Author: Kristin Stone

Golden retrievers, German shepherds, Rottweilers rescued

Humane Society International / Global

DALIAN, China – Law enforcement in Dalian, China and local animal protection group VShine have shut down an illegal dog slaughterhouse in the city after a tip-off from an outraged citizen. Dalian law enforcement and Vshine have worked together for years to promote animal welfare, and the city operates a zero-tolerance policy to the dog meat trade. The slaughterhouse had only recently been opened by a man who lives outside the city.

Seven dogs were found alive at the property in suburban Dalian when police and activists moved in, mostly German shepherds, golden retrievers and a Rottweiler. The slaughterhouse operator surrendered the dogs to Vshine so that they could receive veterinary attention at their shelter, a partner project supported by animal charity Humane Society International. One of the dogs was wearing a pet collar, but it is suspected that the others could have been former guard or farm dogs who were either stolen or purchased from their owners.

Dezhi Yu of Vshine, said: “We are very proud that in Dalian you will rarely find a restaurant serving dog meat, and generally citizens here care very much about their dogs and cats. So when we received a call about this new slaughterhouse, we and the law enforcement officers acted immediately to shut it down. Whenever anyone dares to open such a cruel business here, they are very quickly reported and the police take immediate action. If all police across China were as active as Dalian police, we could crack down on the cruel dog and cat meat trade almost overnight.”

The rescued dogs are now recovering at Vshine’s animal shelter in northeast China where HSI funding will help support their veterinary care and rehabilitation.

Dr Peter Li, Humane Society International’s China policy expert, says: “Most people in China don’t eat dogs, but the city of Dalian is particularly progressive on animal welfare, and a shining example of what the whole of China could achieve if animal protection were taken more seriously. The dog meat trade is not welcome in Dalian, with the local police and animal activists using China’s food safety laws to eliminate this cruelty in the absence of any animal protection legislation. If all Chinese police acted the same, we could have a massive impact on the dog and cat meat trade. If China went further and introduced a robust animal cruelty law, we could eradicate the trade very quickly.”

Facts about China’s dog meat trade

  1. Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat. There are estimated to be more than 91.49 million dogs and cats kept as pets in China. An estimated 10 million dogs a year are killed for China’s dog meat trade.
  2. The World Health Organisation warns that the dog trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera.
  3. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20 per cent of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey revealed that even in Yulin, home of the notorious dog meat festival, most people (72%) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it. Nationwide across China, a 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64%) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7%) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5%) have never eaten dog meat.
  4. Dog thieves snatch dogs and cats from the streets, as well as steal them from back yards.
  5. Dogs and cats are typically bludgeoned to death in front of each other, put in the de-hairing machine to remove fur, and the carcass blow-torched for sale to markets. Dog slaughter continues to occur in public places, exposing young children to horrendous brutality and potentially desensitizing China’s younger generations.

 

Download photos of the dogs rescued from the Dalian slaughterhouse: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=DalianRescue0619

 

 

 

Media contact:

Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423 

Humane Society International

Feeding a drug to a mouse
Manjurul/istock

SEOUL — Korean laboratory animal statistics published this week by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs revealed record-high animal use in 2018, and that one in every three animals in a Korean laboratory (38%) is subject to a chemical poisoning experiment – the most severe category of experiment, in which animals are denied pain relief. In total 3,727,163 rodents, rabbits, dogs, fish, monkeys and other animals were used in Korean experiments in 2018, an increase of 21% over the previous year.

The continued upward trend in animal use has been slammed by Humane Society International as a reflection of the ongoing failure of Korean product safety regulators and industry to use all available non-animal approaches to testing and assessment for chemicals and other products. Local demand for animal testing under the Korea Act on Registration and Evaluation, etc of Chemical Substances (K-REACH) and Biocidal Products Act (K-BPR) are believed to be major contributors to this trend, because the government statistics show that companies used the overwhelming majority (89%) of animals, compared with national and public institutions (less than 9%).

Alarmingly, the statistics also revealed that 2,167 animals were used in 2018 for cosmetics testing in Korea despite the Cosmetics Act reform bill, which came into effect to limit animal use in 2017.

