Region: Global

The dogs were due to be killed after local authorities closed the farm

Humane Society International

Jean Chung for HSI

SEOUL—Twenty-one dogs left behind when authorities closed an illegal dog meat farm in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, have been saved by animal groups just days before the start of Bok Nal—the three hottest days of summer during which most dogs on farms are sold and killed for dog meat soup, known as “bosintang.”

Humane Society International/Korea and Korean K9 Rescue saved the young dogs after Ansan city authorities shut down the facility for operating without a licence. The government officials removed 38 dogs to their shelter for rehoming but left 21 behind with a deadline for removal or they would be at risk of being euthanised or sold to a slaughterhouse.  The farmer had been breeding dogs for human consumption at the site for six years.

The dogs—Romeo, Henry, Tori, Juliette, Brown Bear, Christian and all the others—will now receive veterinary care, vaccinations and undergo quarantine, before eventually being flown by HSI to North America to seek adoptive homes.

The rescue comes just days before South Korea’s first of three “Bok” days when dog meat consumption is most popular and the country’s usually low consumer demand increases. It is also the first Bok Nal since President Yoon Seok-yeol took office and comes as the government’s task force deliberating a nationwide dog meat ban has, for the second time, delayed announcing its recommendations for a phase out. President Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee—both of whom have voiced support for an end to dog meat—share their home with four dogs including Tori a rescued Jindo, a breed typically found on dog meat farms. The 21 dogs left on this illegal farm are Jindo crosses.

Sangkyung Lee, HSI/Korea’s dog meat campaign manager, said: “This dog farm is typical of so many across South Korea where thousands of dogs are languishing in filthy, deprived conditions, enduring the unimaginable frustration of being confined in tiny cages their whole lives until they are brutally killed by electrocution. Thankfully, we are able to bring a happy ending for these young dogs who will receive all the medical care and attention they need before flying to North America later in the year to seek adoptive homes. We urge President Yoon to ensure the national government immediately takes action  to end the dog meat industry, so that no more dogs like these will have to endure this suffering for a food that most people in South Korea no longer wish to eat.”

The farmer, Mr Hwang, has signed a legally binding agreement never to farm dogs again. He said: “I make most of my money from doing handyman jobs, so that’s what I’ll continue to do now. When I took over the farm, the seller deceived me and my partner by telling us it would be a profitable business but it simply hasn’t been true.”

Gina Boehler, executive director of Korean K9 Rescue, said: “Korean K9 Rescue is happy to work in partnership with HSI in dismantling, and rescuing animals from, the Ansan dog meat farm. As the animals are suffering in the sweltering summer heat, we have moved quickly to remove them from an unbearable situation that no living being should endure. It’s important we keep pushing for reform and change to the agriculture laws within South Korea and effectively promote change from within. We are grateful for our collaboration with HSI and we know these dogs will go on to live a better life. We have seen and recognized the approval of most South Korean citizens who actively oppose the dog meat trade and lobby for change, which keeps our mission strong and alive.”

HSI/Korea, which has permanently closed down 17 dog meat farms in the country and assisted local groups and law enforcement in rescuing dogs from other farms and markets, campaigns for legislation in South Korea to end the dog meat industry. A recent opinion poll commissioned by HSI/Korea and conducted by Nielsen shows nearly 84% of South Koreans say they don’t or won’t eat dog, and almost 60% support a legislative ban.

Dog meat facts:

  • Although most people in South Korea don’t eat dog, the belief that dog meat soup will cool the body and build stamina during the hot summer, particularly during Bok Nal season, still holds with some, especially the older generation.
  • Since 2015, HSI/Korea’s Models for Change program has seen the organisation permanently close 17 dog meat farms, rescuing more than 2,500 dogs who find adoptive homes in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a small number rehomed in South Korea. The program also helps dog farmers transition to new, more humane, animal-free and profitable livelihoods such as chili plant and parsley growing or water truck delivery.
  • Dog meat is banned (with varying degrees of enforcement) in Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, India, Thailand and Singapore, as well as the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and in 17 cities and regencies across Indonesia.
  • Despite these growing bans, an estimated 30 million dogs a year are still killed for meat across Asia.
  • This rescue was conducted under careful health and safety restrictions, and all the dogs will receive veterinary care including tests for the presence of the H3N2 virus (“canine influenza”) as well as receiving rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvo virus, parainfluenza and Leptospira vaccines. The dogs will be quarantined and health certified prior to transport overseas, in accordance with international export and import requirements.

