One year on from a unanimous parliamentary resolution, what is next for Belgium?
Humane Society International / Europe
coldsnowstorm/istock
BRUSSELS—One year ago to the day, the Belgian Federal Parliament unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the government immediately halt the authorisation of hunting trophy import permits for certain threatened and endangered species. The vote was the culmination of an extensive process of debate over a full legislative bill that included readings, a hearing with experts, and lengthy discussions among MPs in Parliament.
The resounding political support for the resolution was welcomed by conservationists and animal protection NGOs and is also supported by wider public opinion in Belgium. According to the results of a survey by Ipsos, commissioned by Humane Society International/Europe, 91% of Belgians oppose trophy hunting and 88% support a prohibition on importing any kind of hunting trophy at all. Shortly before the vote last year, Animal Rights Belgium delivered a petition with 37,000 signatures supporting the ban to the Federal Environment Minister, Zakia Khattabi.
The resolution specifically calls for trophy import prohibitions for species listed in Annex A of the EU’s regulation on trade in plants and animals, including rhinoceros, African elephant, lion, polar bear and argali sheep, as well as certain animal species listed in Annex B of the same regulation. This resolution follows the example of the Netherlands, which banned the import of trophies of over 200 species in 2016, and France, which instituted a Ministerial decree to halt authorising trophy import permits for lions in 2015.
Reacting to the one-year anniversary, , co-author of the legislative report and sponsor of the resolution, Kris Verduyckt (Vooruit, Flemish Socialists) said: “Our country is a real hub when it comes to imports of hunting trophies of endangered species. That is why the Parliament unanimously voted in favour of a ban, back in March 2022. Now, the ball is in Minister Khattabi’s court. She promised to work towards this ban, and last week, she reiterated that commitment. The draft bill is ready to be discussed in the Federal Council of Ministers.”
Ruud Tombrock, executive director of HSI/Europe, adds: “Trophy hunting is a known factor in driving species to extinction. Trophy hunters prefer to kill the largest, strongest animals, whose loss contributes to social disruption and declines in animal populations. The Belgian resolution is a clear statement that killing cannot be conservation. We call on the Minister to implement the resolution now.”
It is unclear whether the ministry, against the stated will of the Parliament, has continued to approve permits for the import of hunting trophies from imperilled species since March 2022. Joffrey Legon, ‘Ban hunting’ campaign coordinator at Animal Rights Belgium, says: “We hope this is not the case, as having prohibited the import of these hunting trophies would have saved countless lives. We NGOs are asking the ministry (for an appointment) to clarify future plans on the subject and (to) offer our assistance if needed.”
Belgium is the 13th largest hunting trophy importer of internationally protected species Europewide, ranking immediately after Italy. Other European countries are in the process of instituting bans—Finland has already passed a similar law that will come into force this summer and last week the UK’s House of Commons approved a Bill to ban hunting trophy imports.
Further delay in implementing the Belgian resolution will set back the fight to protect our world’s most imperilled species from this wholly avoidable form of direct exploitation.
Media contacts
Humane Society International/Europe, Adeline Fischer: afischer@hsi.org ; +49 17631063219
Humane Society International hosts full program for egg producers on the principles of cage-free production
Humane Society International
HSI
*Editor’s note: This page was updated to reflect actual attendees of the event.
MALAYSIA—Over the weekend, international and local business leaders, egg producers, advocates, students and professors, veterinarians, government representatives and many others gathered at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Kuala Lumpur to explore a new opportunity facing egg producers in Malaysia: cage-free egg production.
This landmark event, hosted by Humane Society International, comes at the beginning of a wave of cage-free egg production in Malaysia and beyond as producers across the globe prepare to meet the shifting market and rising customer demand for higher welfare eggs.
Worldwide, most hens kept for egg production are confined to small, wire cages with so little space they cannot even stretch their wings. Hens have scientifically documented behavioral needs. They require a nest for egg laying, loose litter for pecking and scratching and a perch for roosting at night. In contrast to cages, hens raised in a cage-free environment have space to move, to stretch their wings and to exhibit this important natural behavior.
Recent surveys show that 84% of Malaysians agree that the welfare of farmed animals is important and most prefer to purchase cage-free eggs. Because of these consumer expectations, major food companies, the hospitality industry and grocers in Southeast Asia are seeking sources of cage-free eggs. As a major egg producer in the region, Malaysia is certainly poised to be a leader in supplying the growing consumer demand for products from higher welfare farming systems.
At the event, scientists and veterinarians from Humane Society International and Wageningen University in the Netherlands gave research-based information on cage-free egg production. Both local and international corporations with cage-free pledges, including Old Town White Coffee and Farm Café described their commitments to social responsibility and animal welfare. Successful cage-free egg producers shared their stories and their reasons for transitioning from cages to cage-free.
