Region: Global

COVID-19 Animal Response Program helps Toronto’s most vulnerable communities and individuals care for animals during this crisis

Humane Society International / Canada

Woman with dog
HSI/Canada

TORONTO–Humane Society International/Canada (HSI/Canada) and Friends of HSI (FHSI) are partnering with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) to support residents with companion animals in the GTA’s most underserved communities, which have been particularily hard hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

HSI/Canada and Friends of HSI launched the COVID-19 Animal Response Program in April 2020 to provide critical support to individuals, groups and communities in the Canadian epicenters of this crisis. Through a large network of community organizations, HSI/Canada has provided more than 40,000 kg of pet food,supplies and animal care support that have helped thousands of animals since this pandemic began. The program will now work with TCHC to ensure that pet owners impacted by the pandemic, living in some 2,000 buildings across the GTA, receive the support they need to keep their animals healthy and at home.

Larysa Struk, Ontario Coordinator, COVID-19 Animal Response Program for HSI/Canada said: “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, our animal response team has been working tirelessly to help people who are struggling to provide for their animals and who have nowhere else to look for help. By partnering with TCHC, we are able to reach many more individuals that have urgent needs when it comes to their companion animals. Our program is helping to keep dogs and cats with their families throughout this pandemic.”

“During the COVID-19 emergency, our frontline staff have focused on delivering essential services and working alongside our many partners to connect tenants to needed supports arising from the pandemic. Humane Society International Canada’s generous donation of pet food and supplies will go a long way to supporting tenants during this challenging time,” said TCHC Chief Operating Officer Sheila Penny.

If you or someone you know needs assistance caring for a pet because of the impacts of COVID-19, please contact the program team at:  onresponse@hsicanada.ca or 647-215-5082

HSI/Canada and Friends of HSI are grateful for the generous support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, which has made this program possible, and PetSmart Charities® of Canada, for allowing us to continue to increase our impact and reach across the GTA during this challenging time for individuals and their animals.

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Media contacts:

Humane Society International

Donna Gadomski/HSI 

WASHINGTON— Conservation and animal protection groups today filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to consider Endangered Species Act protections for Africa’s rapidly dwindling giraffe population.

The groups Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and several others petitioned for giraffe protections in April 2017, but the species still has not received the legally required finding that was due in April 2018, nor any protection under the Act.

Last year, after a lawsuit filed by the groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that giraffes may qualify for protections under the Act — but the agency has failed to make a decision or implement any protective measures.

“Giraffes are loved by people around the world, so it’s shocking and sad that the U.S. government is ignoring their tragic plight,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “As giraffe populations plummet, these extraordinary creatures desperately need the Endangered Species Act’s sturdy shield. But three years after we petitioned for protections, federal officials are still stalling on safeguards for everyone’s favorite longnecked mammal.”

With fewer than 69,000 mature individuals remaining in the wild, giraffes have been undergoing what has been called a silent extinction. Giraffe populations have dropped nearly 40% due to habitat loss, civil unrest and poaching and the international trade in bone carvings, skins and trophies puts additional pressure on these iconic animals.

“The United States has an important role to play in preventing extinction of these magnificent creatures, as the top importer of giraffe trophies, and as many Americans import giraffe parts — including bones and skins — to sell them for commercial purposes in the U.S.,” said Adam Peyman, wildlife programs director for Humane Society International, speaking on behalf of Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States. “The time has long passed for the Fish and Wildlife Service to take action and put in place desperately needed protections.”

Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) decided in 2019 to regulate international trade in giraffes — including trophies and other body parts — by placing the species on the Appendix II of the Convention. But several key exporting countries in Africa have expressed that they do not intend to implement or enforce CITES requirements with respect to giraffes even though the listing only requires export permits and reporting of international trade in giraffes. Protection under the Endangered Species Act is desperately needed to help curb imports of giraffe bones, trophies and other parts to the U.S. and increase funding for conservation efforts for the species.

