Category: Press Release

Groundbreaking regulations would also ban imports of certain hunting trophies

Humane Society International / Canada

Waldo Swiegers/AP Images for HSI

MONTREAL—Humane Society International/Canada applauds Environment Canada for moving another step forward in closing the Canadian market to elephant ivory and rhino horn trade. Proposed regulations which would prohibit elephant ivory and rhino horn trade in Canada, along with imports of hunting trophies made from these parts, have been published in Gazette I. HSI/Canada encourages all Canadians to sign our letter in support of the measures, which will be submitted to government during the 30-day public consultation.  

Kelly Butler, wildlife campaign manager, Humane Society International/Canada, stated: 

“Elephants and rhinoceros could be extinct within our lifetimes if urgent action is not taken to save them. We commend the Canadian government for showing global leadership in protecting these iconic species for future generations. Canadians have made it clear that there is no place for elephant ivory and rhino horn trade, nor hunting trophies from these species, in our country. HSI/Canada strongly supports the regulations as they are published in Gazette I, which would become the global standard for elephant and rhino protection in non-range states.” 

The proposed regulations follow years of campaigning by HSI/Canada and our coalition partners, along with the support of scientists, public figures and hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals. In its 2021 mandate letter, the federal government responded with a commitment to “curb illegal wildlife trade and end elephant and rhinoceros tusk trade in Canada.” 

Critically, the regulation aligns with the directives of the foremost elephant and rhino conservation experts and stakeholders: The African Elephant Coalition (representing 78% of African countries holding elephants), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature have all called for the closure of domestic ivory markets. 

According to a 2020 poll by Insights West, 94% of Canadians support an elephant ivory trade ban. A public petition calling for a Canadian ban on elephant ivory trade has amassed over 700,000 signatures.  

Publication in Gazette I, the government of Canada’s newspaper, is one of the final stages in creating new regulations. Once proposed regulations are published in Gazette I, they are subject to a consultation and amended based on feedback, if necessary, then published in Gazette II as official regulations. 

Quick Facts:  

  • As many as 25,000 elephants and 1,300 rhinos die at the hands of poachers in Africa every year. 
  • In March 2021, the IUCN updated its Red List of Threatened Species and declared the African forest elephant to be Critically Endangered and the African savanna elephant to be Endangered. Black rhinos, found in Africa, are classified as Critically Endangered.  
  • Canada’s top trading partners, including the United States, China and the United Kingdom have closed their elephant ivory markets in response to declining elephant populations.
  • In addition to elephant ivory trade, Canada allows the import of elephant tusks, rhino horns, and parts from trophy hunts. According to CITES data, over 450 African elephant tusks, 16 rhino horns, and an additional 81 elephant trophies and 44 rhino trophies were legally imported into Canada from 2010-2021. 
  • In June of 2021, an open letter calling for an end to elephant ivory trade in Canada was signed by notable Canadians including Bryan Adams, Robert Bateman and David Suzuki.
  • The proposed regulations follow a public opinion consultation conducted by Environment Climate Change Canada in the summer of 2021, in which Canadians and people from around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for federal action to end Canada’s role in the elephant ivory trade.  

ENDS

Media contact: Michael Bernard: 438-873-5769; mbernard@hsi.org

Humane Society International responds to Kodami investigation as further evidence of trophy hunters’ political greenwashing and the division amongst hunters.

Humane Society International / Europe

Lion rug
coldsnowstorm/istock

ROME—Yesterday, the Italian media outlet Kodami released a video of their independent undercover investigation undertaken at “Jagd & Hund”, Europe’s largest hunting fair held in Dortmund, Germany from January 24-29, delivering another shocking look behind the scenes of an industry currently under intense political scrutiny in Europe as multiple Member States consider hunting trophy trade bans.

Humane Society International and affiliates have been at the forefront of a global fight to ban the trade in hunting trophies of imperiled species. For years, the Humane Society of the United States has unveiled what happens at the world’s largest annual hunting fair hosted by Safari Club International in the United States, working to unmask the hypocrisy of the trophy hunting lobby and its attempts to greenwash the exploitative industry while lobbying against endangered species protections.

