Region: United Kingdom

Donald Trump Jr. will speak at the event taking place in Nevada, USA February 5-8

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Video screen grabs from an undercover investigation at Safari Club International’s annual hunter’s convention in Las Vegas.

LONDON — Thousands of trophy hunters from around the world will gather next week in Nevada, USA, for the world’s largest trophy hunt convention, held by Safari Club International, at which trophy hunter Donald Trump Jr. is also scheduled to speak. One of the hunts up for bid is a black-tailed deer hunt with Trump Jr. in Alaska for $17,000.

The annual convention will feature approximately 870 exhibitors selling wildlife parts from animal heads to hides, as well as trophy hunting trips to kill animals including black bears, wolves, leopards and elephants. As the UK government conducts a consultation on introducing a ban on hunting trophy imports, exhibitors at SCI will offer hunts to kill Roe and Muntjac deer in England for $7,000, red deer in Scotland for $4,200, as well as a range of animals in EU countries such as wild boar in Italy and Kri Kri ibex in Greece. Wolf hunts in Macedonia and brown bear hunts in Russia will also be sold. Additionally, 45 hunting outfitter exhibitors from Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Portugal, Spain and the UK will be at the convention. The SCI event takes place February 5 – 8.

Records from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species show that a staggering 2,260 trophy parts from more than 50 CITES-listed species were exported to the UK between 2008 and 2017. The top five exporting nations were South Africa, Canada, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. These UK imports included 565 trophies from African elephants, 303 from hippos and 265 from American black bears. The macabre haul included 262 ‘skins’, 249 ‘skulls’, 53 ‘feet’ and 16 ‘tails’.

Jeff Flocken, president of Humane Society International, said, “The trophy hunting industry’s conservation claim is shattered by SCI’s promotion of and profit from killing rare and imperiled animals. Trophy hunting is a colonial hangover, it’s unethical, ecologically devastating, and inflicts cruelty on wild animals. British hunters buying hunts overseas and foreign hunters buying hunts in the UK both want to be able to bring their trophies home. A comprehensive UK ban on imports and exports of hunting trophies would be a major nail in the coffin of this cruel and archaic industry.”

Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said, “This annual event is the largest meeting in the world of people who celebrate the senseless killing, buying and selling of dead animals for bragging rights. As our planet suffers an extinction crisis, it is business as usual for the trophy hunting industry and SCI, who continue to revel in spending millions of dollars every year to destroy imperiled wildlife.” 

According to reports, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is slated to attend this year’s convention to accept an award. Last year, the government of Botswana lifted a ban on elephant hunting in the country, for which he received SCI’s praise, despite local and international backlash and opposition from elephant experts.

Photos/video from the 2019 SCI convention.

 

ENDS

 

Media contacts:

  • Humane Society International (UK): Wendy Higgins, +44 (0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org
  • The Humane Society of the United States: Rodi Rosensweig, 203-270-8929, RRosensweig@humanesociety.org

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.

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Pete urges fans to ditch fur, calls for UK fur sales ban after witnessing dead animals, tiny fox cubs and horrifically injured mink suffering on fur farms

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

LONDON–A new undercover investigation by TV’s Pete Wicks and animal charity Humane Society International/UK reveals deplorable conditions and distressing animal suffering on fur farms in Finland, a country that exports millions of pounds worth of fur to the UK. The investigation by HSI/UK in partnership with Finnish animal protection organisation Oikeutta Eläimille found tiny fox cubs struggling to walk across wire mesh cage floors, dead mink and foxes, and animals suffering from untreated wounds including a live mink whose head was partially cannibalised by cage mates. 

Pete Wicks recorded an emotionally-charged video for his fans showing footage from the farm. Pete told fans that fur farms are “far worse than I ever imagined,” and called the fur trade “cruel and disgusting.” Pete asked his followers not to buy fur, and shared HSI’s petition calling on the British government to ban fur sales in the UK.

Pete’s video and additional footage and images from from the investigation can be seen here.

If you are interested in interviewing Pete please contact Harriet Barclay, HBarclay@hsi.org 

The UK banned fur farming in 2000 on ethical grounds, but since then has allowed imports of more than £820 million worth of fur from overseas, including Finland. Since the ban the UK imported more than £14 million worth of fur from Finland, and HM Revenue and Customs figures also show sizeable imports from a range of other countries such as Italy, France, Poland, China and Russia. In 2019 so far fur imports to the UK total £25.7million, including over £2.5million from China alone. Finland is by far the biggest ‘producer’ of fox fur in Europe, rearing and electrocuting around 2.5 million foxes every year for the global fur trade; only China farms more foxes globally.

The fur trade claims that the majority of fur farms in Finland are so-called ‘high welfare’, so HSI campaigners took celebrity supporter Pete Wicks to Finland to see for themselves. They found distressing animal suffering across all 13 of the fur farms visited between April and October 2019, with Pete accompanying them to two of those farms.

Pete Wicks said “Despite having seen lots of fur farm footage, nothing could have prepared me for the suffering I saw when I investigated fur farms in Finland with HSI/UK. It was sickening, I really don’t believe that anyone who has seen the state of these poor animals – terrified and trapped in tiny cages – would ever wear fur again. It is great that the UK banned fur farming, but it doesn’t make sense that we’re still selling fur from farms like the ones I visited in Finland.  So I hope this new footage will help HSI/UK’s #FurFreeBritain campaign persuade politicians that fur cruelty should be banned from UK shop shelves.”

Finland is by far the biggest ‘producer’ of fox fur in Europe, rearing and electrocuting around 2.5 million foxes every year for the global fur trade; only China farms more foxes globally. UK fur imports are a double standard that HSI/UK through its #FurFreeBritain campaign is urging the government to address by introducing a ban on UK fur sales.

