Author: Kristin Stone

Humane Society International and other wildlife conservation and animal welfare groups are fighting to prevent five young elephants (ages of four to eight) from being sent to a zoo in the United Arab Emirates from a privately owned game farms in Namibia. This action comes amid fears that forcibly removing the calves from their herd and transporting them vast distances will traumatize the elephants and possibly kill them.

Namibia’s neighbor, Zimbabwe, has captured a number of elephant calves and sent them to zoos in China in recent years.

• In 2012, three out of the four elephants from a similar export died not long after arriving in China.
• In December 2016, a Chinese government document confirmed that one wild-caught elephant calf died during transit from Zimbabwe to China.

The Namibian government has granted an export permit to Eden Wildlife to ship five elephants to Dubai Safari Park.

The groups wrote to officials at Swedish company ITTUR Industrier AB, which owns Eden Wildlife, calling for the immediate and permanent end of the capture and sale of live elephants. Humane Society International further urges the company to shift to ecotourism as a more sustainable, economically beneficial and animal-friendly approach.

As cited in the letter, elephants are extremely intelligent, sentient animals, with a highly organized social structure including strong family bonds that can last a lifetime. Young elephants are dependent on their mothers and their herds to acquire necessary social and behavior skills. Bull calves only leave their natal herds at 12 to 15 years old and females remain for life. Disruption of this bond is physically and psychologically traumatic for a calves and remaining herds. The groups are concerned that the elephants may be subjected to harsh techniques that could include withholding water and food, as well as painful physical restraints to force the animals to submit to human dominance. Reports indicate that the Dubai zoo will offer tourists elephant rides.

Audrey Delsink, executive director for HSI/Africa, said: “African elephants belong in the wild, on African soil, not held captive for entertainment in a zoo in a Middle Eastern desert. Subjecting wild elephants to a life in captivity is inhumane; wrenching these five calves from their families is a trauma that will scar them for life. Ethically responsible elephant scientists and preserve managers know that capturing and selling elephant calves is not a humane or efficient population management measure, as the Namibian government claims. Rather, it is a false pretense to make financial gains that have no conservation benefits.”

In 2015, 77 Namibian elephants were either killed as ’problem animals’ or exported alive for profit. That same year, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) database, Namibia exported the tusks and other parts of at least 75 elephants as hunting trophies. The groups call on Namibia to follow Botswana’s example in transitioning to a successful pro-conservation model whereby trophy hunting is prohibited and ecotourism thrives.

The letter to ITTUR Industrier AB was signed by the following organizations: Animal Conservation and Welfare Foundation; Animal Defenders International; Animal Welfare Institute; Animals Asia Foundation; Annamiticus; Ban Animal Trading South Africa; Born Free Foundation; Captured in Africa Foundation; CATCA Environmental and Wildlife Society; Center for Biological Diversity; Cetacean Society International; Conservation Action Trust; David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation; Djurens Rätt;  Elephant Reintegration Trust; Elephant Specialist Advisory Group; EMS Foundation; Fondation Franz Weber; FOUR PAWS International; Grey Solutions; Humane Society International Australia; One More Generation™; Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching; Performing Animal Welfare Society; Pettus Crowe Foundation; Pro Wildlife; Rainbow Eco-Farm and Training Center; Rettet die Elefanten Afrikas e.V.; Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; The International Primate Protection League; The Humane Society of Canada; The Humane Society of the United States; The Pegasus Foundation; Wildlife Protection Society of India; Youth 4 African Wildlife.

Facts:

• Namibia’s neighbor, South Africa, prohibits the capture and export of wild elephants for captive use. In May, a South African court denied an export permit application for the export of five circus elephants to the same zoo in Dubai. US$233,943 was the estimated price for each elephant.
• The IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group opposes the removal of African elephants from the wild for captive use because there is “no direct benefit for in situ conservation.” 
• Removal of elephants from the wild is not an effective population growth control measure. Immunocontraception has proven effective for this purpose; more than 800 elephant cows in 24 reserves in South Africa are treated with immunocontraception.
• Dubai Safari Park plans to import an estimated 10,500 animals to fill the park, including 350 rare and endangered species.
• ITTUR Industrier AB chairman and CEO Johan Hansen reportedly filed for bankruptcy in March 2013 and has been implicated in tax fraud, including a tax deduction for a luxury hunting trip. Many of Hansen’s subsidiaries reportedly have gone bankrupt, including Ittur Global Industries, the latest to fail just in May of this year.
• Eden Wildlife reportedly exported nine live elephants to a zoo Mexico in 2012. 

