Issue Type: Wildlife

Wildlife

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

BornFreeUSA/HSI/HSUS

LONDON—Amidst concerns that the UK government could be considering abandoning a ban on cruel fur imports, a shocking new undercover investigation exposing the cruelty of animal trapping in the United States, including for the fur trade, has been released by animal welfare and conservation non-profit, Born Free USA, in collaboration with Humane Society International. 

An undercover investigator accompanied three trappers out in the field in the U.S. state of Iowa in November/December 2021, to witness how animals are trapped and killed for fur and recreation. Prior to that he had attended the National Trappers Association Convention in July and a state-sponsored “Trappers Education Course” in November. The investigation’s findings are harrowing and reveal the inherent cruelty of trapping. 

Video and audio evidence captured includes:  

  • Trapped raccoons being bludgeoned with a baseball bat causing protracted death. 
  • A trapper standing on the neck of a raccoon after the animal has been beaten with a bat. 
  • Animals being thrown in the back of a pickup truck after being bludgeoned but without confirmation of death. One raccoon was later found to still be alive and was hit multiple times again with the bat.   
  • A dead fox in a leghold trap who had struggled so hard to free himself that his leg had snapped clean through. The fox had likely been killed by coyotes as he was unable to defend himself or run away. 
  • The bloody toe of a coyote torn off and left in the jaws of a trap during the animal’s escape. The trapper added the toe to his grisly souvenir collection of other previously retrieved toes, displayed on his truck dashboard. 
  • Photographic evidence of a dead cat among the bodies of wild animal trapping victims, demonstrating that traps are also dangerous and deadly to non-targeted animals, including companion animals. 
  • A representative from the Department of Natural Resources volunteering information on loopholes in trapping law, and trainers on a state sponsored education course laughing as they talk about illegal practices. 

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “This investigation provides a graphic account of the casual disregard for animal suffering that underpins the whole fur trade. As if it’s not enough to be caught for hours or even days in torturous traps that should belong only in horror films, the animals we filmed also endured protracted and violent deaths, being repeatedly bludgeoned and left to suffer, all to be skinned and sold for fur fashion. For as long as the UK continues to import and sell fur from animals caught in the wild or bred on factory fur farms, we remain complicit in this cruelty. I urge Boris Johnson to watch our video evidence to see for himself the abhorrent cruelty of the fur trade, and heed the enormous public support to ban fur. Britain must not be party to this nasty trade anymore.”  

Will Travers OBE, co-founder and executive president of Born Free, said: “Trapped: Exposing the Violence of Trapping in the U.S. has two objectives: to document the reality of trapping, where sentient beings are brutally exploited, and lives are ended with such casual disregard and lack of compassion; and to accelerate measures to bring an end to this cruel practice and its associated activities – including selling the skins of trapped animals for profit. 

As a species, we have done many things of which we can be justifiably proud. But not when it comes to trapping and the fur trade. This archaic throwback to the past is well beyond its sell-by date and is a stain on our humanity. It’s time we evolved. We implore lawmakers in the U.K., the U.S., and beyond, to take swift action to call time on trapping.” 

This and previous investigations clearly demonstrate that trapping frequently involves extreme animal suffering. The cruelties exposed are in stark contrast to the PR claims of fur industry certification schemes such as Furmark, which promise that North American Wild Fur programs “prioritize the sustainability and welfare of all fur-bearing species”. Our evidence also completely undermines the fur trade’s claims that wild fur trapping is “subject to a comprehensive system of laws, regulations, checks and controls.”  

Trapping animals for fur with leg hold traps has been banned in the UK for more than sixty years (as well as being banned or heavily restricted in 108 countries worldwide), and fur farming has been banned across the UK since 2003. Despite this, in a clear double standard, the UK has imported more than £850million of fur from countries including Finland, Italy, Poland, China and the United States. In the past decade (2011 to 2020) the UK has imported more than £20 million of fur (both farmed and trapped) from the U.S. according to the HMRC. 

Banning fur imports commands enormous public support – latest YouGov polls show that 73% of Brits support a fur sales ban, with 74% of Conservative voters wanting to see the ban in place, up from 64% in 2018. Furthermore, 63% of Brits think the government should increase its level of action of animal protection. A ban had been set to be included in the upcoming Animals Abroad Bill, but following opposition from cabinet member Jacob Rees-Mogg and others, the government is believed to be considering abandoning it, along with a ban on imports of foie gras.  

The UK government set out a clear ambition to be a ‘world leader in animal welfare’ with action on fur imports pledged in its Action Plan for Animal Welfare last year, and repeated ministerial statements confirming that post-Brexit the UK would be free to explore opportunities for a ban.   

In the United States, BFUSA and HSI are calling on U.S. lawmakers to pass and implement the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act which would ban trapping using body-gripping, leg-hold, snare and similar traps.  

An increasing number of fashion designers and retailers are dropping fur cruelty. In the last few years alone Canada Goose, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Gucci, Burberry, Versace, Chanel, Prada and other high-profile brands have announced fur-free policies. In addition, major online fashion retail platforms Net-A-Porter, Farfetch and MyTheresa have adopted fur-free policies. In the United Kingdom, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and Flannels are among the few remaining retailers to still sell fur, including wild trapped fur from North America, and House of Bruar and Etsy sell fur from raccoons trapped in the wild in the United States for products including hats and keychains. Canada Goose, which for years has trapped coyote fur at the centre of its brand, has now ended the purchase of new fur and will end manufacturing products with fur by the end of 2022. Other brands still using North American wild trapped fur (mainly coyote) are Parajumpers, Woolrich and Yves Salomon.** 

Watch the investigation footage here  

Read the report at bornfreeusa.org/trappingexposed. 

ENDS 

Media Contacts: 

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

Born Free USA: Heather Ripley, Orange Orchard (865) 977-1973, hripley@orangeorchardpr.com   

Notes 

* All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,687 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken on 22-23 February 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). 

** While there is no suggestion that these brands obtain furs from this trapper or this State, the investigation demonstrates the kind of suffering animals caught for fur might typically endure. 

