Category: Press Release

Over 80 exhibitors to sell trophy hunting trips to kill precious wildlife at Jagd & Hund

Humane Society International / Europe

Jagd & Hund trophy hunting convention in Dortmund Germany January 2020, HSI.

BRUSSELS—From 24 to 29 January, Europe’s largest hunting fair will take place in Dortmund, Germany. Over 80 national and international exhibitors from Canada, Argentina, Namibia, South Africa, Germany, Spain, Poland and others, will attend Jagd & Hund 2023, offering trophy hunting trips, that cost between a few hundred and tens of thousands of euros, around the world to kill elephants, big cats, rhinos, polar bears and numerous other iconic species. In a joint letter with 30 organizations, Humane Society International/Europe called on Mayor Thomas Westphal and the Dortmund City Council to stop the selling of trophy hunting trips in the Westfalenhallen, the location for the fair.  

For years, Humane Society International has been raising the alarm over the impacts that hunting fairs offering trophy hunts like Jagd & Hund have on wildlife product demand, animal welfare and biological diversity. Between 2014 and 2020, trophies of 5,409 animals of internationally protected species were imported into Germany, including 194 leopards, 208 brown bears, 166 hippos 229 elephants, 138 lions, nine polar bears and two black rhinos. Many of these animals were killed because of the hunts sold at hunting fairs such as the Jagd & Hund. It is time for industry and governments—from city councils up through national and international offices—to end their support of trophy hunting. 

Sylvie Kremerskothen Gleason, country director of HSI/Europe in Germany, says: “It is not acceptable that in 2023 trophy hunting outfitters are still legally selling trips to shoot protected species for fun and games at a fair in Germany. For years we have been urging the responsible authorities in Dortmund to exclude these offers – but they keep silent and in doing so, support this gruesome industry that adds an additional danger to the survival of species that are already struggling to survive. It is long overdue that a stand is taken against trophy hunting of imperiled species.”  

Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN peace ambassador, is also appealing to those responsible: “The fact that hunting trophies of rare and endangered species are still legal is absolutely shocking! Please stop the sale of organized trophy hunting trips in the context of the ‘Jagd & Hund’ fair in Dortmund. Support thereby the animal and species protection!”  

The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum South Africa—a coalition of non-governmental organizations in South Africa, which is a significant range state for many hunted species—also spoke out against the hunting fair and wrote an open letter to the Mayor of Dortmund. The letter was signed by more than 90 supportive organisations mainly from South Africa, including members of forum and of the Pro Elephant Network and was endorsed by world renowned wildlife conservationists, wildlife veterinarians, international dignitaries, politicians and environmental lawyers.  

Trophy hunting is a form of entertainment rooted in wealth and pageantry that results in both severe cases of animal harm and far reaching damaging biological and ecological impacts. Yet, more than 120,000 animals are killed in Africa each year by big game hunters. The EU is the second largest importer of hunting trophies from internationally protected species, behind the United States.  Germany is by far the greatest importer within the EU.  

HSI/Europe is particularly concerned about the trophy hunting industry’s promotion of inhumane killing methods advertised at the Jagd & Hund fair and has already identified multiple travel offers for hunts being sold at the fair that promote hunting methods banned in Germany because of their inhumane nature, such as bow hunting. It also appears that many vendors are already in violation of exhibition regulations for the fair which clearly state that the marketing of “shooting opportunities” is forbidden for bred animals as well as for animals who are kept in closed areas—called canned or captive hunting. However,  vendors were identified that advertise canned hunting trips for sale  ahead of the fair. 

Trophy hunting undermines international efforts to protect imperiled species, drives global demand for animal parts and products, and calls into question ethics around sport hunting as a form of sustainable use, as highlighted in a letter sent to the German Government by the IUCN Ethics Specialist Group calling for an end to German imports of hunting trophies from regulated species. In the 2020 election campaign, Mayor Westphal promised, if he took office, to set up an ethics committee to objectively examine the issue of trophy hunting and the corresponding marketing at the fair. To date, this ethics commission has not been appointed.  

Trophy hunts allowed at fair despite overwhelming public opposition:

Despite overwhelming public opposition to trophy hunting—including from the majority of Germans—Dortmund’s government and exhibition centers have continued to facilitate the slaughter of thousands of animals by allowing these fairs to continue year after year.  Opinion polls show that the vast majority of EU citizens (over 80%) oppose trophy hunting and want to end trophy imports. In South Africa, one of the most popular destinations for German hunting tourists, 68% of the respondents across all social backgrounds reject trophy hunting.  

