Author: Kristin Stone

LONDON— Ahead of the 67th meeting of the International Whaling Commission which begins next month in Florianópolis, Brazil, Humane Society International is urging all whale-friendly nations to stand united against Japan’s outrageous attempt to bring back killing whales for profit.

Humane Society International President Kitty Block says “People often assume we already saved the whales back in the 1980s, but sadly that’s not the case. The global whaling ban is under threat as never before, from a package of Japanese proposals to change IWC voting rules and bring back commercial whaling. Japan already hunts whales for bogus scientific purposes, and this aggressive new proposal is the latest in its relentless campaign to see the unspeakable cruelty of commercial whaling legitimised. We urge all whale-friendly nations attending the IWC to support conservation over killing by rejecting Japan’s outrageous proposition. These graceful giants face so many threats in our degraded oceans such as entanglement, plastic and noise pollution, and climate change, the last thing they need is to be put back in the whalers’ cross-hairs. It’s time to Save the Whales again!”

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The International Whaling Commission meeting begins on 4th September, and Japan has put forward a proposal package that could completely dismantle the global ban on commercial whaling that has been in place since 1982 to protect the whale populations that were decimated by industrial whaling. Whereas Japan’s current scientific whaling program kills several hundred whales a year under the guise of science, its new brazen proposal package is an open bid to re-introduce commercial whaling. It seeks to reduce the voting majority needed for commercial whaling quotas to be agreed from three-quarters of the IWC member nations voting to just a simple 50 per cent majority. If successful, the rule-change would pave the way for Japan, and undoubtedly others, to openly hunt whales.

Top IWC priorities for Humane Society International include:

• Urging whale-friendly member nations to attend the meeting and oppose all the elements in Japan’s bid to lift the global ban on commercial whaling;
• Encouraging strong support to reach the three-quarter voting majority needed to create a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary;
• Awarding quotas for Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling only where there’s a clearly demonstrated need, ensuring that assigned quotas are regularly reviewed by the Commission, and ensuring that the most humane killing methods are used;
• Promoting the IWC’s urgent and ground-breaking work to save whales and dolphins from the many threats they face, including entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes and strandings;

Humane Society International will have a team of experts at the IWC meeting available for interview. Give now to help whales and other animals.

ENDS

Media contact: HSI (United Kingdom) Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: whiggins@hsi.org

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WASHINGTON—A shocking undercover investigation conducted by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International found giraffe parts and products sold online and in stores by at least 51 dealers across the United States. An investigator went undercover in 21 stores in California, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas, as well as at the Dallas Safari Club expo, where many more sellers exhibited.

Kitty Block, acting president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and president of Humane Society International, said, “Purchasing giraffe parts puts the entire species at risk. The giraffe is going quietly extinct. With the wild population at just under 100,000, there are now fewer than one third the number of giraffes in Africa than elephants.”

Call to protect giraffes under the Endangered Species Act

Block notes that killing giraffes for trophies, and using their parts for fashion, knife handles, home décor and trinkets not only shows a complete disregard for this iconic species, but also adds to the major threats causing the species to decline by 40 percent in the past 30 years.

“We urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the giraffe as endangered under the Endangered Species Act to help combat this trade and reduce population declines before it’s too late,” she said.

Giraffe parts are considered by consumers as a ‘new exotic’ popular in part as an alternative to ivory and other products for which regulations have tightened. The HSUS/HSI investigation reveals a wide variety of giraffe parts and products easily available through wholesalers and retailers in the United States, including a giraffe taxidermy ($8,000), a custom-made giraffe jacket ($5,500), a full giraffe hide ($4,500), a giraffe hide rug ($3,000), a giraffe skull ($500), a knife with a giraffe bone handle ($450), a giraffe leather Bible cover ($400), a giraffe tail hair bracelet ($10) and a giraffe foot ($75).

Some sellers told investigators that they had received giraffe parts from trophy hunters. Several promised that new giraffe trophies were arriving soon and that they were taking custom orders for products, and others falsely claimed that giraffes were dangerous and needed to be killed to protect African villages.

On average, more than one giraffe per day is imported into the U.S. by American trophy hunters. Giraffe are targeted so hunters can bring home exotic trophies, and the Africa hunting outfitters who arrange these hunts sell the leftover giraffe parts — skin, bones, feet, tail. The giraffe parts and products are imported into the U.S. and sold by knife makers, purveyors of wildlife curios, bootmakers and others. Increased demand in the U.S. fuels more killing of this already vulnerable species. Take action and donate to help giraffes and other animals.