On average, the U.S. imports more than one giraffe hunting trophy a day and imported more than 21,400 giraffe bone carvings between 2006 to 2015. Many of the imported giraffe parts are turned into frivolous decorative items such as pillows, boots, bible covers or jackets. 

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature assessed giraffes as “vulnerable” to extinction in 2016 and classified two giraffe subspecies as “endangered” and two more as “critically endangered” in 2018.

HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program will support Sodexo’s foodservice operations in introducing delicious and sustainable menu items

Humane Society International / Canada

Chat Photography/HSI Vegan macaroni and cheese

MONTRÉAL—Sodexo Canada and Humane Society International/Canada are excited to announce a new national partnership that will elevate plant-based menu options in Sodexo’s accounts across the country. As part of the partnership, HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program will train Sodexo chefs on plant-based cooking techniques and work with Sodexo leadership to develop new, custom plant-based recipes. Select Sodexo accounts will transition at least 20% of their current menu items to be plant-based with support from HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program, which has already worked with numerous institutions and businesses in Canada to enhance their plant-based offerings.

“Understanding the impacts of our services on the environment, communities we serve, wellness we provide and people we employ is on the forefront for Sodexo Canada’s sustainable living initiatives. Together with Humane Society International we have refreshed our strategy to bring our teams the tools they need through training and engagement, data analysis and responsible sourcing strategies to achieve our commitment to reducing emissions and providing increased healthy and delicious plant based menu offerings,” says Davide Del Brocco, sustainability manager at Sodexo Canada.

Riana Topan, campaign manager for HSI/Canada says, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sodexo to support their sustainability and plant-based menu goals. Sodexo has set ambitious targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and serving more plant-based meals is critical to achieving those targets and to improving animal welfare. We look forward to supporting Sodexo’s higher education, corporate, energy and resource accounts across Canada to ensure that their customers always have access to sustainable and satisfying plant-based food options.”

“The Sodexo Innovation Challenge incorporates the creativity of our chefs and the resources of our Corporate Responsibility team directly into the menu development process. This synergy with HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program enables us to achieve our mutual goals of creating menus that speak to the needs of Canadians and drive sustainable business practices,” says Kyle Mason, Sodexo Canada’s senior manager of culinary development.

In November, Sodexo and HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program will host the country’s first virtual, national plant-based culinary training session for 12 of Sodexo’s higher education accounts. The training session will give Sodexo chefs from across Canada the opportunity to learn a variety of plant-based recipes, experiment with new ingredients and cooking techniques, and explore ways to integrate more options into Sodexo’s menus. Following the training, each Sodexo account will significantly increase its offering of plant-based items that are better for animals, the environment and human health, as part of the HSI/Canada’s Forward Food Pledge.

The partnership is officially launching this month, with Sodexo Canada’s participation in HSI/Canada’s annual Forward Food Leadership Summit. Del Brocco will speak about Sodexo’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and commitment to serving more sustainable plant-based dishes. The summit will bring together food service professionals from the higher education, retail, restaurant, manufacturing and other sectors, and will discuss how to use plant-based foods to create healthier, more sustainable menus in the wake of COVID-19.

Sodexo and Humane Society International intend to co-host additional events in 2021. HSI and Sodexo are also working together on similar initiatives in other countries around the world, including in Southeast Asia, that will improve sustainability, public health and animal welfare.

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Media contacts: 

The Henry Spira Humane Corporate Progress Award honors the Italian food group for its global cage-free policy

Humane Society International

danchooalex/iStock.com 

SÃO PAULO—Italian food group Barilla, the world’s largest pasta manufacturer, is the recipient of the Henry Spira Humane Corporate Progress Award, recognition given to companies that adopt policies that have a significant positive impact on the farm animals in their supply chains. Humane Society International, one of the largest animal protection organizations in the world, had nominated Barilla for the award, which is given by the Humane Society of the United States, HSI’s sister organization. With the award, both organizations recognize and celebrate Barilla’s transition to responsible sourcing of cage-free eggs in its global supply chain. Barilla is one of only a handful of companies in the world to achieve a 100% cage-free egg supply chain ahead of schedule.

