Category: Press Release

Humane Society International / Global

Dogs in Indonesia

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Regency of Karanganyar in Java has pledged an action plan to end its brutal dog meat trade, following a shocking investigation by campaign coalition Dog Meat Free Indonesia. The action plan includes closing all 21 stalls selling dog meat in the regency and the creation of alternative livelihoods for those people currently reliant on the trade. The local government plans to host a meeting with the traders and vendors to announce the ban and to discuss alternative livelihood opportunities, a first of its kind in Java.

The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition’s investigations showed dogs being beaten and strung upside down to bleed out whilst still conscious, and in full view of other terrified dogs bound and caged who await their turn. The horrific footage prompted renewed calls for urgent action by campaigners, national and international celebrity ambassadors and concerned citizens from throughout Indonesia and around the world. The action being taken in Karanganyar will save almost 2,000 dogs each month from slaughter, and campaigners are optimistic that this will mark the start of a nationwide movement to tackle this illegal and dangerous trade.

When announcing the development of an action plan Regent of Karanganyar Regency Drs. Juliyatmono denounced the trade, warning of the grave risks to public health it poses. Whilst dog meat is consumed by some for its perceived health properties, the reality is that the dog meat trade poses a significant and very real threat to public health, with rabies transmission being of particularly grave concern. Research shows that the highest prevalence of rabies occurs in provinces and regencies with the highest dog meat consumption., bringing with it devastating consequences for human health, animal welfare and the local economy.

As an ever-growing number of countries and territories in the region and around the world take action to tackle the illegal dog and cat meat trades, global public and political communities are becoming increasingly intolerant to the trades. With the recent Indonesian presidential elections having taken place on April 17, campaigners hope that now is the time for the government to prioritise this issue on grounds of public health and safety as well as animal welfare, and fulfill its pledge to take action to tackle the trade.

Quotes

“In order to prevent various diseases caused by dog meat consumption, we will soon take action to close all dog meat stalls in Karanganyar, so humans can co-exist in harmony with the environment and all living creatures” – Drs. Juliyatmono, M.M, Regent of Karanganyar Regency.

“Pledges for action have been made from the Central government’s Ministry of Agriculture, and the DMFI and the millions of supporters we represent worldwide applaud this position.  But these words need to result in commitments for change through strong and impactful actions, like those presented by Drs. Juliyatmono, M.M.” – Karin Franken, Jakarta Animal Aid Network.

”We congratulate the Regency of Karanganyar for addressing these grave concerns for the sake of public and animal health and safety, and call on those in power to take action nationwide. Promises have been made but we need to see programs to end the trade implemented nationwide to protect our communities and animals. The DMFI coalition stands ready to help provide practical and on-the-ground support to secure the dual aims of eliminating both the dog and cat meat trades and rabies” – Angelina Pane, Animal Friends Jogja.

“Now is the time for the Indonesian Central and Provincial governments to take Karanganyar Regency’s lead and to prioritise this issue on grounds of public health and safety as well as animal welfare, and fulfill their pledge to take action to tackle the trade. The trade is cruel and dangerous, and the time is now for action to be taken!” – Lola Webber, Change for Animals Foundation.

FACTS

  • Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI) is a coalition of national and international animal protection organisations comprising Change For Animals Foundation, Humane Society International, Animals Asia, FOUR PAWS, Animal Friends Jogja and Jakarta Animal Aid Network which documents the brutality of the trades and campaigns for a ban on grounds of animal cruelty and risks to public health.
  • Dog theft for the meat trade is a serious problem in Indonesia. DMFI has interviewed many residents who have described their terrifying ordeal with armed traders stealing their pets at night. Despite the obvious law-breaking, thefts are rarely taken seriously by law enforcement, so the thieves go unpunished.
  • The illegal movement of large numbers of dogs of unknown disease status into densely-populated areas impedes efforts to protect communities from the deadly rabies virus. This contravenes rabies control recommendations by leading human and animal health experts including the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as well as national disease prevention legislation.
  • Studies reveal a high incidence of rabies-positive dogs in slaughterhouses and markets throughout the region, including Indonesia. For example, in 2007 research from markets in North Sulawesi (Manado, Airmadidi and Langowan) showed between 7.8 and 10.6 percent of dogs sold for human consumption were infected with rabies. In 2018 the DMFI coalition found that of just 10 dog carcass samples sold for human consumption in Tomohon, one tested positive for rabies.
  • In August 2018 at the National Coordination of Animal Welfare meeting in Jakarta, the Indonesian Government pledged to end the dog and cat meat trades. Mr Syamsul Ma’arif DVM, M.Si, director of veterinary public health, described the trades as “torture for animals” and added that “dog meat or any animal that is not registered as farm animals, is illegal”.
  • Globally, opposition to the dog and cat meat trades is increasing, with an ever-growing number of countries and territories in the region (Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand) and internationally (the United States) banning the trade in and slaughter, sale, consumption of dogs.

