Region: Global

Alesha Dixon and Joanna Lumley join 50 animal protection organisations in celebrating new law recognising animals have feelings, and a new Committee to protect their welfare.

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Guy Harrop/Alamy

LONDON—Animal protection organisations and celebrities are today celebrating the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill passing its final hurdle in the House of Lords. Once the Bill receives Royal Assent, the new law will be known as the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.

The passage of the Bill is welcomed by the Better Deal for Animals, an alliance of 50 of the UK’s leading animal organisations, including the RSPCA, Humane Society International/UK, Compassion in World Farming, FOUR PAWS UK and Wildlife and Countryside Link, which was formed in 2019 to campaign for reinstating the recognition of animal sentience in UK law. Animal sentience was the only piece of EU legislation that was not transposed when the UK formally left the EU on 1st January 2021.

Alesha Dixon, whose petition secured over 100,000 signatures in the campaign for a sentience Bill back in 2019, said: “Animals enrich and improve our lives in so many ways, so it is only right that we give them our full respect in law. From the smallest mouse to the largest whale, our decisions can have a huge impact on the welfare of animals, and I’m thrilled that this new law will now mean all government departments will have to show how they’re giving animals the consideration and protection they deserve.”

Joanna Lumley, who signed a letter with 21 other celebrities urging government to put animal sentience into law, said “Anyone lucky enough to share their life with an animal knows what rich emotional lives they can lead, and how much our actions can affect their wellbeing, for better or worse. I am delighted that this new law will mean that sentient animals, including beautiful sea creatures like lobsters and octopus, will be treated with greater respect and care.”

The new law will see the formation of an Animal Sentience Committee which will have the freedom to scrutinise the extent to which any government policy has taken animals’ welfare needs into account, and is empowered to publish reports on its findings. The Minister with responsibility for that policy area then has a duty to lay before Parliament a written response to the Committee’s reports within three months.

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK said: “It’s exactly 200 years since the UK’s first animal welfare law, so the Sentience Act is a fantastic anniversary gift to animals. This legislation has enormous public support, and we’re delighted and relieved to see it complete its journey through Parliament. We look forward to the new Animal Sentience Committee being able to shine an expert spotlight on opportunities for the government to improve the welfare of all animals.”

Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the RSPCA said: “The Sentience Bill becoming law is an important milestone in ensuring animals have strong legal protections and are recognised as sentient beings who have emotions and feelings. We are pleased that the new Animal Sentience Committee will be able to influence public policy to improve the lives of animals and create a kinder and more compassionate society.”

Welcoming the law, campaigners stressed that the new Animal Sentience Committee would have a huge scope of policies it could scrutinise, and will need to prioritise its limited resources carefully.

James West, Senior Policy Manager at  Compassion in World Farming, said: “We welcome the final passage of the Bill that will once again enshrine animal sentience in UK law. However, the Animal Sentience Committee still has a big job to do! It’s critical that they prioritise those policies that have the potential to cause the greatest suffering to the largest number of animals, including of course, the millions of animals facing welfare problems on Britain’s farms.”

Sonul Badiani-Hamment, FOUR PAWS UK Country Director, said: “Today is a victory for animals as they are finally granted the recognition and protection they deserve in UK law. The British public are proud to call themselves a nation of animal lovers and have strong expectations of the UK Government to deliver on their commitments in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. In passing this Bill the government has taken one huge step forwards towards truly being considered a global leader for animal welfare.”

Richard Benwell,  Wildlife and Countryside Link CEO, said: “It’s great to see MPs come together from all parties to recognise the sentience of animals. This consensus reflects clear public opinion—animals are sentient and should be treated as such. This applies to companion animals, farm animals and wild animals. The same consensus must hold to ensure that the advice of the new Animal Sentience Committee is followed by Government, so that future policy reduces suffering and enhances the welfare of animals.”

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Media contact

Claire Bass, executive director, Humane Society International/UK: cbass@hsi.org

Pups starving and dehydrated, some already dead on “truck from hell”

Humane Society International

Vshine

Dalian, CHINA—Chinese animal activists worked through the night with local police in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui to intercept a truck packed with 260 puppies and 22 adult dogs in such appalling conditions that one activist called it a “truck from hell.” The driver of the truck had taken the dogs—all destined to be sold for the meat or pet trade—on a gruelling 1,000 mile journey from Guizhou to Huainan before it was spotted on the highway by local activists. One activist called Teng, an anti-dog meat trade campaign volunteer for Humane Society International and its Chinese partner group, Vshine, quickly responded by alerting the police and coordinating local activists for a rescue effort.  

