Update on Circus Ban (or lack thereof)

Anne, the elephant.

Some time ago I posted about Anne the elephant who after spending a life being beaten and abused was finally able to retire from “Bobby Roberts Super Circus” in April this year.

RSPCA reports that the Crown Prosecution Service has agreed to take on the prosecution of Bobby and Moira Roberts in relation to the alleged abuse of Anne.  The court date is set for today.

Anne has now been liberated from her circus life but despite overwhelming support from the pubic and MP’s, the government have still not implemented a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.  Instead of finding a solution, they have wasted resources on developing a licensing system that nobody wants.

If you are a UK resident please click here and contact your MP and ask them to contact Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE, the Minister responsible at Defra to take action on this urgent matter.   

Please share this with your friends on Facebook or Twitter and ask them to take action too.

Thank you.

Stop the puppy trade in Ireland

Four Paws reports that due to a loophole in the Irish legal system, traders are able to breed alleged pedigree puppies in appalling conditions without being punished.  

The conditions they are kept in involve dogs and puppies being crammed into secluded outbuildings so that neighbours don’t hear their barks or smell the filthy surroundings they are forced to endure.  Shockingly, female dogs are forced to breed continuously with only the minimum amount of food and water necessary to keep them alive.  This results in a life of sleeping, eating, defecating, urinating, mating and giving birth in the same filthy conditions.

If dogs can no longer breed they are disposed of.

Life is grim for the puppies once they are born, although they should remain with their mothers for the first eight weeks of their lives they are removed at the earliest opportunity and kept in equally disgusting conditions.  The puppies may eventually find loving homes but due to the neglect suffered after birth most will have long term health and behavioural problems.

Four Paws estimates that at least 50,000 farmed puppies are trafficked from Ireland to England each year.

Please spare a moment to sign the online petition which will be delivered to the UK government calling for the compulsory micro chipping of puppies and tightening of dog breeding legislation. 

Please tell your friends, the more signatures we can get the more difference this will make.

Thank you.

8 Hours Campaign

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) reports that millions of farm animals suffer from heat stress, disease and overcrowding whilst enduring transportation across long distances in Europe in hot, cramped and soiled cages with little food, water or rest.  Once they reach the end of their journey they are slaughtered.

WSPA states that live animals for slaughter should never be transported for more than 8 hours.

Please sign this petition to support the 8 Hours campaign and ask the European Commission to enforce legalisation preventing any farm animal from enduring more than 8 hours of transportation. 

WSPA hopes to reach 1 Million signatures by 5th January 2012.

Once you have signed the petition, please continue to make a difference by sharing the news on Facebook and Twitter encouraging your friends to do the same.

Thank you

Fluffy Friday #35

A seasonal treat for you today, a minuscule British Harvest Mouse attempting to scratch his nose whilst using his legs and sturdy tail to prop himself up on the stem.  Did you know that the Harvest Mouse is one of Britain’s endangered species? 

Read more about this adorable creature here.

Breaking Animal News

Raccoon Dog

{image source}

Every morning I scan through the National Newspapers for interesting animal related articles to share with you, earlier today I was stunned to read the following article entitled How dogs are dying for your fake UGG boots.  I must warn you that the article is disturbing reading and left me reeling and extremely angry.  However, I am very glad this has been reported.  It is important to note as well that the article is mainly expressing the disappointment and the journalist not being able to get a REAL pair of UGG boots with only a passing mention to the plight of animals (yes, this made me angry as well) but within the article is some useful information that we can utilize. 

In summary:

In China raccoon dogs, who are related to the domestic dog, are kept in horrific conditions and then skinned alive on a fur farm so that their fur can be used on products like fake UGG boots.  As there is currently no ban on this fur being sold there is a risk that consumers may be fooled into buying imitation UGG boots produced with the fur of the abused raccoon dogs.

UGG boots are made from sheepskin (which I am vehemently against) and UGG Australia claim that their sheepskin is produced in a humane way.  Fraudulent websites are selling cut price UGG boots labelled as 100% sheepskin when in actual fact they are trimmed with real animal fur.

What can we do?