Humane Society International’s senior adviser of policy and engagement for the farm animal welfare department, Dr. Saravanakumar Supramaniam Pillai, stated, “Providing adequate room is a basic tenant of farm animal care and housing. Humane Society International is eager to assist egg producers who wish to embrace more scientifically advanced, socially accepted, and higher welfare methods of production. This event demonstrated that the future is without a doubt cage-free.”
Stefanie Yan, owner of Permagreen farms, agreed, adding: “Cage-free egg production is the right choice for our business. Hens can be raised without intensive confinement systems. Our customers demand it, and we are proud to supply them.”
Acting on principles of corporate social responsibility, many recognizable brands have made public facing pledges to go cage-free. Some of them have deadlines as soon as 2025. The hospitality industry is leading the way, as hotels and resorts welcome discerning international guests from areas of the world where cage-free eggs have already taken hold. They need the help of Malaysia’s egg producers to fulfill their promises, and the event served to further the necessary connections. It also provided technical information to egg producers for managing cage-free flocks, as well as case studies from successful producers already producing eggs without cages. Cage-free production requires a greater level of husbandry skill, so the audience received advice and guidance from egg producers in Taiwan and Mexico who have already made the switch. This landmark event marks the beginning of the wave of cage-free production that will inevitably reach Malaysia.
Captive-bred lion hunts for sale against convention rules; potential violations of state law; hundreds of hunts targeting rhinos, leopards, elephants; practices that violate hunting ethics; custom products made from skin and claws
Humane Society International / Europe
HSUS
BRUSSELS—A shocking undercover investigation released by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International exposed the hypocrisy that the trophy hunting industry uses to promote the killing of imperiled species. The Safari Club International convention in Nashville, Tennessee Feb. 22 through 25, hosted over 850 exhibitors from more than 140 countries peddling trophy hunts and products made from animal skins and claws. The event brought in about $6 million in revenue for SCI to further its lobbying efforts to roll back laws and regulations that protect vulnerable species from trophy hunting, including the US Endangered Species Act protections.
Trophy hunts were offered in at least 65 countries with the majority in South Africa, Canada, Namibia, Zimbabwe and New Zealand. Almost 100 outfitters offered elephant hunts, at least 115 offered leopard hunts, 98 offered lion and giraffe hunts, 89 offered hippo hunts, and 39 offered rhino hunts. On exhibitors’ websites, critically endangered animals, like the forest elephant and the black rhino, were also available to hunt, as well as captive animals such as scimitar oryx, a species classified as extinct in the wild and bred almost exclusively for trophy hunting.
The investigation revealed hunting trips sold from $2,500 to $143,000 with menus so hunters could “add-on” animals in addition to their primary targets. Most African carnivore hunts were advertised to include baiting—a practice that uses carcasses of other animals, like impala and zebras, or other items to lure the target species, which violates fair chase ethics and causes conservation issues by drawing out animals from protected areas into hunting zones.
Among the most revealing investigation findings is a recorded conversation with an exhibitor who encouraged the investigator to schedule a white rhino hunt before it is too late as the species is on the brink of extinction. They stated: “The one that’s gonna be closed down the soonest to import to the United States because of the numbers going down is the rhino… and if you want something Africa[n], you have to get the rhino as soon as possible.”
Outfitters were also vocal about “bending the rules” and broke policies to make a sale. One vendor violated the convention’s own policy against promoting captive lion hunts—a cruel, senseless practice condemned by the South African and U.S. governments and many others. He told the investigator, “You can hunt…captive bred lions in South Africa, cause this way you’re not impacting the wild lions…but they…catch their own animals; they’re as wild as can be.” Another told the HSUS/HSI investigator, “…we’ve got hunters that really can’t walk at all…we do bend our own rules a little and we shoot them from the truck…we don’t have a problem with it.” Hunting from a vehicle is illegal in many places because it violates fair chase ethics and invites numerous safety hazards.
Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Despite the public’s growing disdain for trophy hunting, Safari Club International’s convention celebrates the senseless killing of animals, putting their deaths up for sale around the world, all to be turned into nothing more than trinkets and stuffed trophies. Make no mistake: This is an industry that threatens our most imperiled and ecologically important wildlife. As one of the world’s largest consumers of hunting trophies of imperiled species, the United States government has the responsibility to end hunting trophy imports.”
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, said: “What our colleagues saw and heard at the US convention are not isolated incidents—similar things have also been reported to happen at European hunting fairs. Regrettably, the EU is the second largest importer of trophies from internationally protected species. The European Commission needs to take immediate action to ban hunting trophy imports in line with a precautionary approach to species’ protection. Recent public opinion polls and our various submissions to Commission stakeholder consultations highlight not only the urgent welfare, conservation and biological need for action on hunting trophy imports, but also the general public’s desire to see an end to this egotistical exploitation of endangered and threatened wild animals.”
Jeff Flocken, president of Humane Society International, said: “Iconic species like elephants, rhinos and leopards play critical roles in their respective ecosystems, with many other species dependent on the delicate balance they provide. Sadly, these same animals are also highly coveted by trophy hunters. And as they often target the largest individuals of a species, they weaken the gene pool and can even cause collapses of small populations. In the midst of this biodiversity crisis in which over one million species face extinction, the global community must strive to protect wild animals by eschewing cruel practices like trophy hunting.”
