Author: Kristin Stone

Humane Society International / Canada

MONTREAL – HSI/Canada is calling on the BC provincial government to take immediate action in stopping all ‘wildlife killing contests’ across the province and enact the necessary legislation to make any and all future contests illegal.

In wildlife killing contests, contestants pay a fee and compete for cash and prizes to see who can kill the most or the largest animals in a specified period of time. Awarding prizes for competitive and indiscriminate killing of animals is unethical and inconsistent with respecting the important role each species plays in our ecosystem.

Julie MacInnes, wildlife campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: “These contests permit some of the most inhumane and cruel methods to kill our iconic and sentient wildlife. These bloodlust traditions need to be banned – rather than ignored, or worse, encouraged in 2019. Wolves and cougars are critical to increasing biodiversity and maintaining healthy ecosystems.”

Wildlife killing contests are unscientific, inherently inhumane, and go against the ethics of most Canadians. In BC, 94% of residents oppose trophy hunting. In the interest of creating a more humane society, HSI/Canada urges the BC Government to react swiftly and decisively by suspending any current wildlife killing contests and to take concrete steps towards making such contests illegal.

Facts:

  • In Williams Lake, until March 31, contestants can pay $20 to enter a ‘wolf-whacking contest’. As per the rules, hunters take photos of their wolf kills with time stamps or they can bring in the ‘critter’s head and hide.’ The person or team with the most kills wins the ‘grand prize.’
  • In another contest, hosted by the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club (held March 16 to 24), contestants pay a $10 entry fee and there are cash prizes for those who have accumulated the most points. Points are won depending on which of the target species is killed. Target species include wolves, coyotes, cougars and raccoons.
  • To kill the most animals, participants are often encouraged to use high-tech weapons and other equipment like electronic calling devices, which lure animals in for an easy kill by mimicking the sounds of a fellow animal in distress. Hounds and GPS collars could also be used, in addition to cruel snares and traps.
  • Countless animals are left injured, and dependent young may be orphaned during these events, left to die from starvation, predation or exposure. Once the prizes are awarded, the bodies of the animals are often discarded as trash.
  • HSI/Canada sent an open letter to the BC government to ban wildlife killing contests, in coalition with 54 wildlife, conservation, and animal welfare specialists and organizations.
  • There is growing awareness that these cruel tournaments must be outlawed across North America. In the U.S., California was the first state to institute a ban on wildlife killing contests in 2014. In 2017, Maryland placed a moratorium on cruel aquatic killing contests for cownose rays in the Chesapeake Bay. In 2018, Vermont banned coyote killing contests. In 2019, bills are currently pending to ban wildlife killing contests in the states of New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin and New Mexico and Arizona’s wildlife agency is contemplating regulations that would ban wildlife killing contests.

Media Contact: Christopher Paré – office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org

Humane Society International / India

PATNA — Humane Society International/India has joined with Bihar’s Department of Animal Husbandry, People for Animals and local organization Jag Jagran Sansthan to urge devotees of the Gadhimai festival in Nepal not to transport or sacrifice animals during the event this year in November, consistent with the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

The quinquennial festival has long been considered the largest animal sacrifice festival in the world; hundreds of thousands of buffalo, goats, chickens and other animals are decapitated to placate Gadhimai, the goddess of power. Following campaigns by HSI/India and PFA at the last Gadhimai in 2014, there was an estimated 70 per cent reduction in animal sacrifice. In 2015 temple authorities declared a ban on future animal sacrifice. The public awareness drive seeks to ensure that news of the ban reaches the estimated 5 million devotees expected to attend the event.

In a joint effort spanning many months and multiple languages and dialects, the organisations are running street plays, radio advertisements, billboards, and utilising local celebrity support across key districts of Bihar via which the majority of devotees travel to Nepal for the Gadhimai festival.

Arkaprava Bhar, Humane Society International/India’s regional manager for East India, said: “The decision by the Gadhimai temple committee to end the animal sacrifice should spare the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent animals. But for it to have impact we now have the huge task of making sure that the millions of people heading to Gadhimai are made aware of the temple’s ruling, and bring flowers, sweets and fruit to offer to the goddess instead of buffalo and birds. We are extremely grateful to the Government of Bihar for supporting our efforts to spread the news that the transport of animals to Nepal for religious sacrifice is illegal, and that the temple has also declared an end to this bloodshed. We hope that by watching our street theatre, listening to our radio ads, and reading our education materials, we can save as many animals as possible from a terrible and needles fate.”