Kodami’s investigation findings add to a growing collection of evidence of trophy hunters’ political equivocation and blatant disregard for conservation principles. Many hunters are condemning trophy hunting as unacceptable in modern society. Multiple investigations by HSI and the HSUS over the years revealed:

  • The presentation of trophy hunting as a well-managed, conservation-focused industry is a farce. When gathered together at these conventions, outfitters and trophy hunters have undermined or outright dismissed ethical and animal welfare considerations. At the Staffordshire County hunting fair in 2022 an HSI investigator asked if he could drink alcohol while on a hunt in Africa. The outfitters’ response was: “Yeah, they [expletive] don’t give a [expletive] over there. [Expletive] me if you want to go around with a beer and a cigar and [expletive] blast stuff. They’re pretty laid back.” This crude, irresponsible sentiment was seen across multiple investigations, outfitters and guests.
  • Trophy hunting outfitters at the fairs use gimmicks and deep discounts on animals’ lives to increase sales. Many offer canned hunts—where the animal is bred and shot in captivity—or “easy” hunts where they can guarantee a kill for a client.

Outfitters push marketing schemes meant to maximize hunt sales regardless of the hunters’ proficiency by promising a family-like experience with the guides and glorifying the adrenaline of trophy hunting, preparing inexperienced clients in as little as a day. They also claim to “bend the rules” around hunts and ethics, offering clients the option of hunting from the back of trucks or setting up  captive hunts.

  • Children are often present and featured in promotional material to encourage family engagement. It was apparent to HSUS investigators that killing animals for pleasure and keeping their body parts was being normalized for children at these conventions. One conference attendee attendee told investigators that he and his children participated in a canned hunt, killing “their” lion within 90 minutes.
  • Investigators found that the hunting community is not united in support of trophy hunting. Many hunters believe that captive hunting, baiting and hunting from a vehicle violate fair chase ethics, while others don’t support hunting of iconic or imperiled animals or hunting animals when meat consumption isn’t a primary driver.

Kodami’s investigation video further proves what Humane Society International has been pointing out for years: the trophy hunting industry’s economic model incentivizes over-exploitation which can push imperiled species like lions, leopards and elephants further towards extinction. The sales model found across all conventions indicates that the value of wildlife is determined by consumer demand, not by their intrinsic value, conservation status or value to local communities. Trophy fees can run up to US$65,000 for wild lions and US$35,000 for leopards and are typically around US$40,000 for an elephant, depending on the size of their tusks. The record auction for a hunt of a black rhino—one of the most endangered mammals on the planet—was at the 2014 Safari Club International convention for US$400,000. However, the industry also chooses which animals to devalue either by setting trophy fees low such as for ducks, doves and guinea fowl “worth” only US$5; by offering extreme discounts for the hunting packages (a giraffe hunt was offered for US$1,200 as “a giveaway”); or by offering animal kills for free as bait, such as hippos (whose numbers are declining), to draw out the target trophy animal such as lions and leopards.

Humane Society International/Europe executive director Ruud Tombrock, after seeing the footage released by Kodami yesterday, commented: “Trophy hunters can’t seem to hide their passion for carnage or complete disrespect for animals for long when they all gather together at conventions like the Jagd & Hund in Germany,  Cinegética in Spain, and Safari Club International’s in the U.S. Undercover investigations like Kodami’s and ours are vitally important to dispel the ‘helping hand’ fantasy that the hunting lobby has peddled to policymakers and the public. These false representations of the industry have so far secured for them hunting and trade policy exemptions for imperiled wildlife they shot for fun where it would otherwise be prohibited. We cannot let this pandering continue under their lobby’s false narrative. Policymakers need to see their true nature and put an end to facilitating their abuse of wildlife.”

Background:

