Region: Global

Golden retrievers, German shepherds, Rottweilers rescued

Humane Society International / Global

DALIAN, China – Law enforcement in Dalian, China and local animal protection group VShine have shut down an illegal dog slaughterhouse in the city after a tip-off from an outraged citizen. Dalian law enforcement and Vshine have worked together for years to promote animal welfare, and the city operates a zero-tolerance policy to the dog meat trade. The slaughterhouse had only recently been opened by a man who lives outside the city.

Seven dogs were found alive at the property in suburban Dalian when police and activists moved in, mostly German shepherds, golden retrievers and a Rottweiler. The slaughterhouse operator surrendered the dogs to Vshine so that they could receive veterinary attention at their shelter, a partner project supported by animal charity Humane Society International. One of the dogs was wearing a pet collar, but it is suspected that the others could have been former guard or farm dogs who were either stolen or purchased from their owners.

Dezhi Yu of Vshine, said: “We are very proud that in Dalian you will rarely find a restaurant serving dog meat, and generally citizens here care very much about their dogs and cats. So when we received a call about this new slaughterhouse, we and the law enforcement officers acted immediately to shut it down. Whenever anyone dares to open such a cruel business here, they are very quickly reported and the police take immediate action. If all police across China were as active as Dalian police, we could crack down on the cruel dog and cat meat trade almost overnight.”

The rescued dogs are now recovering at Vshine’s animal shelter in northeast China where HSI funding will help support their veterinary care and rehabilitation.

Dr Peter Li, Humane Society International’s China policy expert, says: “Most people in China don’t eat dogs, but the city of Dalian is particularly progressive on animal welfare, and a shining example of what the whole of China could achieve if animal protection were taken more seriously. The dog meat trade is not welcome in Dalian, with the local police and animal activists using China’s food safety laws to eliminate this cruelty in the absence of any animal protection legislation. If all Chinese police acted the same, we could have a massive impact on the dog and cat meat trade. If China went further and introduced a robust animal cruelty law, we could eradicate the trade very quickly.”

Facts about China’s dog meat trade

  1. Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat. There are estimated to be more than 91.49 million dogs and cats kept as pets in China. An estimated 10 million dogs a year are killed for China’s dog meat trade.
  2. The World Health Organisation warns that the dog trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera.
  3. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20 per cent of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey revealed that even in Yulin, home of the notorious dog meat festival, most people (72%) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it. Nationwide across China, a 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64%) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7%) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5%) have never eaten dog meat.
  4. Dog thieves snatch dogs and cats from the streets, as well as steal them from back yards.
  5. Dogs and cats are typically bludgeoned to death in front of each other, put in the de-hairing machine to remove fur, and the carcass blow-torched for sale to markets. Dog slaughter continues to occur in public places, exposing young children to horrendous brutality and potentially desensitizing China’s younger generations.

 

Download photos of the dogs rescued from the Dalian slaughterhouse: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=DalianRescue0619

 

 

 

Media contact:

Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423 

Humane Society International / Global

Dogs in Indonesia

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Regency of Karanganyar in Java has pledged an action plan to end its brutal dog meat trade, following a shocking investigation by campaign coalition Dog Meat Free Indonesia. The action plan includes closing all 21 stalls selling dog meat in the regency and the creation of alternative livelihoods for those people currently reliant on the trade. The local government plans to host a meeting with the traders and vendors to announce the ban and to discuss alternative livelihood opportunities, a first of its kind in Java.

The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition’s investigations showed dogs being beaten and strung upside down to bleed out whilst still conscious, and in full view of other terrified dogs bound and caged who await their turn. The horrific footage prompted renewed calls for urgent action by campaigners, national and international celebrity ambassadors and concerned citizens from throughout Indonesia and around the world. The action being taken in Karanganyar will save almost 2,000 dogs each month from slaughter, and campaigners are optimistic that this will mark the start of a nationwide movement to tackle this illegal and dangerous trade.

