HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam—Safe Food, a food retailer in Ho Chi Minh City, announced it will only use cage-free eggs by 2028 through a recent collaboration with Gia Vien Farm, an egg producer set on a fivefold expansion of its cage-free systems. The initiative, backed by the global animal protection charity Humane Society International, is set to receive continuous technical guidance to ensure its successful implementation.
Viet Nam is home to nearly 86 million hens used for their eggs, the majority of which are confined in cages and unable to fully stretch their wings. The partnership between Safe Food and Gia Vien Farms will provide hens space to move freely within the barn and express their natural behavior, including ground scratching, pecking, laying their eggs in nests and socializing with their peers. Gia Vien Farm houses 2,000 hens in cage-free systems and plans to increase this number to 10,000 hens in the coming year. With this move, the producer is aligning with a worldwide movement observed among food businesses, producers, and governmental regulatory bodies, highlighting the importance of a supply chain that prioritizes strong animal welfare practice
Mrs. Le Van, Director of Sales at Safe Food, shared: “We understand that this journey may pose challenges, but we are wholeheartedly committed to working closely with Gia Vien Farm, our customers, and our partners to ensure a seamless and successful transition. Our customers can continue to trust Safe Food for safe, high-quality products that adhere to the highest ethical and quality standards.”
Ms. An Tran, HSI’s Farm Animal Welfare and Protection Viet Nam Program Manager, extended a message of appreciation, stating: “Safe Food‘s decision to go cage-free will relieve hens from a life of extreme confinement and sends a clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free.” Tran further emphasized, “We look forward to working together to create a brighter future for hens in the country by ending the use of cages.”
Cage-free production systems, like those at Gia Vien Farm, offer hens higher levels of welfare. In collaboration with Safe Food and other food industry stakeholders such as Vinh Thanh Dat Food Corporation, Mondelēz Kinh Do, and Fusion Hotel Group in Viet Nam and worldwide, HSI is dedicated to facilitating a successful transition to higher animal welfare production systems such as cage and crate-free.
ENDS
Media contact: Tham Hong Phuong, country director for HSI in Viet Nam ; phuongth@hsi.org
Humane Society International / South Korea
Jean Chung/For HSI
SEOUL—One month after the South Korean government announced a bill to ban the dog meat industry, 27 dogs rescued from a dog meat farm in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do have flown to the United States in search of loving homes. At the time of rescue in March this year by animal charity Humane Society International/Korea, these dogs—including Bumblebee, Parker, Trudy, Bruno and Mia—had not even been born yet when HSI/Korea saved their pregnant mums. Although previously too young to fly overseas, Nana, Nadia, Corbin, Covy Chico and the others are now old enough to make the journey. Mother dogs Raspberry and Zelda will also fly with their grown pups.
All had been fated to be killed for their meat as part of an industry that breeds and slaughters up to 1 million dogs a year for human consumption. They were saved as part of a 200-dog rescue when HSI/Korea worked with the farmer, who wanted to leave dog farming behind him and convert his land into a self-sufficient crop field growing cabbages and other vegetables.
With five legislative bills to ban the dog meat industry, and now the commitment of a government-backed bill, HSI/Korea says these 27 dogs are a reminder to policy makers that campaigners are counting the days for politicians to take action on a ban. The latest opinion surveys by Nielsen Korea in 2023 show that most South Koreans (87.5%) don’t eat dog meat and 56% support a ban.
Sangkyung Lee, HSI/Korea’s End Dog Meat campaign manager, helped rescue the dogs and said: “The dog meat farm where these 28 pups came from was a hellish scene. Some 200 dogs were locked in barren, metal cages in squalid conditions thick with feces, many suffering from malnutrition as well as painful skin and eye diseases. Thankfully, most of these 27 were too young to remember the trauma of those days, and it makes me so happy to know that they will soon be embraced with new names and cherished as loved family members in the United States. It’s one month since the South Korean government pledged to ban the dog meat industry, with each one of these dogs symbolising a day that we have waited for political action. We need to get this ban done so that no more dogs have to suffer for a meat that virtually no-one wants to eat.”
Since 2015, HSI/Korea’s Models for Change program has helped dog farmers in South Korea transition to new, more humane and profitable livelihoods such as chili plant and parsley growing or water truck delivery. HSI/Korea has permanently closed 18 dog meat farms so far and rescued more than 2,700 dogs who have flown to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to find homes, with a small number rehomed in South Korea.
