Author: Cassie Bodin-Duval

Humane Society International’s rescuers are still finding dogs and cats alive more than three weeks after the first quake

Humane Society International

Emrah Gurel/AP Images for HSI.

ANTAKYA,Türkiye—More than three weeks after the deadly earthquake in Türkiye, the animal rescue team from Humane Society International is still finding dogs and cats alive in abandoned apartments, damaged buildings or wandering the streets. The animal charity estimates that more than 1,500 animals―dogs, cats, rabbits, goldfish, a rooster, budgies, reptiles and more―have been brought to receive medical care at just the three main veterinary field clinics set up by local veterinarians and groups in the city of Antakya, where HSI’s team is working. HSI estimates that tens of thousands of animals across the country will have perished.

Most of the animals being rescued and brought to the clinics, have suffered cuts, bruises, infected wounds, infected eyes, dehydration, starvation and shock.  Unbelievably, despite most of these animals seeming to have had little to no access to food or water, they have survived against the odds.

Kelly Donithan, HSI’s director of animal disaster response, is leading HSI’s deployment. Ms Donithan says: “It’s remarkable that after more than three weeks since the first earthquake, our team is still finding animals alive, but they are in desperate need of help. Around 1,500 have been treated in just the three main veterinary field hospitals where we’re working in Antakya, and the numbers of dead animals across the country is likely to run into the tens of thousands. The animals we’re finding still alive are often in abandoned and damaged apartments, where they’ve been all alone throughout this disaster. I can only imagine how frightening it must have been for them enduring four earthquakes over the past couple of weeks, and also experiencing the deafening drone of helicopters overhead. When I think of how nervous my own animals are at home when there are loud bangs like fireworks, it’s heart breaking to think how traumatized these animals must have been. Now they’re getting all the love and care they need to heal, but every day we’re finding more amidst the rubble and wreckage.”

Humane Society International’s team of experienced disaster responders have come from the United States, Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and India.

HSI responds to disasters around the world to assist animals and communities in need, and in the past has stepped in to provide emergency treatment to animals affected by volcanic eruptions in Guatemala; deadly earthquakes in Nepal, Ecuador and Mexico; hurricanes, flash floods and cyclones in India, Haiti and Mozambique; and wildfires in Australia and Chile; as well as helping refugees and their pets fleeing the war in Ukraine.

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

Donate to HSI’s Animal Rescue Fund here to provide grants, vital supplies and fund our teams in emergency situations such as this.

 

The lifesaving program to manage the city’s street dog population celebrates World Spay Day with milestone

Humane Society International / India

Kawi from Lucknow’s Rajajipuram area was the 50,000th dog to be sterilized. Photo by: Shruti Singh for HSI/India

LUCKNOW, Uttar Pradesh—Humane Society International/India celebrates World Spay Day with the successful completion of its 50,000th spay/neuter surgery in Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, reaching a crucial milestone in its Animal Birth Control program.

In 2019, HSI/India implemented the city’s first-ever comprehensive street dog management program to improve the welfare of its street dog population. As is the case in many other Indian cities, street dogs in Lucknow often suffered from injuries caused by vehicular accidents, malnutrition and infectious disease; sadly, few survived long enough to see their first birthday.

Lucknow is home to more than 4 million people and an estimated 75,000 dogs living on the streets.

The two projects involve traditional aspects of dog management including high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter and rabies vaccination, coupled with intensive community engagement and ongoing data collection to ensure the success of the programs. The dog management project is run in collaboration with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation. Thanks to the work of HSI/India, Lucknow is on the path to becoming Uttar Pradesh’s first city to have achieved 80% sterilization of its street dog population and will hopefully serve as a model for other Indian cities.

“A large population of unsterilized dogs contributes to ongoing dog-related complaints and requests for help from the local community,” says Dr. Arvindkumar Rao, additional municipal commissioner at Lucknow Nagar Nigam. “Achieving 50,000 surgeries using high-quality protocols is a great achievement to ensure better dog welfare in the city.”

“Despite setbacks posed by the pandemic, we were able to successfully sterilize almost 58% of the entire dog population in Lucknow,” says Dr. Neeraj Kumar, program manager at HSI/India. “After sterilizing the 50,000th dog Kawi, we are more determined than ever to achieve our goal of sterilizing 80% of the entire dog population in the city by the end of 2023.”