  • The EU is the second largest importer of hunting trophies with 14.912 hunting trophies from 73 different CITES-listed mammalian species imported between 2014-2018, such as leopards, hippos, elephants, lions and even species like the critically endangered black rhino. Hunting fairs played a significant role in the promotion and sale of the represented hunts.
  • More and more transport companies pledged to prohibit transporting of hunting trophies. Find here a list of more than 30 airlines, freight carriers and businesses from the transport sector that have a passenger baggage or cargo policy against hunting trophies.
  • HSI/Europe has been advocating for a ban on hunting trophy imports with its campaign #NotInMyWorld aimed at the European Union and Member States since 2021. Our petition to the European Parliament calls for urgent action to ensure that the existing requirements of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and Habitats Directive with respect to hunting trophies are being properly implemented, as outlined in commitments in the EU Biodiversity Strategy.
  • We’ve made significant progress to date:
    • On June 21st the French Assembly adopted an amendment that will significantly assist customs authorities in limiting the import of hunting trophies of certain endangered animal species into France by an overwhelming majority (113 votes for, one vote against). This vote coincides with a new legislative proposal for a ban brought forth by Senator Céline Boulay-Espéronnier on May 23.
    • In March 2023, British lawmakers in the House of Commons advanced legislation that would ban the import of animal hunting trophies from over 6,000 internationally regulated species, including elephants, rhinos and leopards. The bill is currently under consideration by the House of Lords.
    • Last year in Italy, IEG Italian Exhibition Group SpA announced it will no longer host the HIT Show (Italy’s largest hunting fair with 40,000 visitors and hundreds of international exhibitors each year) citing explicitly the event’s incompatibility with environmental values and mission of the event.
    • Finland banned the import from outside the EU of hunting trophies of species protected under Annex A and 12 species under Annex B of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations in 2022.
    • The Belgian federal parliament unanimously called on the government in 2022 to immediately stop issuing import permits for trophies of species protected by specific international trade regulations.
    • The European Parliament adopted a resolution in 2022 calling for an end to the import of hunting trophies into the EU of protected species.
    • In 2016, the Netherlands banned imports of trophies of more than 200 species, and in 2015, France banned imports of lion trophies.

ENDS

Media contact: Eva-Maria Heinen, communications and PR manager for Germany&Italy: emheinen@hsi.org

Minister Duclos joins animal protection coalition and cosmetics industry in celebrating passage of landmark legislation

Humane Society International / Canada

Michael Kloth/Alamy

OTTAWA, Ontario―Cosmetics animal testing and trade will officially be banned in Canada, after the Canadian government today passed measures through the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-47). In addition to banning cosmetics animal testing, the amendments will also prohibit selling cosmetics that rely on new animal testing data to establish the product’s safety, and false or misleading labelling pertaining to the testing of cosmetics on animals.

Animal protection advocates Humane Society International/Canada, Animal Alliance Canada and Cruelty Free International, together with Cosmetics Alliance Canada, Lush Cosmetics, and The Body Shop, have been working closely with the Canadian government for several years to advance workable legislation to ban cosmetics animal testing in Canada. The coalition is thrilled that Canada will now join over 40 jurisdictions and major markets that have already passed laws to end or limit cosmetics animal testing and/or sales.

The coalition joined the Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos in issuing the following statements:

Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, Government of Canada, said: “Testing cosmetics on animals is both cruel and unnecessary. That is why we are proud to move forward on our promise to ban cosmetic animal testing and trade. Protecting animals now and in the future is something many Canadians have been advocating for and now, we can all be assured that cosmetics in Canada are cruelty-free, and we will continue to take all necessary measures to improve animal welfare. ”

Michael Bernard, deputy director, Humane Society International/Canada, said: “With the passage of these historic measures to ban cosmetics animal testing and trade, Canada is getting a cruelty-free makeover. We are so thrilled that our government has listened to the millions of Canadians who want the products they buy to be cruelty-free. This legislation truly shows the great things that can happen when government, industry, the non-profit sector and the public work together to create a better future. Canadian consumers can finally rest assured that the cosmetics they purchase have not come as a result of animal suffering—and that is something we can all feel good about.”

Darren Praznik, president and CEO of Cosmetics Alliance Canada, said: “Industry and animal protection advocates have worked together over the last several years to advance a cosmetics animal testing ban in Canada. Since this issue was first raised in Parliament through a Private Member’s Bill in the Senate in 2015, our group has met frequently to build a collaborative relationship and to align on the principles with Health Canada while ensuring the ban works within the Canadian regulatory framework. We are very pleased to see the government pass this long overdue legislation.”

Liz White, director, Animal Alliance of Canada, said: “Animal Alliance supporters thank Minister Duclos and Health Canada staff for making the cosmetics animal testing ban a reality. Canada will join the growing number of countries worldwide that have ended such practices and the government will fulfill its promise to introduce legislation to end cosmetics testing on animals as soon as 2023.”

Monica Engebretson, head of public affairs North America, Cruelty Free International, said: “Cruelty Free International applauds the Canadian Government for taking action to fulfil the wishes of the vast majority of Canadian citizens who supported a ban on animal testing for cosmetics. This has been a unifying issue that has earned cross-party support in Canada and will match the progress we are seeing around the world as consumers, companies, regulators and advocates come together to achieve a common goal of ensuring that animals won’t suffer for the sake of cosmetics anywhere.”