The awareness drive started in early March and is now in its second phase in Muzaffarpur, bringing street plays to districts including Darbhanga, Madhubani, Supaul and Kishangan. Similar initiatives will be conducted in other districts of Bihar until October. The Government of Uttar Pradesh also joined with HSI/India and PFA earlier this year at the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious congregation, to make attendees aware of the Gadhimal festival ban on animal sacrifice.

In 2014 the Sashastra Seema Bal, the border force at the Indo-Nepal border, was increased to intercept those attempting to bring live animals for sacrifice, and in total more than 2,000 animals were confiscated.

Mr. Vinod Gunjial, director of Bihar’s Animal Husbandry Department said: “With guards at the Indian-Nepalese border, the movement of animals can be controlled. The practise of sacrifice is not only brutal but also is very stressful to watch. We hope that with all these measures, the awareness drive should leave a positive impact on devotees of Gadhimai.”

Facts:

  • The origins of Gadhimai are said to date back some 265 years when the founder of the Gadhimai temple, Bhagwan Chowdhary, had a dream that the goddess Gadhimai wanted blood in return for freeing him from prison, protecting him from evil, and promising prosperity and power. The goddess asked for a human sacrifice, but Chowdhary offered sacrifice of five animals instead, and this been repeated every five years since.
  • It is estimated that more than 500,000 animals including buffalo, goats, chickens and others were decapitated at Gadhimai in 2009, but in 2014 the numbers had reduced by 70 percent.
  • The Gadhimai temple committee’s 2015 ban on animal sacrifice at the temple was announced after rigorous negotiations with the Temple Trust members by Animal Welfare Network Nepal, PFA and HSI/India.
  • While the temple’s ban on animal sacrifice is limited to the slaughter of buffalo within the main temple arena (as the only area that comes under its jurisdiction), it has appealed top devotees to refrain from all animal sacrifice that also takes place outside of the arena.

Download images from Awareness Drive and Gadhimai 2014 here.

Media Contact: Sanjana Rao, +91 8897827214, srao@hsi.org

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON—A newly released public opinion poll of registered voters in the United States shows overwhelming disapproval of a proposal to lift the ban on trophy hunting in Botswana and to initiate regular culls of the country’s elephants. On February 21, a Botswanan cabinet subcommittee recommended lifting the hunting ban and starting regular elephant culling to President Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, who is expected to make a decision soon.

The United States is Botswana’s second largest source of tourists. The results of the U.S. poll show that 75 percent of respondents think it is important to protect elephants from trophy hunting. An overwhelming 78 percent of respondents do not support the proposed culling. Furthermore, 73 percent of respondents believe that if trophy hunting and elephants culls are started, Botswana’s image as a leader in wildlife conservation would be harmed. With reports of elephant poaching on the rise in Botswana, 75 percent of those surveyed were worried about elephant poaching.

In a historic move, Botswana banned trophy hunting in 2014. After the ban went into effect, the country became a popular tourist destination for travelers who want to support ecotourism and the country’s iconic wildlife. In fact, this highly productive industry is considered to be under threat since many visitors choose Botswana as their safari destination specifically because of its firm anti-hunting stance. Using data from the CITES international trade database, Humane Society International estimates that Botswana’s trophy hunting ban has saved nearly 2,400 elephants and 140 leopards from the bullet so far. Leading tour operators have stated that the proposal goes against everything the country stands for and implementation thereof would amount to taking regressive steps rather than building on a sound ecotourism record.

Sign the petition to protect Botswana’s elephants

In 2018, travel and tourism in Botswana experienced 3.4 percent growth, contributing US$2.52 billion or 13.4 percent to the country’s economy and supporting 84,000 jobs or 8.9 percent of Botswana’s total employment. Leisure travel accounted for 96 percent of travel and tourism spending, and almost 3/4 of spending came from international travelers. With tourism now the second largest contributor to the country’s GDP and a significant employer, reinstating trophy hunting and starting elephant culls could hurt the country’s economy.

Iris Ho, senior specialist for wildlife programs and policy at Humane Society International, said, “Millions of foreign tourists travel to Botswana to shoot majestic wild animals, not with guns, but with their cameras. Wildlife watching and photographic tourism is on the rise around the world, outstripping the revenue from trophy hunting and the number of trophy hunters by a wide margin. The current ban on trophy hunting is a win-win policy for Botswana’s economy, for the local community and for the animals. There cannot be a more drastic shift for a country known as a safe haven for elephants to become an elephant canning factory for pet food. With poaching of elephants across Africa on the rise, legalized hunting and culling is severe blow to Africa’s rapidly declining elephant population.”

In conjunction with the release of the polling results, more than 87,000 people from around the world signed HSI’s petition to the president of Botswana, asking him to keep the trophy hunting ban in place and to reject plans to cull the country’s elephants. HSI also led a sign-on letter from 33 animal welfare and wildlife conservation organizations from around the world with similar appeals.