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, who investigated the fur farms, said: “We saw a few hundred of the millions of foxes and mink trapped in miles of battery cages in Finland. These poor young animals exist only as vessels for their fur, as broken and tormented souls. We saw weeping eye infections, infected wounds, dead cubs and cannibalism; all of this suffering to provide a frivolous product that the fashion industry does not need. It’s important for consumers, designers and politicians to see that awful reality laid bare, that despite what the fur trade tries to portray on catwalks there is nothing glamorous about fur. As long as the UK allows British businesses to trade in fur, we are complicit in the cruelty. Britain was the first country in the world to ban fur farming, now it’s time for us  to finish the job and become the first country in the world to ban fur sales too.”  

Kristo Muurimaa of Finnish animal protection organisation Oikeutta Elaimille, who accompanied HSI/UK on the fur farm visits, and visited additional Finnish farms, said: “During my work as an investigator, I have visited almost a hundred fur farms in Finland and other countries. Sadly, the appalling things we witnessed on the investigation with HSI/UK are far from the exception. Small, barren cages and suffering of the animals are the norm in the fur industry.”

HSI’s petition calling for the UK government to ban UK fur sales can be signed here: www.hsi.org/FurFreeBritain

Fur facts:

  • In 2016 the value of fur imported into the UK was £55.6 million. A provisional estimate of the number of animal skins that equates to in that year is approximately 2,000,000.
  • Britain imports and sells the fur of a variety of species, including fox, rabbit, mink, coyote, raccoon dog and chinchilla. Fur imports from dogs, cats and commercial seal hunts are banned across the EU, and HSI wants those existing bans extended to protect all fur-bearing species.
  • Britain imports and sells the fur of a variety of species, including fox, rabbit, mink, coyote, raccoon dog and chinchilla. Fur imports from dogs, cats and commercial seal hunts are banned across the EU, and HSI wants those existing bans extended to protect all fur-bearing species.
  • Since the United Kingdom banned fur farming on ethical grounds in 2000, more than a dozen countries in Europe, including Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Norway, have legislated against the practice. The government in Ireland agreed, in June this year, to phase out fur farming and draft legislation to end the practice has also been presented to the parliaments of both Bulgaria and Slovakia this autumn. Several cities in the United States, including San Francisco, West Hollywood and Los Angeles have all introduced fur sales bans and a bill to outlaw the sale and manufacture of new fur products across the state of California was passed last week.
  • In addition to the physical and psychological torment of being confined in small, barren cages for the animals’ entire lives, the killing methods typically used on fur farms are equally distressing. Mink are killed by gassing, and fox and raccoon dogs are killed by anal electrocution.
  • An increasing number of fashion designers and retailers are dropping fur cruelty. In the last two years alone Prada, Gucci, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, DKNY, Burberry, Chanel and other high-profile brands have announced fur-free policies. In addition, online fashion retail platforms Net-A-Porter and Farfetch have introduced no-fur policies.

Media contact:

HSI UK: Harriet Barclay, HBarclay@hsi.org, office: 02039767962, mobile: 07794354596

 

British Government under increasing pressure from #FurFreeBritain campaign to end UK fur sales after California’s historic ban

Humane Society International / United States

Jillian Cooper/iStock.com Wild mink

LONDON—California has made history today by becoming the first U.S. State to ban the sale of animal fur. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 44 into law, banning all new fur sales and manufacturing in California. The law, which comes into effect in January 2023, has been welcomed by Humane Society International which hopes it will inspire fur sales bans around the world. In the United Kingdom, Humane Society International’s #FurFreeBritain campaign is urging the UK to follow in California’s footsteps by becoming the first country in the world to ban the sale of animal fur.

The United Kingdom, which was the first country in the world to ban fur farming on ethical grounds back in 2000, still allows imports of animal fur from other countries such as Finland, Poland and China.

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, says, “California has made history by becoming the first U.S state to ban the sale of animal fur, signifying the growing distaste for fur products by consumers who want to see compassion in fashion. It is deeply immoral for animals to suffer miserable lives and painful deaths just to end up as a bobble hat or coat trim, and this ban sends a powerful message to the fur trade that its business model is unethical and its days are numbered. Now is the time for the UK to join the trailblazing to shut down markets for this cruel and outdated industry. We banned fur farming here two decades ago for being inhumane, but now we allow tens of millions of pounds of fur to be imported; by effectively outsourcing cruelty we’ve only done half the job. Our #FurFreeBritain campaign is calling on the British government to follow in California’s footsteps, and make the UK the first country in the world to ban the sale of animal fur.”

California’s bill was introduced by Assemblymember Laura Friedman last December and sponsored by HSI/UK’s sister organisation the Humane Society of the United States, and Animal Hope and Wellness. It passed six committees and the full Assembly and Senate with overwhelming support. It had many notable supporters among the fashion industry, including InStyle magazine, Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg, 3.1 Phillip Lim, HUGO BOSS, Patagonia, H&M, GAP, J.Crew, Madewell, Des Kohan, Hiraeth and Inditex/Zara.

California’s ban increases the pressure on the UK government to ban the sale of animal fur in Britain. The #FurFreeBritain campaign, launched by HSI/UK, argues that if fur is too cruel to produce in Britain, it is too cruel to sell in Britain. The campaign, backed by celebrities such as Dame Judi Dench, Paloma Faith, Ricky Gervais and Thandie Newton, has strong cross-party political support with MPs Zac Goldsmith, John McDonnell and Jo Swinson in favour of a ban. A UK fur sales ban is also included in the Labour party’s animal welfare plan, published last month. Earlier this month Islington became the first London Borough to ban the sale of fur.

Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, says, ““The signing of AB 44 underscores the point that today’s consumers simply don’t want wild animals to suffer extreme pain and fear for the sake of fashion. More cities, states and countries are expected to follow California’s lead, and the few brands and retailers that still sell fur will no doubt take a closer look at innovative alternatives that don’t involve animal cruelty.”

Humane Society International expects more state-wide bans to follow quickly, as similar bills have been introduced in Hawaii and New York. Los Angeles, San Francisco, West Hollywood and Berkeley have already implemented fur sales bans.

Fur facts:

  • More than 100 million animals globally are reported to be killed every year for their fur. In addition to the physical and psychological torment of being confined in small, barren cages for their entire lives, the killing methods typically used on fur farms are equally distressing. Mink are killed by gassing, and fox and raccoon dogs are killed by anal electrocution.
  • An increasing number of fashion designers and retailers are dropping fur cruelty. In the last two years alone Prada, Gucci, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, DKNY, Burberry, Chanel and other high-profile brands have announced fur-free policies. In addition, online fashion retail platforms Net-a-porter and Farfetch have introduced no-fur policies.
  • Britain imports and sells the fur of a variety of species, including fox, rabbit, mink, coyote, raccoon dog and chinchilla. Fur imports from dogs, cats and seals killed during commercial hunts are banned across the EU, and HSI wants those existing bans extended to protect all fur-bearing species. In 2016 the value of fur imported into the UK was £55.6 million. A provisional estimate of the number of animal skins that equates to in that year is approximately 2,000,000 (1,720,000 mink, 110,000 fox, 90,000 raccoon dog and 80,000 skins from animals trapped in the wild, such as  coyote, lynx, beaver and otter).

Download fur farm photos and video here: 

China fox and raccoon dog, December 2015: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/video/video.php?bctid=4752416793001&channel=973092892001

Fur: China rabbit fur farm, December 2015: https://newsroom.humanesociety.org/fetcher/index.php?searchMerlin=1&searchBrightcove=1&submitted=1&mw=d&q=ChinaRabbit0719

ENDS

Media contact:

United Kingdom – Wendy Higgins whiggins@hsi.org

 

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Guy Harrop/Alamy

LONDON–Around the world, billions of animals suffer for our food, fashion, beauty and entertainment. Many of them lead deprived, miserable lives confined in unnatural conditions or are subjected to deliberate cruelty. It doesn’t have to be that way. By changing our lifestyles to make more compassionate choices, we can all be animal defenders. This World Animal Day on 4th October, global animal charity Humane Society International shares its top tips for preventing animal suffering.

1. Eat less / no meat and dairy

With more than 80 billion land animals reared and slaughtered globally for food every year, not to mention the nearly 3 trillion fish pulled from the ocean and countless more raised on aquatic factory farms, industrial scale animal agriculture is not only one of the biggest animal welfare issues on our planet, it is also one of the leading contributors to climate change and deforestation. For example more than a third of all British egg-laying hens are still locked up in cages, confined to a space not much bigger than a sheet of A4 paper.

By switching to a more plant-based diet, we can spare animals from suffering on factory farms, reduce water and air pollution, as well as help combat climate change through reducing the carbon footprint of our food choices, and conserve precious planetary resources. Moving towards a more plant-based plate also benefits our health as diets high in fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

2. Choose cruelty-free cosmetics

Hundreds of thousands of animals still suffer and die each year around the world to test shampoo, mascara and other cosmetic products and their chemical ingredients. Terrified mice, rabbits, rats and guinea pigs have substances forced down their throats, dripped into their eyes or smeared onto their skin before they are killed. Cosmetic animal tests are archaic chemical-poisoning experiments devised more than half a century ago, such as rodent “acute toxicity” tests (1920s), rabbit eye and skin irritation tests (1940s) and guinea pig skin allergy tests (1950s). By contrast, modern non-animal methods are faster, more accurate at predicting human responses, and less expensive than the animal tests they replace.

HSI and our partners are leading the global effort to ban cosmetic animal testing in the world’s largest and most influential beauty markets. Our #BeCrueltyFree campaign has been instrumental in driving the European Union to become the world’s largest cruelty-free cosmetic market, and in securing subsequent bans in India, Taiwan, New Zealand, South Korea, Guatemala, Australia and in seven states in Brazil. Nearly 40 countries so far have banned cosmetics animal testing.

3. Say no to exploiting animals for entertainment

Around the world, many thousands of animals are exploited for entertainment, from the slow-death sadism of bullfights and cockfights to the neglect and mistreatment of captive marine and land-dwelling wildlife kept for display. The suffering of animals only continues for as long as the public pays to watch, so we can all help by not participating. Bullfights are not “fair fights,” but highly staged forms of government-subsidized animal cruelty that perpetuate the idea that the torment and killing of animals for amusement is acceptable, so please don’t attend these events when in Spain, France or elsewhere. Up to 8,000 lions suffer in captivity in South Africa, bred in appalling conditions for the lion cub petting industry in which tourists pay to bottle feed and take selfies with cubs. Ethical tourists have the power to shut down this industry by removing their custom. Wild animals in circuses, traveling shows and attractions often receive insufficient water, food and shelter, lack veterinary care, can be subjected to repetitive and stressful training, and can spend hours chained or confined. Camels, elephants, donkeys and horses used for tourist rides and safaris are often malnourished and physically abused, and suffer open wounds. Elephants are often stolen from the wild when young, illegally trafficked, broken after capture and punished with bullhooks. They are forced to carry excessive weight, suffer sores and diseases, and receive inadequate care. Whales and dolphins also suffer for entertainment – the natural habitat of orcas and other marine mammals simply cannot be replicated in captivity, and swimming with dolphins increases demand for captive animals, including from brutal “drive fisheries” such as the Taiji hunt in Japan.