Brandi Halls, chief ethics officer, Lush Cosmetics North America, said: “As a company that has been campaigning to bring animal testing for cosmetics to an end since our inception over 25 years ago, today we join all of the stakeholders in celebrating this important moment for the global movement. By heeding the call of people across Canada, Minister Duclos and Health Canada are putting Canada on the right side of history by banning this outdated practice. We’re proud to have partnered with Humane Society International for over a decade and through customer responses to our in-shop campaigning, we know that the voice of the majority has been heard.”

Hilary Lloyd, vice president of marketing and corporate responsibility, The Body Shop North America, said: “Since the launch of The Body Shop’s first against animal testing initiative in 1989 and our campaigns that have followed, we’re thrilled to finally see this effort materialize in Canada. We applaud Minister Duclos and Health Canada for bringing forth this legislation and thank all who have made this change possible, notably our partners at Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop’s passionate retail teams and activist customers, who delivered over 625,000 signatures to Parliament Hill in 2018 calling for this change.”

END

Media contacts:

  • Michael Bernard, HSI/Canada, deputy director, mbernard@hsi.org
  • Susan Nieuwhof, Cosmetics Alliance Canada, public policy and communications, snieuwhof@cosmeticsalliance.ca

Assembly discussion on prohibiting hunting trophy imports coincides with new legislative proposal by Senator Céline Boulay-Espéronnier supported by 91% of French people

Humane Society International / Europe

Purestock

PARIS—Yesterday, the French Assembly adopted an amendment that will significantly assist customs authorities in limiting the import of hunting trophies of certain endangered animal species into France by an overwhelming majority (113 votes for, one vote against).

This vote coincides with a new legislative proposal for a ban brought forth by Senator Céline Boulay-Espéronnier on May 23, the first time such a ban has been championed by politicians at the legislative level in France. That Senate proposal is supported by an overwhelming 91% of French citizens who would rally behind the initiative to outlaw trophy imports of endangered species, including African elephant, giraffe and polar bear, according to a poll commissioned by HSI/Europe.

The Assembly sub-amendment proposed by Deputy Sandra Regol, Ecologist group – NUPES, states: “The practice of trophy hunting tourism, when it contributes to endangering species, harms biodiversity. However, it is happening in many countries, whether it is South Africa, Mozambique or Canada, and in total, at least 200,000 hunting trophies from 451 endangered species have been imported around the world between 2005 and 2015. It is crucial to fight this phenomenon, aligning with French people’s expectation and the ecological necessity.”

France has already taken steps to protect lions from trophy hunting, in the aftermath of the scandal surrounding the killing of Cecil the lion in 2015. However, this new move signifies renewed hope for all the other species such as the elephants, leopards and cheetahs that fall victim to being legally hunted and imported as trophies into France. Several of these targeted species, including the African elephant, leopard, hippopotamus and cheetah, teeter on the brink of extinction. France stands out as the first destination within the European Union for African leopards, exacerbating the plight of a species under the threat of extinction.

Humane Society International/Europe and Convergence Animaux Politique commend Mrs Sandra Regol for her unwavering commitment to championing the bill through the sub-amendment aimed at tackling the detrimental impact of trophy hunting on endangered and vulnerable species, by expanding the implementation of a customs authority investigation process commonly referred to as a “blow buy.” The Ecologist group – NUPES is fully supportive of the sub-amendment proposed.

Explaining the significance of the Assembly’s adopted sub-measure, Milton Federici, public affairs manager of Convergence Animaux et Politique, says: “The adoption of this amendment marks a significant victory. It gives ground to customs officers to use the ‘purchase’ investigation technique for hunting trophies, signaling their import as a legal offense. While the current import ban solely focuses on lion trophies, the resoundingly positive vote by the Assembly demonstrates politicians’ willingness to be more ambitious. This vote is a step forward towards a ban on trophy hunting imports to safeguard all the other endangered species targeted by trophy hunters.”

Capucine Meyer, HSI/Europe trophy hunting campaign consultant for France, says: “The overwhelming support to the amendment shows that politicians align with the 91% of French citizens who support a prohibition on trophy hunting imports of protected species. It is a clear signal that there is no time to waste in expanding the level of protection granted to endangered species beyond just lions. Many more species targeted by the trophy hunting industry are facing extinction and are in dire need for such a ban to be adopted.”

