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BRIGHTON ANIMAL ACTION

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Mass bird poisoning
The U.S. Dept of Agriculture has publicly admitted it is responsible for the mass poisoning of tens of millions of birds over the last several years. It’s all part of the USDA’s programme called “Bye Bye Blackbird.” Not all the mysterious bird die-offs that have been witnessed around the globe recently are due to unexplained causes. A recent mass die-off event witnessed in Yankton, S. Dakota was traced back to the USDA which admitted to carrying out a mass poisoning of the birds.  A Nebraska farmer was apparently complaining that the starlings were defaecating in his feed meal. The answer to this isn’t to cover your feed meal but rather call the USDA and ask them to poison thousands of birds. The USDA complied and put out a poison called DRC-1339 and allowed thousands of birds to feed on that poison. Carol Bannerman from USDA Wildlife Services ridiculously claimed the bird kill was also to protect “human health.” “We’re doing it to address, in this case, agricultural damage as well as the potential for human health and safety issues,” she said.   As well as millions of birds the USDA has also killed thousands of beavers, bobcats, coyotes, grey foxes, mountain lions, woodchucks, porcupines, raccoons, squirrels, wild pigs and wolves.

Fur banned in Manhattan bars
The owner of several Manhattan bars has banned customers from wearing fur coats in his establishments. He welcomes all visitors, but tells them the fur can’t come in. Door men examine pelts both fake and real before customers are allowed in. If someone is trying enter wearing a real animal fur they are told they can only enter if they remove it. One woman wearing a real fur was refused entry and she called the police, but that backfired as they were upset and almost arrested her for wasting their time.

The man who has turned away fur-clad customers from his East Side bars has received fan mail from all over the world for his strong stance against animal cruelty. Johnny Barounis banned fur at his establishments on the Upper East Side, the Lower East Side and in the East Village 10 years ago.

A new anti-fur coat campaign is being mounted by the Anti-Vivisection League (LAV) in Italy. The League is calling for national legislation banning the breeding, capture and killing of animals to make fur coats. The "dramatic reality is that around 200,000 mink and chinchillas are killed every year by breeders." LAV's campaign saw protestors in the streets on Sat 10^th and Sun 11^th Dec, collecting signatures for petitions for the bill, which has already been lodged with both the Upper and Lower Chambers

 The Czech government has approved new legislation that will enhance the protection of animals against cruelty. The draft bill, which introduces a series of EU-wide measures fighting animal abuse, brings new rules for animal slaughter and for laboratory tests. It will also allow the police to fight animal abuse more efficiently.

Police in Wuppertal, Germany, have shot a cat that had been abandoned inside a plastic bag at a bus stop.  She had been reported missing on Nov. 11^th by her owner.  Stefan Heke who found the cat on Christmas Eve at a bus stop contacted the police. She was scared, he said, but seemed unharmed otherwise. He assumed the officers would take the cat to either a vet or the local shelter. They did neither. According to information from the local shelter the cat had been shot soon after being received by the officers. Police say it was done to put the cat out of its misery. But Mr. Heke confirmed that the cat had not looked emaciated, sick or injured at all, and hence there was no reason to kill her. In all likelihood police, on Christmas Eve, just could not be bothered to make the effort, and solved the "problem" as quickly as possible.  A formal complaint has been filed against the police officers in question.  

CRUELTY CASES

A mother-of-3 who killed a kitten in a microwave in revenge for its owner reporting her abusive partner to police has been jailed for 168 days. She carried out the attack on the cat while at the home of its owner Sarah Knutton - days after her then friend had reported an incident to police involving Robins' partner outside the same house. Robins, of Torquay, Devon, had denied a single charge of animal cruelty. After the kitten died in February last year, Robins sent her a text message the next day calling time on their friendship and apparently referring to the cat's death as "karma". Robins had claimed the microwave was accidentally turned on by another cat after the kitten got inside, but magistrates found her evidence "inconsistent". Robins was also disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years. She showed no emotion as she was led away to start her sentence.  