HSI Senior Policy Manager Borami Seo said, “It’s disgraceful that Korean companies are still performing cosmetic animal testing after the government has banned this practice, and that more than a million animals were made to suffer last year in the cruelest of animal tests for the sake of chemicals and other products. It’s an unacceptable betrayal to consumers, who mistakenly believe that cosmetics sold in Korea are now cruelty-free, and does little to improve consumer or environmental protection because tests on rodents, dogs and other animals are so often poor predictors of human response. It’s time for private testing facilities and public institutions to get serious about adopting existing non-animal approaches, and for Korean authorities to accept and require use of such methods when available instead of calling for new animal testing. We look forward to working with scientific communities in promoting the use of advanced technology such as in vitro bio-mimetic and computational methods, as well as investing their resources for human-relevant research, replacing animal use.”

HSI has been working closely with Korean politicians in the National Assembly to address the explosion in animal testing through legislative revisions to K-REACH and K-BPR to make it compulsory for regulatory authorities and companies to use available non-animal methods to the fullest extent possible. HSI is also working to establish legislation that will support scientific studies and research based on human-relevant methods without using animals.

Facts:

○ Animal use by testing purpose

Research area % Animal number
Regulatory test 38.0 1,415,631
Basic research 29.4 1,095,412
Translational & applied research 24.1 897,113
Production of genetically engineered animals 3.5 129,838
Etc. 3.1 114,518
Research for species conservation 1.4 51,910
Education or training 0.5 18,851
Forensic 0.0 1,322
Environmental protection research for human or animal health or welfare 0.0 568
Total 100 3,727,163

 

○ Use of animals by institutions under regulatory testing category

Institutions % Animal number
National/public institutions 8.5 120,268
Universities 2.0 27,930
Medical institutions 0.4 5,995
Companies 89.1 1,261,438
Total 100 1,415,631

 

○ Use of animals under toxicity and other safety assessments category

Regulatory toxicity and other safety assessments % Animal number
Test for human pharmaceutical related law 46.3 167,134
Test for animal pharmaceutical related law 5.3 19,194
Test for medical devices related law 18.6 67,121
Test for industrial chemicals related law 6.7 24,353
Test for plant protection product related law 4.2 15,177
Test for insecticide, pesticide related law 0.5 1,756
Test for food related law 6.1 22,114
Test for animal feed related law 0.0 46
Test for cosmetics related law 0.6 2,106
Other 11.6 41,998
Total 100.0 360,999

END

Media contact: Borami Seo, bseo@hsi.org

A Humane World: Kitty Block's Blog

Humane Society International / Europe

Good news in our work means animals thrive and we therefore celebrate it. That’s how it was for me this morning when I woke up to the report that there will be no whaling in Iceland this summer. Something my colleagues at Humane Society International and I have fought since Iceland resumed whaling in 2003.

That’s right. For the first time in 16 years, no whales—not endangered fin whales, not minkes, no whales at all—will die at the point of a whaler’s harpoon in Icelandic waters. That just makes my day.

Hvalur hf., the single Icelandic company that hunts great whales, decided not to carry out any whaling. In 2018, another firm, IP Útgerð, that takes minke whales, also halted whaling.

We’ll have to stay vigilant, however, because public policy in Iceland has not been of much help to us, despite the presence of elected officials who deplore the whaling industry and know what a smirch it is on Iceland’s reputation.

In February, Fisheries minister Kristján Þór Júlíusson authorized a continuation of fin and minke whale hunts until 2023, and Iceland’s Marine Research Institute has set a maximum yearly catch quota between 2018 and 2025 of 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales.

Iceland decided to resume whaling in 2003 in opposition to the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) 1986 commercial whaling ban. In 2018, Icelandic whalers harpooned 145 fin whales and six minke whales.

In our book, even one whale killed for high-end sushi is one too many, and the respite gives us some time and space to rev up our public outreach and our work not merely to limit whaling’s political and commercial influence in Iceland, but to drive it into the history books where it truly belongs.

Humane Society International / India

DEHRADUN — Today Humane Society International/India launched “Abhay Sankalp,” a program dedicated to working with residential housing colonies to promote peaceful and harmonious coexistence between human beings and street dogs. The launch was attended by government officials of Dehradun Municipal Corporation and members of Uttarakhand’s legislative assembly. Residents of 70 housing societies from across Dehradun signed up to participate in the program.

Abhay Sankalp – Abhay Bano, Abhay Banao, is a program that works with resident welfare societies across the city to understand the concerns associated with street dogs and facilitate a better understanding of dog behaviour, dog bites, diseases such as rabies and other aspects of street dogs living in each neighbourhood. After signing up, the residential colonies will also pledge to work positively towards resolution of any issues related to people vis-a-vis dogs, in a respectful, participatory and humane way.