France’s initiative aligns with efforts by other member states to move towards enhanced protection of wildlife threatened by trophy hunting. Countries such as the Netherlands (2016) and Finland (2022), have already surpassed CITES ((the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) recommendations and implemented binding measures for species protection. With Belgium, Poland, Italy and the United Kingdom in the process of enacting similar legislation, the EU government must take immediate action to reflect the general public’s desire for a ban on hunting trophy imports in line with a precautionary approach to species protection.

The groups appreciate the commitment of French politicians to ban the import of hunting trophies of endangered species, saying it sends a powerful message and emphasizes the need for global action to preserve our planet’s irreplaceable wildlife. HSI commends Senator Boulay-Espéronnier’s efforts, which place France at the forefront of the fight against trophy hunting as the bill progresses through legislative procedures.

Background facts:

  • Trophy hunting poses a grave threat to biodiversity and ecosystem stability. It involves the killing of wild animals for the purpose of exhibiting their heads, skins or other body parts as trophies. This cruel and detrimental activity exacerbates the decline of species, endangering their survival and disrupting ecosystems.

Contrary to claims that trophy hunting benefits local communities, studies reveal that a mere 3% of the revenue generated from this activity reaches them. Consequently, communities are deprived of genuine conservation opportunities and the potential economic benefits of sustainable ecotourism, which can create employment and contribute to conservation efforts.

Minister Svavarsdóttir ends decades of senseless whale killing and begins a new chapter in Iceland’s relationship with whales

Humane Society International / Europe

Japanese whaling
Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert/Alamy

BRUSSELS―As news breaks that Iceland has cancelled this season’s  commercial whaling on animal welfare grounds, global animal protection charity Humane Society International says it is thrilled and relieved at the announcement that will spare hundreds of whales from agonising deaths, and urges the Icelandic government to make it a permanent ban.

Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Svandís Svavarsdóttir, announced that Iceland’s whaling vessels will not kill any whales this season due to the conclusion that “the fishing method used when hunting large whales does not comply with the law on animal welfare.”The suspension lasts until August 31st which effectively cancels this season’s whale killing. The minister’s statement continues “it is necessary to postpone the start of the whaling season so that there is room to investigate whether it is possible to ensure that the hunting is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act.”

Ruud Tombrock, HSI/Europe’s executive director, said: “This is a major milestone in compassionate whale conservation. Humane Society International is thrilled at this news and praises Minister Svavarsdóttir for ending the senseless whale killing which will spare hundreds of minke and imperilled fin whales from agonising and protracted deaths. There is no humane way to kill a whale at sea, and so we urge the minister to make this a permanent ban. Whales already face so many serious threats in the oceans from pollution, climate change, entanglement in fish nets and ship strikes, that ending cruel commercial whaling is the only ethical conclusion.”

The announcement follows the Minister’s op-ed last year in which she said she saw little reason to permit whaling after 2023, and publication last month of an independent report by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority―commissioned by the Minister―that revealed some whales killed in Icelandic hunts had taken up to two hours to die, with 41% of whales suffering immensely before dying for an average of 11.5 minutes.

Kitty Block, CEO of Humane Society International, said: “For those of us who have been campaigning for many years to end commercial whaling, to see the day that Iceland decides to stop killing whales and retire its harpoons for good, is truly historic. Economic factors have certainly played a significant role in the demise of this cruel industry -with little demand for whale meat at home and exports to the Japanese market dwindling- but it is the overriding moral argument against whaling that has sealed its fate. Harpooning these magnificent giants not only causes unjustifiable suffering to those whales who are killed, but also unimaginable distress to the rest of their pod who witness their family members being chased and slaughtered. Iceland is already one of the best places in the world to go whale watching, and the country stands to attract even more ecotourists now that it has abandoned whaling forever. The world now looks at Japan and Norway as the only two countries in the world to still mercilessly kill whales for profit.”

Fast facts:

  • The International Whaling Commission agreed to enact a global moratorium on all commercial whaling in 1986.
  • Iceland left the IWC in 1992 but returned in 2002 with an exception to the moratorium, despite objections from multiple nations. Since re-joining the IWC, Iceland had killed more than 1,500 whales, including fin whales.
  • Iceland suspended hunting fin whales in 2016 due to a declining market for whale meat in Japan. Hunting resumed for the 2018 season when 146 fin whales were killed, including a pregnant female and a rare fin-blue hybrid whale, plus six minke whales. A single minke whale was killed from 2019-2021, and 148 fin whales in 2022.
  • Fin whales are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as globally vulnerable to extinction despite decades of recovery since the commercial whaling moratorium.