Thanks to the work of HSI/India, Lucknow is on the path to becoming Uttar Pradesh’s first city to have achieved 80% sterilization of its street dog population and will hopefully serve as a model for other Indian cities to follow.

Media contact: Shaili Shah, sshah@hsi.org ; 993-059-1005

Animal welfare scientists also call for limits on the growth rate for meat chickens

Humane Society International / Europe

David Paul Morris for HSUS

BRUSSELS—Yesterday, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its Scientific Opinions on the welfare of laying hens and ‘broiler’ chickens raised for meat production. These publications provide additional scientific underpinning to the European Commission’s existing plans to revise the EU animal welfare legislation and deliver a legislative proposal to end caged confinement for animals farmed for food. The Commission committed to the latter following the successful European Citizens’ Initiative to End the Cage Age, which garnered nearly 1.4 million validated signatures.

Humane Society International/Europe has warmly welcomed EFSA’s Scientific Opinions. Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, said:

“We are far from surprised by EFSA’s findings. The science has never been clearer. Laying hens have complex behavioural needs, which simply cannot be met in the confines of a wire cage. Animal protection organisations and animal welfare scientists have long argued that birds need space to move with plenty of friable litter for comfort, elevated perching space for all birds and a variety of environmental enrichments to keep them stimulated. The findings are black and white, and clarify for the poultry industry why the European Commission plans to eliminate the use of enriched cages. Despite the fact that more than half of EU egg production is already cage-free, there remains an intractable segment of the industry intent on carrying on with business as usual. This is especially frustrating given that commercially viable, cage-free systems are successful around the world, on every scale from the smallest family farm to large-scale facilities producing high egg volumes for corporate buyers.”

A second EFSA Opinion also addressed  the welfare of chickens raised for meat production. Swabe notes:

“Likewise, EFSA’s findings confirm that significant change is needed in the broiler chicken industry too. Conventional production methods are responsible for an array of serious animal welfare problems, including crowded, barren living conditions, painful procedures, such as beak trimming, de-toeing and de-clawing and comb dubbing, and physical and physiological problems associated with rapid growth. It is morally repugnant that we continue to breed chickens to grow so rapidly that they suffer debilitating leg disorders, and their hearts and lungs are disproportionate in size. This must change. We therefore welcome EFSA’s recommendation for a halt to further genetic selection for rapid growth and the limiting of the growth rate of broilers to a maximum of 50 g/day.”

The Commission is due to deliver its proposals to revise and expand the scope of existing EU animal welfare legislation at the end of the third quarter of 2023. Once this package of legislative proposals has been adopted, both the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament will consider and amend the Commission’s proposals under the Ordinary Legislative Procedure.

It is anticipated that there will be considerable resistance from the animal agriculture industry, as well as some Member States, to these plans to significantly improve the welfare conditions of farmed animals with attempts to weaken the plans and/or delay the phase-out of various practices. The current cost-of-living crisis and the ongoing war in Ukraine have already been used as a pretext to frustrate the Commission’s plans to green the agricultural sector.

Background information:

  • The EFSA Scientific Opinions are here: laying hens and here broilers.
  • In 2020, the European Commission committed to revising and expanding the scope of the existing animal welfare legislation in its EU Farm to Fork Strategy, which is a key element of the European Green Deal.
  • Following the success of the European Citizens’ Initiative to End the Cage Age, the European Commission made an explicit commitment to ending the caged confinement of animals farmed for food.
  • EFSA’s Panel on Animal Health and Welfare has received mandates from the European Commission in the context of the Farm to Fork Strategy to produce Scientific Opinions on the welfare of (i) animals during transport, (ii) calves, (iii) laying hens, (iv) broilers, (v) pigs, (vi) ducks, geese and quail, and (vii) dairy cows. Opinions on pig welfare and animal transport have already been delivered.
  • There are more than 375 million laying hens in the European Union. Nearly 45% of these birds are still confined to enriched battery cages.
  • Two Member States, namely Austria and Luxembourg, have eliminated caged confinement for laying hens entirely, while others, such as Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, now have fewer than 10% of their hens in enriched cages as consumers, retailers and lawmakers have recognised the need to better protect animal welfare.
  • Some Member States, such as Bulgaria, Estonia, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain, lag far behind with between 60 and 99 percent of laying hens still being kept in enriched cages.