Vinay Shankar Pandey, Dehradun Municipal Commissioner, says, “Abhay Sankalp is a commendable effort towards promoting co-existence and human empathy for animals. With this effort, a positive atmosphere will be created to understand the behaviour of each other by re-establishing the long-term relationship of the dog, human beings and the love of humankind. I appreciate this innovative effort and send good wishes to the team.”

Rahul Sehgal, senior director for HSI’s Companion Animals & Engagement Program, says,

“Abhay Sankalp is the next logical long-term step in the process of making a peaceful environment for both people and dogs. It aims to provide accurate information to communities, but also works with communities to make humane decisions towards dogs that live in their areas. Our effort has laid the groundwork for meaningful participation from 70 societies, and we hope more will participate during the program.”

Shayam Sundar Chauhan, resident of Anshal Green Valley Society says, “Abhay Sankalp is a friendly approach for societies in Dehradun that spreads awareness regarding the laws on relocation of stray dogs. Adoption of Abhay Sankalp is the easiest way of living with stray dogs in societies. Hum abhay bane, abhay banae, bezubano ke liye.”*

HSI/India is also undertaking mass street dog sterilization and vaccination projects in Dehradun, Mussoorie, Nainital, Vadodara and Kodaikanal. Opting into Abhay Sankalp means that a community wants to ensure dog welfare by encouraging residents to feed them only in specific feeding spots, by not relocating street dogs and by being fully aware of the laws governing free-roaming street dogs.

*”Let us become fearless and make others fearless for innocent dogs who cannot speak.”

 

 

Media Contact: Uma Biswas, +91-8758807223, ubiswas@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Global

Dogs in Indonesia

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Regency of Karanganyar in Java has pledged an action plan to end its brutal dog meat trade, following a shocking investigation by campaign coalition Dog Meat Free Indonesia. The action plan includes closing all 21 stalls selling dog meat in the regency and the creation of alternative livelihoods for those people currently reliant on the trade. The local government plans to host a meeting with the traders and vendors to announce the ban and to discuss alternative livelihood opportunities, a first of its kind in Java.

The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition’s investigations showed dogs being beaten and strung upside down to bleed out whilst still conscious, and in full view of other terrified dogs bound and caged who await their turn. The horrific footage prompted renewed calls for urgent action by campaigners, national and international celebrity ambassadors and concerned citizens from throughout Indonesia and around the world. The action being taken in Karanganyar will save almost 2,000 dogs each month from slaughter, and campaigners are optimistic that this will mark the start of a nationwide movement to tackle this illegal and dangerous trade.

When announcing the development of an action plan Regent of Karanganyar Regency Drs. Juliyatmono denounced the trade, warning of the grave risks to public health it poses. Whilst dog meat is consumed by some for its perceived health properties, the reality is that the dog meat trade poses a significant and very real threat to public health, with rabies transmission being of particularly grave concern. Research shows that the highest prevalence of rabies occurs in provinces and regencies with the highest dog meat consumption., bringing with it devastating consequences for human health, animal welfare and the local economy.

As an ever-growing number of countries and territories in the region and around the world take action to tackle the illegal dog and cat meat trades, global public and political communities are becoming increasingly intolerant to the trades. With the recent Indonesian presidential elections having taken place on April 17, campaigners hope that now is the time for the government to prioritise this issue on grounds of public health and safety as well as animal welfare, and fulfill its pledge to take action to tackle the trade.

Quotes

“In order to prevent various diseases caused by dog meat consumption, we will soon take action to close all dog meat stalls in Karanganyar, so humans can co-exist in harmony with the environment and all living creatures” – Drs. Juliyatmono, M.M, Regent of Karanganyar Regency.

“Pledges for action have been made from the Central government’s Ministry of Agriculture, and the DMFI and the millions of supporters we represent worldwide applaud this position.  But these words need to result in commitments for change through strong and impactful actions, like those presented by Drs. Juliyatmono, M.M.” – Karin Franken, Jakarta Animal Aid Network.

”We congratulate the Regency of Karanganyar for addressing these grave concerns for the sake of public and animal health and safety, and call on those in power to take action nationwide. Promises have been made but we need to see programs to end the trade implemented nationwide to protect our communities and animals. The DMFI coalition stands ready to help provide practical and on-the-ground support to secure the dual aims of eliminating both the dog and cat meat trades and rabies” – Angelina Pane, Animal Friends Jogja.

