Category: Press Release

Poll findings underscore call for Commission to deliver on its promise to ban on caged confinement for farm animals

Humane Society International / Europe

Pig farm in Italy
Jo-Anne McArthur/Essere Animali

BRUSSELS—The European Commission released today the long-awaited results of its Eurobarometer survey on EU citizens’ attitudes towards animal welfare. As anticipated, the polling data confirms that the vast majority of Europeans (84%) believe that the welfare of farm animals should be better protected. Across all EU Member States, at least eight in ten respondents believe that ensuring that animals are not kept in individual cages is an important factor in meeting our ethical responsibilities to animals.

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, commented:

“The Eurobarometer results released today unequivocally confirm the incredible strength of citizen support in all Member States for the advancement of animal welfare. It was no secret that this poll had been conducted many months ago, but it was rumoured that the Commission leadership had been suppressing the results given their reluctance to adhere to the clear animal welfare commitments made in both the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and the formal response to the European Citizens’ Initiative to End the Cage Age.”

During a Parliamentary hearing earlier this month, Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, the new European Green Deal chief, broke the Commission’s silence on its failure to deliver the promised package of legislative proposals to revise and expand the scope of the existing body EU animal welfare legislation. Šefčovič signalled that all but the proposal on animal transport were being shelved for the foreseeable . The Eurobarometer provides a strong reminder before the EU elections that citizens care about animal welfare. The results of this survey emphasise the importance of Europe staying true to its commitment to eliminating caged farming.

“Ignoring the immense citizen support for improved animal welfare and the failure to honour the Commission’s commitments to deliver these legislative reforms is an affront to the millions of EU citizens who want better treatment of farm animals,” says Swabe. “With the European elections only months away, the Commission’s backsliding on animal welfare risks eroding ordinary citizens’ faith in the European institutions and how much they are truly working for them and their interests.”

Support for improved animal protection regulations does not come only from the general public. The Commission’s own regulatory fitness and performance programme which aims to ensure that EU laws deliver on their objectives, determined that the current animal welfare legislation is no longer fit for purpose. The European Food Safety Agency delivered scientific opinions regarding the on-farm welfare of animals, which make it clear that farm animals have complex welfare needs that cannot be met within the confines of cages and crates.

With respect to the welfare of animals on farms, the Eurobarometer survey results reveal, for example, that:

  • 90% of Europeans consider that farming and breeding practices should meet basic ethical requirements.
  • 91% consider that it is important to protect the welfare of farmed animals (e.g., pigs, cattle, poultry, etc.) to ensure that they have decent living conditions.
  • 84% consider that in general the welfare of farmed animals in their country should be better protected than it is now
  • 67% say they would like to have more information about the conditions in which farmed animals are raised in their country.
  • Over eight in 10 respondents believe that ensuring that farmed animals have enough food and an adapted environment satisfying their basic needs (e.g., mud, straw, etc., depending on the species) is important in all 27 EU Member States.
  • In all 27 EU Member States, more than eight in 10 respondents consider that providing farmed animals enough space to be able to move around, lie down and stand up is important.
  • At least eight in 10 respondents in all 27 EU Member States consider that ensuring that people who handle the animals have sufficient skills and training is an important aspect of meeting our ethical responsibilities to animals.
  • In all 27 EU Member States, over three-quarters of respondents think that banning the cutting of certain body parts of the animals unless it is necessary to protect the safety of workers/farmers (in which case anaesthesia will be used) is an important condition to meet our ethical responsibilities to animals.
  • 75% think that the practice of killing one-day-old male baby chicks is unacceptable.
  • Over six in 10 Europeans believe that EU animal welfare rules should apply to food imported from non-EU countries.
  • Six in 10 Europeans are willing to pay more for products sourced from animal welfare-friendly farming systems. Six in 10 Europeans indicated that they look for labels identifying products sourced from animal welfare-friendly farming systems when buying food products.