After arrival in the United States, the 27 dogs will be settled at the charity’s care and rehabilitation center near Washington, D.C., where they will receive the love and comfort the dog meat industry denied them, including soft beds, nutritious food, toys, veterinary care and rehabilitation. After this initial phase, they will be transferred to shelter and rescue partners where they will be prepared for adoption into loving homes.
HSI’s rescues are conducted in compliance with national and local COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Following removal from farms, dogs were evaluated by a veterinarian. They were vaccinated against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospira, and canine influenza, and screened for respiratory illness as needed to ensure the health of each animal and comply with international export and import requirements.
Media contact: Haewon Lee, HSI/Korea media and communications specialist: hlee@hsi.org
Owner supports Humane Society International’s campaign to ban the cat meat trade in Viet Nam
Humane Society International
Chau Doan/AP Images for HSI
THAI NGUYEN , Viet Nam—Twenty cats and kittens who were due to be drowned at a slaughterhouse in Thai Nguyen, Viet Nam, have been given a second chance at life after the owner asked animal charity Humane Society International’s local team for help to close his business for good. Thirty-seven-year-old Mr. Pham Quoc Doanh had run his cat meat restaurant and slaughterhouse for five years, drowning up to 300 cats a month to serve to customers as a dish called ‘thịt mèo’ (cat meat) and ‘tiểu hổ’ or ‘little tiger’. Regret at killing the animals, and particularly the knowledge that many were stolen pets, led him to resolve to get out of the trade for good.
The closure of Mr. Doanh’s business and the rescue of the cats is part of HSI’s Viet Nam Models for Change program, launched in the country last year after successfully operating in South Korea since 2015. The program has so far closed down two dog slaughterhouse/restaurants and one cat slaughterhouse/restaurant in Thai Nguyen.
Mr. Doanh said: “For a while now I have felt a genuine desire to leave the cruel cat meat business and switch to something else as soon as possible. When I think of all the thousands of cats I’ve slaughtered and served up here over the years, it’s upsetting. Cat theft is so common in Viet Nam that I know many of the cats sold here were someone’s loved family companion, and I feel very sorry about that. It makes me happy to know that thanks to HSI, my wife and I can now put the cat meat trade behind us and start afresh, still serving my local community but no longer as part of this brutal and crime-fuelled trade. I want to see a ban on the dog and cat meat trade in Viet Nam.”
With a one-time grant provided by HSI, Mr. Doanh is setting up a grocery store. As part of the agreement, he signed over to HSI the remaining 20 cats and kittens at his slaughterhouse so that they could be rescued and placed for local adoption. HSI rescuers removed the traumatized cats from the property on the final day of business and watched as Mr. Doanh tore down the restaurant’s “cat meat” signage, symbolising his exit from the cat meat trade.
Quang Nguyen, Humane Society International’s Viet Nam companion animals and engagement program manager, said: “We are thrilled to be closing down our first cat meat trade business in Viet Nam, and hope it will be the first of many as more people like Mr. Doanh turn away from this cruel trade. Although most Vietnamese people don’t eat cat meat, the belief still persists that consumption can cure bad luck, and the scale of the suffering is astonishing. These 20 lucky cats and kittens have escaped a terrible fate and will be found loving homes, but our work continues to see a nationwide ban on the cat meat trade that brings such pain and distress to so many.”
An estimated one million cats a year are killed for meat in Viet Nam, all stolen pets and strays snatched from the streets. Traders use food baits to lure the cats into homemade spring-loaded snares. Polls show that an astonishing 87% of people have either had a pet stolen or have an acquaintance whose pet has been stolen. Pet theft is becoming a growing societal issue in Viet Nam, with the increasing animal-loving and pet owning population frustrated with the lack of law enforcement to protect their animals from unscrupulous thieves and traders. In addition to pet theft, truckloads of both live and slaughtered cats have also been reported coming across the China border. Cats (and dogs) are frequently trafficked incredible distances across Viet Nam, even in the baggage hold of passenger buses, often travelling for more than 24hours without rest, food or water in suffocating conditions, with many dying along the way.