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International / South Korea

milehightraveler/iStock

SEOUL—Animal protection organization Humane Society International Korea (HSI/Korea) welcomes the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s announcement of a phaseout of the use of horseshoe crab blood for toxicity tests. Alternatives are available, and a synthetic recombinant Factor C (rFC) will be used instead of wild-caught horseshoe crab blood.

The horseshoe crab is a blue-blooded marine species, more ancient than dinosaurs. Now, its population having dwindled, it is endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Capture and bleeding for pharmaceutical use has not helped, as an extract of horseshoe crab’s blood, Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) is used to test the toxicity of some biological products. To obtain that extract, horseshoe crabs have been the target of human catch for many years and the entire ecosystem associated with them has been put under severe stress.

Humane concerns about how horseshoe crabs are caught, transported and restrained to extract a significant amount of blood, a process which involves long periods out of the water, has helped drive the use of rFC as an alternative. Use of the alternative will alleviate the threats to the ecosystem of which horseshoe crabs are a part. More specifically, it will ensure that the flow of essential materials (reagents) for the testing of biopharmaceutical products will continue uninterrupted, independently of horseshoe crabs’ numbers, with a more sustainable, validated and consistent methodology. It will guarantee that drugs, biological products, including vaccines and medical equipment, will be available and released on time.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s announcement places South Korea on the same plane as other regions (Europe and North America) and countries (Japan, China) that recognize or provide guidance on the use of rFC.

HSI/Korea Director, Government Affairs Borami Seo said “We welcome the government’s decision to accept this horseshoe crab replacement method at a regulatory level. It is important to update regulatory guidelines with more scientific, non-animal replacement methods. However, its implementation also should be emphasized to ensure wide use of the new method. We urge the authority to provide support for industry to actively adopt the rFC method.”

ENDS

Media contact: Borami Seo, director of HSI/Korea; bseo@hsi.org

Donation includes kennels and night cameras that will contribute to law enforcement agencies’ investigative work

Humane Society International / Latin America

HSI

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica— As wildlife trafficking has become a threat to hundreds of species, Humane Society International/Latin America is supporting Costa Rican authorities in their fight against it by donating equipment needed in wildlife trafficking investigations

The equipment, which includes animal carriers, herpetological bags, animal handling gloves and cameras, is valued at more than USD $100,000.

The donated equipment will support work done by three parts of the government: the Judicial Investigation , the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Ministry of Public Security.

Andrea Borel, HSI/Latin America executive director, explained that this donation is part of a project funded by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and administered by HSI with the goal of improving Costa Rica’s capacity to combat wildlife trafficking.

“Wildlife trafficking is a major threat to species around the world, including endangered ones. These animals suffer greatly and end their days as pets, decorations or souvenirs, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, we are pleased to support authorities in their investigation and prosecution efforts to reduce wildlife trafficking that originates or transits through Costa Rica,” said Borel.

Shirley Ramirez, member of the National Commission for Biodiversity, said: “In recent years, we have detected an increase in cases of wildlife trafficking in Costa Rica, both aimed at national and international markets. The complexity and organization of these criminals evolves every day; hence, the importance of equipment, such as the one donated, that allows us to achieve successful investigations and subsequent legal processes.”

Wildlife trafficking is also one of the most lucrative illegal trades in the world. According to INTERPOL data, wildlife trafficking has an annual value of up to USD $20 billion. In Costa Rica, animals such as glass frogs, butterflies, beetles, birds and sea turtles are victims of the wildlife trade.

ENDS

Media Contact: Andrea Borel: +506 7300 5706; aborel@hsi.org

1,502,319 signatures were officially submitted to the European Commission calling for an EU ban on fur farming and sales

Humane Society International / Europe

Mink on a fur farm
Jo-Anne McArthur

BRUSSELS, Belgium―Today it was officially confirmed that 1,502,319 EU citizens have signed the Fur Free Europe European Citizens’ Initiative calling on the European Commission to ban fur farming and prohibit the placing of fur products on the European market. This marks the 10th successful European Citizens’ Initiative since the petition tool was launched, with seven of those 10 ECIs dedicated to animal issues. Fur Free Europe represents the most successful ECI for animal welfare, and the third most successful ECI overall. The ECI organisers will now meet with the European Commission and then attend a public hearing at the European Parliament, after which the European Commission must publicly respond to the initiative, before the end of the year.