The EU is the second-largest importer of animal trophies in the world, according to HSI/Europe’s report Trophy Hunting by the Numbers. Between 2016 and 2018, the EU was the largest importer of lion trophies globally. Trophies from at least 15,000 internationally protected mammals from 73 CITES-listed species were legally imported to the EU between 2014 and 2018, with a nearly 40% increase in trophy imports to the EU during this period.
As outlined in a recent report calling for a revision of the trophy hunting regime in the European Union, there is a long history of a lack of proper regulation and oversight when it comes to trade in hunting trophies. Even where trophy hunting is legal and follows management guidelines, there is evidence of population declines, indirect negative effects on populations, biologically unsustainable quotas, offtake of restricted individuals like breeding females and cubs, poor population estimates and monitoring, quotas assigned at the incorrect spatial scale, significant animal welfare concerns and a lack of transparency in data and policy and management decisions. A comprehensive ban on the import of hunting trophies of regulated species is a necessary precautionary approach to protect imperiled species.
ENDS
Media contact: Adeline Fischer, senior communications manager for HSI/Europe: afischer@hsi.org; +49 17631063219
The award invites individuals above the age of 18 who promote a plant-based lifestyle in their individual capacity.
Humane Society International / India
HSI
India—Humane Society International/India, a leading animal protection organization, has launched and now invites nominations for the Swarnali Roy Award for Vegan Advocacy to acknowledge the valuable work of vegan advocates in the country. The award recognizes individuals whose plant-based advocacy contributes significantly to the animal protection movement in India.
The award honors the late Ms. Swarnali Roy, an employee of the organization who led the plant-based outreach program in India until her death in 2021. Roy’s work in building a strong foundation for plant-based campaigns in India paved the way for reducing cruelty in intensive animal agriculture systems.
Alokparna Sengupta, managing director of HSI/India, said: “Swarnali was a passionate advocate for animals. Under her mentorship, the animal protection movement welcomed many young individuals who continue to work on advocating for a plant-based future. So, we thought it only right to honor her memory by supporting the work of the rising generation of advocates. This award will showcase the remarkable work of people in promoting veganism and the plant-based movement in India.”
HSI/India will announce the first set of awards on April 5th, Roy’s birthday, starting in 2023 and every year thereafter. Nominations are invited from residents of India who are above 18 and promote a vegan or plant – based lifestyle in their city, state or across the country. The award will be given at three ranks. The first-place awardee will receive INR 50,000), the second will receive INR 30,000 and the third will receive INR 20,000. The evaluation and selection of winners will be enabled by a five-panel jury consisting of vegan enthusiasts, leaders and advocates including Abhay Rangan, Founder of One Good, Palak Mehta, Founder of Vegan First, Nikunj Sharma, CEO, Mercy for Animals India Foundation and Parag Agarwal, Founder, Indian Animal Fund in addition to an HSI India representative.
To nominate someone you know or yourself who meets the eligibility requirements, you can fill out the form available here by March 25, 2023 on HSI’s website hsi.org. Award Rules, including eligibility requirements, are set out below.
Rules:
Nominees must be legal residents of the Republic of India who are 18 years or older as of March 25, 2003. All nominations must be received by 11:59 pm (IST) on March 25, 2003. Incorrect, untrue or incomplete nominations are void. Employees of Humane Society International (HSI) and affiliates and jury members, and members of their households, whether or not related, and immediate family members (spouses, parents, siblings, children and each of their respective spouses) are not eligible. In connection with the award nomination process, HSI and affiliates will collect personal data about nominees and those nominating them in accordance with its privacy policy. By participating in the nomination process you hereby agree to HSI collection and usage of the personal information submitted and acknowledged that you have read HSI’s privacy policy. Except to the extent prohibited by law, participation in the nomination process and/or acceptance of an award constitutes consent to HSI and affiliates use of name, photograph likeness, statements, biographical information and nomination application for advocacy and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter devised, worldwide in perpetuity, without any payment or consideration, or further notification or permission. Awardees will be determined by a five-panel jury based on five selection criteria focused on motivation, self-development and impact, with the three nominees with the highest cumulative scores being awarded the first (INR 50,000), second (INR 30,000) and third place (INR 20,000) awards, respectively. Awardees will be contacted by Hsiindiamailbox@hsi.org on or about 4th April. If HSI/India is unable to contact an awardee with three (3) calendar days of the first notification attempt, that awardee will forfeit the award and the award will go to the nominee with the next highest cumulative score. Award prizes are subject to income tax withholdings.
Dame Joanna Lumley leads celebrities, MPs and Peers in sending giant Mother’s Day card to Defra calling on them to facilitate ‘The Crate Escape’ for mother pigs
LONDON—New polling data shows that less than one in five people in Britain (19.8%) support the use of pig farrowing crates. Yet, every year on UK farms, over 200,000 mother pigs are confined for up to five weeks at a time in small cages in which they can’t even turn around.