Background:

• U.S. law does not prohibit the trade in giraffe parts. In April 2017, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and conservation partner groups petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list giraffes as “endangered” under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. An ESA listing would restrict the import, export and sale of giraffe specimens in the U.S.
• Demand for giraffe parts can fuel poaching and trophy hunting, further decreasing giraffe populations already facing severe threats from habitat loss and civil unrest.
• In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature elevated the threat status of giraffes from “least concern” to “vulnerable” on its Red List of Threatened Species. Among the nine subspecies, two are deemed “endangered.”
• From 2006 to 2015, the U.S. imported approximately 40,000 giraffe parts and products, mostly for commercial purposes. Among these imports were about 21,000 giraffe bone carvings, nearly 4,000 raw bones, about 3,000 skin pieces, almost 2,000 raw bone pieces and more than 700 skins.

Full Investigation REPORT HERE

Investigation PHOTOS/VIDEOS HERE

Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203-270-8929, RRosensweig@humanesociety.org

CAPE TOWN—On the first of a two-day South African Parliamentary inquiry into the lion breeding industry, a new nationwide survey of South African citizens reveals overwhelming public concern about the industry, with a vast majority agreeing it is harmful to the country’s international reputation. South Africans demonstrate a deep dislike of activities associated with this industry, including trophy hunting and canned hunting of tame lions. South Africans are concerned that another associated activity, the trade in lion bones, will stimulate market demand leading to increased poaching of lions and big cats. At the same time, a new report finds that captive lion breeding industry revenue is less than 2 percent of South Africa’s tourism revenue.

The survey showed that South Africans, by a more than three to one margin, agree that the industry is harming South Africa’s international reputation, with 65 percent strongly agreeing/agreeing, and 21 percent strongly disagreeing/disagreeing. More broadly, 56 percent of South Africans fully oppose/oppose to some extent trophy hunting, 60 percent fully oppose/oppose to some extent canned lion hunting. The survey also showed that South Africans, by nearly a six to one margin—77 percent—strongly agree/agree with conservationists who say that the trade in lion bones will stimulate market demand leading to increased poaching of lions and big cats.

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Results followed the recent local and global backlash against an announcement by South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs that it would allow 1,500 captive-bred lion skeletons to be exported this year, nearly double last year’s export quota of 800 captive-bred lion skeletons. South Africa’s lion breeding industry has been under the spotlight since the 2015 release of the award-winning film Blood Lions® and the eponymous Blood Lions® Campaign, of which Humane Society International is a partner.

“These polling results demonstrate that South Africans are overwhelmingly concerned industry is harming South Africa’s international reputation,” said Audrey Delsink, executive director of HSI/Africa. “The captive lion breeding and the lion bone trade is South Africa’s claim to shame. Last year’s bone export quota of 800 was shocking enough: the increase to 1,500 in 2018 has no scientific basis and is a blatant license to kill for the lion breeding industry.”

A new report from the South African Institute of International Affairs, commissioned by HSI, states that the revenues generated by the lion cub petting and lion walking tourist attractions, while highly lucrative for these businesses, constitute only a tiny portion of South Africa’s overall tourism industry, which is one of the biggest employers in the country. The attractions constitute roughly 1.85 percent of the total value of tourism to the economy. Yet, the study finds, the lion breeding industry as a whole, including these attractions as well as canned lion hunting and skeleton exports, may seriously undermine the international reputation of South Africa and harm the tourism industry. The study concluded that, “the opportunity costs and negative externalities associated with the predator breeding industry may – along with other threats facing wild lion survival – undermine South Africa’s brand attractiveness as a tourism destination by up to R54.51bn over the next decade.”

Delsink says that public opinion and scientific analysis show that, instead of bolstering this unpopular industry by allowing the export of captive-bred lion skeletons, the South African government should be shutting it down. “The South African government can no longer justify a scandalous industry that is condemned by the South African public, only benefits the pockets of breeders and traders, and threatens to seriously damage South Africa’s tourism sector.”

HSI calls on the government to end this morally and socially reprehensible industry once and for all.