Humane Society International / Europe

Waldo Swiegers/AP Images for HSI

BRUSSELS —Animal protection campaigners have urged the European Commission to increase its cooperation with the Vietnamese authorities to tackle the illegal trade in African wildlife species. At an online conference, hosted by the Belgian Green MEP Saskia Bricmont, a report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) was presented, which highlighted the significant role of Vietnamese wildlife crime networks operating in Africa. It explored the scale of illegal trade from Africa to Asia facilitated by such syndicates and its impact on Africa’s wildlife and those authorities mandated to protect it.  

The panel debate, which included representatives from the Vietnamese CITES Management Authority, Vietnam Customs and Environmental Police, the European Commission and a Nigerian wildlife protection NGO, addressed the shared challenges faced by law enforcement authorities in Vietnam and Nigeria in disrupting transnational criminal networks trafficking wildlife from Africa to Asia. During the discussion, the panel looked at how Vietnam can further tackle its role in wildlife crime and sought to identify ways in which the EU could support Vietnam to achieve this, including through the provisions of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).  

Belgian MEP Saskia Bricmont (Greens/EFA), who hosted the event, said: 

“We are in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis. Urgent and concerted action is needed to clamp down on the trafficking of wildlife. The EU-Vietnam trade deal explicitly commits both Parties to adopting and implement appropriate effective measures to bring about a reduction of illegal trade in wildlife, such as awareness raising campaigns, monitoring and enforcement measures. I urge the European Commission to reach out to the Vietnamese government to offer both financial and technical assistance to help them combat the scourge of wildlife trafficking, which is pushing so many species towards the brink of extinction.”  

Mary Rice, Executive Director of the Environmental Investigation Agency, said: 

“Vietnam has made sterling efforts, such as revising its Penal Code to significantly penalise wildlife crime, to tackle the illegal wildlife trade in-country. However, Vietnam’s reputation is tarnished by the fact that it is the primary destination for illegal wildlife products sourced from across Africa and shipped by criminal networks directly or indirectly to meet the demand in Vietnam and beyond. These networks are accelerating the decline of Africa’s biodiversity and are exacerbating corruption and weak rule of law in many source and transit countries in the continent. It is unfortunate that the actions of a minority of Vietnamese citizens—and not to mention the complicity of EU citizens in this wildlife trafficking too—are sullying the country’s reputation and undermining their efforts to stamp out the illegal trade.”   

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe notes: 

“The EU also needs to step up to help the African nations whose wildlife populations are being blighted by poachers and organised criminal networks seeking to profit from the illegal trade in endangered species, and most certainly needs to better penalise EU citizens who are involved in this heinous trade. For example, we have recently seen a case involving both Polish and Vietnamese nationals who have attempted to launder rhino hunting trophies imported legally into the EU into the Southeast Asian rhino horn trade. In addition to increasing European collaboration with and providing more support to the Vietnamese authorities, we also need to make sure that here in Europe wildlife crime does not pay. At present, this kind of crime is often viewed as being relatively low-risk and high income generating due primarily to the lack of severe penalties and low chances of being apprehended or prosecuted. We hope that the revision of the Environmental Crime Directive will help rectify this situation in the EU, as well as the updated EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking providing greater resources and impetus for combating illegal wildlife trade.”  

The event was organised by Humane Society International/Europe and the Environmental Investigation Agency. Speakers and panellists included:  

  • Mrs. Ha Thi Tuyet Nga, director for Vietnam CITES MA  
  • Mr. Jorge Rodriguez Romero, deputy head of unit at EU Commission for DG Environment 
  • Ms. Linh Nguyen, wildlife campaigner for EIA UK  
  • Mr. Wilson Ogoke, wildlife policy coordinator for Africa Nature Investors
  • Moderator: Ms. Judith Kirton-Darling, chair of the Domestic Advisory Group for the EU-Vietnam FTA 

Background 

  • Vietnam has made important progress in tackling wildlife crime, both in terms of improving as well as implementing relevant national legislation. For example, Vietnam’s revised Penal Code, which came into effect on 1st January 2018, significantly increases penalties for wildlife crime. There have also been a large number of cases resulting in deterrent penalties imposed on individuals convicted for wildlife crime offences.  
  • Despite this, a review of wildlife seizures originating from Africa made at seaports in Vietnam since 2018 highlighted that, not a single ivory and pangolin scale seizure at seaports in Vietnam has resulted in arrests, prosecutions or convictions, suggesting that investigations have been inadequate. Between 2018-21, the seized ivory and pangolin scales represent at least 2,200 dead elephants and 36,000 pangolins and provide yet more evidence that organised criminal syndicates continue to exploit Vietnam as a hub for illegal wildlife trade. Vietnam has also made several attempts to communicate with South African enforcement authorities in the interest of cooperating to crack down on illegal wildlife trade, but most of these have been unanswered. 
  • According to EIA seizure data, since 2015, Nigeria has become the primary African country implicated in ivory and pangolin scale smuggling incidents destined for Vietnam with seizures of at least 18 tonnes and 68 tonnes respectively. 2020 saw a drop in ivory and other wildlife seizures due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic yet since 2021, approximately 17 tonnes of ivory and pangolin scales have been seized either leaving Nigeria bound for Vietnam or in Vietnam arriving from Nigeria, clearly demonstrating the ongoing illicit trade corridor. 
  • The Trade and Sustainable Development chapter of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which recently entered into force, includes a number of important provisions relating to wildlife protection. These provisions should allow the EU to assist Vietnam with reducing the demand for wildlife products and increasing the Vietnamese government’s enforcement capacity with the training and tools it needs to tackle the scourge of wildlife trafficking.  
  • In December 2021, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal to revise the existing Environmental Crime Directive.  
  • The existing EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking is currently being reviewed and a revised version is anticipated to be published by the European Commission by the summer of 2022. 

View a Recording of the Webinar 

Hon. Ferraresi and Flati in partnership with Humane Society International: ’A crucial step to stop Italy’s involvement in this anachronistic and cruel practice that endangers the survival of many wild species.’