A recent Nielsen opinion poll (Oct. 2023) commissioned by HSI shows that cat meat is consumed by a relative minority of the Vietnamese population (21%) with the majority (71%) in favour of a ban on both cat meat consumption and trade. By far the top reasons for not consuming dog and cat meat are a belief that they are companion animals and an aversion to animal cruelty.
All 20 cats rescued from Mr. Doanh’s slaughterhouse were taken to custom-made sheltering at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry where they were vaccinated against rabies and will receive medical care before being made available for local adoption.
Cat meat trade facts:
Cat meat dishes are particularly common around the capital, Hanoi, and in the northern province of Thai Binh.
In 2018, nine cooler boxes containing almost 1 ton of frozen cats was intercepted between Dong Nai province in the south and Thai Binh province in the north.
In 1998, the Prime Minister issued a directive banning the hunting, slaughtering and consumption of cats in efforts to encourage cat ownership to keep the rat population under control. However, little to no action was taken to combat the trade, and the directive was eventually repealed in 2020.
Nielsen’s online survey of Vietnamese citizens was conducted in September 2023 with recipients aged between 25–60 years old, with a total sample size of 800.
Heavily watered-down animal welfare package also disappoints with weak animal transport proposal
Humane Society International / Europe
Jo-Anne McArthur
BRUSSELS—Animal protection group Humane Society International/Europe has called “inexcusable” the European Commission’s failure today to recommend an EU-wide fur farming ban in response to the 1.5 million signature-strong European Citizens’ Initiative petition. Despite overwhelming evidence that animal suffering is endemic within fur farming, the European Commission failed to urgently end the suffering of 10 million foxes, raccoon dogs, mink and chinchillas killed on EU fur farms each year and instead delayed until 2026 any decision on proposing a ban. HSI/Europe says that the Commission’s failure to deliver a ban condemns millions of sentient animals to lives not worth living on the EU’s remaining fur farms.
The Commission’s Communication states the European Food Safety Authority will provide its scientific opinion on the welfare of animals on fur farms by March 2025, followed by an evaluation which the Commission pledged to present by March 2026 to say whether they will deliver an EU-wide ban on fur farming and on the sale of fur taken from mink, foxes, raccoon dogs, and chinchillas. Given that the mandate of the current Commission is due to end in late 2024, there is no guarantee that their successors will make good on this promise.
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, noted: “The plans announced today show a European Commission that is out of touch with public opinion and expectations for stronger laws to stop animals suffering. Millions of European citizens recognise that keeping huge numbers of wild animals on fur factory farms is grossly inhumane, and leading virologists warn that fur farms present a very real pandemic disease risk. So, it is deeply frustrating and worrying that the Commission is side-stepping its responsibility for decisive action to end the outdated and unnecessary fur trade. Irrespective of fur industry claims about welfare, each and every fur farm investigation in recent times consistently shows chronically stressed animals living under appalling conditions. Stereotypical behaviours, self-mutilation, untreated wounds and even cannibalism are tragically common horrors on European fur farms. The Commission’s failure to deliver a ban today is inexcusable and condemns millions of sentient animals to lives not worth living on the EU’s remaining fur farms.”
The announcement about the Fur Free Europe ECI was made alongside the publication of the Commission’s highly watered-down Animal Welfare Package. The only proposals that the Commission has delivered today are to revise Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations, and a new Regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability. Alone, these proposals fall short of the commitments made in the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Commission’s promise to the 1.4 million European citizens backing the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizen’s Initiative
Ruud Tombrock, executive director of HSI/Europe, commented: “While the proposal on animal transport contains some progressive elements, it ignores EFSA’s scientific recommendations about making sure no animal is transported in frigidtemperatures below 5°C and suffocating heat exceeding30°C. Derogations would still allow vulnerable and young animals, such as calves not yet weaned from their mother’s milk to be transported for long durations byroad. Absurdly, when these unweaned animals are transported by sea, as it often happens with calves exported from Ireland to mainland Europe, the time travelled by sea does not count as journey time. There is also no ban on live exports to non-EU countries, which has been long demanded by animal protection NGOs. The failure to address these issues is evidence that industry interests have prevailed over science and ethics, and that despite this legislative revision, it will be business as usual for operators to the detriment of animal welfare. Member States and Members of the European Parliament during the next political term must commit to strengthening this proposal to give animals the protection that they deserve.”
