The fight continues...

(Image Source: RSPCA)

 

After the deaths of over 40 sheep and subsequent suspension of live animal exports at Ramsgate port Ipswich port helped the Live Export trade to continue just one week later.  Since then CIWF has reported that over 63,000 emails have been sent to Defra Minister David Heath and Ipswich port owners ABP against the live exports from Ipswich.  On 28th September it was reported that ABP had suspended the live exports from Ipswich.  The fight is not over as transporters will now be contacting other ports to take their place.

We need to show the farming sector that the public do not support live exports and call on UK farmers seeking their help in ending the live export trade.

It is the UK farmers, as well as the government, that have the power to end this trade.  As the sheep and dairy farming sectors receive generous subsidies from the tax payer they have a responsibility to respond NOW to public opposition.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU), the National Sheep Association (NSA), and DairyCo represent the majority of farmers involved in the live export trade, although most sheep and dairy farmers in the UK do not export their livestock. We ask that the NFU, NSA and DairyCo to respond to the tragedy at Ramsgate, and the suspensions of the trade that have followed, by calling on the farmers they represent to end this trade for good.

Please sign CIWF's petition asking for the support of NFU, NSA and DairyCo.

Please click here to email Associated British Ports today and urge them to ban the trade in live animals across all its ports, for good.

Help Australian Sheep

Source.

I am absolutely disgusted to hear of the way millions of sheep in Australia are treated when they are not able to produce enough wool to generate profits for farmers.  PETA reports that the sheep are sold for slaughter and forced to travel for weeks on end to the Middle East and North Africa on hot, multi-tiered ships where they endure weeks of misery.  If they survive the disgusting conditions on board they then face slaughter.

Back in 2005 PETA US and Australian activists released the results of an undercover investigation which exposed shocking cruelty to sheep.  The Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has insisted that the current regulatory system is working despite the fact that it was animal activists and not government officials that documented the cruelty.

Please sign this petition allowing PETA to continue to expose the horrors of the wool, meat and live export industries and to raise awareness and put pressure on decision makers to make the urgent changes needed to save the lives of animals.

Your signature really will make a difference, PETA and their affiliates have sparked an international outcry and resulted in promises of industry and government reform.  A growing number of retailers are moving away from wool from mulesed lambs or have banned it outright.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) MUST take action

In the last few months I posted several times about the Gracia Del Mar tragedy in which thousands of cattle died.  CIWF have reported that over 20,000 of you wrote to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about tragedy asking them to resolve the appalling situation and ensure that their guidelines to protect transported animals are properly enforced.  The OIE did absolutely nothing.

Since this tragedy CIWF have received footage of inhumane animal slaughter in Egypt, the destination of the Gracia del Mar.  The footage is so shocking and described as "the worst that Compassion has ever seen; completely in breach of international slaughter guidelines and so utterly horrific that we are unable to show it publicly."  Once again it is down to the OIE to take action as they are responsible for the development of the slaughter guidelines, once again they are failing abysmally.

CIWF have received reports that the animals who survived the Gracia del Mar tragedy may be returned to Egypt to face these disgraceful slaughter conditions.

It is time for us, once again, to contact the OIE and tell them this is far from acceptable.  The OIE have a conference next month and CIWF are doing everything in their power to ensure they address their failings on transport and slaughter.  Please click here to contact the OIE, CIWF have provided bullet points to include in the message but to make it easier I have created a template e-mail you can use below so please copy and paste this in the box if you don't have the time to compose your own message.

Subject: Animal Welfare during transport and slaughter

Dear Dr Vallat,

It is with great anguish that I have been following the developments of the Gracia del Mar vessel containing thousands of animals who died, I am extremely angry and disappointed at your seeming lack of action during this occurrence.  I am pleased that the OIE have developed guidelines on animal welfare but it is very disappointing that these guidelines are not being implemented.  The OIE have a responsbibility to mediate between member states when a situation such as the Gracia del Mar disaster occurs, however, the only visible response to this disaster was vague press statement one month after the event.  It is still unclear what happened and whether or not you actually took any action, will this ever be explained?  

I have been prompted to write to you after hearing about the acquisition of evidence of extremely cruel slaughter practices in Egypt received by Compassion in World Farming.  These sickeningly cruel slaughter practices seriously breach OIE guidelines on both transport and slaughter, these are not isolated cases as CIWF have informed the OIE about cruel slaughter practices that breach OIE guidelines in several countries.  A World Bank report has revealed that there are serious animal welfare problems in a range of countries across the world, the report concludes that animal welfare at all the slaughter facilities visited "requires significant improvement".

