Region: Global

Black howler and spider monkeys, margay wild cat, emerald toucanet, opossums and owls among iconic species returned to the wild

Humane Society International / Latin America

Santiago Billy/AP Images for HSI

PETEN, Guatemala—Twenty-seven mammals and birds have been released back into the wild of the Guatemalan rainforest after being rescued and rehabilitated from illegal trafficking and cruelty incidents.

Non-governmental organizations Asociacion Rescate y Conservacion de Vida Silvestre, known locally as ARCAS, and Humane Society International/Latin America released the animals in the 13.3 million-acre Maya Biosphere Reserve in Petén, as part of a long-running joint project to tackle wildlife trafficking for the pet trade and other exploitative human activities. The animals include an endangered wild cat―a margay―three endangered black howler monkeys, two endangered spider monkeys and several birds including an emerald toucanet.

Many of the animals, including a tayra and a screech owl, arrived at the ARCAS sanctuary as juveniles, their mother having likely been killed by traffickers or hunters. The rehabilitation process included teaching them the skills they need to survive in the wild such as how to fly, jump, run, hide from predators, and identify and hunt for food. While the margay, howler and spider monkeys are classified as Category 2: Endangered in Guatemala under national protection legislation, other species―such as the opossum and bat falcon―are impacted by habitat loss due to deforestation for farming and by negative interactions with humans.

Imperilled species are highly valued in the wildlife trade because of their rarity, leading to overexploitation and black-market trade, pushing some of these species further toward risk of extinction. The rehabilitation of these animals is essential to strengthen the populations of endemic and endangered species in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, which have been considerably depleted in their natural habitats. For example, three black howler monkeys were among those released by ARCAS and HSI/LA, the oldest male having been kept as a pet for four months prior to rescue, while the females were rescued from the pet trade without having suffered prolonged captivity.

Andrea Borel, executive director of Humane Society International/Latin America was present for the rainforest release and said: “The capture of wild animals for the national and international pet trade is a real problem in Guatemala. These animals are often kept in cramped, inadequate conditions not suitable for their species, and denied the ability to exhibit their natural behaviors which can further cause them physical and psychological distress. For every wild animal kept as a pet, it’s also likely that several others will have died including their mother who is often killed while trying to protect her babies from traffickers. As many of these species also contend with the ever-increasing pressure of habitat loss, it’s a real concern for our wild ecosystems.

By supporting and working with our local partner, ARCAS, this rescue, rehabilitation and release program is giving these animals back their freedom as well as increasing their wild populations to ensure future breeding in their natural forest habitat where they belong. We also work together on awareness raising to urge citizens not to buy wild animals as pets and to help us by reporting any such suspicious activity to the authorities.”

ARCAS carries out the physical, medical and behavioral rehabilitation of victims of wildlife trafficking and exploitative human activities, under strict scientific management standards. HSI/Latin America and ARCAS have been working together in wildlife protection and conservation in Guatemala since 2004. The release was conducted with the authorization of Guatemalan authorities from the National Council for Protected Areas, or CONAP. The Maya Biosphere Reserve is in the northern Petén region of Guatemala, part of the Mesoamerica’s Maya Forest, the second largest remaining tropical rainforest in the Americas.

ARCAS director Fernando Martinez said: “Our mission is to reinforce existing wildlife populations, to prevent the extinction of species and thus ensure that there are healthy populations capable of adapting and reproducing in their natural habitat. We are proud that our rescue center is a pioneer in endemic species rehabilitation and release in our region, and we appreciate HSI/Latin America’s support.”

ENDS

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

Humane Society International / India

Kathy Milani/HSI

THIMPHU, Bhutan—The Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan has become the first country in the world to declare its entire street dog population fully sterilized and vaccinated following years of investment in a humane dog management program with global animal charity Humane Society International. At the formal closing ceremony of National Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Project in the capital Thimphu, presided over by Bhutan’s Prime Minister, Dr Lotay Tshering, the Royal Government of Bhutan announced this historic achievement for animal welfare and human health.

At the ceremony, Prime Minister Tshering presented the various stakeholders, including HSI with a plaque in recognition of HSI’s support towards Bhutan’s street dog welfare success from the beginning in 2009 until its closure—thereby honouring a decade and a half of intensive, targeted spay/neuter work and community engagement initiatives carried out by Bhutan in partnership with HSI.

Since its inception, the project has successfully sterilized and vaccinated more than 150,000 street dogs and micro-chipped 32,000 pet dogs.

