Good News! YES to CCTV in slaughterhouses.

Source.

Excellent news!  Animal Aid has reported that despite the government being reluctant to encourage slaughterhouses to install CCTV, supermarkets Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, the Co-op, Asda, Lidl, Tesco, Iceland, Marks & Spencer and the wholesalers Booker, have all agreed to only deal with slaughterhouses that have independently monitored CCTV cameras installed.

Animal Aid is now working with the supermarket chains to ensure that the footage taken is monitored properly and that any incidents that break the law are dealt with effectively.

Do you remember back in November when we were contacting the supermarkets to ask them to consider this?  Isn't it great to have a success!

Animal Aid reports that one slaughterhouse has actually closed down due to their exposé which also resulted into legal action against nine workers and four slaughterhouse operators.  The case was dropped in September 2010 by Defra but most of the workers will not be allowed to slaughter again.

Another positive development is that the University of Bristol are using the footage obtained in order to train vets and Soil Association inspectors and government agencies and veterinary bodies are discussing how to implement changes to improve animal welfare in slaughterhouses.

This campaign has brought the horror of slaughter to the attention of the public and has also encouraged many people to adopt a meat free diet.

Source.

Animal Aid's Monthy Newsletter for June

Source: Animal Aid

We're almost at the end of June but before the month is out check out the Animal Aid newsletter, it is well worth reading from start to finish, take a look here for the full edition.

Stop clowning around, we need to think seriously about Circuses...

Source.

The RSPCA and Animal Aid have long been campaigning for the use of animals in circuses to be banned.  A few months ago some video footage was released by an organisation called Animal Defenders International showing an elephant named Anne, being abused by her keeper at Bobby Robert's Super Circus.  The good news is that Anne has now been moved to Longleat Safari Park where you can see below that she is a whole lot happier.

Read more about Anne here.

Anne was the last elephant to be used in a circus but according to the RSPCA there are still 37 animals left including zebras, lions, snakes, tigers, camels, a kangaroo and crocodiles

After Anne's experiences had come to light, Caroline Spelman MP, the Secretary of State said that she was "minded" towards a ban on wild animals in circuses.  Unfortunately there has been no further announcement by Mrs Spelman.  In recent weeks, Defra announced that it is unable to ban the use of wild animals in circuses because of a lawsuit taking place in Austria.  However, Jim Paice, Defra’s pro-hunt animal welfare Minister was forced to admit that these legal proceedings don’t actually exist. 

Mr Paice was reported to have said "if you don't like the idea of elephants and lions performing in circuses, don't go". 

The RSPCA is asking for one final push to urge Prime Minister, David Cameron to ban wild animals in circuses once and for all.

How to Help

If you click on this link you will be taken to the RSPCA's campaign site where you will be asked to enter a few details, once you have done this you will be taken to a readily prepared e-mail where, if you have time, you can enter your own (polite) comments.  Hit submit and we're another step closer to a better life for animals.

Don't forget to tell your friends.  Thank you!

Sources:  RSPCA, Animal Aid.

Ask Harrods' New Owners to make it FUR FREE

Source.

Did you know that Harrods is the only department store in the UK that still sells real fur items?  Harrods has recently been sold to a new company (Qatar Holding) which provides an ideal opportunity for us to contact the new owners and ask them to adopt a fur free policy.

Animal Aid have asked that we write polite, informative letters and/or e-mails to the Embassy of Qatar in London and to Quatar Holding, informing them of your opposition to Harrods' involvement in the fur trade. 

Things to emphasise:

1. The majority of people in the UK are opposed to the use of animals for their fur 

2.  Fur farming was outlawed in Britain in 2001. 

3.  A fur-free policy at Harrods would prove extremely popular amongst the store's customers.

Addresses:

Qatar Embassy in London
FAO: His Excellency Sheikh. Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani Prime Minister of Qatar.
1 South Audley Street, London W1K 1NB.

Email it@qatarembassy.info, london@mofa.gov.qa

Qatar Holding
FAO His Excellency Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah
Chairman
Qatar Intermediate Industries Holding Company Limited
P.O. Box 28882 Doha, Qatar

Email info@qh.com.qa, qh@qh.com.qa

PS ~ When I have written my e-mail I will post it here as a template or you can just copy and paste it to save time if you prefer.

CCTV in Abbatoirs Update

 Source.

Since Animal Aid's campaign for CCTV to be fitted in all British slaughterhouses began, six major supermarkets have agreed to install CCTV in their abattoirs and insist their suppliers do the same.  The six companies have also promised to allow independant monitoring of the footage gained from the CCTV.  The campaign is not over yet, Animal Aid intend on using their success with Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, the Co-op and Marks & Spencer to put pressure on the supermarkets that have not agreed to the CCTV proposal.  It is vital that the supermarkets do agree to this since they are the slaughterhouses' main customers.