Facts

  • In 2020, the European Commission released its Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system as part of its European Green Deal flagship policy package. This included a commitment to revise the existing animal welfare legislation to align it with the latest scientific evidence, broaden its scope, make it easier to enforce and ultimately ensure a higher level of animal welfare. The legislative package was due to be published in the third quarter of 2023.
  • In 2021, in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative to End the Cage Age, which garnered nearly 1.4 million validated signatures, the Commission also promised to deliver proposals to end the caged confinement of animals kept for food by the end of 2023.
  • The Eurobarometer is the official polling instrument that is used by the European Commission, the European Parliament and other EU institutions and agencies to monitor public opinion on EU issues and attitudes towards specific subjects.
  • Prior to today’s publication, Special Eurobarometer report 442 on Attitudes of Europeans towards Animal Welfare was the most recent EU-wide survey on this issue and was published in 2016. At that time, more than nine in 10 EU respondents said they believed that it is important to protect the welfare of farmed animals (94%).

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

Humane Society International / Europe

Aumsama, iStock.com

BRUSSELS—After months of waiting for the European Commission to honour its European Green Deal commitment to deliver a package of legislative proposals to upgrade the EU’s animal welfare legislation, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič finally broke the EU executive body’s silence on this issue during the Parliamentary hearing for his appointment as the new Green Deal czar.

In response to probing questions on animal welfare from several Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum, Šefčovič dashed EU citizens’ hopes of the Von der Leyen Commission adopting legislative proposals to end the caged confinement of farm animals in the EU this year. While claiming to be committed to the animal welfare file, he hid behind its ‘complexity’ as an excuse for failure for its delivery. Šefčovič’s only olive branch to animal advocates was a promise to come up with a proposal on live animal transport by December 2023.

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, issued the following statement in response to Šefčovič’s comments:

“We were promised action to end cruel caged confinement, but turns out to have all been hot air. Despite being grilled by several MEPs, during his hearing Commissioner Šefčovič largely skirted around the issue of animal welfare and failed to provide any clear timeline with respect to when, or even if, the European Commission would deliver its promised ban on caged farming. The announced legislative proposal on animal transport is good news, but alone, it falls short of the commitments made in the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Commission’s promise to the 1.4 million European citizens backing the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizen’s Initiative.

The science is clear, it is time to stop confining millions of sentient animals in cages and crates so small they cannot turn around or take more than a single step forward. A slew of scientific opinions delivered by EFSA, the European Union’s science advisory agency focused on food chain risks, confirm that the current animal welfare legislation needs to be brought in line with new scientific understanding on animal welfare. This legislation has already been deemed no longer fit for purpose under the Commission’s own regulatory fitness and performance programme that aims to ensure that EU laws deliver on their objectives. Moreover, the Regulatory Scrutiny Board has issued a positive opinion about the draft impact assessment accompanying the legislative proposals, which have already been drafted by Commission staff. The announced additional discussion on animal welfare in the context of the strategic dialogue with farmers is a poor attempt to dissolve concerns after recent reports that the EU could drop its plan to get farmed animals out of cages. The Commission already has a Platform on Animal Welfare that involves all relevant stakeholders. Let us not forget that ahead of the 2024 EU elections, it would be an affront to EU citizens and participatory democracy if the Commission failed to deliver on both its ECI and Green Deal promises to raise animal welfare standards. Humane Society International, allied groups and EU citizens will not give up. We will be pushing Šefčovič and his colleagues to deliver all the legislative proposals before the end of their mandate”.

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Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international coordinator for media relations: cbodinduval@hsi.org ; +32 (0) 469 149 469

Campaigners at party conferences urge politicians to give animal welfare the level of priority the British public expect

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Gabriela Penela/We Animals Media

LONDON—Over two-thirds (67%) of the British public think that a political party planning to pass more laws to improve animal welfare and protect animals from cruelty would have ‘the right priorities’, and 71% feel that such policies would reflect their values, according to new constituency-level polling by Focaldata commissioned by animal protection organisations Animal Aid, Compassion In World Farming, FOUR PAWS UK, Humane Society International/UK and the RSPCA. 

Underscoring the strength of support for strong animal welfare legislation amongst the public, the polling reveals that 71% believe that passing good animal welfare laws shows compassion and concern for those who don’t have the power to protect themselves, and almost one in ten (8.6%)  rank ‘whether or not a party will protect animals from cruelty’ as one of the top three most important policies that will influence which party they vote for.