The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia campaign has received support from global and Indonesian superstars including Simon Cowell, Sophia Latjuba, Yeslin Wang, Nadia Mulya, Lawrence Enzela, Cameron Diaz, Chelsea Islan, Ellen DeGeneres, Alya Nurshabrina, Shaggydog and Pierce Brosnan who last year signed a letter to President Joko Widodo calling for action to end the country’s dog and cat meat trades. A petition of more than 1 million signatures was also submitted to the government of Indonesia in November 2018

Dame Judi Dench and violinist Vanessa-Mae send messages of solidarity

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

LONDON – Dame Judi Dench and violinist Vanessa-Mae have sent heart-felt messages of support and solidarity for a 1.5 million-signature petition by Care2 and Humane Society International, delivered today to the Chinese Embassy by dogs rescued from China’s annual Yulin dog meat festival. The festival, which starts on 21st June, sees thousands of dogs and cats beaten to death and eaten, most of them stolen pets grabbed from back yards and the streets. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, and pet owners and dog thieves have had numerous violent clashes.

Snorki, Fred and two dogs named Lily were saved from Yulin slaughterhouses in 2016 and 2018 by Chinese partner groups supported by animal charity Humane Society International. HSI and the ‘ambassadogs’ were joined by petition partners Care2 as well as Clacton MP Giles Watling who shares the campaigners’ desire to see urgent action to end the gruesome spectacle of Yulin.

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “The dog meat trade in China is first and foremost about crime and cruelty. The Yulin festival is one small but distressing example of an unspeakably cruel trade run by dog thieves and sellers who routinely steal pets in broad daylight using poison darts and rope nooses, defy public health and safety laws, and cause horrendous suffering, all for a meat that most people in China don’t consume. Dogs like Snorki, Fred and Lily are amazing ambassadors for our campaign to end this horror, we are proud to deliver this petition with them. And we’re immensely proud to support dedicated animal advocates in China who passionately work to end the dog meat trade, saving so many lives along the way.” 

Beth Granter from Care2, the online community, says: “The huge number of signatures on this petition shows the strength of feeling against Yulin dog meat festival. Care2 members want to see an end to the dog meat trade entirely. When people’s pets are being stolen, cruelly killed and then eaten, this is inhumane, and has to stop. We hope that the Chinese authorities will hear the voices of over 1.5M people who want to see an end to this cruelty.”

Actress Dame Judi Dench sent a message of support for the petition delivery, saying: “It fills me with sadness to think that the Yulin dog meat festival is just around the corner again. So I wanted to send this message as a symbol of my solidarity with all the thousands of people in China against the dog meat trade, who love their dogs and cats just as much as we do, but who go through the awful heart ache of having them stolen by dog thieves. I cannot imagine the suffering of those poor dogs, and I hope very much that one day soon this cruel trade will end.” 

Violinist Vanessa-Mae showed her support with a video message, saying: “Please join us in solidarity as we want to see an end to China’s barbaric dog meat trade including the horrific Yulin dog meat festival… Along with compassionate people in China, who do care about dog welfare, please show that you also have a heart, and support us in calling on China to end such cruel and heart breaking treatment of dogs.”

The Yulin dog meat festival is not a traditional festival. It was only invented in 2010 by dog traders trying to boost flagging meat sales. Before the festival started, Yulin had no history of mass dog slaughter and consumption. The World Health Organisation has warned that the dog meat trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera.