Download photos and video of the rescue.

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Media contacts:

Nielsen online research conducted August/September 2020. Total sample size 1,000 people across six major cities in South Korea (Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan) weighted and representative of South Korean adults (aged 18+).

Humane Society International / Global

bullfighting
Syldavia/istock

Every year, approximately 180,000 bulls are killed in bullfights around the world, with many more killed or injured in bull fiesta events. The bulls suffer from a protracted death in the bullfighting arena, weakened and tormented both physically and mentally including with spiked lances, before the matador enters the rings and stabs them to death with a sword. After the bullfighter, or matador, stabs the bull with banderillas (wooden sticks with spiked ends), his objective is to kill the bull with what is often claimed is “a swift clean kill” by driving a sword blade between the bull’s shoulders. In truth, most matadors miss the target, injuring the bull’s lungs and bronchial tubes, causing blood to flow and bubble through the animal’s mouth and nose.

Bans increasing

Bullfighting is already banned in many countries including Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom. There are only a few countries throughout the world where this practice still takes place: Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. Although legal in Spain, some Spanish cities, such as Calonge, Tossa de Mar, Vilamacolum and La Vajol, have outlawed the practice of bullfighting. Spain’s Balearic Islands have made several attempts to ban bullfighting, but this has been overturned by Spain’s constitutional court.

Likewise, in Mexico, bullfighting is banned in the five states of Sinaloa, Sonora, Guerrero, Coahuila and Quintana Roo (but remains legal in 27 Mexican states). Mexico’s Supreme Court has declared that bullfighting is not cultural heritage, and in June 2022 a provisional suspension of bullfights at Mexico City’s Plaza México—the largest bullring in the world—became a definitive ban.

Bull fiestas

A number of cruel bull fiestas are also still practiced across Spain, from bull runs such as Pamplona where the bull is chased by groups of baying participants through the narrow streets and into a bullfighting area where he is fought by a matador; to fire bull events such as El Toro Jubilo where a device attached to a bull’s horns is set alight and he is tormented by spectators pulling at his tail and firecrackers exploding around him; to the Toro de la Vega, where the bull is chased out of town and into a meadow by spear-wielding participants on foot and on horseback who surround him, tormenting, goading and stabbing him.

After many years of campaigning by PACMA and HSI to end the Toro de la Vega fiesta, restrictions have now been placed on the annual event which limits the number of participants and ensures the bull can no longer be killed by them as part of the event. While this does not remove animal suffering from the event, it is nonetheless a significant step in the campaign to end such cruelty, one that also applies to other events in the region and which was upheld by Spain’s Supreme Court in 2019.

In India, the Jallikattu event is a cruel practice in which crowds of young men pursue and torment bulls, taunted by the crowds, their tails twisted and broken, hit, wrestled to the ground and beaten and prodded with nail studded sticks. Chili powder is often thrown into their eyes and they are forced to drink alcohol to anger them. In South Korea, bulls are made to fight each other in a bullring, a process that can lead to facial and head injuries from the sharp horns.

Declining support

In Spain, data collated by the Ministry of Culture and Sport continues to show a decline in the number of bullfights held annually: 1,425 events were held in 2019, compared to 2,684 events in 2009, an almost 50 percent decline in a decade. The same data also shows a continued decline in attendances at bullfights, with just 8 percent of the population attending such events in 2018-2019.

Opinion polls show that the Spanish public are opposed to these cruel spectacles: An Ipsos MORI poll for HSI in 2013, revealed that only 29 percent of Spanish citizens supported bullfighting while 76 percent were opposed the use of public funds to support the industry. On bull fiestas, 74 percent of the Spanish public were opposed to the Toro de la Vega bull fiesta (Ipsos MORI, 2014).

