Author: Kristin Stone

Humane Society International, along with the Fur Free Alliance, are pleased that the leading global fashion house Gucci has announced it will no longer use animal fur, beginning with its spring summer 2018 collection. Gucci’s President & CEO Marco Bizzarri announced the fur-free policy on Wednesday, October  11th during the 2017 Kering Talk at The London College of Fashion.

Gucci’s commitment follows a long-standing relationship with The Humane Society of the United States and LAV—members of the international Fur Free Alliance, a coalition of more than 40 animal protection organizations working together to end the fur trade.

Gucci’s fur-free policy includes mink, coyote, raccoon dog, fox, rabbit, and karakul (otherwise known as Swakara, Persian lamb or astrakhan) and all others species specially bred or caught for fur.
The HSUS and LAV will continue to support Gucci in identifying and reducing its impact on animals and the environment.

The company joins many other leading fashion brands and retailers in going fur-free—including Armani, HUGO BOSS, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Stella McCartney and more—and will be part of the international Fur Free Retailer Program.

Kitty Block, President of Humane Society International, said: “Gucci going fur-free is a huge game-changer. For this powerhouse to end the use of fur because of the cruelty involved will have a huge ripple effect throughout the world of fashion. A staggering one hundred million animals a year still suffer for the fur industry, but that can only be sustained for as long as designers continue to use fur and consumers purchase it. So we commend Gucci’s compassionate decision, and for helping to ensure that the future of fashion is fur-free.”

Marco Bizzarri, Gucci’s President & CEO, said: “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals. With the help of HSUS and LAV, Gucci is excited to take this next step and hopes it will help inspire innovation and raise awareness, changing the luxury fashion industry for the better.”

Joh Vinding, Chairman of Fur Free Alliance, said: “For decades animals in the fur industry has been subjected to intense cruelty, living their entire lives in miserable, filthy cages. Gucci’s new fur free policy marks a game-changer for the whole luxury fashion industry to follow. Gucci is taking a bold stand for animals, showing the world that the future of fashion is fur-free.”

For further information, please direct enquiries to:
Harriet Barclay, HBarclay@HSI.org, +44 (0) 7794354596

São Paulo State Penitentiary System has become the first penitentiary system in Brazil to serve exclusively meat-free meals one day a week in its correctional facilities. The institution’s adoption of this program follows discussions with Humane Society International, Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira and State Representative Roberto Tripoli. The new program will be implemented in 48 units of the São Paulo State Penitentiary System,  and serving more than 46,600 meals per week.

Sandra Lopes, food policy manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, stated: “Reducing our meat consumption is one the most effective ways we can help the environment and our health, and we applaud the Secretariat of Penitentiary Administration of the State of São Paulo for joining this initiative. We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure the success of this program, and to working with other institutions on the adoption and implementation of similar programs, including through our workshops and culinary trainings for chefs.”

The São Paulo penitentiary system joins thousands of schools, hospitals, restaurants and consumers in Brazil and around the world that participate in Meatless Monday or similar programs to reduce their environmental impact, improve public health and reduce animal suffering.

HSI promotes humane eating or the 3 R’s: reducing our consumption of animal-based foods, refining our diets by choosing animal products from sources that adhere to higher animal welfare standards and renewing our diets by replacing meat and other animal-based foods with plant-based options.

Facts:

• A growing number of school districts in Brazil are adopting Meatless Monday, including the State of São Paulo and City of Paulicéia school districts.
• We can significantly reduce our environmental footprint by eating more plant-based meals. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, animal agriculture is one of the greatest contributors to the most serious environmental issues, like global warming, and is a major consumer of scarce water resources. For example, in terms of protein, the water footprint is six times bigger for beef, and one and a half times larger for chicken, eggs and milk, than it is for legumes.
• Choosing plant-based foods helps our health. Many of the chronic diseases plaguing the world, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, can be prevented, treated and, in some cases, even reversed with a healthy plant-based diet.
• Brazil is currently facing an obesity epidemic, with 60 percent of the population obese or overweight, including children. One in three children between the ages of five and nine are obese or overweight.
• Meatless Monday also reduces animal suffering. Tens of millions of animals in food production in Brazil, like egg-laying hens and breeding sows, spend virtually their whole lives confined in small cages where they can’t express natural behaviors. Learn more at hsi.org/meatlessmonday.