How to help

Click here and order some postcards and a letter writing guidance sheet from Animal Aid to help with the campaign.

URGENT! New Planning Application Now Submitted for Mega Dairy

 Source.

The first e-mail I came across this year was an urgent request for help from several animal welfare organisations regarding the Nocton mega dairy planning application which has now been resubmitted.  (Something to jog your memory).  The Planning Department at the Council have also contacted me directly asking for my comments on the application and need them before the deadline of 11th January.  If you would like to see the letter please let me know and I will e-mail it to you.

What you can do BEFORE Tuesday 11th January

Please sign this petition if you haven't already.

38 Degrees feel that the businesses behind the factory farm are being clever with the timing of their application and have submitted it just before Christmas hoping it will slip through quietly.  They have reiterated that if the mega dairy does go ahead it will be 30 times bigger than anything the UK has ever seen and make way for more cow factory farms across the country.

Please e-mail the Council directly with your objection at planning@n-kesteven.gov.uk

Visit the Viva website where they provide a template for you to send easily voicing your objection, copy and paste the template and either object online or send it to the e-mail address above.  If you have time, please edit the message to include your own opinions.

Let all your friends on Facebook or Twitter know about this and ask them to do the same, link them to this page where they can get all the information in one place.

I will keep you updated on this, thank you in advance for your help.

Lunchtime Links

Happy December!

As it has been a snowy few days I have been staying indoors surfing the net and I've come across some interesting links I think worth sharing with you. 

Have a Compassionate Christmas with Animal Aid

RSPCA still need people to participate in their Great Big Rabbit Survey

Help IFAW out with their survey

And finally some things to make you feel warm and fuzzy...

Cats who LIKE water!(Well, it does have something to do with food...)

Ever heard of an agoraphobic hare?

Newborn baby Cheetah, awwww.

Improving Animal Welfare in Slaughterhouses

Animal Aid released images showing cruelty in some abattoirs earlier this year which has prompted the RSPCA to shout louder for mandatory CCTV in all British abattoirs in the hope of improving animal welfare as well as the monitoring and enforcement of legalisation.  Slaughterhouses currently approved by the RSPCA's Freedom Food label have CCTV installed already and the RSPCA think that the biggest buyers of meat from abattoirs - Supermarkets - changed their policty to only source from abattoirs with CCTV it would really make a difference and prompt slaughterhouses to make the decision to install CCTV. 

Read more about the RSPCA's involvement with slaughterhouses.

How to help

(Aside from becoming vegetarian or vegan and not eating meat) Ask shops and supermarkets if they have a policy of only sourcing meat from CCTV regulated abattoirs (contact details below and template e-mail to follow)  Let the RSPCA know what your response is here

Join Animal Aid's campaign

Contacting Supermarkets:

Aldi

Asda

Lidl

Marks and Spencer

Sainsbury

Tesco

Waitrose

If you don't receive a response look for the supermarkets Facebook or Twitter pages and ask there as well, chances are they will respond.

UPDATE! (23/11/2010)

I have removed Morrisons from the list of supermarkets as they have now agreed to install CCTV in all it's abattoirs!  Read about it here.


Template e-mail as promised...

Dear Sir/Madam,

As a customer of your Supermarket I am interested in what your views are about the possibility of mandatory CCTV being fitted in all British abattoirs to improve animal welfare and monitor and enforce legalisation?  Earlier this year images were released showing cruelty to animals in some abattoirs and this has greatly disturbed me therefore it is important to me to hear your views on this subject and to find out whether you would support mandatory CCTV being fitted in abattoirs where you source your meat?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Pledge to Support The Ban!

Image from Google.

(I'm sorry to jump on the bandwagon and talk politics, after reading some comments made by the Countryside Alliance last night I just couldn't resist)

I felt a growing sense of unease last night as I watched Gordon Brown leave Downing Street and David Cameron enter. I went straight online to see what this might mean for the Fox Hunting Ban. It seems that the Countryside Alliance are prematurely declaring victory. The Government are focusing on pressing issues like reducing the deficit but soon enough attention will turn to the Fox Hunting Ban.

I have signed up to The League Against Cruel Sports and Animal Aid's Campaign for Decency and depending on developments I am considering becoming a member of The League and definitely will be joining protests.

[More info to follow as and when]

Will you please join me in pledging to support the ban?

The League Against Cruel Sports

Campaign for Decency