When Teng reported the suspected illegal transport of live animals, the local police immediately despatched law enforcement officers to intercept the truck, forcing it to pull over on the side of the road. Teng reported that when the truck driver couldn’t provide the required documents to legally transport live animals across provincial borders, the dogs were confiscated into government custody where the activists were allowed to provide emergency care. The adult dogs had been due to be sold to a slaughterhouse for human consumption, while the puppies were intended to be sold as pets, although many were so sick by the time they were rescued they likely would also have ended up at the slaughterhouse.  

Sadly, conditions were so dire that 12 of the puppies had died by the time the truck was intercepted, and a further 18 died soon after from parvovirus and distemper, both highly contagious diseases that cause severe illness and possible death in dogs. Many of the surviving puppies are suffering from dehydration, starvation and skin disease. One puppy in particular was covered in a painful skin condition leading to hair loss. He was in such a pitiful state, he immediately captured Teng’s heart and he offered to adopt him if he survived. The puppy—who he named Apple—was given emergency veterinary treatment but despite best efforts, he sadly passed away.  

Teng said: “My heart sank when I spotted the truck on the highway that night. I knew it was going to be bad because there were so many dogs crammed inside, but I hadn’t expected there to be so many tiny puppies. They were all crying for our attention, covered in their own urine and faeces, and in really bad shape. It was disgusting what they endured, like a truck from hell for those poor dogs. I noticed little Apple right away because he had lost so much fur, and my heart just melted. I wanted to do everything I could to make it up to him so that he could forget his horrible ordeal, but his suffering had just been too much. I dread to think what would have happened to them all, and I’m so sad for all the ones like Apple who didn’t make it.  We are grateful to the Huainan police who acted so swiftly to help save these dogs. We couldn’t have done it without them.” 

The remaining dogs are now safe, receiving veterinary care, nutritious food, water and rest at nearby shelters. Once their quarantine period is over, they will be transported to Vshine’s shelter, which is funded by Humane Society International. The rescue comes just three months ahead of the mass slaughter of dogs and cats in Yulin, and is a timely reminder that suffering and death at the hands of the dog meat traders is the fate of millions of animals across China every year.   

Dr Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist said: “This sad story is all too common in China, where hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats every month endure appalling suffering like this in order to make profit for the meat and pet trades. Chinese animal activists regularly alert police when trucks are identified, and in this case the Huainan police were exemplary in how they responded. It is my hope that more law enforcement agencies in China can act in the interests of public safety, public health and animal welfare like the Huainan police. The condition of these dogs was so terrible that it’s likely many more would have died before they reached their intended destination, and sickly puppies would probably have been sold for meat just like the adult dogs. Thank goodness for the Chinese animal activists and police who saved so many lives, and we are proud that that funding HSI provides can make such a difference to animals like this in such desperate circumstances.”  

Facts about China’s dog meat trade: 

  • Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by a small percentage of the Chinese population. A 2016 survey found that more than half of Chinese citizens (51.7%) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5%) have never eaten dog meat. (Poll conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz).
  • Even in Yulin (where the so-called dog meat “festival” takes place in June every year), a 2017 survey conducted by Chinese state-registered charities and assisted by research staff from the Yulin Municipal Government, shows that most people (72%) don’t regularly eat dog despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.  
  •  In 2020, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made an official statement that dogs are companion animals and not “livestock” for eating, and two major cities in mainland China—Shenzhen and Zhuhai—banned the consumption of dog and cat meat.   

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

Vets for Ukrainian Pets launched by Humane Society International and veterinary associations in 38 European countries

Humane Society International / Europe

Beata Zawrzel/HSUS Kelly Donithan of Humane Society International is checking the condition of a cat named Luntik, which fled from Ukraine with its owners, who are now staying at a shelter at the reception point in Lubycza Krolewska, while the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, on 23, March.

Update: This program has been extended to 31 December 2024.

BRUSSELS—Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war with their pets in tow will now be able to access free veterinary treatment in 38 European countries, thanks to an unprecedented program called Vets for Ukrainian Pets. Launched by animal charity Humane Society International and partners, Vets for Ukrainian Pets will cover the treatment costs of dogs, cats, horses or other pet animals, up to 250 Euros per animal, for acute care and medication, rabies and other vaccinations as well as microchipping and medical examination required for safe passage through the EU.