Media contact: Sandra Lopes, slopes@hsi.org, 11 9 8145-0764

In a key step forward in animal protection, the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology last night unanimously voted in favour of S-214, the Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act. The proposed legislation will now move to debate and a final vote in the Canadian Senate. If the bill passes this stage, it will proceed to the House of Commons. Senators amended the bill in committee to include a phase-in period to allow industry time to comply with the legislation.

Troy Seidle, HSI’s senior director of research and toxicology, issued the following statement:

“Cosmetic testing on animals is an outdated, needless practice with no place in a modern and progressive society. It is for that reason that 37 countries – including the world’s largest cosmetics markets – have taken action to ban or restrict their trade in cosmetics tested on animals. Yet here in Canada, it remains perfectly legal for cosmetic chemicals to be dripped into rabbits’ eyes and spread on their delicate skin, all for the sake of a new lipstick and skin cream. We are calling on the Canadian Senate to pass S-214 and for the House of Commons to move quickly to adopt this lifesaving legislation.”

“Animal Alliance and Humane Society International commissioned a poll which showed that 81 percent of Canadians support a national ban on cosmetic animal testing,” said Liz White, director, Animal Alliance of Canada. “Today’s decision was an important step forward in respecting Canadian opinion and bringing our industry standards into line with those of other developed nations.”

The Animal Alliance and HSI poll is available here.

Media Contact: Christopher Pare, 514 395-2914 x 206, cpare@hsi.org

Fashion reporter, author and columnist Jeanne Beker is calling on Canada to ban animal testing in the beauty industry. The Canadian fashion and media icon is making her plea on behalf of the #BeCrueltyFree Canada campaign led by Humane Society International and Animal Alliance of Canada, part of the largest ever global campaign for an end to cosmetics cruelty.

Asked about her support, Beker said: “There’s nothing fashionable about cruelty to animals. Cosmetic animal testing is a senseless practice that has no place in a humane nation, and that is why 37 countries have already taken action to stop animal testing for cosmetics. I am grateful to the Canadian Senate for considering this important issue and I am calling upon the Canadian government to pass a strong ban on cosmetic animal testing and trade. It’s time for Canada to #BeCrueltyFree!”

Most Canadians share Beker’s sentiments on cosmetic animal testing. There is substantial public support for bans on cosmetics animal testing, both within Canada and globally. Eight out of every 10 Canadians surveyed (81 percent) in 2013 oppose animal testing for any purpose. Polling in other major cosmetics markets by HSI and our #BeCrueltyFree partners reveals similar majority support for nationwide bans on the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals.

In laboratories across Canada, animals are suffering and dying in toxicity tests for chemicals that could make their way into mascara, lipstick and other cosmetics. Terrified rabbits have chemicals dripped in their eyes, mice have substances forced down their throat, and guinea pigs endure having ingredients smeared on their bare, shaved skin.

Troy Seidle, HSI’s Senior Director, Research & Toxicology, said: “Animal testing for cosmetics is quite literally a dying practice. More and more countries around the world are banning it because it’s cruel, unreliable and completely unnecessary. Thirty-seven countries including the European Union – the largest cosmetics market – have banned cosmetic animal testing. It’s time that Canada caught up and ended cosmetics cruelty, too.”

The #BeCrueltyFree campaign led by HSI and its partners has been a key force in securing many of the national bans in place today. Laws currently exist to end or limit cosmetic animal testing and/or sales in the 28 member countries of the European Union, India, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and Guatemala. Similar legislation is pending in Australia, Brazil, Chile, the United States, and other countries.

Media Contact: Christopher Paré Office: 514 395-2914 x 206, cpare@hsi.org

The Quebec coroner’s office released its report on the death of Christine Vadnais, who in 2016 was attacked by a dog misidentified by the media as a pit bull.

Following this tragic event, the City of Montreal and other municipalities moved to ban pit bull-type dogs while the Province of Quebec introduced Bill 128, which also aims to prohibit certain breeds of dogs in the entire province. The coroner, Dr. Ethan Lichtblau, concludes in his report that:

• The dog who attacked Ms. Vadnais cannot be formally identified as a pit bull type even with DNA test results;
• A lack of socialization and stimulation, as well as basic care, are factors that probably led to his dangerous behavior; and
• Breed-specific legislation is not an effective measure to protect the public.