The Yulin dog meat festival begins in earnest on 21st June to mark the summer solstice. When first launched, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure decline to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival, and an estimated 10 million dogs and 4 million cats are killed for meat throughout the year across China.

Giles Watling, MP said “I am proud to stand with so many others in calling on the Chinese government to end the cruel Yulin dog meat festival. An action that would save thousands of dogs from terrible suffering each year, and also help prevent pet theft and the spread of rabies within China. I implore the Chinese authorities to heed the calls from compassionate citizens both inside China and across the world who want to see the abhorrent dog meat trade ended once and for all.”

Photos and video downloads

 

 

Media Contact:

Humane Society International: Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: +44(0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON—On World Giraffe Day, a coalition of conservation and animal-protection organizations will pressure the Trump administration to move forward with Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes.

In a letter to be delivered Friday, the groups document giraffes’ ongoing silent extinction. Submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Natural Resources Defense Council, it urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to quickly propose protections for this rapidly declining species — a proposal that should have been made in 2018.

The letter follows a 2017 petition by the same groups to list the species under the Act. After the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to respond to the petition, several of the groups filed a lawsuit in December, prompting a response from Fish and Wildlife in April that giraffes may qualify for protection. Now the agency is undertaking a status review of the species and will propose protection if it deems that protection warranted.

“Under Endangered Species Act timelines, protection for giraffes is overdue, but slow federal action is contributing to their silent extinction,” said Adam Peyman, programs and operations manager for wildlife for Humane Society International. “We won’t give up on everyone’s favorite long-necked mammal. By next World Giraffe Day, we hope giraffes will have the protections they so desperately deserve.”

With now just under 97,000 animals, the African giraffe population has plunged nearly 40 percent in the past 30 years. The species is gravely imperiled by habitat loss and fragmentation, civil unrest and overhunting, as well as the international trade in bone carvings, skins and trophies.

“It’s shocking that there are now fewer giraffes in Africa than elephants,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This World Giraffe Day we’re urging the public to stand with us in calling for Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes. These majestic animals deserve to remain wild and not be turned into trophies and trinkets for U.S. consumers.”

Giraffes were assessed as “vulnerable” to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2016. That assessment was confirmed in 2018, along with a critically endangered assessment of two giraffe subspecies and an endangered assessment for another.

“It is clear that manmade causes are the driving force behind the alarming decline in the global population of giraffes. Ensuring swift action under the Endangered Species Act is an immediate and easily implementable first step to offering the key protections this species needs,” said Beth Allgood, U.S. director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

The public can support Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes by submitting comments.

“As giraffe numbers dwindle, we have to ask ourselves if the world needs them more galloping in the savannah or lying on someone’s floor as a rug. Giraffes are a beloved symbol of biodiversity, not trinkets or keepsakes. The clock is ticking as more and more of these animals are being killed while the administration delays its decision. If the animals are not protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Trump administration will be remembered for sitting idly by while one of the most recognizable species on the planet fades away,” said Elly Pepper, deputy director for international wildlife conservation at NRDC.

The IUCN currently recognizes one species of giraffes and nine subspecies: West African, Kordofan, Nubian, reticulated, Masai, Thornicroft’s, Rothchild’s, Angolan and South African. Legal protection is sought for the whole species. Further, parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) will consider a proposal to list giraffes under Appendix II of the Convention when they meet in August. If passed the proposal, which was submitted by the giraffe range states of Chad, Senegal, Niger, Mali and Kenya, would ensure the international trade in giraffe parts is tracked.