“Now is the time for the Indonesian Central and Provincial governments to take Karanganyar Regency’s lead and to prioritise this issue on grounds of public health and safety as well as animal welfare, and fulfill their pledge to take action to tackle the trade. The trade is cruel and dangerous, and the time is now for action to be taken!” – Lola Webber, Change for Animals Foundation.

FACTS

  • Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI) is a coalition of national and international animal protection organisations comprising Change For Animals Foundation, Humane Society International, Animals Asia, FOUR PAWS, Animal Friends Jogja and Jakarta Animal Aid Network which documents the brutality of the trades and campaigns for a ban on grounds of animal cruelty and risks to public health.
  • Dog theft for the meat trade is a serious problem in Indonesia. DMFI has interviewed many residents who have described their terrifying ordeal with armed traders stealing their pets at night. Despite the obvious law-breaking, thefts are rarely taken seriously by law enforcement, so the thieves go unpunished.
  • The illegal movement of large numbers of dogs of unknown disease status into densely-populated areas impedes efforts to protect communities from the deadly rabies virus. This contravenes rabies control recommendations by leading human and animal health experts including the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as well as national disease prevention legislation.
  • Studies reveal a high incidence of rabies-positive dogs in slaughterhouses and markets throughout the region, including Indonesia. For example, in 2007 research from markets in North Sulawesi (Manado, Airmadidi and Langowan) showed between 7.8 and 10.6 percent of dogs sold for human consumption were infected with rabies. In 2018 the DMFI coalition found that of just 10 dog carcass samples sold for human consumption in Tomohon, one tested positive for rabies.
  • In August 2018 at the National Coordination of Animal Welfare meeting in Jakarta, the Indonesian Government pledged to end the dog and cat meat trades. Mr Syamsul Ma’arif DVM, M.Si, director of veterinary public health, described the trades as “torture for animals” and added that “dog meat or any animal that is not registered as farm animals, is illegal”.
  • Globally, opposition to the dog and cat meat trades is increasing, with an ever-growing number of countries and territories in the region (Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand) and internationally (the United States) banning the trade in and slaughter, sale, consumption of dogs.

The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia campaign has received support from global and Indonesian superstars including Simon Cowell, Sophia Latjuba, Yeslin Wang, Nadia Mulya, Lawrence Enzela, Cameron Diaz, Chelsea Islan, Ellen DeGeneres, Alya Nurshabrina, Shaggydog and Pierce Brosnan who last year signed a letter to President Joko Widodo calling for action to end the country’s dog and cat meat trades. A petition of more than 1 million signatures was also submitted to the government of Indonesia in November 2018

Dame Judi Dench and violinist Vanessa-Mae send messages of solidarity

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

LONDON – Dame Judi Dench and violinist Vanessa-Mae have sent heart-felt messages of support and solidarity for a 1.5 million-signature petition by Care2 and Humane Society International, delivered today to the Chinese Embassy by dogs rescued from China’s annual Yulin dog meat festival. The festival, which starts on 21st June, sees thousands of dogs and cats beaten to death and eaten, most of them stolen pets grabbed from back yards and the streets. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, and pet owners and dog thieves have had numerous violent clashes.

Snorki, Fred and two dogs named Lily were saved from Yulin slaughterhouses in 2016 and 2018 by Chinese partner groups supported by animal charity Humane Society International. HSI and the ‘ambassadogs’ were joined by petition partners Care2 as well as Clacton MP Giles Watling who shares the campaigners’ desire to see urgent action to end the gruesome spectacle of Yulin.

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “The dog meat trade in China is first and foremost about crime and cruelty. The Yulin festival is one small but distressing example of an unspeakably cruel trade run by dog thieves and sellers who routinely steal pets in broad daylight using poison darts and rope nooses, defy public health and safety laws, and cause horrendous suffering, all for a meat that most people in China don’t consume. Dogs like Snorki, Fred and Lily are amazing ambassadors for our campaign to end this horror, we are proud to deliver this petition with them. And we’re immensely proud to support dedicated animal advocates in China who passionately work to end the dog meat trade, saving so many lives along the way.” 