The poll of 1,091 registered voters was conducted by the Remington Research Group from March 3-5, 2019, with a margin of error of +/-3 percent and a 95 percent level of confidence.

ENDS

Media contacts:
United States: Nancy Hwa, (202) 676-2337 (office), (202) 596-0808 (mobile), nhwa@hsi.org
Africa: Leozette Rood, +2771 360 1004 (mobile), lroode@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Europe

BRUSSELS—Alesha Dixon, Martin Clunes OBE, Deborah Meaden, Anneka Rice, Susan George, Virginia McKenna OBE, Brian Blessed OBE, Fiona Shaw CBE, Steve Backshall and Lucy Watson have written to EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella urging him to support a proposal by African nations to protect the imperiled giraffe. The species has declined by up to 40 percent in the past 30 years. The proposal will be discussed at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Colombo, Sri Lanka starting in late May, but it has little chance of success without the support of the EU voting bloc.

In an open letter co-signed by the Born Free Foundation, Humane Society International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Pro Wildlife, Animal Defenders International, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Biological Diversity, Animal Welfare Institute, and Avaaz, the stars urge the EU Commission to “stick its neck out for the giraffe” by supporting the of listing the giraffe on Appendix II of CITES.

The letter reads: “The world’s tallest mammal is beloved by many for its beauty and grace. These gentle giants are icons of the African savannah, and every child knows that “G” is for giraffe. But sadly, this iconic species is suffering a “silent extinction” because few are aware of their plight. Giraffe populations have decreased approximately 40% in the last 30 years. If we do not act quickly the giraffe could disappear forever.”

The proposal has been put forward by the Central African Republic, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger and Senegal, and is supported by the 32 African nation members of the African Elephant Coalition, which released a declaration last month in recognition of the steep decline in giraffe populations. An Avaaz petition has also received 1.3 million signatures of support from citizens around the world.

Scientists have labeled the plight of giraffes a “silent extinction” due to the lack of attention and support the species is receiving. Securing the support of the voting bloc of EU Member States is absolutely critical for the giraffe proposal to succeed, but as yet the EU is hesitant to support. EU representatives are due to meet and agree their position on this and other proposals on 28th March, so the celebrities and animal groups have come together to increase their call on the EU to act.

Virginia McKenna OBE, actress and co-founder of The Born Free Foundation, said: “The trivial items – giraffe bone handles, a Bible cover, a giraffe foot – made from the parts of dead giraffes – should be objects of shame. The world has gone mad if people value these more than the living, beautiful creatures which play such a vital role in the survival of the African savannah. Animals suffer and feel pain as we do- or don’t we care?”

Singer Alesha Dixon said: “It saddens me to think that our children or grandchildren could grow up in a world without giraffes, so I hope that policy makers do the right thing and support the proposal to protect this beautiful species.”

Adam Peyman, Humane Society International’s wildlife programs and operations manager, said: “The giraffe is going quietly extinct as they are slaughtered for trophies and their body parts used for trinkets. As there are currently no regulations on trade in giraffes, a CITES listing would provide critical measures to ensure giraffes are not pushed to the brink of extinction, and the EU’s vote holds the key to its success.”

Jan Creamer, President of Animal Defenders International, said: “We must act now to prevent the further decline of this iconic species. African nations need our help to protect threatened giraffe populations, and we urge the EU to step up and support this important measure, before it’s too late.”

While giraffe populations continue to wane, the species has become common in the wildlife trade. A Humane Society International report shows that the United States imported nearly 40,000 giraffe specimens between 2006 and 2015, such as hunting trophies, decoration items, and knife handles, in addition to large shipments of live animals. The EU is also a key consumer of giraffe products; online research detailed in the proposal records over 300 giraffe products for sale by sellers based in seven European Union countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The proposal seeks to provide giraffes with protections to bring under control international trade in the currently unprotected species. An Appendix II listing would require exporting countries to prove that giraffe specimens were legally obtained and that the export is not detrimental to the survival of the species. Additionally, the listing would provide researchers and governments with important data to track the trade in giraffes throughout the world.

The nine organisations and the 32 African countries also strongly encourage CITES Parties, the CITES Secretariat, inter-governmental organisations and non-governmental organisations to support the proposal.

Notes to Editors:

  • The US, the only country for which import data is available, imported a total of 39,516 giraffe specimens between 2006 and 2015, some of these originating in countries where giraffe populations are Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.
  • The 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES will take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 23 May to 3 June.
  • Members of the Africa Elephant Coalition, which announced support for the giraffe proposal, include Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.
  • Watch a short awareness video on the giraffe’s silent extinction here.

