Category: Press Release

Humane Society International and Animal Friends Manado Indonesia save 25 dogs and 3 cats as Tomohon’s network of slaughterhouses finally close

Humane Society International / Indonesia

WARNING: This content includes graphic descriptions of animals being killed

HSI

JAKARTA, Indonesia―Indonesia’s notorious Tomohon “Extreme” Market in North Sulawesi province has officially banned the dog and cat meat trade in an historic agreement that will spare thousands of animals from being bludgeoned and blowtorched to death for human consumption. Twenty five dogs and three cats found alive at the slaughterhouses that supplied the market were rescued by Humane Society International as part of the deal, and have been taken to a nearby partner sanctuary to receive emergency veterinary treatment and care until they are ready to find their forever homes.

The last six remaining dog and cat traders signed an historic agreement to permanently close and end all trafficking, slaughter and sale of dogs and cats. The agreement will also disrupt the vast supply network of dog and cat thieves and traffickers involved in the punishingly long-distance transport of these animals that spans the entire island of Sulawesi.

The mayor of Tomohon, Caroll Senduk, also signed into law a ban on all future dog and cat meat trading at the market in recognition of the grave risk of rabies transmission, bringing an end to one of the most shocking and barbaric practices at this notorious market.

The dog meat trade is rampant on the island of Sulawesi, with investigations suggesting more than 130,000 dogs are slaughtered at its markets every year. Tomohon Extreme Market―which sells live and slaughtered dogs and cats alongside butchered pythons, bats and rats―is the most notorious of them all, even listed at one point on tourist websites as a gruesome must-see destination until the listing was removed following protest led by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition. Upsetting footage taken by HSI at the market in March this year, shows dogs cowering and panting in transport cages, then being yanked out by the neck to be bludgeoned to death. Rows of blowtorched dog and cat carcasses are shown on display at market stalls. As a founding member of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition, HSI has been exposing North Sulawesi’s cruel trade for the past six years, including the first ever in-depth exposé in 2017 showing dogs being beaten over the head and blow-torched while still alive.

Lola Webber, HSI’s director of campaigns to end the dog meat trade, said: “With Tomohon Extreme Market going dog and cat meat-free, in addition to the permanent closure of the slaughterhouses that killed hundreds of these animals every week, the impact will be far-reaching, shutting down business for the traders’ vast network of traffickers, dog thieves and slaughterers. North Sulawesi is an epicenter of Indonesia’s cruel and dangerous dog and cat meat trade; the cruelty is obscene and the public health risks from open slaughter and contaminated meat are unparalleled. It is a huge victory for animal welfare and public safety that never again will dogs and cats be bludgeoned and blowtorched at Tomohon market, and we hope this unprecedented agreement will set the standard for other markets and leaders to follow.”

In addition to directly decreasing the supply of dog and cat meat in this hotspot city, HSI hopes this ban will increase pressure on the government to take more seriously the enormous public health risk posed by Indonesia’s dog and cat meat trades nationally. Trans-provincial trafficking of dogs into densely populated cities facilitates the spread of the deadly rabies virus. Studies reveal growing evidence that dog slaughter, butchery and consumption help transmit rabies and expose people, and rabies-positive dogs have been found for sale at markets throughout North Sulawesi, including Tomohon Extreme Market. Rabies is rampant in many parts of Indonesia, endemic in all but eight of its 37 provinces, including all six of Sulawesi’s provinces. Perhaps unsurprisingly North Sulawesi Province has some of the highest rates of human deaths attributed to rabies in Indonesia every year.

Professor Louis Nel, executive director, Global Alliance for Rabies Control, said: “The catching, transport, and killing of dogs for consumption undermines rabies control and elimination plans as it significantly increases the risks of human exposures to infected dogs. The public health threat of rabies can be eliminated by mass dog vaccination programmes, strict dog movement controls and reducing human exposures to infected dogs, all of which are undermined by the illegal dog meat trade.”

Tomohon Extreme Market was officially declared dog and cat meat-free with a banner erected at the entrance of the market and a ceremony at the mayor’s office. Mayor Senduk said: “I am very proud that Tomohon Extreme Market is the first to introduce a ground-breaking agreement between traders and animal welfare campaigners on a dog and cat meat-free declaration. In addition to ending public displays of cruelty, this is an important step in protecting our communities against the threat of rabies and other diseases.”

Elvianus Pongoh, who has traded and slaughtered dogs and cats for meat at the market for over 25 years, agrees that the time has come to end the trade. He said: “I have probably slaughtered thousands of dogs for Tomohon Market over the years. I would try not to think about it too much but every now and then I would see the fear in their eyes or see their tail wag hopefully as I came for them, and it made me feel bad. I know that this ban is best for the animals and also best to protect the public and our families too. If Indonesia is on a path towards banning the trade completely, then we at Tomohon have played a small part in making history.”