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

One week ahead of the controversial dog meat festival in Yulin, China on 21st June, a new survey conducted by Chinese state-registered charities and assisted by a team of six research staff from the Yulin Municipal Government, reveals that most people living in Yulin don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.

The survey, conducted in May this year by Beijing’s Capital Animal Welfare Association and Vshine Animal Protection Association, shows that the majority of Yulin residents, 72 percent, do not regularly eat dog meat, indicating that dog meat eating is not part of the culinary mainstream in Yulin. Only  28 percent eat it on a regular basis, with a mere 12 percent eating it weekly.

Survey summary:

• 12.66 percent never eat dog meat
• 24.18 percent rarely eat it
• 34.99 percent eat it five or six times per year
• 16.36 percent eat it three or four times per month
• 11.81 percent eat it once a week

Thousands of dogs and cats are brutally slaughtered for human consumption at the Yulin event, part of an annual trade across China that sees more than 10 million dogs and four million cats annually killed for eating, most of them stolen pets and strays. Yulin dog traders have attempted to promote the festival as a cultural and historical event, when in truth it was launched as recently as 2010 with very little dog meat eating in the city prior to that.

Humane Society International, a global partner group of CAWA and Vshine campaigning across Asia for an end to the dog meat trade, has welcomed the survey. The three groups believe the survey dispels the myth that dog meat eating is vital to the Yulin economy and hope it emboldens authorities there to close down the festival for good. Last month it was revealed that a temporary ban on dog meat sales will be introduced this year from 15th June with heavy penalties for violations. Although Chinese officials have yet to formally confirm the ban, it has been independently verified by multiple organisations on the ground including the Duo Duo Project, Animals Asia Foundation, The Ta Foundation, ACTAsia and HSI.

Peter Li, China policy specialist for HSI, said: “Despite the effort by dog traders to heavily promote the eating of dog for the last seven years, it’s clear that the majority of Yulin residents still don’t eat it on anything like a regular basis. The truth is that eating dog and cat is not part of China’s mainstream culinary practice even in Yulin, the home of the dog meat festival. We’ve already seen the Yulin authorities take steps to curb the sale of dog meat, so we hope that these survey results will encourage them to go even further. Far from being vital to the Yulin economy or way of life, the dog meat festival is a national disgrace that tarnishes the name of the city around the world. Now is the time to end it.”

Qin Xiaona, director of CAWA, said: “The survey results are encouraging. The survey tells the world that Yulin’s food culture is not defined by the local dog meat traders. Their cultural claim is not supported by the survey. Those of us who lived in Guangxi in the past know that dog meat consumption was a distasteful habit. You just did not cook dog meat in your own kitchen. The survey results should encourage the Yulin authorities to correct the misperception perpetrated by the dog meat industry by fostering a new and healthy food culture in line with the rapid progress in the rest of the country.”

HSI is calling on Yulin official Mr. Mo Gong Ming to end the Yulin festival for good.

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

Notes to editor:

• The survey is available in Chinese here and English here.
• A survey conducted in June 2016 by CAWA, HSI and Avaaz shows that 69.5 percent of people nationally say they have never eaten dog meat; 17.3 percent say that they consume dog meat once or twice per year; 6.4 percent eat it 3 to 5 times per year; 2.5 percent eat it up to 10 times a year.
• The survey was conducted between 19 – 28 May 2017 in the city and rural communities of Yulin, China. The designed sample size was 800. The actual respondents were 703. Interception was used to select the samples in marketplaces, public parks, business centers, and villages to ensure that the respondents represent Yulin residents by gender (53.2 percent males, 46.8 percent females), age (18 to 75 years of age), residence (rural 43.39 percent and urban 56.61 percent), level of education, level of income, ethnicity (Han Chinese vs Zhuang minority), location of dog meat consumption (home or restaurants), and pet ownership status.

Erika Fernández, TV presenter, model, humanitarian and passionate animal advocate, has become the first celebrity in Mexico to support the #BeCrueltyFree campaign for a federal ban on cosmetics animal testing and trade. Humane Society International is working to achieve alignment in cosmetics regulatory policy worldwide to support safe and humane innovation to end animal cruelty in the cosmetics industry.

Illustrating her commitment to compassionate living, Fernández said: “I truly believe that it is possible for every person to live in a way that encourages, empowers and uplifts others, that cherishes and respects animals, while striving to create, and maintain, a compassion-based life, and a cruelty-free world. I can’t sit still and allow the hideous reality of cosmetic animal testing to continue.”