The survey of 1,264 South African citizens, commissioned by HSI, was conducted by IPSOS on August 17, 2018. The survey weighted data to census. Margin of error is +/-2.71 percent with a 95 percent level of confidence. The survey results can be viewed here.

Facts:

• The African lion is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora with a zero-export quota for wild specimens for commercial purposes. However, an annotation to the listing allows South Africa to establish annual export quotas for trade in lion bones, bone pieces, bone products, claws, skeletons, skulls and teeth for commercial purposes, derived from lions from captive breeding operations.
• South Africa exports lion skeletons to Asia where they are used in medicinal tonics and as a substitute for tiger bone.
• According to a report submitted to the 30th meeting of the CITES Animals Committee in July 2018, Vietnam was the largest importer of lion bodies and the second largest importer of skeletons. Lao People’s Democratic Republic was the largest importer of lion bones and skeletons. The United States was the largest importer of lion trophies. The report suggested that some lion poaching and trafficking involves organized criminal groups, and seizures alongside other commodities such as rhino horn indicate that these groups are dealing in multiple species.
• There are between 6,000 to 8,000 captive lions in more than 260 facilities across South Africa.
• There are fewer than 3,000 lions in the wild in South Africa and only about 20,000 wild lions across the continent.
• On November 28, 2017, 25 individuals representing the African Lion Working Group, prominent lion researchers, National Geographic and leading wildlife conservation groups submitted a letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. It urged the United States to maintain its restriction on importation of captive-origin lion trophies.

ENDS

Contacts:

HSI/Africa: Media and Communications Outreach Manager Leozette Roode, mobile +2771 360 1004, lroode@hsi.org

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

Amer—Humane Society International/India wrote to the Chief Conservator of Forest, Rajasthan seeking information about the missing elephants of Amer Fort. The letter requests the CCF to inquire the whereabouts and health conditions of seven missing elephants named Gulbagwali, Chanchal, Rupkali, Lakhimala, Gulabi, Lakhmani and Bijli.

These elephants were reported missing by the Animal Welfare Board of India during an inspection. Moving or transporting the elephants without knowledge and necessary permissions from the Forest Department is a blatant violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

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N.G. Jayasimha, managing director of HSI/India said, “We are baffled to find that amongst a host of other illegalities, there are now elephants missing. Were they being hidden from the inspectors for some reason or have they been taken away? If they are at Amer Fort now, why were they hidden during the time of inspection? We need answers to these questions. These majestic creatures cannot just disappear without the knowledge of the government authorities. We hope our efforts will compel and drive the forest department to act on the state of these elephants.”

Humane Society International/India has a campaign to end the elephant rides at Amer Fort as it is riddled with cruelty and illegality. In the past, the government of the states of Assam, Andaman and Nicobar, Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were urged by HSI/India to bring their elephants back from Rajasthan, where they were being used for joy rides.

Below are the list of missing elephants, along with their microchip numbers:

Gulbaghwali – Microchip No: 0065EDO76
Chanchal – Microchip No: 0065913F2
Rupkali – Microchip No:0065965DC
Lakhimala – Microchip No:961001000003829
Gulabi – Microchip No: 0064D8592
Lakhimani – Microchip No: 961001000006125
Bijli – Microchip No: 00065916AD

Media Contact: Neelam Naseeb—nnaseeb@hsi.org, +919205104695

SEOUL—Animal protection campaigners in Seoul handed in a petition signed by nearly 1 million people from South Korea and around the world, calling on President Moon Jae-in to end the dog meat industry. The submission coincides with the end of Bok Nal, the hottest days of summer when the highest numbers of dogs are killed and consumed per the myth that the meat “combats the heat”.

Humane Society International/Korea, Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), and petition site Care2 hand-delivered the petition to the President’s residence, the Blue House, with a letter urging him to initiate a phase-out of the estimated 17,000 dog meat farms across the country, in which an estimated 2.5 million dogs are reared for human consumption. On August 10 the government agreed to remove dogs and cats from the legal definition of livestock, but HSI and KARA now want to see a time-tabled plan of action.

Give now to fight the dog meat trade and other cruelty to animals.