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affiairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “Despite MPs often stating that they typically hear from their constituents about animal welfare issues more than any other issue, we are not yet seeing animal protection being given the priority it so clearly deserves by any of the main political parties. When politicians underestimate the importance many people attach to stopping animal cruelty, it easily becomes a problem for candidates on many doorsteps. There are millions of animals without a voice or vote on the policies that parties offer in their manifestos for the next election, but this poll makes clear that strong commitments towards a more compassionate society will be something that millions of voters are looking for from party leaders.”  

The Government pledged eight specific animal welfare commitments in its 2019 manifesto and has so far delivered on only three. Pledges to ban live exports, prohibit the importation of hunting trophies from endangered species and tackle cruel puppy smuggling are all yet to be passed into new laws. The Government’s 2021 Action Plan for Animal Welfare committed to consider action on a range of other issues including the UK fur trade, the use of cages and crates on farms and mandatory animal welfare food labelling, but progress in all of these areas has stalled during the current parliamentary session. 

Despite the Labour Party publishing a comprehensive—and well supported—animal welfare manifesto in 2019, its newly published National Policy Forum contains only a brief indication of the Party’s ambition to advance new protections for animals, including strengthening the Hunting Act and banning the importation of hunting trophies.   

At its conference last week the Liberal Democrats passed a motion on food and farming which incorporates pledges to benefit animal welfare including ensuring that in international trade deals imports “meet UK environmental, climate and animal welfare standards”. Campaigners at the conference heard that a detailed animal welfare policy paper is planned and may be debated at the Party’s spring conference. 

The polling also reveals: 

  • Answering questions on specific issues of farming and trade: 
    • 63% of respondents feel the Government should bring in legislation to phase out intensive farming to protect the environment and animals;  
    • 77% of respondents agree with the statement ‘when we ban a type of farming in the UK for being too cruel, we should also ban imports of products produced the same way overseas’ while less than a quarter of people (23%) agree with the statement ‘we should not let our trading relationship with other countries be limited by animal welfare concerns.’ 
  • One in ten (10%) of the British public place animal welfare issues in the top five most important issues facing the country at this time, compared to 30% of people placing ‘crime’ in the top five issues, and 42% of people placing ‘climate change’ in the top five. 79% of respondents place ‘the NHS’ in the top five issues. 
  • Almost one in ten (8.6%) people rank ‘whether or not a party will protect animals from cruelty’ as one of the top three most important policies that will influence which party they vote for. 

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Media contact: Sally Ivens, HSI/UK: sivens@hsi.org 

Launched to commemorate World Rabies Day, the directory connects community members with services dedicated to the welfare of street dogs

Humane Society International / India

Helping dogs in Vadodara, India
Chanchal Sana Makarpura

VADODARA, Gujarat—Humane Society International/India launched India’s first-ever directory dedicated to street dog welfare. The directory features useful information on dog welfare-focused individuals and agencies that offer services including rescue, veterinary care, transport, adoptions, treatment, rabies vaccinations, and Animal Birth Control (ABC) facilities and services.

An estimated 75 million dogs roam India’s streets, facing risks like early puppy mortality, diseases, traffic injuries, malnutrition, and cruelty due to communities’ fear of dog bites and rabies (which causes approximately 20,000 human deaths annually). The directory is key to creating a strong dog welfare network by connecting the community with multiple agencies and services committed to helping street dogs in Vadodara, saving both human and animal lives.

The event was attended by dignitaries from Vadodara Municipal Corporation VMC including the Smt. Pinkyben Nirajbhai Soni (Mayor), Shri Chiragbhai Dilipbhai Barot (Deputy Mayor), and Dr.Devesh Patel (Chief Health Officer), along with representatives of listed agencies and services. Local NGOs, volunteers and residents also participated in the event.

“There are multiple individuals and groups across the city that have joined hands with us over the years to improve street dog welfare in Vadodara. We created this directory in recognition of the need to unite these forces into a single platform accessible to all of Vadodara’s residents and thereby strengthening the street dog welfare work in the city,” says Dr. Vrushti Mawani, senior manager of Companion Animals & Engagement, HSI/India. “We plan to build similar resources for other Indian cities too,” she adds.

“The directory developed by Humane Society International/India is for everyone who wants to improve the lives of street dogs but feels helpless due to lack of access to the right network,” says Rashmika Vaghela, Municipal Councilor, VMC.