Media contacts:

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

DOWNLOAD: video and photos of giraffe skin, bone and other items sold in the USA for the wildlife trade here.

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON – For World Water Day on 22 March, Humane Society International is urging consumers to eat a more plant-based diet to help combat the significant contribution to water scarcity across the world. Water security is one of the biggest challenges facing our planet, so World Water Day is the ideal opportunity to tackle one of the biggest causes of water usage – meat, dairy and egg production.

Globally 2.1 billion people live without safe water and around 4 billion people – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. According to the United Nations, 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

With more than 83 billion animals reared and slaughtered globally for the food industry every year, industrial scale animal agriculture impacts our environment in enormously detrimental ways. It is not only one of the leading contributors to climate change and deforestation, but it also uses vast quantities of water. Research shows that switching to more plant-forward diets could cut our water footprint in half, so by changing our diet to reduce or replace meat, dairy and eggs with more water-friendly plant-based foods, we can all help to preserve the world’s water.

The Top 8 Reasons to Eat Plant-Based for World Water Day
1. Farming (animal and plant) accounts for about 70 percent of water used in the world today, up to 92 percent of freshwater, with nearly one-third of that related to animal farming and growing crops to feed to animals.
2. Most of the total volume of water used for animal agriculture (98 percent) refers to the water footprint of the feed for the animals. About one-third of the world’s grain and 80 percent of the world’s soya is fed to the animals we rear for food.
3. Intensive animal farming can cause serious water pollution such as eutrophication, an excessive amount of algae in the water caused by run-off of animal faeces and leftover feed, often leading to loss of fish and other aquatic wildlife.
4. 725.6L of freshwater are needed to produce 100g of protein from beef, whereas tofu requires eight times less freshwater (92.9L)
5. 96 percent of fish eaten in Europe comes from fresh-water fish farming, but the vast quantities of fish excrement and uneaten fish food that settles on the pond bed makes the perfect environment for the production of the greenhouse gas methane.
6. A meat-free diet can cut our water footprint in half! Studies show that a healthy meat-free diet reduces our water footprint by up to 55%.
7. The United Nations Environment Assembly says that plant-based burgers require between 75 – 99 per cent less water; 93 – 95 per cent less land; and generate 87 – 90 per cent fewer emissions than regular beef burgers.
8. “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” said University of Oxford’s Joseph Poore, who led the most comprehensive analysis of the damage farming does to the planet.

Kitty Block, President of HSI, says: “With billions of people across the globe struggling to cope with severe water scarcity, we should all be looking to cut our water footprint. One of the most effective ways we can all conserve water is to reduce or replace meat and dairy with planet-friendly, plant-based products. The vast quantities of water used by animal agriculture to grow animal feed, hydrate billions of animals, disinfect abattoir equipment and process animal products is contributing to our planet’s water scarcity. In addition to the animal welfare and human health benefits of cutting meat, looking after the earth’s scarce resources is a compelling reason to eat plant-based for World Water Day.”

Other benefits come from reducing or replacing meat and dairy in our diet. Numerous studies indicate that a diet rich in plant-based foods has considerable health benefits. The World Health Organisation estimates that worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975, with more than 1.9 billion overweight adults, and 381 million children overweight or obese. Studies from direct to consumer wellness brand wellness Gold Bee show that people who eat fewer animal products have lower rates of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and cancer. Replacing meat, milk and eggs produced by industrial agriculture also benefits farm animals, billions of whom spend their entire lives in cages or crates, where they are unable to exercise, engage in their natural behaviours, and often cannot even turn around because of lack of space.

Media contacts:

  • HSI International Media Director Wendy Higgins, +44 (0) 7989 972 423 (mobile), whiggins@hsi.org
  • HSI in the United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-676-2337 (direct), 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Europe

BRUSSELS—International animal conservation and protection organisations — the Born Free Foundation, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Pro Wildlife, Animal Defenders International, and the National Resource Defense Council — are calling on European Union (EU) Member States to support a proposal by African nations to protect the imperiled giraffe from international trade that has contributed to the species’ decline by 40 percent in the past 30 years. The Central African Republic, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger and Senegal want giraffes listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but they need the support of the EU’s voting bloc, without which the proposal is likely to fail.

The six nations have the backing of fellow members of the African Elephant Coalition (AEC), a consortium of 32 African countries, which released a declaration stating its support for the proposal last month, in recognition of the steep decline in giraffe populations.