HSI’s first contact with Barilla was in late 2016, and in just a matter of months the Italian company committed to exclusively sourcing eggs from cage-free hens and achieved full implementation of that commitment in 2019, one year before its publicly announced 2020 deadline. Exemplifying leadership in transparency, Barilla provided yearly progress updates on its egg sourcing statistics in its annual sustainability report. Barilla’s global policy applies to each of the countries in which they operate.

In Brazil, Barilla has played an especially important role as an example for other food companies, which it has publicly encouraged to create and implement cage-free egg policies. “Barilla’s leadership has inspired other companies in Brazil to embrace animal welfare and cage-free egg supply as a core element of responsible sourcing. Now we have over 100 companies committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs in the country, and the number keeps growing. We hope that with Barilla’s great example, other companies will be inspired to follow suit. We have no doubt that the future is cage-free in Brazil,” noted Maria Fernanda Martin, HSI’s corporate policy and program manager for farm animals in Brazil.

At every stage, Barilla demonstrated a clear mission and vision, embraced at every level of the company and backed by its leadership through active and ongoing engagement with producers and consumers. HSI strongly supported Barilla’s transition to cage-free, facilitating farm tours, technical workshops, and peer-to-peer learning.

Animal welfare initiatives are part of Barilla’s global goals. According to Fabiana Araújo, marketing manager for Barilla in Brazil: “Receiving the Spira Award validates the brand’s efforts to have a sustainable production system. Commitment to innovation has led Barilla to be one of the few companies in the world to reach a production chain with 100% cage-free eggs, and the first company in the industrialized pasta segment in Brazil to adopt a cage-free egg policy.” “We seek to do the right thing in our business model, and that’s what we’ve done here. We benefited from the steady and constructive support of Humane Society International, and our partnership was crucial to Barilla’s early completion of our stated goal. Particularly in Brazil, where we have been present for only a few years, the support of HSI has been critical for  success,” said Eldren Paixão, procurement manager for Barilla in Brazil.

Cage-free production systems typically offer hens higher levels of welfare, allowing the birds to express more of their natural behaviors, including moving around, laying eggs in nests, perching, and fully spreading their wings.

In celebration of Barilla’s journey and collaboration with HSI, the organization will host the 4th meeting of the South American Animal Welfare Movement, an online seminar on October 5 -9 for companies, producers, and investors. The seminar will feature practical insights on the benefits of adopting higher animal welfare practices and provide stakeholders with meaningful and applicable guidance on transitioning to cage free egg and crate free pork supplies. For more information and registration, please email mfmartin@hsi.org.

The Henry Spira Awards recognize significant corporate animal welfare commitments in the memory of Henry Spira (1927-1998), a legendary Belgian-American humane advocate who specialized in constructive engagement with corporations committed to an animal welfare mandate as part of their corporate social responsibility missions. He is considered one of the most effective animal advocates of the 20th century.

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Media contact for HSI in Brazil:

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

Media contact for Barilla in Brazil: 

4INFLUENCE, Alexandre Spínola | (11) 9.8346-5918, Marília Feliciano ||(11) 9.7637-2500, Amanda Amorim | (11) 9.8146-5850, barilla@4influence.com.br

The Humane Corporate Progress Award honors the Italian food group for its global cage-free policy

Humane Society International / Europe (in Italy)

Alberto Bernasconi for HSI HSI’s Henry Spira Award Presentation to Barilla

PARMA–Italian food group Barilla, the world’s largest pasta manufacturer, is the recipient of this year’s Henry Spira Humane Corporate Progress Award, a recognition given by the Humane Society of the United States to companies that adopt policies which have a significant positive impact on animals. Humane Society International, which is the international arm of the Humane Society of the United States, joins in celebrating Barilla’s transition to responsible sourcing of cage-free eggs in its global supply chain. Barilla is one of only a handful of companies in the world to achieve a 100% cage-free egg supply chain ahead of schedule.