Ewa Demianowicz, campaign manager for Humane Society International/Canada, issued the following statement:

“From the very beginning, we warned the City of Montreal that banning certain breeds of dogs is not an effective measure to prevent bites. Yet our elected officials chose to ignore sound science and expert advice by adopting a senseless ban on pit bulls and pit bull type dogs. The coroner’s report is the latest in a long list of expert testimony and studies that conclude that responsible animal management should avoid breed-specific language and focus instead on community education, enforcement and appropriate pet care. 

“It is heartbreaking to read in the report that this tragic event may even have been prevented had the municipality followed up on previous dog bite incidents implicating the same dog. The inaction of the authorities and the lack of enforcement of by-laws that were already in place have contributed to this tragic event, but sadly our governments continue to use pit bulls as scapegoats.

“As cited in the report, the City of Calgary – which adopted an approach based on responsible pet ownership – has been able to reduce the rate of incidents with dogs by 78 percent without any breed ban. This approach has been proven to work and should serve as a model for governments across the country.

“We hope that the coroner’s findings will help us move forward towards humane, efficient and enforceable legislation that will truly protect the public, and we call on the City of Montreal to revoke its breed specific legislation.”

Facts:

• The coroner has made several recommendations following his findings, mainly to create a centralized database of incident reports implicating dogs, mandatory municipal dog licensing, measures to increase canine sterilization, fair and objective means of defining a “dangerous” dog, and an emphasis on public awareness and education.
• There is no evidence that breed-specific laws reduce dog bites or attacks on people and no jurisdiction has been able to prove that this kind of legislation has improved public safety. After more than 10 years of a breed ban in Ontario, rates of dog bites are higher than ever. These laws are costly, cannot be effectively enforced, and unnecessarily harm families, dogs and communities.
• The best way to prevent dog bites is through proactive outreach across all sectors in the community. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec have clear position statements that do not support breed specific legislation.
• Experts have consistently found that no one breed is more likely to bite than another. Factors that are scientifically linked to aggression in dogs include neglect, abuse and leaving animals unsterilized; effective public safety legislation focuses on these areas instead of ineffective and harmful breed bans.
• In the past 30 years, six individuals have been killed by dogs in Quebec. Of the eight dogs involved in these deaths, seven were husky type dogs and the breed of the dog involved in the death of a Montreal woman in 2016 has not been conclusively determined. Notably, breed specific legislation rarely targets breeds other than pit bull type dogs.
• In April 2017, the Quebec government introduced Bill 128 that would give the government new powers to impose restrictions on certain dogs and their owners, including bans on specific breeds. The proposed legislation specifically targets pit bull type dogs and Rottweilers, as well as crosses of those breeds. The bill has not been yet adopted.

Media Contact: Christopher Paré, 514 395-2914 x 206, cpare@hsi.org

As part of an official work plan to strengthen the capacity of Salvadorian authorities to treat and rehabilitate confiscated wild animals, Humane Society International is providing wildlife management training along with wildlife handling equipment the country’s Ministry of Environment and the National Police.

The donated equipment includes kennels, snake tongs and bags, nets, gloves and other handling equipment, valued at almost $6,000. Earlier this month, Guatemalan wildlife expert, Dr. Fernando Martinez, provided training to Salvadorian authorities on animal handling techniques and equipment use, on behalf of HSI.

Andrea Borel, executive director of HSI/Latin America, said: “We are proud of the work with the Ministry of the Environment and the Environment Police to protect El Salvador’s wildlife. This training and specialized equipment will allow rescuers to humanely handle wild animals who have been illegally captured, so that we can get them the proper treatment and rehabilitation, and return them to the wild where they belong.”

Become a Wildlife Defender.

Traffickers typically capture wildlife, especially armadillos and iguanas, to sell their body parts for food. Traffickers also trade macaws, parrots, parakeets, toucans, monkeys and falcons/hawks in the exotic pet trade or for illegal exhibition in hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists. Rescuers typically find iguanas suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition and with their legs tied to make them easier to handle when being sold. Birds and mammals face a similar situation, though captors often stuff them in small, dirty cages or boxes for transport. Smugglers prefer to sell birds as babies, with most birds dying during the selling and extraction process.

Between August and September of this year, the Ministry, the Environment Police and HSI jointly organized six operations to confiscate illegally attained wildlife. The operations resulted in the rescue of 70 animals, including deer, monkeys, raccoons, turtles, snakes, birds and a coyote. The animals are now safe and undergoing rehabilitation to be later released in their habitats.

Media Contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org