Today, The Crate Escape campaign led by Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, Humane Society International/UK and Compassion in World Farming held a Parliamentary reception hosted by Mark Francois MP calling on the UK Government to ban farrowing crates and support farmers to transition away from their use. The reception, which was attended by cross-party MPs and Peers, raised awareness of the suffering sows endure when they are forced to spend almost a quarter of their lives in cages so small, they cannot even turn around.
A giant Mother’s Day card signed by dozens of MPs, Peers and celebrities, including Dame Joanna Lumley, was delivered to Defra after the reception. The card asks Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey to ‘please give pigs a happier Mother’s Day’ and urges her to deliver on the Government’s 2021 commitment to launch a consultation for a farrowing crate ban.
The reception coincided with the publication of a new Survation poll [1], carried out in March 2023, which also found that two-thirds of those polled would support the Government providing financial support to farmers to move to free-farrowing methods. Only 15.5% would presently oppose a ban on farrowing crates.
Speaking at the reception, Anna Firth, Conservative MP for Southend West, said: “Pig farrowing is one of the most inhumane, restrictive farming systems still in existence in the UK and the European Union. Pig farrowing crates have to go. […] I’m proud of the fact that this Government has introduced the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which amongst many things, pledges to explore reforming our use of pig farrowing crates. So we have a Government that’s committed to a future where this system is no longer necessary, which I commend, but what that means is that we must hold their feet to the fire, we must, all of us, urge this Government to continue putting pressure to make sure that this aim becomes a reality.”
Speaking at the reception, Shadow Defra Spokesperson Baroness Sue Hayman said: “These are mothers. I’m sure I’m not the only mother in the room, how would we feel if it was the practice to put us in a cage […] it’s an absolute outrage, there isn’t any other way of putting it. […] The Government has talked about [banning farrowing crates] so it is time that the UK caught up and actually started the process to make banning an actuality.”
Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, commented: “Pigs are intelligent and sensitive animals, and the torment they suffer while confined in tiny cages for weeks on end is heartbreaking. Our polling shows that the majority of Brits, over 60%, had not even heard of farrowing crates despite their widespread use. That’s a worrying indication of how disconnected consumers are from the grim reality for animals suffering on factory farms. If we’re truly a nation of animal lovers then we can and must do better than this, mothers should not be kept in cages.”
Lorraine Platt, co-founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “We were delighted to see Parliamentarians, NGOs, charities and campaigners come together as one voice in Parliament to call for an end to the use of farrowing crates in the UK. The Crate Escape reception was a clear display of the strong public and political will to end the suffering 60% of our national pig herd endure every year.
We would like to thank our host Mark Francois MP, as well as our other speakers including Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation Head of Research Dr Steve McCulloch, Shadow Defra Spokesperson Baroness Hayman, and our Patron Anna Firth MP. The Crate Escape will continue to support the Government’s aim for farrowing crates to longer be necessary, and we look forward to seeing this objective become a reality.”
James West, senior policy manager at Compassion in World Farming, commented: “Around 200,000 sows are confined in crates in the UK each year. Stuck in pens so narrow that they can barely move, mother pigs are forced to feed their piglets through bars. The use of these cruel cages causes unimaginable suffering.
The UK Government has promised to review the use of cages in British farming, and recent polling shows that the British public want a ban, with less than one in five people supporting the use of farrowing crates. It’s time for the Government to listen to public opinion and take the next step to facilitating The Crate Escape by finally publishing the long-awaited consultation.”
ENDS
Notes to editor
Polling carried out by Survation via online panel, with 1,074 total respondents, on 2nd-3rd March 2023. Results released on 16th March 2023.
Authorities ban trade to tackle rabies and animal cruelty
Humane Society International
Khalisya Anjani/Dog Meat Free IndonesiaPictured here is Bosman after they were rescued from the dog meat trade in Indonesia.
JAKARTA, Indonesia—Hollywood actress Kim Basinger, comedian Ricky Gervais and British actor Peter Egan have joined campaigners from the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition in celebrating news that Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta has banned the dog and cat meat trade. The stars sent a video message after the Food Security, Marine and Agriculture Department confirmed Jakarta now becomes the 21st jurisdiction in Indonesia to ban the trade. The move comes in response to an intensive campaign by DMFI, exposing the severe animal cruelty and risks to human health from zoonotic diseases such as rabies.
Across Indonesia, more than one million dogs and countless cats are killed every year for meat, most of them stolen pets or strays, snatched from the streets and illegally trafficked on grueling journeys to supply demand hotspots. Many die during this ordeal from heatstroke, dehydration or injuries inflicted during capture and transport. Those who survive are taken to makeshift slaughterhouses where they are bludgeoned and killed in full view of other dogs. DMFI investigations suggest that in Jakarta, an estimated 9,520 dogs per month or around 340 dogs every day are killed for meat, with over 95% of dogs trafficked from West Java province where rabies remains endemic. Dog meat can be found for sale in Jakarta’s markets such as Pasar Senen, Pasae Cijantung and others, and suppliers also sell to local restaurants throughout the city.
