Category: Press Release

Snorki, Rosie, Fred and Lily 1 & 2 escaped Yulin death for UK homes

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

LONDON — As the Yulin dog meat festival in China’s Guangxi Autonomous Region fast approaches later this month, UK charity Humane Society International/UK shares happy ending stories of some of the dogs its Chinese activist partners have previously rescued from Yulin slaughterhouses. Snorki, Rosie, Fred and two dogs called Lily are just five of hundreds of dogs and cats HSI and its Chinese partners have saved from slaughter at Yulin, as well as from slaughter trucks and kill floors from across China.

Although the summer solstice event on June 21st in Yulin has come to symbolise China’s dog and cat meat trade, many people are unaware that the brutality of this crime-fuelled trade takes place all year round and country-wide, with an estimated 10-20 million dogs and 4 million cats killed each year. Many of these animals are believed to be strays snatched from the streets and pets stolen from people’s backyards. 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, some still wearing their pet collars.

Last year, Chinese activists supported by HSI rescued 135 dogs from Yulin slaughterhouses, five of whom — Lily, Harley, Fred, Coco and Rosie — the charity flew to the United Kingdom where they found forever families. In 2016, HSI rescued 170 sick and injured dogs from slaughterhouses and markets in Yulin, with four lucky dogs – Lily, Snowy, Snorki and Lucy – and two cats – Simon and Li – now living safe and happy in the U.K. The group of 170 had been just one day away from being slaughtered for the festival.

Some of HSI’s dog meat trade survivors have gone on to make celebrity friends. Li the cat who lives with his human Daniel in Crouch End, was lucky enough to meet Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch when HSI filmed them for a video about the suffering of cats for the meat trade. Lily, Snowy, Snorki and Lucy were all welcomed to the UK by actor and animal campaigner Peter Egan who gave them their first cuddle on British soil with the HSI charity.

Claire Bass, HSI’s U.K. director, said: “These dogs and cats have been to hell and back, surviving China’s terrifying meat trade, and it’s so humbling to say that despite their ordeal, their resilience and forgiving nature shine through. They are just a few of the millions of dogs and cats who are stolen and snatched for China’s meat trade all year round. Yulin is one relatively small example of a much larger, uglier issue that thousands of dedicated Chinese activists are working to stop. Contrary to the assumptions by many in the West, most people in China don’t eat dogs and in fact they are horrified at the thought of a trade that takes their canine companions away from them.” 

Rosie was saved from Yulin slaughter in 2018 and now lives with Kirsten McLintock in Norfolk. Kirsten says: “It’s been six months since I first got Rosie and she has been an utter delight; friendly with other dogs, no separation anxiety, perfect traveller in the car. It’s clear that she must have been someone’s stolen pet, as from her first arrival she was house trained and used to having a collar and walking on the lead. Chasing squirrels is her favourite thing in the whole world, and she’s a tart for a tummy rub. Her latest discovery is the beach.  She does a little happy dance and bottom wiggle when we reach the beach which is so sweet. I love her to bits, she’s the sweetest dog who is so intuitive, soft and gentle.”

Black and white dog Lily was saved from a Yulin slaughterhouse in 2018 by HSI’s partner activists. The rescue produced an iconic photo of Lily sitting patiently on the kill floor staring pleadingly at her rescuers. She now lives with spaniel Sophie and adopter Susie Warner in Berkshire. Susie says: “Lily is a superstar diva and she is adorable. A huge thanks to Humane Society International for saving her and allowing her to live her best life.”

Little Fred was saved in 2018 and now lives in London with Fernanda Gilligan, her husband and three year old daughter. Fernanda says: “We are so grateful to be Fred’s new family. He is such a fantastic addition. He loves going for walks and runs in the parks. Adventures to the countryside are even more enjoyable with Fred and we just love having him with us as much as possible. He truly is a remarkable addition to our family.”

Lily was rescued in 2016 and adopted by Lynn Hutchings in Kent, who says: “Lily has blossomed from a shut-down girl who didn’t trust humans very much to a family dog who loves everyone especially if she can charm them into giving her food!”