Beth Granter from Care2, the online community, says: “The huge number of signatures on this petition shows the strength of feeling against Yulin dog meat festival. Care2 members want to see an end to the dog meat trade entirely. When people’s pets are being stolen, cruelly killed and then eaten, this is inhumane, and has to stop. We hope that the Chinese authorities will hear the voices of over 1.5M people who want to see an end to this cruelty.”

Actress Dame Judi Dench sent a message of support for the petition delivery, saying: “It fills me with sadness to think that the Yulin dog meat festival is just around the corner again. So I wanted to send this message as a symbol of my solidarity with all the thousands of people in China against the dog meat trade, who love their dogs and cats just as much as we do, but who go through the awful heart ache of having them stolen by dog thieves. I cannot imagine the suffering of those poor dogs, and I hope very much that one day soon this cruel trade will end.” 

Violinist Vanessa-Mae showed her support with a video message, saying: “Please join us in solidarity as we want to see an end to China’s barbaric dog meat trade including the horrific Yulin dog meat festival… Along with compassionate people in China, who do care about dog welfare, please show that you also have a heart, and support us in calling on China to end such cruel and heart breaking treatment of dogs.”

The Yulin dog meat festival is not a traditional festival. It was only invented in 2010 by dog traders trying to boost flagging meat sales. Before the festival started, Yulin had no history of mass dog slaughter and consumption. The World Health Organisation has warned that the dog meat trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera.

The Yulin dog meat festival begins in earnest on 21st June to mark the summer solstice. When first launched, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure decline to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival, and an estimated 10 million dogs and 4 million cats are killed for meat throughout the year across China.

Giles Watling, MP said “I am proud to stand with so many others in calling on the Chinese government to end the cruel Yulin dog meat festival. An action that would save thousands of dogs from terrible suffering each year, and also help prevent pet theft and the spread of rabies within China. I implore the Chinese authorities to heed the calls from compassionate citizens both inside China and across the world who want to see the abhorrent dog meat trade ended once and for all.”

Photos and video downloads

 

 

Media Contact:

Humane Society International: Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: +44(0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON—On World Giraffe Day, a coalition of conservation and animal-protection organizations will pressure the Trump administration to move forward with Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes.

In a letter to be delivered Friday, the groups document giraffes’ ongoing silent extinction. Submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Natural Resources Defense Council, it urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to quickly propose protections for this rapidly declining species — a proposal that should have been made in 2018.

The letter follows a 2017 petition by the same groups to list the species under the Act. After the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to respond to the petition, several of the groups filed a lawsuit in December, prompting a response from Fish and Wildlife in April that giraffes may qualify for protection. Now the agency is undertaking a status review of the species and will propose protection if it deems that protection warranted.

“Under Endangered Species Act timelines, protection for giraffes is overdue, but slow federal action is contributing to their silent extinction,” said Adam Peyman, programs and operations manager for wildlife for Humane Society International. “We won’t give up on everyone’s favorite long-necked mammal. By next World Giraffe Day, we hope giraffes will have the protections they so desperately deserve.”

With now just under 97,000 animals, the African giraffe population has plunged nearly 40 percent in the past 30 years. The species is gravely imperiled by habitat loss and fragmentation, civil unrest and overhunting, as well as the international trade in bone carvings, skins and trophies.

“It’s shocking that there are now fewer giraffes in Africa than elephants,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This World Giraffe Day we’re urging the public to stand with us in calling for Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes. These majestic animals deserve to remain wild and not be turned into trophies and trinkets for U.S. consumers.”

Giraffes were assessed as “vulnerable” to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2016. That assessment was confirmed in 2018, along with a critically endangered assessment of two giraffe subspecies and an endangered assessment for another.

“It is clear that manmade causes are the driving force behind the alarming decline in the global population of giraffes. Ensuring swift action under the Endangered Species Act is an immediate and easily implementable first step to offering the key protections this species needs,” said Beth Allgood, U.S. director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

The public can support Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes by submitting comments.

“As giraffe numbers dwindle, we have to ask ourselves if the world needs them more galloping in the savannah or lying on someone’s floor as a rug. Giraffes are a beloved symbol of biodiversity, not trinkets or keepsakes. The clock is ticking as more and more of these animals are being killed while the administration delays its decision. If the animals are not protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Trump administration will be remembered for sitting idly by while one of the most recognizable species on the planet fades away,” said Elly Pepper, deputy director for international wildlife conservation at NRDC.