It is likely that the cattle which survived the Gracia del Mar tragedy are heading to Egypt to be slaughtered, in light of the evidence of inhumane slaughter practices in this country the OIE must take steps to ensure that these animals, who suffered enough on the sea journey, aren't subjected to such practices.

I strongly feel that the OIE must do more to ensure that its member countries implement the guidelines.  Your global conference on animal welfare in November is an ideal opportunity to focus on this issue.  It is vital that the conference produces a strong commitment by OIE member countries to comply with OIE recommendations, as well as a clear action plan as to how animal welfare across the world can be dramatically improved.

Thank you for your time.

Campaign Update: 8 Hours

 
Despite bringing you news of many of the campaigns run by various animal welfare organisations, I am not so good at updating you very regularly how said campaigns progress.  I hope to get better at doing this so I will start as I mean to go on and update you on the CIWF and RSPCA 8 hours campaign.

Thousands of people wrote to their MEP's back in January urging them to sign a Written Declaration calling for the establishment of a maximum 8 hour journey limit for live animals being transported.  Only 369 MEP signatures were needed but 394 signed the declaration which means it will now become an official position of the European Parliament.  This will put pressure on the Commission to reconsider the current rules in place.

This is more proof that when coming together we really can make changes, no matter how small.  The RSPCA quite rightly says that "it may be a small step towards change, but it means the world to the millions of animals who suffer during long distance live transport each year."

There is always work still to be done so whilst waiting for further updates, please sign the Number 10 Petition, if you haven't already, calling on the Government for a reform of live farm animal export laws.

Fresh Hope for Victims of Farm Animal Export

You may have read my previous posts regarding the export of live livestock through the port of Ramsgate.  According to CIWF, over 60,000 sheep, pigs and calves have suffered whilst been exported through the port within a 7 month period.

RSPCA have reported that their investigations have raised concerns that the boat used to transport the animals is not suitable and states that it is time to put an end to live farm animals being sent on long journeys to farms in Europe that, in the case of calves, could be considered illegal in the UK.


RSPCA continue by stating that "last year the European Commission report recommended no changes to the current rules on live animal transport.  Despite the depth of public feeling on the issue and the extreme conditions that animals, many as young as just two weeks old, are forced to endure."


However, there is fresh hope for animals!  

If the majority of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sign the Written Declaration calling for the "establishment of a maximum 8-hour journey limit" by 15th March 2012 it will become an official position of the European Parliament.  This means only 369 signatures are needed, please click here to contact your MEP asking them to sign Written Declaration 0049/2011.  

If you haven't already, please sign this petition calling for Ramsgate to be allowed to cease trade from its port and for a limit of 8 hours to be put on the journey time that the animals endure.  

Remember people power and share this with your friends.

Thank you.

URGENT Stop Air France from transporting live Primates TOMORROW!

{Source: VOX Magazine}

Tomorrow, Air France will be transporting a shipment of 60 live monkeys from Africa to the USA where they will be used for experiments.  

The monkeys will be shipped in small wooden crates from an African breeding facility to Paris, they will then travel to Chicago and be transported by truck to the notorious Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL).  In December SNBL was exposed by Peta as particularly cruel to animals after many of them were physically and psychologically abused, deprived of veterinary care and left to suffer untreated wounds.

Almost every major airline refuses to participate in the transportation of primates for animal testing, however, Air France continues to profit from this industry.

If we act now there is still a chance to stop Air France from transporting the monkeys, please click here to contact Air France officials and ask them to cancel this shipment and ban all future transportation of primates for animal testing purposes. 

Please also ask your friends and family to do the same to ensure Air France are pressured to put a stop to their planned journey tomorrow.

Thank you.

End Live Animal Exports

{Source: CIWF}

Compassion in World Farming have announced disturbing new figures showing that over 60,000 sheep, pigs and calves have been exported live through Ramsgate port in a 7 month period, this is despite the strong opposition from local residents.

Compassion has been supporting a locally run campaign seeking to end this cruel trade, Thanet District Council controls trade through the Port of Ramsgate and it is on this council to which we need to apply more pressure.  Thanet District Council charges live animal exporters only £750 per sailing for the use of their port, even though the actual cost to the port per sailing is likely to run into thousands.  The difference in cost is being funded by the tax payer.

I am not as concerned about the cost as much as I concerned about the needless suffering endured by thousands of animals, however, if the Council were to increase the fee it would make the exports too expensive to continue.

Please click on this link and fill in a few details in order to contact Thanet District Council asking them to take a stand against live exports by raising the fees to stop this cruel trade.

Can you share this action with your friends as well please?

Thank you!