Snorki from HSI’s 2016 rescue found her happy home in Clapham, South London with Angelina Lim. Angelina says: “Snorki is far more settled than she was at first but she’s still fearful of strangers. Once she knows you, she’ll happily accept strokes and belly rubs, but you have to earn her trust. I’m convinced she was a stolen pet because she was housetrained within one day. She also had a small hump on her back which has since disappeared, I think from being squashed in a cage for quite a while before she was rescued. My life is so enriched with Snorki around, she is a joy to live with despite being a 24/7 eating machine!”

HSI UK would like to thank All Dogs Matter and the Wild at Heart Foundation for helping the charity finds homes for the Yulin rescues.

Facts about China’s dog meat trade

  1. The Yulin dog meat festival is not tradition. It was invented in 2010 by dog traders to boost profits. Before the festival started, dog meat consumption had already been declining as a culinary subculture, and a dog meat festival had never previously existed.
  2.  The World Health Organisation warns that the dog trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera.
  3. 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. Many of them have eaten dog meat by accident.
  4. When first launched, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core Yulin festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has reduced this figure to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival.
  5. Dogs and cats are typically bludgeoned to death in front of each other, put in the de-hairing machine to remove fur, and the carcass blow-torched for sale to markets. Dog slaughter continues to occur in public places, exposing young children to horrendous brutality and potentially desensitizing China’s younger generations.

Media Contacts:

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

 

Photos of our Yulin rescue dogs are available on request.

Humane Society International / Latin America

San Jose, Costa Rica – In celebration of Environment Day on June 5, the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, announced the launch of Costa Rica Silvestre (Wild Costa Rica), a digital platform designed to promote healthy coexistence between humans and wildlife, and to better protect Costa Rica’s biodiversity through greater public awareness and participation.  The project was developed jointly by Humane Society International/Latin America (HSI/LA), the Ministry of Environment and Energy and other state institutions along with nongovernmental entities, all of whom were represented at the official event announcing Costa Rica Silvestre.

The platform contains a section called Wild Neighbors that is dedicated to strengthening positive interactions between people and wildlife in urban environments.

The site includes advice for direct interactions with wildlife including, but not limited to:

  • Raccoons.
  • Opossums.
  • Birds.
  • Snakes.
  • Crocodiles.

Videos that demonstrate the appropriate way to deal with wildlife in urban areas, including appropriate waste management, and no feeding of wild animals.

Finally, the platform includes educational material to raise awareness among children, youth and adults about campaigns and initiatives, legislation, technical and scientific publications and partnership opportunities to support and promote the conservation of wildlife in Costa Rica.

Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director and manager of the Wildlife Program at Humane Society International/Latin America, said, “This project is of the utmost importance because it positions wildlife as a priority in the decision-making process biodiversity and human-wildlife conflict, with a primary goal of ensuring healthy and humane coexistence.”

Costa Rica has an abundant wildlife population, in rural, protected and urban areas. Wild animals live in any environment where food, water and shelter are available, and in the case of urban areas, these resources are obtained directly or indirectly from human beings. When people and wildlife share the same territory, they interact with each other, and these interactions can sometimes raise challenges. Costa Rica Silvestre provides tools and practical advice for citizens to address interactions with wildlife in a responsible and humane way.

The Costa Rica Silvestre project can be accessed via this website.

 

Humane Society International and its partner organisations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organisations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org.

 

Humane Society International

Mouse in petri dish

SEOUL—Korea’s first-ever public forum to discuss replacing animal use in science will be hosted in Seoul at the National Assembly on May 30. Organized by Humane Society International and Korean lawyers’ group People for Non-Human Rights, the forum is co-hosted by members of National Assembly In-soon Nam, Kyungmi Park, Wanju Park, Seong-gon Wi, Sangmin Lee and the Assembly’s 4th Industrial Revolution Forum.

Newly proposed legislation prepared by HSI and PNR focuses on establishing an inter-ministerial entity to promote non-animal approaches in toxicological and biomedical fields. Currently, the support of alternative research is limited by the Korea Center for Validation of Alternative Methods (KoCVAM), while the majority of animal research is funded by other ministries across multiple sectors. While these ministries support small-scale research projects on testing alternatives, there is no platform for exchanging research information or for providing major funding for programs that promote non-animal approaches. The forum will discuss collaborative support for adopting 21st-century approaches in scientific research and development without animal suffering.