The dogs and cats saved by HSI and partner group AFMI are now recovering at AFMI’s nearby sanctuary, the only companion animal sanctuary operating in the province. The severely traumatised and dehydrated dogs and cats received emergency veterinary care on arrival and will have a loving home alongside the sanctuary’s other animal guests until they find their forever homes.

Frank Delano from AFMI said: “We are thrilled to welcome our new companions to our sanctuary where they will never have to fear pain and abuse ever again. With love and patience their physical and mental wounds will heal from the trauma they must have experienced at the hands of the dog meat traders. The trucks packed with hundreds of terrified dogs and cats have driven past our sanctuary on their way to Tomohon Market virtually every day. It was the saddest scene to witness and we are so happy we will never see those trucks again.”

Download video and photos of the last remaining dogs and cats being rescued

Download video and photos of the dog meat trade at Tomohon Extreme Market (May 2023)

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Scientists call on governments to consider evidence for the elimination of fur farming

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Stock Photography

LONDON―Virologists from Imperial College London’s Department of Infectious Disease have warned of the public health threat posed by the global fur trade, after outbreaks of avian flu (H5N1) on mink and fox fur farms in Spain and Finland increased fears that fur farms could act as reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. In an article published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Professor Wendy Barclay, head of the Department of Infectious Disease and chair in Influenza Virology at Imperial College London, and Dr Thomas Peacock, a virologist in the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, warn that mink farming poses a risk for the emergence of future disease outbreaks and should be considered in the same risk level category as the bushmeat trade and live animal markets. The UK banned fur farming in 2000 but still imports fur from other countries including Finland, Spain, Canada and Poland, leading animal protection organisation Humane Society International/UK to call for a UK fur import and sales ban.  

In the PNAS article, Dr Peacock and Professor Barclay write that “fur farming takes place in a high-density animal environment that allows for rapid spread of viruses with pandemic potential—and for virus adaptation to animals that would be unlikely to occur in nature.” Minks are highly susceptible to infection with several viruses that also infect humans, and the article draws attention to the many outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 (the causative agent of COVID-19) that have been identified in farmed mink in Europe and North America since 2020.  

The PNAS article comes as animals including minks and foxes tested positive this month for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 on 10 fur farms in Finland, with more farms under suspicion for the virus and awaiting test results. In October last year, the first recorded outbreak of avian flu on a fur farm took place—on a Spanish mink fur farm intensively breeding 52,000 mink, reigniting calls for an end to global fur farming, and for the UK to take action by ending fur imports. Reports in Science and Nature have raised fears that the avian flu virus could be demonstrating the potential to mutate and spread mammal-to-mammal, which in turn increases concerns of a future pandemic. Thomas Peacock was quoted saying that the outbreak is “incredibly concerning” and “a clear mechanism for an H5 pandemic to start.” 

Peacock and Barclay go on to say in the PNAS article: “Fur farming is banned across many European countries and North American states or territories. Several other regions have set dates for phasing it out. These bans have historically been a response to ethical concerns about the treatment of these animals. We strongly urge governments to also consider the mounting evidence suggesting that fur farming, particularly mink, be eliminated in the interest of pandemic preparedness. Fur farming should be in the same category of high-risk practices as the bushmeat trade and live animal markets. These activities all increase the likelihood of future pandemics.” 

Fur farming has been illegal in the UK since the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Acts came into force in 2003. Despite this, HMRC records show that £41,970,308 of fur was imported to the UK in 2022, from countries including Italy, China and France. Humane Society International/UK leads the #FurFreeBritain campaign urging the Government to end this double standard by banning imports and sales of fur in the UK. 

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at HSI/UK, said: “In addition to the appalling suffering animals on fur farms are subjected to as fashion victims, the fur trade also poses a very real danger to public health. These very worrying outbreaks of avian flu on fox and mink farms in Spain and Finland follow many hundreds of outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus on fur farms across Europe and North America and show that factory farming animals for fur is playing Russian roulette with public health, for an entirely frivolous product. The UK led the way by banning fur farming two decades ago, but to stop being complicit in this cruel and risky trade we need to ban fur imports and sales too. A fur trade ban has the backing of over three quarters of the public, more than 250 cross-party MPs and Peers, and now virologists are also advising we call time on fur. The Government has been dragging its heels on fur for years, but stopping the global fur trade from creating the next pandemic demands decisive and urgent action.” 

National polling in April 2022 shows that 77% of people in Britain think the Government should ban the import of animal products such as fur, where the production methods are already banned in the UK. More than 1.1 million petition signatures have also been gathered. 

In May 2021 the UK Government launched a Call for Evidence on the UK fur trade, with the stated intention of using the findings to inform possible future action. Almost 30,000 responses were submitted before the consultation closed in June 2021, but over two years on, officials are yet to release the results or set out a policy response. 