Facts on fur farming
The Commission’s communication on the Fur Free Europe ECI acknowledges that fur farming poses a risk to public health and that it is relevant to the EU’s One Health policy of protecting animals, humans and the environment. To these ends, it commits to conducting three on-site visits to fur farms to assess the disease control mechanisms in place, as well as looking into animal welfare on the selected farms.
The risk to native biodiversity posed by fur farms is also addressed in the Communication. While raccoon dogs are already listed on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern, the Commission states that in 2024 it will consider whether to propose to include American mink in this list. Previous attempts to do so had been blocked by several Member States despite the responsible scientific committee’s approval of a risk assessment highlighting the threat American mink pose to native biodiversity.
Fur farming has already been completely banned in 15 Member States (with phase-outs still ongoing in some), namely Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Slovakia. Partial bans have also been introduced in other Member States, namely Denmark, Sweden and Hungary. Legislation in Germany has rendered fur farming economically unviable. A proposal to ban fur farming is currently under consideration in Romania.
Facts on improving lives of animals farmed for food:
In 2020, the Commission committed to revising and expanding the scope of the existing EU animal welfare legislation in the framework of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy. Following the 1.4 million signatures strong ECI to End the Cage Age, the Commission later pledged to deliver a legislative proposal to end caged confinement for animals farmed for food by the end of 2023. This proposal has not been forthcoming.
The Commission’s proposal to revise the existing animal transport legislation includes the following elements:
Proposing the lowering of maximum journey times for most species. For example, horses, cows, sheep, goats and pigs should not be transported to slaughter for more than nine hours.
Updating space allowances to be aligned with EFSA’s recommendations on animal transport
Protecting young unweaned calves, lambs, kids, piglets and foals by banning on-road transportation over eight hours. However, a very concerning loophole exists where if part of the animal transportation occurs at sea, the time spent at sea is not included in the overall journey duration, thereby undermining the protection of unweaned animals.
Requiring real-time traceability of live animal consignments for all road journeys, which will help enforce rules designed to protect animals, such as maximum transportation times.
Limiting live animal transport to ships flying white or grey flags. Under the performance ratings of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Controls, only those ships will be allowed to operate and receive authorisation certificates to transport live animals. This will exclude ships that have shown an excessive number of deficiencies to be responsible for transporting animals.
ENDS
Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international media relations coordinator; cbodinduval@hsi.org
Rotruedee restaurant is now cage-free
Humane Society International / Southeast Asia
Grigorios Moraitis/Getty Images
Update: As of October 2023, Rotruedee has published that it no longer buys eggs from caged hens.
BANGKOK, Thailand—Rotruedee, an authentic Thai restaurant, fully switched to cage-free eggs shortly after discussions with Humane Society International. Rotruedee’s swift shift to cage-free eggs is driven by their conviction that superior quality and compassionate sourcing of ingredients are pivotal factors to the flavor of the food they serve and the restaurant’s popularity and long-term growth.
The majority of the 95.8 million hens used for egg production in Thailand spend their entire lives in wire cages the size of an A4 sheet of paper, so small hens can’t spread their wings or take more than few steps. In such production systems, hens are unable to express important natural behaviors, including nesting, perching and dustbathing, all of which are possible in cage-free systems. Hens are sentient, intelligent and sociable animals. Scientific studies have shown that they can count, empathize with their chicks, enjoy social activities such as dustbathing, and can anticipate the future, which in turn affects their decision making.
Mr. Tupnapaat Jarumpornsakul, founder of Rotruedee, says: “When we set up this restaurant, we wanted to create an excellent and authentic Thai restaurant with reasonable prices offering a unique mix of common and rare dishes. After dialogue with Humane Society International, we understand how hens suffer in cages, and immediately chose to make a commitment to go cage-free. Improving animal welfare is a part of our goal of celebrating food and sustainability. We love to make the best food and want to make the biggest positive impact we can for society.”
“Thai people love animals, and Rotruedee’s commitment is a part of the growing cage-free movement in Thailand. We hope that Rotruedee’s quick implementation of its policy will inspire more restaurants to stop buying caged eggs,” said Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand Program Manager for Farm Animal Welfare at Humane Society International.
Humane Society International’s work to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture is both science-based and collaborative. The organization works with companies, farmers, processors, scientists and certifiers to support a transition to cage-free housing systems, and offers a wide range of support to companies including farm visits, consumer education and corporate roundtables and workshops to enhance their supply chains.