Most Mexicans share Fernández’ sentiments on cosmetic animal testing. There is substantial public support for bans on cosmetics animal testing, both within Mexico and globally. Seven out of every 10 Mexicans surveyed (68 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. For example, 81 percent of Canadians, 73 percent of Americans, and 66 percent of Brazilians polled support national cosmetics animal testing bans.

Nearly 40 countries, including the largest global beauty products market, the European Union, as well as Norway, Switzerland, Israel, India, New Zealand, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, Guatemala and several states in Brazil, have enacted full or partial bans on animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients.

HSI/Mexico executive director Anton Aguilar added: “It is such an honor to have Erika Fernández helping #BeCrueltyFree increase support against cosmetics animal testing in Mexico. Erika, along with most Mexicans, knows instinctively that causing animals pain and even death simply to test a new vanity product like a lipstick or anti-wrinkle cream is just wrong.”

Sign the Global Pledge to Be Cruelty-Free.

More than 600 successful beauty brands on sale in North America have made a “cruelty-free” commitment, yet still produce new, safe and profitable cosmetics. They do so by choosing from among thousands of widely available raw ingredients that have been tested in the past, instead of purchasing newly developed chemicals that will also have been newly animal-tested.

Media Contact: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, 301-721-6440
For other inquiries: call 866-614-4371 or fill out our contact form

The European Union must make encouraging a shift away from meat-heavy diets towards more plant-based foods an urgent policy priority, in order to tackle climate change, improve consumer health and protect animal welfare, say MEPs and experts from industry, research and innovation.  

EU citizens account for approximately seven percent of the world’s population; yet they are responsible for 16 percent of the world’s meat consumption, consuming four or five times more animal products than people in less wealthy regions. Speakers, including experts from Humane Society International, Plant Meat Matters, the Green Protein Alliance, the FOOD 2030 Sector at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Innovation, Forum for the Future and several MEPs, called on the EU to lead the transition to plant-based proteins. 

Animal agriculture is a top contributor to some of the most pressing ecological crises of our time, including climate change, and it is estimated to be responsible for up to 17 percent of the EU’s human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Raising such large numbers of animals, in predominantly intensive systems, harms the environment, as well as human health and animal welfare. Public health studies clearly show that a shift to a more plant-based diet significantly reduces instances of obesity and chronic disease.

Plant-based options are beginning to change the way that Europeans eat. Producers of plant-based products designed to mimic some of the flavour, texture and protein characteristics of meat products are targeting the fast growing number of flexitarians and meat reducers. The products have a predicted global market net worth of just over 5.3 billion Euros by 2022. As speaker Jeroen Willemsen from the Green Protein Alliance put it: “We are facing a historic ‘Green Protein Big Bang.’ Entrepreneurs seize the opportunity, investors anticipate. In the chaos that will follow, governments need to step in.”

Alexandra Clark, HSI/Europe’s sustainable food campaigner, said: “Affordable, healthier plant-based products which taste like meat but have a lower environmental impact are already on the market. More will be launched soon. The European Commission should support the production and promotion of these greener products.”

HSI advocates compassionate eating – or the Three Rs: “reducing” or “replacing” consumption of animal products with plant-based foods, and “refining” our diets by avoiding products from farms with abusive practices, such as the confinement of hens in cages and choosing products from sources that adhere to higher animal welfare standards.

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Statements from the host Members of the European Parliament:

Spanish MEP Florent Marcellesi, who co-hosted the event:
“If we want to combat climate change, improve our health and ensure animal welfare, the big challenge is to reduce meat consumption in Europe by five. That means something as simple as being aware that it is not necessary to eat animal protein every day. In addition to a profound change in production, the future inevitably passes through a cultural change in our diet, gradually replacing the intake of animal protein by vegetable. There are many alternatives nowadays that substitute the meat, and that make possible this transition towards a world more respectful of the climate, our health and the animals.”

Italian MEP Eleonora Evi, who also co-hosted:
“I strongly support the consumption of plant-based meat alternatives, provided that their production is socially and environmentally sustainable. We have to go down this path for many reasons. Most importantly because we need to curb GHGs emissions from intensive livestock breeding, which is dramatically contributing to climate change and because we need to shift towards a system of production and consumption not based on cruelty to animals, which are sentient beings just like humans.”