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Media contact: Sally Ivens, senior specialist media and communications for HSI/UK : sivens@hsi.org  ; 07590 559299

Notes:

  • Since April 2020, mink on 487 fur farms across North America and Europe have been reported as having tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.  The virus has been shown to pass from mammal to mammal on intensive mink fur farms and reports of farmed mink to human transfer has been reported in at least six countries. The most recent outbreaks were recorded in Poland in March 2023 and in Italy in April 2023. 
  • In its Action Plan for Animal Welfare in 2021, the Government stated: “Fur farming has been banned on ethical grounds in England and Wales since 2000, and since 2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Whilst there are existing import restrictions on seal, cat and dog fur, it is still possible to import other fur from abroad, so we will explore potential action in this area.” 

HSI/Africa’s Elefence Project supports newly approved national wildlife management priorities laid out in 2023 White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity

Humane Society International / Africa

HSI

CAPE TOWN, South Africa— Animal protection organisation Humane Society International/Africa has advanced a unique community-based conservation project around Ithala Game Reserve to facilitate peaceful co-existence between elephant herds and local people. In collaboration with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, African Conservation Trust and the Bio-Diversity Conservation Foundation, HSI/Africa is constructing an elephant-proof fence in the 290 km2 reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal province to stop resident pachyderms from leaving the prescribed area and damaging local crops as they roam further afield. Project Elefence clearly aligns with the South African Government’s White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity, approved and gazetted earlier this month, which aims to “conserve and manage South Africa’s biodiversity, and ensure healthy ecosystems, ecological integrity and connectivity, with transformative socio-economic benefits to society for current and future generations.”

The fence will provide a humane solution to mitigate elephant-human conflict instead of lethal population control methods such as culling. The project’s collaborative, community-centric approach is the result of many years’ work by HSI/Africa and partners which has placed establishing relationships with local communities and employing social ecologists right at the heart of the project. As the boundary between several communities and the reserve is currently unfenced, the project brings enormous benefits and security to the people living close by, while also protecting the resident wildlife. Project Elefence runs alongside HSI/Africa’s other humane elephant management project at Ithala, an innovative immunocontraception program implemented since 2014.

An additional benefit is that the fence still allows smaller animals including local cattle herds to walk under the fence to access their grazing areas and the Phongolo river, while keeping elephants in the confined area.

Audrey Delsink, elephant biologist and HSI/Africa director of wildlife, says: “This is a prime example of human-wildlife cooperation that is implicit within the government’s White Paper, because it creates wildlife and community benefit at the same time. It was absolutely imperative for us from the outset to adopt a community-centered approach. We have eight communities including the land-owning communities of Ithala fully engaged in this project as active stakeholders and participants. Far too often, conservation projects have taken a top-down approach and failed to engage the local communities that are directly affected. With Project Elefence, the surrounding communities are essential partners who have a clear vested interest in making this work to protect and enhance their land tenure, livelihoods, crops and property. As an elephant biologist, I’m also proud that HSI/Africa is yet again spearheading practical, humane solutions to prevent lethal killing being used to control elephants in South Africa.”

HSI/Africa applauds the project partners for their involvement in this cutting-edge initiative, the first of many projects supporting the mission set forth in the White Paper and urges the adoption of this community-based conservation method throughout the rest of South Africa.

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Media contact: Leozette Roode, media specialist for Humane Society International/Africa, LRoode@hsi.org, +27 71 360 1104.

Feeric Fashion Week Sibiu will have its first fur-free edition

Humane Society International / Europe

Kateryna Kukota

SIBIU, Romania―The Feeric Fashion Week, the oldest still running fashion event in Romania, has accepted the invitation of Humane Society International/Europe to join the Fur Free Retailer programme. It will have its first fur-free edition between July 19-23, 2023 in Sibiu. Among the fashion brands and designers participating in the Sibiu fashion festival, there are students from fashion universities from Eastern and Central Europe, Central Asia and Northern Africa.

HSI/Europe, who represents the Fur Free Retailer programme for Romania, welcomes the newest member, which is also the first fashion show to join it.

Andreea Roseti, Romania country director for HSI/Europe, said: “It is an excellent message that a well-known fashion festival in Romania has decided for the first time to promote brands not using fur in their clothing products. With the help of events like Feeric Fashion Week, we are changing perceptions in Romania about fur and making people aware that the suffering of animals bred for their fur must be stopped. Our hope is that the Chamber of Deputies will soon vote for the legislation to close fur farms in our country.”

