilst at the same time having some kind of documented ‘record’ of all the things we were getting involved with.

Above – Helping with the campaigns to save the beautiful Wolves of the USA.

So after a little trawling around looking for a suitable site which could be used for this purpose; things progressed in a haphazard way and the fledgling ‘Serbian Animals Voice’ was started.  Initially for the first few years; it was really only / specifically Serbian stray animals that really were the focus of attention on the site – that’s what it was formed for after all.  Slavica would provide information, evidence and photographs; and I would attempt to document this onto the site; our main aim / focus being directed at Serbian regional authorities and the main government.  I guess you could say that in those early days; still like today, we were up for the fight and did everything we could to inform the government  (and all our visitors to the SAV site) about the terrible situation for stray animals in Serbia.

In a strange way; for me, SAV became yet another ‘plate’ to be kept spinning on the poles named collectively as ‘animal welfare campaigning’.  At the time of founding SAV, I was massively involved with live animal transport investigations and campaigning in the EU; something which is still a very major issue with me to this very day.  I was holding down a rather demanding job involved with military combat aircraft, as well as doing undercover investigations into live horse exports from the UK to mainland Europe for slaughter; although this was not what the official paperwork declared !.  During holiday breaks from rather stressful work, I would head off into Europe to team up with UK national animal welfare groups doing major campaigning on factory farming issues – you can see more at ‘About Us’ on this site.   We also did other work at the same time; checking out this and that; sniffing around as they say !.  Oh, and I was also a few years into then being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) also; probably was (and still very much is)  the biggest pain in the butt you could ever imagine – avoid it if you can.  Days were very long and rather demanding; it was quite simply, a case of keeping all the different plates spinning in the hope that nothing would drop and smash.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAGB5UOHSZs 

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaj0C4yZRa4 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9plIDOFNoQ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQLqQcfyGs

Below – A baby calf gets its revenge for being exported from the UK to Europe – It puts Prime Minister (then) John Major into the veal crate to see how he likes it ! – campaigning at Dover harbour, Kent, England.

Below – Live Animal Export campaigning at the EU Parliament; Brussels, Belgium

Above – Little ‘Shadow’ the kitten as rescued by Danica at Felix Shelter, Serbia.  For more, visit:

PayPal button is on our blog:

http://novisadcats.blogspot.com/

and our website: 

http://catshelter-felix.com/

Slavica (in Serbia) and I (England) have always worked along the lines of not necessarily having to say much to each other about things, but each of us knowing exactly what the other means and needs to get across to politicians; SAV site visitors, etc.  A kind of ‘sixth sense’ where we can communicate outside of the normal ‘box’ and yet still fully understand what we are both aiming for with regard publicity.  Since founding SAV, it has been a real pleasure to watch Slavica go from a person who only wrote very ‘pigeon English’ to someone who now has an excellent grasp of the language; so much better than my Serbian !!  Today we are able to communicate in a way that did not exist in the early days of SAV.  The sixth sense still comes into play all the time in an endeavour to make a good site post from the information that is provided.

I have witnessed Slavica have some very serious health issues in the early years of SAV; life threatening issues to be frank; but her determination to continue the fight for animals, combined with a very healthy non animal diet, have supported her in growing stronger day by day; to the point where once again now, she is a real powerhouse to be up against in Serbia – god help any politicians out there is all I can say !! – I wish her the very best in both health and campaigning and I hope she continues to be an animals voice for many years to come; I know she will.

Above – Mark’s Beautiful dog – ‘Golda’.

A few years ago I decided that it was time to ‘open up’ SAV and to ‘spread wings’ a lot more re covering many global animal issues.  Things were going well in Serbia regarding campaigning thanks to Slavica and many others; and by covering more global issues we had the potential to reach out to many more people on a global basis; to inform them of the cruelties which exist anywhere and everywhere in the world – animal cruelty has no bounds.  Serbia as always, remains the main nation that we draw animal attention to when it is required; after all, that’s what SAV was originally founded for; but I hope you will agree; moving on to now cover other international animal welfare issues gives much more of an ‘openness’ to the site.