Many governments and industry leaders are already taking action to end their involvement in the trophy hunting industry. Some of the world’s largest travel providers, including Booking.com, TripAdvisor and Expedia Group, called on the South African government to end trophy hunting and focus on a wildlife-friendly future. There are also more than 170 NGOs from around the world calling for an end to trophy hunting, and the European Parliament recently positioned itself in favor of an EU-wide ban on the import of hunting trophies. The Netherlands, Finland and France already ban the import of hunting trophies of certain species. The UK, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Poland are also discussing this. In addition, Germany withdrew from the International Hunting Council CIC at the turn of the year. The Westfallenhallen should take note that in Italy, the IEG Italian Exhibition Group SpA recently cancelled their country’s largest hunting fair, highlighting its conflict with the company’s ecological values. 

ENDS

Media contact: Adeline Fischer, senior communications manager for HSI/Europe: afischer@hsi.org; +49 17631063219

 

The UK has imported more than £16million of fur from Finland since 2000

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Oikeutta eläimille

LONDON—Shocking footage showing fur-farmed foxes in Finland with weeping and swollen infected eyes and ears; injured and bloodied tails; and deformed, splayed feet has been released by animal protection groups Oikeutta eläimille and Humane Society International/UK. The footage also shows obese “monster foxes” with huge skin folds from selective breeding; and baby foxes cannibalising their dead siblings.

The footage exposes the suffering of animals for fur fashion, even in a country like Finland where the fur trade boasts that almost 100% of fox fur farms are certified by the fur trade’s SAGA Furs assurance scheme. The scheme promises “the highest level of animal welfare”, but the atrocious conditions documented show a different story. Fox fur originating from Finland is used by brands including Fendi, Yves Salomon, Woolrich, Herno, Ermanno Scervino and Max Mara, and is seen in stores including Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

The exposé comes as more than 1.2 million EU citizens so far have signed the EU-wide “Fur-Free Europe” European Citizens’ Initiative petition calling on the European Commission to ban the farming and sale of fur in the EU. The shocking footage also shines a spotlight on the UK’s fur trading double standard because since banning fur farming in 2000, the UK has imported more than £16million of fur from Finland.

Through its #FurFreeBritain campaign, HSI/UK is urging the government to end this by banning UK fur imports, a move supported by 77% of the British public. A petition calling for a ban on the sale and import of fur in Britain currently stands at over 1.1million signatures.

Claire Bass, senior director of public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “The suffering that millions of animals endure on fur farms, spending their entire lives in tiny barren cages, is heart breaking. Pus oozing sores, mental breakdown, and cannibalism are the reality of fur farming, and a million miles away from the glossy PR the fur trade tries to sell with its assurance schemes. The UK must stop providing a market for the fur from appallingly treated animals like these, and high-end department stores like Harrods that still sell fur should recognise that there is no such thing as responsibly-sourced fur.

“In 2021, the UK government ran a consultation on the UK fur trade to which 30,000 people responded, but 18 months later it has still not released the results or set out a policy position. For as long as the UK is part of the global fur trade, we’re complicit in this cruelty. The enormous public support for bans on fur farming and sales in both the EU and UK give politicians an overwhelming mandate to consign this cruel trade to the history books once and for all.”

Finnish animal group Oikeutta eläimille filmed at six randomly selected fur farms in the Ostrobothnia region of western Finland between June and November 2022. OE’s Kristo Muurimo said: “The majority of Finns want to ban keeping animals in barren cages just for their fur, but our politicians have failed to bring an end to the cruelty. An EU-wide ban would help the animals also in other member countries where the greed for money is valued over animal welfare. The UK, which led the way with the first fur farming ban, should certainly not be providing a market for products shamefully derived from the diseased, injured and suffering animals who are languishing in Finland’s fur farms.”