Elise Allart, corporate engagement director at HSI/Europe, added: “The Romanian fashion industry clearly shows that the future of fashion is fur-free. Feeric Fashion Week is the first fashion event in the world to join the Fur Free Retailer programme and commit to banning fur fashion from the runway. The event is a great addition to the growing list of Romanian fashion brands that are already part of the programme, including Ioana Ciolacu, Muse um Concept, REDU and OCTAVIA CHIRU. Last weeks we welcomed KATERINI and HOOLDRA. We call on all designers, retailers and events to join the fur-free fashion movement in Romania, contributing to the overall European effort to give up fur fashion.”

Mitichi, president of Feeric Fashion Week, said that sustainability and care for the environment have been major concerns for the organisers of the event for many years, stating: “We are now in our seventh year of promoting sustainable fashion, but 2023 is the first year that we are focusing on promoting fur-free clothing creations. We decided that we needed to take on the role of informing the public and helping to build a cleaner environment and a better future for the fashion industry, one that does not involve animal cruelty.”

This Feeric Fashion Week marks its 15th edition, being the longest running fashion event in Romania and one of the most important in Central and Eastern Europe. Feeric Fashion Week has also proved over time to be a platform for the promotion of young talent, with students who study fashion design having the chance to present their creations and be noticed by representatives of established brands in the fashion industry.

Fur facts:

  • The Fur Free Retailer programme is the world’s leading initiative to connect fur-free businesses with customers looking for ethically sourced products. The programme is free to join and aims to advise and encourage companies to go fur-free and further the spirit of ethical consumerism. Almost 1,600 fashion brands, retailers and designers in 25 countries around the world are part of the program, including Gucci, Moncler, Prada, Adidas, H&M and Zara. The program is initiated by the Fur Free Alliance, an association of more than 50 animal welfare organizations, and is represented in Romania by Humane Society International/Europe.
  • Romania remains one of the last EU member states with no restrictions on the keeping of animals for fur.
  • Last year, an undercover investigation by HSI/Europe exposed the living conditions on Romanian chinchilla farms. Animals were found living in small, dirty mesh cages. Female animals were forced into permanent reproduction and animals were killed by breaking their necks or in improvised do-it-yourself gas chambers. Following the HSI/Europe investigation, a bill to ban the farming of mink and chinchilla was tabled in parliament, voted on by the Senate and is currently debated by the Chamber of Deputies.
  • Public demand for an EU-wide ban on fur farming and fur imports has also been clearly demonstrated during the past year as the Fur Free Europe petition collected more than 1.5 million verified signatures from EU citizens. The European Commission is expected to respond to the demands of the petition by the end of the year and take action accordingly.
  • More than 100 million animals are killed for their fur every year worldwide—that is equivalent to three animals dying every second, just for their fur.

Fur farming has been banned in 19 European countries including the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Malta, Ireland, Estonia, France, Italy and, most recently, on 22 September 2022, Latvia. Political discussions on a ban are also underway in Romania, Lithuania and Poland. Two countries (Switzerland and Germany) have implemented strict regulations effectively ending fur farming, and three other countries (Denmark, Sweden and Hungary) have imposed measures that have ended the fur farming of certain species.

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Media contacts: Andreea Roseti, Romania country director at Humane Society International/Europe, 0741 188 934

Humane Society International / Europe

Acceptphoto/Alamy

BRUSSELS—Today, the Belgian Federal government’s Council of Ministers approved a legislative proposal for a ban on the import of hunting trophies of endangered animal species, put forth by Zakia Khattabi, Minister of Climate, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal.

The Minister’s preliminary draft bill follows the Federal Parliament of the Kingdom of Belgium’s unanimous vote in March 2022 in support of a resolution demanding that the government put the brakes on the issuance of trophy import permits for a broad array of threatened and endangered species. This resolution protects species such as the hippopotamus, Southern white rhinoceros, African savannah elephant, lion, polar bear and argali sheep killed for sport. The scope of the resolution also extends to all species listed in Annex A, along with certain species in Annex B, of the European Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora.

Member of Parliament Kris Verduyckt (Vooruit, Flemish Socialists), initiator of the legislative proposal to ban hunting trophy imports in 2020 and proposer of the aforementioned resolution, said: “I am glad that this hard work is paying off. Minister Khattabi is now fully translating my proposal into a bill and the entire Council of Ministers approves it. It’s time we really started protecting endangered species, trophy hunters prefer to kill the largest and strongest animals, the loss of which contributes to the disruption and decline of animal populations.”

The European office of animal protection charity Humane Society International, a long-time vocal advocate against the import of endangered species’ trophies, lauded the government’s decision. Ruud Tombrock, executive director for HSI/Europe said: “We welcome the fact that the unanimous resolution of Parliament has been translated into a legislative measure and look forward to studying the details of the legislation once published. Belgium is leading the way for other countries in Europe already listening to calls from their citizens to consign the import of hunting trophies to history. The next step should be an EU-wide ban on the import of hunting trophies from endangered and protected species, again reflecting the views of citizens across member states in the European Union.”