The live animal export work continues for me with SAV now focussing all its attention on EU campaigning for new and improved regulations for live animal transport.  We also attempt to help and support shelters in Serbia such as the brilliant ‘Felix shelter’ for ex street cats which is run by Danica.

Above – Far East dogs going for slaughter and human consumption.

So now, I look back over many years and personal photograph albums of all the various campaigning both here in the UK, the EU and sometimes in the USA; and simply ask myself; ‘has it all been worth it ?’.

The answer is ‘yes’, very much worth it.

Below – an impromptu demo for the BUAV at the Mauritanian Embassy, London; calling for the Mauritian government to stop the supply of research primates to European laboratories.

Below – Our very impressive ‘sad lab primate’  on the day – a costume worn by one very agile campaigner, who then decided to climb the street lamps etc to get some additional attention – the press guys loved it !!

It has taken its physical  toll over some 35 years or so, going back to the lad of 17 when I attended my first big demo in London town against the Chinese cat and dog meat trade.  Always supported by a very pro-welfare family, I was encouraged to hit the streets and be a voice for the voiceless.  Over the years I have laughed, cried, hugged, and done 1,001 other things with all the great friends that I have met down the road of animal rights / welfare.  Good people all of them; and regardless of the titles which the press and media sometimes like to give them, they are all the most compassionate and caring folk you could ever wish to meet – protecting animals from cruelty is their thing; and that is a pretty good string to have to your bow in my opinion.  One big win we had was in stopping the annual Russian seal hunt – it involved working with good friend Robert; the main man; and several trips to Downing Street and the EU Parliament in Brussels; but in the end, thanks to Bobs massive and dedicated input on being the voice; the Russian seal cull was stopped !

Above – Mark (SAV Founder – left – Russian Sealer), Mark Watts MEP (centre) and Robert (Right) Campaign for Russian Seal Pups Prior to Entering Downing Street, London.

Below – A typical Russian seal farm – pups taken from the wild as ‘Whitecoats’ and held until their coats turn the ‘right’ colour (known as ‘beaters’) – then they are slaughtered to make fur hats !

Below – A Very young Baby Whitecoat pup is netted up and made ready to be airlifted back to the seal farm (see above picture)

Below – After Downing Street campaigning (see above) we move on to the European Parliament in Brussels to further the Russian seal pup campaign – Top seal pup campaigner Robert is bottom centre holding the ‘Shame’ banner – Mark is back right (of ‘Ruthless banner) with baseball cap.

So here we are today, with the world still full of animal abuse and cruelty.  As with many global conflicts at present, you have to ask yourself if there is ever any chance of things improving.  On the animals front, I think so – the road to improving welfare and conditions can be a very long and arduous one; but on the occasions when you do get some positive results; you feed on it; brush yourself down, turn the page and carry on setting your focus on the next targets.

Above – one lucky rescued dog in the Far East.

 I hope that with SAV as it is, we are keeping you informed about some global welfare issues.  We miss a lot; hands up and openly admit that; but we are doing what we can given the situation and resources we find ourselves in.  When I look at my beautiful ‘Golda’ who passed last December, as well as a wonderful dog; I see and have respect for an animal that is innocent and needs protection – an animal that needs someone to care for its welfare and most importantly, to speak up and show the real truth when the abusers come to town.  SAV have never shirked from exposing the bad sides of animal cruelty; and it will continue to do that.  The world is not full of shiny, happy people; some, and it is just some; get a real kick out of abusing innocents such as baby calves; seals; foxes, anything that is sentient and suffers just like you and I if we were kicked, burnt, clubbed, experimented upon and the rest.

Who knows what the future holds for SAV ? – it will continue to attempt to be a voice for the voiceless; exposing the work undertaken by so many good folk across the world who like us, abhor seeing animals suffer.

We will continue to fight the fight for them; regardless of the outcome.

That’s just the way we are !

Thanks for sticking with us through good and bad;

Regards Mark

SAV founder; Kent England.

Sadly, for many animals throughout the world, in intensive farming systems, enduring long distance transport to slaughter, suffering in fur farms, labs, aquariums, zoos etc, the following is very far from the truth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TwT69i1lU

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