Speakers include Taesung Kim (KoCVAM), Warren Casey (NIH/NIEHS), Troy Seidel (HSI), Dan Dongeun Huh (University of Pennsylvania). Panelists include officials from the Ministries of Science, Industry, Health and Welfare, Food and Drug Safety, and Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

HSI Senior Policy Manager Borami Seo said, “Most of the ministries support research and development involving animal testing. As the use of lab animals increases every year, authorities are not taking any actions to move away from outdated animal testing and to support non-animal approaches that are better predictors for human health. It’s time for these ministries and other stakeholders to come together to find a way to encourage scientific and ethically responsible human-relevant approaches.”

PNR co-founder, Coochwa Suh said, “Existing legislation is very limited in its ability to reduce animal use and to promote proactive support to develop alternatives to animal testing. Our proposed legislation will provide a platform for collaboration on better science for both humans and animals.”

The forum will be held at 9.30am on May 30th at the National Assembly. All interested parties are  welcome to participate and share opinions for discussion. For media inquiries and for information about attending the forum, contact Borami Seo at bseo@hsi.org.

 

Media contact: Borami Seo bseo@hsi.org

HSUS and HSI celebrate as Prada Group drops fur to “meet the demand for ethical products”

Humane Society International / Global

Milan–Italian luxury fashion house Prada Group – and all its brands, including Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s, and Car Shoe – has announced it will no longer use animal fur in its designs or products starting with its Spring/Summer 2020 women’s collection. Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States, along with Fur Free Alliance, a coalition of over 50 animal protection originations from 25 countries, have been working with Prada behind the scenes after running a public campaign urging the brand to drop fur last September.

“The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility, and our fur-free policy – reached following a positive dialogue with the Fur Free Alliance, in particular with LAV and the Humane Society of the United States – is an extension of that engagement,” said Miuccia Prada. “Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products.”

Prada previously sold fur from mink, fox and rabbit. All three species suffer terribly on fur farms where they are confined for short lives in barren, wire-mesh cages where their existence is so deprived, monotonous and stressful that they often exhibit signs of self-mutilation and repetitive stereotypical behaviour.

Kitty Block, president and CEO of HSUS and HSI, said, “Prada’s fur-free announcement will send a clear message to the fashion industry and governments around the world that the biggest names in fashion are ditching fur cruelty and opting for innovative and animal-friendly alternatives. We are dedicated to ending this cruel trade once and for all.”

Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s and Car Shoe join many other leading fashion brands and retailers in going fur-free—since the beginning of 2017 alone Burberry, Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Coach, Donna Karan, Michael Kors/Jimmy Choo, Diane von Furstenberg, Columbia Sportswear, Farfetch, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Burlington, VF Corporation (Timberland/The North Face) and Furla, have all stopped using fur in their collections.

This momentum has led to several US cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, banning fur sales, and currently New York City, New York and California are considering similar legislation. As well, India banned fur imports in 2017 and many countries – including the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria, Norway and the Czech Republic – have banned, or are in the process of phasing out, fur production. In the UK, Humane Society International is working to ban fur sales there with its #FurFreeBritain campaign.

 

Media Contacts:

Humane Society International: Wendy Higgins: 07989 972423; Whiggins@hsi.org

The Humane Society of the United States: Emily Ehrhorn: 301-258-1423; eerhorn@humanesociety.org

Lions, tigers, zebras, camels, kangaroos, bears and many other animals to be cared for, transported and placed by HSI affiliates

Humane Society International / Canada

One of more than a hundred animals HSI is providing care for at a roadside zoo (Zoo St. Edouard) in Quebec during a Montreal SPCA Criminal Code seizure on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The zoo operator was arrested and charged with criminal cruelty and neglect. Photo by HSI.

ST-ÉDOUARD-DE-MASKINONGÉ, CANADA – Humane Society International/Canada, Friends of HSI, and HSI global — with the generous support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation — are working alongside the Montreal SPCA in the seizure of animals from a roadside zoo in St-Édouard-de-Maskinongé, Quebec. The owner of the unaccredited facility, Zoo de St-Edouard, has been arrested and charged with neglect and cruelty to animals under the Canadian Criminal Code. If convicted, the accused could face a five-year prison sentence and a lifetime ban on having custody or control of any animal.