HSI’s first contact with Barilla was in late 2016, and in just a matter of months the Italian company committed to this animal welfare goal and achieved it in 2019, one year before the publicly announced 2020 deadline. Barilla provides yearly progress updates and egg sourcing statistics in its annual sustainability report. Barilla’s global policy applies to each of the six countries where the group operates. Barilla’s operations require 23.000 tons of eggs per year. The implementation of this animal welfare policy is changing the lives of an estimated two million laying hens worldwide each year.

Elena Franchi, purchasing manager at Barilla’s headquarters, stated: “We seek to do the right thing in our business model, and that’s what we’ve done here. We benefited from the steady and constructive support of Humane Society International, and our partnership was crucial to Barilla’s early completion of our stated goal. Particularly in Brazil, where we have been present for only a few years, the support of HSI has been critical for the success.” 

Barilla joins a growing list of global companies transitioning to cage-free eggs. Cage-free production systems typically offer hens higher levels of welfare, allowing the birds to express more of their natural behaviors, including moving around, laying eggs in nests, perching, and fully spreading their wings. Although conventional cages have been prohibited in the European Union from January 2012, enriched cages are still legal and in Italy, 62% of hens are still raised in cages. Barilla’s policy recognizes the need to exclude cages altogether, ensuring higher welfare for egg-laying chickens.

Martina Pluda, director for HIS in Italy, says Barilla’s example has wider implications. “The company’s leadership is setting an important precedent for other companies, many of whom have made public commitments to go cage-free but have yet to make significant progress. I am very pleased that an Italian company is able to set such an important global standard within the food industry. Ensuring a better treatment of the animals involved is a shared responsibility of consumers and producers alike, and I would like to encourage more companies to follow this example. We look forward to working with Barilla’s leadership to promote the corporate progress vision at the heart of the Spira Award.”  

The Henry Spira Awards recognize significant corporate animal welfare commitments in the memory of Henry Spira (1927-1998), a legendary Belgian-American humane advocate who specialized in constructive engagement with corporations committed to an animal welfare mandate as part of their corporate social responsibility missions. He is considered one of the most effective animal advocates of the 20th century.

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Media contacts:

  • Martina Pluda, HSI in Italy, Country Director: mpluda@hsi.org; +39 371 4120885
  • Andrea Belli, Barilla, Group Communication and External Relations: andrea.belli@barilla.com; +39 0521 262217

Humane Society International identifies five pandemic risks with animal agriculture

Humane Society International / United States

Alamy Stock Photo Broiler chickens on the brooding area of a commercial poultry farm.

WASHINGTON—The world’s addiction to intensive animal farming, in which thousands of stressed animals are kept in close proximity, is the perfect breeding ground for future pandemics, and world leaders must accelerate action to shift global diets towards more plant-based foods, says a white paper authored by global animal protection organisation Humane Society International. HSI identifies five primary pandemic risks associated with animal agriculture, creating a “petri dish” for pathogens to erupt, mutate and spread:

1. virus ‘spillover’: when expansion of farms into previously wild areas brings wild and domestic species together.
2. viral amplification: where novel viral strains are created through confining vast numbers of stressed animals indoors.
3. farm concentration: where dense geographic concentration of farms increases the risk of pathogens spreading.
4. global live animal trade: where huge numbers of live animals are transported between countries and continents, allowing pathogens to spread even further.
5. live animal markets, agricultural fairs and auctions: where “hubs” are created such that animals from many different places are brought into proximity with the public, where viruses can proliferate.

Farm animals have been at the heart of multiple zoonotic disease outbreaks over the past two centuries, including H5N1 avian influenza transmitted from poultry to humans, and Nipah virus and HINI swine flu transmitted from pigs to humans. While the coronavirus pandemic prompted the world to acknowledge the need to shut down unsanitary wildlife markets implicated as a probable origin of the novel coronavirus, factory farms and slaughterhouses also have grave consequences for human health, and often far closer to home.