4. Reject ‘delicacy’ meat

Across Asia, around 30 million dogs and 10 million cats are brutally killed for meat, most of them stolen pets or strays grabbed from the streets. In South Korea dogs are raised on farms and killed by electrocution; elsewhere in Asia they are usually bludgeoned, hanged or more rarely, boiled alive. In China, Vietnam and Indonesia, hundreds of dogs and cats can be crammed onto a single truck, driven for hours or days without water, food, protection from the extremes of cold and heat, and many suffering broken limbs, shock and disease. The World Health Organization warns that the trade, slaughter and consumption of dogs poses human health risks from trichinellosis, cholera and rabies. More than 70 million sharks are also killed annually for shark fin soup. The trade involves cutting off a shark’s fin, often while it is still alive, and dumping the animal back into the sea to die slowly. Don’t be tempted to eat shark fin soup, or dog or cat meat as “bucket list” items when travelling, as it merely perpetuates this brutal and often illegal trade.

5. Don’t wear fur

Millions of foxes, mink, raccoon dogs, rabbits and coyotes die every year for fashion. Confined in small, wire-mesh cages on factory farms or captured by painful metal traps in the wild, their fur is turned into frivolous keychain trinkets or trim on coats and hats. The average life span of an animal intensively farmed for fur is just eight months, after which mink will be gassed and foxes and raccoon dogs will be electrocuted. These terrible conditions can create psychological disorders, causing the animals to constantly pace and circle the boundaries of their cramped space, as well as fighting between cage mates and even cannibalism. Fur – and leather – are also incredibly polluting industries. The dressing and tanning processes, which stop the animal’s skin and pelt from decomposing as they would naturally do, use toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, cyanide, lead and chromium which can be released into waterways and devastate wildlife. These products are only natural whilst they are still on a living animal, after that the processes used to preserve and dress leather and fur are anything but earth-friendly. For the estimated 100 million animals killed for fur, life is typically a miserable existence. The future of fashion is compassion, with cruelty-free alternatives becoming more popular than ever with ethical consumers.

ENDS

Media contact: United Kingdom – Wendy Higgins whiggins@hsi.org

Saving dogs and cats from the meat trade

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Rescuing dogs and cats from the dog meat trade is a small but important part of our work to end this cruelty. In China, through our amazing partner groups, we’ve helped rescue thousands of dogs and cats from slaughter trucks and slaughterhouses. In South Korea, we’ve permanently shut down 18 dog meat farms since 2015, and rescued more than 2,700 dogs flown to the USA, UK, Canada and the Netherlands for adoption. So far, 38 dogs and 2 cats have been re-homed in the UK, many of whom act as ambassadors for our campaign.

Our South Korean dog farm closures are a key part of our broader strategy to demonstrate to the South Korean government a working model for a state-sponsored, nationwide closure of farms. We have been working directly with farmers who have expressed a desire to end their involvement in the industry, identifying ways to shut down the farms and transition to humane livelihoods, such as sustainable crop-growing businesses. See the latest updates on our Facebook page.

How to volunteer

HSI does not deploy volunteers to assist with dog meat farm closures (nor disaster aid), as we have specialists and trained teams to carry out this work. At our emergency shelter in Montreal, volunteers help HSI/Canada rehabilitate rescued animals, clean their cages on a daily basis and socialize them so they can be ready for placement through our partners.

HSI’s partner groups, VShine and Capital Animal Welfare Association, run animal hospital or shelter facilities in Beijing and Dalian, China, and accept volunteers for a minimum of 2 weeks. Volunteers with specific animal care, shelter management, animal behaviour or veterinary skills are ideal, but generalist volunteers are also welcome to apply to help clean out, feed and walk the animals. Accommodation may be provided. Apply by emailing vshine@vip.163.com with the subject line: Application for Volunteer Work.

How to adopt

To see the dogs who are looking for their forever homes, please visit our re-homing partners, Chimney Farm (scroll to bottom of page). You can express interest in adoption via their online form here. Another of our regular partner shelters is All Dogs Matter, who have dogs and cats looking for homes all year round. Check them out here.

Humane Society International’s canine ambassadors to help make dog meat trade history

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

London–Humane Society International’s rescue team is on the ground in South Korea to save more than 90 dogs and puppies from the horrors of a dog meat farm, with seven lucky pups destined to fly to the United Kingdom to seek adoptive homes. The remaining dogs are being flown to the United States and Canada. TV vet, animal welfare campaigner, and founder of PupAid Marc Abraham, and world-respected dog trainer and star of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog” and Channel 5’s “Dogs With Extraordinary Jobs”, Victoria Stilwell, flew out to South Korea with HSI to witness the rescue first-hand.

During their trip, Victoria and Marc also joined the HSI team as special guests of the British Ambassador Simon Smith for a gallery exhibition about the charity’s dog farm rescue work, at which the Ambassador praised the charity for working collaboratively with dog farmers wanting to exit the cruel trade.

Download broll video and photos of the rescue here.

The dogs were living on a dog meat farm in Gyeonggi-do province that is closing thanks to HSI’s pioneering program that sees the charity help dog farmers who want to leave the increasingly controversial industry. This is the 15th dog farm HSI has permanently closed, and one of thousands of such farms across the country supplying live dogs to slaughterhouses and markets for human consumption.