Over the past 16 months, HSI/Europe has worked with MPs to ensure that the unanimous resolution of Parliament was translated into legislation and today’s approval is the culmination of this campaign. MPs from different political parties have maintained pressure on Environment Minister Khattabi. A recent response to a parliamentary question from MP Jan Briers (CD&V, Flemish Christian democrats) revealed that the Ministry had only stopped issuing permits for importing animal trophies since mid-March 2023, a delay which outraged many MPs.

This landmark decision by the Belgian government echoes the strongly held views of its people. A 2020 survey by Ipsos commissioned by HSI/Europe showed that 91% of Belgians oppose trophy hunting and 88% support a prohibition on importing any kind of hunting trophy at all.

This sentiment is not limited to Belgium but is resonating across the European continent. A 2023 pan-European poll conducted by Savanta in all 27 EU Member States on behalf of HSI/Europe, laid bare the widespread public rejection of trophy hunting. A striking 83% of respondents stood firm against this practice, with just 6% in favor. The vast majority is expecting strong measures to be taken against trophy hunting, with a compelling majority (74%) rallying behind a national import ban and similar support for an EU-wide ban (73%). These survey results underscore a profound and growing public concern across Europe, spotlighting the urgency and importance of wildlife conservation and the protection of threatened species.

Today, Belgium has echoed the urgent European call to action against trophy hunting, joining the ranks of countries like the Netherlands, France, and Finland, which have each implemented various degrees of bans and restrictions on the practice of import of hunting trophies. Momentum against trophy hunting is accelerating across the continent, with nations including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Poland now also involved in active discussions to impose bans at varying stages of progress.

Facts on trophy hunting:

  • The Netherlands introduced a trophy hunting ban for more than 200 species in May 2016, on the Annex A of European Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein and of species in danger of extinction. The import ban also applies to the following Annex B species: white rhinoceros, hippopotamus, African elephant, mouflon (wild sheep from the Caucasus), lion and polar bear. A total of 200 animal species are affected by the import licenses ban.
  • France implemented a ban on the import of lion-hunting trophies in 2015. In 2023 a Bill proposal for registration, aimed at “stopping the issuance of import permits for hunting trophies of certain endangered species was tabled.
  • The import of hunting trophies into Finland is restricted since June 2023. The new Nature Conservation Act includes a provision that prohibits the import of individual animals or their parts from the most endangered species worldwide which are threatened by international trade as trophies from countries outside the EU.
  • In the United Kingdom in March 2023, British lawmakers approved a ban on the import of animal hunting trophies covering 6,000 endangered species which makes it one of the toughest in the world. The legislation is now being debated in the House of Lords.
  • In Germany, the Minister of the Environment, Steffi Lemke (The Greens), announced that she intends to restrict the import of hunting trophies from protected animal species. Germany terminated the Country’s membership in the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) in 2022.
  • In Italy in 2022, a bill aimed at banning the import, export and re-export, to and from Italy, of hunting trophies obtained from animals that are protected by CITES, was presented. After the fall of the government and the elections, in 2023 the same bill was tabled again in parliament.
  • In Poland, a bill sponsored by the deputy chairperson of the Sejm, the lower chamber of the parliament, reached committee stage discussion this month and is scheduled for further progress in August 2023.
  • Trophy hunting of endangered species poses a severe threat to conservation efforts and the world’s natural heritage. Trophy hunters prefer to kill the largest, strongest animals, whose loss causes declines in population. The affected species, such as African elephants, lions, rhinoceros, and leopards, among others, are already facing the risk of extinction and play crucial roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems and biodiversity. The loss of these iconic animals not only disrupts delicate ecological balances but also erodes cultural and historical significance. Many species play important roles in their ecosystems, and their removal can have cascading effects on other wildlife, vegetation, and the overall health of the ecosystem.
  • The EU is the second biggest importer of hunting trophies after the United States, as indicated in a report by Humane Society International/Europe from 2021, with an average of 3000 trophies imported in the period between 2014 and 2018.
  • The top 10 species imported into the EU as trophies are: Hartmann’s mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) (3.119), Chacma baboon (1.751), American black bear (Ursus americanus) (1.415), brown bear (1.056), the African elephant (952), African lion (Panthera leo) (889), African leopard (Panthera pardus) (839), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) (794), caracal (Caracal caracal) (480) and red lechwe (Kobus leche) (415).
  • The EU was the largest importer of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) trophies with 297 cheetah trophies imported into the EU during the study period.
  • Belgium is the 13thlargest hunting trophy importer of internationally protected species in  Europe
  • Shortly before the vote of the resolution last year, Animal Rights Belgium, another organisation campaigning against the import of hunting trophies in Belgium, delivered a petition with 37,000 signatures supporting the ban to the Federal Environment Minister, Zakia Khattabi.