German MEP Stefan Eck, who also co-hosted the event:
“In the face of the environmental damage of global industrial meat production systems, shifting towards more plant-based diets in Europe and worldwide is the best we can do for a sustainable future to Mankind. Plant-based diets use fewer natural resources, are healthier and more respectful of animals. The future Common Agriculture Policy should take these facts into consideration!”

Media contact (UK): Harriet Barclay, HBarclay@hsi.org, +447794354596

YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP, the world’s leading online luxury fashion retailer, has today announced a new fur free policy which will exclude all items and accessories made from animal fur from all of its multi-brand online stores NET-A-PORTER, MR PORTER, YOOX and THE OUTNET in line with its adherence to the international Fur Free Retailer Program. The fur free policy, outlined in the company’s 2016 Sustainability Report, confirms the commitment of the Group to managing environmental impact responsibly, and follows a long-standing relationship with The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and Lega Anti Vivisezione.

This commitment ensures that YNAP’s multi-brand online stores promote commercial policies in-line with animal rights. YNAP will continue to work closely with HSUS, HSI, LAV, and other leading animal and environmental protection organizations to keep the Group and its partners continually updated about fur and ethical sourcing.

The fur free policy represents another step forwards for responsibility in fashion as the Group joins some of the world’s leading fashion brands and retailers adhering to the international Fur Free Retailer Program, supported by the Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition of leading animal and environmental protection organizations worldwide.

PJ Smith, senior manager of fashion policy for The HSUS, said: “We applaud YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP for demonstrating compassionate leadership in the luxury fashion industry. This move should encourage designers and other retailers to opt for stylish and functional alternatives to fur and to shed the cruelty associated with commercial trapping and fur farming.”

Claire Bass, executive director of HSI/UK, commented: “YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP going fur-free sends a truly powerful message across the fashion world, and to luxury brands in particular, that fur is very firmly out of fashion. Designers and fashion retailers that continue to sell fur are peddling a product of immense animal suffering, so it is thrilling to see such influential brands embracing fur free policies.”

Simone Pavesi, manager of animal free fashion for LAV, said: “YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP’s commitment is a significant milestone that should stand as a leading example to the fashion world. It is a tangible signal that the clothing industry can be more sustainable and ethical, without necessarily resorting to the use of animal products.”

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Matteo James Moroni, head of sustainability at YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP, commented: “YNAP is on a very important journey towards managing environmental impact responsibly. This journey began with the launch of our first sustainability initiative, YOOXYGEN, in 2009. Our fur free commitment announced today was inspired by a thorough and rigorous educational process with the HSUS and LAV regarding the protection of animal rights. We aim to act as a catalyst for change in the industry, sharing knowledge, innovating and leading by example.”

Media contacts:

The HSUS: Samantha Miller, smiller@humanesociety.org

HSI: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org

LAV: Maria Falvo – Claudia Squadroni, ufficiostampa@lav.it; press@lav.it

FINSBURY: Edward Simpkins, James Thompson, Clarissa Carradine, YNAP@Finsbury.com

At an event held ahead of World Oceans Day (June 8), along with Lush Cosmetics and the family of the late Canadian filmmaker and conservationist, Rob Stewart, Humane Society International/Canada is calling on the federal government to ban the import of products of shark finning.

Gabriel Wildgen, campaign manager for HSI/Canada, said: “Time is quickly running out for sharks around the globe, as overfishing and shark finning are driving these magnificent, ancient species into extinction. Shark finning, which is the act of cutting fins from sharks and throwing the animals back into the water to die slowly, continues to occur at an alarming rate, affecting tens of millions of sharks per year. Rob Stewart was an incredible champion and educator on this issue. We are honoured to stand with his family in carrying on his legacy by calling on the federal government to ban trade in the products of the cruel and ecologically devastating practice of shark finning. It is our hope that this World Oceans Day will be the last in which Canada allows products of shark finning to enter our borders.”

HSI/Canada also congratulates the Stewart family on their new foundation that will carry on Rob’s legacy by funding the completion of his film, Sharkwater 2: Extinction, and other work to protect sharks.