Humane Society International / Europe

Lions
Maggy Meyer/iStock

ROME—Today, in honoring World Wildlife Day, the Honorables Vittorio Ferraresi and Francesca Flati (M5S) presented a bill at the Chamber of Deputies to ban the import and export of hunting trophies of endangered species, the first of its kind in Italy. The bill was presented in partnership with Humane Society International with Martina Pluda, director of HSI in Italy, at the chamber for the occasion.

After close collaboration with key stakeholders, including HSI, Bill nr. 3430 would amend Law no. 150/1992, which regulates the trade of threatened and endangered species in Italy and will position Italy as a strong champion in the fight to protect global biodiversity and to institute sustainable, effective conservation initiatives for imperiled wildlife. This initiative follows the recent publication of HSI/Europe’s report: “Trophy Hunting by the Numbers: The European Union’s role in global trophy hunting” which highlights the European Union’s devastating contribution to the trophy hunting industry as the world’s second largest importer of hunting trophies after the United States. The items being imported include trophies from threatened and endangered species.

The bill provides for:

  • the ban on the import, export and re-export to and from Italy of hunting trophies of species protected under Annexes I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
  • a penalty, in case of violation of the prohibition, of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 200,000 euros for primary violations, a fine of up to 300,000 euros in cases of recidivism, and confiscation of the hunting trophie(s).

From 2014 to 2018, the EU imported nearly 15,000 hunting trophies of 73 internationally protected species–with Italy importing 322 of the total trophies. Similar numbers were also confirmed from 2019-2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic; during this period, Italy imported 105 hunting trophies of 13 different mammal species protected under CITES, including threatened lions, endangered African elephants, and critically endangered black rhinos. From 2014-2018, Italy was the largest EU importer of 145 hippopotamus trophies, the fourth of wild African lion trophies and the fifth of African elephant trophies. Over 80% of the lion trophies imported to Italy over the period were bred in captivity or derived from “canned hunting” practices, a type of trophy hunting which involves shooting bred animals in enclosed spaces to guarantee a kill.

The importation of hunting trophies to Italy is currently legal despite the majority of Italians opposing hunting wild animals for the purpose of a trophy.  In fact, according to the results of a recent survey by Savanta ComRes and commissioned by HSI/Europe, 86% of the Italians interviewed oppose the trophy hunting of all wild animals, and 74% are in favor of a ban on the import of hunting trophies to Italy.

The Honorable Vittorio Ferraresi, first signatory of the bill, said: “This bill aims to combat the killing of protected and endangered species that we may never see again, and the violence that is perpetrated against them. The protection of biodiversity is also an important factor in human survival and when it is undermined, the future and quality of life of future generations is at risk.”

The Honorable Francesca Flati stated: “Animals are not trophies to be exhibited, but living, sentient beings. With this bill we want to put an end to unregulated hunting. Let’s immediately stop the import and export of hunting trophies! With the 5 Star Movement we are in the front line and working to stop this despicable practice.”

Martina Pluda, director for Italy, Humane Society International, says: “With this bill we are giving Italy the opportunity to take the side of wildlife and their real protection. We urge Parliament to stop the practice of hunting protected animals for fun and importing them to Italy as macabre trophies, to be hung over a fireplace for boasting. It is a step that meets the favor of Italians who have demonstrated clear opposition to this elitist and anachronistic practice that has nothing to do with the conservation of species and biodiversity.”

Senator Gianluca Perilli, who in December 2021 promoted, together with other senators, an amendment to the Budget Law on the issue, expressed his support with the following statement: “Our commitment to protect animals and biodiversity goes beyond our national borders. With the approval of the constitutional reform, which introduces the protection of the environment, biodiversity and animals into the Constitution, we have taken a very important step for our society, but we are aware that other regulatory measures will have to follow. Banning the import and export of hunting trophies at international level means safeguarding those wild species threatened with extinction and protecting biodiversity.”

From Cape Town, Audrey Delsink, wildlife director for HSI/Africa, points out: “Trophy hunting has been shown to have a detrimental impact on the conservation of wildlife. There are many ways that trophy hunting can negatively affect population dynamics such as low reproductive output, reduced offspring survival, lower adult survival and increased mortality rates in species such as lions, leopards and cougars to name but a few. In addition to this threat, trophy hunting does not support local communities, which continue to live in conditions of extreme poverty. Indeed, a study of eight African countries shows that while overall tourism is between 2.8% and 5.1% of the gross domestic product, the total economic contribution of trophy hunters is at most about 0.03% of GDP.”

“This bill represents a concrete political action to stop our country’s shameful involvement in an anachronistic and cruel practice that contributes to endangering the global survival of many wild species”, conclude Ferraresi, Flati and Pluda.

Download Photos from the Presentation

ENDS

Media contacts:

  • Eva-Maria Heinen, communications and PR manager for Italy: emheinen.hsi@gmail.com
  • Martina Pluda, Italy country director: mpluda@hsi.org; 371.4120885

Humane Society International/Africa’s new report states 83% of exported trophies from South Africa are captive-bred animals, non-native species or species without science-based management plans, undermining claims that trophy hunting promotes conservation

Humane Society International / South Africa

johan63/Stock Photography

Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA—The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment announced this weekend that South Africa will allow the hunting of 10 vulnerable leopard, 150 endangered elephant and 10 critically endangered black rhino in 2022. This concerning news precedes World Wildlife Day, which is intended to celebrate our collective natural heritage each year on 3 March and draw attention to the plight of threatened and endangered wild animals.

This week, Humane Society International/Africa releases Trophy Hunting by the Numbers, a report that highlights South Africa’s shameful role as Africa’s largest exporter of hunting trophies, and the second largest exporter globally (behind Canada) of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Wild Fauna and Flora—listed species.

The data cited in HSI/Africa’s report contradicts the DFFE’s argument in favour of the trophy hunting quotas—that the “regulated and sustainable hunting is an important conservation tool in South Africa.” It confirms that 83% of trophies exported from South Africa are from captive-bred animals, non-native species or species that are not subject to scientifically based management plans such as caracal, baboons and honey badgers. Also, only 25% of native-species trophies exported as trophies are species managed with a national conservation plan.