A Lincolnshire man who microwaved a cat to death at a friend's flat has been jailed for 6 months. Paul Henry, of Lea Place, Gainsborough, was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to the animal. Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard how his friend Andrew Parsons returned from work to find the remains of his cat, Suzie, in the microwave oven. District judge John Stobart told Henry it was the "worse case of animal cruelty he could imagine". He said he had given Henry the maximum sentence the law allowed.  

A forklift truck driver who launched an attack on a defenceless puppy with a claw hammer has been jailed for 16 weeks. Adil Salim was secretly filmed by a neighbour punching and kicking the 8-month-old dog named Chico. Salim, of Cleaveland Rd, Balsall Heath, had pleaded guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to seek veterinary care. The neighbour later told RSPCA inspectors he had heard the dog crying out in pain and climbed a ladder to obtain the footage on a mobile phone. When RSPCA inspectors and police visited Salim later that day the puppy had visible injuries and could not stand up. They then discovered a claw hammer in the back garden covered in the dog’s blood. A later examination by the RSCPA found the wounds on the puppy’s head matched the size of the claws on the hammer exactly. Other injuries, such as swelling to the face, were thought to have been caused by blows from Salim kicking and punching Chico. “We commend the bravery of the neighbour who saved the dog from being beaten to death.” Shanaz Begum, defending, said the attack last July was an isolated incident sparked by the puppy chewing through cables on his motorbike. “He had been on a 28-hour shift, he had returned home and Chico kept biting the cables on the motorcycle, and he feared Chico would be electrocuted.”  

A cruel yob threw a cat off the 7^th floor of a tower block - leaving it with a broken pelvis and suspected brain damage, a court heard. Liam Gash hurled the 13-year-old tabby named Poppy out of the window of his friend’s flat after drinking vodka and coke. The cat was left with serious injuries but miraculously survived the 75ft fall.  Magistrates sentenced Gash, from Leigh Park, Hampshire to a 9-month community order and 9-month alcohol treatment programme. He was banned from owning or being involved in any aspect of the keeping of animals for 5 years.   

A man slit the throat of his puppy and left her to bleed to death & has been jailed for 5 months. Robert Humphries, a former abattoir butcher, slit the 6-month-old female lurcher's throat and stabbed the dog, called Shadow, repeatedly between the ribs. A vet estimated it would have taken up to 30 minutes for her to die.  When the RSPCA arrived at his home in Roman Rd Taunton they found Shadow with her legs tied together in a plastic bag dumped in a wheelie bin. Humphries had gone to a vet wanting Shadow re-homed or put down, claiming she had attacked his 19-month-old daughter. Vets told him that it would cost £70 to have to the dog put down and another £30 for cremation. Humphries said he did not have the money and, when he was then told it could be done free of charge, said he would come back with his pet.  Humphries said that when he tried to walk the dog to the vets Shadow slipped her collar and attacked him and, fearing further attacks, he decided to kill her. There was no evidence of any injuries to show that Shadow had attacked either Humphries or his daughter. A post-mortem examination found the lurcher had a "large gaping wound" to the throat and stab wounds to the chest. A vet said the dog would have been in "extreme pain".  

A man has been jailed for 8 weeks after leaving 11 pet rabbits with too little food and drink for a week despite being warned by the RSPCA. Daniel Appleyard, of Highfield Rd, Kettering, was also banned from owning animals for 5 years when he was sentenced at Kettering Magistrates’ Court. 4 of the rabbits died after being left with little food and drink for a week last June, with an animal pathologist attributing their deaths down to “severe or marked” dehydration. The suffering animals included several young rabbits. Yet again animals are failed by the RSPCA.   

A thug who repeatedly punched a puppy in the face has escaped prison.  When Molly, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, 'messed' on his clothing as he was walking to the pub to buy more alcohol, Matthew Blagborough grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, held her out at arms length and punched the terrified animal several times.  He was stopped by passers by, including a woman, who punched him (yippee). Mr Blagborough, from Cardiff, was given a 26-week prison sentence suspended for 2 years. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work, banned from keeping any animal for 2 years and ordered to pay £1,200 towards court costs.  