Facts:

• Shark finning is the practice of cutting off a shark’s fin and discarding animal at sea to die a slow and painful death. In 2016 alone, Canada imported over 140,000 kg of shark fins, an increase of over 34,000 kg per year since 2012. Sharks are apex predators whose survival affects all other marine species and entire ocean ecosystems.
• Environics polling conducted in 2013 revealed 81 percent of Canadians support a ban on the trade in products of shark finning.
• Seventeen Canadian municipalities have banned the sale of shark fin products: Abbotsford, Brantford, Coquitlam, Duncan, City of Langley, Township of Langley, London, Maple Ridge, Mississauga, Nanaimo, Newmarket, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Oakville, Pickering, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody and White Rock. In September 2012, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities passed a near-unanimous resolution calling on the federal government to ban the import of shark fins into Canada.
• New legislation, the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2017, is being considered in the United States, and it recently passed through the US Senate, Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Several US states, including California, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, and Washington, already ban shark fins, and more state bans are currently being considered.
• Dozens of airlines, including Air Canada, prohibit shipments of shark fins on their flights.
• In 2013, the Chinese government has banned shark fins from all official state functions, and according to Chinese government reports, shark fin imports into the country were down 82 percent between 2012-2015.

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

En el marco de la celebración del Día Mundial del Medio Ambiente, Humane Society International, efectuó una presentación donde doctores, especialistas en recursos humanos, nutriólogos, representantes de la industria alimentaria y otros expertos, discutieron estrategias para reducir el impacto ambiental y ahorro de costos en torno al tema. La estrategia principal discutida fue la transición de dietas con grandes cantidades de proteína animal a dietas basadas en vegetales como una herramienta para ayudar al medio ambiente y la salud humana.

Según datos de las la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación, en los últimos años la producción de carne, lácteos y huevo ha aumentado rápidamente ejerciendo cada vez más presión en los recursos naturales alrededor del mundo. Las tierras de pastoreo están amenazadas por la degradación; se usan grandes áreas de tierra debido al cultivo de alimento para el ganado; los recursos hídricos están escaseando y la contaminación del aire, suelo y agua han incrementado como resultado de la producción animal. Por estas razones, una reducción en el consumo de carne, leche y huevos puede tener impactos positivos en el medio ambiente.

Un cambio a una dieta a base de vegetales podría ahorrar aproximadamente 1,300 litros de agua diarios tomando en cuenta que consumen agua para cultivo, así como para hidratar a los animales, limpiar su alojamiento y sacrificar a los animales.

Desde el lanzamiento de la campaña Lunes sin Carne de HSI en México, no sólo se han sumado un sinnúmero de personas al elegir alimentos de origen vegetal cada lunes, sino también se han unido con entusiasmo a la iniciativa comedores empresariales, chefs reconocidos, restaurantes, celebridades y otros líderes de la industria. Todos estos esfuerzos están ayudando a crear un México más sustentable y saludable.
Preocupados por el medio ambiente y la salud de empleados y clientes, diversas empresas en México como Eurest y Laboratorios Kener se han sumado a la iniciativa de HSI al incorporar la campaña Lunes Sin Carne dentro de los programas de salud y bienestar de sus compañía.

Muchas de las enfermedades crónicas que abundan en el mundo pueden ser prevenidas, tratadas y en algunos casos invertidas con una dieta basada en vegetales. Para abordar este creciente problema se recomienda que las personas consuman más frutas, verduras, legumbres, nueces y granos enteros, y que reduzcan el consumo de alimentos de origen animal.

Paulina Moreno de HSI México, declaró: “Estamos felices con la respuesta positiva por parte de chefs, restaurantes y otros líderes de la industria de los alimentos para ofrecer más menús de origen vegetal en sus cafeterías. Estas opciones basadas en vegetales no sólo son deliciosas y nutritivas, sino que también permiten reducir el sufrimiento animal y la huella ambiental de las empresas. Esperamos colaborar con más empresas hacia la adopción e implementación de este programa”.

HSI ofrece más de 200 recetas gratuitas y deliciosas a base de vegetales, una Guía de Platillos sin Carne, y otros recursos para ayudar a las instituciones a sumarse a esta iniciativa, incluyendo capacitación culinaria, talleres y herramientas de implementación. HSI invita a los consumidores a ver su video de Lunes sin Carne y firmar el compromiso de Lunes sin Carne.

HSI aboga por una alimentación compasiva – o las tres “R”: “reducir” o “reemplazar” el consumo de productos de origen animal, y “refinar” nuestras dietas al elegir productos cuyo origen se adhiera a mayores estándares de bienestar animal.