This initiative is a part of the organization’s integrated dog management program, involving Animal Birth Control along with extensive community engagement and responsible pet ownership to promote peaceful coexistence between humans and street dogs across Vadodara. Since 2017, HSI/India, in collaboration with VMC, has sterilized and vaccinated over 44,000 dogs, marking Vadodara as the first city in India to achieve a dog sterilization rate of more than 86%.

Media contact: Shaili Shah, sshah@hsi.org ; 993-059-1005

Baan Ying Family commits to only use free-range organic eggs in future locations

Humane Society International / Southeast Asia

David Paul Morris, HSUS

Update: As of September 2023, Bann Ying Family has published that it no longer buys eggs from caged hens.

BANGKOK, Thailand—Restaurant group Baan Ying Family adopted a new animal welfare policy to use 100% free-range organic eggs. The group runs six restaurant brands including Baan Ying, Baan Ying Plant Based, Uma Uma, Cosmos Café, Isaa Isaan and Fatt Chicken.

In Thailand, the majority of the 95.8 million hens kept for egg production spend their entire lives in wire cages smaller than an A4-sized sheet of paper, preventing them from spreading their wings or taking more than a single step. In these battery cage systems, hens are unable to express important natural behavior, including nesting, perching and dustbathing, all of which are possible in cage-free systems. The policy builds on a 2019 commitment and applies to future locations.

“When we started looking for free-range eggs in 2017, there weren’t enough available for our businesses. We partnered with Naeville Organic Farm to create a brand of cage-free eggs to distribute within Baan Ying Family of restaurants, consumers, and any corporates who are interested in another natural and premium egg selection. We would like to ensure the highest level of raw materials and customer satisfaction that comes from good animal welfare standards for hens and every animal,” said Mr. Songsorn Jansanchai, Managing Director of Baan Ying Family.

Mr. Songsorn shared, “We have the foundation of establishing the business from family. We understand the basics of creating good business by involving participants to engage with our journey of success. In doing so, we need to pay attention to animals, human beings, and the environment to expand our strong customer base for our long-term goal. We want to engage our team, customers, and animals in our path by selecting good natural products ensuring animal welfare.”

Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand Program Manager of Farm Animal Welfare and Protection for Humane Society International, said: “We are delighted with the Baan Ying Family’s new cage-free egg procurement policy. This decision underscores their steadfast dedication to hen welfare, a commitment they have consistently upheld since 2019, regardless of where they operate. Their unwavering commitment is sending a clear message: the future of egg production in Thailand is cage-free. This sets an inspiring example for other companies in Thailand to follow.”

Baan Ying Family joins other multinational companies that have made similar global cage-free egg commitments that apply to Thailand and the rest of Asia, including Central Retail Group, AccorHotels, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Sodexo, Nestle and Mondelez International, among others.

Humane Society International’s work to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture is both science-based and collaborative. The organization works with companies, farmers, processors, scientists and certifiers to support a transition to cage-free housing systems, and offers a wide range of support to companies including farm visits, consumer education, and corporate roundtables and workshops to enhance their supply chains.

ENDS

Media contact:  Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand Program Manager for Farm Animal Welfare and Protection at Humane Society International : ltangjerdjaras@hsi.org

Humane Society International

David Paul Morris

SÃO PAULO—Special Dog, one of the largest pet food manufacturers in Brazil, announced that it is now procuring exclusively cage-free eggs for its manufacturing operations. This move makes Special Dog the first pet food manufacturer in Brazil to have effectively implemented its 100% cage-free eggs policy.

Brazil has almost 114 million hens and a majority are confined in cramped wire cages, preventing them from spreading their wings or taking more than a single step. Cage-free production systems provide hens with the space they need to lay eggs in nests, stretch their wings, scratch the ground, socialize with their peers and to peck—all of which are scientifically documented behavioral needs.

Anna Cristina Souza, policy and program manager for Humane Society International Farm Animal Welfare and Protection in Brazil, said: “Special Dog is now relieving thousands of egg-laying hens from a life of extreme confinement and sending a clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free.”

João Paulo Figueira, sustainable development manager for Special Dog, shared what motivated the company to adopt higher standards to guide their procurement practices: “Valuing animal welfare is the essence of our work, as we guarantee quality of life and longevity for more than 3 million dogs and cats that we feed daily. We understand that this care should fall on our supply chain as well, and with a lot of commitment, we completed the cage-free transition in less than a year.”