Seven of the rescued dogs will fly to the UK where they will begin their search for adoptive homes. Winston the Boston Terrier, Labrador mixes Pumpkin and Oscar, spaniel mix Maisy, terrier Scooby, and Jindo mixes Bella and Molly, were among the more than 90 dogs destined to be sold to the butcher before the dog farmer – 40-year old Kwon Tae-young – had a change of heart and asked to join HSI’s dog farm closure program, the only campaign of its kind in South Korea helping farmers leave dog farming behind them to set up more humane and profitable livelihoods.

Victoria Stilwell said: “It’s been a real privilege to join Humane Society International’s team in South Korea and see their dog meat farm closure program for myself. I’ve seen all breeds of dogs here suffering the same, kept in filthy cages with no environmental enrichment whatsoever. It’s little wonder that they seem so desperate to escape. The agreement that HSI reaches with the dog farmer truly is a lifeline for these dogs.”

Vet Marc Abraham, who campaigned successfully to achieve a ban on puppy farming in England, Wales and Scotland (known as Lucy’s Law), said: “I’m really in awe of the resilience of these beautiful dogs. They endure miserable lives in squalid conditions with just the bare minimum to keep them alive, and no veterinary care whatsoever, and yet so many of them still wag their tails and jump with excitement when shown the slightest bit of affection. Any factory farm for dogs is a hellish place, bethat for the pet trade or the meat trade, and HSI’s program is making a massive difference here to pave the way to end this cruel industry for good.”

The tosa and jindo breeds more typical of the trade were kept at the farm alongside a chow-chow, golden retriever, several terrier mixes and two Boston terriers, all destined for the cooking pot, with most enduring a miserable life in cramped and barren wire frame cages, while others were chained up alone.

Like all the dog farmers with whom HSI has worked, Farmer Kwon Tae-young is eager to leave his dog breeding days behind him. His business is increasingly unprofitable as fewer people in South Korea wish to eat dogs, and he feels happy to know that his remaining dogs will escape the grim fate of fighting or slaughter.

Farmer Kwon Tae-young said: “I’ve thought about closing my dog farm for a while now for various reasons, but never actually did anything about it. I have lost more money on this dog farm than I have made, and I feel like the dog meat industry in South Korea has already ended really because it’s the worst of the worst times for dog farmers I think. One day I talked to a former dog farmer who had worked with HSI and he recommended I work with the charity to help me leave the dog meat industry. When I heard that HSI would help find forever homes for the dogs instead of them being euthanized, that’s when I decided to do it. Rather than selling them off to traders, I thought it would be so much better if they can live their life and not die for meat or live the life of a fighting dog. That is why I’m working with HSI.”

HSI’s unique program sees the charity work with dog farmers to rescue their dogs and transition their businesses to more humane and profitable enterprises such as crop growing or service trades like water delivery. A 20-year contract is signed by each farmer stipulating they must not breed dogs or any animals again, and the cages are demolished to ensure that no animals will suffer on the property in future. As political and public momentum grows in South Korea to end the dog meat trade, HSI’s strategy points to the cultural need for a solution that works for both people and dogs caught up in the industry. The charity hopes its program will demonstrate to the government that its phase-out model can be adopted nationwide with state support, and buy-in rather than opposition from farmers.

Nara Kim, HSI/Korea’s dog meat campaigner says: “All animals can suffer for the meat trade, but we have a unique set of social and political circumstances in South Korea that means we have a chance of ending that suffering for millions of dogs, as appetites and attitudes towards dog meat are changing. More Koreans than ever before are speaking out against the dog meat industry, and pressure is building on the government to make a plan to phase out this cruel business. As a Korean myself, I know what a difference HSI’s dog farm transition program can make in hastening an end to the suffering. ”

Dog meat consumption is declining rapidly in South Korea, particularly among younger generations, with a survey by Gallup Korea in June 2018 showing that 70 percent of South Koreans say they will not eat dog meat in future. A series of recent moves by authorities to curb the dog meat trade reflects how Korean society is increasingly ill at ease with the industry. In November last year, HSI/Korea assisted Seongnam City Council in shutting down Taepyeong, the largest dog slaughterhouse in the country, and in July this year HSI/Korea worked with fellow Korean animal groups and Busan city council to close down Gupo dog meat market.

Speaking at the British Embassy dog meat rescue gallery exhibition, Ambassador Smith said: “We have been delighted to host a reception for Humane Society International at the Embassy, to bring attention to their work tackling the animal welfare problems of the dog meat trade. HSI’s approach is commendable and clearly effective, working collaboratively with dog farmers keen to leave the trade behind them, and supporting their willing transition to alternative humane livelihoods. We also congratulate the city councils of Seongnam and Busan with whom HSI have worked recently to close dog meat markets, a move that we understand has been welcomed by the local communities. Improving animal welfare is a global challenge and opportunity, for all animals, and we welcome the progress that has been made for dogs here in Korea.”

Download photos of the British Ambassador with a jindo puppy, saved by HSI from the dog meat trade, here.