Fur facts:

  • 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 (14 of which are EU member states), including the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Malta, Ireland, Estonia, France, Italy and most recently on 22nd September 2022, Latvia. Political discussions on a ban are also underway in Romania, Lithuania, Spain and Poland. A further two countries (Switzerland and Germany) have implemented such strict regulations that fur farming has effectively ended, and three other countries (Denmark, Sweden, Hungary) have imposed measures that have ended the farming of certain species.
  • An increasing number of fashion designers and retailers are dropping fur cruelty. In the last few years alone, Canada Goose, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Gucci, Burberry, Versace, Chanel, Prada and other high-profile brands have announced fur-free policies.
  • The fur trade in Finland is in financial decline, with many fur farms closing down and some fur farmers in Europe diversifying or transitioning to other livelihoods such as solar panels, to secure their future.

Download photos and video

ENDS

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

Humane Society International/UK is calling on the UK government to make a #FurFreeBritain a reality in 2023

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

WildMedia/Alamy Stock

LONDON—The UK risks falling behind on animal welfare as California’s ban on fur sales has now officially taken effect, warns animal charity Humane Society International/UK. While fur farming has been banned on ethical grounds across the UK since the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Acts came into force in January 2003, two decades on it is still legal for fur from countries such as Finland and China to be imported and sold here. Using His Majesties’ Revenue and Customs figures and fur auction price data, HSI/UK estimates that the equivalent of around 1.5-2 million animals’ furs are imported annually.

California is the largest sub-national economy in the world and is predicted to soon become the fourth largest global economy. The state’s Gov. Gavin Newsom recently credited its growth on “California’s values and entrepreneurial spirit.” Momentum is also building in Europe as an official European Citizens’ Initiative petition calling for an EU-wide ban on fur farming and the import of fur products has gathered over 1.2 million signatures since it launched in May 2022. By contrast, the UK government has dragged its feet for years on banning fur imports, despite polling showing the overwhelming majority (77%) of the British public think the government should ban the import of products, such as fur, where production methods are already banned in the UK. The campaign for a #FurFreeBritain, led by Humane Society International/UK, has so far amassed more than 1 million petition signatures calling for a UK ban on fur imports and sales, as well as support from more than 80 celebrities.

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “When the UK became the first country in the world to ban fur farming, it marked us as a leader in animal protection and paved the way for many countries to follow. But 20 years on, we’re exercising a double standard. While illegal in our own backyard, millions of animals are still suffering in cramped cages overseas for frivolous fur fashion that’s shockingly permitted to be imported and sold in the UK.”

She added: “The Government’s soundbites about being a ‘world leader in animal welfare’ must be called into question when the state of California and 12 cities and towns across America have already banned fur sales, while our Ministers have been sitting on the results of a formal consultation on the UK fur trade for 18 months. Enhanced animal welfare was touted as a ‘Brexit benefit’ by the Government but so far that’s been a hollow promise; at this rate the EU will wash its hands of the disgusting fur trade before the UK does. We urge the Government to turn words into actions and adopt this extremely popular policy to deliver a #FurFreeBritain.”

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. The consultation closed in June 2021, but the public is still waiting for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to release these findings, despite Ministers confirming they would do so.

California’s new law makes it the first state in the U.S. to take this monumental step to end the fur trade within its borders by banning the sale and manufacturing of new animal fur products. A further 12 US cities and towns have similarly banned fur sales. California’s Assembly Bill 44, which passed in 2019, was championed by Assemblymember Laura Friedman and sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States and Animal Hope in Legislation.

Jenny Berg, California state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said: “We are grateful to California for taking a stand against the cruel fur industry by implementing this statewide ban on the production and sale of new fur products. , especially when humane, environmentally sustainable alternatives exist. We applaud California for leading the fight against fur and sending a powerful message that animals should no longer suffer and die for fashion.”

Assemblymember Laura Friedman commented: “Today marks a historic step forward for California with the implementation of a law that truly represents the values of our constituents. Californians do not want to see animals live and die in cruel ways for nothing more than fashion, and I’m so pleased that this law will help uphold our state’s animal welfare standards as well as potentially help drive innovation for more sustainable fashion alternatives.”

Before the bill’s passage, four municipalities in California – Los Angeles (2018), San Francisco (2018), Berkeley (2017) and West Hollywood (2013) – passed similar legislation, paving the way for a state-wide ban. In 2021, Israel became the first country to ban fur sales.