When announcing the development of an action plan Regent of Karanganyar Regency Drs. Juliyatmono denounced the trade, warning of the grave risks to public health it poses. Whilst dog meat is consumed by some for its perceived health properties, the reality is that the dog meat trade poses a significant and very real threat to public health, with rabies transmission being of particularly grave concern. Research shows that the highest prevalence of rabies occurs in provinces and regencies with the highest dog meat consumption., bringing with it devastating consequences for human health, animal welfare and the local economy.

As an ever-growing number of countries and territories in the region and around the world take action to tackle the illegal dog and cat meat trades, global public and political communities are becoming increasingly intolerant to the trades. With the recent Indonesian presidential elections having taken place on April 17, campaigners hope that now is the time for the government to prioritise this issue on grounds of public health and safety as well as animal welfare, and fulfill its pledge to take action to tackle the trade.

Quotes

“In order to prevent various diseases caused by dog meat consumption, we will soon take action to close all dog meat stalls in Karanganyar, so humans can co-exist in harmony with the environment and all living creatures” – Drs. Juliyatmono, M.M, Regent of Karanganyar Regency.

“Pledges for action have been made from the Central government’s Ministry of Agriculture, and the DMFI and the millions of supporters we represent worldwide applaud this position.  But these words need to result in commitments for change through strong and impactful actions, like those presented by Drs. Juliyatmono, M.M.” – Karin Franken, Jakarta Animal Aid Network.

”We congratulate the Regency of Karanganyar for addressing these grave concerns for the sake of public and animal health and safety, and call on those in power to take action nationwide. Promises have been made but we need to see programs to end the trade implemented nationwide to protect our communities and animals. The DMFI coalition stands ready to help provide practical and on-the-ground support to secure the dual aims of eliminating both the dog and cat meat trades and rabies” – Angelina Pane, Animal Friends Jogja.

“Now is the time for the Indonesian Central and Provincial governments to take Karanganyar Regency’s lead and to prioritise this issue on grounds of public health and safety as well as animal welfare, and fulfill their pledge to take action to tackle the trade. The trade is cruel and dangerous, and the time is now for action to be taken!” – Lola Webber, Change for Animals Foundation.

FACTS

  • Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI) is a coalition of national and international animal protection organisations comprising Change For Animals Foundation, Humane Society International, Animals Asia, FOUR PAWS, Animal Friends Jogja and Jakarta Animal Aid Network which documents the brutality of the trades and campaigns for a ban on grounds of animal cruelty and risks to public health.
  • Dog theft for the meat trade is a serious problem in Indonesia. DMFI 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 go unpunished.
  • The illegal movement of large numbers of dogs of unknown disease status into densely-populated areas impedes efforts to protect communities from the deadly rabies virus. This contravenes rabies control recommendations by leading human and animal health experts including the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as well as national disease prevention legislation.
  • Studies reveal a high incidence of rabies-positive dogs in slaughterhouses and markets throughout the region, including Indonesia. For example, in 2007 research from markets in North Sulawesi (Manado, Airmadidi and Langowan) showed between 7.8 and 10.6 percent of dogs sold for human consumption were infected with rabies. In 2018 the DMFI coalition found that of just 10 dog carcass samples sold for human consumption in Tomohon, one tested positive for rabies.
  • In August 2018 at the National Coordination of Animal Welfare meeting in Jakarta, the Indonesian Government pledged to end the dog and cat meat trades. Mr Syamsul Ma’arif DVM, M.Si, director of veterinary public health, described the trades as “torture for animals” and added that “dog meat or any animal that is not registered as farm animals, is illegal”.
  • Globally, opposition to the dog and cat meat trades is increasing, with an ever-growing number of countries and territories in the region (Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand) and internationally (the United States) banning the trade in and slaughter, sale, consumption of dogs.

The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia campaign has received support from global and Indonesian superstars including Simon Cowell, Sophia Latjuba, Yeslin Wang, Nadia Mulya, Lawrence Enzela, Cameron Diaz, Chelsea Islan, Ellen DeGeneres, Alya Nurshabrina, Shaggydog and Pierce Brosnan who last year signed a letter to President Joko Widodo calling for action to end the country’s dog and cat meat trades. A petition of more than 1 million signatures was also submitted to the government of Indonesia in November 2018

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON—On World Giraffe Day, a coalition of conservation and animal-protection organizations will pressure the Trump administration to move forward with Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes.