The petition was launched in May 2022 with the backing of more than eighty animal protection organisations from across Europe, and closed on March 1st, more than two months earlier than its official deadline, thanks to a record number of unconfirmed signatures collected: 1,701,892 in less than ten months. The ECI also successfully reached the signatures threshold in twenty-one Member States, three times the minimum requirement of seven Member States.

“The overwhelming public support to this initiative has made one thing clear: fur must become a thing of the past. We are so proud to have achieved yet another step towards ending this cruel and unnecessary practice and now we call on the EC to use the new animal welfare legislation to make the wish of 1.5 million European citizens come true”, commented Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals, the organisers of Fur Free Europe.

“There could not be a clearer sign than this enormous petition that there is no place for the cruelty of fur farming in a progressive, ethical society,” said Dr. Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs at HSI/Europe. “The European Commission now has a duty to propose legislation to consign this outdated practise to history and make Europe fur-free. Such a move would strengthen Europe’s position as a leader in animal welfare and humane progress.”

On all fronts, the existence of fur farming holds no reasonable grounds. In fur farms animals such as minks, foxes and racoon dogs are kept in tiny cages, hindered from displaying natural behaviour and killed solely because of the value of their fur.

In addition, the farms pose a significant risk to animal and human health, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when outbreaks on mink fur farms caused variants to be transmitted from animals to humans. From an environmental perspective, the use of toxic chemicals in the production of fur also makes it a significantly polluting industry.

ENDS

Media contact: Yavor Gechev, communications director for HSI/Europe: ygechev@hsi.org ; +359889468098 ; +393515266629

Humane Society International

Vshine Dogs rescued from slaughterhouse on outskirts of Yulin, China, June 2023

BEIJING—Chinese animal activists have rescued 19 dogs from an illegal slaughterhouse in the outskirts of Yulin, a week before the city’s infamous annual dog meat festival, at which thousands of dogs and cats will be killed and eaten, is due to begin.

Shocking images show the bloody scenes encountered by the activists―traumatized dogs, standing in the blood of their slaughtered cage mates, dead dogs still lying on the floor where they had just been killed. They also found a de-hairing machine and piles of dog fur stripped from dead dogs, as well as dog carcasses being blowtorched ready for delivery to Yulin markets.

The dogs were severely dehydrated and malnourished, with filthy matted fur, and one dog had lost an eye. Most were small breeds typical of pet dogs in China, in addition to an extremely friendly golden retriever, and all of them responded to their rescuers with desperate affection, suggesting they were stolen companions. Most dogs and cats caught up in China’s meat trade are pets and strays snatched from the streets and from people’s backyards, often involving the use of poison and catch nooses. They are crammed into wire cages and driven for hours or even days across the country, before reaching the slaughterhouse where they are beaten to death.

The activists from Chinese group Vshine are the official partners of Humane Society International, which campaigns across Asia for an end to the dog and cat meat trades.

Teng, one of the Chinese activists, told HSI: “This was one of the filthiest and bloodiest dog slaughterhouses we’ve ever seen. The dogs had just arrived by truck that morning and we were devastated to find that we had arrived too late to save five dogs who had already been killed. Those dogs who were still alive looked traumatized by the slaughter they would have just seen, and the smell of blood and flesh was overpowering. Most of the dogs greeted us with excitement, pawing the cage bars for attention, while others were really subdued and shaken. Now they are all safe and receiving the medical care, food, water and love they so desperately need to recover from their frightening ordeal. They were moments away from being killed for the Yulin markets.”

Dr Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist, said: “The brutal slaughter of dogs and cats for the Yulin trade is morally indefensible and the heartbreaking images from this rescue show us why. These poor animals will have endured terrifying capture and exhausting transport only to end up at a filthy slaughterhouse and subjected to witnessing the brutal killing of other dogs. We are so grateful to the Chinese activists for taking a stand against this hideously cruel trade. Most people across China do not support this cruelty, and surveys show that even in Yulin most people are not opposed to a ban. It’s time to put an end to this misery.”

Three of the dogs are being cared for by a local Guangxi animal group, and the remaining 16 dogs have been transferred to Vshine’s veterinary shelter in north China, with HSI support.