Vets for Ukrainian Pets is being fully funded by HSI, with the generous support of Mars, Incorporated, in collaboration with Federation of Veterinarians in Europe and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations. Reimbursements for participating veterinarians will be available wherever the FECAVA has members, including in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Romania and Poland, as well as Ukraine.

Ruud Tombrock, executive director of HSI/Europe, says: “In Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since WWII, millions of Ukrainians have had to take the decision to leave their country and flee the war. Along with a few possessions, many are also taking their pet animals, who they cherish as family members. The trauma of war as well as the stress of the evacuation journey, can make animals vulnerable to a variety of illnesses and so HSI’s Vets for Ukrainian Pets program aims to eliminate barriers to accessing veterinary care for the pets of refugees. It will provide a much-needed safety net for those families fleeing with their beloved pets so that at no point they feel compelled to leave their pets behind due to concerns about being able to care for them.”

Just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the European Commission recommended that member states ease requirements for the entry of pets from Ukraine. At least 13 EU member states have since temporarily lifted or modified their import restrictions on companion animals, including rabies requirements. However, there is no standardized policy across the EU regarding the entry of pets from Ukraine. While vaccination and microchipping of animals is being provided at some border crossings, not all animals receive such services and therefore fail to meet the national requirements for entry.

Rens van Dobbenburgh, president of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, says: “We are grateful to start this joint project together with our sister organisation FECAVA and with the much-appreciated support of Humane Society International. Through this joint project, we will offer a strong, free pet healthcare response to ensure that those arriving with their beloved pets, many that are vulnerable, receive the care and treatment they need. This is about emergency care, long-term treatment for chronic conditions as well as routine health checks.”

Danny Holmes, FECAVA President Elect says: “We are delighted to partner with Humane Society International and FVE to offer support to refugees’ pets in Europe fleeing the war in Ukraine. It is a testament to the dedication of the veterinary and animal welfare organisations to create such a far-reaching scheme in such a short time.”

Vets for Ukrainian Pets will run until 30 June 2023 and is open for all licensed veterinary clinics to apply throughout Europe, whether owned privately or as part of a corporate group. Those clinics wishing to join the program can apply at apply.vetsforukraine.com/. HSI hopes that Vets for Ukrainian Pets will become a vital part of the collective efforts of European veterinarians to provide assistance to refugees from Ukraine, and urges all practicing vets, whenever possible, to find ways in which to help, by providing discounted or free of charge care where other funding or charity contributions are insufficient to cover the full cost.

Additional information

Vets for Ukrainian Pets will cover the following costs for companion animals and equines of Ukrainian refugees, up to 250 Euros per animal, with a limit of five animals per vet:

  • Certification/Licensing Requirements—Any costs associated with legalisation of a pet in a European country where these costs are not being funded by national authorities. This may include rabies vaccination, rabies serology, parasite treatment, microchip implantation/registration and official documentation.
  • Standard Preventive Care—The costs of core vaccinations and parasite treatments to ensure the overall health of the animal, particularly when infectious disease transmission is a concern.
  • Medication (up to four months’ supply)—The costs of any medication previously prescribed by a veterinary surgeon or to treat a newly identified condition which is considered necessary. This may include animals with chronic conditions whose families may not have been able to bring medication when they evacuated or whose supplies have been depleted.
  • Acute Care—Treatment for acute conditions where the prognosis following treatment is good. Examples might include treatment of wounds, ear inflammation or alleviation of pain.

Every registered practicing veterinarian in Europe can apply to become part of the programme and can make up to five claims for refunding the cost of treatment for pet animals of Ukrainian refugees by using the website apply.vetsforukraine.com/. In exceptional cases, where a veterinarian has to provide care for a larger number of animals, they should contact HSI at VetsUkrainePets@hsi.org

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The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s unlawful decision to permit the trophy hunting of 10 leopards, 150 elephants and 10 black rhinos to be reviewed

Humane Society International / Africa

Oliver de Ros/AP Images for HSI

CAPE TOWN—Today, the High Court of the Western Cape granted urgent interim relief pending the judgment of the interim interdict against the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) hunting and export quotas for leopard, black rhino and elephants.  

The application for the hunting and export quotas was brought by animal protection organisation Humane Society International/Africa, and was based upon HSI/Africa’s argument that the DFFE failed to comply with the consultative process prescribed by the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA) when making the quota decision. HSI/Africa asserts that the relief provided, pending the judgment of the interim interdict, will provide opportunity to fully review the Minister’s Record of Decision by which these quota allocations were made. 

NEMBA prescribes a specific and comprehensive consultative public participation process that must be undertaken prior to such a decision being taken.  