Bullfighting and bull fiestas rely on money from tourists. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) lists both types of events as “unacceptable practices” in its Animal Welfare Guidelines, which have been created to offer guidance to ABTA members and the wider tourism industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic stopped many bullfights and bull fiestas, including the annual Pamplona bull run, from taking place in recent years. With so many events dependent on income from tourists, it is to be hoped that financial pressures will cause even more events to end for good.

You can help:

  • Never attend a bullfight or a bull fiesta
  • Avoid any tour operators who support these types of events; take your custom elsewhere

German shepherds, Labradors, huskies, golden retrievers among dogs found alive

Humane Society International / Global

Vshine

As the infamous so-called dog meat “festival” ends in south China’s city of Yulin, some 1,000 miles away in Shanxi’s Fufeng County in north central China, 126 dogs have escaped a brutal death at the hands of dog meat traders thanks to a remarkable rescue operation by Chinese activists and local authorities.

In a show of unity to crack down on the dog meat trade, animal advocates from Vshine, local Xi’an activists, Baoji Small Animal Protection Association and a group of police, law enforcement officers and the mayor from Fufeng County worked together to close down an illegal dog slaughterhouse. Inside they found a gruesome scene with dead dogs on the floor, pools of blood, dehairing machines and knives. The activists also reported that processed dog meat was found at the facility. A pile of pet collars was found in the corner of the slaughterhouse, and some of the 126 dogs found alive were also wearing collars, disturbing proof that pet dogs—likely stolen from homes, streets and farms many miles away—are all too often being killed for meat.

Vshine released video and photos from the scene to its international partner, Humane Society International, which campaigns across Asia for an end to the dog meat trade. The shocking visuals show large and small dogs of all breeds including golden retrievers, German shepherds and huskies huddled together in the filthy slaughterhouse, many emaciated and panting. Despite their ordeal, many of the dogs were eager to receive reassurance and comfort from the activists who believe most of the dogs were once pets.

Ziyang Huang from Vshine told HSI: “This was an horrendous slaughterhouse and we are so grateful to the tip-off by the Xi’an activists so that we could rally together and get this place shut down before any more dogs suffered and died there. The dogs we found alive were whimpering and distressed but very happy to see us. They were standing in their own filth with blood and dog fur all around, and slaughter equipment just nearby. They will likely have witnessed dogs killed and butchered right in front of them. The amount of pet collars we found was really shocking, and the gentle, friendly nature of these dogs tells us probably most of them were once part of a home and somehow ended up at that terrible place. That’s just one of the reasons why we campaign to end this cruel dog meat trade.”

Animal campaigners from Vshine had just days before helped other activists rescue almost 400 dogs from a truck headed for Yulin that was intercepted by police. Once again, the operation saw China’s animal advocates working with the police to thwart the dog meat trade.

Dr Peter Li, China policy specialist for Humane Society International, which supports the care of dogs rescued from China’s meat trade and is providing funds to help care for many of the

126 dogs saved from the slaughterhouse, said: “This slaughterhouse rescue, and the truck interception before it, show the passion and determination of China’s animal advocates to end the brutal dog meat trade, and are great examples of how effective local police and law enforcement authorities can be when they crack down on this illegal activity. The agencies in Shanxi are to be applauded for acting so quickly and decisively to close this slaughterhouse and save the lives of the dogs. If all police across China followed their example, the dog thieves and traffickers would find it very hard to continue their illegal and dangerous activities. China’s growing pet loving population is increasingly calling for action, and this proof that once again beloved pet companions have fallen victim to the dog meat trade will surely renew calls for it to end.”

Facts about China’s dog meat trade:

  •  Most people in China don’t eat dog meat and it is not part of China’s mainstream culinary culture. There is significant Chinese opposition to the dog meat trade as concern for animal welfare grows.
  • In 2020, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made an official statement that dogs are companion animals and not “livestock” for eating. That same year, two major cities in mainland China—Shenzhen and Zhuhai—banned the consumption of dog and cat meat, a decision polling showed was supported by nearly 75% of Chinese citizens.
  • Dog meat is banned in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, as well as in the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and in 17 cities and regencies in Indonesia. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are still killed for meat in other parts of Asia.