Facts:

  • More than 100 million animals are killed for their fur every year worldwide. The vast majority (around 95%) of these spend their entire lives confined in small, barren cages unable to act out their most basic behaviours such as running, digging and, in the case of mink, swimming.
  • The UK was the first country in the world to ban fur farming and 18 other European countries have now followed suit, including Ireland, France, Italy and most recently in September 2022, Latvia.
  • California’s ban applies to brick-and-mortar stores selling new fur products as well as online sales of fur products into the state.
  • In addition to California, similar bans have also passed in the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood, and the towns of Brookline, Weston, Wellesley, Cambridge and Plymouth in Massachusetts, Ann Arbor in Michigan, Boulder in Colorado and Hallandale Beach in Florida.

ENDS

Media contact: Sally Ivens: 07590 559299; sivens@hsi.org

Gyudon House, Trust Me I’m Chef, Go Coffee & Ice Cream will go cage-free for eggs across all menus by 2026

Humane Society International

HSI

Update: As of January 2023, Gyudon House and Trust Me I’m Chef have published that they no longer buy eggs from caged hens. As of December 2022, Go Coffee and Ice Cream has published that it no longer buys eggs from caged hens.

BANGKOK—Humane Society International in Thailand welcomes Gyudon House, Trust Me I’m Chef, and Go Coffee & Ice Cream’s commitments to exclusively use cage-free eggs in all of their menus by 2026, including products they create for other restaurants and cafés. Trust Me I’m Chef and Gyudon House plan to reach this target earlier, by 2023. Humane Society International has been working behind the scenes with the brands to make this possible and is continuing the collaboration by supporting the development of a cage-free egg implementation plan. Go Coffee & Ice Cream is committed to issuing annual progress reports toward their 2026 target, to demonstrate their responsibility to both their customers and the animals.

In 2020, Thailand kept 94,8 million egg-laying hens (FAO database), typically confined in wire cages so small that they cannot freely spread their wings. Cage-free production systems provide a much higher level of welfare, allowing the birds to express their natural behavior, including ground scratching and pecking, laying their eggs in nests, perching and fully spreading their wings, which are all scientifically documented behavioral needs. Gyudon House, Trust Me I’m Chef, and Go Coffee & Ice Cream are sending a clear message to the egg industry and related stakeholders: In Thailand, the future of egg production is cage-free.

Gyudon House, Trust Me I’m Chef, and Go Coffee & Ice Cream are joining 50 other companies in Thailand, such as Minor Food and Tesco, that have pledged to use exclusively cage-free eggs in their supply chains. With more than 2,000 corporations all around the globe—such as Burger King, Bimbo, Sofitel Saigon Plaza and Accor—having committed to go cage-free, Thailand is part of a global trend toward cage-free eggs.

Mr. Khunglang Khukuntin, restaurant owner and head chef for Gyudon House, says: “This new commitment is an important milestone towards a society more respectful of farm animals’ welfare. We are delighted to be leading this change and hope to influence companies of all sizes to do the same. A business cannot be good and sustain itself without a sense of responsibility for the well-being of others. Giving is of higher value than receiving.”

Trust Me I’m Chef’s top management team says, “Once we learned about the intensive cage confinement of hens in barren cages when alternatives are readily available, we were compelled to change our policy immediately. Not only will this change ensure that we are reducing suffering and helping to ensure that these animals have room to move, but we are also ensuring that we support farmers who care about animal welfare. It is our responsibility to our customers to not only source ingredients regarding safety and hygiene, but also to know where they came from and how they were produced. Cage-free is the right thing to do.”

“We are seeking to implement the best practices on all aspects of corporate social responsibility, and we are aware that our long-term growth depends on new generations who value social responsibility and seek to help the world. Good actions come with good results. The café sees this as an opportunity to promote better welfare for hens and to educate consumers, to encourage others to support a better life for farm animals. Adopting a cage-free egg sourcing policy emphasizes the café’s care for consumers and animals. This modification will accelerate higher welfare for animals, and support producers’ fortune,” says Miss Vorawan Suvattanapim, co-founder of Go Coffee & Ice Cream.

Lalada Tangjerdjaras, program manager for Humane Society International’s Farm Animal Welfare and Protection program in Thailand celebrated the announcements. “Gyudon House, Trust Me I’m Chef and Go Coffee & Ice Cream have taken an important first step to improve the welfare of farm animals by providing these sentient beings with enough room to spread their wings, and Humane Society International is excited to be part of this growing global movement by working with stakeholders here on the ground in Thailand.”