Media contacts: Cassie Bodin-Duval, media relations coordinator, cbodinduval@hsi.org : +32 (0) 469 149 469

Humane Society International’s veterinarian and rescuers help local teams respond to desperate calls to find pets

Humane Society International

Emrah Gurel/AP Images for HSI.

ANTAKYA,Türkiye—A veterinarian and animal rescue team from Humane Society International who have deployed to Antakya, Türkiye following the earthquakes, are responding to requests from locals to find their missing pets. Following the original 7.8 magnitude earthquake and a second 6.4 magnitude yesterday, dogs and cats can be seen roaming the streets, and desperate barks and meows can still be heard coming from abandoned and collapsed buildings. HSI is working with a team of local vets responding to as many calls as possible.

Kelly Donithan, HSI’s director of animal disaster response, is leading HSI’s deployment. Ms Donithan says: “Every day here our team is heading out to search for animals in the worst affected areas. We’re bringing back rescued dogs and cats suffering with cuts, bruising, malnutrition, dehydration and infections. We’re working with an amazing team of local vets and volunteers in a veterinary field hospital tent, and the calls for help keep coming in. People who evacuated are worried for their pets left behind, so wherever possible we locate their apartments and find them. We’re also picking up animals on the street; we found a mother dog who had very recently given birth, her puppies were still blind but somehow she’d managed to keep them safe. When we settled her in a comfy bed at the hospital she was so exhausted she slept all day while her pups suckled.

We’ve been setting up water bowls on street corners as so many roaming animals are suffering from dehydration. It’s hard to estimate how many animals have been impacted by this disaster, but the numbers are certainly high. It’s clear that for the people here who have lost everything, to know that their pet companions are safe means a lot and it is humbling for our animal rescue work to be so welcomed by the people we’re meeting in Antakya.”

Humane Society International’s team of experienced disaster responders have come from the United States, Europe, Mexico and Costa Rica, and will soon be joined by colleagues from Colombia and India. HSI has additionally provided an emergency grant of financial aid to local rescue groups Working Animals Rescue Foundation and Homeless Animals Protection Society, enabling them to dispatch veterinarians and response vehicles to get veterinary and relief supplies to the animals and their people most in need.

HSI responds to disasters around the world to assist animals and communities in need, and in the past has stepped in to provide emergency treatment to animals affected by volcanic eruptions in Guatemala; deadly earthquakes in Nepal, Ecuador and Mexico; hurricanes, flash floods and cyclones in India, Haiti and Mozambique; and wildfires in Australia and Chile; as well as helping refugees and their pets fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Donate to HSI’s Animal Rescue Fund here to provide grants, vital supplies and fund our teams in emergency situations such as this.

Download photos and video 

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Media contact: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

 

 

On World Pangolin Day, HSI/Africa celebrates the successful reintroduction of vulnerable pangolins into the wild

Humane Society International / Africa

Footage of Cory the pangolin with her pangolin pup at the Manyoni Private Game Reserve after being retrieved, rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—On World Pangolin Day 2023, animal protection organization Humane Society International/Africa celebrates a powerful collaboration with the African Pangolin Working Group and the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital to retrieve, rehabilitate and release vulnerable Temminck’s pangolins back into the wild. One of the many success stories is that of Cory, a lucky pangolin who was rescued from poachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now released back in the wild after rehabilitation, a camera trap has revealed that Cory has given birth to a pango-pup, who has been filmed clinging to her back.

Pangolins are the world’s only scaled mammals. They are ruthlessly poached for these scales— mistakenly believed to have curative properties in traditional Asian medicine—as well as for meat, which is eaten as a delicacy in some Asian countries. They are incredibly vulnerable and submissive creatures with no teeth who are unable to defend themselves or run away from danger. Their only means of defense is to curl into a ball, which ironically makes them even more vulnerable to poachers who can easily pick them up. The number of pangolins left in the wild is unknown as they are very difficult to spot, but all species of pangolin are classified as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. In 2019, 97 tons of African pangolin scales were trafficked from Africa, which equates to roughly 160,000 individual pangolins.

Dr. Audrey Delsink, wildlife director for Humane Society International/Africa, said: “Pangolins are officially the world’s most trafficked mammal. This is devastating for a species whose cryptic status means that little is known about how many actually exist in the wild. Every pangolin saved from the trade and successfully reintroduced back into the wild is a conservation success. The birth of this pango-pup signifies hope that with better enforcement of laws prohibiting pangolin trafficking and continued work on rehabilitating and protecting these iconic animals, we can halt the rapid decline in pangolin populations. HSI/Africa is proud to support the African Pangolin Working Group and the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital and applaud all those who work tirelessly to save this remarkably unique species from extinction.”