Scientists have labeled the plight of giraffes a “silent extinction” due to the lack of attention and support the species is receiving, so the animal groups are urging the European Union to stand in solidarity with the 32 African countries. Winning the support of the EU Member States is absolutely critical for the giraffe proposal to succeed, but as yet a number of MSs look minded to oppose. EU representatives are due to meet and agree their position on 28th March, so the animal groups are increasing their call for the EU to stand in solidarity with the 32 African nations that want to see the giraffe proposal pushed through.

Daniela Freyer from Pro Wildlife, said: “We call on the EU to join the majority of African countries in their efforts to better protect giraffes. The species is endangered, populations have plummeted to less than 100,000 animals and we must ensure that over-exploitation for international trade is not fueling declines.”

While giraffe populations continue to wane, the species has become common in the wildlife trade. A Humane Society International report shows that the United States imported nearly 40,000 giraffe specimens between 2006 and 2015, such as hunting trophies, decoration items, and knife handles, in addition to large shipments of live animals. The EU is also a key consumer of giraffe products; online research detailed in the proposal records over 300 giraffe products for sale by sellers based in seven European Union countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The proposal, to be voted on at the 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in May, seeks to provide giraffes with protections to bring under control international trade in the currently unprotected species. An Appendix II listing would require exporting countries to prove that giraffe specimens were legally obtained and that the export is not detrimental to the survival of the species. Additionally, the listing would provide researchers and governments with important data to track the trade in giraffes throughout the world.

Adam Peyman wildlife programs and operations manager for Humane Society International, said: “The giraffe is going quietly extinct as they are slaughtered for trophies and their body parts used for trinkets. As there are currently no regulations on trade in giraffes, a CITES listing would provide critical measures to ensure giraffes are not pushed to the brink of extinction, and the EU’s vote holds the key to its success.”

The six organisations and the 30 African countries also strongly encourage CITES Parties, the CITES Secretariat, inter-governmental organisations and non-governmental organisations to support the proposal.

Jan Creamer, President of Animal Defenders International, said: “We must act now to prevent the further decline of this iconic species. African nations need our help to protect threatened giraffe populations, and we urge the EU to step up and support this important measure, before it’s too late.”

Notes to Editors:

  • The US, the only country for which importing data is available, imported a total of 39,516 giraffe specimens between 2006 and 2015, some of these originating in countries where giraffe populations are Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.
  • The 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES will take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 23 May to 3 June.
  • Members of the Africa Elephant Coalition, which announced support for the giraffe proposal, include Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.
  • Watch a short awareness video on the giraffe’s silent extinction here.

Media contacts:

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

Humane Society International / Australia

CANBERRA – The Australian Senate has today passed the Government’s Industrial Chemicals Bills 2017, including measures to prohibit reliance on new animal test data for chemicals introduced into Australia for use as ingredients in cosmetics. Passage of the bill was made possible thanks to an agreement reached with Humane Society International (HSI) this week, which saw the Government commit to 11 substantial reinforcing measures to ensure that all cosmetic ingredients are captured by the ban, together with funding to support the development and uptake of modern non-animal test methods. HSI, together with its #BeCrueltyFree Australia campaign partner Humane Research Australia, have welcomed the essential commitments which will ensure the implementation of a robust ban on cruel cosmetics in Australia.

Hannah Stuart, HSI Campaign Manager for #BeCrueltyFree Australia, said: “We are pleased to welcome this milestone in moving to end reliance on cruel and outdated cosmetic animal testing in Australia. This week’s commitments by the Government to further restrict the use of new animal test data for cosmetic uses, and to reduce reliance on animal testing more broadly as well, come as a product of nearly three years of intensive negotiations with Humane Society International. Paired with the Government’s additional commitments to HSI, this ban reflects both the global trend to end cosmetics cruelty, and the will of the Australian public which opposes using animals in the development of cosmetics. We thank the Government for showing leadership on this important issue, and HSI will continue to work with them to implement the commitments and enforce a robust ban. This is a huge win for animals, consumers and science.”

Stuart added: “Negotiations between HSI and the Government to secure the essential commitments and passage of the bill today were made possible through overwhelming public and cross-party support of #BeCrueltyFree Australia’s campaign for a robust national ban on cruel cosmetics, and in particular through the support of key Coalition MPs Jason Wood and Steve Irons, as well as the crucial backing of Senate amendment and motion co-sponsors Labor, the Greens, Centre Alliance Senator Stirling Griff, Senator Derryn Hinch, and Senator Tim Storer.”

The Government’s additional commitments to HSI and #BeCrueltyFree Australia include the following:

  • Further crucial provisions in the Ministerial Rules that accompany the bill which will prohibit new animal test data for all cosmetic uses of chemical ingredients introduced to Australia, ensuring that consumers won’t be exposed to buying newly animal tested cosmetics even after the ban comes into force.
  • Further measures to increase compliance with the ban once implemented, as well as measures which extend beyond the cosmetics ban, and will contribute even more significantly to a reduction in animal testing.
  • Allocating funding to support the development and uptake of new approach methods to replace animals in regulatory testing, and clearly articulating within the Industrial Chemicals Categorisation Guidelines that animal testing must only be used as a last resort, thereby aligning with international precedent.