Don’t buy UGG boots or imitation UGG boots

Read the article and share it with your friends

If you do come across a website selling fake UGG boots report them to the Metropolitan Polices e-crime unit

Two sites mentioned in the article are clearanceuggsoutlet.co.uk and uggbootsukonline.co.uk so another idea would be to visit these sites and attempt to contact the owners with your views on what they are doing – try to keep it polite and informative.

It may be worth leaving a comment at the bottom of the article like I have mentioning that it is a pity that obtaining a real pair of UGG boots seems to be the only issue causing concern.  In order to leave a comment you need to register first.

If I hear of anything else we can do you will be the first to hear about it.

Thank you.

Animals in Japan need our help.

Source.

The coldwetnose blog brought Mayhew International’s campaign to my attention.  

Taken from Mayhew International’s website:  Mayhew International works to promote companion animal welfare and the humane management of homeless cats and dogs through a network of community animal care initiatives. Our work with vets interested in this area of animal welfare has a special significance for international development, benefiting communities in developing countries, many of whom rely on their animals for support.

In March this year Japan suffered the most powerful earthquake since records began, this subsequently triggering an huge tsunami.  The earthquake reached a magnitude of 8.9 on the Richter scale and has caused mass death and destruction.  A state of emergency was declared at the Fukushima nuclear power plant after the disaster caused pressure to exceed normal levels.  

Eight months on from the disaster Mayhew International reports that the situation in Japan is still chaotic especially for the animals in the region.  Months ago when people were ordered to vacate the area 20km around the Fukushima nuclear power plant they were told they could not take their animals with them and would only be absent for a few days, which wasn’t the case as people have been absent for a lot longer.  Animals were left inside houses and yards and livestock were left in small pens with only a few days worth of food and water.  Some animal groups managed to get around the barriers and reach some animals, although sadly many animals have died due to starvation and dehydration.  Now there is a threat that the evacuation zone will be extended to 30km and authorities have again informed people they will not be able to take pets with them when they are evacuated.

Mayhew International is urging us to join them in pressuring the Japanese government to set aside housing which allows pets to stay with their owners. 

This action is slightly more taxing and will involve time and a slight expense however I am sure you will agree of the worthy cause.  

Please print off several copies of this petition (PDF) and get as many people as you can to sign and post them all together to the following people and addresses:

Mr. Ryu Matsumoto, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, 1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8914

Mr. Yorihisa Matsuno, The Democratic Party of Japan, #240 House of Representatives, 2-1-2 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8982

Mr. Kouriki Jojima, The Democratic Party of Japan, 2-27 Miyamoto-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 210-0004

Due to the chaos in Japan it will be a good idea to send the post by express mail to ensure it reaches there safely.  People have been sending these petitions for quite sometime already and it has made a slight difference with the government allowing people back to collect their pets, although an update back in May states there is still a problem with animals being allowed into the evacuation centres and as yet there seems to be no news on the facilities available for animals so it is still well worth reminding the government that they do need to make provisions.

Please join Mayhew International’s Facebook page for all further news and updates. 

Working together with Mayhew is the Animal Rescue Kansai (ARK) organisation, so check out how you can help at their website.

Thank you.

Calling all dog lovers!

What are you doing this weekend?  

I am going to be at Discover Dogs, an event run by The Kennel Club at Earl’s Court in London over the 12^th and 13^th November.  This unique occasion allows visitors to meet and learn more about approximately 200 breeds (including endangered breeds), attend interesting seminars on a range of dog related topics given by well known and well informed speakers; it is also the ideal place to pick up treats for your dogs within the extensive range of trade stands, as well as enter competitions, meet other dog lovers and basically indulge yourself in doggie heaven.

This popular event is expecting over 26,000 visitors and 3,000 dogs over the two days.  Tickets are very reasonably priced and I was lucky to win some!  Discover Dogs is still offering regular chances to win, just check out their Facebook Page.

If you don’t have a dog but are considering the possibility this is the ideal way to come face to face with what the dog world has to offer and find out about the many different breeds, you can also direct any questions you may have to the many breed experts in attendance, this may well help you find out which dog would be most suited to your lifestyle and be the perfect addition to the family.