The seven dogs destined for the UK will first complete their quarantine at Humane Society International’s shelter partner in South Korea, after which they will be flown to the UK at the end of November to be placed in foster families by HSI shelter partner Chimney Farm Rescue in Surrey. Prospective adopters can apply to Chimney Farm Rescue via https://www.chimneyfarmrescue.com/

Facts:

  • An estimated 2 million dogs a year are reared on thousands of dog meat farms across South Korea.
  • Most people in South Korea don’t regularly eat dog, but it remains popular during the Bok days of summer (Boknal) in July and August, when it is eaten as a soup called bosintang.
  • In advance of Boknal this year, HSI/Korea launched an online public voting campaign called #NameMe. Thousands of Korean citizens voted on the new name of “Nuri” to replace the derogatory term “meat dogs” that has served to normalise the concept that such a type of dog exists. HSI believes that tosas, jindos and other dogs should not be defined by the abusive industry they find themselves in, and that by renaming them we are promoting our core message that all dogs are equally capable of becoming pet dogs, and are deserving of equal protection under the law.
  • Dogs are mainly killed by electrocution, taking up to five minutes to die. Hanging is also practiced despite being illegal.
  • The dog meat industry is in legal limbo in South Korea, neither legal nor illegal. Many provisions of the Animal Protection Act are routinely breached, such as the ban on killing animals in a brutal way including hanging by the neck, and on killing them in public areas or in front of other animals of the same species.
  • At each dog meat farm closure, HSI’s veterinarian vaccinates all the dogs against the H3N2 (dog flu) virus, rabies, DHPP, corona virus, distemper and parvo. HSI then quarantines the dogs on the farm or at a temporary shelter with no dogs permitted in or out for at least 30 days prior to transport overseas.

Download broll video and photos of the rescue here.

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins: whiggins@hsi.org

Alesha Dixon, Evanna Lynch, Leona Lewis, MPs, forty animal charities, and Larry the cat call on PM to announce new animal sentience legislation

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Larry the Cat/Twitter Larry the Cat

LONDON—Celebrities, MPs, animal protection organisations and Number 10’s Larry the Cat have joined forces to call on the Prime Minister to prioritise legislation that recognises animals as sentient beings and enacts a duty to protect them when formulating and implementing policy, before the UK departs the EU.

Celebrity video messages of support for the #BetterDealforAnimals campaign were played at a Parliament event yesterday attended by 27 MPs. Larry the cat tweeted in support of the campaign saying, “I was delighted to receive more than 100,000 signatures from my friends at #BetterDealForAnimals as part of their campaign for animal sentience to be recognised; perhaps it could be called #LarrysLaw #BetterDealForAnimals.”

I was delighted to receive more than 100,000 signatures from my friends @HSIUKorg as part of their campaign for animal sentience to be recognised; perhaps it could be called #LarrysLaw#BetterDealForAnimals pic.twitter.com/Yr143X4cjN

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) September 3, 2019

In his first speech as PM, Mr Johnson said: “Let’s promote the welfare of animals that has always been so close to the hearts of the British people.” Yet as it stands, deal or no deal, animals will lose vital legal protections on 31st October because EU laws recognising that they are sentient will no longer apply.

The #BetterDealForAnimals campaign is supported by forty of Britain’s largest and most effective animal charities including the RSPCA, Humane Society International, World Animal Protection and Compassion in World Farming. Campaigners stress that failure to bring forward the ‘sentience’ law would make animals vulnerable to the government creating new laws, policies or trade deals that don’t take animals’ welfare needs into account. For example, new trade deals could be agreed that would permit imports of lower welfare animal products – such as chicken carcasses washed in chlorine to mask low welfare standards, and meat and dairy produced from hormone-treated animals. See more examples of potential post-Brexit animal harm here.

Despite one of the most fraught days in Parliament’s history, 27 MPs from five political parties prioritised animals and attended the event, sponsored by Shadow Secretary of State for Environment Sue Hayman MP, Alistair Carmichael MP of the Lib Dems and Deidre Brock MP from SNP, to show their support for the new animal protection law. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Zac Goldsmith MP gave the keynote address and pressed that he would find the earliest possible opportunity to introduce animal sentience legislation adding “it’s hard to exaggerate how important animal welfare issues are to me, and as long as I am Minister for Animal Welfare, I’ll use every opportunity I can to advance this agenda.”

A Parliamentary e-petition, signed by more than 100,000 UK animal lovers, which calls for sentience to be recognised in law before we leave the EU closed on 27th August and was handed in to Number 10 Downing Street yesterday. The petition had already prompted a Parliamentary debate on animal sentience, but due to the chaos in parliament the debate has now been knocked down the priorities list and rescheduled to November.

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, a #BetterDealForAnimals campaign partner, said: “Rescue puppy Dilyn has landed on his paws taking up residence at Number 11 this week, and Larry the cat looks relaxed on his window ledge, but the welfare of millions of other animals hangs in the balance. Mr Johnson has made promising proclamations about the importance of animal welfare but the clock is ticking to turn words into laws. The Prime Minister must listen to the public, MPs, celebrities and, of course, his in-house feline and canine special advisers, and prioritise legislation to ensure that animals don’t lose legal protections as a result of Brexit.”

Sonul Badiani-Hamment from World Animal Protection, a #BetterDealForAnimals campaign partner, said “It’s been over 18 months since the government declared that it would recognise in law that animals can think and feel, and afford them legal protection accordingly after Brexit. May’s government left this languishing and despite encouraging words from Mr Johnson, we’re now just weeks from leaving the EU with no legislation or parliamentary time in sight. With government and parliament fighting between themselves, animals are being entirely forgotten. Mr Johnson should listen to Larry the Cat, celebrities, MPs and the millions of animal lovers across the country and ensure animal sentience legislation is prioritised at the first opportunity.”