The letter from the Minister and a full list of Government commitments made to HSI and #BeCrueltyFree Australia can be viewed here.

Facts:

  • HSI’s global #BeCrueltyFree campaign is the largest global effort in history to end cosmetics animal testing and trade. HSI and its partners have played a leading role in many of the nearly 40 national bans enacted to date, and in driving similar measures in active political discussion in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, the United States and the ASEAN region of south-east Asia. #BeCrueltyFree Australia is a partnership between Humane Society International and Humane Research Australia which has campaigned for over six years specifically on the issue of cosmetics cruelty in Australia.
  • Humane Society International estimates that around 500,000 animals – mainly rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats and mice – suffer and die in cruel and outdated tests of cosmetic ingredients or products each year around the world. Rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats are the most common animals used to test cosmetics, subjected to having cosmetic chemicals dripped in their eyes, spread on their shaved skin, or force fed to them orally in massive, even lethal doses.
  • A May 2013 poll by Nexus Research on behalf of Humane Research Australia found an overwhelming majority of Australians (85 percent) oppose using animals in the development of cosmetics with a large majority (81 percent) supporting a national ban on the sale of cosmetics tested on animals – that’s four out of five Australians who support a national ban. Similarly, a July 2014 opinion poll by Roy Morgan Research showed that ‘Not Tested on Animals’ was one of the top three features looked for by Australian female consumers when buying cosmetics.
  • More than 1000 beauty brands are certified cruelty-free globally, including popular Australian brands such as LUSH, Natures Organics, MooGoo, Australis, and many others such as those listed on the Choose Cruelty Free List.
  • These cruelty-free companies have sworn off animal testing, yet still produce new, safe and fabulous beauty products. They do so by using long-established ingredients combined with state-of-the-art non-animal tests that can produce faster, cheaper and more relevant test results.

ENDS

Media contact: Hannah Stuart, HSI/Australia, P 0407 193 526 | E hstuart@hsi.org

Tweet: @BeCrueltyFreeOz @HSIAustralia @hsiglobal #BeCrueltyFree

Humane Society International

Since 2015, we’ve permanently shut down multiple dog meat farms in South Korea and rescued more than 2,700 dogs flown to the USA, UK, Canada and the Netherlands for adoption.

The farm closures are a key part of our broader strategy to demonstrate to the South Korean government a working model for a state-sponsored, nationwide closure of farms. We have been working directly with farmers who have expressed a desire to end their involvement in the industry, identifying ways to shut down the farms and transition to humane livelihoods, such as sustainable crop-growing businesses.

Latest updates

For photos and video, see Facebook.

How to volunteer

At our emergency shelter in Montreal, volunteers help us rehabilitate rescued animals, clean their cages on a daily basis and socialize them so they can be ready for placement through our partners. Give hands-on care.

How to adopt

The rescued dogs are transported to our Shelter and Rescue Partners, which then facilitate adoptions. Please view the list of Shelter and Rescue Partners here. We will continue to update this list as more Shelter and Rescue Partners are confirmed. Those interested in adoption can contact these organizations directly to find out how to meet the dogs and apply to adopt.

Learn More and Help

HSI is fighting to end the dog meat trade across Asia. Learn more about our efforts and what you can do to help stop this cruelty. Our campaign Take action Give now

Humane Society International

科学者の中には、あと数年で、ヒトに移植するための臓器をブタの体内で作ったり、ブタやヒツジを培養の器として活用してヒト細胞由来の臓器（移植を必要としている人間の細胞を使ったものを作ることもできる可能性もある）を作ることができるようになると考えている者もいます。この点について、当団体の立場とその理由は以下の通りです。

全米人道協会(The Humane Society of the United States, HSUS) は、現在、移植用の臓器の需要が供給できる数をはるかに上回っており、この課題を解決するために、動物からの臓器の活用が検討されていることを把握しています。しかし、The HSUSは、異種移植は、動物を搾取するだけではなく、最終的には人間の健康にとっても害のある短絡的な考え方であると懸念しています。我々が食品のために使う動物は、移植のための臓器を「培養」するためには適切ではありません。「培養の器」となる動物は、特別な環境で育てられなければならず、人間のレシピエントによる拒絶反応の確率を減らすことを目的に遺伝子操作されている場合が多々あります。このような人工的な環境で飼養管理されている動物の福祉と、遺伝子操作された動物を作り出すことに対する代償（金銭的にも倫理的にも）について、無視できない倫理的懸念があることも事実です。さらに、The HSUSは、動物の臓器を人間に移植することにかかわる重篤な感染症に関するリスクの増加についても懸念しています。実際、新たな感染症の75%が動物から人への伝染により発生している点を考えると、異種移植は臓器のレシピエントを通して人口全体に影響を及ぼしかねない新たな危険な感染症を発生させる要因になる可能性もあります。