HSI/Africa, during proceedings, argued that the 2022 trophy hunting quota, as  issued by the DFFE’s Minister Barbara Creecy, was unlawful for the following reasons: 

  • The DFFE announced the quotas on 25 February 2022 without consulting the public, which renders the decision invalid and unlawful; 
  • The notice for the 2021 quota, which was purportedly deferred to 2022 by the DFFE, was in any event defective and thus rendered any quota decisions arising from that process invalid and unlawful; 
  • The DFFE may not issue a quota for trophy hunting and export of elephant, black rhino or leopard without valid non-detriment findings. 

In its 25 February 2022 press release, the DFFE argued that the hunting quotas allocated are based on the fact that “regulated and sustainable hunting is an important conservation tool in South Africa.” However, HSI/Africa’s 2022 Trophy Hunting by the Numbers Report contradicts this argument, confirming that 83% of trophies exported from South Africa are from captive-bred animals, non-native species or species such as caracal, baboons and honey badgers that are not subject to scientifically based management plans. Also, only 25% of native species exported as trophies are managed with a national conservation plan. Hunting animals in these circumstances cannot be understood to advance the conservation of biodiversity.  

This month, Good Governance Africa released a report, authored by Dr Ross Harvey, entitled “Trophy Hunting in South Africa: Is it worth it? An evaluation of South Africa’s policy decision to elevate trophy hunting as a key conservation tool”. The report asserts that “the government’s apparent commitment to trophy hunting neither considers the opportunity costs associated with the practice nor its negative externalities”. Furthermore, it adds that whilst trophy hunting may generate some economic benefit, it is hardly enough to substantiate the overall harms that it does or to promote it as a conservation benefitting mechanism.  

Tony Gerrans, executive director for Humane Society International/Africa says: “HSI has long sought engagement with the Department regarding the harm that trophy hunting causes—the damage to individual animals and to the conservation of threatened and endangered wildlife, as well as South Africa’s reputation as an ethical wildlife destination. Today’s granting of interim relief, pending the final judgment of Part A, is another step in making these harms public and ensuring they are given the necessary consideration in wildlife policy. As Good Governance’s new report demonstrates, the economic and conservation benefits  of trophy hunting  are  materially overstated. It is not true to assert that without trophy hunting revenues, conservation in South Africa would be unfunded. More beneficial, transformational, long-term alternatives to the killing of threatened, vulnerable and endangered animals for fun already exist. Everyone has the right to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that promote conservation.”

HSI/Africa will now await the final judgment on the interim interdict, which is expected in two weeks. The DFFE must make public the Minister’s Record of Decision that informed the quota announcement. Council will review all relevant documentation and a court will review the substantive matters basis of the quota of 10 vulnerable leopard, 150 endangered elephant and 10 critically endangered black rhino in 2022.  

Species and Trophy Hunting facts:

  • The leopard is listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. 
  • The African elephant is listed as ‘endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 
  • The black rhino is listed as ‘critically endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 
  • A study detailing South Africa’s role in the international trade in hunting trophies of mammal species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) during the most recent five-year period for which data are available (2014-2018) demonstrated that:  
    • South Africa is the second largest exporter of trophies of CITES-listed mammal species globally, exporting 16% of the global total of hunting trophies, 4,204 on average per year.  
    • South Africa is the biggest exporter of CITES-listed mammal 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.  
  • Between 2014 and 2018 South Africa exported: 
    • 574 African leopard trophies, or 115 per year on average. 98% of African leopard trophies exported from South Africa were wild source, while 2% were bred in captivity.  
    • 1,337 African elephant trophies, or 268 per year on average, virtually all wild sourced. 47% of the total were exported to the United States.  
    • 21 black rhino trophies, or five per year on average, all wild sourced. 
  • 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 between 2014 – 2018 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.  
  • 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%  

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

New poll shows 87% of British public want the Government to maintain or increase its level of action on animal protection, but bills to enshrine sentience and ban live exports are almost out of time, and sources suggest promised Animals Abroad Bill may be scrapped altogether

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

amadeusamse/Stock Photography

LONDON—Thirty-two of the UK’s leading animal protection organisations have written urgently to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to express alarm and opposition to reports that the Government has in mind to de-prioritise animal welfare and put at risk legislation to ban live exports, imports of hunting trophies, fur and foie gras, amongst other critical measures and manifesto commitments. The letter shares the results of a new YouGov poll, which affirms the strong public support for animal welfare, with almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents wanting the Government to increase its level of action on animal protection. 