Humane Society International will continue working alongside Gyudon House, Trust Me I’m Chef, Go Coffee & Ice Cream to ensure the full implementation of their commitment. HSI will work with these restaurants by supporting them in relationship-building with suppliers, training and workshops to educate teams and customers, marketing, quality management, and compliance in cooperating with good practices for animals’ wellbeing.

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

Humane Society International

sirius_r/iStockphoto

SEOUL, South Korea—Humane Society International/Korea welcomes the introduction of the Act on the Vitalization of Development, Dissemination, and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods (VAAM Act). Assembly member Jeoung Ae Han and 12 other National Assembly members introduced the measure on December 23rd.

In an era with so many questions arising around the scientific validity of animal testing carried out in relation to food, pharmaceutical and chemical safety, there are also increasing efforts to develop and standardize alternatives to animal testing approaches.

The VAAM Act was introduced to emphasize the urgency of passing a bill introduced in December 2020, that supports non-animal technology development and adoptionAssembly member In-Soon Nam introduced the earlier bill, the Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods (PAAM Act).

Assembly member Han explained the aim of the new bill: “There needs to be a legislative system to actively share research information and support for alternatives to animal testing using innovative approaches by cross-ministerial authorities. We need to improve public health with advanced science, following global examples.”

As HSI/Korea director of government affairs, Borami Seo observed, “There are challenges in using internationally recognised alternative methods in Korea due to different guidelines provided by various ministries. It is important that our central ministries come together to support non-animal approaches with strategic plans from development to implementation. Assemblymember Nam’s December, 2020 was a first step. Together, the VAAM Act. and  PAAM Act will serve to prioritize the importance of human biology-based methods without using animals. That’s great for people and animals.”

ENDS

Media contact: Borami Seo bseo@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Viet Nam

HSI

HANOI, Viet Nam—Seven grocery stores and a bakery in Viet Nam are supporting Nguyen Khoi Green JSC (the makers of Nguyen Khoi – Natural Pork brand or Nguyen Khoi) to end the gestation crate confinement of female breeding pigs and to implement group housing, which gives these intelligent animals room to move.

The supplier’s transition plan will see 25% of pigs in group housing by the end of 2023, with the expectation that all Nguyen Khoi facilities will be gestation and farrowing crate-free by 2025. These improvements are in response to growing awareness and demand for higher animal welfare. Humane Society International, a global organization working to protect all animals, is providing technical assistance—conducting farm visits, connecting Nguyen Khoi with animal welfare experts, and facilitating certification to a meaningful program.

Nguyen Khoi in Phu Tho Province (north of Hanoi), is among the first pork producers in the country to join the global movement to phase out gestation crates. In much of the pork industry, sows are confined to crates roughly the same size as their bodies throughout each of their nearly four-month long pregnancies. These crates confine sows so tightly they are unable to turn around, easily lie down or take more than a few steps forward or backward.

Instead, Nguyen Khoi will transition to group housing, which has been successfully used by farmers around the world to provide sows more space to move, socialize and adopt more comfortable resting postures during their pregnancies.

“Animal welfare is a growing global issue and we want to do our part. This is something we value, and we believe our customers appreciate that too,” said Thao Nguyen Phuong, co-founder and COO- Nguyen Khoi. “We are also looking forward to working further with HSI and our retailer partners to educate the market on animal welfare since we are one of the first companies implementing such a humane initiative in Viet Nam.”

Xanh Sam, a grocery store in Hanoi has committed to sell exclusively 100% crate-free pork from in all of their stores and future locations by 2025. Ms. Lai Thi Huong, CEO and co-founder of Xanh Sam stated: “As an organic and sustainable food store in Hanoi, we applaud Nguyen Khoi for this pioneering transition. This next step on animal welfare is very crucial and aligns with Xanh Sam’s core values.”

Three of Nguyen Khoi’s buyers in Hanoi’s neighboring provinces have committed to 100% crate-free for their entire supply chains too.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy My, the owner and founder of Khoẻ 365 Mart in Hai Phong Province, said, “We’re very delighted about this opportunity, we are very ready to follow our long-term supplier’s journey by committing to 100% crate-free by 2025.”

In Lao Cai Province, TrangHealthy has partnered with Nguyen Khoi for years because of a similar vision. The shop owner, Ms. Nguyen Huyen Trang, said, “We are very excited to be leaders in by adopting 100% crate-free by 2025.”