In a letter to be delivered Friday, the groups document giraffes’ ongoing silent extinction. Submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Natural Resources Defense Council, it urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to quickly propose protections for this rapidly declining species — a proposal that should have been made in 2018.

The letter follows a 2017 petition by the same groups to list the species under the Act. After the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to respond to the petition, several of the groups filed a lawsuit in December, prompting a response from Fish and Wildlife in April that giraffes may qualify for protection. Now the agency is undertaking a status review of the species and will propose protection if it deems that protection warranted.

“Under Endangered Species Act timelines, protection for giraffes is overdue, but slow federal action is contributing to their silent extinction,” said Adam Peyman, programs and operations manager for wildlife for Humane Society International. “We won’t give up on everyone’s favorite long-necked mammal. By next World Giraffe Day, we hope giraffes will have the protections they so desperately deserve.”

With now just under 97,000 animals, the African giraffe population has plunged nearly 40 percent in the past 30 years. The species is gravely imperiled by habitat loss and fragmentation, civil unrest and overhunting, as well as the international trade in bone carvings, skins and trophies.

“It’s shocking that there are now fewer giraffes in Africa than elephants,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This World Giraffe Day we’re urging the public to stand with us in calling for Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes. These majestic animals deserve to remain wild and not be turned into trophies and trinkets for U.S. consumers.”

Giraffes were assessed as “vulnerable” to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2016. That assessment was confirmed in 2018, along with a critically endangered assessment of two giraffe subspecies and an endangered assessment for another.

“It is clear that manmade causes are the driving force behind the alarming decline in the global population of giraffes. Ensuring swift action under the Endangered Species Act is an immediate and easily implementable first step to offering the key protections this species needs,” said Beth Allgood, U.S. director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

The public can support Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes by submitting comments.

“As giraffe numbers dwindle, we have to ask ourselves if the world needs them more galloping in the savannah or lying on someone’s floor as a rug. Giraffes are a beloved symbol of biodiversity, not trinkets or keepsakes. The clock is ticking as more and more of these animals are being killed while the administration delays its decision. If the animals are not protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Trump administration will be remembered for sitting idly by while one of the most recognizable species on the planet fades away,” said Elly Pepper, deputy director for international wildlife conservation at NRDC.

The IUCN currently recognizes one species of giraffes and nine subspecies: West African, Kordofan, Nubian, reticulated, Masai, Thornicroft’s, Rothchild’s, Angolan and South African. Legal protection is sought for the whole species. Further, parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) will consider a proposal to list giraffes under Appendix II of the Convention when they meet in August. If passed the proposal, which was submitted by the giraffe range states of Chad, Senegal, Niger, Mali and Kenya, would ensure the international trade in giraffe parts is tracked.

 

Contacts:

Tanya Sanerib, Center for Biological Diversity, (206) 379-7363, tsanerib@biologicaldiversity.org

Rodi Rosensweig, Humane Society International/The Humane Society of the United States, (203) 270-8929, rrosensweig@humanesociety.org

Rodger Correa, International Fund for Animal Welfare, (202) 834 6637, rcorrea@ifaw.org

Daniela Arellano, Natural Resources Defense Council, (310) 434-2304, darellano@nrdc.org

Humane Society International / Global

WASHINGTON – The Estée Lauder Companies has become the latest beauty company to back the #BeCrueltyFree campaign, the largest effort in history to end cosmetic animal testing globally. The Estée Lauder Companies is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, sold in over 150 countries and territories under 25+ brand names. The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is led by Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

Anna Klein, senior vice president, Global Corporate Affairs for The Estée Lauder Companies, said: “We are proud to partner with Humane Society International, an organization that has done such thoughtful work advocating for animals everywhere. They have been a wonderful partner and advisor as we work together towards our common goal to bring an end to cosmetics animal testing, worldwide.”