Lola Webber, director of campaigns to End Dog Meat at Humane Society International, a DMFI member group, says: “A dog and cat meat trade ban in Indonesia’s capital city Jakarta is hugely significant, not just because of the thousands of animals killed every year for the city’s trade, but also because it recognizes that this cruel trade risks spreading rabies. Jakarta’s rabies-free status is jeopardized every day that the dog meat trade continues to traffic dogs of unknown disease status into the city. We hope the Indonesian government will take the next step of banning this awful trade for good so that no more dogs or cats have to suffer this cruelty in future.”
The prohibition was officially announced by Jakarta’s Food Security, Marine and Agriculture Department. Ibu Ir. Suharini Eliawati M.Si, Head of the Food Security and Agriculture Department for Jakarta said, “Current progress is the formation of a Food Regulation to ban the dog meat trade, and the issuance of a Governor’s Directive. The plan is also to educate people to not consume dog meat, and to be responsible animal owners.”
A representative of the Head of the DKI Jakarta Civil Service Police Unit, stated “We are very supportive and ready to help socialize this Directive to sellers and stalls that are still selling dog meat. This needs to be done so that traders have time to find alternative jobs.”
The news was celebrated by global celebrities via video messages from actress Kim Basinger, comedian Ricky Gervais and British actor Peter Egan thanking the Jakarta authorities for taking action.
Kim Basinger said: “Thank you Governor Heru for your leadership in taking this brave and tremendously powerful step to ban the cruel, dangerous and illegal dog meat trade in Jakarta. Your actions send a very clear message–dogs are not food. These laws to prohibit dog meat, will have far reaching impacts, protecting both animals and people. Dogs are a true gift to all of us on this planet. They are our companions who serve mankind loyally. They must be protected from the abusive and unimaginably cruel dog meat trade.”
Ricky Gervais said: “I’d like to add my voice to the millions of other in calling for a ban on the dog meat trade in Indonesia. The message is clear, dogs are not food.”
Peter Egan said: “Thank you Governor Heru for your great leadership and compassion in taking action to ban the dog meat trade in Jakarta. Your actions will protect animals and safeguard communities’ health and welfare. I would like to add my voice to the millions of others in calls for a ban on the dog meat trade throughout Indonesia to protect the tens of thousands of dogs each month from unimaginable cruelty and also to showcase and celebrate Indonesia’s great compassion and its natural and cultural beauty.”
Jakarta’s ban comes four years after the central government reacted to shocking investigative evidence presented by DMFI and called upon all provincial, regency and city authorities to take action to discourage dog and cat meat consumption and to implement measures to tackle the trades wherever they occur. Speaking at the National Coordination of Animal Welfare meeting in September 2018, the Director of Veterinary Public Health described the treatment of the dogs and cats as “torture for animals” and stated that “dog meat or any animal that is not registered as farm animals, is illegal (…) Foreign countries find a low standard of animal welfare and cruelty unacceptable and will stop visiting Indonesia, which is bad for tourism.”
Karin Franken, national coordinator of the DMFI coalition, welcomed the news, saying: “On behalf of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition and the millions of dog and cat-loving and concerned citizens across Indonesia, I would like to express our deepest appreciation for the DKI Jakarta Food, Maritime and Fisheries Security Service for taking these progressive measures to safeguard the health and welfare of both people and animals. Jakarta’s ban sets a clear example for other jurisdictions to follow that the dog and cat meat trade is intolerably cruel and dangerous, and will help raise public awareness about the serious dangers and animal suffering inherent in this trade.”
The ban was first published by Jakarta’s Food, Maritime and Fisheries Security Service in Appeal Letter Number 4493/-1823.55 which restricts the trafficking of rabies-transmitting animals and non-food animal products, on the grounds of protecting public health. It covers what is known as the Special Area of the city of (DKI) Jakarta which is the most populous metropolitan area in Indonesia, comprising the capital as well as five satellite cities and three complete regencies, including parts of West Java and Banten provinces.
Facts:
A Nielsen opinion poll in January 2021, commissioned by DMFI, revealed that 93% of Indonesians support a national dog meat ban, and just 4.5% have ever consumed dog meat.
The dog meat trade is now banned in 21 cities and regencies across Indonesia. The regencies are Karanganyar, Sukoharjo, Semarang, Blora, Brebes, Purbalingga, Mojokerto, Temanggung, Jepara and Magelang. The cities are Salatiga, Malang, Semarang, Magelang, Blitar, Mojokerto, Medan, Surabaya and Jakarta.