The letter is signed by CEOs from the UK’s leading animal protection organisations, including the RSPCA, Humane Society International/UK, Compassion in World Farming, and FOUR PAWS UK. It was sent the day after the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill had its final Commons stages in Parliament, but was further delayed from becoming law by an amendment from 27 Conservative backbenchers, which was supported by the Government. The bill will now have to return to the House of Lords, with little time left this session. Animal sentience was the only piece of EU legislation that was not transposed when the UK formally left the EU on 1st January 2021. 

In an opinion piece in The Daily Telegraph on 9th March, politics editor Christopher Hope reported on a conversation with a minister who told him there is likely to be “a bit more focus on what matters to our constituents and a bit less of the peripheral stuff. The party does care about [the environmental agenda] but it is a question of getting priorities right.”  

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “The notion that animal welfare doesn’t matter to voters simply does not chime with public opinion. Even with all the other important government priorities at this time, including supporting Ukraine, almost 90% of Brits think the government should maintain or increase action for animals. Support is equally as strong (89%) amongst Conservative voters at the last election. The public want to see real progress for animals, including bans on imports of cruel fur and foie gras, so Number 10 will appear tone deaf if it waters down ambitions for animal welfare, or tries to quietly dispose of the promised Animals Abroad Bill. Reneging on manifesto commitments and promises from its 2021 Action Plan on Animal Welfare would be a betrayal of both animals and the British public.” 

James West, senior policy manager at Compassion in World Farming, said: “We are disappointed not to see animal sentience once again enshrined in UK law by now, and trust that the Government will ensure the Sentience Bill quickly passes through Parliament. We are deeply concerned that numerous other legislative and policy pieces which the Government promised have not been delivered – are the high hopes generated by the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare going to be shattered? We urge the Government to ensure that they give animal welfare the same importance that the majority of the British public does. In particular, we call for swift progress on legislation banning live exports and the sale or import of foie gras, as well as significant steps to End the Cage Age in farming.” 

Introduced into the Commons in June 2021, the Kept Animals Bill hasn’t been seen in Parliament since 9th November. Campaigners stress that if the government is going to deliver a number of manifesto commitments such as a ban on live animal exports, they must ensure it is given time to become law as soon as possible. 

Emma Slawinski, director of advocacy and policy at the RSPCA, said: “The Government promised the public that they would ban live exports, stop the illegal puppy trade and deliver animal sentience when they put these into their 2019 manifesto. This new polling shows the public desire to get these delivered has not diminished and as we approach the first anniversary of the Government’s animal welfare action plan we need to see a new resolve from the Government and urge them to deliver on their promises.” 

Sonul Badiani-Hamment, UK country director at FOUR PAWS UK, said: “After years of Brexit stagnation, last year the Government brought forward an ambitious policy agenda with the Animal Welfare Action Plan. With promises of progressive legislation such as the fur, foie gras and trophy hunting import bans, the UK would finally be a global leader in animal welfare whilst delivering on the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the British public. To see them now backing away from their commitments in the face of political opposition by a small minority, is nothing short of cowardice.” 

A change.org petition set up by Chris Packham urging the government ‘#DontBetrayAnimals suffering for fur and foie gras’ now stands at over 125,000 signatures since it was launched three weeks ago. The petition was set up after it was reported by the BBC that some cabinet ministers were opposed to the bans because they restrict personal choice, in spite of strong public support. A YouGov poll on 22/23rd February reveals 73% of the public back a fur import ban, including 59% of Conservative voters at the last election, who strongly support a ban, up almost 20% since a 2018 poll. 

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Media contact: Mathilde Dorbessan, HSI/UK media and communications manager: +44 (0)7341 919874

Resolution unanimously passed by the Belgian Federal Parliament urges the government to immediately stop the authorization of trophy import permits of species protected under international trade regulations.

Humane Society International / Europe

Vanessa Mignon 

BRUSSELS—Today, the Belgium Parliament took a significant step against the import and trade of animal trophies, adopting with overwhelming support a resolution urging the government to immediately end the authorisation of trophy import permits for certain threatened and endangered species. Among those included are the rhinoceros, African elephant, lion, polar bear and argali sheep, listed in Annex A of the EU’s regulation on trade in plants and animals. The resolution also includes certain animal species listed in Annex B of the same regulation.