Experts from HSI’s Canadian and global affiliates will provide specialized care for more than 200 wild and exotic comprising dozens of different species as of the date of the seizure, as well as transport of all wild animals to a network of partner sanctuaries throughout North America. A number of the animals are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of HSI/Canada, stated, “We are pleased to play a critical role in getting these deserving animals to safety, with the incredible support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation. It was disturbing to see this facility. Many of the animals were confined in dark, barren, dilapidated enclosures. Others were living with entirely inadequate shelter with minimal protection from the elements. Some of the animals did not even appear to have access to water or proper food and appeared to be suffering from a variety of medical conditions. Some of the animals were showing signs of significant psychological distress including compulsive, constant pacing. Notably, dead and ill animals have been removed or seized from this property in recent months. This case underscores the importance of strong animal welfare provisions in Canada’s Criminal Code, particularly as they apply to situations of gross neglect.”

Eric Margolis, founder of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, said, “Our foundation supports organizations that provide care for abused, neglected and abandoned animals, both wild and domesticated. We will always support the work of organizations like HSI/Canada and Friends of HSI, who defend those who cannot defend themselves.”

HSI/Canada has campaigned for over a decade to achieve meaningful improvements to the animal welfare provisions in Canada’s Criminal Code. One of the primary deficiencies in the Criminal Code is the need for enforcement authorities to prove willfulness on the part of neglectful owners before they are able to lay criminal charges and seize animals. This results in protracted suffering and can prevent appropriate application of the Criminal Code in situations of neglect.

This crucial work was made possible through the generous support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, which has worked in partnership with Friends of HSI and HSI/Canada for years to rescue thousands of animals from situations of cruelty and neglect.

FACTS

  • HSI has decades of experience in mass animal rescue, care and placement, including with wild and exotic animals.
  • The care, transport and placement of wild and exotic animals is highly specialized and HSI/Canada, Friends of HSI and our global affiliates will carry this work out over several weeks.
  • The roadside zoo in question has a long history of warnings and charges from the provincial government.
  • The Montreal SPCA performed its first inspection of the facility in August 2018. In addition to noting several offenses regarding the physical state of the animals and their living conditions, SPCA officers seized two alpacas in particularly poor condition as well as the bodies of four animals found deceased on site, including two tigers. This intervention led to the criminal charges.
  • The owner was charged with two counts of criminal animal neglect and cruelty, covering the timeframe 2016-2018. According to the Montreal SPCA, this is the first time in Quebec that animal welfare charges have been laid by way of indictment, a type of prosecution reserved for the most serious offenses and which opens the door to more serious penalties.

For photos and video: click here, then select “create account” at the top of the page; fill out your information, and an administrator will approve you right away. If you encounter any difficulties, do not hesitate to reach out to the media contact below.

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Media Contact: Christopher Paré – office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 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 hsicanada.ca

Friends of HSI is a registered charitable organization working to protect animals through public education and awareness, rescue, sheltering, provision of veterinary services and other direct care programs. We are proud to be part of the Humane Society International family of global affiliates, which together comprise one of the largest and most effective animal protection groups in the world. On the Web at friendsofhsi.ca

The Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation was born out of a love of animals, humanity and nature. The foundation has been established to support and nurture these vital elements, with a threefold mandate: 1) to support organizations worldwide, who provide a natural sanctuary for abused, neglected and abandoned animals, both wild and domesticated, 2) to support the advocacy work of organizations worldwide, who rally for more stringent animal cruelty laws and subsequent penalties, and 3) to support organizations worldwide, whose main focus is to help animals, both wild and domesticated, who may be in immediate distress. Eric and Dana Margolis share a passion for animals and their wellbeing. This passion forms the basis of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation.

108 baby elephants sold by Zimbabwe to zoos overseas since 2012

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Baby elephantsOscar Nkala

LONDON—The Zimbabwe Elephant Foundation will be joined on Friday 24th May by international NGOs, as well as actor and conservationist Dan Richardson, in a silent protest outside the Chinese Embassy against the exploitative export of wild-caught baby elephants from Zimbabwe to foreign destinations, mainly zoos in China. Humane Society International, Animal Defenders International, Action for Elephants UK and the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting will stand in solidarity with protest organiser and ZEF founder and director Mrs Nomusa Dube to shine a spotlight on the abusive practice that sees elephants as young as two years old being stolen from their mothers for lucrative export to foreign zoos.