There are approximately 300 million street dogs across Asia who battle starvation, untreated diseases and parasitic infections, transmissible cancers, injuries from road traffic accidents, as well as direct persecution and inhumane culling. Without effective sterilization and vaccination programs, street dog populations can increase to unsustainable numbers, exacerbating the risk of dog bites and the spread of rabies. The World Health Organization estimates that around 59,000 people a year die of rabies globally, and most rabies cases in humans are the result of a dog bite. Governments across Asia routinely resort to inhumane methods of managing street dogs by culling and mass sheltering.

In 2009, recognising the societal and animal welfare issues surrounding street dogs, the Bhutan Government invited HSI to facilitate a humane management approach for the country’s sizeable dog population. HSI implemented a pilot spay, neuter and vaccination program for dogs in the capital city. This initiative was later scaled up nationwide, eventually becoming the National Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Project for Bhutan.

Following the successful pilot, HSI trained over 35 Bhutanese veterinarians and staff in high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter techniques, and a community engagement initiative was integrated into the program to improve public awareness of dog welfare and mitigate human-dog conflict.

At the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Tshering congratulated representatives including de-suups (community volunteers) from all dzongkhags (districts) across Bhutan for their success in catching, sterilizing and vaccinating street dogs.

Keren Nazareth, HSI/India’s senior director of companion animals and engagement, who has worked closely with the Bhutan program since 2015, said: “HSI could not have found a more committed humane street dog management partner than the Royal Government of Bhutan. This has been a long journey together with constant learning and adjustment, but from the start the Government has been committed which has enabled us to consistently improve the program. We congratulate the people of Bhutan for this extraordinary dog-friendly success which also brings enormous benefits to the local communities. It’s a remarkable achievement that we hope shows the way forward for governments across Asia that also face street dog challenges. There is much to be learned from Bhutan including its determination and compassion to create a more peaceful coexistence for people and dogs.”

Download photos of HSI’s street dog program in Bhutan and the closing ceremony.

Humane Society International / Canada

Urge Canada to pass Bill C-355 and stop allowing thousands of live horses to be flown to Japan to be slaughtered for meat

Humane Society International / Global

Urge Canada to stop allowing thousands of live horses to be flown to Japan to be slaughtered for meat

British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force chef instructors honed their plant-based culinary skills in Humane Society International/UK’s Forward Food training

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Jessica Webb/HSI

LONDON—Military chef instructors from across the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and Civil Service have been learning how to create plant-based, flavour-filled, planet-friendly dishes thanks to the latest vegan culinary training workshop held by animal protection organisation Humane Society International/UK.

In this the second Forward Food training by HSI/UK for the UK Defence Food Services Training Wing at Worthy Down, Winchester, chef instructors took part in a masterclass on creating plant-based canapés, having previously received training in designing nutritious vegan main courses and how to market those menu items. The session also covered the fundamentals of making appetising and flavoursome plant-based dishes, which typically have a lower environmental footprint than meat and dairy options.

The day’s cooking sessions were mentored by HSI/UK’s Forward Food chef and renowned food writer Jenny Chandler, who ran interactive demonstrations on depth of flavour and food texture. Ministry of Defence chef instructors then took to the kitchen to put what they’d learnt into practice and whipped up creative vegan canapés including: devilled potatoes; carrot “salmon” lox; smoky squash and black bean fritters; mini roast cauliflower and cashew cheela pancakes served with mango chutney; and cucumber cups with a spiced peanut dip and crispy chickpeas.

Rich Hardy, senior farmed animal campaigns manager at Humane Society International/UK, said: “It’s really encouraging to be working with the Armed Forces, responsible for serving millions of meals every week to tri-service personnel, and that they are willing to equip chefs with the skills to meet the rising demand for plant-based options. This is the second Forward Food training HSI/UK has delivered for the UK Defence Food Services Training Wing, and the chef instructors here have now truly mastered the art of creating exciting and flavourful vegan dishes! Putting more plants on plates helps reduce demand for factory farming, which is vital both in the race to meet climate targets, and to stop the suffering of millions of animals.”

Warrant Officer Class 2 Kerry Bale, Catering Development Warrant Officer at the UK Defence Food Services Training Wing, said: “Diets of choice are growing in popularity; with an increasing demand towards nutritious plant-based foods, the chef instructors must enhance their skills in order to present the offer to service personnel. The training we have received was excellent and plays an important role in helping us to remain current.” 