Julie Janovsky, Humane Society International’s vice president of farm animal campaigns, says: “Since news broke that COVID-19 likely originated in a live animal market where stressed animals crowded in cages, in unsanitary conditions, we began examining what other human exploitation of animals could create a similar petri dish of disease. It’s clear looking at the data that the unprecedented increase and expansion of intensive animal agriculture, mostly on factory farms, in which we raise and slaughter more than 80 billion animals around the world every year, is a clear front-runner. The message is simple, if we want to stop future pandemics, we have to significantly kick the meat habit, and global leaders need to actively assist in shifting global diets towards more plant-based eating.”    

Like wildlife markets, intensive confinement systems used in animal agriculture crowd large numbers of animals together into small spaces, except at a much larger scale. In industrial chicken and egg production facilities, animals are raised by the tens- or even hundreds-of thousands, breathing in the same dusty, ammonia-laden air in dim enclosures. Breeding pigs in the pork industry are commonly confined to metal stalls (gestation crates) so narrow they cannot even turn around, and hens kept for egg production are confined in cages so small they cannot stretch their wings. The more animals a virus has in which to replicate and mutate, the greater the chances that a new and deadly pathogen could arise from an infected production site.

To prevent another outbreak of zoonotic viruses like the one causing COVID-19, HSI urges and is campaigning for:

  • A substantial reduction in our global reliance on animal-based protein.
  • Public policies favouring the production of plant-based options in place of expanding animal agriculture.
  • A reduction in the number of animals raised for human food, to reduce animal population density both within farms and geographically.
  • A phase-out of the use of cages and crates used to overcrowd animals in intensive systems.
  • A phase-out of the long-distance transport of live animals.
  • Policies to protect natural ecosystems from agricultural expansion and other sources of degradation and fragmentation.
  • A ban on the sale of poultry at all live bird markets and restrictions on live animal exhibitions.

Sara Shields, Humane Society International’s farm animal senior scientist, says: “If we study past outbreaks of animal to human disease, we can see a pattern emerge that clearly identifies intensive animal farming as a key culprit. The outbreak of Nipah in Malaysia in 1997 was an example of wild to domestic species virus spillover, and meta-analysis has shown that highly pathogenic avian influenza is enabled by the confinement of thousands of birds together where mutating viruses are easily exchanged between hosts. We can make our world less vulnerable to future pandemics, but only by reevaluating animal agriculture and shifting more to plant-based sources of protein. To do this requires governments to actively engage in rebalancing our food system, but as consumers we are also directly responsible for the impacts of our food choices. The plant-based food market is booming, making it easy to switch animal products for more plant-based alternatives. There is no better time than now to make conscientious decisions with the animals and the health of our planet in mind.”

Read the white paper here.

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Media contact: Wendy Higgins, UK: whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International / India

Erin Van Voorhies

NAINITAL—A survey carried out by Humane Society International/India and Nagar Palika Parishad, Nainital to estimate the sterilized population of street dogs in Nainital in June 2020 and August 2020 shows that 97.91% of street dogs are sterilized and vaccinated across all 15 wards of the city.

This survey follows a three-year Animal Birth Control program by HSI/India which began in Nainital in April 2017. The main objectives of the program were to control the street dog population, reduce human-dog conflicts and improve the welfare of street dogs. Till now, of the 1,567 dogs, there are 1,032 female dogs and 535 male dogs who have been successfully sterilized and vaccinated.

Dr. Amit Chaudhari, HSI/India’s senior program manager for monitoring and evaluation, says, “Nainital is slightly different for dog population dynamics as the owned dog population is very high. Almost 50% of dog owners allow their dogs to roam on the street. We have recommended to the local administration that they undertake activities to register and increase engagement with pet owners to create a more effective and responsible eco-system, which will not contribute to an increase in street dogs again.”