Similarly, Ms. Hoang Thi Minh Trang, the owner of Organio Corner in Hai Duong province, said, “Farm animal welfare is something quite new in Viet Nam, and Organio Corner is very proud of pioneering on this journey. We have committed to work with our partners to ensure 100% of pork sold in existing and future stores is from crate-free farms.”

An Nong Farm, a food retailer in Quang Binh, has also followed its pork supplier’s path by adopting a commitment of having a 100% crate-free supply chain by 2025. “We have the same vision of producing and selling sustainable foods not only focusing on humans and the environment, but also animals. The new chapter of Nguyen Khoi on animal welfare is aligns with our values,” shared by Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thuy, CEO and co-founder of An Nong Farm.

Another client of Nguyen Khoi joining the call for better animal welfare is Stephanie, the first organic bakery in Hanoi. The bakery chain has committed to switch to 100% crate-free pork. “We will continue sourcing pork from Nguyen Khoi as we share the same core values and vision,” said Ms. Le Thu Tra, CEO and co-founder of Stephanie.

Similarly, two other food retailers, Eco foods and Leaf Organic have committed to source crate-free pork, 50% and 80% respectively, by 2025. The two retailers have additionally committed to source pork from other suppliers that don’t use gestation crates.

Nguyen Khoi joins other producers in Southeast Asia, such as Betagro, that are already converting to group housing systems.

Hang Le, HSI’s Southeast Asia regional farm animal welfare program manager, said, “Nguyen Khoi, Xanh Sam, Khoẻ 365 Mart, TrangHealthy, Organio Corner, An Nong Farm, Stephanie, Leaf Organic and Eco foods have taken animal welfare seriously by adopting a crate-free commitment. Consumers care about the way animals are treated in food production and oppose the cruel, lifelong confinement of sows in gestation crates. These companies are sending a clear message that in Viet Nam the future of pork production is crate-free.”

HSI works with members of the food industry and producers to help ensure a successful transition to higher animal welfare systems through educational events, technical workshops and by facilitating the exchange of best practices among experts.

Because of this work and due to the growing demand from the global food industry, producers in Viet Nam and the entire region are now improving the lives of farm animals by committing to crate-free pork production. A growing number of food and hospitality companies, including Tesco Lotus in Thailand, Unilever, Sodexo and Hilton Worldwide, have adopted crate-free pork procurement policies as part of their corporate social responsibility goals.

ENDS

Media contact: Hang Le, Southeast Asia regional farm animal welfare program manager: hanglt@hsi.org

Reference in this release to any specific commercial product or service, or the use of any brand, trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public and does not constitute or imply endorsement by Humane Society International or its affiliates of the product or service, or its producer or provider, and should not be construed or relied upon, under any circumstances, by implication or otherwise, as investment advice. Links and access by hypertext to other websites is provided as a convenience only and does not indicate or imply any endorsement with respect to any of the content on such website nor any of the views expressed thereon.

Bill 70/2014, backed by Humane Society International, passed a plenary session vote in the Senate, advancing bill to final legislative step

Humane Society International

HSI

BRASILIA—After nearly a decade in the National Congress, Bill 70/2014, which aims to enact a federal ban on animal testing for cosmetics in Brazil, passed the Senate today. The amended bill, which represents the collaborative work of Humane Society International and the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry, garnered the support of Sen. Alessandro Vieira, Sen.  Eliziane Gama andSen.  Nelsinho Trad. The Liberte-se da Crueldade Brazil campaign, launched in 2012, led by Humane Society International in Brazil in partnership with the NGO Te Protejo, handed in more than 1.6 million signatures to the President of the Senate demonstrating citizen support to encourage the swift vote of this bill, which has been dwelling in Congress for nearly a decade.

Humane Society International in cooperation with the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry strengthened the bill language to reflect international best practices in non-animal testing methods. Stakeholders achieved a consensus, highlighting that cosmetics animal testing on products and their ingredients was unnecessary, leading to the unanimous vote of the amended bill, marking a significant milestone for animals used in laboratories in Brazil.

Antoniana Ottoni, public affairs specialist from HSI, said: ‘We’ve achieved a significant milestone today. After nearly a decade in Congress, we were finally able to pass this in the Federal Senate. We are very pleased to see this bill moving once again. This was a joint effort between Humane Society International, the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry and the politicians who have supported this issue. We thank the president of the Senate for championing this bill, along with all senators who continue to reinforce this issue in Congress. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to move the bill swiftly through the final legislative stage to become law.”