Kitty Block, president of Humane Society International and president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Animal testing is last century’s science, but to legislate it out of existence requires us to join forces with forward-looking industry leaders like The Estée Lauder Companies. I’m confident that by working together with beauty companies through our #BeCruelty campaign, we can help bring an end to cosmetics testing on animals by 2023.”

The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is an unprecedented education and consensus-building effort among federal legislators, regulators and corporate and other stakeholders to ensure that all newly manufactured cosmetics are both safe and cruelty-free. It has already helped shape cosmetics animal testing and sale bans in nearly 40 countries.

As part of the campaign, HSI is leading negotiations with cosmetic trade associations and key beauty brands to advance forward-looking federal legislation in countries around the world.

To learn more about The Estée Lauder Companies’ commitment to animal welfare and information on their cruelty-free brands visit www.elcompanies.com.

#

Media contacts:

The Estée Lauder Companies

  • Amara Malik, 212-965-6335, amalik@estee.com

Humane Society International

 

Chinese activists call on dog lovers worldwide to condemn brutal trade

Humane Society International / China

BEIJING—Chinese animal activists have released distressing images from inside a filthy, backstreet dog slaughterhouse in Yulin, China just days ahead of the city holding its annual dog meat festival at which thousands of dogs and cats will be killed and eaten.

Download photos and video of the rescue here: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=ChinaRescue0619

The activists, who wish to remain anonymous, rescued 62 terrified dogs from Yulin on 12th June. Communicating via other Chinese activists with whom the rescue team worked, animal charity Humane Society International has received and released footage and photos from the rescue, and has been responding to requests to accommodate and care for some of these dogs.

The dogs were severely dehydrated and malnourished, with some showing signs of sickness and infection. They are mostly small breeds typical of pet dogs in China, and some were still wearing their collars when rescued. Most dogs and cats caught up in China’s meat trade are believed to be strays snatched from the streets and pets stolen from people’s backyards, in clear violation of Chinese laws. They are crammed into wire cages and driven for hours or even days across the country, before reaching the slaughterhouse where they are beaten to death.

The Yulin dog meat festival begins in earnest on 21st June to mark the summer solstice. It is not a traditional festival, but was invented as recently as 2010 by dog traders trying to boost flagging dog meat sales. Before the festival started, Yulin had no history of mass dog slaughter and consumption.

Wei, one of the Chinese activists, told HSI: “It was swelteringly hot inside the slaughterhouse when we got there, the dogs were exhausted and panting, some pressing themselves tight against the wall in an effort not to be noticed. Others chased around our legs eager for attention. We noticed straight away that some of them were wearing pet collars so they were probably stolen, and some of them looked very sick so we quickly loaded them on the truck to get them to our temporary shelter quickly to receive emergency veterinary treatment. The slaughter man told us that these dogs were likely one of the last truckloads of dogs entering Yulin before the festival because the local government was likely to stop further trucks from entering the city, but we didn’t stick around to verify that. We want the world to see the horrors of China’s dog meat trade of which Yulin is typical, and for dog lovers everywhere to stand up against this terrible cruelty. Please don’t waste your breath calling dog eating Chinese culture. It is not our culture to steal people’s pets. It is not our culture to eat dogs.”

The 62 dogs were immediately driven to a temporary shelter where they received emergency care, food and water. The dogs were rested for several days before leaving Yulin to make the journey to the various different permanent shelters that will care for them longer term, including one supported by HSI in north China. Some of the dogs who receive HSI help will eventually be placed for adoption in the United States, whilst others will be available for adoption within China or be cared for longer term at the shelter.

Dr Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist, commented on the rescue, saying: “Yulin is a very tense place right now, with dog traders and slaughterhouses on high alert, so it was difficult for these Chinese activists to win the trust of this facility to release the dogs. We commend their efforts to show the world the suffering of these poor animals, and to expose the dog theft that lies behind the dog meat trade. These dogs are traumatised and in need of veterinary treatment, but they are the lucky ones because for them at least the horror of Yulin is over. Sadly, thousands more will still die at Yulin, and millions across China, unless decisive action is taken. So we urge the Chinese government to show that it will not tolerate the dog thief gangs who perpetuate this trade, and bring an end to the brutal dog and cat meat trade.”