Key survey insights and recommendations:

  • A Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice survey across Nainital was conducted in July 2017 and showed that there was a 2,155 strong pet dog population of which 42.6% were sterilized.
  • In October 2018 during the breeding season, 6% of female dogs were lactating, which declined to 3.4% in October 2019. During non-breeding season in May, the percentage of lactating females reduced significantly from 6.7% in May 2017 to 1.5% in June 2020.
  • The estimated owned dog population is high compared to the estimated free roaming dog population.
  • HSI/India recommends sterilization to private dogs and establishment of an effective pet registration system for Nainital which would make sterilization and vaccination mandatory for owned dogs and provide a management tool for the municipality.

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Media Contact: Uma Biswas: ubiswas@hsi.org; +91-8758807223

Use of wild animals in traveling circuses and keeping and breeding of dolphins and killer whales in captivity also terminated.

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Mark Hicken, Alamy Stock photo

LONDON—French minister Barbara Pompili has announced the end of mink fur farming in France. The country’s last four remaining fur farms will have to close no later than 2025, although campaigners at Humane Society International predict that their closure may come sooner. The announcement comes a month after an undercover investigation by French animal campaigners, One Voice, revealed shocking evidence of animal suffering on mink fur farms. The announcement also included many other sweeping animal welfare reforms adopted by the French government, such as ending the use of wild animals in traveling circuses and keeping and breeding dolphins and killer whales in captivity in marine parks.

According to Fur Europe (in 2018), France produced 100,000 mink skins on five farms, but recent public pressure against cruel fur farming practices has been a major driving force behind the ban. Latest opinion polls show that 77% of French citizens favour a ban on raising and slaughtering animals for their fur. More than half a million people in France have signed the referendum for the animals, which includes a ban on fur farms.

Although the mink fur farm ban does not impact France’s Orylag rabbit fur industry, it is nonetheless a significant sign of progress towards ending the trade. Orylag fur comes from genetically manipulated rabbits who are bred in deprived, factory farm style caging.

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “We applaud the French government for taking a stand against the immense suffering endured by mink for fur fashion. The shocking scenes showing paralysed mink displaying signs of severe distress at France’s last remaining fur farms, were enough to make the world shudder. So it is commendable that Minister Pompili has listened to the public outcry that this kind of cruelty is unacceptable. This mink fur farm ban is a great first step for France, and with mink fur production at an all-time low in France we predict and hope that these farms may close sooner than the 2025 deadline.

In the meantime, we urge the French government to also end the equally inexcusable suffering of Orylag rabbits who are farmed for fur in terrible conditions, and we call on the UK government to advance a ban on fur sales as soon as is practicable after the EU transition. For as long as the UK remains open for business to sell fur from countries overseas such as France, we are complicit in this cruelty.”  

Across Europe, 13 countries have banned fur farming, Britain being the first to do so in 2003. One Voice has been urging the Ministry of Ecology since 2017 to publish a decree to shut down all mink operation in France. In support of their campaign, HSI/UK and other members of the Fur Free Alliance—an international coalition of more than fifty animal protection organisations—wrote a letter to the French Embassy asking for a ban.

Muriel Arnal, CEO of One Voice, said: “Finally, France has a mink fur farming ban. But alas it will not take effect for a long time compared to the mink fur farm ban just announced in the Netherlands. We will keep on fighting to close down these four farms before the deadline set by the ministry of Ecology.”

Fur facts:

  • An estimated 60 million mink are farmed for their fur in 24 countries around the world, with the top three production countries China (20.6million mink), Denmark (17.6million mink) and Poland (5 million mink) in 2018.
  • A 2020 YouGov opinion poll, commissioned by HSI/UK, reveals that 93% of the British population reject wearing real animal fur, and the majority (72%) support a ban on the sale of fur in the UK. The poll also demonstrates Brits’ scathing view of fur – the words that people most closely associate with a fashion brand selling fur are ‘unethical’, ‘outdated’, ‘cruel’ and ‘out of touch’.
  • Across Europe, mink fur farms have been affected by outbreaks of COVID-19. In the Netherlands, 56 mink fur farms so far have been infected with the coronavirus, and outbreaks have also been documented on fur farms in Spain and Denmark, as well as in the United States.
  • Fur farming has been banned across the UK since 2003, and has been prohibited and/or is in the process of being phased-out in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Croatia, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and most recently the government in Ireland has committed to ending fur farming.
  • Bulgaria, Lithuania, Montenegro and Ukraine are also presently considering bans on fur farming and in Finland the majority party of the coalition government just announced its support for a ban on fur farms.
  • In the United States, California became the first US state to ban fur sales in 2019 following similar bans in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood. In 2020, legislators in Hawaii and Rhode Island introduced fur sales ban proposals, as have cities in Minnesota and Massachusetts.