An economic review in eight countries in Africa, including South Africa, demonstrated that the total economic contribution of trophy hunters was at most about 0.03% of gross domestic product, whilst overall tourism accounted for between 2.8% and 5.1% of GDP in those eight countries. Furthermore, conservation experts and professionals have critiqued trophy hunting as it “yields low returns at household levels with only a fraction of generated income reaching local communities.” This argues the DFFE’s statement that “Income generated by trophy hunting is especially critical for marginalised and impoverished rural communities.”

Audrey Delsink, wildlife director for HSI/Africa, says: “We are terribly disappointed that the DFFE is failing in its duty to protect our threatened and endangered wildlife species. It is unacceptable that we allow people to hunt endangered and critically endangered animals for the purpose of collecting their remains as trophies. The claim that trophy hunting contributes to conservation cannot be justified in light of the evidence demonstrating that one-third of South Africa’s hunting trophies are captive bred animals, and most are non-native or species not subject to science-based population management.

“The captive breeding and intensive farming of wild animals in South Africa for profit often harms in situ conservation efforts, with negative impacts on biodiversity when protected landscapes are carved up into breeding camps and predator population structures, as predators are targeted as competition. Trophy hunting further threatens the survival of threatened species such as leopards who already face multiple threats including habitat loss and degradation, poaching and illegal trade and lethal conflict with humans. Killing animals for ‘fun’ is part of the archaic ‘if it pays it stays’ concept that demands immediate change. The ongoing and worsening biodiversity and climate change crises demand new science-based approaches to conservation that better serve our communities and our wildlife. Killing animals for pleasure has no place in conservation.”

The Trophy Hunting by the Numbers report is the first of its kind and provides information on South Africa’s role in the international trade in hunting trophies of mammal species listed under CITES during the most recent five-year period for which complete data are available (2014-2018).

Key findings from the report include:

  • South Africa is the second largest exporter of trophies of CITES-listed species globally, exporting 16% of the global total of hunting trophies, 4,204 trophies on average per year.
  • South Africa is the biggest exporter of CITES-listed species in Africa. South Africa exported 50% more trophies than Africa’s second largest exporter Namibia, and more than three times that of Africa’s third largest exporter, Zimbabwe.
  • About 83% of trophies exported are captive-bred animals or non-native species, and native species with neither a national conservation management plan nor adequate data on their wild populations or the impact of trophy hunting on them. This data challenges the assertion that trophy hunting is critical to in situ conservation.
  • The top five species exported as trophies from South Africa are African lion (mostly captive), chacma baboon, southern lechwe (captive, non-native), caracal and vervet monkey.
  • The most common captive-source species exported from South Africa over the period was the African lion, comprising 58% of the total number of captive-source trophies exported.
  • Most (90%) trophies exported from South Africa originated in South Africa.
  • 68% of trophies exported from South Africa were from wild animals, while 32% were from captive animals –(19% bred in captivity and 13% were born in captivity.
  • 90% of the 6,738 captive-source trophies exported during 2014-2018 were African lion or non-native southern lechwe.
  • 1,337 African elephant trophies were exported during 2014-2018, and 47% went to the United States.
  • 4,176 African lion trophies were exported during 2014-2018 and 94% were captive-source. 52% went to the United States.
  • 574 African leopard trophies were exported during 2014-2018, 53% were exported to the United States.
  • 2,227 trophies were imported to South Africa 2014-2018, mostly African elephant, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, African leopard and hippopotamus and mostly from Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
  • The top ten importing countries of South African wildlife trophies are:
Importing country Percent of total
United States 54%
Spain 5%
Russia 4%
Denmark 3%
Canada 3%
Mexico 2%
Germany 2%
Hungary 2%
Sweden 2%
France 2%

Download the Report

ENDS

Media contact: Leozette Roode, HSI/Africa media and communications specialist: +27 (0)71 360 1104; LRoode@hsi.org

Otters are endearing but wild species must be treated as such

Humane Society International / South Africa

Karien le Roux The near-threatened African Clawless Otter in Struisbaai, South Africa.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—In light of increasing sightings of African clawless otters around the Western Cape’s public shores and water masses, wildlife experts from animal protection organisations are seeking to remind residents that although these near-threatened animals are endearing, like all wild animals they should be observed from a distance both for their protection and to avoid potential human-wildlife conflict. Otters are protected under South Africa’s Animals Protection Act, and the Threatened and Protected Species Act, and disturbance of or interference with these wild animals that leads to any suffering may be a criminal offence. 

Together with the Two Ocean’s Aquarium and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Humane Society International/Africa, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Otter Specialist Group and the African Otter Network Group have been working to monitor and protect otters, and to increase awareness about how the public can peacefully coexist with them. 

Audrey Delsink, director of wildlife for HSI/Africa, said: “It is wonderful to see precious wildlife enjoying our beautiful shores, however, otters are wild animals and we urge the public to keep a respectful distance. Never attempt to touch or pick up otters as they may defend themselves and their young. We can all play a part in protecting this endearing species so we encourage the public to live harmoniously alongside them, keep visits to waterways litter-free, and give these animals space.   

“HSI/Africa works to protect all animals and seeks non-lethal solutions and tools to promote coexistence instead of conflict with our urban and native wildlife. We are proud to work alongside other experts and specialist groups and the DFFE to closely monitor the otters as a remarkable example of such coexistence, and to mitigate any possible conflicts.”      

Nicci Wright, wildlife specialist for HSI/Africa and member of the African Otter Advisory Group and the  

IUCN SSC Otter Specialist Group, said: “As otter habitat decreases due to human encroachment and development along coast and river lines, these animals become more visible and consequently more habituated to people and our activities. However, otters are apex predators and will defend themselves and their territories if they feel threatened by people getting too close or dogs off leash, especially if they are protecting dependent pups. If you have the privilege of seeing otters in the wild, remember to stay back and give them their space. We can coexist in our shared spaces by respecting each other and understanding the otters’ needs.” 