According to trade data of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Zimbabwe has exported 108 young elephants to zoos in China and the UAE since 2012. Humane Society International has vocally opposed this trade for a number of years. Heart-breaking footage released by HSI and others has shown 14 elephant calves being kicked and beaten during the capture process in 2017 and 35 young elephants in 2019 pacing their pens in Hwange National Park, showing signs of stress and demonstrating wide-eyed, ear-splayed defensive postures as they await export to foreign lands. In 2016, Zimbabwe exported 35 baby elephants to Chinese zoos. One of the elephants died during transit or after arrival. Photos of the few surviving baby elephants, standing alone in dark, barren cells, were shocking.

These captures have sparked outrage from other African countries. In February this year, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife, The Honourable Najib Balala remarked, “Trade in live elephants should only be for the purpose of enhancing the conservation of the species in its natural habitats (in-situ) as the only appropriate and acceptable destination.” The African Elephant Coalition, an alliance of 32 African countries, has also called for an end to the export of wild elephants to zoos and other captive facilities. And in March 2019 the People and Earth Solidarity Law Network, together with seven Zimbabwean NGOs, submitted a petition to the Zimbabwean Parliament calling for a ban on the export of young elephants and improvements to the welfare of wildlife in Zimbabwe.

Protest organiser, Nomusa Dube of the Zimbabwe Elephant Foundation said: “What China needs to understand is that not everything in Africa is for sale.”

Mrs Dube wrote an open letter to Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa, which reads: “Seeing the wildlife as something which can be uplifted and sold like a ripe fruit off a tree into a terrifying chasm. In the chasm lies an insatiable demand for all wildlife and her products. So huge is this demand that we could sell or kill every single living thing in Zimbabwe, it would be like one drop of water going into an ocean…Zimbabwe’s Elephants are the jewels in her crown, do not sell them.”

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, who will speak at the event after the silent protest, said: “The capture of baby elephants from the wild for sale into a lifetime of suffering in captivity is heart breaking and shameful. Video footage shows that these young elephants are already displaying stress behaviour after being ripped away from their mothers and bonded family group, and are likely terrified. In the wild, calves remain closely bonded to their natal family groups; females never leave their families whilst males only leave their herd at 12 – 15 years of age. Such callous disregard for the physical and emotional wellbeing of these highly intelligent and socially complex animals is utterly inexcusable and casts a sordid light over both Zimbabwe and China. South Africa has banned the capture of elephants from the wild for captivity, and we urge Zimbabwe to follow suit by stopping these vile exports immediately.”

The protest takes place on Friday 24th May 1.30-3.30pm at the Chinese Embassy, 49-51 Portland Place, London. Media wishing to speak with Noma Dube or Claire Bass prior to the protest can do so by contacting Wendy Higgins at whiggins@hsi.org

ENDS

Media contacts:

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

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

Notes:

  • In collaboration with the AEC, Humane Society International co-authored a report highlighting the challenges that the live trade in elephants poses to the CITES regulations.
  • In January 2018, Humane Society International/Africa and 33 partners, submitted a letter to Zimbabwe’s new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, pleading for a halt to the horrific abuse and practice of capturing elephants from the wild for captivity.

Letter from Mayor de Blasio reflects increasing concern about illegal elephant ivory entering the U.S. from the 2020 Summer Games

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON—As athletes and organizers prepare for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is asking Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike to support efforts to end the ivory trade in Japan, the largest ivory market in the world. Mayor de Blasio is among a growing group of world leaders and elected officials urging Japan to ban all ivory sales to combat the illegal ivory trade in advance of the 2020 Summer Games.

In a letter sent to Governor Koike on May 8, Mayor de Blasio wrote: “Sustainability is a key theme of next year’s games as reflected in the guiding principle: ‘Be better together – for the planet and the people.’….With millions of people traveling to Tokyo, many from countries with strict ivory regulations, tourists and participants may unknowingly engage in the illegal ivory trade by bringing home souvenirs that violate their local laws, causing undue distress and tarnishing their Olympic experience.”