Kris Verduyckt (Vooruit, Flemish Socialists), Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit, Flemish Socialists) and Mélissa Hanus (PS, Francophone Socialists), who originally submitted a legislative proposal to ban hunting trophy imports in 2020, expressed their delight at the result of their efforts at this critical step towards achieving their goals. Verduyckt said: “Concretely, it means, based on this decision, that Minister Zakia Khattabi [minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal of Belgium] can now stop issuing import licenses. Her party colleagues have already stated in the Energy, Climate and Environment committee that this will happen soon. I hope that other countries will now follow suit and there will soon be a full ban in place at the European level.”

Humane Society International/Europe praises the Belgian Federal Parliament for its efforts to protect biodiversity and threatened and endangered species. Ruud Tombrock, executive director of HSI/Europe, said: “Trophy hunting has no place in modern society. With this decision by the Belgian Parliament, we are one step closer to ending the unnecessary and cruel hunting of species on the brink of extinction who don’t deserve to be killed for a trophy. We would like to thank everyone involved in the critical efforts made, especially the sponsor, Kris Verduyckt MP.”

The resolution is in line with the major public interest in Belgium on animal welfare. The country has some of the highest levels of opposition to trophy hunting among EU Member States. According to the results of a survey by Ipsos commissioned by Humane Society International/Europe, 91% of Belgians oppose trophy hunting and 88% support the prohibition of importing any kind of hunting trophy at all.

Belgium is not the first country to take action to stop its involvement in this anachronistic and cruel practice that endangers the survival of many wild species. Neighboring countries have already banned hunting trophy imports:

  • The Netherlands banned trophies of over 200 species in 2016.
  • France banned imports of lion trophies in 2015.
  • In March 2022, the Spanish Parliamentary Association in Defence of Animal Rights hosted an expert panel in the Congress of Deputies titled, “Let’s ban the import of hunting trophies of endangered species” where they presented a motion for resolution to prohibit the trophy imports of protected species.
  • The Honorable Vittorio Ferraresi and Francesca Flati (M5S) introduced the first bill in the Italian Chamber of Deputies to ban the import and export of hunting trophies of protected species.
  • Members of the Finnish Parliament presented a motion containing a proposal for a ban.
  • Switzerland and the United Kingdom committed to stopping the imports of hunting trophies from protected species. The United Kingdom policy would be the strictest ban on importing hunting trophies ever.

Some of the initiatives follow the 2021 publication of the HSI/Europe 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. From 2014 to 2018, the EU imported nearly 15,000 hunting trophies—eight per day—of 73 internationally protected species. Over those five years, the number of trophies entering the EU increased by 40%.

In 2019 and 2020, despite the impact of COVID-19, European trophy hunters still managed to travel and import more than 5,700 trophies of species listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Trophy hunting, a colonial pastime celebrating the killing of wild animals for bragging rights, is incompatible with the biodiversity ambitions of the European Commission as well as the views of EU citizens. According to the results of a survey conducted in five EU Member States by Savanta ComRes—which was commissioned by HSI/Europe in 2021—over 80% of respondents opposed trophy hunting.

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Press contact: Adeline Fischer, communications manager Europe: afischer@hsi.org; +49 17631063219

Humane Society International

Chicken
Grigorios Moraitis/Getty Images

SANTIAGO, Chile—Egg farmers who are using cage-free hen housing systems in Chile have formed the country’s first union association to support  cage-free production. The formation of Chile Libres comes after many years of dialogue among producers and stakeholders including Humane Society International, who played a technical advisory role.

Chile Libres aims to promote cage-free egg production systems with high animal welfare standards and to collaborate with similar national and/or foreign institutions to develop capacity building programs, to inform the organization’s activities and to engage in regulatory developments that support a transition to cage-free hen systems.

“We have felt the need to promote change and call on those who share this vision to work together. We would like to make our experience available to strengthen local capacity and become the solution to society’s call for more humane, fair and sustainable production systems. Animal welfare is a core value for our association,” said Pablo Albarrán, Chile Libres Association president, in a statement translated from Spanish.

Daniela Sánchez, country director and farm animal welfare corporate policy manager for Humane Society International in Chile, said: “We are proud that Chilean producers are leading this effort  to promote cage-free hen and higher welfare egg production systems. We applaud their entrepreneurial spirit and their active and public role in support of higher welfare production systems that allow laying hens to express their natural behavior.”

Egg-laying hens in Chile are typically confined in wire cages so small that they cannot freely spread their wings. Cage-free production systems provide a much higher level of welfare, allowing the birds to express their natural behavior, including ground scratching and pecking, laying their eggs in nests, perching and fully spreading their wings, which are all scientifically documented behavioral needs. HSI works with the food industry in Chile and worldwide to help ensure a successful transition to these higher-welfare production systems.