While pet food manufacturers such as Premier Pet, Premiatta, Dr. Stanley, and Padaria Pet have made commitments to embrace cage-free practices, it’s Special Dog that takes the lead in the Brazilian pet food sector, having already implemented its cage-free policy. Nestle, Unilever, and Pepsico have also pledged to halt the purchase of eggs from caged hens by 2025, a collective shift that underscores the undeniable momentum towards a future where cage-free egg production becomes the norm.

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Media contact: Anna Cristina Souza: asouza@hsi.org

The proposed legislation would ban new cosmetics testing on animals in the United States

Humane Society International / United States

Kevin Wolf/AP Photo for HSI

WASHINGTON—Today, a stellar cast assembled on Capitol Hill to support passage of the Humane Cosmetics Act; the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund and Humane Society International were joined by celebrity advocates—TV personality and entrepreneur Lala Kent and actress Tricia Helfer—and Lush Cosmetics in urging members of Congress to pass the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 5399), which would end new cosmetics testing on animals in the United States and would prohibit the import and sale of cosmetics in the U.S. that have been newly tested on animals elsewhere in the world.

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer, D-Va., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., Ken Calvert, R-Calif., and Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif. are sponsoring the legislation. Kent, Helfer and Lush Cosmetics are also speaking at a reception which will include a screening of HSI’s OSCAR®-shortlisted Save Ralph for members of Congress.

“A compassionate, stop-motion-animation puppet named Ralph is doing more to shine a spotlight on the continued use of animals in cosmetics testing than some of us who have lobbied for decades to end it,” said Sara Amundson, president of Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He’s joined by an increasing number of bipartisan members of Congress and two amazing advocates in Lala and Tricia to pass the Humane Cosmetics Act. Right now, there is no second act for animals like Ralph. The U.S. Congress needs to pass the bill and Save Ralph.”

Rabbits, mice, rats and guinea pigs are used in traditional animal testing for cosmetics such as perfume, moisturizer, nail polish, makeup—such as mascara and lipstick—and hair products such as hairspray and conditioner.

“I have been an animal lover all my life, and becoming a mother inspired me to help create a more humane world for my daughter to grow up in. Cosmetics testing on animals is a barbaric practice that has no place in the United States,” said TV personality and entrepreneur Lala Kent. “It is an honor to be given the opportunity to use my voice and advocate for animals today on Capitol Hill. Our nation’s leaders need to join the fight for all animals, especially the ones kept in the shadows.”

In typical cosmetics animal tests, rabbits are locked in neck restraints and have chemical substances dripped in their eye or applied on to the shaved skin on their back. Guinea pigs and mice have the chemicals spread on their shaved skin or on their ears. None of these animals are given pain relief, and all of them will be killed at the end.

“Despite having been involved with the beauty industry my entire career through modeling and acting, I was woefully unaware of the ongoing cruel testing on animals for beauty products until I started working with Humane Society International. I was astonished while advocating for HSI’s cruelty-free campaign by how many Americans told me the same thing,” said actress Tricia Helfer, voice of “Cottonballs” in the English-language version of Save Ralph. “With modern testing methods, there is absolutely no need for animals to suffer in the name of beauty. Save Ralph has done a remarkable job bringing that awareness to the public, and I am honored to be here on Capitol Hill today to help push the Humane Cosmetics Act to become a reality.”

“The U.S. is woefully behind other countries in ending the use of animals in cosmetics testing and is the only North American country that still allows this cruel and wasteful practice. The Humane Cosmetics Act would finally end cosmetics animal testing in one of the world’s largest cosmetics markets, helping to create a more humane world for animals and we are in full support of it,” said Kitty Block, president and CEO of Humane Society of the United States. “Already 11 states have passed bans on cosmetics animal testing, and we are proud to have led these campaigns. The federal government should reflect the values of an increasingly humane-minded public by implementing a national ban.”

California, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Virginia have already passed laws to ban the sale of cosmetics that have been newly tested on animals. Ending cosmetic testing on animals is a top priority for the HSUS, HSLF and HSI, and the organizations have been key players in these successful efforts.