Download photos and video of the Xi’an slaughterhouse

Download video of the truck interception

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

The dogs will receive veterinary care before being placed for adoption

Humane Society International / Mexico

Meredith Lee/HSI

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico—Twenty-three dogs have been rescued from a house in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in what rescuers describe as some of the most squalid and filthy conditions they have ever witnessed. The State Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROESPA), teamed up with Humane Society International/México and Amigos Pro Animal to seize the desperate animals after receiving a report of serious animal cruelty and neglect. On entering the house, the dogs were found living in tiny enclosures without food or water, many of them emaciated, and the floor covered in feces.

Felipe Márquez Muñoz, animal cruelty program manager at Humane Society International/México, who was one of the responders on the scene, said: “These dogs had been left to fend for themselves in absolutely squalid conditions, some of the worst I have ever seen. Their paws were red and sore from standing in their own feces, many of the animals were emaciated and dangerously dehydrated. When we arrived, they were extremely excited to see us and desperate for attention. If we had not intervened, I dread to think what would have happened to them. Now they are getting the care they so desperately need and will have a chance to be adopted into loving families.”

The report that alerted PROESPA to this case is one of hundreds received by the agency. Records up to October 2021 show that 65% of the 1,500 reports the agency received pertained to animal abuse.

The dogs’ owner voluntarily surrendered the dogs to the authorities, and they were immediately transferred to a temporary shelter funded by HSI/México and set up specifically for the case, where they are receiving urgent veterinary treatment and behavioral assessment so that once they are recovered they can be put up for adoption. Amigos Pro Animal in association with HSI/México, holds weekly adoption events and activities in Aguascalientes to find homes for neglected, abandoned and abused animals.

Download photos and video of the rescue.

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Media contact on behalf of Humane Society International/México: Magaly Garibay: (+52 55) 5211 8731, ext. 104; mgaribay@idee.agencia

Humane Society International / Global

Mice in a cage
Guven Polat/istock

SEOUL—Humane Society International/Korea has issued an urgent call for the National Assembly to enact legislation to reverse the alarming and unconscionable increase in cruel animal testing. Statistics published this month by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency reveal that animal use has increased dramatically over the past five years, from 3.08million in 2017 to 4.9million in 2021, with nearly half (45%) of all animals subject to the most severe pain and suffering since 2017. These statisitcs show no commitment from the government to reduce, refine and ultimately replace the use of animals for testing.

So-called “Grade E” experiments subject animals to extreme distress, unrelieved pain and death. The proportion of these especially cruel experiments occurring in Korea (45%) is dramatically higher than in Canada (1.8%), the European Union (11%) or any other developed countries. A common example of “Grade E” experiments are  lethal poisoning tests in which animals are forced to swallow or inhale a massive dose of  industrial chemicals, pesticides or other products and are observed for up to two weeks for signs of toxic reactions. These  can include seizures and other neurological impairment, hypersalivation, diarrhea, lethargy, coma and death. Other examples include extremely invasive surgical procedures induction of severe stress or shock, burn or trauma infliction on unanesthetized animals, or any experiment where pain cannot be prevented or effectively managed.

Last year, the Ministry of Environment announced its ambition for most new chemical test data to be non-animal by 2030. However, the new statistics reveal a 119% increase in animal use for chemical testing, suggesting that a major regulatory intervention is necessary to meet MOE’s 2030 vision.

The statistics also show a 50% increase in animal use for basic research. This research   studies fundamental biology, physiology, biochemistry, etc. This trend illustrates a failure by research funding bodies in Korea to prioritize funding for human-centered, non-animal technologies. This preferred testing includes  computational systems, organoids and organ-on-chips, which are ideally suited for studies of basic biology.

These negative animal welfare trends are further exacerbated by government and private companies’ decisions to fund the expansion of animal testing infrastructure by constructing new laboratory animal buildings. For example, Jeju National University secured 123,000 dollars of budget to build a new laboratory animal center by 2024.

The Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods (Paam Act) was designed to reverse these backward lab animal testing trends by requiring Korean regulatory and research ministries to work together to develop long-term roadmaps with the goals of:

  • prioritizing research development of state-of-art methods that better mimic human biology rather than cruel and outdated animal models.
  • encouraging authorities to revise regulatory testing requirements to more rapidly phase-in animal-free approaches which support advancements in medicine and consumer safety without harming animals.

