March: In Review

March has been a great month, not only weather wise but with the news of a planned ban on the use of animals in circuses and the announcement that Wales have decided to scrap their badger cull in place of TB vaccinations, could this lead to the proposed cull in the UK following suit?  

Here's what you may have missed in March...

Sometimes when campaigning for animal welfare, it feels like one step forward for can equal one step back and in the case of the elephants that were cruelly killed by poachers in a Cameroon National Park, it is definitely a big step back.

Throughout March we followed the tragic Gracia Del Mar vessel transporting livestock from Brazil to Egypt that was caught in a vicious snow storm resulting in the death of thousands of animals.  We still do not know what happened to the animals that eventually survived or in which nation they ended up.

Western Gray Whales in Eastern Russia are critically endangered with less than 130 left, their feeding grounds in Sakhalin Island are under threat from a proposed drilling platform.  WWF need our help to convince the banks funding the new platform to reconsider.

Not only are Harp Seals in Canada being cruelly killed as I type, sea lions in Chilean waters are at risk of needless slaughter, despite being a protected species in Chile they are being blamed for the scarcity of fish in Chilean waters even though it is the decades of overfishing really to blame.

There was some good news for harp seals, as the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Belarus passed a historic ban on the trade of harp seal fur cancelling an order for 100,000 baby seal skins.  The drop in demand takes us a step closer to ending the annual slaughter, however, there is still more to be done.

Jon Hickton has appealed for permission to expand an intensive broiler chicken farm in Worcestershire.  If permission is granted the farm will double in size resulting in misery for thousands more chickens.  We had a chance to put a stop to this, the deadline was 15th March but you can still read the article here.

I moved to London around 6 months ago and had no idea I was heading to the wildlife crime capital.  The future Mayor of London needs to seriously commit and take action against illegal wildlife trade.

Would you like to know how your food is farmed?  CIWF, RSPCA, WSPA and the Soil Association have come together and are campaigning for consumers to be able to choose higher animal welfare foods and for honestly labelled food.

WDCS have reported that the Scottish government is creating a network of protected areas for marine life, however, there is a risk that whales, dolphins and porpoises will not be included.

A polar bear named Yupi is still living in a small, barren holding pen in a Mexican Zoo after 20 years.  The terrain and climate is completely unsuitable as well as the lack of space, Yupi must be re-homed as a matter of urgency.

Fluffy Friday #53

We're off on holiday for a week!  I have prepared some posts in advance but I will only have sporadic access to Facebook and Twitter, just in case you wonder where I've got to.  In the meantime, I'll leave you with today's Fluffy Friday...


Animals do the funniest things!  

Have a lovely weekend!

Lunch Time Links #15

You are probably just about to head outside for lunch so you can make the most of this gorgeous weather, before you go do you have a moment for a few clicks please?

Where do you want your milk to come from?  Vote here


Stop Foie Gras Production in Europe

Ask the University of Virginia to Stop Using Cats in its Pediatrics Residency

Yupi the Polar Bear

Source: Care 2

Yupi the polar bear has lived in a small and barren holding pen in a Mexican Zoo for twenty years.  Polar bears need large spaces and natural terrain, they are not physically adapted to living in hot climates which means they can overheat easily, Mexico is home to a tropical climate which means that the Morelia Zoo is not a suitable place for Yupi to live.

Please join me in signing this petition contacting the Director of Morelia Zoo, the Municipal Mayor and the Governor of Michoacan expressing concern for Yupi's living conditions and requesting that she is relocated.  

Fluffy Friday #52

A week full of (mainly) sunshine and the weekend just hours away, there is plenty to laugh about!

Happy Friday!

Help protect Scottish whales, dolphins and porpoises

Image from WDCS.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) have reported that the Scottish government is creating a network of protected areas for Scotland's marine life, although this is good news there is a risk that whales, dolphins and porpoises will not be included in this protection.

 

Please add your name to this petition calling on the Scottish government to make sure that vulnerable whales, dolphins and porpoises are included in the marine protected areas.  The petition will close on 16th April 2012 so please do try and sign it before then.

Lunch Time Links #14

What a beautiful, Spring like week it has been so far!  Before you go and eat your lunch outside do you have a moment to take the following few actions please?

Dolphins deserve dignity, now tell the EU

Justice for slain Mountain Lion

Call for honest food labelling

Source: CIWF

CIWF reports that more than 80% of the animals raised in the EU every year are factory farmed.  The cruel factory farming practices are often hidden from the public view.