Cory the pangolin was one of several of her species retrieved from a crime intelligence-led sting operation in Johannesburg during the pandemic. Law enforcement officials discovered Cory concealed in a zipped sports bag and in very poor condition as she had been held captive for approximately 10 days without food or water, and surely experienced extreme psychological stress during this time.

Cory was treated at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital where she was initially weighed in at an underweight 4.9 kilograms. Although Cory’s condition was poor, she seemed to be free of any physical injuries and was deemed likely to recover fairly easily.

After a month of rehabilitation, Cory was transported to Manyoni Private Game Reserve for an initial ‘soft’ release. Cory still needed to gain weight to reach 6.5 kilograms before she could safely be released back into the wild, so she was fitted with two telemetry tags for monitoring—a VHF (very high frequency) and a satellite device generously sponsored by The Boucher Legacy— attached painlessly to one of her scales.

Cory was eventually released in 2020 in Manyoni Private Game Reserve in Zululand where she and another tagged pangolin were observed using the satellite data and a camera trap the specialist Manyoni team placed in front of Cory’s burrow. There was tremendous excitement in July 2022 when the camera trap revealed a surprise: a pup holding on to Cory’s tail as she exited the burrow! This week, merely days before World Pangolin Day, Cory and her pup were spotted inside her burrow and both mum and pup are thriving in their natural habitat. This birth has signaled the overall success of the program to retrieve, rehabilitate and reintroduce Temminck’s pangolin back into KwaZulu Natal’s wilderness where they had been locally extinct for around four decades.

Four traffickers were arrested by the South African Police Service Cullinan Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit for the poaching of Cory. One of the perpetrators was found guilty and sentenced to three years’ jail time or a R10,000 fine.

Note: All pangolins who are treated at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital are kept off-site for safety and security.

Pangolin facts:

  • There are eight species of pangolin in the world: four Asian species and four African species.
  • Of the four Asian species of pangolin, the Sunda, the Chinese, and the Philippine are now listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, while the Indian pangolin is listed as endangered.
  • Of the four African species, the white-bellied and the giant ground pangolin are listed as endangered, while the Temminck’s and the black-bellied are listed as vulnerable.
  • An estimated one million pangolins were trafficked globally over the past decade.
  • Europe has become a key transit route for pangolin parts from Africa to Asia, and pangolin parts are also illegally trafficked from Asia to the United States.

Photos of Cory and her pup are available here.

ENDS

Media contact: Leozette Roode, media specialist for Humane Society International/Africa, LRoode@hsi.org, +27 71 360 1104.

 

Humane Society International

Homeless Animal Protection Society

ANKARA, Turkey—A disaster relief team from animal charity Humane Society International has deployed to Turkey (Türkiye) to provide emergency relief to thousands of dogs, cats and other animals caught up in the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

With the immediate humanitarian search for human life drawing to a close, HSI’s team of experienced disaster responders are coming from Europe, the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and India from today and over the next weeks, to assist local groups in the first aid effort for injured animals. We will also help set up additional field veterinary hospitals in Antakya and beyond to expand capacity in the area, and distribute much needed food, water and veterinary supplies. HSI has additionally provided an emergency grant of financial aid to local rescue group Yuk Hayvanlarani Koruma Ve Kurtama Dernegi (Working Animals Rescue Foundation), enabling it to dispatch veterinarians and response vehicles to get veterinary and relief supplies to the animals and their people most in need.

Kelly Donithan, HSI’s director of animal disaster response, is leading HSI’s deployment. A seasoned disaster responder who has helped rescue and bring aid to animals impacted by disasters in Australia, Africa, Beirut, and countries neighbouring Ukraine, Donithan has been in constant contact with local groups who estimate that hundreds of animals have likely lost their lives in addition to the tens of thousands of people who were tragically killed by the earthquake. Thousands of dogs and cats as well as equines and farm animals remain in desperate need of aid.