More than 300 chefs have been trained through HSI’s Forward Food programme in the UK since its launch in 2017. By supporting chefs and catering managers to gain skills and confidence in delivering a variety of high-quality plant-based menu items, HSI/UK is improving the availability of vegan options across the country and helping people make compassionate culinary choices.

ENDS 

Media contact: Sally Ivens, senior media and communications manager, HSI/UK: sivens@hsi.org     

Forward Food is an initiative of Humane Society International, with the aim to encourage and enable the catering industry to shift the focus of menus away from meals centred on animal products and put more plant-based food on plates. Find out more at forwardfooduk.org. 

Humane Society International / Mexico

Osvaldo Olguin/HSI

MEXICO CITY—Humane Society International/ Mexico is pleased to announce its participation in the traditional Dia de Muertos Ofrendas at Casa Fuerte del Indio Fernández in Coyoacán. This year’s beautiful and heartfelt ofrenda will be dedicated to all animals, with a special remembrance for those who departed and who have left their mark, including beloved animals like Benito (Scooby), Maple who inspired a law, Stich, Frida the beloved search and rescue dog, and all the animals we work for in the different HSI programs.

Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a cherished Mexican tradition that celebrates and honors the lives of loved ones who have passed. HSI/Mexico recognizes the importance of extending this tradition to include the remembrance of animals, who are often cherished members of our families and communities.

The traditional ofrendas take place every year at the museum and cultural house “Casa Fuerte del Indio Fernández”. This iconic house belonging to the famous Mexican gold film actor Emilio “El Indio Fernandez” who also posed for the renowned Oscar statuette.  This year the visitors will be able to pay their respects, reflect on the important role animals play in our lives, and learn about HSI/Mexico’s dedication to animal welfare. This ofrenda dedicated to them is displayed in one of the stables whose centerpiece is a beautiful mural by Diego Rivera.

In addition to this meaningful tribute, the ofrenda will feature a special culinary aspect. The dishes served will be plant-based, highlighting HSI/Mexico’s commitment to promoting a more compassionate and sustainable approach to food. This aligns with our belief that all animals, including farm animals, deserve to live free from suffering.

“On these dates we remember our loved ones and with this Ofrenda we have the opportunity to remember the animals who have shared their lives with us. It is a time to raise awareness about those who were not fortunate enough to be part of a loving family but who deserve the same love and the same respect. Let’s raise our voices for those who don’t experience compassion, and for those who never had the opportunity to live free,” said Pamela Resendiz, HSI/Mexico food and nutrition manager.

The Dia de Muertos ofrenda at Casa Fuerte del Indio Fernández will provide a space for people to come together, remember their animal companions, and consider the positive impact they can make for animals in need. HSI/Mexico invites everyone to join us in celebrating the lives of animals and to explore the meaningful work we do to protect and advocate for them, you can visit it from Oct 20th to Nov 20th at Ignacio Zaragoza 51, Santa Catarina, Coyoacán, Mexico City.

ENDS

Media contact: Magaly Garibay mgaribay@idee.agency and Laura Bravo laurabravocom@gmail.com

Humane Society International / South Africa

S. Chakrabarti/We Animals Media

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—Amidst the headlines detailing the severe outbreak of avian flu in South Africa, the culling of approximately 7.5 million infected chickens this year, and the resulting economic impacts, animal protection organization HSI/Africa says the fragility of our current food system and animal welfare are being overlooked.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, as of 21 September the country has experienced a total of 50 outbreaks of the H7 strain of bird flu, and 10 outbreaks of the H5 strain of bird flu. The South African chicken and egg industries have killed approximately 7.5 million chickens, including around 2.5 million chickens bred for their meat and five million hens kept for egg production. Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association, commented in an interview that this represents a staggering 20-30% of South Africa’s total flock.

In 2017 it was reported that 20% of the national flock was culled and the outbreak cost the poultry industry R1.8 billion. Not only did the 2017 H5N8 outbreak in South Africa result in massive financial loss, and the death of millions of birds, but more than 1,300 people lost their jobs. The current outbreak is leading to egg shortages, job losses and increased egg prices. The emergence of new strains of avian influenza underscores the inadequacy of relying solely on vaccinations and biosecurity measures. The situation we are witnessing today may tragically repeat itself in the future, as these new strains continue to evolve.