The dog meat trade isn’t just an issue of animal welfare, it also poses a serious threat to human health. The World Health Organisation has warned that the dog trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera. Yulin has long been a city with one of the highest rates of human rabies cases in China, and the local trade undermines the Chinese government’s goal of eliminating rabies in China by 2025. Selling and processing meat from sick and dying dogs in Yulin and elsewhere is also a serious violation of China’s food safety law, and yet the trade is allowed to persist with relatively little legal sanction.

Fast facts about Yulin and China’s dog meat trade

1. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20 per cent of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey conducted by Chinese state-registered charities and assisted by a team of six research staff from the Yulin Municipal Government, revealed that most people living in Yulin (72 percent) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.

2. A 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64 percent) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7 percent) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5 percent) have never eaten dog meat.

3. When first launched in 2010, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure reduce to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival.

4. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are killed across Asia for their meat, some 10-20 million in China alone.

 

Media Contacts:
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, HSI Director of International Media: +44(0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

HSUS and HSI celebrate as Prada Group drops fur to “meet the demand for ethical products”

Humane Society International / Global

Milan–Italian luxury fashion house Prada Group – and all its brands, including Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s, and Car Shoe – has announced it will no longer use animal fur in its designs or products starting with its Spring/Summer 2020 women’s collection. Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States, along with Fur Free Alliance, a coalition of over 50 animal protection originations from 25 countries, have been working with Prada behind the scenes after running a public campaign urging the brand to drop fur last September.

“The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility, and our fur-free policy – reached following a positive dialogue with the Fur Free Alliance, in particular with LAV and the Humane Society of the United States – is an extension of that engagement,” said Miuccia Prada. “Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products.”

Prada previously sold fur from mink, fox and rabbit. All three species suffer terribly on fur farms where they are confined for short lives in barren, wire-mesh cages where their existence is so deprived, monotonous and stressful that they often exhibit signs of self-mutilation and repetitive stereotypical behaviour.

Kitty Block, president and CEO of HSUS and HSI, said, “Prada’s fur-free announcement will send a clear message to the fashion industry and governments around the world that the biggest names in fashion are ditching fur cruelty and opting for innovative and animal-friendly alternatives. We are dedicated to ending this cruel trade once and for all.”

Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s and Car Shoe join many other leading fashion brands and retailers in going fur-free—since the beginning of 2017 alone Burberry, Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Coach, Donna Karan, Michael Kors/Jimmy Choo, Diane von Furstenberg, Columbia Sportswear, Farfetch, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Burlington, VF Corporation (Timberland/The North Face) and Furla, have all stopped using fur in their collections.

This momentum has led to several US cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, banning fur sales, and currently New York City, New York and California are considering similar legislation. As well, India banned fur imports in 2017 and many countries – including the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria, Norway and the Czech Republic – have banned, or are in the process of phasing out, fur production. In the UK, Humane Society International is working to ban fur sales there with its #FurFreeBritain campaign.

 

Media Contacts:

Humane Society International: Wendy Higgins: 07989 972423; Whiggins@hsi.org

The Humane Society of the United States: Emily Ehrhorn: 301-258-1423; eerhorn@humanesociety.org

Humane Society International

Humane Society International responds to the landslide in La Paz, Bolivia. Alejandra Tellez/HSI

LA PAZ—In the aftermath of a landslide that swept away dozens of homes last week, leaving hundreds of people without a place to live, a team from Humane Society International is in La Paz to provide veterinary care and to help reunite dogs and cats with their families. An innovative tattoo numbering system, established by HSI to identify animals that have been spayed or neutered, has helped displaced residents find their pets.