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Media contact: Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand program manager for farm animal welfare and protection at Humane Society International, ltangjerdjaras@hsi.org
Humane Society International / Global
dusanpetkovic
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—We, the undersigned organizations, welcome the endorsement of more than 120 countries to the COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health, which emphasizes the importance of integrating health into climate policies.
In particular, we appreciate the recognition of the climate benefits of “shifts to sustainable healthy diets.” This is a critical step forward, and important actions lie ahead to implement the Declaration’s objectives and promises.
The Climate and Health Declaration notes the importance of collaborating across “human, animal, environment, and climate health challenges.” Sustainable and healthy food systems are pivotal to this interdependence. With its poor animal husbandry systems, industrial animal agriculture can be a powerful incubator of diseases. The “One Health” approach is crucial in tackling issues such as zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance.
A decisive shift away from unsustainable food production practices associated with industrial animal agriculture is urgent. Equally crucial, is the definition and direction of the transition needed. Our current global food system fails to address the inequalities in our diets, resulting in issues such as hunger and obesity. The rising global consumption of animal-based foods negatively impacts health and breaches multiple planetary boundaries, namely climate, land use change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use and nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, thereby increasing the risk of disease.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes the multiple benefits of a “transition to more plant-based consumption and reduced consumption of animal-based foods,” including benefits to biodiversity and forests as well as lowering risks of many non-communicable diseases. As an example, the IPCC states that shifts to healthy and sustainable plant-based diets could reduce emissions by up to 8 giga tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
Countries must now act to support sustainable food production as well as sustainable diets—through public education, government legislation and fiscal incentives in order to deliver effective, long-term solutions. We look forward to working with governments to implement the Declaration in a way that delivers healthy, sustainable diets for people, animals and the planet.
COP28 is a decisive moment to drive ambitious action on climate and health. We must rise to the global challenges we face and convert words into action.
Signatories include: Aquatic Life Institute, Brighter Green, Compassion in World Farming, FOUR PAWS, Humane Society International, Mercy For Animals, Plant Based Treaty, Tzu Chi Foundation, ProVeg International and World Animal Protection.
Humane Society International / Italy
HSI
ROME—The leading Italian airline, ITA Airways, proudly announces its support of the campaign #NotInMyWorld of the global animal protection charity Humane Society International/Europe. The airline has adopted a new corporate policy that prohibits the transportation of hunting trophies on all company flights, both as cargo and as passenger baggage. This stands as a significant testament to the Company’s commitment to wildlife conservation, as well as a substantial contribution to ending trophy hunting and fostering business practices that acknowledge the global community’s responsibility for biodiversity protection.
Hundreds of thousands of animals globally, including endangered and threatened species, are killed by trophy hunters for amusement and boasting, contributing to the decline of wild populations, conservation challenges, and inhumane practices. Unlike subsistence hunting, the primary motivation for those engaged in this activity is to kill animals for competition and entertainment, targeting rare or highly sought-after animals for their physical characteristics (thick manes, long tusks, overall size, etc.) and turning them into trophies for display to showcase success in hunting. Considering that a significant number of trophy hunters who book overseas hunting trips intend to transport their macabre souvenirs back home, the transportation sector plays a key role in facilitating this ethically questionable and harmful industry.
On a national level, ITA Airways’ commitment holds particular significance since Italy ranks among the primary importers of hunting trophies in Europe. Between 2014 and 2021, 442 hunting trophies from mammals protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) were imported, including hippos, rhinos, elephants, and lions. These data reveal the country’s active involvement in the trophy hunting industry, despite a survey indicating that 86% of Italians oppose this practice, with 74% supporting a legislative ban on trophy imports.
By joining the campaign, ITA Airways has taken several measures including:
Addition of hunting trophies to the list of prohibited items: ITA Airways has expanded the list of prohibited items for transportation in both passenger baggage and cargo, expressly including hunting trophies. This clear prohibition ensures that such items are not accepted on ITA Airways flights.
Online publication of the policy: The hunting trophy policy has been published on the ITA Airways’ official website, providing transparency and accessibility to the new directives. This step reflects the Company’s commitment to open and responsible communication.
Update of operational manuals for cargo and ground procedures: ITA Airways has reviewed and updated its operations manuals, ensuring that the new provisions regarding hunting trophies are fully integrated into cargo procedures and ground operations.