Candice Blom, farmed animal specialist for HSI/Africa, emphasizes: “Our food system’s fragility becomes evident when millions of chickens must be killed to ward off disease. A food system premised on mass production of confined animals is inherently prone to risk, regardless of biosecurity and plans for imported vaccines. It is clear that we need more than just band-aid solutions; we need a fundamental shift toward a more diverse food system that is resilient and also not contingent on animal cruelty.”

Beyond the cruelty of slaughtering millions of birds in response to a disease outbreak is the inherently cruel intensive cage confinement of hens during egg production. The vast majority of egg-laying hens in South Africa are confined and crowded together in small, wire battery cages, with each hen having the space of an A4 piece of paper to live her life. These cages prevent hens from performing almost all of their natural behaviours, including nesting, perching, dustbathing, scratching, foraging, walking and even flapping their wings.

As we confront the dire consequences of the avian flu crisis in South Africa, it is imperative that we broaden our perspective to address the systemic issues at the core. This includes reevaluating our animal and food production practices and relying upon a more plant-based food system for the benefit of all living beings.

ENDS

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

Humane Society International / Europe

Aumsama, iStock.com

BRUSSELS—After months of waiting for the European Commission to honour its European Green Deal commitment to deliver a package of legislative proposals to upgrade the EU’s animal welfare legislation, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič finally broke the EU executive body’s silence on this issue during the Parliamentary hearing for his appointment as the new Green Deal czar.

In response to probing questions on animal welfare from several Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum, Šefčovič dashed EU citizens’ hopes of the Von der Leyen Commission adopting legislative proposals to end the caged confinement of farm animals in the EU this year. While claiming to be committed to the animal welfare file, he hid behind its ‘complexity’ as an excuse for failure for its delivery. Šefčovič’s only olive branch to animal advocates was a promise to come up with a proposal on live animal transport by December 2023.

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, issued the following statement in response to Šefčovič’s comments:

“We were promised action to end cruel caged confinement, but turns out to have all been hot air. Despite being grilled by several MEPs, during his hearing Commissioner Šefčovič largely skirted around the issue of animal welfare and failed to provide any clear timeline with respect to when, or even if, the European Commission would deliver its promised ban on caged farming. The announced legislative proposal on animal transport is good news, but alone, it falls short of the commitments made in the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Commission’s promise to the 1.4 million European citizens backing the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizen’s Initiative.

The science is clear, it is time to stop confining millions of sentient animals in cages and crates so small they cannot turn around or take more than a single step forward. A slew of scientific opinions delivered by EFSA, the European Union’s science advisory agency focused on food chain risks, confirm that the current animal welfare legislation needs to be brought in line with new scientific understanding on animal welfare. This legislation has already been deemed no longer fit for purpose under the Commission’s own regulatory fitness and performance programme that aims to ensure that EU laws deliver on their objectives. Moreover, the Regulatory Scrutiny Board has issued a positive opinion about the draft impact assessment accompanying the legislative proposals, which have already been drafted by Commission staff. The announced additional discussion on animal welfare in the context of the strategic dialogue with farmers is a poor attempt to dissolve concerns after recent reports that the EU could drop its plan to get farmed animals out of cages. The Commission already has a Platform on Animal Welfare that involves all relevant stakeholders. Let us not forget that ahead of the 2024 EU elections, it would be an affront to EU citizens and participatory democracy if the Commission failed to deliver on both its ECI and Green Deal promises to raise animal welfare standards. Humane Society International, allied groups and EU citizens will not give up. We will be pushing Šefčovič and his colleagues to deliver all the legislative proposals before the end of their mandate”.

ENDS

Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international coordinator for media relations: cbodinduval@hsi.org ; +32 (0) 469 149 469

Campaigners at party conferences urge politicians to give animal welfare the level of priority the British public expect

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Gabriela Penela/We Animals Media

LONDON—Over two-thirds (67%) of the British public think that a political party planning to pass more laws to improve animal welfare and protect animals from cruelty would have ‘the right priorities’, and 71% feel that such policies would reflect their values, according to new constituency-level polling by Focaldata commissioned by animal protection organisations Animal Aid, Compassion In World Farming, FOUR PAWS UK, Humane Society International/UK and the RSPCA. 

Underscoring the strength of support for strong animal welfare legislation amongst the public, the polling reveals that 71% believe that passing good animal welfare laws shows compassion and concern for those who don’t have the power to protect themselves, and almost one in ten (8.6%)  rank ‘whether or not a party will protect animals from cruelty’ as one of the top three most important policies that will influence which party they vote for.