 

Contacts:

Tanya Sanerib, Center for Biological Diversity, (206) 379-7363, tsanerib@biologicaldiversity.org

Rodi Rosensweig, Humane Society International/The Humane Society of the United States, (203) 270-8929, rrosensweig@humanesociety.org

Rodger Correa, International Fund for Animal Welfare, (202) 834 6637, rcorrea@ifaw.org

Daniela Arellano, Natural Resources Defense Council, (310) 434-2304, darellano@nrdc.org

Humane Society International / Global

WASHINGTON – The Estée Lauder Companies has become the latest beauty company to back the #BeCrueltyFree campaign, the largest effort in history to end cosmetic animal testing globally. The Estée Lauder Companies is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, sold in over 150 countries and territories under 25+ brand names. The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is led by Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

Anna Klein, senior vice president, Global Corporate Affairs for The Estée Lauder Companies, said: “We are proud to partner with Humane Society International, an organization that has done such thoughtful work advocating for animals everywhere. They have been a wonderful partner and advisor as we work together towards our common goal to bring an end to cosmetics animal testing, worldwide.”

Kitty Block, president of Humane Society International and president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Animal testing is last century’s science, but to legislate it out of existence requires us to join forces with forward-looking industry leaders like The Estée Lauder Companies. I’m confident that by working together with beauty companies through our #BeCruelty campaign, we can help bring an end to cosmetics testing on animals by 2023.”

The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is an unprecedented education and consensus-building effort among federal legislators, regulators and corporate and other stakeholders to ensure that all newly manufactured cosmetics are both safe and cruelty-free. It has already helped shape cosmetics animal testing and sale bans in nearly 40 countries.

As part of the campaign, HSI is leading negotiations with cosmetic trade associations and key beauty brands to advance forward-looking federal legislation in countries around the world.

To learn more about The Estée Lauder Companies’ commitment to animal welfare and information on their cruelty-free brands visit www.elcompanies.com.

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Media contacts:

The Estée Lauder Companies

  • Amara Malik, 212-965-6335, amalik@estee.com

Humane Society International

 

Humane Society International / Canada

Canada clinic

MONTREAL – Humane Society International/Canada has just completed its 18th free veterinary clinic in partnership with Friends of HSI and Chiots Nordiques (northern puppies). The veterinary response team was in Chisasibi – their third visit to date – where dedicated veterinarians, animal health technicians and volunteers examined, treated, sterilized and/or vaccinated a total of 115 animals.

Chisasibi, a Cree community located over 1,400 km north of Montreal, has become a model for effective animal management in remote First Nations regions that don’t have access to veterinary services. Gone unchecked, stray and wandering dog populations can grow and can lead to malnutrition, untreated injuries, parasites and other health challenges. This free clinic, done at the community’s request, is designed to help manage overpopulation while fostering improved coexistence between residents and animals without resorting to culls.

Ewa Demianowicz, senior campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: “The community of Chisasibi has been proactively working in managing its companion animal population and each time we visit them, we witness the tremendous impact their actions and initiatives are having on animal welfare. Not only do they regularly request help to provide veterinary services to their pets, which are not accessible in the region, but they have also put in place an animal welfare by-law and an animal shelter. We are extremely honoured to work with Chiots Nordiques and the community of Chisasibi to ensure the welfare and health of the community’s companion animals.”

Dr. Daphnée Veilleux-Lemieux, President – Chiots Nordiques, added: “The objective of this clinic was to maintain an annual partnership with a community whose approach to controlling canine populations is a model of innovation, delivering results while respecting local needs – all despite geography, temperature and funding constraints. A team of about ten volunteers took part in this clinic, which was teamwork at its finest.”

Remote Indigenous communities in Canada often lack access to veterinary services, leading to overpopulation of stray and roaming dogs. HSI/Canada works with Chiots Nordiques in remote Quebec communities to provide mass sterilization, vaccination and emergency veterinary services for such animals. Since 2013, the two groups have treated over 2,000 dogs in First Nation communities.

For high-resolution photos, please call or email media contact below.

 

Media Contact: Christopher Paré, Director of Communications – o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org

Chinese activists call on dog lovers worldwide to condemn brutal trade

Humane Society International / China

BEIJING—Chinese animal activists have released distressing images from inside a filthy, backstreet dog slaughterhouse in Yulin, China just days ahead of the city holding its annual dog meat festival at which thousands of dogs and cats will be killed and eaten.

Download photos and video of the rescue here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=ChinaRescue0619

The activists, who wish to remain anonymous, rescued 62 terrified dogs from Yulin on 12th June. Communicating via other Chinese activists with whom the rescue team worked, animal charity Humane Society International has received and released footage and photos from the rescue, and has been responding to requests to accommodate and care for some of these dogs.