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Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international coordinator in media relations at Humane Society International/Europe: cbodinduval@hsi.org ; +32 (0) 469 149 469

Humane Society International / South Korea

Bliznetsov/iStock.com

SEOUL—South Korea’s annual statistics on scientific use of animals reveal a record-high 4,995,680 in 2022, continuing an alarming upward trend. This is the highest number of animal use since the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs started publishing the statistics in 2012.

The animal protection group Humane Society International/Korea condemns the steady increase in animal testing and calls for substantial and immediate action to position human-relevant approaches as the gold standard in Korean regulatory and bio-science testing. Nearly half of animals used in 2022 were subjected to the most severe category of experiment in which they are denied anesthetic or tranquilizing drugs while being exposed to massive doses of chemicals or used for cancer or infectious disease studies that will result in their deaths.

The 2022 statistical information also shows that animals are used most frequently in areas such as regulatory testing, basic research and translational research. For all these areas, there are immediately available alternatives to animal methods or non-animal methodologies that can be applied, such as human cell-based skin testing methods. Despite available approaches without using animals, the number of newly opened animal testing facilities also increased from 2021 to 2022.

HSI/Korea’s director of government affairs, Borami Seo, said: “This report shows that Korean bio-science is stuck in the past, heavily relying on animal testing despite new human mimetic methodologies emerging without animal use. We urge lawmakers to pass legislation that will support science without animal suffering. This will be critical in placing South Korea in the center of the rising global trend to advance human health studies and treatment.”

Globally, studies such as organ-on-a-chip or organoid are receiving increasing attention because they have been shown to sometimes real-world predict human-biology based outcomes more accurately than the results that are obtained from animal models. While there are sporadic funding opportunities by central governments to study these non-animal approaches, HSI/Korea argues that a legislative system is necessary to support not only such research efforts, but also to ensure  adaptation by regulatory authorities and use at the industrial level. Currently there are two bills introduced at the National Assembly, the Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination, and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods, sponsored by Assembly member In-soon Nam and the Act on the Vitalization of Development, Dissemination, and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods, sponsored by Assembly member Jeoung-Ae Han.

Read the Official 2022 Lab Animal Statistics (In Korean)

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Media Contact: Borami Seo: bseo@hsi.org

Humane Society International / South Korea

HSI

SEOUL—South Korean lawmakers gathered at the country’s National Assembly today for the opening of an exhibition in support of a legislative ban on the dog meat industry, co-hosted by the Animal Welfare Forum, Humane Society International/Korea and National Assembly members Young-ho Tae and Jeong-hoon Jo.

The “Beyond Prejudice: For the Passage of a Dog Meat Ban bill” exhibition opened with presentations from National Assembly members In-soon Nam, Young-seok Suh and Minjeong Ko as well as Seoul Council member, Ji-hyang Kim who recently introduced a Seoul city ordinance amendment bill to ban dog meat in the city, and said at the event, “Dog meat practice has to stop now. Now is the opportunity, supported by cross party politicians.”

HSI/Korea’s director of government affairs, Borami Seo, spoke about the compelling animal welfare and societal case for phasing out the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for human consumption. The event took place on the eve of Cho Bok, the first of the three hottest days of the summer according to the lunar calendar when dog meat is most popular.

Democratic Party Assembly member Jeoung-ae Han spoke about the Special Act legislative bill she introduced on June 28, which seeks to prohibit dog meat farms, dog slaughterhouses and the sale of dog meat. Jeoung-ae Han said at the event “I hope to see all cross parties come together to tackle the dog meat problem during this National Assembly session.” National Assembly member In-soon Nam said, “This Special Act seeks to support farmers with alternatives to help close down the farms. With the passage of this bill, dog meat farms can change to humane practices and dogs will be given second chance to meet families.”

The bill also advocates for supporting dog farmers to transition to alternative businesses, similar to HSI/Korea’s Models for Change program which since 2015 has worked co-operatively with dog farmers keen to exit the industry. HSI/Korea has so far permanently closed down 18 dog farms, rescued more than 2,700 dogs for adoption overseas, and helped farmers switch to alternative, humane and more sustainable livelihoods, including crop harvesting, chili plant cultivation and water delivery.

Borami Seo, HSI/Korea director of government affairs, says: “We have reached a tipping point in South Korea where the majority of the general public do not eat dog meat and want to see an end to the dog meat industry. As Koreans we are entering a new relationship with dogs based on friendship and compassion, and in this new relationship the breeding, slaughtering and sale of dogs for human consumption can no longer continue. For almost a decade, HSI/Korea’s Models for Change program has demonstrated that it is possible to work with dog farmers to phase out this cruel industry. Now we look to our legislators to finish the job by introducing a ban to end this unnecessary suffering for good.”