HSI/Korea Senior Policy Manager Borami Seo said, “The increase of laboratory animals does not correlate to the advancement of medicine, consumer safety or environmental protection. Modern non-animal technologies can simulate human biology more accurately than tests on monkeys, mice or dogs. We are living in an era that celebrates innovation, and it’s time for Korean central ministries to commit to a future without animal testing. Assembly members can lay the foundation for this shift by enacting the Paam Act.”

View the 2021 laboratory animal statistics report.

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Media contact: Borami Seo: bseo@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Global

Andy Gent

CANNES, France—Save Ralph, the star-studded stop-motion animated short film by Humane Society International, has been awarded the Grand Prix for Good, prestigious recognition as the top non-profit film entered into this year’s Cannes Lions Festival. Save Ralph, which HSI created to build support to ban cosmetics testing on animals worldwide, also was awarded Gold in the non-profit film category. The Cannes Lions Awards are recognised as one of the most prestigious global awards in creative excellence and the Grand Prix for Good recognizes and celebrates the use of creativity to positively impact brands and the world at large.

Save Ralph features a star-studded cast including Oscar-winner Taika Waititi as Ralph, along with Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn, Pom Klementieff and Tricia Helfer. The film was also produced or subtitled in multiple languages to support HSI’s efforts to influence lawmakers in Canada, Brazil, Chile, Europe, Mexico, Southeast Asia, South Korea and beyond. The film was written and directed by Spencer Susser and produced by Jeff Vespa and the Arch Model studio of puppet-maker supreme Andy Gent.

Donna Gadomski, Humane Society International’s senior director of external affairs and Save Ralph executive producer, was in Cannes to accept the Grand Prix for Good award and said: “We are absolutely ecstatic that Save Ralph was awarded the Grand Prix for Good. This prestigious recognition by the Cannes Lions jury is an honor and a testament to Ralph’s powerful message that testing cosmetics on animals is cruel and needs to stop. It was truly a privilege to accept this award on behalf of the extraordinary Save Ralph filmmakers and the brilliant HSI team working tirelessly around the world to end cosmetics animal testing for good. We are very grateful to Cannes Lions for this high-profile opportunity to keep the issue in the global spotlight and we hope that it adds momentum to our efforts to end this unnecessary cruelty.”

Andy Gent, Save Ralph puppet maker and set designer said: “A few small stop motion frames in camera and one giant leap forward for animal testing kind.”

Although banned in 41 countries, cosmetics animal testing is still perfectly legal in most of the world, and tragically is making a comeback in Europe, subjecting untold thousands of animals to needless suffering and death. Save Ralph features HSI’s spokesbunny Ralph, as he goes through his daily routine as a “tester” in a lab—using the story of one bunny to shine a light on the plight of countless rabbits and other animals suffering in laboratories around the world, engaging citizens to become part of the solution.

In some parts of the world, rabbits like Ralph are locked in neck restraints and have cosmetic products and chemicals dripped in their eye and on to the shaved skin on their back. Guinea pigs and mice have the chemicals spread on their shaved skin or on their ears. None of these animals are given pain relief, and all of them will be killed at the end.

Watch Save Ralph and find pictures of the Cannes Lions Festival’s Ceremony

Europeans can help animals like Ralph by signing the citizens’ initiative at SaveCrueltyFree.eu, and others can help by signing HSI’s global petition.

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Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international coordinator in media relations: cbodinduval@hsi.org

Campaigners saved 50+ terrified dogs from his slaughterhouse; dogs to be available for adoption in Canada

Humane Society International

Ekky Bogor/AP Images for HSI Lola Webber hugs the dog once more to show what kind of treatment that it deserve as a living being.

CENTRAL JAVA, Indonesia—A dog slaughterhouse owner in Sukoharjo, Indonesia who bought and killed thousands of dogs every year for human consumption has been sentenced to 12 months in jail and a fine of 150 million Rupiah ($10,000 USD). More than 50 terrified dogs were rescued during a police interception at his property last year, and were cared for by campaigners from the Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition. The dogs had been trafficked from West Java on a grueling 365-mile journey, tied up in sacks and many had their muzzles bound shut. DMFI member groups Humane Society International and Jakarta Animal Aid Network are preparing to fly the dogs to Canada to seek adoption and help them put the trauma of Indonesia’s dog meat trade behind them.