HSI will continue to support the work of the Chile Libres Association to bring the collective knowledge of producers on cage-free production to enhance the global cage-free movement.

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Media Contact: Daniela Sanchez: +56 9 62181089; dsanchez@hsi.org

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. 

HSI praises Romanian Red Cross for unprecedented co-operation to help people with animals in war

Humane Society International

HSI’s Romania director Andreea Roseti delivers pet food to Romanian Red Cross for the Ukrainian relief effort.

Sibiu, ROMANIA—The Romanian Red Cross and animal protection organisation Humane Society International have launched an unprecedented agreement to get vital pet food and veterinary supplies into Ukraine to help tackle a worsening animal welfare crisis.

Hundreds of animal shelters, veterinary clinics and rescue centres, as well as thousands of families with pets who remain in Ukraine, are struggling to find food for the animals in their care, and providing veterinary care for injured or sick animals is increasingly challenging as supplies are at risk of running out. In recognition of the clear desire of people in Ukraine to care for the animals caught up alongside them in the war, the Romanian Red Cross will, for the first time ever, add life-saving aid for animals to its humanitarian aid transport. Humane Society International has donated the first tonne of pet food to the Romanian Red Cross, which the agency will take into Ukraine and distribute according to need.

Raluca Morar, executive director Romanian Red Cross Sibiu county, says: “In times like these, we, at the Red Cross know that our most valuable resource is kindness and compassion. Our humanitarian convoys will deliver not only supplies to people in desperate need, but also hope that help in on the way. In times like these we know that not only people, but also animals need help. We are happy and honoured to have Humane Society International on our side, making sure that much needed pet food will also reach Ukraine with our convoys. First ton of dry pet food has reached our loading point in Sibiu, and will be delivered to Ukraine within the next days.”

HSI/Europe’s Romania director, Andreea Roseti, says: “As this conflict continues, people and animals in Ukraine are suffering alongside each other, particularly in those animal shelters and homes where leaving animals behind has simply been an impossible decision to make. We are grateful that the Romanian Red Cross has recognised that the plight of animals in war is inextricably bound up with the plight of the people who live with them and care so deeply about their welfare. We have donated one tonne of emergency pet supplies, the first of many to come, that the Red Cross will distribute within Ukraine to help avert a worsening animal welfare crisis. There are large numbers of pet dogs and cats roaming the streets who have become separated from their families; they are bewildered, traumatised and in need of help. The tragedy of war doesn’t differentiate between two legs or four, and together with the Red Cross we will get aid to those people in Ukraine desperately asking for help to keep their animal friends alive in this crisis.”

HSI is also working with other local animal welfare groups in Germany, Italy and Poland to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict with their beloved pets by providing emergency supplies at refugee reception points. Supported by a generous donation from Mars, Incorporated, the charity is providing pet food, blankets as well as veterinary care for refugees arriving with animal companions. The people accessing these pet support services speak of their relief at being able to save their pets who are an enormous comfort in extremely stressful circumstances, especially for traumatised children. In Germany, HSI is working with animal welfare group Berliner Tiertafel to provide pet food and veterinary treatment. All over Berlin more than 30 vets are already supporting the project to provide aid to refugees and their pets, so that the animals receive urgent veterinary treatments alongside necessary vaccinations and microchips.

HSI’s Germany director, Sylvie Kremerskothen Gleason, says: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is of course a devastating humanitarian crisis, but the beloved dogs, cats and other animals of those fleeing Ukraine are very much part of that refugee story. We have heard from refugees we’re helping in Berlin that the loyal companionship of their pets has kept them and their families going on the arduous journey to safety. For children especially, their pets are an enormous source of comfort to help them cope with the trauma of war. These refugees are frightened and exhausted, so being able to help them care for their pets means they have one less thing to worry about at a time when they need help the most.”

Download Photos/Video of Humane Society International/Romania Red Cross

Download Additional Photos of Humane Society International’s Ukraine Response

ENDS

Media contacts:

New video exposes thieves stealing and bludgeoning terrified dogs; dogs sold for meat alongside bats, snakes and wild boar in Sulawesi wet markets

Humane Society International / Indonesia

Dog Meat Free Indonesia

Indonesia President Joko Widodo and local leaders are facing pressure to shut down the country’s criminal dog meat trade after sickening new video released by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition—of which Humane Society International is a member—revealed horrific animal cruelty and public health risks at wet markets on the island of Sulawesi. Dog and cat meat is seen being sold at the markets, which sell meat, produce and other perishable items, alongside bush-meat including meat from bats, snakes and wild boar in scenes similar to those found in Wuhan, China where the SARS-CoV-2 virus is believed to have originated.