The dogs were severely dehydrated and malnourished, with some showing signs of sickness and infection. They are mostly small breeds typical of pet dogs in China, and some were still wearing their collars when rescued. Most dogs and cats caught up in China’s meat trade are believed to be strays snatched from the streets and pets stolen from people’s backyards, in clear violation of Chinese laws. They are crammed into wire cages and driven for hours or even days across the country, before reaching the slaughterhouse where they are beaten to death.

The Yulin dog meat festival begins in earnest on 21st June to mark the summer solstice. It is not a traditional festival, but was invented as recently as 2010 by dog traders trying to boost flagging dog meat sales. Before the festival started, Yulin had no history of mass dog slaughter and consumption.

Wei, one of the Chinese activists, told HSI: “It was swelteringly hot inside the slaughterhouse when we got there, the dogs were exhausted and panting, some pressing themselves tight against the wall in an effort not to be noticed. Others chased around our legs eager for attention. We noticed straight away that some of them were wearing pet collars so they were probably stolen, and some of them looked very sick so we quickly loaded them on the truck to get them to our temporary shelter quickly to receive emergency veterinary treatment. The slaughter man told us that these dogs were likely one of the last truckloads of dogs entering Yulin before the festival because the local government was likely to stop further trucks from entering the city, but we didn’t stick around to verify that. We want the world to see the horrors of China’s dog meat trade of which Yulin is typical, and for dog lovers everywhere to stand up against this terrible cruelty. Please don’t waste your breath calling dog eating Chinese culture. It is not our culture to steal people’s pets. It is not our culture to eat dogs.”

The 62 dogs were immediately driven to a temporary shelter where they received emergency care, food and water. The dogs were rested for several days before leaving Yulin to make the journey to the various different permanent shelters that will care for them longer term, including one supported by HSI in north China. Some of the dogs who receive HSI help will eventually be placed for adoption in the United States, whilst others will be available for adoption within China or be cared for longer term at the shelter.

Dr Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist, commented on the rescue, saying: “Yulin is a very tense place right now, with dog traders and slaughterhouses on high alert, so it was difficult for these Chinese activists to win the trust of this facility to release the dogs. We commend their efforts to show the world the suffering of these poor animals, and to expose the dog theft that lies behind the dog meat trade. These dogs are traumatised and in need of veterinary treatment, but they are the lucky ones because for them at least the horror of Yulin is over. Sadly, thousands more will still die at Yulin, and millions across China, unless decisive action is taken. So we urge the Chinese government to show that it will not tolerate the dog thief gangs who perpetuate this trade, and bring an end to the brutal dog and cat meat trade.”

The dog meat trade isn’t just an issue of animal welfare, it also poses a serious threat to human health. The World Health Organisation has warned that the dog trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera. Yulin has long been a city with one of the highest rates of human rabies cases in China, and the local trade undermines the Chinese government’s goal of eliminating rabies in China by 2025. Selling and processing meat from sick and dying dogs in Yulin and elsewhere is also a serious violation of China’s food safety law, and yet the trade is allowed to persist with relatively little legal sanction.

Fast facts about Yulin and China’s dog meat trade

1. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20 per cent of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey conducted by Chinese state-registered charities and assisted by a team of six research staff from the Yulin Municipal Government, revealed that most people living in Yulin (72 percent) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.

2. A 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64 percent) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7 percent) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5 percent) have never eaten dog meat.

3. When first launched in 2010, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure reduce to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival.

4. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are killed across Asia for their meat, some 10-20 million in China alone.

 

Media Contacts:
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, HSI Director of International Media: +44(0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Brazil

Chicken

SÃO PAULO—Humane Society International applauds a recent decision by Walmart, Brazil’s third largest retailer, to make a new commitment to animal welfare by pledging to sell exclusively cage-free eggs by 2028 in all of its Brazil locations. This announcement comes after working with HSI and other animal protection organizations. Walmart and HSI will continue to work together on the implementation of this policy in all 471 stores throughout the country.