In addition to the 21 locations in Indonesia, across Asia the trade in and slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs is also banned or otherwise ended in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand and two major cities in mainland China. In South Korea a government-initiated task force is currently considering the issue of a ban. President Yoon Suk-yeol has stated he would not oppose a dog meat ban provided there is social consensus, and first lady Kim Keon-hee has spoken publicly of her desire for an end to dog meat consumption.
Dog Meat Free Indonesia is a coalition of national and international animal protection organisations comprising Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Animal Friends Jogja, Humane Society International, Animals Asia and FOUR PAWS. The coalition exposes the brutality of the trades and campaigns for a ban on the grounds of animal cruelty and risks to public health.
Lola Webber, Humane Society International’s director of campaigns to End Dog Meat, and DMFI coordinator: +6281337408768; Lwebber@hsi.org
Karin Franken, Jakarta Animal Aid Network founder and national coordinator for Dog Meat Free Indonesia Coalition: +6282122487794; jaan_adopt@yahoo.com
United Kingdom
Wendy Higgins, Humane Society International’s director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org
Humane Society International / Latin America
HSI
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica—From how to improvise a muzzle to the correct way to treat a poisoned cat or dog—these were some of the topics addressed at Humane Society International/Latin America’s first aid training. The workshop was given to 20 judicial police agents from the new specialized section against environmental crimes and other regional offices.
The new section has dealt with 83 cases of animal cruelty nationwide from April to December 2022. HSI/Latin America seeks to provide judicial agents with tools so that they can safeguard animal lives at crime scenes, while protecting valuable evidence.
“We analyzed the most common examples of animal cruelty, for example, physical injuries resulting in fractures, bleeding and burns, and how agents can give the animal a better chance to survive, but always paying attention to the surroundings so as not to lose evidence that can contribute to cruelty cases,” said Sofia Herra, cruelty prevention and companion animals program manager for HSI/Latin America.
Workshop participants also practiced helping an animal in the event of poisoning, suffocation or heat stroke, how to apply bandages and temporary splints, and responding when a dog or cat has a seizure or suffers cardiorespiratory arrest.
“Agents from this specialized section are often the first to respond to complaints of animal cruelty in cases taken by the Judicial Police. Therefore, this workshop was very useful since it provides us with tools to deal with these situations and help the animals involved, always preserving the integrity of crime scene,” said investigator Shirley Calderon of the specialized section against environmental crimes.
HSI/Latin America seeks to work jointly with government institutions that address animal cruelty in Costa Rica. “We want to support their capacity building, with workshops such as this one, but we are also interested in actively contributing to preventing and reducing animal cruelty cases in the country,” Herra said.
ENDS
Media contact: Alejandra Zuniga: 7012-5598; azuniga@hsi.org
HSI/Africa and ProVeg South Africa launch ‘My Plant-Based City’ map to finding veg-friendly restaurants in the Mother City.
Humane Society International / Africa
Leozette Roode/HSI
CAPE TOWN—Considering that South Africa is one of the highest per capita meat-consuming countries in Africa, one might be surprised to discover that there are 14 fully vegan restaurants in Cape Town alone. Humane Society International/Africa and ProVeg South Africa have partnered to create a My Plant-Based City map of Cape Town to highlight these restaurants, as well as 16 other vegan-friendly eateries offering great plant-based options.
More and more South African consumers are looking for healthier, more environmentally friendly, and ethical food options. This has led to an increase in veg-friendly restaurants serving everything from burgers and brownies to fine-dining dishes. A decade ago, it would have been almost impossible to find a vegan-friendly menu in South Africa, but today there are countless eateries offering a selection of plant-based meals. Offerings cater to everyone, from those looking for healthy poke bowls featuring fresh whole foods, to others craving plant-based versions of fast-food favourites like cheeseburgers. Advances in food technology have meant that plant-based meat and dairy alternatives are now able to successfully mimic the taste and texture of animal products they replace.
Leozette Roode, meat-reduction specialist for HSI/Africa, says: “The guide is an ideal tool to help Capetonians explore the diversity of the city’s incredible plant-based food options. These options are not only offered to die-hard vegans but also consumers who want to eat more plant-based, like on a Green Monday, and who have other dietary, cultural or religious needs. Today it is easier than ever to feast on foods that are healthier and less harmful to the planet and to animals, without having to sacrifice on taste!
HSI/Africa advocates for a reduction in the number of animals raised for food by changing consumer eating habits to reduce the amount of meat, dairy, eggs and fish they eat. Through its Green Monday SA campaign, HSI/Africa assists institutions, private and public businesses and food service providers in increasing plant-based offerings by conducting culinary training with chefs. The My Plant-Based City maps form part of HSI/Africa’s Green Monday SA campaign as a fun, affordable and tasty way to bring about positive change.