Suseno, the slaughterhouse owner, was found guilty of breaking Law 18 of 2009 chapter 89 regarding animal health and husbandry. The trade within which he operated sees pet and roaming dogs stolen from the streets in West Java to meet demand in dog meat eating hotspots in Central Java. One such hotspot is the city of Solo, the birthplace of Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo, where an estimated 13,700 dogs are killed for meat every month. Across Indonesia, an estimated one million dogs are killed annually. The DMFI coalition is calling for a national ban on the brutal trade.

This marks the country’s third conviction of a dog meat trafficker since the national government’s declaration in 2018 that “dogs are not food.” The Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition applauds the Sukoharjo police for pursuing the case but says only a nationwide ban and zero-tolerance enforcement will stamp out the cruelty of this dangerous trade.

Karin Franken of Jakarta Animal Aid Network and national DMFI coordinator, said: “The Sukoharjo police are to be congratulated for not giving up, and using the laws available to them to secure this conviction. But our police forces could be greatly helped in cracking down on this cruelty if only the government introduced an explicit national ban on the dog meat trade. The brutal trafficking and butchering of companion animals is rife in many parts of Indonesia, including president Jokowi’s home city, making a mockery of the government’s public statements that dogs are not food. Criminals like Suseno need to be brought to justice to protect animal welfare and public health from this crime-fueled, disease-spreading and cruel trade.”

Bali-based Lola Webber, Humane Society International’s director of campaigns to End Dog Meat, was at the police interception to help rescue the 50+ dogs. Webber recalls: “Seeing the terrified and traumatized faces of those dogs huddled together in the back of the truck is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. They were skin and bone, dehydrated, weak and bewildered. But at the Dog Meat Free Indonesia shelter we’ve been able to heal their fragile bodies and give them the love and care they deserve. Soon, we will fly them to Canada where they will be available for families to adopt them into loving homes. It’s very satisfying knowing that the man who caused them so much suffering is going to prison, but many more dogs will continue to suffer until a definitive law is in place.”

Nationwide opinion polls show that only a small minority of Indonesians (4.5%) ever consume dog meat, and 93% of all Indonesians support a ban. Despite this, over one million dogs are still stolen, trafficked, slaughtered and sold for human consumption every year across Indonesia, jeopardizing anti-rabies efforts and representing a substantial public health threat. Rabies is endemic across most of Indonesia, with only eight provinces holding rabies-free status. With dogs being routinely stolen from rabies positive areas and trafficked into rabies-free areas, the dog meat trade actively undermines attempts to control the deadly disease.

Dog meat trade facts:

  • Dog theft for the meat trade is a serious problem in Indonesia. Dog Meat Free Indonesia has interviewed many residents who have described their terrifying ordeal with armed traders stealing their pets at night. Despite the obvious law-breaking, thefts are rarely taken seriously by law enforcement, so the thieves often go unpunished.
  • The dog meat trade in banned in 17 cities and regencies across Indonesia: Karanganyar, Sukoharjo, Salatiga city, Malang, Semarang city, Semarang Regency, Blora Regency, Brebes Regency, Purbalingga Regency, Magelang city, Jepara, Blitar city, Mojokerto City, Mojokerto Regency, Temanggung, Magelang Regency and Medan city.
  • 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 September 2021, South Korea’s then President Moon Jae-in suggested it could be time to consider a dog meat ban, and a government-initiated task force is currently considering the issue. President Yoon Suk-yeol has stated he would not oppose a dog meat ban provided there is social consensus.
  • The Dog Meat Free Indonesia campaign comprises local campaigners Jakarta Animal Aid Network and Animals Friends Jogja, and international groups Humane Society International, Four Paws and Animals Asia.
  • The rescue of dogs at the Sukoharjo interception was conducted under COVID-19 health and safety restrictions, and a veterinarian was on site throughout. At the DMFI shelter the dogs received rabies, DHPP, coronavirus, distemper and parvo vaccinations. The dogs also underwent quarantine for at least 30 days, and will be health certified again prior to transport overseas.