New York City and Tokyo have shared close economic and cultural ties over the last few decades. New York state is one of nine U.S. states that prohibit the sale of ivory products, and the Big Apple has hosted two high-profile destructions of seized ivory — in Times Square in 2015 and in Central Park in 2017. In contrast, after China banned ivory in 2018, Japan became the world’s largest legal ivory market.

Iris Ho, senior specialist of wildlife programs and policy for Humane Society International, said, “The 2020 Summer Games present a critical opportunity for Japan to show itself as a responsible and reputable leader on the world stage. Without an ivory trade ban in place, the Tokyo Games are a transnational ivory trafficking disaster waiting to happen, offering millions of tourists easy access to illegal ivory souvenirs. We can ‘be better together – for the planet and the people’ when we choose elephants over the ivory trade.”

Brian Shapiro, New York senior state director for the Humane Society of the United States applauds this effort to seek great protection for elephants from the illegal ivory trade.

Masayuki Sakamoto, executive director of Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund, said, “In Japan, 80% of ivory is used for the mass production of hanko, or personal signature seals. Ivory is not a traditional material for hanko. There is no doubt that Tokyo residents will give a ringing endorsement to ban ivory sales in order to protect live elephants.”

Amy Zets Croke, senior policy analyst at the Environmental Investigation Agency, said, “Japan’s ivory trade stimulates demand and undercuts domestic ivory bans in the United States, China and elsewhere. To demonstrate real commitment to protecting Africa’s elephants, Japan must close its domestic ivory market before hosting millions of athletes and spectators from around the world during the 2020 Tokyo Games.”

In addition to the letter by Mayor de Blasio, on May 7, 37 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Ambassador Shinsuke J. Sugiyama asking the government of Japan to join the growing effort to close domestic ivory markets worldwide in order to conserve dwindling elephant populations. The letter was co-led by Reps. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., and Peter King, R-N.Y., and co-signers include chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.

Facts:

  • Japan has more than 16,000 registered ivory retailers, manufacturers and wholesalers.
  • From 2011 to 2016 more than two tons of ivory from Japan was confiscated by Chinese authorities.
  • Japan’s ivory market facilitates transnational ivory trafficking and undermines the enforcement efforts of neighboring China.
  • The African Elephant Coalition, representing 32 African nations including elephant range states, is appealing to Japan to close its domestic ivory market.
  • Many countries and jurisdictions have announced or implemented measures prohibiting or restricting domestic ivory trade, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Luxemburg, Belgium, China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan.

For photos of elephants and the ivory trade click HERE.

 

Media Contacts:

Humane Society International / Brazil

Chickens

SÃO PAULO—Premier Pet, one of the largest pet food companies in Brazil, has announced it will switch to exclusively cage-free eggs in its entire supply chain by 2025, becoming the first pet food company to adopt this policy in Brazil and Latin America. This announcement comes after working with Humane Society International, one of the largest animal protection organizations in the world, and other animal protection organizations. Premier Pet and HSI will continue to work together on the implementation of this policy.

Cristiana F. Ferreira Pontieri, Premier Pet product development director, stated: “The adoption of the cage-free philosophy represents yet another step in PremieRpet®’s commitment to conscious consumption at all of our activity levels and reflects our concern for animal welfare and high quality ingredients. To lead this initiative in Brazil, in alignment with global trends, meets and strengthens our precepts of more natural production practices.”

Maria Fernanda Martin, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, said: “We applaud Premier Pet for becoming the first pet food company in Brazil and throughout Latin America to pledge to use only cage-free eggs, and look forward to continuing to work with them and their egg suppliers on the implementation of this policy. This move will relieve thousands of egg-laying 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.”

Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages, so small that the cannot even fully stretch their wings. Both common sense and science agree that virtually immobilizing animals for their entire lives causes mental distress and significant physical pain.

Premier Pet joins hundreds of food corporations that have already 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 working with HSI. 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 and its partner organisations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organisations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org.

