Bullfighting : Cruelty NOT Culture

Source.

Lately there has been a lot of focus on the banning of wild animals in circuses, it seems an ideal opportunity to think about another instance of animal abuse for entertainment purposes - bullfighting.  This, believe it or not, is still very much in existence and Humane Society International have calculated it being responsible for the death of up to 250,000 animals worldwide each year.

People who support bullfighting are hoping to have this "sport" protected by listing it as a form of cultural heritage, in fact politicians in both France and Spain have voted on this issue very recently.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has the job of preserving many forms of genuine Intangible Cultural Heritage and if bullfighting was listed successfully by UNESCO it would not only give it a facade of respectability but could also mean that subsidies to financially safeguard the future of bullfighting may be made available.  

How to Help

We must let them know that we would never support or accept bullfighting along with any other act of animal cruelty as a practice worthy of Intangible Cultural Heritage.  Click here and enter your details in order to allow HSI to contact UNESCO on your behalf expressing concern at the distressing possibility of bullfighting becoming acceptable and respectable.

Spread the word!

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.

Summer Warning

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If you are lucky enough to be experiencing this glorious weather (apparently England is hotter than the Caribbean?)  I hope you are enjoying yourself lots but, please, please, please don't forget to keep your animals cool.  I have just read an article about two police dogs that unfortunately died due to being left in a car during this heat.  There was another article alongside it telling of how police in Bath had to break into a car in order to rescue two dogs that were locked inside suffering due to the weather.  

(WARNING: Upsetting article)

I hate being in the car, or for that matter in any vehicle, when it is this hot but I am able to open a window or get myself a bottle of water, our furry friends get even hotter than we do and don't have the luxury of opening a window themselves or helping themselves to a drink so please don't leave your dog (or any other animal) in the car.

Cargo Cruelty!

BUAV are running an international campaign to stop airlines transporting primates that are destined for research.  This follows an investigation which reveals that major airline carriers are shipping monkeys for use in labs around the world.

BUAV obtained a secret film showing rows of small crates, each crate containing monkeys on cargo trolleys ready to be loaded into the holds of Vietnam Airlines and Air France aircraft.  Other airlines playing a role in the primate trade for research include Air Canada (flying monkeys from China to labs in Canada) also both China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines (flying monkeys from South East Asia to the USA).

Please click on this link in order to contact the airlines mentioned above and ask them to stop participating in this cruel trade.  The letter isn't readily prepared but BUAV have prepared some suggested text which I have can copied and pasted below.  Please feel free to alter this slightly if you wish and e-mail or post to the addresses provided at the aforementioned link.

Suggested text from BUAV:

I am writing in support of the BUAV Cargo Cruelty campaign.

I was shocked to learn that your airline is involved in the transportation of monkeys to laboratories. It is unacceptable that these sensitive animals, ripped from their families and homes, are then subjected to the stress of being packed into small crates and shipped as cargo on your airline to end up in laboratories where they will suffer in experiments.

I urge you to join the increasing number of airlines that have made the decision to stop their involvement in this cruelty. Until you do, I will not be flying with your airline.

I sent my messages off quite a while ago and haven't heard back yet but if/when I do I will let you know.

You can download BUAV's Cargo Cruelty campaign poster and postcard by clicking on the links!

Find out more about the campaign.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to let your friends know about this - the more the merrier!

UPDATE!

Fluffy Friday #24

Ten, teeny, tiny Tawny Owl orphans wish you Happy Fluffy Friday!

Source and complete article.

What happened at the debate on Circuses?

BBC News tells how MP Mark Pritchard stood up to Prime Minister David Cameron after he was "threatened"

The Express tells of a "dirty tricks" row

New Statesmen says Number 10 was "humiliated" after MP's backed a ban on wild animals used in circuses.

The good news is that MP's voted unanimously for a ban!

Canada's commercial seal hunt has started.

Source.

The commercial harp seal hunt in Canada has now begun.  The government have approved the slaughter of 400,000 baby seals.  

The Canadian government are still fighting the EU ban on seal products and challenging the rights of other countries saying "no" to seal products.

Please spare a moment to click here in order to inform Prime Minister Stephen Harper that you will defend your right to say "no" to cruelty and ask him to listen to people throughout the world and end the seal hunt.

QUICK! Less than 36 hours to make a difference.

On Thursday 23rd June, backbench MPs have forced a debate in the House of Commons on circuses which is very likely to be followed by a vote.  This comes after Government's recent decision not to introduce a total ban on wild animals being used in circuses and to introduce a licensing system instead.

If the MP's do back a ban on the use of wild animals in cirucses it doesn't mean it will automatically be passed as a law BUT it will increase the level of pressure on the Government.

How to help

Please can you spare a minute to click here in order to write to your MP asking them to attend the debate and vote to ban the use of wild animals in circuses?  All you need to do is click, enter a few details and WSPA will do the rest of the work for you.  If you do have time to add your views to the readily prepared e-mail it would be really great.

If you have some more time to spare, WSPA is supporting The Independent newspapers campaign asking for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.  Add your name to their petition here and please don't forget to spread the word.

Read WSPA's article and see what animal loving singer Leona Lewis says about the campaign.

Fancy a sandwich?

Did you know that each year we in the UK eat in excess of 11.5 BILLION sandwiches and more than half of them are made at home?  The RSPCA has quite rightly observed that "with many delicious fillings to choose from it’s easy to overlook animal welfare considerations when deciding what to put in your sandwich."

It was with this in mind that the RSPCA chose British Sandwich Week to launched their ‘Fairer Fillings’ campaign which hopes encourage sandwich lovers to choose higher welfare meat, fish and egg produce in their sandwiches.

Buying or making a sandwich with a ‘fairer filling’ can be a challenge and it can be difficult to find food on the go that contains higher welfare meat, or clear labelling that details how animals have been farmed but as consumers all of us have the power to make a big difference.  Remember that even if you choose vegetarian fillings such as egg or cheese it is important to check how the animals providing the eggs and cheese have been treated beforehand.

To start with, please download RSPCA's Guide to Fairer Fillings (PDF)

If you’d like to do more, here are a few more ways RSPCA have come up with for you to help improve farm animal welfare:

• Campaign to high street sandwich retailers to ask them for higher welfare sandwich fillings.
   
• When shopping, look for a description of higher welfare on the packaging, e.g. Freedom Food.
   
• Swap a filling - if you usually make your lunch at home then take action on animal welfare by considering the fillings you buy at the supermarket or deli.
   
• Talk to your friends over lunch or a picnic about the benefits of buying higher welfare products and let them know about our Guide to Fairer Fillings.
   
• Visit our campaign website and have your say on our blog.
   
• Visit the Think Pig fan page on Facebook, become a fan of the campaign.
   
• Share the campaign with your friends on Facebook and Twitter with the links at the bottom of the page.
   
• Ask you local sandwich shops for ‘fairer fillings’ - we can help you with Simply Ask.

Happy News from WWF!

Source: Pinterest.

Last month there was news of increased rhino numbers in Nepal, and tigers on the way back to central Asia.

The latest rhino census shows there are almost 100 more one-horned rhinos than in 2008.

On top of the recent improved figures from India, tigers are now set to return to central Asia for the first time in 40 years. WWF have come up with a plan along with the government of Kazakhstan, to relocate some Russian Amur tigers (which are genetically identical to central Asia's extinct Turan tiger) to suitable areas in Kazakhstan.