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Download Photos/Videos

Media Contacts:

  • Lola Webber, Humane Society International’s End Dog Meat campaign director, and Dog Meat Free Indonesia international coordinator; Tel: +6281337408768 E-mail: Lwebber@hsi.org
  • Karin Franken, Jakarta Animal Aid Network Founder, and  national coordinator Dog Meat Free Indonesia Coalition Tel: +6282122487794 E-mail: jaan_adopt@yahoo.com

The Humane Entrepreneurship Program supports early-stage pioneering innovators in the sectors of new plant-based, fermentation-based and cell-based proteins, next-generation materials that replace animal products, and non-animal testing methodologies

Humane Society International / India

Chickens
WDnet/istock

INDIA—Humane Society International/India launched the third edition of its annual Humane Entrepreneurship program. This platform was designed for social entrepreneurs with early-stage startups that focus on animal welfare and environmental issues. First launched in September 2020, the six-month virtual program accelerates the growth of social entrepreneurs in India by providing selected participants with a holistic ecosystem of global mentors, expert advisors, investors, funding opportunities and a stipend of 500,000 Indian rupees.

Anchored to one of HSI/India’s main goals of reducing animal suffering in animal agriculture production systems, the Humane Entreprenuership program opens doors and encourages the growth of startups that are working toward viable and resilient technological alternatives and innovative practices. These startups enable sustainable, humane alternatives to resource-intensive, animal-dependent practices.

“As the global population rises, we see an unsustainable pressure on our planet’s natural resources. Disruptive innovations that can enable a paradigm shift away from animal-dependent production practices are vitally important for our survival,” says Shreya Swaminath, campaign manager for the program at HSI/India. “HSI/India has mentored 10 innovative startups with humane business models, enabling them to raise investment offers worth 2.4 million dollars. Through this exciting and forward-thinking program, we can build a movement that will significantly and positively impact animals in production systems.”

The program’s curriculum, which includes topics like complex business solving, user research and pitch preparation, is designed to help participating startups accelerate their growth, define a strategic business plan, secure key partnerships, achieve their fundraising goals and become market ready.

“Early-stage companies tend to go through a journey of change. Conversations with my mentor and investors, combined with our conversations during the program, got us to redefine our strategy,” says Bharat Bakaraju of Phyx44, a startup working toward offering cell-derived alternatives to dairy products. “Watching the other companies in the program roll out their strategies helped things come together at the same time. I felt like I was working in a safe space with a group of friends, which is rare to find while you are trying to build a startup.”

Eligibility Criteria: Startups with early-stage prototypes can apply for this program

Duration: September 2022 to February 2023

Application deadline: July 31, 2022

Contact: sswaminath@hsi.org or hep@hsi.org

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Media contact: Shaili Shah: 9930591005; sshah@hsi.org

Humane Society International helps animals caught up in the war

Humane Society International / Global

Giovanni Tesei

LVIV—A truck loaded with 23 tonnes of emergency pet food and supplies for the dogs and cats caught up in the war in Ukraine, has arrived safely in Lviv where it will be distributed to families, shelters and veterinary surgeries struggling to care for their animals during the conflict. The aid has been supplied by animal protection organization Humane Society International, and includes pet food, carriers, collars and leashes, kennels, and a wide range of essential veterinary supplies such as parasite treatment and disinfectant. Kyiv-based animal welfare organization, Uanimals, which has been helping animals in Ukraine since war broke out, met the truck in Lviv and will distribute the aid throughout the country to support animals in need and the people caring for them.

The transport left Trieste, Italy on 24th May, organized by HSI’s team in Italy in coordination with international shipping company Alfa Spedizioni Srl, which offered free brokerage services.

Martina Pluda, HSI/Europe’s director for Italy, said: “In recent months and weeks in Ukraine, thousands of families with pets, hundreds of shelters, veterinary clinics and rescue centres, have found it increasingly difficult to find food and provide care for their animals. We are pleased to be able to strengthen our support for UAnimals with this vital aid to sustain hundreds of dogs and cats in Ukraine, many of whom are in desperate need of food. This war has certainly shown how deep the relationship between people and animals is, to such an extent that many risk their lives to avoid leaving their animals. We hope this pet aid truck will bring hope and help to those caring for the animals of war.”