The first 24 hours after the landslide were chaotic, with confused animals frantically looking for their owners and vice versa. Well-meaning individuals took seemingly lost animals to other locations without consulting neighbors, further separating pets from their families. Thanks to HSI’s unique alphanumeric code, which is tattooed on a dog’s or cat’s ear during spay/neuter surgery, and the records that HSI keeps of these surgeries, some animals were returned to their families after a tattoo was identified.

HSI’s team has also provided on-site emergency veterinary care where needed and assisted with animals who needed longer-term medical attention in temporary shelters. The team is currently working with government rescue agencies to assess the needs of animals whose families were displaced by the landslide and to provide care once the pets have adjusted to their temporary homes and their stress level is reduced.

Since 2013, HSI has worked with city officials, local organizations and veterinarians to develop high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter programs in La Paz. Alexandra Rothlisberger, director of companion animals and engagement and manager of HSI’s Bolivia program, said, “We plan to provide veterinary services to the animal victims of this disaster in the weeks to come. Now that these animals and their families will be living in smaller quarters, it is important to spay or neuter and vaccinate pets to avoid unwanted reproduction and to prevent the spread of diseases like rabies, which is endemic in Bolivia.”

HSI will continue to support the impacted families and their pets by providing pet food as well as veterinary treatment until they are able to find stability in their lives again.

Photos available here.

END

Media contact: Nancy Hwa, nhwa@hsi.org, 202-676-2337 (direct), 202-596-0808 (cell)

Campaigners urge China to end dog meat trade as pet trade booms

Humane Society International / China

WASHINGTON – As Shanghai prepares to host the 2019 World Dog Show despite global condemnation of China’s brutal dog meat trade, Chinese campaigners have exposed the sale of dog meat at restaurants in the same city as the major canine event.

In addition to identifying the restaurants, Humane Society International’s partner group in Shanghai also rescued 22 dogs from one of the restaurant’s slaughterhouse suppliers. The dogs – including a poodle and a French bulldog – are suspected to be stolen pets much like those being celebrated at the World Dog Show. The exposé demonstrates the troubling double standard in the way that dogs are treated in China, says Humane Society International, as the charity renews its call on the Chinese government to end the dog meat trade ahead of the infamous Yulin dog meat festival in June.

The World Dog Show starts on 30th April and bills itself as a “Joyful gathering for dog lovers and lovely dogs across the world!” However, less than 20km from the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center where attendees will gather to celebrate their canine companions, Humane Society International’s partner group discovered three restaurants serving up dog meat soup for human consumption.

One of the restaurants displayed several dog meat dishes on its menu and also advertised dog meat in its window, with a sign boasting that its dog meat is supplied by slaughterhouses in Xuzhou city, notorious for the country’s biggest dog meat processing industry in Peixian county, Jiangsu Province (north of Shanghai). When the activists travelled to Peixian and visited one slaughterhouse, they discovered 22 dogs cowering in the corner of the facility having just witnessed their cage mates being beaten to death.

As there were several clues that these dogs were likely stolen pets, including a pile of dog hair and pet collars discarded in the corner, the activists were able to negotiate their release and swiftly rescue them.

Dr Peter Li, Humane Society International’s China policy expert, says: “This investigation exposes the horrifying way that millions of China’s dogs are abused for the meat trade while others are pampered for the pet trade, with those two worlds colliding when pet dogs are stolen from back yards and the street to be brutally killed for human consumption. The slaughter operation where the 22 terrified dogs were rescued could easily have supplied the Shanghai restaurant that claimed to get its dog meat from Xuzhou. Most of the rescued dogs are small, lap-dog breeds typical of pets in China, and the activists found a pile of collars in the corner of the slaughterhouse, so there is every likelihood that these dogs were stolen pets. It’s a double standard that enrages many dog lovers throughout China, who are frustrated at how this illegal trade is allowed to continue.

“Most people in China don’t eat dogs, and in fact the World Dog Show in Shanghai is a prime example of a growing, younger, and more affluent Chinese population who love their canine companions and despise the dog thieves who steal their friends for the meat trade. It also demonstrates the huge economic benefit to China of this booming pet care industry, versus a dog meat trade that acts only as a stain on China’s international reputation. We urge China to act to end its brutal dog meat trade.”