Maria Fernanda Martin, HSI/Brazil’s corporate policy and program manager for farm animal welfare, said: “We congratulate Walmart for joining hundreds of food companies in Brazil and around the world in committing to source only cage-free eggs. By adopting cage-free egg policies, companies are meeting the growing global consumer demand for higher welfare products and generating change in the egg industry. We look forward to working with Walmart on this important transition and invite other companies to join this global corporate social responsibility movement.”

This commitment will improve the lives of millions of egg-laying hens in Brazil. Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages so small that the hens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Cage-free systems generally offer higher animal welfare compared to caged systems, providing the animals with enough room to walk around and engage in their important natural behaviors such as laying their eggs in nests, foraging, perching and dustbathing.

Walmart joins other food corporations that have committed to switching to exclusively cage-free eggs in Brazil and throughout Latin America, including Unilever, which has committed to a global cage-free egg supply chain by 2025, and Nestlé, the largest food company in the world, also by 2025. After working with HSI, Burger King and Arcos Dorados, which operates McDonald’s in Brazil and 19 other countries in the region, committed to switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs, as did other restaurant operators, accounting for thousands of restaurants in Brazil and Latin America. In Brazil, Compass Group (GRSA) and Sodexo have previously announced their commitment to a global cage-free policy in partnership with HSI. Alsea, the largest restaurant operator in Latin America and Spain, and Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bakery company, announced their cage-free egg policies after several years of engaging with HSI specialists. Corporations like Kraft-Heinz, International Meal Company (IMC), Cargill, Brazil Fast Food Corporation (BFFC), Subway, Intercontinental Hotels Group, AccorHotels, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Giraffas, Barilla, Divino Fogão, Habib’s, Grupo CRM, Bauducco and Grupo LemosPassos have also pledged to go cage-free in Brazil.

 

Media contact: Maria Fernanda Martin, mfmartin@hsi.org, +55 (11) 9 5770 9922

Humane Society International / Nepal

Kathmandu – A rally of multi-faith religious groups, animal welfare organizations, students, teachers and artists took to the streets of Kathmandu to launch the ‘Stop Animal Sacrifice’ campaign. The campaign is seeking a ban on all forms of animal sacrifice in public and private spaces throughout Nepal.

The killing of animals such as buffalo, goats, birds and rats as sacrificial offerings exists across diverse religious, cultural, caste, ethnic and linguistic groups in Nepal. Despite being responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of animals every year, Nepal lacks a strong law to criminalize animal sacrifice.

The Kathmandu rally, led by Federation of Animal Welfare Nepal (FAWN) in partnership with Humane Society International/Nepal, religious organizations and lawyers’ group, wants all forms of animal sacrifice banned by law, including at temples, festivals and official, religious and cultural events. The campaigners are urging the national, provincial and local governments of Nepal to formulate and endorse the country’s Animal Welfare Act ahead of the month-long Gadhimai festival in November, the world’s largest animal sacrifice that takes place every five years.

Ms. Sneha Shrestha, President of FAWN, said: “We cannot hope to end cruel animal sacrifice in Nepal without the tool of strong legislation. Thus, our advocacy with the government is focused on a new law to ban all forms of animal sacrifice in Nepal.”

Tanuja Basnet, Humane Society International’s Nepal Director, said: “The coming together of multiple stakeholders for this vibrant rally and campaign, including animal welfare groups, temple priests and religious groups, is highly significant to promote compassion to animals and encourage all faiths to support alternative offerings instead of blood sacrifice. It also helps us address the multiple social, economic and educational factors that perpetuate animal sacrifice and other forms of animal cruelty. Together we can make a kinder world for all animals in Nepal.”

Download photos from the rally here: www.fawnepal.org

 

Media Contact:

FAWN: Rupak Koirala, Campaign Coordinator: campaign@fawnepal.org +977 9801193375

HSI: Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423

Humane Society International / Africa

Johannesburg – Humane Society International/Africa has reacted angrily to the news that Johannesburg zoo has purchased two new elephants to introduce to lone elephant Lammie, instead of heeding the advice of some of the world’s most respected elephant experts by releasing Lammie to the relative freedom of an awaiting rewilding sanctuary.