生物工学、幹細胞研究そして再生医療においては、ここ数年だけでも医学の世界で目覚ましい進歩を遂げています。これらにより、研究施設で培養し機能性のある臓器を作るための適切な「足場」を得ることができました。これらの領域の臨床における活用のさらなる発展と促進のために研究資金を集中させることが、臓器の供給量に関する課題の対応方法としてより適切であり、また現在臓器移植（人間からでも動物からでも）とセットで行われているが、身体に負荷がかかる免疫抑制療法の必要性も少なくなり、資金を節約してかつより多くの命を救うためには、現在の臨床アプローチや異種移植よりも費用対効果が良いと考えています。

The HSUS は、臓器移植に活用できるこれらの生物医学研究における進展により、異種移植の研究を実施する意味が薄れていると考え、このような趣旨の調査研究の助成や受理を廃止するよう提言します。遺伝子操作された動物を使う異種移植のプロジェクトよりも、必要な医学的進歩を可能とする新たな科学技術に資源を集約するほうが、公衆衛生の利益にもつながると考えます。

疾患で亡くなる人を救うためではなく、人間の自然な寿命を延ばすために活用するということであれば、異種移植に関する倫理的懸念に違いがあると思いますか。

当団体は、どのような理由であれ、動物の身体の部位を人間に移植するということは、倫理的に懸念があり、費用対効果が見込めず、効率面で問題があり、そして何よりも安全ではないと考えています。移植をする理由が何であれ、動物の臓器を人間に移植するということには多大なリスクが付きまといます。ドナーの動物種や移植の理由にかかわらず、移植のレシピエントについては拒絶反応を予防するために免疫抑制療法が必須です。しかし、現在の免疫抑制療法は、有害な副作用があり、感染症のリスクを増加させるため、動物の臓器の供給を増やすことは、疾患にかかった、または疲弊した臓器に代わる、安全、倫理的に万全、かつ医学的に適切な対策というわけではないのです。

このような方向性で研究を実施している企業や科学者とかかわりを持っていますか（例えば、どこかの個人・法人のアドバイザーとなっているなど）。

当団体は、往々にして、試験や研究において使われる実験動物を削減し、最終的には動物実験を代替することを目的とした、ヒト組織を研究施設で培養する新たな方法の開発に従事している科学者らと協働しています。このような研究者には、学術誌で公表するレビュー論文の執筆のために助成金を提供したり、ヒトに焦点を当てた、動物を用いない方法のさらなる活用を促進し、これらの革新的な技術の露出度や親しみやすさを科学の領域全体において向上させるために、科学者が対面でアイディアや研究結果を共有できるようなワークショップなどのイベントの開催・共催に力を入れています。

この課題について、皆が知っておくべきことは他にありますか。

異種移植は、良くても応急の解決策であり、リスクがあり比較的根拠が乏しい方法です。動物の臓器を橋渡しとして使うことで移植希望者の順番待ちリストが短くなることはなく、動物から臓器を移植した患者は、きちんと機能してマッチングされた人間の臓器を移植できるまで順番待ちリストに名を連ねる必要があります。また、異種移植は臓器のドナーの数を減少させる恐れもあり、たとえ異種移植がリスク・フリー、かつ安価で成功率が高い方法となっても人間の臓器ドナーの必要性はなくならないということを覚えておかなければなりません。

現在、完全な臓器移植の有用性を抑える主要な課題である標的が特定できずかつ有害な免疫抑制は、異種移植により対応できるものではありません。何故なら、動物の臓器の拒絶反応を予防するために、免疫抑制療法が必要となるからです。一方で、新たな治療法の中には、免疫抑制療法を削減し移植された臓器の機能を息の長いものにし、レシピエントの生活の質を向上させるために、移植された臓器に対する免疫寛容を促進することに焦点を当てたものもあります。このようなヒトに即したアプローチであれば、当団体も全面的に支援します。