The African clawless otter is one of 13 otter species and the third largest in the world. It is widely distributed throughout South Africa in most aquatic habits; although largely known as freshwater mammals, they often occur in marine habitats as long as freshwater is nearby for rinsing. Otters are usually solitary, but when prey is abundant they can be found in family groups of females with their offspring or, more rarely, males and females with their young.   

African clawless otter numbers are declining and the species is currently listed as near-threatened by the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. Their major threats include poaching for their skin and body parts, habitat loss due to urbanisation, disturbance and pollution, as well as persecution by humans in competition for food. Fortunately, otters are protected by the South African law and disturbance of or interference with these wild animals, and/or failure to report or prevent such action, may be considered a criminal offence in terms of Section 2: Offences in Respect of Animals, of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 and when read with other law.  

ENDS 

Media contact: Leozette Roode: (+27) 713601104; LRoode@hsi.org

Humane Society International in Italy hails ‘an historic victory’

Humane Society International / Europe

Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media

ROME—The Budget Committee of the Italian Senate today voted to approve a modified version of an amendment to the budget law which will see the country’s 10 remaining mink fur farms closed within six months and a permanent ban on fur farming throughout Italy.  

The vote follows discussions with animal protection organisation Humane Society International/Europe which presented practical, strategic solutions to close and convert fur farms into alternative, humane and sustainable businesses in its recent report “Mink breeding in Italy: Mapping and future perspectives.“ Although the decision requires final approval by the Parliament, this is expected to go through, making Italy the 16th country in Europe to ban fur farming. Many Italian designers have already gone fur-free including Valentino, Armani, GUCCI, Prada and Versace. 

HSI/Europe’s fur farm conversion proposal, which sought an end to fur farming due to animal cruelty and public health risks from zoonotic diseases, was endorsed by Italian Member of Parliament the Hon. Michela Vittoria Brambilla, who launched the political action to implement the conversion strategy with existing public funds, and Sen. Loredana De Petris who formally submitted the amendment. 

Martina Pluda, director of Humane Society International in Italy, states: ”This is an historic victory for animal protection in Italy, and HSI/Europe is immensely proud that our fur farm conversion strategy has played a central role in dismantling this cruel and dangerous industry in our country. There are very clear economic, environmental, public health and of course animal welfare reasons to close and ban fur farms. Today’s vote recognizes that allowing the mass breeding of wild animals for frivolous fur fashion represents a risk to both animals and people that can’t be justified by the limited economic benefits it offers to a small minority of people involved in this cruel industry. With so many designers, retailers and consumers going fur-free, conversion of fur farms offers people a sustainable future that the fur trade simply cannot provide.” 

The approved amendment includes: 

  • An immediate ban on breeding of fur-bearing animals including mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas, and the closure of all active fur farms in Italy by 30th June 2022; 
  • Compensation for farmers, covered by a fund from the Ministry of Agriculture for a total of 3 million euros in 2022.

Hon. Michela Vittoria Brambilla, president of the Parliamentary Intergroup for Animal Rights and of the Italian League for the Defense of Animals and the Environment commented on the vote: ”In thirty years of animal rights battle this is the best victory. Finally, a parliamentary vote sanctions the end of unspeakable suffering inflicted on animals only in the name of profit and vanity. Italy is the twentieth European country to introduce a ban or severe restriction on fur farming: better late than never. Now we await the final approval of the budget law, but the political will has been clearly expressed. A dream comes true that animal protection associations have cultivated for decades in our country. I want to thank all the colleagues of the Intergroup, in particular Vice-President De Petris, who presented the amendment and reported it to the committee, the parliamentarians who shared this choice and the Italian office of Humane Society International which has promoted the economic study whose results formed the ‘basis’ for formulating the proposal. It is a great achievement, which finally all those who love and respect animals rejoice!” 

Download Photos/Video of Mink Fur Farms (in Finland)  

ENDS 

Media contacts: 

Humane Society International / Europe

Simon Eeman/Alamy Stock photo

BRUSSELS—Today, the European Commission has published its long-awaited revision of the EU rules on ivory trade with a goal to end most forms of this trade in the EU. Humane Society International/Europe has campaigned for many years for the EU to tighten its ivory trade regime and close the loopholes which still allowed some trade in ivory. The new rules represent a significant improvement, but still do not go quite far enough.

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for HSI/Europe, noted:

“While the amendments to Commission Regulation 856/2006 and to the guidance document published today are an important step toward closing the EU’s loopholes on ivory trade, they are not without a fundamental flaw. The trade restrictions on worked ivory are only partially addressed in the Commission Regulation with the remainder being dealt with in the guidance document. Likewise, the restrictions on raw ivory trade are currently only included in the guidance document and therefore are not legally binding on Member States. This could potentially undermine the EU’s efforts to meet its commitments to help protect elephants and global biodiversity. It is also problematic that the trade restrictions do not apply to the trade in ivory derived from other species. It would be advisable to extend the rules to those species to ease enforcement and reduce the risk of elephant ivory being disguised and laundered as other types of ivory.”

Despite the remaining loopholes, these revised rules will put the EU in a better position to advocate for similar measures in key international fora, such as in meetings of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Closing these loopholes would make the EU one of the world leaders on this issue and help prevent elephant population declines and the ongoing global biodiversity crisis.

Notes:

  • The European Commission has published its amendments to Commission Regulation 856/2006 and to the guidance document on the EU regime governing trade in ivory. This includes:
    • suspending imports of raw ivory to the EU;
    • suspending imports and re-export of worked ivory to the EU (with the exception of pre-1975 musical instruments, and antiques sold to museums);
    • suspending the intra-EU trade of raw ivory (except for the repair of pre-1975 musical instruments or pre-1947 antiques of high cultural, artistic or historical importance);
    • suspending the intra-EU trade of post-1947 worked ivory (with the exception of pre-1975 musical instruments);
    • requiring certificates for intra-EU trade in worked ivory antiques (pre-1947 worked ivory).
  • The following loopholes remain in the EU ivory trade regime:
    • The trade restrictions on worked ivory are only partially addressed in Commission Regulation 865/2006 (with the rest being in the guidance document), and those on raw ivory are currently only included in the guidance document and therefore are not legally binding on Member States. The Commission should introduce a time-bound monitoring system of the implementation of the ivory guidance by Member States and promptly amend it and the Regulation 865/2006 if required.
    • The allowance that antique ivory can be traded within the EU with a certificate is still too broad. A de minimis provision further restricting the issuance of certificates for antique ivory is needed to avoid a flood of applications for certificates that will likely overwhelm authorities, thus increasing the risk of ivory from poached elephants or otherwise obtained illegally being laundered through the system and sold as antique. We urge the Commission to consider applying the de minimis criteria applied by other jurisdictions, which restrict exemptions for antique worked items to those containing less than 5% of ivory by volume and less than 200g of ivory by weight.
    • Exceptions regarding pre-1975 musical instruments should only apply when the volume of ivory in the instrument is less than 20% of the total volume of the material of which the instrument is made.
    • The rules only apply to elephant ivory, which means that elephant ivory could be disguised and laundered as ivory from other species.