The exhibition is being supported by South Korea’s TV veterinarian Seol Chae Hyun who sent the following comment: “As a veterinarian, I pledged an oath to the welfare of animals, their relief from pain from disease and for the promotion of public health. None of these things are compatible with the dog meat industry. We have a duty to care for our canine companions, and that includes ending their needless suffering on dog meat farms. ”

This exhibition comes at a time of increasing public and political support for ending the dog meat industry in South Korea. First lady Kim Keon-hee has openly called for a ban, and latest opinion surveys by Nielsen Korea commissioned by HSI/Korea show that 87.5% of the population don’t eat dog meat or won’t in the future, and 56% support a legislative ban.

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Media contact:

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

Policymakers, experts, organizations and industry gather at European Parliament to discuss ending pig mutilation and extreme confinement

Humane Society International / Europe

HSI

BRUSSELS—European Union policymakers, animal welfare experts, industry representatives and non-governmental organizations gathered today at the European Parliament for a roundtable discussion on the necessity of raising welfare standards for the production of pigs. Animal scientists conveyed the need to end the intensive crate confinement of pigs, and transition to higher welfare systems that meet the inherent welfare needs of these intelligent and social animals.

This debate is extremely timely given the impending delivery of a package of legislative proposals by the European Commission for the revision and expansion of the scope of the existing EU animal welfare legislation. In its response to the European Citizen’s Initiative to End the Cage Age in 2021, the Commission pledged to propose an end to caged confinement for farm animals. Today’s event highlighted the need for them to abide by this important commitment to advancing animal welfare.

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

“At present, more than 140 million pigs are being kept in the EU, the vast majority of which are regrettably still being housed in production systems that fail to adequately meet their complex welfare needs. The science is crystal clear. It is time to end the close confinement of these highly intelligent animals in stalls and crates and begin to respect the integrity of the species and the animals’ behavioral needs. The living environments for pigs need to be enriched, they should be kept in family groups and the practice of mutilating their bodies should be prohibited. The revision of the EU animal welfare legislation is a golden opportunity for politicians, policymakers and the pig industry to get things right and align more accurately with science and the will of European citizens. We strongly urge them to pay heed to the animal welfare scientists and support the Commission’s proposals that aim to ensure that the pigs we keep for food are afforded a dignified existence.”

Maria Noichl MEP for the Socialist and Democratic Group and full member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, added:

“It is our responsibility as MEPs to make sure that we fully listen to both citizens and scientists and deliver new animal welfare standards that will give farm animals lives worth living. Of course, we must listen to the legitimate concerns of the animal agriculture industry about the practicalities and costs of transitioning to higher welfare systems. However, these concerns should not be used as an excuse to block progress on achieving progress on animal welfare. Let us instead look at the ways we can help farmers to upgrade or replace their existing housing systems. The new Common Agricultural Policy co-schemes, for example, were established exactly with this kind of goal in mind. We need to stimulate Member States and producers to make full use of existing funding CAP streams and also better incentivize farmers to improve animal welfare, rather than placing obstacles in the way of achieving better welfare for pigs and other farmed animals.”

HSI/Europe’s vision for the future of pig production was presented at this event by animal welfare scientist Dr Heleen van de Weerd, who provided an overview of minimum standards for pig production in the EU:

  • An end to close confinement for pigs in stalls or crates.
  • The selection of pigs for robustness, includes traits, such as lower prolificacy, good mothering skills, low aggression, and resilience in local conditions.
  • The necessity for pig housing to offer variation, with spacious, functional areas for secluded resting and activities, such as foraging and rooting, eating and drinking. Pigs must also have access to a bedded area, with materials, such as straw, for comfort and enrichment.
  • Respect for the species’ integrity. This entails keeping pigs in family group systems where sows and their piglets live together. Piglets should also not be mixed and moved as little as possible. Social groups should remain together.
  • Litter size must be aligned with sow nursing capacity and the weaning age must more closely approach the natural weaning age.
  • An end to unnecessary surgical mutilations. All pigs must have intact bodies (no castration, tail docking, teeth clipping, or ear notching)
  • Pig handling must be respectful and pay full regard to species-typical behavior without causing stress to the animals. There must be a culture of care on pig farms with each farm appointing a trained and named animal welfare officer legally responsible for overseeing and ensuring the welfare of the animals on the premises.

Facts:

  • In 2020, in its EU Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission committed to revising and expanding the scope of the existing body of EU animal welfare legislation to bring it in line with current scientific understandings of animal welfare. The proposals were scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023.
  • Following the successful European Citizens’ Initiative to End the Cage Age, which gathered 1,3 million signatures, in 2021 the European Commission pledged to also deliver a proposal to end caged confinement for animals farmed for food production.
  • There is no accessible data with regard to how many pigs are still commercially kept in close confinement systems. It is, however, known that only about 1% of EU pig herds are estimated to be organically raised and thus kept under higher welfare standards with outdoor access, although the data on organic production show that some Member States have a higher share of organic pigs (e.g., Austria, Sweden, Denmark, all with 3% of pigs raised in organic systems).
  • Most pigs in Europe live in indoor confinement on industrialized farms where they are unable to display their full range of complex social, foraging, and exploratory behavior. This leads to animal welfare problems, such as tail-biting and aggression. Piglets are routinely castrated and tail-docked without pain-relieving anesthetic. Poor air quality and intensive confinement can also result in other health problems.