Dissemination of the policy to staff, hubs, and suppliers: The new policy has been disseminated at all levels of the Company, including flight and ground staff, as well as suppliers and hubs where the airline operates. This dissemination ensures full understanding and adherence to the new provisions regarding hunting trophies.
Giovanna Di Vito, ITA Airways’ chief program office, ESG & Customer Operations, emphasizes “Our firm support for Humane Society International/Europe’s campaign to stop the import of hunting trophies into Italy and Europe reflects ITA Airways’ ongoing commitment to the planet, our country, and communities. Our Company’s new policy, which formalizes a ban on the carriage of hunting trophies on its flights, is a concrete action, our contribution to the protection of wildlife and the promotion of that protection. Indeed, we believe that companies have a key role in supporting and spreading ethical practices that represent real progress toward a more responsible and sustainable future.”
Martina Pluda, director of Humane Society International/Europe in Italy, states: “ITA Airways’ support to our campaign and their new policy represent a highly significant contribution to the goal of ending cruel trophy hunting. In fact, the corporate sector also plays a huge role in the collective action necessary to protect threatened wildlife globally. With HSI/Europe’s #NotInMyWorld campaign, we continue to strengthen our commitment to the preservation of endangered animal species and flora and for the introduction of bans on import, export and re-export of hunting trophies from protected animals in Italy and Europe.”
In addition to ITA Airways, an increasing number of airlines, cargo operators, and transport companies worldwide have adopted corporate policies against the transportation of hunting trophies. Please visit hsi.org/trophy-free-transport for an overview of all transport companies.
HSI/Europe: Eva-Maria Heinen, communications & PR manager for HSI in Italy and Germany: emheinen@hsi.org; 3338608589
ITA Airways: Pietro Caldaroni, Head of Communication and Institutional relations; media@ita-airways.com
Humane Society International / Europe
Thomas Szacka-Marier for HSI
BRUSSELS―With just a week to go before the European Commission is due to deliver its formal response to the European Citizens’ Initiative petition for an EU-wide fur farming ban, animal protection organizations, members of the Fur Free Alliance and MEPs gathered opposite the European Parliament to highlight the suffering of animals exploited for fur fashion. More than 1.5 million EU citizens signed the ECI petition for a Fur Free Europe which could end the suffering of 10 million foxes, raccoon dogs, mink and chinchilla on EU fur farms each year.
Campaigners from Humane Society International/Europe, Oikeutta eläimille and Otwarte Klatki, Gaia and Tu Abrigo Su Vida wore body screens broadcasting footage recently obtained from undercover investigations on fur farms in six Member States, namely Finland, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Latvia and Lithuania. The disturbing footage exposes the harsh realities of intensively confining wild species on fur factory farms, and shows mink and foxes in small, wire cages, enduring horrifying injuries, maggot infested wounds and painful infections.
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, said: “This new footage showing mink, foxes and raccoon dogs suffering from the most horrific injuries and displaying stereotypical behaviours, confirms just how poor animal welfare standards are on Europe’s remaining fur farms. Despite fur industry claims of improved welfare on fur farms, the truth is there is precious little evidence that anything has really changed since the fur farm investigations of the 1980s. Animal suffering is endemic within fur farming and the only ethical solution, which also satisfies the demands of a majority of EU citizens, is to ban fur farming altogether. The European Commission must now take action to deliver a legislative proposal to prohibit fur farming at an EU level.”
Kristo Muurimaa, campaigns director at Finnish animal group Oikeutta eläimille, added: “Over the past decade, I have visited dozens of fur farms in Finland and elsewhere in the world, and the one common factor is the appalling welfare conditions under which the animals are standardly kept. It is extremely common to see abnormal behaviours, evidence of fighting, untreated injuries and even instances of cannibalism. I’ve seen these poor conditions on fur farms certified as complying with the industry’s voluntary animal welfare standards, demonstrating that this certification is not worth the paper it is written on. It is quite simply impossible to safeguard or guarantee the welfare of animals intensively bred for fur.”
Karolina Pelka, investigations specialist at Otwarte Klatki in Poland, said: “Given the conditions under which animals on fur farms are intensively kept, bred and killed, it is impossible to meet their complex welfare needs. Let it be clear. Any attempt to develop EU animal welfare standards for fur animals, which is based on the existing caged housing system, cannot deliver meaningful welfare improvements for these animals. Moreover, it would be an insult to the more than 1.5 million EU citizens who signed the ECI calling for a Fur Free Europe. They will be satisfied by nothing less than an EU-wide ban on fur farming.”