Download video from the latest French fur farm investigation

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Media contact: Leozette Roode: lroode@hsi.org; +27 71 360 1104

Humane Society International / United States

Donna Gadomski/HSI Daniel and Juliette meet for the first time.

WASHINGTON—Korean-American actor Daniel Henney just became the proud pup parent of Juliette, a young golden retriever rescued from a dog meat farm in Hongseong, South Korea by Humane Society International. The international film and television actor is best known in the U.S. for his role in the series Criminal Minds and is a passionate dog advocate. He has worked with HSI for several years to raise awareness in South Korea on the benefits of dog adoption, which is relatively uncommon there. Henney also has a nine-year-old golden retriever rescue named Roscoe.

Henney said, “When I first met Juliette, it was love at first sight. She completely and totally melted my heart and she has become such an amazing member of our family. Considering what she’s had to live through, she’s so gentle and sweet, so patient. But there are thousands of other dogs just like Juliette living in cages on dog meat farms who need our help and that’s why I’m supporting HSI’s mission to end the suffering.

I consider myself very lucky to have gotten Juliette; she is an angel; an absolutely wonderful dog and she’s fit into the family like a Lego. Not only has it helped her but it’s helped us so much. Roscoe is so full of life now because he has this new sister and they are absolutely inseparable! They go everywhere together – they play together, they eat together, they sleep on top of each other. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Henney, a passionate dog lover, is teaming up with HSI to increase awareness and acceptance in South Korea of dog adoption. Although dog ownership has increased rapidly in South Korea in recent years, with one in five households in Seoul now owning a pet, many people buy pet store puppies who are sourced from puppy mills where dogs are intensively bred in deprived conditions, and even from dog meat farms that breed pups for both food and family.

“We couldn’t have wished for a happier ending for Juliette, who is such a sweet-natured and loving dog,” said Jeffrey Flocken, HSI president. Flocken is also a proud adopter of a dog HSI rescued from a dog meat farm in South Korea.

“She’s had a rough start in life; a dog meat farm is a grim place to live with absolutely no love or comfort, so we were thrilled to be able to save Juliette and all the other dogs there from such a fate,” said Flocken. ”So many dogs in South Korea need to find homes, so we’re excited to be working with Daniel to increase awareness of dog adoption. Juliette is a perfect ‘ambassadog’ for our work, and her story will hopefully help other dogs find their happily ever after.”

Henney continued, “Juliette deserves so much love. I want to give her the chance to be a dog, to run and enjoy life. Once she’s fully settled, I want her to be an example for how great these dogs are, and I want her to help encourage people to adopt these wonderful dogs from these dog meat farms.”

Humane Society International has rescued more than 2,000 dogs from dog meat farms in South Korea, working in cooperation with farmers who wish to exit the industry in search of new beginnings. The farmer in Juliette’s case intends to switch to growing vegetables for a more profitable and humane future.

Nara Kim, HSI/Korea’s dog meat campaigner, said, “Daniel’s passion and personal experience will help us make a significant impact to increase interest and acceptance of dog adoptions in South Korea. Our goal for the future is to see more of the dogs HSI rescues from dog meat farms find forever families within South Korea. We usually fly the dogs to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to seek adoptive homes, but we hope to help more South Koreans open their hearts and homes to these wonderful dogs in time.”