Senator Nelsinho Trad said: “It is our duty to protect animals. I am happy to endorse this matter and with the movement of the Federal Senate in favor of the cause. Now, we urge colleagues in the Chamber of Deputies to analyze the substitutive text and approve it as soon as possible.”

The next step for this project to become a federal law will be a debate and vote in the Chamber of Deputies, which could make Brazil the 43rd country to ban animal testing for cosmetics.

Facts:

  • Animal testing for cosmetics can  subject rabbits, guinea pigs and mice to eye/skin irritation, eye/skin corrosion, acute toxicity (LD50), and other tests s without pain relief. Consequences of this type of experimentation are permanent skin injuries, blindness, eye irritation, stress, intoxication and death.
  • Worldwide, there are already 42 countries that have banned animal testing for cosmetic purposes, including India, Norway, Switzerland, South Korea, Australia, Colombia, Mexico and those belonging to the European Union. At the national level, the Federal District and 13 states in Brazil have legislated through state laws to end these practices: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Amazonas, Pará, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Pernambuco, Espírito Santo, Acre and Paraíba. However, Bill 70/2014 seeks to ban experimentation on animals for cosmetics at the federal level, thus including all states in the country.
  • More than 2,000 “cruelty-free” beauty brands are available worldwide. These companies produce safe products by using ingredients that have a history of safe use along with modern reliability assessment tools without the need for animals. HSI recommends reviewing the list of brands free of animal testing in Te Protejo Brasil.

ENDS

Media Contact: Antoniana Ottoni: +556181403636; aottoni@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Europe

Chinchilla fur farms in Romania 2021. HSI
Romanian Chinchilla Farm Investigation
Romanian Chinchilla Farm Investigation HSI in Romania
BUCHAREST, Romania—The Romanian Senate has voted in favour of a draft bill to ban chinchilla and mink fur farming, following an investigation by Humane Society International/Europe that exposed shocking suffering on the country’s fur farms.

Andreea Roseti, Romania country director for HSI/Europe, welcomed the vote, saying: “The broad cross-party support for this bill in the Senate strongly signals the willingness of the Romanian Parliament to put an end to the cruel practice of breeding and killing animals for fur.

HSI/Europe welcomes the quick legislative path of this bill, and hopes that when it comes to the Chamber of Deputies in the next few months, the decision-making chamber will act decisively so that Romania can become the 20th European country to ban fur farming. The European continent can be considered a trailblazer in ending the suffering of animals for fur fashion, a practice that is being rejected by consumers, designers, retailers and policymakers across the world.”

The bill was initiated in October this year, after which it was presented in the Standing Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies on 7 Nov. and submitted and recorded in the Senate on the same day.

Chinchillas and minks are the only species of fur-bearing animals who are intensively bred on fur factory farms in Romania. If successful, the ban would therefore mark the end of fur farming in the country. In September this year, HSI/Europe revealed the results of its investigation at several of Romania’s chinchilla fur farms, documenting serious animal welfare concerns, including animals confined in small, wire-mesh cages, with females forced into a cycle of almost perpetual breeding, with total disregard for the natural behaviour of the species.

The vote in Romania comes while there is also growing support across Europe for an EU-wide ban on fur farming and imports. The “Fur-Free Europe” European Citizens’ Initiative, launched in May and supported by more than 70 organisations, has already collected more than 1.1 million signatures of EU citizens.

ENDS

Media Contact:

  • Romania: Andreea Roseti, country director HSI/Europe in Romania: aroseti@hsi.org ; 0741-188-934
  • United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

 

Humane Society International / Africa

Kobus Tollig Photography

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—Animal protection organization Humane Society International/Africa has launched its Healthy Pets, Healthier Community pilot program in Struisbraai and Bredasdorp, Cape Agulhas, to improve the welfare of roaming and owned community cats and dogs. As part of the launch, HSI/Africa and partners conducted the program’s first sterilisation marathon or “sterithon” at Struisbaai North Primary School and the Bredasdorp East Sports Grounds, sterilising 142 animals (111 dogs and 31 cats) and providing vaccinations, deworming and other treatment for 100 other animals, all of whom also received other primary veterinary care and grooming—as well as treats and toys from HSI/Africa volunteers.