Olga Chevganiuk, cofounder of UAnimals, said: “UAnimals is extremely grateful for the constant support of Humane Society International which since the beginning of the war has enabled us to deliver animal supplies to the most dangerous areas of Ukraine, amongst other activities. Pet food and medicines will be distributed to many animal shelters and owners, particularly in the East: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. Thank you HSI for standing for every life!”

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Humane Society International has been active in helping people and their pets caught up in the conflict. In Italy, Germany, Romania and Poland, HSI is helping refugees arriving with their pets, working with local organizations to provide food, first aid and support. In addition, with the “Vets for Ukrainian Pets” programme, HSI offers free veterinary care in 38 European countries to pets fleeing Ukraine with their families. HSI is also urging airlines and bus companies to authorize pet-friendly passage for refugees travelling with animals to avoid pets being left behind at airports and train stations. Inside Ukraine, HSI has been working with UAnimals since early in the war to provide the organization with the funds it needs to help rescues, veterinary clinics and even zoos care for animals in Ukraine.

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Yulin authorities urged to ban Summer solstice dog meat event to protect public health and animal welfare

Humane Society International

Vshine

Chinese animal activists intervened to save the life of the last dog found alive at a dog meat shop in Yulin, Guangxi province, a month before the city’s summer solstice dog meat eating gets underway. The dog, named Lucky by his rescuers, was found chained up outside the shop, with a dog meat for sale sign in front of him. The Akita was the last dog of the day due scheduled for slaughter before the activists persuaded the shop keeper to give him up. There were obvious signs he had once been a pet dog and had therefore likely been stolen by dog thieves.

In light of China’s COVID-19 precautions, Chinese animal activists are urging Yulin authorities to ban the city’s annual June gathering for the so-called “Lychee and dog meat festival” for which the slaughter of dogs and cats for consumption increases. Launched in 2010 by dog meat traders to boost flagging sales, the event starts on June 21st and can attract thousands of visitors from across the province in southern China, who gather to eat dog meat stew and crispy dog meat at the city’s restaurants and stalls. Activists are appealing to local authorities to stop the mass public gathering from going ahead, to protect public health and animal welfare.

Liang Jia, a Guangxi activist, said: “The streets of Yulin are relatively quiet right now, and although you can see a few dog meat shops, stalls and dog slaughterhouses like normal, it’s nothing compared to how it will look in mid-June. While elsewhere in China, cities are in COVID-19 lockdown, it makes no sense for Yulin dog meat traders to be allowed to encourage visitors to travel across the province and into the city. As well as the appalling animal cruelty that will take place with thousands of dogs and cats bludgeoned to death, it’s an obvious public health risk. The Yulin authorities should be taking this seriously because it would be hugely embarrassing for the Yulin dog meat festival to become a super-spreader event.”

Most people in China don’t eat dogs, and even in Yulin, polls show that most citizens (72%) don’t regularly eat dog despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it. Nationwide, there is significant Chinese opposition to the dog meat trade as concern for animal welfare grows. In 2020, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made an official statement that dogs are companion animals and not “livestock” for eating. That same year, two major cities in mainland China – Shenzhen and Zhuhai – banned the consumption of dog and cat meat, a decision polling showed was supported by nearly 75% of Chinese citizens.

Dr Peter Li, China policy specialist for Humane Society International which supports the care of dogs rescued from China’s meat trade, said: “Lucky had a narrow escape because only one blowtorched dog carcass was left on sale at the shop, meaning he would have been next. But Lucky is just one of millions of dogs who suffer at the hands of dog traders across China, and one of thousands who end up in Yulin for the summer solstice event. His rescuers say he was super friendly, used to walking on a leash and happily jumped into the back of the activists’ car without hesitation, so it seems clear that he was once someone’s pet, and indeed many of the dogs killed for meat are pets stolen from back yards, outside shops and even from cars. COVID-19 precautions add another compelling reason to crack down on dog trade gatherings like this, in addition to the brutal cruelty and criminal activity.”

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Media Contacts: 

  • United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, HSI director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

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