The list of eateries featured on the map is based on recommendations from renowned local blogger and vegan influencer, Garth Tavares, better known as the Cape Town Vegan. The list highlights some of the most novel vegan offerings including “meaty” options like Infinite Foods’ ultimate burger, seitan burgers and subs from The Fussy Vegan, and chicken-style kebabs from The Vegan Butchery. For those with a sweet tooth, some highlights include ice-cream and waffles from Ditto, donuts from Grumpy & Runt, We Cafe’s gluten-free chocolate brownies and baked goods and coffee from Okja Café. Health-enthusiasts also have a variety to choose from including a tempura cauliflower bowl from Wild Eatery and Sunshine Food Co’s sprouted charcoal burger with chickpea dahl. You can even have a crackable plant-based egg from Vegan Street Food or sushi from Plushi.
The My Plant-based City Map also lists the top five most plant-based friendly national food chains according to ProVeg South Africa’s 2022 Plant-Based Friendly Fast Food Franchise Ranking. According to Donovan Will, co-creator of the maps and Country Director of ProVeg South Africa, taste and availability remain two of the biggest barriers to consumers who are considering eating more plant-based food, and fast food chains play a big role in removing these barriers.
“We know that many South Africans eat fast food, and we know that fast food chains generally don’t sacrifice on taste, so having chains with hundreds of branches across the country offering plant-based options clearly plays a big part in making these options more available, and getting consumers to try them.”
ProVeg South Africa is the local chapter of ProVeg International, a global food awareness organisation working to transition the food system from one primarily centered on animal agriculture to one based on plant-based and cellular agriculture. The maps and the fast food ranking form part of their ongoing efforts to promote plant-based food in South Africa, which includes the licensing of Europe’s largest vegan accreditation, V-Label, hosting events like the annual Plant-based Heritage Day Braai, and working to influence government food policies.
Printed versions of the map will be distributed across Cape Town at the participating restaurants as well as various information points. South Africans can also download the map and access all the locations of all the restaurants via the www.myplantbasedcity.co.za website.
HSI/Africa media specialist: Leozette Roode; e: LRoode@hsi.org; t: +27 713601104
ProVeg South Africa communications manager: Arleen Nel, e: nel@proveg.com; t: +27 72 649 2346
State-of-the-art curriculum aims to build confidence, capacity, and global use of non-animal science in safety decision-making
Humane Society International
NiDerLander/iStock.com
BRUSSELS—A first-of-its-kind Master Class in Animal-Free Cosmetic Safety Assessment has been launched by the Animal-Free Safety Assessment Collaboration (AFSA), a global coalition of corporate, non-profit, and data science leaders working to advance acceptance and use of animal-free safety science as a gold standard across regulatory frameworks worldwide. Release of the AFSA Master Class comes on the 10-year anniversary of the European Union bans on cosmetics animal testing and trade, and amid growing debate regarding the value of animal-free approaches in safety decision-making.
Dr Catherine Willett, principal coordinator of the AFSA Master Class and senior director of science and regulatory affairs at Humane Society International, said: “The ability to perform animal-free risk assessment for a wide range of consumer products and their ingredients is at our doorstep, yet there remain some significant barriers to acceptance and wide implementation of these approaches. We hope our AFSA Master Class will contribute to greater understanding, acceptance, and global capacity to implement animal-free approaches as the basis for regulatory safety decisions.”
The AFSA Master Class is a free, in-depth, e-learning course designed to support safety assessors and regulators, compliance specialists, SMEs, CROs, NGOs, and other interested stakeholders develop a greater understanding of contemporary non-animal predictive approaches, and increase their confidence in their use to inform regulatory decisions, support safe and sustainable products by design, and aid compliance with mandates restricting animal testing. The course content is based on established scientific principles of “next-generation risk assessment,” an exposure-led, hypothesis-driven risk assessment approach that integrates existing knowledge with in silico, in chemico, and in vitro approaches in a tiered framework to identify situations in which a product or ingredient may be used safely.
Dr Julia H Fentem, Head of Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever said, “The safety of the cosmetics and personal care products that consumers use and trust every day is of the utmost importance. Our unique AFSA Master Class program is focused on the safety assessment of cosmetic products and ingredients without generating new animal data, and covers all aspects of using non-animal tools and data for internal company decisions-making as well as regulatory safety assessments.”
Troy Seidle, VP research & toxicology at Humane Society International said: “With significant proposed changes to EU regulations under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, a rigid focus on hazard, and some stakeholders’ lack of confidence in non-animal approaches, our AFSA Master Class comes at an opportune time. Our hope is that, through this program, we can build a future where animal-free methods are the cornerstone of a more effective, efficient, and ethical regulatory safety paradigm for cosmetics and chemicals.”
AFSA partner L’Oréal said, “We believe that scientific and regulatory advancements of non-animal testing methods is only possible through multidisciplinary cooperation. Raising awareness on better science is a fundamental step in reaching beauty without animal testing. Our AFSA Master Class is providing state-of-the art scientific content on the safety assessment of cosmetic products and ingredients, encompassing a large spectrum of predictive approaches in decision making.’’