A former councillor for the Keighley West ward of Bradford Council who killed 4 kittens in "appalling scenes" of "unimaginable cruelty" has been jailed. Robert Payne swung the 4-month-old cats round his house, broke their skulls and most of their limbs, and decapitated 2 of them. Police and RSPCA officers called to his home in Ethel St, Keighley, W. Yorkshire, found 3 kittens in a freezer, blood spread around the house and fragments of the animals in the living room. Payne, who was drunk, told officers he "must have got angry about something, picked up one of the cats by its stomach and used it as a battering ram, smashed its head against something". A neighbour called police when she heard banging and the sound of a cat screaming. Payne, who bought the kittens over the internet, told police he was not "100%" sure what had happened but said it was "more than likely" he had killed them. He was jailed for 5 months for causing unnecessary suffering to the kittens and was handed a month to be served consecutively for breaching a previous suspended sentence for fraud.  He was also banned from keeping animals for life.  

A horse died after being horrifically mutilated in a ‘cowardly and barbaric’ attack. The tortured animal suffered severe injuries to its head and body in the sickening incident. Police believe the stallion was sedated before the brutal attack in which it had an eye cut out and its teeth removed. The horse, called Eric, also had his genitalia removed.  The horse was attacked between 4pm on Sunday and noon on Monday in the field near Stithians in west Cornwall.

And now another in Whitland, W.Wales with the same mutilations  

Justice for Greek dogs beaten with sledgehammer
2 stray dogs were heartlessly bludgeoned with a sledgehammer simply because the human monster believed they had chased his chickens. In a huge victory for those innocent dogs and in a clear message for those who might consider this type of horrible cruelty in the future, the perpetrator has received a rather harsh sentence by Greek standards -   9 months in jail (more than he’d get here) without the possibility of parole or to pay a fine to get out early.  He has also been ordered to pay a total of 8500 Euros (500 Euros for every threat he made to his neighbours, for the strays themselves, 1000 Euros for each dog harmed and 2000 Euros for King (Rigas), the poor dog who died from his horrendous injuries).   The perpetrator tried to present witnesses saying the dogs attacked him because they were hungry, but the judge dismissed those witnesses as unreliable.  This is the first time an abuser of animals has received a sentence of this kind ever in the history of Greece.  This is a huge step forward and hopefully will deter others from committing such horrors in the future. It was thanks to advocates from around the globe who spoke up for these innocent stray dogs on the internet that made it all possible.  Update from Greek Animal Rescue: Not such a 'huge' victory and the reason why the sentence was heavier was that the scumbag killer is Albanian...but his Greek boss has pledged to pay all the costs... why did HE escape justice?? He was 'there', he too threatened the witnesses.....he is as guilty but was totally untouched...... say no more.  

Kitten killer -  On Jan 3^rd, the wife of Richard Stewart Andres reported him to police, fearing for her own life.  She believed that after what he'd done to their helpless 3-month-old kitten, she would be next on his list.  Andres got enraged when he claimed the tiny kitten named Hope had scratched him.  He then repeatedly punched the kitten with his closed first and slammed her against the walls of their home.  Each time the kitten cried out in pain, he became more enraged, bringing on more beatings. Forcing his wife to watch it all, he then took the kitten into the back yard and threw her into a hole he'd dug, while still alive.  He allegedly told her it was all her fault due to lack of training of the kitten.  His rage still not abated, he then dug up the kitten, battered the innocent baby even more, this time against a bathroom sink until finally the helpless baby died.  He then buried the kitten again. His wife advised police this was not the first instance of domestic violence involving Andres.  Terrified of what he would do, she waited until he was gone from the premises and then called police.  She is now residing with family, afraid to go home.  Andres is charged with domestic violence, assault and cruelty causing death, pain and suffering to an animal.  The judge in this case, Judge John "jay" Hurley set bail at $30,000, and so far Andres remains behind bars.   