Find out More:

What’s On at Discover Dogs

Discover Dogs Seminars

Trade Stands at Discover Dogs (Suki has given me her shopping list)

Ticket Information and Prices

See you there!

Lunch Time Links #2

RELAX - it’s lunch time!  

How about checking out these links and making a difference whilst you eat your sandwiches?

Save the Mekong Dolphin from Extinction

Stop the devious import of cat and dog fur into Canada

Implement a ban on keeping wild and exotic animals.

Source.

A few weeks back there was a very sad and disturbing story in the press about the release of 56 wild animals in Zanesville, Ohio resulting in dire consequences.  The animals were released by their owner, Terry Thompson, who took his own life after opening the cage doors.  The animals liberated included lions, tigers, wolves and bears which prompted the sheriff to issue a “shoot to kill” order.

49 of the 56 animals were killed including 17 lions, 18 tigers, 8 bears, 3 mountain lions, 2 wolves and a baboon. 

PETA reports that for years it has asked Ohio officials to ban the private ownership of exotic and wild animals, unfortunately nobody has listened.  The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has the ability to implement a ban on the sale and possession of exotic and wild animals and could stop a similar incident happening again.

Please click here to be re-directed to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and politely ask them to exercise their authority to implement an emergency ban which prohibits the keeping of wild and exotic animals.  You can either write your own message or copy and past the text below:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I was greatly distressed to hear of the unfortunate death of 49 wild animals being killed after being released by Terry Thompson.  This could have been avoided if Mr Thompson was prohibited from keeping wild and exotic animals.

I am writing to you to ask you to exercise your authority and seriously consider implementing emergency regulations to ban the sale and possession of wild and exotic animals.  Action needs to be taken immediately to stop another horrific incident happening again.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

When asked to select a topic from the drop down menu I chose Wildlife: Fishing and Hunting.

As always, please spread the word!

Thank you.

Spotlight On St. Tiggywinkles

Why St. Tiggywinkles?

I was chatting with my Nan recently and as I was avidly describing a squirrel running up someone's leg in the park (yes, really!) she mentioned spotting a hedgehog near her home one evening and giving him some bread and butter (my Nan always gets cross with people who are stingy with butter).  She was quite concerned about the hedgehog's welfare and I told her about an old episode of Blue Peter I watched when I was little, showing us how to make a hibernation box for a hedgehog.  I then started to wonder when exactly hedgehogs hibernated and for how long and I knew the perfect place to go to find out more...  St Tiggywinkles!  

What do they do?

St. Tiggywinkles (named after the Beatrix Potter story The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle) is a specialist hospital dedicating to rescuing and rehabilitating all species of British wildlife.  As well as caring and rehabilitating hedgehogs, St. Tiggywinkles also care for badgers, foxes, wild birds, reptiles and amphibians.  They treat over 10,000 animals each year and are open 24/7 to treat all casualties free of charge.  Read more about what St. Tiggywinkles does and how the charity was first started.

More about Hedgehogs

Back in 1984 St. Tiggywinkles launched a nationwide awareness campaign about hedgehogs, the campaign informed the general public that the traditional snack of bread and milk is actually harmful to hedgehogs and advised that this could be exchanged for a snack of dog food and water.  (Don't worry, I've passed this on to my Nan and told her not to give her local hedgehog any more bread).  There are some very interesting fact sheets on the St. Tiggywinkles website and this one explains why bread and milk is not suitable for hedgehogs.  Other fact sheets include:  general information, hibernation, over wintering, garden hazards and how to build a hedgehog a home (this is a lot different from the example on Blue Peter!).

How to help

St. Tiggywinkles is doing a remarkable job and providing much needed assistance to British wild animals.  To help them continue to provide this care check out what they need us to do here.  

They are currently running a campaign asking members of the public to follow the Country Code and to remember wild animals when out in the countryside.  Always ensure you take rubbish home with you and if you see any rubbish lying around, for example bottles in hedgerows, then please remove them.  This poignant poster was created by the founder of St. Tiggywinkles, Les Stocker, who took a photograph of the bones of 13 voles and shrews who tragically died in an old milk bottle dumped in a hedgerow.