Chinese police in Dalian praised for operation that saved 62 spotted seal pups found starving on remote farm

Humane Society International / China

LONDON – Thirty-seven spotted seal pups have been released back to wild in China three months after Dalian police found the stolen animals starving and dying in a shed at a remote coastal farm in the village of Hutou, Wafangdian. The pups were snatched from the wild by traffickers for the aquarium industry and for display in commercial venues like shops and restaurants.  Humane Society International, whose Chinese partner group VShine sent a representative at the release, praised Dalian’s law enforcement for saving the baby seals and arresting eight suspects.

In all, 71 seal pups were found alive but highly distressed; another 29 had sadly already died and a further 20 dead seals were later found buried under nearby concrete. At less than two weeks old when found, the surviving pups were so young they hadn’t even been weaned from their mothers’ milk and required emergency veterinary care at a local institute of marine and aquatic sciences. Despite the best efforts of the specialist carers and veterinarians, some of the very weakest pups subsequently died at the marine hospital, but the surviving pups have now been released, including 24 last month.

Despite being a protected species in China, spotted seals are still hunted. Once killed for Chinese traditional medicine (male seal genitalia was used to improve virility), the pups are now stolen from their mothers to supply aquariums and commercial venues across China.

Dr Peter Li at Humane Society International said: “We are thrilled that our Chinese partner group, VShine, was able to send animal welfare observers to the release of these seal pups back to the wild. When the pups were found by police, they were starving and traumatised, but after receiving veterinary care and rehabilitation, they are now in good health and have a good chance of thriving back at sea. For these seal pups to have been cruelly ripped away from their mothers, and crammed into a dark shed to await their fate, is really contemptible. In a country with a shocking record for wildlife exploitation and woefully little regard paid to animal protection by many police departments, Dalian police are to be congratulated for their swift action without which many more of these seal pups would surely have perished. Their eagerness to take wildlife crime seriously, including rescuing the animals, arresting those found responsible and offering cash rewards to help apprehend more perpetrators, should act as an example to police across China in how to tackle animal cruelty cases. Sadly, China’s growing obsession for keeping marine species like seals and turtles in captivity is fuelling wildlife crime such as this, which causes immense animal suffering and loss of life.”

Spotted seals live in the North Pacific Ocean and can be found along the north-eastern cost of China. Although the hunting or trading of spotted seals without permission is banned by China’s Wildlife Protection Law, it remains a huge problem.

Download video of the pups’ rescue and release here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=SealRescue0519

 

Media contacts:

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

Humane Society International

Humane Society International responds to the landslide in La Paz, Bolivia. Alejandra Tellez/HSI

LA PAZ—In the aftermath of a landslide that swept away dozens of homes last week, leaving hundreds of people without a place to live, a team from Humane Society International is in La Paz to provide veterinary care and to help reunite dogs and cats with their families. An innovative tattoo numbering system, established by HSI to identify animals that have been spayed or neutered, has helped displaced residents find their pets.

The first 24 hours after the landslide were chaotic, with confused animals frantically looking for their owners and vice versa. Well-meaning individuals took seemingly lost animals to other locations without consulting neighbors, further separating pets from their families. Thanks to HSI’s unique alphanumeric code, which is tattooed on a dog’s or cat’s ear during spay/neuter surgery, and the records that HSI keeps of these surgeries, some animals were returned to their families after a tattoo was identified.

HSI’s team has also provided on-site emergency veterinary care where needed and assisted with animals who needed longer-term medical attention in temporary shelters. The team is currently working with government rescue agencies to assess the needs of animals whose families were displaced by the landslide and to provide care once the pets have adjusted to their temporary homes and their stress level is reduced.

Since 2013, HSI has worked with city officials, local organizations and veterinarians to develop high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter programs in La Paz. Alexandra Rothlisberger, director of companion animals and engagement and manager of HSI’s Bolivia program, said, “We plan to provide veterinary services to the animal victims of this disaster in the weeks to come. Now that these animals and their families will be living in smaller quarters, it is important to spay or neuter and vaccinate pets to avoid unwanted reproduction and to prevent the spread of diseases like rabies, which is endemic in Bolivia.”

HSI will continue to support the impacted families and their pets by providing pet food as well as veterinary treatment until they are able to find stability in their lives again.

Photos available here.

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Media contact: Nancy Hwa, nhwa@hsi.org, 202-676-2337 (direct), 202-596-0808 (cell)

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