“Thanks to the passion and determination of animal loving consumers and politicians across the globe who share our desire for a cruelty-free world, animal testing for cosmetics is already banned in 44 countries. HSI and our partners have been instrumental in securing bans in Canada, Mexico, India, South Korea, Brazil, Australia and beyond,” said Jeffrey Flocken, president of Humane Society International. “We’re now urging policy makers in the United States to join this list of nations banning animal testing for cosmetics.”

In 2021, HSI released Save Ralph, a short film and global viral sensation which follows a rabbit’s daily routine as a “tester” in a lab, illustrating the cruelty of animal testing. In addition to Helfer, the award-winning English-language version features the voices of Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Olivia Munn, Pom Klementieff and Zac Efron and has amassed over 150 million online views and 900 million+ #saveralph views on TikTok. The film is also available in Spanish, Portuguese, French and Vietnamese, that include the voices of actors George Lopez, Rosario Dawson, Wilmer Valderrama, Rodrigo Santoro, Pom Klementieff, Denis Villeneuve, H’Hen Nie and Diem My Vu. Save Ralph was instrumental in propelling Mexico, Brazil and Canada to ban cosmetic animal testing and is helping advance other legislation in several other countries that make up the world’s most influential beauty markets. Today, the film will be screened for members of Congress at a reception headlined by Helfer, Kent and Lush Cosmetics.

World-renowned cosmetics company Lush continues to lead the way in fighting against new animal testing for cosmetics and strongly supports the Humane Cosmetics Act.

“As a company committed to ending animal testing since inception, manufacturing and selling cruelty-free cosmetics and transparency into our non-animal tested supply chain has not limited our ability to invent and grow,” said Carleen Pickard, Advocacy & Activism Manager of Lush Cosmetics. “We continue to campaign globally and welcome the reintroduction of the Humane Cosmetics Act to this Congress so that the United States can support consistent cruelty-free regulation and meet the public’s desire for cruelty-free products and future environmental needs of our planet.”

The cosmetics industry itself largely supports an end to animal testing for its products, and the HSUS and HSLF have worked closely with the Personal Care Products Council, the trade organization representing 90% of the U.S. cosmetics industry, on the Humane Cosmetics Act. The legislation also has the endorsement of more than 390 individual companies including global beauty giants Unilever and Procter & Gamble, official supporters in the #BeCrueltyFree campaign to ban animal testing for cosmetics in all major global beauty markets.

More than 1,500 cruelty-free beauty brands are available in North America. Cosmetics companies are able to create new and innovative products using thousands of ingredients that have a history of safe use and do not require additional testing. For new ingredients, modern testing methods—such as human cell-based tests and sophisticated computer models—provide a more human-relevant and efficient replacement for decades-old animal tests.

Watch Save Ralph in English here.

Stills from Save Ralph and photos of animals used for cosmetics testing are available here.

Photos and video from the Hill meetings and reception will be available here after 9 PM EST on Wednesday.

Media contact: Kate Sarna | 202-836-1265 | katesarna@hslf.org

Animal protection groups including HSI/UK and FOUR PAWS UK voice concern that popular, Government-backed Bill is at serious risk

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

FOUR PAWS UK

LONDON—Cross-party MPs and Peers, alongside campaigners from the Coalition Against Trophy & Canned Hunting including animal protection organisations Humane Society International/UK and FOUR PAWS UK, gathered outside Parliament with a giant inflatable lion and giraffe to show their support for the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill. The politicians and campaigners came together near Old Palace Yard in Westminster to implore the Government to find the necessary time to allow the Bill – a manifesto commitment – to complete its passage into law and protect the tragic victims of trophy hunting.

Over 30 MPs and Peers—including Henry Smith MP, Emily Thornberry MP, Ruth Jones MP, Baroness Natalie Bennett and Baroness Cathy Bakewell—were in attendance at the event, which comes after the Bill’s Committee Stage in the House of Lords last night (12th Sept.). During the debate, a small group of pro-hunting Peers attempted to kill the Bill by running down time, having tabled over 60 amendments. With a limited number of sitting days until the end of this Parliamentary session, there is now a serious risk that there will be insufficient time for the Bill to complete its remaining stages.