A Michigan native, Henney became a household name in Korea after starring in the television drama My Lovely Sam-soon and starring in such series as Hello Franceska, Spring Waltz and The Fugitive: Plan B. In the U.S. his television credits include Three Rivers, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Hawaii Five-0, NCIS: Los Angeles and Revolution. He voiced the role of Tadashi Hamada in the Academy Award-winning film Big Hero 6 and appeared in the films X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Last Stand, Seducing Mr. Perfect, My Father, The Spy: Undercover Operation and Shanghai Calling.

He will next star in the Amazon epic fantasy drama Wheel of Time. He spends his time between his homes in California and Michigan with Roscoe and Juliette.

View the YouTube video of Daniel and Juliette.

Download photos and videos of Daniel and Juliette .

Download photos and videos of the South Korea Dog Meat Farm.

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Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig: RRosensweig@humanesociety.org; +1 203-270-8929,

A bold elephant relocation and contraception exercise has seen Humane Society International place > 1040 female elephants on immunocontraceptive birth control.

Humane Society International / Africa (in South Africa)

Audrey Delsink for HSI Relocation, collaring and contraception of elephants from Atherstone Game Reserve to undisclosed new reserve with partners Global Supplies – Conservation Initiatives, Elephant Reintegration Trust and Fondation Franz Weber.

CAPE TOWN— A wild herd of elephants that roamed in Limpopo’s Atherstone Game Reserve has been translocated by Global Supplies – Conservation Initiatives to a safe haven through the collaborative efforts of the Elephant Reintegration Trust, global animal welfare organisation Humane Society International-Africa (HSI-Africa) and Fondation Franz Weber, a Swiss organisation that has been dedicated to the protection of elephants since 1975.

At the same time, HSI-Africa treated the herd’s females with immunocontraception to humanely control the population growth at their new home.

Elephant immunocontraception – a non-steroidal, non-hormonal and humane method of elephant population control – has been researched and funded by HSI and the Humane Society of the United States since 1996. Immunocontraception uses the female elephant’s own immune response to block egg fertilisation.

Female elephants over the age of 10 years are darted remotely from a helicopter with a dropout dart that contains the immunocontraception vaccine and a marking dye. This marks the elephant at the dart site, creating a quick aerial reference of which animals have been darted. The dart falls out a short while afterwards. Thus, the animals do not need to be immobilised in order to be treated and the vaccinations are completed within minutes.

“This relocation marks the 36th population and 1041th female elephant on immunocontraceptive treatment to date. This is more than half of all breeding age female elephants in populations outside of the Kruger National Park.

“Considering that a female is capable of reproducing eight to 10 elephant calves within her lifespan, the exponential effect of our immunocontraception programme means that thousands of elephants have been spared from death through a cull as they compete for land and resources with people in an ever-shrinking habitat,” says HSI-Africa wildlife director, Audrey Delsink.

Smart elephant management

In addition to contracepting the females, HSI-Africa and partner Global Supplies – Conservation Initiatives also deployed a satellite tracking collar on one of the herd members to remotely monitor the elephants at their new home under the watchful eye of the Elephant Reintegration Trust. This translocation forms part of groundbreaking research into elephant behaviour and reintegration and is critical to our understanding of elephant management.

“The collaring and immunocontraception are part of a long-term, proactive elephant management strategy. Both activities work to save elephants’ lives and mitigate human-elephant conflict. We are extremely proud and excited to be part of this project that will not only lead to the enrichment of the lives of these elephants but will change the way in which we manage elephants in the future.

“We are delighted to collaborate with the Elephant Reintegration Trust, Fondation Franz Weber, who provided funding for the transportation of the elephants, and our partner, Global Supplies – Conservation Initiatives, as well as the progressive reserve that has willingly accepted this herd. We all share the same vision of peaceful human-animal co-existence,” added Delsink.

HSI-Africa is the only non-profit organisation that specifically works on humane methods of population management in and around reserves where elephants could come into conflict with surrounding communities.

ENDS

Media contact: Marisol Gutierrez, HSI-Africa media and communications manager, +27 72 358 9531, mgutierrez@hsi.org

Download photos of the elephant relocation

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