Contactos para los medios:
Laura Bravo, laurabravocom@gmail.com, 04455 54556 1476

A group of 12 dogs arrived safely after having been rescued by Humane Society International from a backyard breeding operation for the dog meat trade in Seongnam, South Korea. The Idaho Humane Society, a Humane Society of the United States Emergency Placement Partner, will place the dogs for adoption. They were transported to Boise with the help of Dog is My CoPilot, Inc., a non-profit animal rescue air transportation organization.
HSI rescuers found the dogs living in filthy conditions, chained to cages with little space to move. The owner of the property bred the dogs to supply a nearby dog meat market.

HSI rescued 14 dogs from the property but one pregnant dog gave birth and will remain at a boarding facility with her two pups are until they can travel at a later date. One other dog will be placed for adoption with the San Francisco SPCA.

Kelly O’Meara, director of companion animals and engagement with HSI, said: “These dogs are in desperate need of a second chance, and we know the people of Boise will give them the love and care they were deprived of since they were born. We found them in chains, living in filth and isolated. The breeder, who was raising them in his backyard, gave them up to us because the dog meat business in South Korea is dying. This is a good sign but we still have a long way to go to eliminate the dog meat trade in Korea.”

With your support, we can help these dogs and other animals. Please donate today.

Since 2014, HSI has rescued 839 dogs in South Korea, mainly from the country’s dog farms, closing seven farms to date. HSI has found that many dog meat farmers in South Korea are eager to leave the trade and transition to new livelihoods. Most people in South Korea don’t regularly eat dogs, and the practice is increasingly out of favor with the younger generation.

Only a government-led phase out of dog meat farming and consumption could effectively and permanently eliminate the cruel trade. HSI’s successful interventions with dog meat farmers over the last two years clearly show that dog meat farmers are willing to give up their trade if given an alternative.

When asked about the rescue flight, president of and pilot for Dog Is My CoPilot, Peter E Rork, M.D. said, “When we heard of this situation, we juggled our already busy rescue flight schedule to accommodate this transport need. We are always happy to help, but especially in such an egregious situation such as this.”    

“The Treasure Valley is an amazing pet-loving community,” said Idaho Humane Society CEO Jeff Rosenthal. “We’re blessed with abundant adoptions and thus have the resources available to not only help local pets but increasingly those from overcrowded regional shelters as well as those suffering in difficult situations elsewhere. We are very excited to find loving homes for these dogs that deserve a fresh start after tragic beginnings.”

Last March, U.S. Representatives Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Dave Trott, R-Mich. and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., introduced the Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act of 2017, to ban the dog and cat meat trade in the United States. The legislation also serves as an expression of solidarity with animal activists in Asia, including South Korea, who are fighting the gruesome trade.

How You Can Help

* If you are interested in adopting one of our South Korean rescues, or any of the dogs and cats at Idaho Humane Society, visit idahohumanesociety.org
* If you are interested in supporting other animal rescue flights, visit www.dogcopilot.org

For more information about HSI’s work to end the dog meat trade in Asia, visit hsi.org/dogmeat

Media contact: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1 301-721-6440

The Costa Rican Congress has approved the reform of a penal code that sanctions animal cruelty with jail time. Lawmakers passed the law unanimously in second debate following five years of deliberation and negotiations.

Cynthia Dent, global field manager for Humane Society International/Latin America, stated: “This vote by the Costa Rican Congress marks a much awaited victory for animals, and ratifies the country and government’s firm position against animal cruelty. We are honored to work hand in hand with the Costa Rican government in fighting cruelty. This law provides a tool to prosecute people who blatantly infringe the anti-cruelty law which will now be punishable with jail time. We  congratulate the Asociacion de Bienestar y Amparo Animal, which negotiated with the legislative assembly to make this law possible.”

Among its improved sanctions:

• The law establishes penalties of jail time ranging from three months to a year for harming an animal in a debilitating form or for bestiality.
• Anyone causing an animal’s death could serve up to three years in jail.
• Anyone promoting or organizing any kind of animal fight, including dogfights, could serve up to three years in jail.
• The law allows the judicial system to gather a database of people who break the law against animal cruelty, and allows the government to start gathering data on crimes related to animal welfare.

HSI is working to protect animals around the world. Your donations make this lifesaving work possible.

HSI/Latin America will continue to work hand in hand with the Costa Rican Department of Animal Health in following up on complaints against cruelty. HSI/Latin America and the Ministry of the Presidency have established training on animal welfare issues for all police officers, through the Police Academy, on animal welfare. We will also continue to work in conjunction with entities in charge of determining crimes against animal welfare and developing their capacity to deal with these crimes.

Media contact: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1 (301) 721-6440