ENDS

Media Contact: Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs at Humane Society International/Europe: jswabe@hsi.org

Announcement made in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and Creatives for Change

Humane Society International / Europe

Kristo Muurimaa/Oikeutta Elaimille

PARIS —ELLE magazine is proud to announce that it has committed to ending the promotion of animal fur in its pages and online. 

The commitment follows dialogue between ELLE brand owner, Lagardère Group, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and Creatives4Change. The announcement was made today at Business of Fashion’s 2021 VOICES event in London. 

ELLE created a charter to disallow editorial content that promotes animal fur on its pages, websites and social media. This includes no animal fur in editorials, press images, runway and street style images. The charter, which in alignment with the Fur Free Alliance’s definition of fur, also no longer allows the depiction of animal fur in any advertisements in its pages and online.  

All ELLE editions around the world signed it, which includes publications in Arabia (English and Arabic editions), Argentina, Australia, Belgium (Flemish and French editions), Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada (English and French editions), China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, USA and Vietnam.  

For 13 of those editions, the charter is already effective, for 20, it will be effective as of Jan. 1, 2022, and for the remaining editions, it will be effective as of Jan. 1, 2023. 

The ELLE network that will be impacted by this announcement includes: 

  • 45 editions worldwide 
  • 21 million readers per month 
  • 6.6 million copies sold per month 
  • 175 million total reach 
  • 46 websites, 100 million unique visitors, 400 million pages viewed and multiple mobile/tablet apps 
  • A website devoted to the international network: www.elleinternational.com 

According to Constance Benqué, CEO Lagardère News and CEO ELLE International: “Societal engagement has always been one of the key pillars of the ELLE brand. The world has changed and the end of the use of fur is aligned with the course of History. We hope that, with this commitment, ELLE will open the path for other media to disallow fur promotion, all around the globe, and promote a fur-free future.” 

According to Valéria Bessolo LLopiz, SVP and international director of ELLE: “For many years, ELLE has been engaged towards environment, sustainability and ecology through regular features or special green issues. The presence of animal fur in our pages and on our digital media is no longer in line with our values, nor our readers’. It is time for ELLE to make a statement on this matter, a statement that reflects our attention to the critical issues of protecting and caring for the environment and animals, rejecting animal cruelty. It is also an opportunity for ELLE to increase awareness for animal welfare, bolster the demand for sustainable and innovative alternatives, and foster a more humane fashion industry.” 

Alexi Lubomirski, fashion photographer and founder of Creatives for Change, says: “Since its inception, ELLE magazine has always been a leading light in fashion, synonymous with a freshness, unencumbered by the weight of tradition and formality. Because of this strength, ELLE was said to ‘not so much reflect fashion as decree it.’ It is this creative power to inspire, that allows ELLE to make broad steps in shaping the hearts and minds of its readers for a more evolved and aware future for all.” 

PJ Smith, director of fashion policy for the HSUS and HSI, adds: “We celebrate ELLE for taking a stand against the cruel fur trade and look forward to other fashion magazines following their lead. This announcement will ignite positive change throughout the entire fashion industry and has the potential to save countless animals from a life of suffering and a cruel death. ELLE’s leadership will also drive innovation for more sustainable and humane alternatives.”  

ENDS 

Media Contacts: 

  • Humane Society International: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org 
  • Lagardère Group: Morgane Rohée, mrohee@lagarderenews.com 

Animal protection and conservation NGOs, policy makers, IWC commissioners gather for launch event with messages of support also from Dame Judi Dench, Leona Lewis, Chris Packham and Tracy Edwards MBE

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Minke whales
Adrian Baddele/istock

LONDON–Dr Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace, joined with many of the world’s leading animal protection and conservation organisations, to urge the 88 member countries of the International Whaling Commission to adopt a new 50-Year Vision to save whales, dolphins and porpoises from extinction in the face of increasing ocean threats. are Many species are facing an increased threat of extinction because of fisheries bycatch; chemical, plastic and noise pollution; marine debris; ship strikes; habitat loss; the urgent climate crisis as well as continued direct persecution from commercial killing and dolphin drive hunts.

The coalition of NGOs, including the Animal Welfare Institute, Humane Society International, Born Free Foundation, OceanCare, IFAW and Environmental Investigation Agency, launched the 50-Year Vision at a virtual event, to mark the 75th anniversary of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Originally established in 1946 to conserve whales in order to maximise hunting quotas, the IWC has since evolved to address myriad anthropogenic threats that pose an immediate danger for many populations of cetaceans. Of the 90 species, 12 subspecies and 28 subpopulations of cetaceans that have been identified and assessed to date, 22 are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’, 22 as ‘Endangered’ and 16 as ‘Vulnerable’. Without globally co-ordinated conservation actions, many species and populations will go extinct within our lifetimes, the NGOs warn.

Giving the keynote speech, Dr Jane Goodall DBE said: “Some 80% of the world’s oxygen comes from the ocean. Our seas, along with our forests, are literally the lungs of our planet. Tragically, the vast marine habitat is increasingly threatened by our human actions. We are polluting it with toxic substances, large areas become acidified, the water is warming, commercial fishing has endangered many species, and its biggest and so loved residents – whales, dolphins and porpoises – are suffering. 