The IUCN currently recognizes one species of giraffes and nine subspecies: West African, Kordofan, Nubian, reticulated, Masai, Thornicroft’s, Rothchild’s, Angolan and South African. Legal protection is sought for the whole species. Further, parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) will consider a proposal to list giraffes under Appendix II of the Convention when they meet in August. If passed the proposal, which was submitted by the giraffe range states of Chad, Senegal, Niger, Mali and Kenya, would ensure the international trade in giraffe parts is tracked.

 

Contacts:

Tanya Sanerib, Center for Biological Diversity, (206) 379-7363, tsanerib@biologicaldiversity.org

Rodi Rosensweig, Humane Society International/The Humane Society of the United States, (203) 270-8929, rrosensweig@humanesociety.org

Rodger Correa, International Fund for Animal Welfare, (202) 834 6637, rcorrea@ifaw.org

Daniela Arellano, Natural Resources Defense Council, (310) 434-2304, darellano@nrdc.org

Humane Society International / Global

WASHINGTON – The Estée Lauder Companies has become the latest beauty company to back the #BeCrueltyFree campaign, the largest effort in history to end cosmetic animal testing globally. The Estée Lauder Companies is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, sold in over 150 countries and territories under 25+ brand names. The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is led by Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

Anna Klein, senior vice president, Global Corporate Affairs for The Estée Lauder Companies, said: “We are proud to partner with Humane Society International, an organization that has done such thoughtful work advocating for animals everywhere. They have been a wonderful partner and advisor as we work together towards our common goal to bring an end to cosmetics animal testing, worldwide.”

Kitty Block, president of Humane Society International and president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Animal testing is last century’s science, but to legislate it out of existence requires us to join forces with forward-looking industry leaders like The Estée Lauder Companies. I’m confident that by working together with beauty companies through our #BeCruelty campaign, we can help bring an end to cosmetics testing on animals by 2023.”

The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is an unprecedented education and consensus-building effort among federal legislators, regulators and corporate and other stakeholders to ensure that all newly manufactured cosmetics are both safe and cruelty-free. It has already helped shape cosmetics animal testing and sale bans in nearly 40 countries.

As part of the campaign, HSI is leading negotiations with cosmetic trade associations and key beauty brands to advance forward-looking federal legislation in countries around the world.

To learn more about The Estée Lauder Companies’ commitment to animal welfare and information on their cruelty-free brands visit www.elcompanies.com.

#

Media contacts:

The Estée Lauder Companies

  • Amara Malik, 212-965-6335, amalik@estee.com

Humane Society International

 

Humane Society International / Canada

Canada clinic

MONTREAL – Humane Society International/Canada has just completed its 18th free veterinary clinic in partnership with Friends of HSI and Chiots Nordiques (northern puppies). The veterinary response team was in Chisasibi – their third visit to date – where dedicated veterinarians, animal health technicians and volunteers examined, treated, sterilized and/or vaccinated a total of 115 animals.

Chisasibi, a Cree community located over 1,400 km north of Montreal, has become a model for effective animal management in remote First Nations regions that don’t have access to veterinary services. Gone unchecked, stray and wandering dog populations can grow and can lead to malnutrition, untreated injuries, parasites and other health challenges. This free clinic, done at the community’s request, is designed to help manage overpopulation while fostering improved coexistence between residents and animals without resorting to culls.

Ewa Demianowicz, senior campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: “The community of Chisasibi has been proactively working in managing its companion animal population and each time we visit them, we witness the tremendous impact their actions and initiatives are having on animal welfare. Not only do they regularly request help to provide veterinary services to their pets, which are not accessible in the region, but they have also put in place an animal welfare by-law and an animal shelter. We are extremely honoured to work with Chiots Nordiques and the community of Chisasibi to ensure the welfare and health of the community’s companion animals.”

Dr. Daphnée Veilleux-Lemieux, President – Chiots Nordiques, added: “The objective of this clinic was to maintain an annual partnership with a community whose approach to controlling canine populations is a model of innovation, delivering results while respecting local needs – all despite geography, temperature and funding constraints. A team of about ten volunteers took part in this clinic, which was teamwork at its finest.”

Remote Indigenous communities in Canada often lack access to veterinary services, leading to overpopulation of stray and roaming dogs. HSI/Canada works with Chiots Nordiques in remote Quebec communities to provide mass sterilization, vaccination and emergency veterinary services for such animals. Since 2013, the two groups have treated over 2,000 dogs in First Nation communities.