Video emerged yesterday of the elephants, a 21-year-old male named Ramadiba and a 19-year-old female named Mopane, who were purchased from a captive facility in the Eastern Cape. This addition of the elephants has gone ahead in defiance of a global plea to #FreeLammie, led by animal protection groups Humane Society International/Africa, the EMS Foundation, Elephant Reintegration Trust (ERT) and Ban Animal Trading (BAT) since last year. The groups called for Lammie to be allowed to live out her remaining years in the freedom of an extensive protected sanctuary with another herd of previously captive elephants, after her mate of 37 years died last year.

HSI/Africa’s Wildlife Director Audrey Delsink, said: “We are furious that instead of doing the right and honourable thing for Lammie by giving her freedom in a vast sanctuary with a new elephant herd, Johannesburg Zoo has forged ahead and brought two new elephants for Lammie to share what remains of her life in captivity. Such was their haste to acquire these elephants, they have done so without completing any of the expansion or renovation work they promised and ignored both public opinion and the pleas of some of the world’s most eminent elephant experts and conservationists. The Gauteng Legislature has also utterly failed to respect the wishes of the 301,652 petitioners who called for Lammie to be released. Johannesburg zoo claims it acted legally but the question is has it acted morally, and from Lammie’s point of view the answer is no. This decision denies Lammie, and the two new elephants, the chance of a decent, fulfilling life. This sorry episode has exposed the zoo authorities as lagging far behind global trends to close elephant zoo exhibits, something that 150 progressive, modern zoos have already done in recognition of the inescapable fact that such captivity cannot meet elephants’ complex physiological, psychological and social requirements. Johannesburg Zoo may well have acted on the right side of the law, but they have found themselves on the wrong side of history.”

The animal protection groups had stressed concern for Lammie’s mental well-being. Lammie showed signs of significant grief and trauma and it was advised that she spend her remaining years free from confinement, in an environment where she can thrive emotionally and physically with a group of elephants who would become her new family. Despite HSI/Africa, EMS, ERT and BAT’s efforts, as well as a global petition garnering 301,652 signatures, public protests outside the zoo, a formal letter signed by 13 of the world’s most eminent elephant experts and conservationists, international media coverage and hundreds of hand-written letters requesting Lammie’s freedom, the zoo refused to let Lammie go and made the unilateral decision to acquire more elephants instead.

EMS Director, Michele Pickover said, “We are gobsmacked that the City of Johannesburg continues to be so callous and uncaring on this matter. The Democratic Alliance is swimming not only against global and local public opinion but alarmingly it is ignoring all the science and everything that we know about who elephants are and their highly complex social structure, which mimics our own. Not only is this a major PR disaster for the DA, but they are also squandering ratepayers’ money on buying in these two elephants from Inkwenkwezi and keeping elephants at the zoo. South Africa needs desperately to build a more caring and respectful society, but instead it seems the politicians are hell-bent on doing the opposite.”

In January this year, when the Johannesburg Zoo announced its search for a second elephant, experts warned that bringing another elephant into captivity will simply perpetuate the cycle of exploitation, and that there will be no guarantee that the elephants will get along. The warning fell on deaf ears. In another announcement, the Johannesburg Zoo committed to the enrichment and expansion of Lammie’s enclosure. Previous observations, conducted by an independent elephant researcher had revealed that Lammie experiences minimal environmental enrichment, has little shade and insufficient water in which to bathe. To this day, no renovations have been implemented and Ramadiba and Mopane were added to the same small and inadequate enclosure that Lammie has endured for 39 years. Furthermore, the new elephants, though of captive origin, were in a free contact system and were able to roam the confines of their previous home. Now, they will be imprisoned in a half hectare enclosure and have to face new challenges such as the moat.

“This is a sad day for elephants, yet another two elephants are unnecessarily been subjected to a life of imprisonment due to the lack of ethical management choices made by Joburg Zoo.” said Brett Mitchell, Director of Elephant Reintegration Trust.