Unbelievably, despite a 40 year ban, many still suffer the cruelty of commercial whaling. Then around 300,000 cetaceans die when they’re accidentally captured in fishing gear. They drown.  A number of species and some populations are now facing extinction. There are solutions, but our governments must prioritise them and also recognise and support the International Whaling Commission as the organisation to coordinate these global priorities.” 

The 50-Year Vision (supported by more than 50 NGOs worldwide) calls on the IWC and its 88 member countries to ensure that conservation urgency is at the centre of global efforts to save cetacean species from decline. It warns that the degradation of the oceans has accelerated rapidly in recent years, with ocean temperatures warming up to 40% faster on average than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change previously estimated, and more than 150 million tonnes of plastics have accumulated in the oceans since the 1950s. Ocean acidification has also increased by 26% since pre-industrial times, global maritime traffic has vastly increased, as have ambient noise levels from shipping, seismic surveys, exploration and military activities. An estimated 300,000 cetaceans are killed annually as bycatch in fisheries. These challenges are compounded by the loss of critical habitat to climate change.

A host of celebrities supported the 50-Year Vision at its launch event, with video messages from naturalist and campaigner Chris Packham, actress Dame Judi Dench, Singer Leona Lewis and world-renowned sailor Tracy Edwards MBE. Download the celebrity videos here.

The NGOs believe the IWC’s 75th anniversary provides the perfect opportunity ahead of its 68th meeting in October 2022 to define a clear 50-year Vision that goes beyond managing whaling and establishes the IWC at the centre of global efforts to conserve all cetaceans.

The 50-Year Vision outlines that, looking forward, the IWC’s priorities must be focused on conservation, and recommends specifically that the IWC:

Maintain the ban on commercial whaling which is not a viable industry in the 21st century. Demand for whale meat has fallen to unprecedented levels in the remaining nations conducting commercial whaling, and the industry is now dependent on significant government subsidies. The very nature of cetaceans – long lived, slow breeding, depleted and vulnerable to growing environmental threats – means that commercial whaling is inherently ill-suited to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals such as providing food security, and ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Manage Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling. The IWC’s most important whaling management responsibility is the regulation of Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling (ASW). It is vital that the IWC maintain a clear distinction between ASW and commercial and special permit whaling, to ensure the integrity of the moratorium and meet the genuine nutritional, cultural and subsistence needs of indigenous peoples

Ensure whale watching is effectively managed. Whale watching is an industry worth more than US$2 billion, enjoyed by over 13 million people in 119 countries each year. However, as the success of whale watching continues to grow, the IWC must ensure it is conducted responsibly and is biologically sustainable.

Implement IWC Sanctuaries as Effective Marine Protected Areas. The IWC took the visionary step of designating two massive protected areas at a time (1979 and 1994) when marine reserves were a relatively new concept. Today, there are more than 900 marine protected areas providing habitat for cetaceans globally but not all have conservation goals or management plans to mitigate threats to cetaceans.

Consolidate the IWC’s welfare mandate. The IWC is uniquely positioned to ensure that the pain and suffering of cetaceans in both hunting and non-hunting situations is understood and minimised. It is already building a global response to entanglement but must expand its work and its collaboration with other organisations to better understand, measure and address other non-hunting welfare threats to cetaceans.

Increase collaboration, skills-sharing and capacity building in member governments, on ocean conservation, global biodiversity, sustainable development goals, harmonised research and mitigation efforts, to reverse the trifecta of the climate, pollution and biodiversity crises.

Ensure that decision-making reflects that the ecological contributions of cetaceans are a public good. Cetaceans make vital ecological contributions to the health and productivity of the oceans, including enhancing fish populations by increasing primary productivity, sequestering carbon, and promoting biodiversity. The IWC’s growing expertise in this area will enable it to leverage funding for cetacean conservation from new sources, including international institutions that fund climate mitigation and other conservation efforts.

Kitty Block, CEO of Humane Society International says: “As the health of the world’s oceans dramatically declines, cetaceans are in trouble, and that’s a tragedy not just because they are magnificent and sentient animals but because they also play a vital ecological role. Our 50-Year Vision offers a vital strategic plan for the IWC to help save whales, dolphins and porpoises in these most perilous of times.” 

ENDS 

Download photos of cetaceans here.

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

Background on the IWC 

Almost three million great whales were killed in commercial whaling operations in the 20th century. As whale populations declined but competition for the remaining whales increased, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), which established the International Whaling Commission (IWC), was agreed in 1946 to conserve whale populations and regulate the whaling industry. Since then, the IWC has been the primary international organisation for the management and conservation of whales and is recognised in international law as such.

In 1982, the IWC made the visionary decision to ban commercial whaling worldwide, preventing the extinction of several populations and species. Almost 40 years later, despite recovery in some whale populations, many are nowhere near their pre-exploitation levels. Maintaining the ban on commercial whaling remains critical to ensuring that whales have the best chance of survival and recovery in what is now an increasingly degraded and rapidly changing marine environment.

Yves Salomon, Moncler & Max Mara sales staff filmed at Harrods’ fur salon provide misleading information about conditions on factory fur farms

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Kristo Muurimaa/Oikeutta eläimille

LONDON—Sales staff representing global designers Yves Salomon, Moncler and Max Mara in the fur salon at London’s Harrods department store, provided misleading information about conditions for animals on fur farms to a secret shopper filming for animal protection charity Humane Society International/UK. Sales staff for the fashion companies—all wearing Harrods-branded name badges—made misleading claims about the deprived environment in which caged animals are kept, and the way they are killed, when questioned about farmed fox fur from Finland.

The sales rep for Yves Salomon falsely claimed that foxes on fur farms are not kept in cages, telling the undercover customer that they are kept in “their own private space” in “separate rooms” “exactly” like Battersea (Dogs and Cats Home). The customer was repeatedly told that foxes are not kept in a cage and even that “they have enough space to play and everything”. In truth, the animals are confined in small, barren, wire factory-farm style cages one-metre squared. These pitiful conditions were exposed this week in HSI’s undercover investigation at three Finnish fox fur farms that showed animals in cages barely longer than their body length, nose to tail. Many of the foxes also suffered with deformed feet and diseased eyes.