CIWF, RSPCA, WSPA and the Soil Association have come together as a partnership and are campaigning for consumers to be able to choose higher animal welfare foods and demand a method of production labelling on all meat and dairy products sold in the EU.  They believe that all foods should be labelled honestly so we know where food comes from and how it is farmed.  Even though it is a big thing to ask, it is possible.  For example, eggs produced in the EU must be labelled with their production method so that customers can decided on the type of farming they wish to support.

The campaign will be officially launched later on this year but if you are a UK resident you can help now by clicking here and contacting your MEP and adding a few details to the readily prepared message explaining that you have a right to know where your food comes from and asking them to support the campaign calling for method of production labelling to be extended to all meat and dairy products.

Help Crack down on Wildlife Crime in London

Source: WSPA

The beautiful tiger cub above would have been around 10 days old when it was killed and stuffed.  Instead of living the life it deserved, the cub's destiny was a mantelpiece in London.

London is an important hub for the illegal wildlife trade, WSPA describes it as being "a shop window on the world of wildlife crime".  When the new London Mayor is elected in a few months time there will much for them to do including policing the wildlife crime that is so rife in the city, this needs to be tackled in order to close down the marketplace for the whole of the UK.

As being put in charge of one of the biggest cities in the world, the future Mayor needs to seriously commit to resourcing London's specialist wildlife police in order to crack down wildlife crime on the streets which leads to saving animals in the wild and putting criminals in jail.

Please click here to remind the new Mayor of London that the world is watching and to ask them to take the concerns of people in the UK into account and commit to cracking down wildlife crime and saving animals in the wild.  Simply enter a few details and your name will be added to the readily prepared open letter.

Happy Mothers Day!

Did your Mum get breakfast in bed?

Have a great day!

Fluffy Friday #51

It has been a really long and tiring week so I was very grateful to receive a few cheering e-mails full lovely animal photos which I have added captions to and shared below to celebrate Fluffy Friday.

How was your week?  Don't forget it is St. Patrick's Day tomorrow and Mother's Day in the UK on Sunday, enjoy!

Thank you Russia, on behalf of the Harp Seals

The Canadian seal slaughter will begin in a matter of weeks.  However, there is some good news... the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Belarus recently passed a historic ban on the trade of harp seal fur which is the main product of the seal slaughter.  Russia was a primary market for seal products and an order for 100,000 baby seal skins has been cancelled!  The drop in demand means we are a step closer to ending the annual seal slaughter for good.

Unfortunately, the Canadian government vows to reverse the ban through diplomatic pressure which leaves hundreds of thousands of baby seals at risk of being shot or clubbed to death.

This means the future of the ban hangs in the balance and it is vital that we commend the leaders in Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus for enforcing the ban and asking them not to give into pressure from the Canadian government.  Please click here and spend a moment adding your details to the readily prepared correspondence.

If you have time, please click here and add your details in order to contact the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper and ask him to call of this years cull.


Finally, it will only take a minute to add your name to PETA's petition here.

Source: Humane Society International

Image Source: The Guardian

Lunch Time Links #13

Hello!  I hope you are having a lovely week so far? I have been enjoying the Spring weather and our new bird feeder which we have placed just outside the kitchen window.  It has brought so much life to our little patch of garden.  So far our visitors have included Sparrows, a female Blackbird, a few Blue Tits and to my amazement a Jay bird!

Do you have a minute to spare this lunch time?

Tell Vietnam to End Greyhound Racing

Ask Canada to stop killing Wolves to save tar sands

URGENT DEADLINE! Please help stop expansion of broiler chicken farm

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An application to expand an intensive broiler chicken farm in Worcestershire was refused last year, however, an appeal has been lodged by owner Jon Hickton.  The application was requesting permission for the farm to double in size which would result in thousands more chickens being condemned to a life of suffering.

The chickens spend their lives in filthy sheds crammed alongside tens of thousands of other chickens, this can result in chronic respiratory diseases and weakened immune systems.  The chickens are dosed with antibiotics to combat diseased and bred to grow so big, so fast that they become crippled due to their own weight and can suffer to organ failure.  When chickens reach "slaughter weight" they are killed, this is usually when they reach 40 to 45 days old.  

Each day more than 100,000 chickens on factory farms die before being sent to slaughter.

Please click here and enter a few details to this polite letter to the Planning Inspectorate voicing serious objections to this application and urging the agency to reject the proposal.  Please note that the closing date for objections is Thursday 15th March.