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “We’ve returned to Parliament today to demonstrate the huge strength of support the Bill has from both cross-party MPs and Peers, and the British public – over 80% of whom back the ban. It’s deeply frustrating that a handful of the Government’s own backbench Peers attempted to gun down the Bill last night with an onslaught of time-wasting amendments. Armed with giant inflatable wildlife, we are calling on the Government not to let animals or the public down, and urgently bring the Bill back to the Lords to deliver the promised hunting trophy import ban.”

Sonul Badiani-Hamment, country director at FOUR PAWS UK said: “Today’s strong turnout from over 30 MPs and Peers reaffirms the widespread support the Trophy Hunting (Import Prohibition) Bill has from across the political parties. The purposeful filibustering by a handful of backbencher Peers means that time is running out to discuss the Bill and their myriad of 64 tabled amendments. This is a wasteful course of action, taken to prevent the Bill from becoming law. United with elected MPs, who reflect the wishes of the voting public, we urge the Government to immediately make more time for the Bill and to continue pushing it through; they have the will of the nation and Parliament behind them.”

Adam Cruise, acting CEO of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, said: “As someone who has been in the field for almost two decades, the claim that trophy hunting benefits conservation and community livelihoods is false. The clear evidence on the ground is one of widespread decline of species and increasing levels of poverty throughout Southern Africa. Decades of trophy hunting not only has failed to improve the situation but has made it considerably worse.”

Conservative Peer Baroness Fookes led the Bill’s Committee Stage, in which five amendments were discussed. Two votes were called, which were both lost in the Government’s favour.  

ENDS

Media contact: Sally Ivens, senior media manager, HSI/UK: sivens@hsi.org; 07590 559 299  

Notes  

  • A YouGov poll carried out in December 2021 found that 82% of the British public think importing animal body parts as hunting trophies should be made illegal.   
  • In recent years, UK trophy hunters have imported trophies from some of the world’s rarest species, including polar bears, rhinos, African elephants and leopards.    
  • Since trophy hunting rose to prominence in the colonial era, there have been catastrophic declines in populations of some of the world’s most iconic species – including elephants, lions, rhinos and giraffes – many of which are under increasing pressure from loss of habitat, climate breakdown, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.   
  • The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, which passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons on 17th March 2023, would prohibit hunting trophies of animal species listed with the highest level of protection in Annex A or B of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations (2018) from being imported into the UK  

HSI/UK decry the ‘onslaught of time-wasting amendments’ attempting to wreck a popular Government-backed bill

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Alamy 

LONDON—A small number of Peers have been criticised by animal protection organisation Humane Society International/UK for attempting to wreck the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill at its Committee Stage in the House of Lords. Peers including Lord Mancroft and the Earl of Caithness tabled over 60 amendments, refused to group them in an apparent attempt to frustrate the debate, and subjected the House to lengthy speeches in defence of trophy hunting.

On the same side of the House, Minister Benyon and Lords sponsor Baroness Fookes delivered strong rebuttals against attempts to wreck the Bill.

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “It is exasperating that a small group of pro-hunting Peers has tried to hijack this hugely popular Bill that would deliver a Conservative manifesto commitment to ban hunting trophy imports. A UK ban on importing these sick souvenirs has the backing of the Government, the Commons and over 80% of the British public. Tonight’s Lords debate saw some shameful and undignified accusations levelled at both the Government and opposition benches, amidst an onslaught of time-wasting amendments. The Government must keep its resolve and bring this Bill back to the Lords urgently to deliver the promised hunting trophy import ban.”

Baroness Fookes led the debate, in which Peers began to discuss each of the 64 amendments tabled, running down the time for the Bill’s Committee Stage. Two votes were called, which were both lost in the Government’s favour.

The Bill, which passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons on 17th March 2023, would prohibit hunting trophies of animal species listed with the highest level of protection in Annex A or B of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations (2018) from being imported into the UK.  With a very limited number of sitting days until the Parliamentary session ends, HSI/UK is now urging the Government to schedule a second Committee sitting for the Bill next Monday, to avoid it running out of time.