ENDS

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

Humane Society International / Mexico

HSI

MEXICO CITY—This month, experts in animal cruelty prevention and response from Humane Society International trained officials, veterinarians and non-profit organizations in Mexico City, Yucatán, Aguascalientes and Quintana Roo. The trainings included topics from shelter management to animal handling and forensic investigations of animal abuse.

The Mexican public is strongly against animal cruelty. According to Parametria, a national polling agency, 95% of Mexicans believe animal abusers should be punished. All Mexican states—except one—penalize animal cruelty in their state criminal codes and Mexico City recognizes animals as “sentient beings” in their constitution.

These trainings arose as part of an agreement with the Citizen Security Secretariat in Mexico City, as well as this year’s renewal of cooperation agreements with authorities in Quintana Roo and Aguascalientes and the preparation of a new agreement in Yucatan. In the context of cruelty cases that have raised the visibility of animal abuse nationwide, these trainings provided skills and tools to officials responsible for responding to cruelty complaints.

The Mexican Association of Forensic Veterinary Medicine, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Mexico City Environment Attorney, the Mexico City Police, the Aguascalientes State Attorney for Environmental Protection, the Institute of Biodiversity of Quintana Roo, and the Merida City Council, among others, participated in the training. HSI/Mexico has agreements in place with most of these entities to support anti-cruelty efforts through trainings and assist with large scale animal abuse cases.

“Mexicans care deeply for their animals and we’re pleased to see enthusiasm from officials to gain new skills to investigate and intervene in instances of animal cruelty,” said Felipe Márquez Muñoz, program manager of animal cruelty for Humane Society International/Mexico.

Speakers in the trainings included local and international experts such as Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director for HSI/Latin America and program manager of wildlife at HSI/Latin America; Alba Michelle González, forensic veterinarian; Janette Reever, program manager of animal crimes investigations for HSI, and Shalimar Oliver, case manager for animal crimes for HSI. A total of 298 officials and people from NGOs were trained in this series; in addition, due to the demand and interests of other states of the Mexican Republic, one training was transmitted by the video conferencing channel of the Veterinary Faculty of Mexico´s Nacional Autonomous University reaching 780 replays.

ENDS

Media Contact: Magaly Garibay: (+52 55) 5211 873, ext. 104; mgaribay@idee.agencia  

Humane Society International / Mexico

Meredith Lee/HSI

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico―The first survey of dogs and cats in Mexico, implemented in the city of Aguascalientes and developed by the animal welfare organization Humane Society International/Mexico, reveals the need for more accessible and affordable sterilization services. Only 32% of the city’s roughly 310,000 dogs and 40% of 77,000 cats have been sterilized, raising the chances of unwanted puppies and kittens being abandoned on the streets.

Felipe Márquez, HSI/Mexico Animal Cruelty Program Manager, said: “This survey of cats and dogs, the first of its kind in the state of Aguascalientes, will help local stakeholders better understand the issues facing animals, as well as solutions to improve welfare and help both animals and communities”.

The survey also revealed a clear pet-gift culture in the city, with many respondents indicating that they had given or received a pet as a gift. Giving away pets can result in unwanted animals being turned over to animal control centers and shelters, and perhaps not surprisingly, the survey also found that dogs from low-income and rural communities were more likely to be turned over to local animal control facilities, which have an estimated 90% euthanasia rate.

Claudia Edwards, Director of Campaigns for Humane Society International/Mexico, said: “Based on the results of our survey, we can better target our community education efforts to help people understand the care and basic needs of cats and dogs, and to guide initiatives that can increase the percentage of pets receiving veterinary care. It is clear that affordable and accessible veterinary services are needed to help keep pets healthy and in their homes.”

The survey in Aguascalientes was conducted by a team of HSI/Mexico specialists trained in monitoring, evaluation and impact analysis, and was conducted using HSI’s specially developed mobile phone app to accurately record the location of each dog and cat and calculate the total number of animals roaming the streets.

Given the considerable population of dogs and cats in Aguascalientes, interventions must effectively target populations of animals most at risk of being turned over to shelters or animal control centers, abandoned, or that may contribute to the birth of unwanted litters.

Download a Summary of the Report

ENDS

Media contact: Magaly Garibay:(+52 55) 5211 8731ext. 104; mgaribay@idee.agencia

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