The #BetterDealForAnimals campaign has already been backed by over 100 MPs and peers across all parties: www.wcl.org.uk/better-deal-for-animals

-END-

Notes to Editors:

  1. The parliamentary event is sponsored by Sue Hayman MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  2. The organisations supporting the #BetterDealForAnimals campaign are: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Animal Aid, Animal Defenders International, Animal Equality, Animal Interfaith Alliance, Animal Protection Agency, Badger Trust, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Born Free Foundation, Catholic Concern for Animals, Cats Protection, Change for Animals Foundation, Christian Vegetarian Association, Compassion in World Farming, Cruelty Free International, Crustacean Compassion, Dogs Trust, Four Paws UK, The Humane League, HSI-UK, IFAW, International Animal Rescue, League Against Cruel Sports, Mayhew, Naturewatch Foundation, OneKind, Open Cages, PAAW House, PDSA, PETA, Quaker Concern for Animals, RSPCA, The Donkey Sanctuary, The Save Me Trust, The Shellfish Network, Treat Me Kind International, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Wild Welfare, World Animal Protection, Wildlife and Countryside Link
  3. The online petition to Parliament to “Recognise animal sentience & require that animal welfare has full regard in law” attracted 103,919 signatures and closed on 27th August  https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/242239

YouGov online polling of 1,825 adults between 4-5 February 2019 showed that:

  • Voters for all the main political parties believe that animal welfare laws should be maintained or made more extensive than they are now – 86% of Conservative voters, 84% of Labour voters and 82% of Lib Dem voters
  • 80% of the British public want post-Brexit Government trade deals to have clear requirements that imported animal products meet or exceed British animal welfare production standards. Only 6% say this should not be a requirement
  • Almost 7 out of 10 (68%) want legal requirements to ensure that animal welfare is protected, to the greatest extent possible, when new laws and policies are made. Only 3% oppose this
  • Less than a third (31%) of the public are confident that the UK Government will live up to its promises of being a world leader on animal welfare, 56% say they are not confident
  • Two-thirds (66%) want an animal protection committee established to give expert independent advice to government on safeguarding animal welfare

The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). YouGov is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by their rules.

3.52 million mice, dogs, monkeys, rabbits suffered and died in UK labs in 2018

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Andrei Tchernov/iStockphoto

LONDON—Home Office statistics published today[1] reveal a shockingly high number of dogs, mice, cats, rabbits and other animals are still suffering in invasive, painful and sometimes lethal experiments in British laboratories despite unprecedented availability of high-tech and often more human-predictive non-animal approaches.

The Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 2018 show that a total of 3.52 million procedures were completed in the UK in 2018, including tests on mice (1.1 million), rats (170,665), birds (146,860), rabbits (11,159), guinea pigs (6,445), monkeys (3,207), dogs (4, 481), cats (159), horses (10,424) and fish (300,811). A total of 87,557 animals were subjected to severe suffering, the highest category allowed under the law.

Humane Society International Senior Scientist Dr Lindsay Marshall, who for 12 years managed a laboratory dedicated to animal-free research into respiratory diseases, said: “As a scientist myself, I know all too well the drawbacks of relying on animals to study and treat human disease. The fact is that animal models fail far more often than they succeed, so it’s hugely frustrating and worrying to see the UK, year after year, failing to move away from outdated animal experiments. It’s high time UK research funding bodies stopped squandering British taxpayer money and charitable donations on dead-end research, and made a serious investment in human organoids, organs-on-a-chip, computerised systems biology models, and other advanced, non-animal technologies that are the true future of modern medical research.” 

The government made a commitment in 2010 to reduce animals used in scientific research, but almost 10 years after this declaration of intent[2], the UK remains one of the highest lab animal users in Europe. In those same years, non-animal technologies that can produce faster, cheaper and more human-relevant results, have advanced enormously:

  • Computers are much better than animals at predicting possible toxic effects of chemicals and drugs[3].
  • The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells has helped to remove the ethical barriers to stem cell use[4].
  • Scientists have created human-mimetic systems of almost every organ in the body. There is a human-on-a-chip for drug testing[5], a patient-on-a-chip is not far away[6] and chips have travelled to space to investigate the impact of ageing on the human body[7].

Dr Marshall is not alone in her opinion. A raft of academic reviews from expert scientists in a range of fields reach the same conclusion for conditions as diverse as autism, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease[8] and they call for more investment in human-relevant methods.

Dr Marshall continues: “Despite staggering advances in scientific technology, medical research in Britain remains irrationally wedded to broken animal models. If our government is truly committed to advancing medical progress for its citizens, and to reducing the use of animals in laboratories, significant funding must be redirected from animals to human-mimetic approaches, rather than the paltry 3% of the UK annual research spend that non-animal methods receive at present.”

The recent closure of two mouse breeding facilities[9] illustrates the growing recognition within the scientific community that a paradigm shift away from animal use is essential for medical progress. Recognition that fewer animals are required due to a “rise in the use of alternative technologies”[10] is a step in the right direction, yet the Home Office animal use statistics indicate that there is much more work required to reduce the body count.

Facts:

  • Despite the ever-increasing growth in animal procedures, there is no corresponding increase in the number of human medicines making it to the clinic. In recent years, both the European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration approved fewer new drugs than they had been approving earlier in the decade.
  • Most animal models are poor predictors of human response, with over 90% of new candidate drugs never making it to patients. That’s because pharmaceutical compounds that appear ‘safe’ and ‘effective’ in animal trials fail to deliver the same result when given to people; 55% do not effectively treat the condition for which they are intended, and almost 30% show signs of toxicity that were not seen in animal tests[11].
  • Advances in gene sequencing and phenotypic analysis in humans is ushering in the era of precision medicine, and focused funding and efforts on human-relevant technologies like these are more likely to provide disease understanding and much-needed new treatments.
  • Nearly 560,000 experiments in 2018 were deemed to have caused moderate or severe suffering to animals. Moderate suffering is described by the Home Office as causing short term moderate pain or distress to animals while severe suffering causes long-lasting extreme pain or distress.