For high-resolution photos, please call or email media contact below.

 

Media Contact: Christopher Paré, Director of Communications – o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org

Chinese activists call on dog lovers worldwide to condemn brutal trade

Humane Society International / China

BEIJING—Chinese animal activists have released distressing images from inside a filthy, backstreet dog slaughterhouse in Yulin, China just days ahead of the city holding its annual dog meat festival at which thousands of dogs and cats will be killed and eaten.

Download photos and video of the rescue here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=ChinaRescue0619

The activists, who wish to remain anonymous, rescued 62 terrified dogs from Yulin on 12th June. Communicating via other Chinese activists with whom the rescue team worked, animal charity Humane Society International has received and released footage and photos from the rescue, and has been responding to requests to accommodate and care for some of these dogs.

The dogs were severely dehydrated and malnourished, with some showing signs of sickness and infection. They are mostly small breeds typical of pet dogs in China, and some were still wearing their collars when rescued. Most dogs and cats caught up in China’s meat trade are believed to be strays snatched from the streets and pets stolen from people’s backyards, in clear violation of Chinese laws. They are crammed into wire cages and driven for hours or even days across the country, before reaching the slaughterhouse where they are beaten to death.

The Yulin dog meat festival begins in earnest on 21st June to mark the summer solstice. It is not a traditional festival, but was invented as recently as 2010 by dog traders trying to boost flagging dog meat sales. Before the festival started, Yulin had no history of mass dog slaughter and consumption.

Wei, one of the Chinese activists, told HSI: “It was swelteringly hot inside the slaughterhouse when we got there, the dogs were exhausted and panting, some pressing themselves tight against the wall in an effort not to be noticed. Others chased around our legs eager for attention. We noticed straight away that some of them were wearing pet collars so they were probably stolen, and some of them looked very sick so we quickly loaded them on the truck to get them to our temporary shelter quickly to receive emergency veterinary treatment. The slaughter man told us that these dogs were likely one of the last truckloads of dogs entering Yulin before the festival because the local government was likely to stop further trucks from entering the city, but we didn’t stick around to verify that. We want the world to see the horrors of China’s dog meat trade of which Yulin is typical, and for dog lovers everywhere to stand up against this terrible cruelty. Please don’t waste your breath calling dog eating Chinese culture. It is not our culture to steal people’s pets. It is not our culture to eat dogs.”

The 62 dogs were immediately driven to a temporary shelter where they received emergency care, food and water. The dogs were rested for several days before leaving Yulin to make the journey to the various different permanent shelters that will care for them longer term, including one supported by HSI in north China. Some of the dogs who receive HSI help will eventually be placed for adoption in the United States, whilst others will be available for adoption within China or be cared for longer term at the shelter.

Dr Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist, commented on the rescue, saying: “Yulin is a very tense place right now, with dog traders and slaughterhouses on high alert, so it was difficult for these Chinese activists to win the trust of this facility to release the dogs. We commend their efforts to show the world the suffering of these poor animals, and to expose the dog theft that lies behind the dog meat trade. These dogs are traumatised and in need of veterinary treatment, but they are the lucky ones because for them at least the horror of Yulin is over. Sadly, thousands more will still die at Yulin, and millions across China, unless decisive action is taken. So we urge the Chinese government to show that it will not tolerate the dog thief gangs who perpetuate this trade, and bring an end to the brutal dog and cat meat trade.”

The dog meat trade isn’t just an issue of animal welfare, it also poses a serious threat to human health. The World Health Organisation has warned that the dog trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera. Yulin has long been a city with one of the highest rates of human rabies cases in China, and the local trade undermines the Chinese government’s goal of eliminating rabies in China by 2025. Selling and processing meat from sick and dying dogs in Yulin and elsewhere is also a serious violation of China’s food safety law, and yet the trade is allowed to persist with relatively little legal sanction.

Fast facts about Yulin and China’s dog meat trade

1. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20 per cent of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey conducted by Chinese state-registered charities and assisted by a team of six research staff from the Yulin Municipal Government, revealed that most people living in Yulin (72 percent) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.

2. A 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64 percent) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7 percent) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5 percent) have never eaten dog meat.

3. When first launched in 2010, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure reduce to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival.

4. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are killed across Asia for their meat, some 10-20 million in China alone.

 

Media Contacts:
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, HSI Director of International Media: +44(0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

Learn More Button Inserter