Mr. Tian, one of the Shanghai activists, said: “Peixian in Jiangsu’s Xuzhou City is notorious in China, producing processed dog meat such as dog meat sausages, canned and dried dog meat, mainly for local restaurants. But it also ships frozen dog meat further afield. Had we not rescued them, the 22 dogs we found could very easily have been killed and served up at the restaurant in Shanghai near where dogs just like them are being shown at the World Dog Show. The dogs were clearly terrified, but they all responded to human kindness and sought our comfort, which is a typical sign they were once someone’s pet. We want the world to know that most Chinese citizens don’t eat dogs or support this horror. It is not our culture, it is a crime.”

The rescued dogs were accepted into an animal shelter in North China where HSI funding will help support their veterinary care and rehabilitation in preparation for being put up for adoption. The 22 dogs were given a full health check and treated for minor injuries, skin diseases and shock, before being settled into their new temporary home. In time, the shelter will hold a special adoption event for local passionate dog lovers, and HSI will fly a small number of the dogs to the United States to help them find loving homes.

This shocking investigation takes place just two months ahead of China’s notorious dog meat festival in Yulin. Held every year on and around June 21st, the event in south China sees thousands of dogs and cats driven many miles across the country on the back of slaughter trucks, to be killed and eaten in the city of Yulin. A relatively recent invention, the festival was started in 2010 by dog meat traders as a way to boost their flagging sales. It’s a commercial enterprise presented to the world as a cultural event, but China’s animal activists are keen to set the record straight.

Mr. Tian says: “The world is being hoodwinked by Yulin’s dog meat traders. Their cruel event has no cultural heritage whatsoever, and has served only to tarnish China’s global reputation. No self-respecting person in China supports that bloodbath, it’s shameful.”

Fast facts

Download video and photos of the dogs rescued from slaughter: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=ChinaRescue0419

 

Media contact:

Wendy Higgins, Director of International Media: whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON—After a prod from a lawsuit filed by conservation groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that giraffes may qualify for protection under America’s Endangered Species Act.

The 2018 lawsuit — brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, Humane Society of the United States, and the Natural Resources Defense Council — seeks a response to their April 2017 legal petition for Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes. The species is gravely imperiled by habitat loss and fragmentation, civil unrest and overhunting, as well as the international trade in bone carvings, skins, and trophies.

The United States provides a large market for giraffe parts: More than 21,400 bone carvings, 3,000 skin pieces and 3,700 hunting trophies were imported over the past decade. Limiting U.S. import and trade would give giraffes important protections, and an ESA listing would also help provide critical funding for conservation work in Africa.

“The U.S. on average imports more than one giraffe trophy a day, and thousands of giraffe parts are sold domestically each year,” said Anna Frostic, attorney for the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International. “The federal government must now expeditiously take stock of the role we are playing in giraffe decline and how we can work to instead save these unique animals.”

Africa’s giraffe population has plunged nearly 40 percent in the past 30 years. It now stands at just over 97,000 individuals.

“This is a big step toward protecting giraffes from the growing use of their bones by U.S. gun and knife makers,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s disgusting that it took a lawsuit to prompt the Trump administration to act. Saving everyone’s favorite long-necked animal from extinction should have been the easiest call in the world.”

With fewer giraffes than elephants left in Africa, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature elevated the threat level to giraffes from “least concern” to “vulnerable” on its “Red List of Threatened Species” in 2016. That finding was confirmed in 2018 along with a critically endangered assessment of two giraffe subspecies and an endangered assessment for another.

“The United States has long been complicit in the trade of giraffe parts, so it’s time for the federal government to stick its neck out for this species,” said Elly Pepper with NRDC. “The United States has taken action to help staunch the trade of numerous species in trouble. Sadly, now it is time to take action to ensure giraffes remain on the planet. They need Endangered Species Act protections and they need them now.”