Another Yves Salomon sales rep at Harrods gave HSI/UK’s undercover shopper the false assurance that before the animals are killed “they put them down with an injection” so that “they are literally put to sleep” when in truth foxes (and raccoon dogs) are anally electrocuted without any anaesthetic. When our shopper expressed concern about some videos she had seen of animals suffering in the fur trade she was told ‘it’s only propaganda, madam’.

Moncler’s sales assistant made the astonishing implication that its Finnish fox fur was just a by-product, saying “we take our fur from animals who were already taken for other purposes, like for example meat or something else”, despite the breeding of foxes for human consumption being illegal in the EU.

Humane Society International/UK which leads the #FurFreeBritain campaign for a UK fur sales ban, and Finnish animal campaigners Oikeutta Eläimille, visited three fur farms in the Ostrobothnia region of Finland, a country that has exported more than £11million of fur to the UK since 2000 despite the same fur farm cruelty being banned in the UK. Photos and video can be downloaded here. Filming took place in October 2021.

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, who visited the fur farms, said: “It’s hardly a surprise that staff in Harrods don’t want to describe the grim reality of life for animals on fur farms, because it would surely leave their customers horrified. The week before speaking to five Harrods’ sales assistants who all creatively cloaked the cruelty of the fur trade, I visited several supposedly ‘high welfare’ Finnish fur farms and come face to face with the abject misery and suffering of thousands of foxes locked up in barren metre-squared battery cages their whole lives. Before Christmas they will all have been killed by anal electrocution, and the luxury lies of fur trade PR spin will market their lifeless fur to consumers.

The claim that fur farms are ‘like Battersea’, a rescue home for pets, was a whole new level of delusion. Fur farms and Battersea are like night and day in animal welfare terms. A Harrods manager’s claims that their fur is ‘ethically and sustainably sourced’ bears no scrutiny whatsoever. There is nothing ethical about any fur farming, certified or otherwise. We urge Harrods to stop peddling lies and stop selling fur cruelty. And the sooner the UK government bans the import and sale of animal fur, the sooner we can stop bankrolling this brutal industry.”

Max Mara’s sales staff told the investigator that its fur is certified by the fur trade’s SAGA Furs** assurance scheme which, they claimed, means “those ones are not cruel, not made in a cruel way…. It means that the animals don’t suffer.” However, at two SAGA Furs certified fox fur farms visited by HSI/UK, foxes with infected eyes and missing ears were filmed in woefully cramped cages, each one empty but for a single piece of wood or bone which passes for “enrichment”.

Fox fur originating from Finland is used by brands including Fendi, Moncler, Yves Salomon, Woolrich, Herno and Max Mara, and is seen in stores including Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Flannels.

Finland is the biggest producer of fox fur in Europe and the second biggest in the world, exporting millions of pounds worth of fur around the world including to the UK. Since banning fur farming in 2000 on ethical grounds, the UK has imported more than £850million of fur from a range of countries including France, Italy, Poland, China and the United States. Through its #FurFreeBritain campaign, HSI/UK is urging the government to end this by banning UK fur imports and sales, a move supported by 72% of the British public. The government is currently considering a fur sales ban and recently held a public consultation which received 30,000 responses.

HSI/UK has written to Harrods.

Please sign and share HSI’s petition calling for a UK fur sales ban: www.hsi.org/FurFreeBritain

Facts: 

  • More than 100 million animals are killed for their fur every year worldwide: foxes, raccoon dogs, mink, chinchilla and rabbits on fur farms and coyotes, beavers and other animals trapped in the wild—that’s equivalent to three animals dying every second, just for their fur. Finland rears and kills between 1-2 million foxes every year.
  • Fur farming has been banned and/or is in the process of being phased out in 15 European countries including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland’s cabinet has approved legislation that would see fur farming banned from 2022; and legislation to ban mink farming is currently being debated by politicians in France. Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain and Ukraine are also considering proposals to ban fur farming.
  • HSI/UK’s #FurFreeBritain campaign for a UK fur sales ban is supported by NGOs including the RSPCA, PETA UK and Four Paws UK, as well as celebrities including Sir Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney, Dame Judi Dench, Ricky Gervais and Leona Lewis.
  • In 2021 Israel became the first country in the world to ban the sale of fur. Fur sales are also banned in the U.S. state of California, the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood, and the towns of Weston and Wellesley in Massachusetts and Ann Arbor in Michigan.
  • Global fashion designers and retailers who have dropped fur cruelty include Canada Goose, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Gucci, Burberry, Versace, Chanel and Prada.
  • A 2020 YouGov opinion poll reveals that 79% of Brits most closely associate fashion brands selling fur with negative words: ‘unethical’, ‘outdated’, ‘cruel’ and ‘out of touch’.
  • Fur comes with a hefty environmental price tag. All fabrics have an eco-footprint, but when compared to others, fur scores badly in terms of the C02 emissions associated with keeping and feeding tens of thousands of carnivorous animals on a farm, the manure runoff into lakes and rivers, and the cocktail of toxic chemicals such as chromium and formaldehyde used to stop the fur and skin from rotting.

Media contact: Wendy Higgins: whiggins@hsi.org

Notes

*Faces have been pixilated and voices altered to protect the sales staffs’ identity.
**SAGA is the fur trade’s certification scheme which claims SAGA certified farms have good animal health and welfare and provide safe and stimulating housing, as well as good farm hygiene and feed that fulfils nutritional needs in each production phase.
Reference in this article to any specific commercial product or service, or the use of any brand, trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public only.  Such reference does not constitute or imply endorsement by Humane Society International or any its affiliates of the product or service, or its producer or provider, and should not be construed or relied upon, under any circumstances, by implication or otherwise, as investment advice. The views and opinions of interviewees expressed in the article do not necessarily state or accurately reflect those of Humane Society International or any of its affiliates. Links and access by hypertext to other websites is provided as a convenience only and does not indicate or imply any endorsement with respect to any of the content on such website nor any of the views expressed thereon.

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