Donithan says: “The earthquake has brought devastation and tragic loss of life to both people and animals, and Humane Society International’s disaster animal response team is rushing to help local groups. Some animals are still being pulled alive from the rubble but we don’t know for how much longer, and thousands of rescued dogs and cats are in urgent need of veterinary care as they cope with injuries, shock, dehydration and malnutrition. Several animal shelters in the impact zone have been destroyed, so HSI will also be helping with the safe relocation of their animals, as well as distributing vital food, water and medical supplies where they are needed most. It’s heart breaking to see people and animals suffering the physical and psychological impacts of a disaster of this magnitude, so HSI is keen to help in any way we can.”

HSI responds to disasters around the world to assist animals and communities in need, and in the past has stepped in to provide emergency treatment to animals affected by volcanic eruptions in Guatemala; deadly earthquakes in Nepal, Ecuador and Mexico; hurricanes, flash floods and cyclones in India, Haiti and Mozambique; and wildfires in Australia and Chile; as well as helping refugees and their pets fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Donate to HSI’s Animal Rescue Fund here to provide grants, vital supplies and fund our teams in emergency situations such as this.

Photos and video are available here

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force chef instructors tried their hands at creating plant-based meals in a culinary masterclass held by Humane Society International/UK, Veganuary and Plant Futures

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

HSI

LONDON—Military chef instructors from across the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and Civil Service have taken part in a masterclass on plant-based cuisine as part of a culinary training workshop held by Humane Society International/UK, Veganuary and Plant Futures.

Chef instructors from the UK Defence Food Services Training Wing at Worthy Down, Winchester, undertook HSI/UK’s Forward Food training in January. The session covered the fundamentals of making flavoursome, plant-based dishes, which typically have a lower environmental footprint than meat and dairy options.

The day’s cooking sessions were mentored by HSI/UK’s Forward Food chef and renowned food writer Jenny Chandler, resulting in dishes such as oyster mushroom tacos with corn salsa, soba noodles in a rich umami broth topped with crunchy fresh vegetables, and creamy chickpea and butternut squash curry served with flatbreads and onion bhajis. Drawing on her experience of cooking on ships and in remote locations, Jenny advised the chefs on how to create healthy vegan meals even when working in small kitchens with limited equipment, such as in the field or on naval ships at sea.

The chef instructors also tried a variety of new and innovative products from across the plant-based industry at the Plant Futures innovation table, and took home goody bags filled with vegan food products courtesy of Veganuary.

Charlie Huson, HSI/UK’s Forward Food programme manager, said: “Delivering a Forward Food workshop to the chef instructors at Worthy Down was a pleasure. They were keen to learn how to create tasty, healthy plant-based dishes and are now well-placed to pass on this knowledge to their students. With more and more people reducing their consumption of animal products, HSI/UK’s Forward Food programme is equipping chefs with the skills to meet the rising demand for plant-based options. By supporting organisations like the Ministry of Defence – which serves millions of meals to military personnel every week – to put more plants on plates, we can help reduce demand for factory farming and combat climate change.”

Hannah Weller, corporate engagement manager for Veganuary, said: “Veganuary was delighted to have worked closely with Plant Futures and HSI/UK to make this plant-based culinary masterclass happen. The kitchen was filled with energy and creativity as the MOD chef instructors created colourful plant-based dishes, packed full of flavour which were a big hit with the military personnel who got to sample it all. Members of the MOD Veg Network, which joined the Veganuary Workplace Challenge this year, loved the food and are looking forward to seeing more plant-based meals in their mess halls soon! We look forward to working with the MOD further to support them on their plant-based journey.”

Indy Kaur of Plant Futures said: “It is an important moment in food when we see plant-based foods and new cooking techniques start to be integrated across all culinary disciplines. Highlighting the importance plant-based foods play in delivering diversified protein sources, healthy and wholesome nutrition and providing good hearty meals. A momentous occasion as we acknowledge this first of its kind workshop and continuing our conversations. With thanks to the MOD and Veg Network for their enthusiasm and drive to make this event happen along with HSI/UK and Veganuary, a good team effort all round!”

Major Javed Johl RLC, Food Services Training Wing, said: “As diets of choice increase in popularity among the UK public, the Armed Forces must reflect this in our offer to service personnel. Upskilling our Chef Instructors at the Food Services Training Wing is the first step to achieving this. In collaboration with HSI/UK, we have laid the foundations of introducing a healthier and more sustainable diet across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.”

Members of the MOD Vegan and Vegetarian Network attended tasting sessions throughout the day, and discussed following a plant-based diet while serving in the military.