“In this day and age, it is reprehensible that we are still keeping and killing animals solely for their fur. This is a cruel and unnecessary practice, which—as we have seen in recent years with outbreaks of the SARS-CoV-2 and HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] viruses on fur farms—also poses a serious threat to public health. The fur industry is already in serious decline throughout Europe, consumers, retailers and fashion designers have increasingly been turning their backs on fur and fur production has been prohibited in many Member States. So let us finally end this cruel business by introducing an EU-wide ban on fur farming. The industry only exists to supply the frivolous fashion industry with luxury products that no-one actually needs. It is high time that the Commission listens to EU citizens and delivers an EU ban on fur farming,” says Tilly Metz MEP (Greens/EFA) and President of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals.
Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international media relations coordinator, cbodinduval@hsi.org
The distiller joins the movement to eliminate caged confinement in Europe
Humane Society International / Europe
David Paul Morris for HSUS
BRUSSELS—De Kuyper Royal Distillers has become one of the first distillers globally to announce a commitment for the responsible sourcing of eggs. As early as 2011, the Dutch manufacturer of distilled spirits and liqueurs, which uses approximately 19 million eggs annually, has embarked on a mission to source exclusively cage-free eggs. By 2030, the company aims to transition to sourcing free-range eggs throughout its entire supply chain. De Kuyper’s new animal welfare policy was developed in cooperation with Humane Society International/Europe.
De Kuyper’s commitment to source eggs exclusively from cage-free production systems, along with its aspirations to transition to free-range production systems, sends a strong signal to both policymakers and producers by demonstrating a growing appetite and increasing market demand for responsible eggs among corporate actors. With this commitment, De Kuyper Royal Distillers has joined the growing number of global consumer goods companies who have pledged to stop using eggs from caged hens, including PepsiCo, Unilever, Mondelez and Nestlé.
In 2021, following the success of the End the Cage Age European Citizens Initiative which was supported by 1.4 million EU citizens, the European Commission announced that they will deliver a proposal to end caged confinement for farmed animals. While it is uncertain when and if the Commission will deliver this proposal in the near term, the fact that increasingly more businesses are taking corporate responsibility with regard to how the eggs they use are produced, is a clear proof for support for higher animal welfare standards in Europe.
Mark de Witte, CEO at De Kuyper Royal Distillers, said: “As a company with more than 325 years of history, De Kuyper Royal Distillers has always been able to adapt to changing times and changing customer and consumer demands, and this is no different when it comes to animal welfare. As a socially responsible company, we are proud to present our first animal welfare policy and take steps towards higher animal welfare standards to become future-proof.”
De Kuyper Royal Distillers is a global market-leading producer of liqueurs and creates the traditional Dutch liqueur Advocaat. The company is one of the largest producers of egg liqueur globally and distills it for its own brands, as well as for other leading retailers in Europe.
Elise Allart, corporate engagement director for Humane Society International/Europe, said: “De Kuyper Royal Distillers has taken an important step by including animal welfare in its responsible sourcing strategy. The company sources exclusively cage-free eggs not only for its liqueurs, but also for the products served in the canteens to its employees. The policy also reaffirms the long-lasting commitment of De Kuyper to not test its products on animals, or to implement protecting practices that involve any form of cruelty to animals, for instance in their marketing activities.”
The majority of hens in the global egg industry are confined to cramped battery cages, where they spend their entire life on a surface not bigger than an A4 sheet of paper. In response to consumer demands and serious concerns about animal welfare, barren battery cages were eventually phased out in the EU by 2012. However, in 2022 43.2% of hens in the European Union are still confined to enriched cages. Cage-free and free-range systems, on the other hand, allow birds to perform their natural behaviours, such as laying eggs in nests, walking, perching, dust bathing or wing-flapping.