The Healthy Pets, Healthier Community program provides local pet owners with the knowledge to help families maintain a healthy and humane lifestyle for their pets. This pilot program is also delivering humane education for local schools and families, low-cost veterinary services, and includes an animal law enforcement component that will strengthen the protection of animals in these communities. HSI/Africa will work with partners, other animal welfare groups and school children in the communities to improve the lives of their companion animals.

The program is being rolled out following a Monitor and Impact Evaluation Assessment survey for communities, that showed low dog and cat sterilization rates in Bredasdorp East and Struisbaai North, and high euthanasia and shelter surrender rates at the Cape Agulhas Municipality animal control facility. The survey indicated that most pets are not kept inside the home or do not have suitable outdoor kennels. This resulted in cruel practices such as dogs being kept on heavy chains and pets suffering from severe untreated tick, mite, lice and fly infestations.

Audrey Delsink, wildlife director and acting campaign manager for HSI/Africa’s companion animal and engagement program, said: “HSI/Africa is very proud to launch its very first Healthy Pets, Healthier Community pilot program in Cape Agulhas. The program aims to improve the health and welfare of companion animals in these communities through enhancing the family and pet bond. This is being achieved through high sterilization and vaccination rates. Meaningful and effective community engagement and humane education will be central to the success of our program. We encourage the communities of Struisbaai North and Bredasdorp East to participate and help us implement locally humane solutions for their dogs and cats through affordable veterinary services.”

In addition, HSI/Africa also visited two local schools to teach students the importance of responsible pet care and to encourage them to bring their pets to the “sterithon” and clinic days in the areas. The talks were focused on more than 400 children, who received educational coloring books to help them learn about caring for their pets at home.

Cape Agulhas Municipality executive mayor Paul Swart said: “Roaming dogs are a real challenge in our communities. To change this situation, we need to better inform our communities and I want to commit myself to doing so, starting here with HSI/Africa. Cape Agulhas is the most Southern point in South Africa, and we want to become an example for the rest of the country. We want to be a humane society that cares for one another – not only for us as humans, but especially for our pets. Through the ’Healthy Pets, Healthier Community’ program we wish to change the mindsets of our people to help them become better parents to their pets. Healthy and happy pets can improve our personal health and bring happiness to our homes. We thank the HSI/Africa team for the work you’ve already done in Cape Agulhas, and we look forward to becoming kinder, animal-loving communities with you.”

HSI/Africa encourages all community members to register their animals for sterilization and bring their furry friends to upcoming clinics to be hosted in 2023. For enquiries about the Struisbaai North registration, call Trevor on (084) 511-8705 and for enquiries about the Bredasdorp East registration, call Kerri-Lee on (082) 712-8331. For program enquiries, call Audrey Delsink from HSI/Africa on (083) 390-0337.

For video and photos click here.

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Media contact: Leozette Roode, specialist media communications and meat reduction: LRoode@hsi.org ; 071 360 1104; E

Humane Society International / Global

HSI

SEOUL—Humane Society International/Korea has won an “Outstanding Contribution to Society” award, given by the Korean Society for Alternative to Animal Experiments.

The award is sponsored by KSAAE every year to recognize individual academics and institutions and entities that contribute to the promotion of alternative approaches to animal testing. The award ceremony was held at the 3rd Asia Congress for Alternatives to Animal Experiments in Korea. Congress participants, along with representatives from South Korea, Japan, China, India, Europe, and USA joined in congratulating HSI/Korea on receiving the award.

HSI/Korea has been active in public awareness and legislative campaigns focusing on the chemical toxicity, medical and biologicals fields to remove obsolete animal tests and promote non-animal methods using state-of-the-art technologies. Even as interest in adopting human-biology relevant approaches increases worldwide, regulatory acceptance and use of such human-predictive methods remain slow in Korea.

HSI/Korea, director, government affairs Borami Seo said “We are thrilled to receive this “Outstanding Contribution to Society” award. HSI/Korea would like to share this honor with the many parties who supported our mission to promote animal testing replacement for better science. Right now, there is a bill, the Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods in the national assembly and we urge the government to support this measure in the interest of Korean scientific communities and public health.”

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Media Contact: Borami Seo: bseo@hsi.org

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