It has been widely recognised that on average, animal-based products have higher greenhouse gas emissions than plant-based options. Reducing meat and dairy consumption presents a critical opportunity to decrease both the number of animals suffering on farms and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with animal-derived food.

More than 300 chefs have been trained through HSI’s Forward Food programme in the UK since its launch in 2017. By supporting chefs and catering managers to gain skills and confidence in delivering a variety of high-quality plant-based menu items, HSI/UK is improving the availability of plant-based options across the country and helping people make compassionate culinary choices.

About HSI’s Forward Food programme:

Forward Food is an initiative of Humane Society International, with the aim to encourage and enable the catering industry to shift the focus of menus away from meals centred on animal products and put more plant-based food on plates. Find out more at forwardfooduk.org.

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Media contact: Sally Ivens, senior media and communications manager, HSI/UK : sivens@hsi.org ;07590 559299

Humane Society International / Mexico

HSI/Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Mexico—Humane Society International/ Mexico, a world-leading animal protection organization, congratulates the Congress of Mexico City for approving reforms to the Penal Code for the Federal District, the Animal Protection Law and the Civic Culture Law of Mexico City to deter and end the abandonment, mutilation for aesthetic reasons, mistreatment, poisoning, kidnapping, consumption of, and cruelty to, companion animals, in addition to the operation of illicit slaughterhouses and the use of an animal for sexual purposes.

The penalties for such animal cruelty have been increased to between one and six years in prison. In cases of serious animal suffering, the penalties can be increased up to 10 years in prison. Previously, the penalties were between six months and four years in prison. Financial fines have also been increased.

Dr. Claudia Edwards, veterinary and program director for HSI/Mexico, said: “This is a milestone moment for animal protection in Mexico City that legislators have decided to increase penalties against the abandonment, poisoning, mistreatment, consumption of and cruelty to companion animals. Bigger fines and longer jail time is a welcome deterrent against animal abuse. The reforms comply with the provisions of article 13, section b of the political Constitution of Mexico City, and recognize animals as sentient beings. As such, it is the legal obligation of every citizen to respect the life and integrity of animals. However, HSI/Mexico regrets that these reforms do not yet include the dogfighting industry which is responsible for terrible animal cruelty and which has been discussed without action for some years in Mexico City. We urge legislators to expand the scope of these revisions to help stop the abuse experienced by dogs used for fighting.”

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Media contact: Magaly Garibay: 55 5407 0502, mgaribay@idee.agency

HSI/Korea submits petition with over 66,000 signatures to support passage of PAAM Act

Humane Society International

HSI

SEOUL, South Korea—A petition to rally support for passage of a bill proposed to advance animal-free approaches in science and product testing has been delivered to the National Assembly by Humane Society International/Korea.

In a ceremony held on Jan. 31, HSI/Korea officially delivered the petition with more than 66,000 signatures to members of the National Assembly, with a request for swift enactment of the PAAM Act—the Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods—which was first introduced in December 2020 by Rep. Nam. A second bill on the topic was also proposed in December 2022 by Rep. Han.

Reps. Hong-keun Park, Jeoung-ae Han, In-soon Nam and eight other lawmakers with the National Assembly Animal Welfare Forum, as well as key personnel from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Science and ICT attended the ceremony.

HSI/Korea has been gathering signatures since August 2021 in a campaign co-hosted by Lush Korea that utilized major social media outlets and a screening of HSI’s “Save Ralph,” an award winning  film about the story of a rabbit called Ralph who is used in a cosmetics testing facility. “Save Ralph” has won more than 40 awards including the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Good award. Borami Seo, HSI/Korea’s director of government affairs, said: “In commemorating the Year of the Rabbit, we have delivered the voice of HSI/Korea’s ‘spokes-bunny’ Ralph and the people calling for support in the passage of this law to replace animal testing.”

Korean government statistics reveal that 4.8 million animals were used for testing in 2021, yet according to a public opinion survey by Realmeter on behalf of HSI/Korea, 81.6% of Koreans agree on the need for legislative support to develop and disseminate replacements for animal testing.

Across the world, the drive to replace animal testing and build new evaluation models and systems is seeing the acceleration of human analog models, organ-on-a-chip, organoid, 3D-printing-used tissue reconstruction, computer modeling and big data analysis.

Although Korea has made its own contributions in respect to this global trend, progress has been slow due to the lack of related laws and cooperative working structures among ministries. In particular, the lack of a central agency to direct the initiative to support non-animal methods has prevented systematic and efficient implementation of related policies. HSI/Korea believes that the central government needs to play a strong and active role in verifying, certifying and promoting new non-animal testing methods.