ENDS

Media contact: Sally Ivens, senior media manager, HSI/UK: sivens@hsi.org; 07590 559299

Notes

  • A YouGov poll carried out in December 2021 found that 82% of the British public think importing animal body parts as hunting trophies should be made illegal.
  • In recent years, UK trophy hunters have imported trophies from some of the world’s rarest species, including polar bears, rhinos, African elephants and leopards.
  • Since trophy hunting rose to prominence in the colonial era, there have been catastrophic declines in populations of some of the world’s most iconic species – including elephants, lions, rhinos and giraffes – many of which are under increasing pressure from loss of habitat, climate breakdown, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
  • In June 2023, a group of 103 wildlife conservation experts, scientists, government officials and community leaders who live and work in countries throughout Africa sent an open letter to Members of the House of Lords urging them to support the bill to ban the import of hunting trophies.

Interim interdict prohibits the trophy hunting of African elephants in South Africa

Humane Society International / Africa

Simon Eeman/Alamy Stock

CAPE TOWN—Humane Society International has learned about a male elephant who was killed in a deeply distressing and tragic trophy hunt at a local game reserve on September 3, 2023, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The elephant suffered through eight gunshots over an extended period of time before finally succumbing to his injuries.

This tragic episode contradicts the prevailing South Africa High Court interim interdict, a court order issued after a successful legal challenge brought by Humane Society International/Africa in 2022 against the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and others. The court order explicitly prohibits the allocation of permits for trophy hunting of African elephants, leopard and black rhino in South Africa.

The elephant was killed at the Maseke Game Reserve, situated within the Balule Nature Reserve, by a hunting party consisting of a client, a hunting guide, a reserve representative and a backup rifleman. According to a publicly released letter issued by Balule Nature Reserve, the client discharged the initial gunshot, wounding the elephant. The reserve representative and the hunting guide fired subsequent shots to bring the elephant down, however these efforts also proved ineffective. The injured elephant sought to escape into the neighbouring Grietjie Game Reserve, an ecotourism reserve, where trophy hunting is prohibited. The injured animal was followed on foot and a helicopter was called to the scene. The elephant was eventually located and was chased back into Maseke Game Reserve by the helicopter where he was finally killed by more gunfire. It is reported that approximately eight shots were discharged into the elephant before the harrowing ordeal was over.

Tony Gerrans, executive director for Humane Society International/Africa said, “We are horrified by this unnecessary tragedy. Given the High Court’s interdict prohibiting the permitting of elephant hunts, the letter’s conclusion that this hunt was lawful is incorrect. Furthermore, no animal should ever experience the pain and suffering that this elephant endured. The practice of trophy hunting is not only profoundly inhumane, but also poses a grave threat to our biodiversity and tarnishes South Africa’s global reputation as a sustainable and responsible tourist destination. To injure, chase and kill any animal in this way, is unacceptable.”

Balule Nature Reserve is a member of the Associated Private Nature Reserves, a group of privately owned nature reserves bordering Kruger National Park. Animals can move freely across the borders of neighbouring reserves. Within the APNR there are some reserves that allow trophy hunting and others that do not, which means that protected animals from one reserve, or even the Kruger National Park, could possibly be killed by trophy hunters within another reserve.

Sarah Veatch, director of wildlife policy for Humane Society International, said, “This incident is a serious cause for concern beyond South Africa: it calls attention to the rampant mismanagement, lack of oversight, and cruel nature in the global trophy hunting industry. This is a harsh reminder of Cecil the lion’s tragedy in Zimbabwe who suffered from arrow wounds for over 10 hours before he was killed by a trophy hunter, and it happens far more often than these two instances. Permit violations and documented instances of suffering like for this elephant and Cecil, are manifestations of the industry’s much larger, dangerous culture of wilful disregard for animals and the law.”

“This incident once again demonstrates the inhumanity of hunting sentient animals merely for bragging rights and to display parts of their bodies as trophies on a wall. Too many endangered and threatened animals continue to suffer and die within so called ‘nature conservation reserves’ in what is best described as a blood sport, Gerrans continued. “HSI/Africa has challenged the way this horrifying activity is permitted by the government, and we call on all South African wildlife administrators to abide by the High Court order which prohibits the permitting of elephant, leopard and black rhino hunts until such time as the court can rule on the merits of the permitting process.”

Editor’s note: These photos of elephants for download are at another South Africa location called the Makalali Game Reserve. These images are not at the Maseke Game Reserve or at the Balule Reserve and not the elephant who was shot. 

ENDS

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