Nara Kim, dog meat campaign manager for Humane Society International/Korea, says: “Our petition of nearly 1 million signatures reflects the desire of compassionate citizens here in South Korea and around the world to see an end to the brutally cruel dog meat industry. We hope that President Moon will agree that the time is right for South Korea to end this industry that causes so much animal suffering and is increasingly rejected by Korean citizens. We want South Korea to join the growing number of countries and territories across Asia that have consigned the dog meat trade to the history books.”

The petition hand-in comes as Humane Society International/Korea releases new heart-breaking footage showing rows of live dogs kept in cages outside dog meat shops and restaurants at Gupo market in Busan. Some of the dogs can be seen still wearing collars, a sign that they may have been former pets. The dogs huddle together in the barren cage, waiting for their turn to be selected for slaughter. Their usual fate is to be taken to the back of the shop to be electrocuted. Butchered dog meat is also shown on display in cold cabinets, some with an unmistakable dog paw still attached, the remains of their cage mates.

Nara Kim says: “It makes me so sad to see these poor dogs displayed at Gupo market. They will have already endured such miserable lives, only to end up here waiting to die. Local campaigners have had some success working with local authorities to tackle dog meat slaughter at Moran Market in Seoul, but during Bok Nal as many as 1 million dogs could still be killed to supply the dog meat restaurants and markets like Gupo and Chilsung.”

“Our video shows the common scenario of only the Jindo and Tosa breeds being put on public display, perpetuating the myth that only breeds considered ‘meat dogs’ are killed. The truth is, all breeds including Chihuahuas, Labradors, beagles, huskies and poodles are routinely found on dog meat farms, I have seen it with my own eyes. We suspect that these other breeds are slaughtered out of sight so as not to upset the Korea public. Jindos and Tosas are my personal favourite dogs, they are so sweet and misunderstood, but if the public realised that they are eating these pet breeds too, they would be horrified.”

South Korea is the only country in Asia known to intensively farm dogs for meat. They suffer immensely both physically and mentally, spending their entire lives in small, barren, wire cages without proper food, water, stimulation, comfort or veterinary care. The majority of dogs are sold and slaughtered at around 1 year of age, usually by electrocution. A growing number of South Koreans oppose the cruelty of the dog meat industry, and many dog meat farmers are keen to leave what they consider to be a dying industry. Campaigners want the government to take the lead in dismantling the dog meat trade once and for all.

KARA’s director, Jin-kyung Jeon, says: “KARA and HSI/Korea have been doing a joint campaign to break down the prejudice against ‘meat dogs’ and it seems that Korea is in the middle of change. We welcome the recent announcement by the Blue House saying that the current law defining dogs as livestock is out of date and the Livestock Industry Act will be modified to remove dogs. Officials said the current law could give the wrong impression that the government approves of breeding dogs for human consumption. This is a huge step forward since the current law has given legitimacy to dog farms in Korea.

The dog meat industry has been growing for over 40 years without any proper enforcement against violation of the law. Today we are calling for a government action plan to end the dog meat industry. This call is timely as revised legislative bills, which could effectively control the dog meat industry, were recently proposed to the National Assembly. We are making all our efforts in every direction to stop animal cruelty. “

The dog meat trade has already been outlawed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore and most recently the government of Indonesia pledged to ban the trade. HSI/Korea, KARA and Care2 believe it’s time for South Korea to do the same.

Facts:

• Dog meat is usually made into a soup called bosintang. Small dogs can also be made into a herbal drink called Gaesoju.
• HSI has worked in South Korea for the past three years, working with dog meat farmers who wish to leave the industry. HSI’s farm closures are part of the charity’s strategy to encourage the government to initiate a nationwide phase-out of the trade. It’s an initiative that has so far seen HSI close 12 farms and rescue more than 1,300 dogs, subsequently flown to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to be placed for adoption into new loving homes.
• A combination of growing societal shame, increased difficulty in selling dogs as appetite for dog meat declines, and regret at the suffering of dogs, leads dog farmers to approach HSI for a practical ‘way out’. They work with HSI to devise a business plan to transition to alternative, humane livelihoods such as water delivery or crop growing.
• President Moon adopted a dog rescued from a dog meat farm, and he also recently proposed amending the South Korean constitution to recognise animal protection. Most recently, a Korean court judgement in early 2018 saw a dog farmer fined because killing a dog for eating was declared unjustified.
• An estimated 30 million dogs are brutally killed and eaten each year in parts of Asia.