ENDS

Contact: Dr Lindsay Marshall, 07719 531 675, lmarshall@hsi.org

Notes to editors:

  1. 2018 Home Office statistics: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/818578/annual-statistics-scientific-procedures-living-animals-2018.pdf
  2. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110718/wmstext/110718m0001.htm
  3. Passini, et al. 2017 Human In Silico Drug Trials Demonstrate Higher Accuracy than Animal Models in Predicting Clinical Pro-Arrhythmic Cardiotoxicity. Front Physiol.8:668.
    Luechtefeld et al. 2018 Machine learning of toxicological big data enables read-across structure activity relationships (RASAR) outperforming animal test reproducibility. Toxicological Sciences. 165 1, 1 September 2018: 198-212
  4. https://www.eurostemcell.org/ips-cells-and-reprogramming-turn-any-cell-body-stem-cell
  5. https://hesperosinc.com
  6. Edington et al. (2018) Interconnected Microphysiological Systems for Quantitative Biology and Pharmacology Studies. Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 14;8(1):4530. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22749-0
  7. https://ncats.nih.gov/tissuechip/projects/space
  8. Savoji, et al. 2018 Cardiovascular Disease Models: A Game Changing Paradigm in Drug Discovery and Screening. Biomaterials. 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.09.036
    Boeckmans et al. 2018. Human-based systems: Mechanistic NASH modelling just around the corner? Pharmacol Res. 134:257-267. 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.06.029
    Muotri, A. R. 2016. The Human Model: Changing Focus on Autism Research. Biol Psychiatry. 79;8:  642-9.
    Bowman, et al. 2018. Future Roadmaps for Precision Medicine Applied to Diabetes: Rising to the Challenge of Heterogeneity. Journal of Diabetes Research. 10.1155/2018/3061620
    Clerc, et al. 2016. A look into the future of ALS research. Drug Discov Today. 21;6: 939-49
  9. https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news/view/sanger-institute-animal-research-facility-close
    https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02002-y
  10. https://chemicalwatch.com/77872/sanger-institute-announces-closure-of-animal-research-facility
  11. https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/iccvam/meetings/iccvam-forum-2019/06-lee-ncats_508.pdf

Dame Judi Dench and violinist Vanessa-Mae send messages of solidarity

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

LONDON – Dame Judi Dench and violinist Vanessa-Mae have sent heart-felt messages of support and solidarity for a 1.5 million-signature petition by Care2 and Humane Society International, delivered today to the Chinese Embassy by dogs rescued from China’s annual Yulin dog meat festival. The festival, which starts on 21st June, sees thousands of dogs and cats beaten to death and eaten, most of them stolen pets grabbed from back yards and the streets. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, and pet owners and dog thieves have had numerous violent clashes.

Snorki, Fred and two dogs named Lily were saved from Yulin slaughterhouses in 2016 and 2018 by Chinese partner groups supported by animal charity Humane Society International. HSI and the ‘ambassadogs’ were joined by petition partners Care2 as well as Clacton MP Giles Watling who shares the campaigners’ desire to see urgent action to end the gruesome spectacle of Yulin.

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “The dog meat trade in China is first and foremost about crime and cruelty. The Yulin festival is one small but distressing example of an unspeakably cruel trade run by dog thieves and sellers who routinely steal pets in broad daylight using poison darts and rope nooses, defy public health and safety laws, and cause horrendous suffering, all for a meat that most people in China don’t consume. Dogs like Snorki, Fred and Lily are amazing ambassadors for our campaign to end this horror, we are proud to deliver this petition with them. And we’re immensely proud to support dedicated animal advocates in China who passionately work to end the dog meat trade, saving so many lives along the way.” 

Beth Granter from Care2, the online community, says: “The huge number of signatures on this petition shows the strength of feeling against Yulin dog meat festival. Care2 members want to see an end to the dog meat trade entirely. When people’s pets are being stolen, cruelly killed and then eaten, this is inhumane, and has to stop. We hope that the Chinese authorities will hear the voices of over 1.5M people who want to see an end to this cruelty.”

Actress Dame Judi Dench sent a message of support for the petition delivery, saying: “It fills me with sadness to think that the Yulin dog meat festival is just around the corner again. So I wanted to send this message as a symbol of my solidarity with all the thousands of people in China against the dog meat trade, who love their dogs and cats just as much as we do, but who go through the awful heart ache of having them stolen by dog thieves. I cannot imagine the suffering of those poor dogs, and I hope very much that one day soon this cruel trade will end.” 

Violinist Vanessa-Mae showed her support with a video message, saying: “Please join us in solidarity as we want to see an end to China’s barbaric dog meat trade including the horrific Yulin dog meat festival… Along with compassionate people in China, who do care about dog welfare, please show that you also have a heart, and support us in calling on China to end such cruel and heart breaking treatment of dogs.”

The Yulin dog meat festival is not a traditional festival. It was only invented in 2010 by dog traders trying to boost flagging meat sales. Before the festival started, Yulin had no history of mass dog slaughter and consumption. The World Health Organisation has warned that the dog meat trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera.

The Yulin dog meat festival begins in earnest on 21st June to mark the summer solstice. When first launched, as many as 15,000 dogs were killed during the core festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure decline to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival, and an estimated 10 million dogs and 4 million cats are killed for meat throughout the year across China.

Giles Watling, MP said “I am proud to stand with so many others in calling on the Chinese government to end the cruel Yulin dog meat festival. An action that would save thousands of dogs from terrible suffering each year, and also help prevent pet theft and the spread of rabies within China. I implore the Chinese authorities to heed the calls from compassionate citizens both inside China and across the world who want to see the abhorrent dog meat trade ended once and for all.”

Photos and video downloads

 

 

Media Contact:

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

Learn More Button Inserter