ENDS
Media contact:
Humane Society International/Europe: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international media relations coordinator, cbodinduval@hsi.org
De Kuyper Royal Distillers: Thomas van Gaal, sustainability manager, tvgaal@dekuyper.nl
Courteney Cox, Ricky Gervais, Andie McDowell join with Indonesia’s Bubah Alfian, Cinta Laura Kiehl, D.J Bryant, Davina Veronica, Luna Maya, Prilly Latuconsia and more to support ending the brutal trades
Humane Society International / Indonesia
HSI
JAKARTA, Indonesia—More than 30 stars from the world of acting, fashion and music―including Billie Eilish, Charlize Theron, Clint Eastwood, Kim Basinger, Courteney Cox, Ricky Gervais, Andie McDowell, Jeff Bridges and Zooey Deschanel―have called on President Joko Widodo in a joint letter to end Indonesia’s brutal dog and cat meat trades following the rescue of desperate animals from one of the country’s most notorious markets, Tomohon Extreme Market.
More than 130,000 dogs and countless cats annually are slaughtered in public markets across the Indonesia’s island of Sulawesi. In July this year, Mayor Caroll Senduk of the city of Tomohon in North Sulawesi province worked with animal charities Humane Society International and Animal Friends Manado Indonesia to permanently shut down the sale and slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption at the infamous market, ending years of suffering. The charities rescued the remaining animals found alive at the market’ slaughterhouse.
In the letter to the president, the stars including Dame Judi Dench, Alicia Silverstone, Alfie Boe OBE, Leona Lewis, Daisy Fuentes, Eddie Vedder, Goran Visnjic, Kristin Bauer and others praised “those leaders throughout Indonesia who have taken action to eradicate the dog and cat meat trades in their jurisdictions, saving tens of thousands of dogs and cats every month from the cruel and dangerous trades. There are now 28 cities and regencies that have passed Directives and regulations prohibiting the trades, as well as the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, and the groundbreaking and progressive action taken by the City of Tomohon in July ending the sale and slaughter of dogs and cats, and their meat, at the nation’s most infamous market – Tomohon Extreme Market.”
They ended their letter by urging the PM to ensure “a nationwide ban is introduced so that we can soon celebrate a truly dog and cat meat-free Indonesia.”
The letter, which was also signed by some of Indonesia’s biggest mega-stars including Bubah Alfian, Cinta Laura Kiehl, D.J Bryant, Davina Veronica, Luna Maya and Prilly Latuconsia, acknowledged the fact that most people in Indonesia want to see a ban. The stars wrote: “We stand strong with the overwhelming majority of Indonesian citizens and international visitors who oppose the dog and cat meat trades and believe in protecting animals from cruelty and exploitation; and applaud those leaders who have taken steps in prioritizing their citizens’ health and safety.”
The stars felt inspired to pen the letter after hearing about the dog and cat meat trade ban achieved at Tomohon Market by HSI and AFMI and their rescue of the last 25 dogs and three cats found alive at the slaughterhouses supplying the market. All six dog and cat traders who supplied and worked at the market signed an historic agreement to permanently end involvement in the dog and cat meat trades, which in turn disrupted the vast supply network of animal thieves and traffickers involved in their punishingly long-distance transport.
Animal cruelty at Tomohon market has been documented during exposés spanning many years, showing live dogs and cats cowering and shaking as traders yanked them one by one from their cage to bludgeon them repeatedly over the head and blow-torched them to remove their fur, sometimes while still conscious. Most recently, upsetting footage was filmed by HSI at Tomohon market in March and July this year, including rows of blowtorched dog and cat carcasses on display at market stalls.
Lola Webber, HSI’s director of campaigns to end the dog meat trade, said: “We are so grateful to these outspoken Indonesian and global stars who are using their voices to speak up for the millions of dogs and cats who endure the most horrific abuse for the meat trade. We echo their praise for those Indonesian leaders working with us to end this cruelty at and we join with them in urging President Widodo to introduce a nationwide ban.”
Frank Delano from AFMI said: “The dog and cat meat trades are not only obscenely cruel, but they also jeopardise public health through the spread of the deadly rabies virus during dog slaughter, butchery and consumption. So to see these celebrities stand with the majority of Indonesian citizens in calling for an end to this miserable trade is really encouraging.”
Karin Franken from Jakarta Animal Aid Network, a DMFI coalition founding member, said: “Indonesia is a popular tourist destination for travellers from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe, so the celebrities who signed this letter are representing both the international and national community who want to see a dog and cat meat-free Indonesia. These poor animals have endured enough. We hope that President Widodo and provincial leaders take action to rid Indonesia of the scourge of this cruel and dangerous trade that tarnishes our reputation across the globe.”