Known for their six-foot-long necks, distinctive patterning and long eyelashes, giraffes have captured the human imagination for centuries. New research recently revealed that they live in complex societies, much like elephants, and have unique physiological traits, including the highest blood pressure of any land mammal.

The IUCN currently recognizes one species of giraffes and nine subspecies: West African, Kordofan, Nubian, reticulated, Masai, Thornicroft’s, Rothchild’s, Angolan and South African. The legal petition seeks an endangered listing for the whole species.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has 12 months to decide whether Endangered Species Act listing is warranted.

For photos/video of the HSUS/HSI 2018 undercover investigation into the sale of giraffe parts CLICK HERE.

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

LONDON—Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP), today announces its support for a worldwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics by backing Humane Society International on its #BeCrueltyFree initiative. The campaign is leading legislative reform to prohibit cosmetics testing on animals in all major global beauty markets by 2023.

Avon has committed to support #BeCrueltyFree to drive regulatory change in key markets around the world – predominantly in Latin America and Southeast Asia – towards the desired global ban. Avon will also support the recently launched Non-Animal Cosmetic Safety Assessment Collaboration (NACSA). NACSA aims to promote best practice in animal-free safety assessment among companies and government health authorities to promote faster acceptance and use of modern non-animal approaches, particularly in countries such as China, where cosmetic animal testing is still required by law for some products. By throwing its weight behind Humane Society International and joining its ever-growing network of supportive beauty giants, Avon believes an end to the era of cosmetic animal testing will be achieved more swiftly.

Avon was the first major cosmetics company to end animal testing 30 years ago and has decades of experience in developing non-animal approaches to product safety evaluation. It collaborates with partners across the world, including advocacy organizations and NGOs to accelerate the adoption of non-animal-test methods.

Louise Scott, Chief Scientific Officer at Avon, said: “Avon’s been working to end animal testing for 30 years, but as an industry there is still more to do. I’m proud of our contribution to driving change to date. But we’re even stronger if we work with others. It’s crucial that we open up more partnerships with other change-agents to end the unnecessary and unacceptable practice of animal testing for cosmetics.

“We’re confident that through collaborations with HSI and other committed partners we will accelerate the transition to alternative approaches to animal testing and result in a worldwide ban in the foreseeable future. It’s a future that we at Avon are committed to and that millions of Avon Representatives and their customers around the world demand.”

As part of Avon’s support for HSI’s campaign, it will continue to actively collaborate with global partners to accelerate the adoption of a worldwide ban on animal testing. The new multi-year collaboration between Avon and HSI will include Avon’s support for robust legislation to prohibit cosmetic animal testing in key global beauty markets and participation alongside other leading brands to enhance capability across companies and regulatory authorities so safety decisions for cosmetics are based on exclusively non-animal approaches.

HSI Vice President for Research & Toxicology Troy Seidle said: “We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Avon to our #BeCrueltyFree campaign family. As a household name in so many of our priority campaign regions thanks to its direct-to-consumer marketing model, Avon’s reach will provide a significant boost to our efforts to abolish cosmetic cruelty across the globe. Other socially conscious beauty brands are encouraged to join Humane Society International in supporting meaningful legislative change to usher in a new era of ethical beauty worldwide.”

For images, visit the newsroom.

-ENDS-

 

Media contacts:

Avon

HSI

 

About Avon Products Inc.

For 130 years Avon has stood for women: providing innovative, quality beauty products which are primarily sold to women, through women. Millions of independent sales Representatives across the world sell iconic Avon brands such as Avon Color and ANEW through their social networks, building their own beauty businesses on a full- or part-time basis. Avon supports women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and well-being and has donated over $1billion to women’s causes through Avon and the Avon Foundation. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avonworldwide.com. #Stand4Her

About Humane Society International

Humane Society International and its partner organizations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This material contains “forward-looking statements” that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to Avon’s involvement with the Humane Society International. Because forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility of business disruption, competitive uncertainties, and general economic and business conditions in Avon’s markets as well as the other risks detailed in Avon’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Avon undertakes no obligation to update any statements in this material after it is posted to the Investor Relations section of our website.

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