腎疾患だけで(2016年、米国では30,000件の腎臓移植が行われた)、人間の細胞移植の評価のため20件以上の臨床試験がclinicaltrials.gov に登録されています。これらの試験から得られたデータは将来の移植の戦略に役立てられるはずです。現在、移植に動物の臓器を使うという臨床試験は行われていません。これは、臓器の機能不全を抱えていたり臓器移植が必要な人たちのために臨床で役立てようと考えた際、再生医療の市場が異種移植の話題よりも先を見つめており、異種移植を目的に遺伝子操作で「人間化」した動物を開発することに限られた研究費を費やすことは、実質的に時代に逆行していることを意味します。

動物の臓器の活用は、実際臓器移植のコストを大きく増加させます。米国医学研究所は、臨床の戦略として異種移植を活用するとすれば、移植のための年間予算を30億ドルから200億ドルに増やさなければならないと推定しています。動物を遺伝子操作するということは、作業量も多く無駄が多いプロセスなので、異種移植のために動物を遺伝子操作するという単純な物言いは、「人間」の臓器一つを作り出すためにかかる時間、労力、そして命（動物）を過小評価していると考えます。

Humane Society International

The Lion's Share Fund team
The Lion’s Share team at the One Planet Summit in Nairobi/HSI

On March 14, 2019, The Lion’s Share Fund announced Humane Society International as its partner working on animal welfare projects around the world. The announcement was made at the One Planet Summit in Nairobi. Read the press release.

About The Lion’s Share Fund

The Lion’s Share is a unique initiative that aims to raise $100 million per year over the next three years for wildlife conservation and animal welfare by asking companies to contribute 0.5 per cent of their media spend every time animal imagery — whether real, animated or CGI — is used in their advertising campaigns. Ten percent of The Lion’s Share Fund will be invested in animal welfare projects.

Founders of The Lion’s Share include FINCH, Mars, Incorporated, Clemenger BBDO, Nielsen, and the United Nations Development Programme. Global outdoor advertising giant JCDecaux joined The Lion’s Share as another corporate partner at the One Planet Summit. For more information on the Lion’s Share Fund, visit www.thelionssharefund.com.

HSI’s involvement in The Lion’s Share

As the animal welfare partner in The Lion’s Share, Humane Society International will address dog and cat homelessness under the following framework:

  • Engaging communities to address the issue of street animals in neighborhoods with a high density of free-roaming dogs;
  • Expanding veterinary training to enhance skills for conducting high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter surgery where it is needed most, thereby reducing the global population of homeless animals;
  • Supporting actions to address the nexus between wildlife and domesticated animals, including disease transmission that threatens wildlife populations.

Examples of HSI programs that The Lion’s Share plans to support:

Bhutan — Spay/Neuter and Community Engagement: Since 2009, HSI has partnered with the Bhutanese government in a long-term dog management program to spay/neuter 70% of all free roaming animals. Having successfully achieved this goal, HSI will work with the Bhutan government to provide veterinary care and spay/neuter surgeries to privately owned pets, thereby completing the nation-wide dog management objective, improving the lives of pet dogs and promoting responsible pet ownership. Read about our recent work in Bhutan.

Bolivia — Spay/Neuter Clinics: Bolivia is one of the few countries in Latin America still struggling to manage the spread of rabies, with high street dog populations and few programs to humanely and effectively reduce populations. HSI worked with local veterinarians and government officials to establish a spay/neuter program nearly five years ago that has since expanded in scale and veterinary outreach. The HSI program will establish a training program specifically designed for government officials and veterinarians tasked with the reduction of rabies and the management of the dog and cat population in their cities.

Mauritius — Spay/Neuter and Community Engagement: An island-wide street dog culling was in place until HSI partnered with the government and started a humane pilot street dog management program in selected tourism areas, reaching 10,000 dogs over a year. With support from Lion’s Share, this program will be expanded in 2020 to all other regions of the island. Working closely with the local government, HSI will focus on community engagement to help improve the treatment of dogs and the human-animal bond, while at the same time providing critical spay/neuter services island-wide. Read about our recent work in Mauritius.

Vaccinations in Philippines: Philippines has one of the highest rates of rabies in the world, with a high-rate of free roaming dogs and high-density populations. In partnership with the national government, HSI started a mass rabies vaccination program in two of the highest rabies incidence cities in the country. To date, over 200,000 dogs have been vaccinated with a goal to reach at least 50,000 more. With Lion’s Share support, the program will be expanded beyond the two regions to reach all of the highest incidence areas of the country, helping hundreds of thousands of dogs and the communities where they live. Read about our recent work in the Philippines.

South Korea Adoption and Training Center: HSI is working to introduce an adoption and training center to offer a model for the care, sheltering and adoption of dogs in South Korea. HSI is focused on a solution to offer unwanted dogs in South Korea a second chance at a better life, and to build capacity in-country for a sustainable, healthy and well-cared for companion animal population modeled after successful rescue and shelter programs in other countries.

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