Humane Society International/Africa is urging South Africans to show their disapproval by refusing to visit Johannesburg Zoo and to support elephant conservation projects that only portray elephants in the wild by protecting their habitats and protecting them from the threats of poaching and exploitation.

 

 

Contacts:

HSI/Africa: Media and Communications Outreach Manager Leozette Roode, mobile +2771 360 1004, lroode@hsi.org

HSI/UK: Director of International Media Wendy Higgins, mobile +44 (0) 7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

Animal welfare groups, marine scientists, politicians, and millions of Canadians celebrate historic win for marine animals

Humane Society International / Canada

Bryde's whale

OTTAWA – Canada has passed legislation that bans keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity for entertainment, as well as the trade, possession, capture and breeding of cetaceans. Today, the House of Commons voted overwhelmingly in favour of Bill S-203, the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act.

Bill S-203 was introduced by Senator Wilfred Moore in 2015, and then sponsored by Senator Murray Sinclair. Upon passage through the Senate, it was championed by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May in the House of Commons.

Rebecca Aldworth, Executive Director of HSI/Canada stated: “The passage of Bill S-203 is a watershed moment in the protection of marine animals and a victory for all Canadians. Whales and dolphins don’t belong in tanks, and the inherent suffering these highly social and intelligent animals endure in intensive confinement can no longer be tolerated. We congratulate the sponsors of this bill and the Canadian government for showing strong leadership in responding to public will and sound science on this critical issue.”

Green Party Leader and Saanich – Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May stated, “Canadians have been clear, they want the cruel practice of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity to end. With the passage of Bill S-203, we have ensured that this will happen.”

Bill sponsor Senator Wilfred Moore said, “We have a moral obligation to phase out the capture and retention of animals for profit and entertainment. Canadians are calling upon us to do better – and we have listened.”

Leading marine scientist Hal Whitehead added, “The living conditions for captive marine mammals cannot compare to their natural ocean environments in size, nor in quality. We thank the federal government and all those involved in the passage of Bill S-203, so that our laws can finally align with the Canadian peoples’ values and end this cruel practice.”

HSI is at the forefront of a global movement to end the captivity of cetaceans for entertainment. HSI/Canada has been a central part of a broad coalition of key stakeholders, including organizations, scientists and parliamentarians, working to ensure the passage of Bill S-203.

Facts:                                                                                                           

  • A coalition of over 20 leading marine scientists and stakeholder organizations have endorsed Bill S-203. Bill S-203 was supported by Humane Society International/Canada, Animal Justice, Humane Canada, marine scientists Dr. Lori Marino and Dr. Naomi Rose of the Whale Sanctuary Project, Ontario Captive Animal Watch, Phil Demers, the former head trainer at Marineland, World Animal Protection, Dr. David Suzuki, the Jane Goodall Institute, and more.
  • Bill S-203 phases out the captivity of cetaceans (i.e. whales, dolphins and porpoises) in Canada, except for rescues, rehabilitation, licensed scientific research, or cetaceans’ best interests.
  • Leading marine scientists agree that whales and dolphins suffer great psychological and physical harms in captivity, including isolation, chronic health problems, abnormal behaviour, high infant mortality and extreme boredom.
  • Currently, only two facilities in the country house cetaceans – the Vancouver Aquarium, and Marineland in Niagara Falls. Now, these facilities will no longer be able to breed or import any new cetaceans into their facilities.
  • We thank the key Parliamentarians and staffers who championed and sponsored this legislation: MP Elizabeth May, Senator Wilfred Moore, Senator Murray Sinclair, MP Fin Donnelly, MP Gord Johns, Senator Peter Harder, Senator Dan Christmas, MP Nathan Cullen, MP Sean Casey, MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP Mario Beaulieu, MP Monique Pauzé, MP Nick Whalen, MP Will Amos, Senator Elizabeth Hubley, Senator Janis Johnson, Senator Mary Jane McCallum, Steve Parkinson, Martin McKendry, Archie Campbell, and many more.

 

 

Media Contact: Christopher Paré, Director of Communications – o: 514-395-2914 x 206, c: 438-402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org

Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation, farm animal welfare and animals in research. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International which, together with its partners, constitutes one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at www.hsicanada.ca

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