ENDS

Video and photos of the petition hand in and conditions on dog meat farms can be downloaded here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=SKpetition0818

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Media contacts

• South Korea: Nara Kim, nkim@hsi.org
• United Kingdom: Harriet Barclay, hbarclay@hsi.org

New Delhi—With floods and landslides ravaging India’s favourite holiday destinations such as Kerala, and Coorg in Karnataka, animal rescuers from Humane Society International/India are being inundated with distress calls from desperate pet owners who were forced to evacuate without their beloved animals. Many of the humanitarian rescue boats in the early days of the disaster refused to take animals, leaving behind hundreds of dogs and cats, especially in areas such as Kochi, Kottayam and Alappuzha where the pet population is high.

HSI/India has set up an emergency helpline to co-ordinate animal rescue throughout Kerala via its own rescuers and a network of other Indian animal protection groups in each district across the State. Pet owners are also using Whatsapp to send photos of their animals and the location of their near-submerged houses so that HSI/India can get rescuers to the scene to save the stranded pets. Additional HSI/India rescue teams are being deployed to Kerala as well as to Coorg to help cope with the scale of the rescue.

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Rahul Sehgal, HSI/India’s senior director of Companion Animals & Engagement says; “People here are desperately worried about their pets and our Kerala helpline is ringing day and night with pleas for animal rescue. HSI/India is working with the amazing local groups to reach as many animals as possible, as well as distributing vital life-saving equipment such as inflatable boats, veterinary medicines and food for starving animals. Rescuers are finding many dogs stranded on the roofs of submerged buildings, or left chained up in floodwater. We are urging Kerala’s humanitarian rescue teams to allow families to bring their pets, but if people are forced to leave them behind, they must be unchained or they risk drowning. We have a good chance of reuniting families with pets who run away, but a chained animal is doomed.”

HSI/India’s temporary shelter is caring for 19 dogs they rescued from the floods, along with 20 goats and eight cows. In addition, HSI is ensuring that animals in other parts of Kerala also receive help, by responding to hundreds of distress calls and Instagram posts and assigning them to local groups in the relevant areas. For example, a dachshund called Kuttus was rescued after being trapped in a house in Kavalam, Jack the dalmation was saved from drowning in Aluva, and Bailey an 8-month old Labrador was rescued in Chengannur after repeated attempts over four days by rescuers from ChennaiRescuers.

The situation is now improving in some areas such as Malappuram where HSI/India has been operating for the past week. Amit Meena, the district collector of Malappuram, and Prateesh Kumar, the chief of police at Malappuram, have instructed the police force to save any animal they encounter. However, the situation in many parts of Kerala is still challenging. In Thrissur, Sunitha Sinto the woman with 25 dogs who HSI/India assisted last week, has been refused entry to the local relief camp with her animals, and now that she has returned to her house, the camp is refusing to provide her with food for herself or her dogs. HSI’s Sally Varma visited Sunitha today to deliver rice and dog food as well as other basic provisions.

Sally Varma says: “Sunitha’s bond with her dogs is unbreakable, but she’s struggling without help so HSI was keen to check in on her so that she and her dogs don’t go hungry.”

While the waters are subsiding in some parts of Kerala, the district of Coorg in Karnataka is badly affected and HSI/India has been asked by Bangalore’s oldest animal welfare group, Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, to bring help to Coorg. The charity has deployed 10 more animal rescuers and veterinarian who will join their existing team in Kerala and also assist CUPA in Coorg.

Sehgal says: “Every day our team and local rescuers are wading waist-deep through leech-infested water to check the remains of dwellings for stranded animals. Many of the animals have now starved for several days so although they are traumatised, they are visibly relieved to hear a human voice. Unfortunately many cattle trapped in barns have perished, but those goats and cows lucky enough to be saved are being well cared for at HSI’s shelter at Malappuram. There is still a huge rescue operation taking place, but once the water subsides we will start to reach animals who have been completely cut off, and we predict we will see large numbers needing treatment for skin disease, tick fever, distemper and thousands displaced on the streets.”

HSI/India is asking for relief materials such as dry food, medicines, bedding and dog crates to be sent to Kerala, and also to Coorg, using DonateCart here: donatekart.com/HSI/unikorn_keralafloods#. Donations to HSI’s International Disaster Fund can be made at hsi.org/disasteraid to help the charity continue providing essential rescue, veterinary medicines, food, water, shelter transport and support for this response and for other disasters around the world.