The AFSA Master Class is available online at AFSAcollaboration.org/MasterClass and is being released in three phases in March, May, and July 2023.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Humane Society International: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international media relations coordinator : cbodinduval@hsi.org ; +32 (0) 469 149 469
The AFSA Master Class consists of 10 modules corresponding to discrete steps in the risk assessment process (problem formulation, consumer exposure, predictive chemistry, exposure-based waiving, history of safe use, in vitro assay synthesis, internal exposure, and integration into risk assessment), together with overview modules on the NGRA framework and the global regulatory environment for cosmetics.
The course content is based on the principles of next-generation risk assessment and was built by more than 50 experts from AFSA Collaboration members Avon Products Inc., Crème Global, Delphic HSE, Firmenich, Givaudan, Humane Society International, IFF, Institute for In Vitro Sciences, Lhasa Ltd., L’Oréal, Lush, Procter & Gamble, Symrise, and Unilever.
The EU was hailed as the world’s largest cruelty-free beauty market in 2013 when the final phase of its step-wise bans on cosmetics animal testing and sales entered into force. However, since 2020, the European Chemicals Agency has begun requesting new animal tests for cosmetic ingredients under the EU chemicals legislation “REACH” in spite of the ban under the cosmetic products regulation.
Farmer Mr Yang will grow cabbages and crops instead
Humane Society International
Sangkyung Lee, Dog Meat campaign manager of HSI/Korea, rescues a dog at a dog meat farm in Asan, South Korea, on March 7, 2023. Jean Chung/For HSI
SEOUL―Seventy-three year old Mr Yang in South Korea’s Chungcheong province has become the latest dog meat farmer in the country to join Humane Society International/Korea’s Models for Change program as part of the charity’s efforts to end the dog meat industry. Through working with HSI/Korea, Mr Yang is leaving dog meat farming behind him and transitioning to growing cabbages and other crops instead. The nearly 200 dogs and puppies on his farm, who were destined for slaughter, will instead be transported to the United States and Canada where they will begin their search for adoptive families.
The closure comes at a time of increasing public and political support for ending the dog meat industry. Last year, First lady Kim Keon-hee openly called for a ban, and latest opinion surveys show that most South Koreans (85%) don’t eat dog meat and 56% support a ban. In December 2021, the government formed a task force to bring forward recommendations on the issue, but after repeated delays, HSI/Korea is urging the government to begin a phase out program mirroring HSI’s Models for Change.
Mr Yang has farmed dogs for human consumption for 27 years in the city of Asan-si, but now agrees that the best solution for the dog meat industry in South Korea is a phase out, and he wants to leave. His farm, unlike many in the country, is legally registered, but he believes it has no future.
Mr Yang says: “In the early years of the dog meat industry, no-one reported dog meat farms for violations or criticised the industry. But as time has passed, animal groups like HSI/Korea have appeared and the world is changing, so are Korean people. I’m a member of the dog farmers association and I know how the Dog Meat Task Force is going. The compensation and phase-out period are the issues now. But regardless of the Task Force’s recommendation, I was planning to leave the industry in a few years anyway so when I talked with HSI/Korea, I knew it was a good opportunity to leave now. I plan to do cabbage farming after this and share my crops with local people. HSI will rescue the animals, and I will help the people with my cabbages.”
Launched in 2015, Models for Change sees HSI/Korea work cooperatively with farmers like Mr Yang who want to exit the industry, and help them transition to humane, alternative livelihoods.
Sangkyung Lee, HSI/Korea’s End Dog Meat campaign manager, says: “Many of the dogs on this farm are clearly traumatised from their experience in the dog meat industry, and they will need all the love and patience we can give them to start to heal. But farmers like Mr Yang are symbols of change in South Korea, because a new generation of animal lovers like me don’t wish to see this suffering continue. I hope that the government listens, and our Models for Change program is showing there is a desire for change and a way to a new future where dogs are only friends, not food.”
This is the 18th dog meat farm permanently closed by HSI/Korea, resulting in the rescue of more than 2,700 dogs since the program began who have found adoptive families in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and a small number in South Korea.
Mr Yang is glad that the dogs on his farm will now have a chance of a happy future. He said: “While working with HSI/Korea, I was surprised and enlightened by the way the team interacts with the dogs. Even with their clothes covered in dog poop, they kept smiling and talking kindly to the dogs without any displeasure. I was somewhat shocked. I got to know that HSI really values animals much more than me who has handled dogs for nearly 30 years. I feel happy that these dogs will go to a good place and I don’t feel good to see any of them dying. I feel sorry for them.”
Fast facts:
An estimated up to 1 million dogs are bred and confined in appalling conditions on thousands of farms across South Korea to be killed for human consumption.
The dogs suffer immensely both physically and mentally, spending their entire lives in small, barren, wire cages without proper food, water, stimulation, comfort, shelter or veterinary care. Death is by electrocution.
HSI/Korea is the Seoul office of international animal protection charity HSI that campaigns across Asia (China, Indonesia, South Korea, India and Viet Nam) to end the dog meat trade.