A new survey released earlier this month reveals that only a small proportion of Yulin residents (19.3%) oppose a ban on the dog meat trade, while 70% say a ban would have no or no significant impact on their lives. Significantly more respondents (81%) did not express an objection to a ban when asked if Yulin should follow in the footsteps of mainland Chinese cities like Shenzhen, which implemented a dog and cat meat ban in 2020.  Despite Yulin’s reputation for being a dog and cat meat hotspot, the survey results reveal that most Yulin residents (73%) only consume dog or cat meat very occasionally, and 18% of residents never consume it at all.

The World Health Organization has warned that the dog trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera. Yulin has long been a city with one of the highest rates of human rabies cases in China, and the local trade undermines the Chinese government’s goal of eliminating rabies in China by 2025. Selling and processing meat from sick and dying dogs in Yulin and elsewhere is also a serious violation of China’s food safety law, and yet the trade is allowed to persist with relatively little legal sanction.

Fast facts about Yulin and China’s dog meat trade

  • Yulin’s so-called Lychee and Dog Meat Festival is not a traditional event. It was launched in 2010 by dog meat traders in an attempt to encourage dog meat eating and boost sales. Prior to 2010, Yulin had no history of commercial dog or cat meat sales.
  • When first launched in 2010, as many as 15,000 dogs were believed to be killed during the core Yulin festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure reduce to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival.
  • A 2016 survey showed that 69.5% of people across China have never eaten dog meat. The 2023 Yulin survey was conducted by Chinese polling company Suzhou Zhongyan Science and Technology Inc.
  • An estimated 30 million dogs a year are killed across Asia for their meat, some 10-20 million in China alone.
  • Dog meat is banned in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, as well as in the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and in 21 cities and regencies in Indonesia. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are still killed for meat across Asia. Opinion polls in South Korea show that the majority of citizens (87.5%) either do not consume dog meat or don’t intend to in the future. Both President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee have expressed support for an end to the practice.

Download photos and video from the Yulin rescue here

ENDS

Media Contact: Wendy Higgins, HSI director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org  

Humane Society International/Canada applauds the passage of historic measures in Bill S-5 to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Humane Society International / Canada

Leila Coker/iStock.com

OTTAWA—Humane Society International/Canada is celebrating the passage of amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, aimed at phasing out the use of animals for chemical toxicity testing in Canada. The measures were included in Bill S-5, to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which passed third and final reading in the Senate today and will now receive Royal Assent.

Shaarika Sarasija, senior strategist, research and regulatory science for HSI/Canada, stated: “We are happy to see the passage of Bill S-5 with provisions to phase out chemical testing using animals. A concerted move away from animal-based toxicity tests could spare tens of thousands of animals each year and advance public health and environmental protection with more advanced and relevant tests for the benefit of all Canadians.”

Conventional toxicity testing involves poisoning rats, mice, rabbits, fish, birds and other animals with chemicals via force-feeding, inhalation or skin absorption for days, months or even years without pain relief, to see the extent to which it disrupts normal bodily functions. According to the Canadian Council on Animal Care, half of the more than 150,000 animals used for regulatory testing in Canada in 2021 experienced anywhere from “moderate to severe distress” to “severe pain near, at or beyond the pain tolerance threshold.” Many of these tests were developed decades ago and represent outdated science that provides incomplete or inconclusive data at best, while inflicting needless animal suffering.

Today’s toolbox of non-animal methods includes an array of sophisticated molecular biology tests that are more time and cost efficient and human relevant. The amendments in Bill S-5 promote their use, paving the way to reducing and ultimately eliminating animal suffering in chemical toxicity testing through technological progress. The new measures include:

  • Requiring new approach testing methods that do not use animals where scientifically justified and “practicable.”
  • Encouraging the timely development and implementation of alternative methods to animal testing.
  • Requiring the government to publish a plan, within two years, detailing steps to achieve these goals.

HSI/Canada is committed to working alongside the Government of Canada and other stakeholders to ensure that all use of animals in toxicity testing—including for pesticides, food and other regulated products—is ultimately relegated to the history books. Furthermore, HSI/Canada will work with these stakeholders to ensure that faster, more effective and relevant new approach methods that do not involve animals are developed and implemented within the Liberal government’s stated timeline of ending all toxicity animal testing by 2035.

ENDS

Media contact: Michael Bernard, deputy director for HSI/Canada: 438-873-5769; mbernard@hsi.org

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