Rep. Hong-keun Park of the Democratic Party of Korea said: “As a co-representative of the Animal Welfare Forum, I feel responsible for the continued practice of cruel and unnecessary use of animal testing. We expect that the petition with signatures from more than 60,000 people will be able to call for attention to the passage of the bill. I will provide any support for the passage of the bill and cross-ministry cooperation on the matter.”

HSI/Korea’s Borami Seo said “This is a crucial time to discuss the two proposed bills that will promote and vitalize the scientific research and testing using new emerging, human-based approaches. Passage of these bills will be the stepping stone to further the replacement of animals in testing.”

Director of Korea Center for Validation of Alternative Animal Methods at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said “We are aware of the importance of the bill that replace animal testing and agree with its initiatives. As a government, we will to our best to provide support for its passage”

A joint public-private discussion forum co-organized by HSI/Korea will be held at the National Assembly on Feb. 8 to rally support for passage of the bill following the delivery of the petition.

ENDS

Media contact: Borami Seo, bseo@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Europe

iStock.com

BRUSSELS—Signed, sealed, and delivered! The “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing” European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) has smashed the requirement of gathering 1 million validated signatures, reaching over 1.2 million statements of support from European citizens.

The European Commission must now meet with campaigners and address citizens’ concerns. As over 10 million animals suffer in experiments in the EU every year and new non-animal technologies are being developed faster than ever before, the time for change is now.

“The days of forcing cosmetics ingredients down the throats of defenceless animals, intentionally infecting them with debilitating diseases, or drilling holes into their skulls must end—a radical rethink at the EU level is needed to support the transition,” says Sabrina Engel, chair of the ECI’s organising committee, PETA Germany.

“This European Citizens’ Initiative powerfully backs up the demand of the European Parliament to phase out animal testing for good. With the voice of the citizens added to the chorus, the Commission cannot ignore the loud calls to accelerate the transition to non-animal science,” says Tilly Metz, MEP, Greens–European Free Alliance.

“With the threat that the chemicals strategy poses to animals in laboratories, this ECI could not be timelier. From today, no additional animal tests should be requested to fill information gaps about chemicals. We need to move to safer and more humane safety assessments of chemicals,” says Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP, European People’s Party.

“The message from citizens has never been clearer or more aligned with the voices of scientists, industry, NGOs and politicians. Everyone understands that a plan to phase out animal experiments is a win-win situation for humans, other animals, and the environment. Now, the Commission should listen to citizens and finally make it happen,” says Anja Hazekamp, MEP, the Left.

“European citizens have been asking for cruelty-free cosmetics for a long time. This European citizens’ initiative is another reminder to the Commission that EU citizens will not stand by while loopholes in legislation are not closed to end all animal tests on cosmetics,” says Niels Fuglsang, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

The ECI’s three critical asks call for robust implementation of the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients, a full transition to non-animal methods for chemical safety tests and committing to a plan to phase out all experiments on animals.

The ECI was launched in August 2021 by Cruelty Free Europe, Eurogroup for Animals, the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments, Humane Society International/Europe, and PETA, with the support of global beauty and personal-care companies The Body Shop and Dove. It has since been actively promoted by companies such as Lush and a coalition of groups and campaigners from every corner of Europe. Hundreds of celebrities also supported the campaign, including Sir Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Finnish heavy metal band Lordi, Italian singer Red Canzian, French journalist Hugo Clément and actor Evanna Lynch.

No other ECI has ever received this level of support across so many different countries. To be successful, an ECI has to collect at least 1 million validated signatures and has to meet a minimum target across at least seven different EU countries. This ECI passed the minimum target in 22 different countries, demonstrating pan-European support for ending animal testing.

Note to Editors:

  • The Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) has brought together a network of NGOs and multinational companies across Europe. This is the first time in history that this number of European organisations has come together to help animals in laboratories.
  • Following submission and internal checks by the Commission, the number of validated signatures per country will be updated and shown here.
  • After receiving the validated signatures, Commission representatives will meet with ECI organisers so they can explain in detail the issues raised in their initiative. The initiative will also receive a public hearing in the European Parliament before the Commission formally responds.
  • For more information on European Citizens’ Initiatives, see the ECI Factsheet on the European Parliament website.

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