HSI responds to natural disasters to assist animals and communities in need. In June, HSI stepped in to provide emergency treatment to dogs, cats, chickens, horses and other animals affected by the Volcan de Fuego eruptions in Guatemala. Last year, HSI helped more than 6,200 animals affected by deadly earthquakes in Mexico.

ENDS

Media Contacts: HSI (India) Neelam Naseeb: nnaseeb@hsi.org, +919205104695 HSI (UK) Wendy Higgins: whiggins@hsi.org

Photos and video from our animal rescue efforts in Kerala are available here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=KeralaFloods0818

New Delhi—An animal rescue team from animal charity Humane Society International/India is battling treacherous conditions in Kerala, India to rescue and rehabilitate animals stranded or abandoned in what is being called the worst floods the State has seen in a century.

A team of six HSI/India experts have been operating in Nilambur and Tirur, Kerala’s worst affected regions, for the past four days. They are working with the Government of Kerala and the National Disaster Response Force to locate and rescue dogs, cats and other animals left behind in evacuations. HSI India’s team is also providing vital medicines, shelter and food for sick and injured animals.

Humanitarian and animal rescue teams alike face dangerous conditions as the floods continue to submerge houses and landslides hit the affected areas. Sally Varma, HSI/India’s Education and Awareness Officer, reports that vast numbers of animals have drowned in the disaster, but HSI/India’s team is finding animals trapped in the remains of dwellings swept away by the water. Other animals, like two puppies that HSI India have named Wally and Eva, were found tied up in danger of drowning as the water levels rose. One woman in Thrissur refused to leave her home without help to rescue her 25 dogs, so HSI India’s team arranged for their shelter at a nearby veterinary hospital so that they and the woman would be safe.

Sally Varma said, “Kerala is at a standstill right now, with many areas experiencing total devastation. Our team is encountering many animals who have perished. However, we are still finding abandoned dogs and were recently able to rescue 13 dogs and a tiny kitten who we found trembling as the floods raged around him. We are bracing ourselves for when the floods subside and we can finally access some of the areas currently totally cut off, where we may find more animals we’re desperately hoping to reach.”

HSI/India is coordinating with the collector of the districts and government veterinary hospitals to assist and to accommodate animals across Kerala.

HSI responds to natural disasters around the world to assist animals and communities in need. In June, HSI stepped in to provide emergency treatment to dogs, cats, chickens, horses and other animals affected by the Volcan de Fuego eruptions in Guatemala. Last year, HSI helped more than 6,200 animals affected by deadly earthquakes in Mexico.

HSI is asking for donations to its International Disaster Fund to help the charity continue providing essential rescue, veterinary medicines, food, water, shelter transport and support for this response and for other disasters around the world. Donate at hsi.org/disasteraid

Photos and video from our animal rescue efforts in Kerala are available here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=KeralaFloods0818

ENDS

Media Contact:

HSI (India) Neelam Naseeb: nnaseeb@hsi.org, +919205104695

HSI (UK) Wendy Higgins: whiggins@hsi.org

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is earning praise for signing legislation to restrict the intrastate sale of ivory and rhino horn products. House Bill 4843, introduced by Rep. Martin Moylan of Des Plaines, will ensure that Illinois does not contribute to the illegal wildlife trade.

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International joined a coalition of national and local groups, including Animal Welfare Institute, in support of House Bill 4843. The bill follows similar actions by legislatures or voters in New Jersey, New York, California, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada and New Hampshire to establish laws that ensure these states do not provide safe harbor to wild animal traffickers and profiteers.

Shut down the ivory trade in Japan.

Elephants and rhinos face the threat of extinction due to the demand for their body parts. The savannah African elephant population has declined by 144,000 animals to 350,000 since 2007, primarily from poaching. More than 1,000 rhinos were killed in 2017 in South Africa alone; only 29,000 rhinos remain worldwide.

Marc Ayers, Illinois state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said, “We are grateful to Governor Rauner for signing this bill. Illinois residents should rest assured knowing that their state has said ‘no’ to the ivory and rhino horn trade.”

Text of the bill can be found here. Donate and take action to help elephants and other animals worldwide.

Media Contact: Alison Shapiro: 301-721-6472; ashapiro@humanesociety.org