Across Indonesia, an estimated 1 million dogs are killed for their meat annually. While a crackdown on the trade is being seen in parts of Indonesia, authorities in Sulawesi—a 70,000 square mile island with a population of nearly 20 million people—have failed to act.

An investigator for DMFI infiltrated criminal gangs and traders who steal at least 4,500 pets and roaming dogs every month from villages in South Sulawesi. The shocking and disturbing undercover video shows traffickers hoisting terrified and screaming dogs by the neck from an underground pit as they are repeatedly bludgeoned across the face and head. Other scenes at the markets show cages of dogs huddling together as nearby lifeless bodies of other dogs—some still alive—are blowtorched to remove their fur for sale to customers. Next, the meat is sold to local restaurants and at wet markets. Some dogs are trafficked from as far away as Makassar, South Sulawesi’s capital, a 40-hour gruelling journey covering 1,000 miles.

Lola Webber, End Dog Meat campaigns director for Humane Society International, a DMFI member group, said: “This is some of the worst animal cruelty we have seen—gangs and traders stealing and bludgeoning thousands of terrified, screaming dogs every month from villages. Many of them are beloved family companions. They are torn away and abused by these criminals in broad daylight, scared and helpless. All of this to be sold for their meat in restaurants and at wet markets on display alongside bats, snakes and wild boar. Despite the serious public health risks associated with these markets, Sulawesi’s roughly 200 traditional markets are still operating business as usual. With Indonesia still in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a matter of urgency that President Widodo take action immediately to stop this dangerous and illegal trade.”

The DMFI investigator, who is not being named for his own protection, said: “The scale of the dog meat trade was really surprising. Thieves are stealing dogs from all over the island before selling them to the traders who warehouse them until they have enough to sell on. Mentally, this was a harrowing mission because every day I could see how utterly terrified and traumatized these poor dogs were. All around them they witness other dogs being dragged by the neck, beaten over the head, thrown around violently. They would tremble in fear when approached. Like me, the vast majority of Indonesians will be sickened by what I saw. This trade brings shame on Indonesia.”

DMFI—which comprises local campaigners Jakarta Animal Aid Network and Animals Friends Jogja, and international groups Humane Society International, Four Paws and Animals Asia—is now seeking urgent meetings with the provincial and city authorities in Tomohon, Manado, Minahasa and Makassar to call for urgent action. The coalition of animal groups already works successfully with police and local governments in multiple other regions to crack down on the trade. In November 2021 DMFI joined Sukoharjo police in Java on a sting operation at an illegal dog slaughterhouse that saw more than 50 dogs rescued.

At least eight national laws and regulations exist that, if enforced, would serve to prohibit the dog meat trade, and thus far five regions in have passed explicit bans on the dog meat trade. Karanganyar passed a ban in 2019. Sukohrajo and Salatiga City passed bans in 2021. Semarang, which is the provincial capital of Central Java, passed a ban earlier this year. DMFI now invites the Sulawesi authorities to follow suit.

Dog meat trade facts:

  • Although demand for dog meat is higher in Sulawesi than the rest of Indonesia, latest opinion polling by Nielsen (2021) confirms that only 6% of Sulawesians consume dogs.
  • Dog meat is mostly eaten by certain ethnic groups such as the Minahasa people of North Sulawesi where there are 24 markets collectively selling around 360 live and slaughtered dogs per day, amounting to more than 130,000 dogs every year.
  • Dog meat is not an expensive delicacy; a dish containing dog meat can be bought at market for around 25,000 – 35,000 IDR which is roughly $2US, the same price as a cup of coffee.
  • In 2018 President Joko Widodo received a letter from DMFI calling for action. It was signed by more than 90 national and international celebrities including Simon Cowell, Sophia Latjuba, Yeslin Wang, Nadia Mulya, Lawrence Enzela, Cameron Diaz, Chelsea Islan, Ellen DeGeneres and Pierce Brosnan.
  • Across Asia, opposition to the dog and cat meat trades is increasing, with an ever-growing number of countries and territories (Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand and two major cities in mainland China) banning the trade in and slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs. In South Korea, a task force has been set up by the government to discuss a dog meat ban following a suggestion by President Moon Jae-in.

Download Photos/Video

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Media contact: Melissa Smith: 231-360-7676; mmsmith@humanesociety.org

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