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affiairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “Despite MPs often stating that they typically hear from their constituents about animal welfare issues more than any other issue, we are not yet seeing animal protection being given the priority it so clearly deserves by any of the main political parties. When politicians underestimate the importance many people attach to stopping animal cruelty, it easily becomes a problem for candidates on many doorsteps. There are millions of animals without a voice or vote on the policies that parties offer in their manifestos for the next election, but this poll makes clear that strong commitments towards a more compassionate society will be something that millions of voters are looking for from party leaders.”  

The Government pledged eight specific animal welfare commitments in its 2019 manifesto and has so far delivered on only three. Pledges to ban live exports, prohibit the importation of hunting trophies from endangered species and tackle cruel puppy smuggling are all yet to be passed into new laws. The Government’s 2021 Action Plan for Animal Welfare committed to consider action on a range of other issues including the UK fur trade, the use of cages and crates on farms and mandatory animal welfare food labelling, but progress in all of these areas has stalled during the current parliamentary session. 

Despite the Labour Party publishing a comprehensive—and well supported—animal welfare manifesto in 2019, its newly published National Policy Forum contains only a brief indication of the Party’s ambition to advance new protections for animals, including strengthening the Hunting Act and banning the importation of hunting trophies.   

At its conference last week the Liberal Democrats passed a motion on food and farming which incorporates pledges to benefit animal welfare including ensuring that in international trade deals imports “meet UK environmental, climate and animal welfare standards”. Campaigners at the conference heard that a detailed animal welfare policy paper is planned and may be debated at the Party’s spring conference. 

The polling also reveals: 

  • Answering questions on specific issues of farming and trade: 
    • 63% of respondents feel the Government should bring in legislation to phase out intensive farming to protect the environment and animals;  
    • 77% of respondents agree with the statement ‘when we ban a type of farming in the UK for being too cruel, we should also ban imports of products produced the same way overseas’ while less than a quarter of people (23%) agree with the statement ‘we should not let our trading relationship with other countries be limited by animal welfare concerns.’ 
  • One in ten (10%) of the British public place animal welfare issues in the top five most important issues facing the country at this time, compared to 30% of people placing ‘crime’ in the top five issues, and 42% of people placing ‘climate change’ in the top five. 79% of respondents place ‘the NHS’ in the top five issues. 
  • Almost one in ten (8.6%) people rank ‘whether or not a party will protect animals from cruelty’ as one of the top three most important policies that will influence which party they vote for. 

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Media contact: Sally Ivens, HSI/UK: sivens@hsi.org 

Humane Society International

David Paul Morris

SÃO PAULO—Special Dog, one of the largest pet food manufacturers in Brazil, announced that it is now procuring exclusively cage-free eggs for its manufacturing operations. This move makes Special Dog the first pet food manufacturer in Brazil to have effectively implemented its 100% cage-free eggs policy.

Brazil has almost 114 million hens and a majority are confined in cramped wire cages, preventing them from spreading their wings or taking more than a single step. Cage-free production systems provide hens with the space they need to lay eggs in nests, stretch their wings, scratch the ground, socialize with their peers and to peck—all of which are scientifically documented behavioral needs.

Anna Cristina Souza, policy and program manager for Humane Society International Farm Animal Welfare and Protection in Brazil, said: “Special Dog is now relieving thousands of egg-laying hens from a life of extreme confinement and sending a clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free.”

João Paulo Figueira, sustainable development manager for Special Dog, shared what motivated the company to adopt higher standards to guide their procurement practices: “Valuing animal welfare is the essence of our work, as we guarantee quality of life and longevity for more than 3 million dogs and cats that we feed daily. We understand that this care should fall on our supply chain as well, and with a lot of commitment, we completed the cage-free transition in less than a year.”

While pet food manufacturers such as Premier Pet, Premiatta, Dr. Stanley, and Padaria Pet have made commitments to embrace cage-free practices, it’s Special Dog that takes the lead in the Brazilian pet food sector, having already implemented its cage-free policy. Nestle, Unilever, and Pepsico have also pledged to halt the purchase of eggs from caged hens by 2025, a collective shift that underscores the undeniable momentum towards a future where cage-free egg production becomes the norm.

ENDS

Media contact: Anna Cristina Souza: asouza@hsi.org

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