Court ruling takes dogs beyond "property" status
A Texas appellate court has made the bold move of effectively taking dogs out of the "property" category and giving them increased legal status. It provides an updated reinterpretation of the law, which traditionally views pets as worth only their market value - like a table or a car. The Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth overturned a lower court's ruling that a couple whose dog was wrongfully euthanized was entitled to damages for only the dog's monetary worth. The new ruling allows for a dog's true worth to be considered. With the ruling, the owners of the dog, Avery, could be entitled to damages for "sentimental" or "intrinsic" value. Avery escaped from his yard and was brought to an animal shelter. They went to claim him, but didn't have enough money, so they made arrangements to return when they had it. Despite a "hold for owner" tag on Avery's cage, a shelter employee euthanized him days before his number was up. When the couple came back to pay for Avery's fee, they got the terrible news.  Ironically, in some instances dogs have not been given the same value even as some forms of property. If someone destroys family heirlooms that are of great sentimental value, even though the heirlooms may be nearly financially worthless, damages can be awarded because of their sentimental value. The new court ruling, for which the appellate justices cited a 120-year-old Texas Supreme Court decision as precedent, gives pets at least the same value as other items that are of negligible monetary value but great intrinsic worth.  The shelter worker who ended Avery's life will appeal the decision. She will be in some pretty powerful company. Some of the top pet-industry organizations are adamantly opposed to the court's decision. The American Veterinary Medical Association, American Kennel Club, the Cat Fanciers' Association, Animal Health Institute, American Pet Products Association, and Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council are among those who filed briefs asking the justices to reconsider.  These groups say they fear that the liability from "pain and suffering" claims would cause pet service fees to have to increase greatly and make veterinary care unaffordable for many people with pets.  If the Supreme Court upholds the appeals court's decision, what will the implications be across the nation and across animal law? Could it be the start of a sea change as to how dogs are considered and treated? Could it lead to stiffer punishments of those who abuse animals? Would it open the floodgates to frivolous lawsuits?  

Westhoughton greyhound stadium, near Bolton has closed, following an announcement from the owner, Jason Seddon, that "due to numerous issues it is no longer an option to continue to operate the stadium”. The Westhoughton track was one of the UK's smaller dog racing operations. But was still responsible for the slaughter and suffering of a considerable number of greyhounds annually, so its closure is yet another victory in the battle to protect these dogs.  

Animals in zoo “jail”
Left without any stimulation or room to exercise, they sit and stare out hopelessly from behind the bars, according to campaigners in Malaysia. The endangered species are trapped for up to 24 hours a day in their cramped quarters alongside other mistreated animals at Melaka Zoo, south of Kuala Lumpur In May, Malaysia's Johor Zoo was revealed to be keeping a chain-smoking orangutan called Shirley. The orangutan, who was seized from the zoo, lived a sad existence in which she tore apart drinks cans and chewed on food wrappers thrown at her by visitors. 'A species that should be the pride of all Malaysia is instead being treated like prisoners on death row,' Sean Whyte, the head of British charity Nature Alert told the newspaper 'We don’t know how long it’s been like this but it’s months and possibly years.' Attempts by the Malaysian government's wildlife ministry Perhilitan to clamp down on the appalling conditions in the country's zoos, rated among the worst in the world, have failed to change the situation. Some creatures were being made to perform, despite the practice being banned, but worst of all was the example of a zoo that had been obtaining its animals on the black market.  In Oct 2010 the Malaysian government passed a new law giving the zoos 6 months to clean up their act but there has been shamefully little progress since the June deadline. Nature Alert has worked hard to prick the conscience of the Malaysian government but with the new regulations being met with obvious indifference, it is working to focus international attention on a problem for which a wealthy country has no excuse. To help these orangutans, email the Malaysian embassy in London at mwlon@btconnect.com or phone 0207 235 8033.

 Orangutan prostitute
Pony is an orangutan from a small prostitute village in Borneo, where they cut down the rain forest to render the palm oil that gets sold abroad and made into lip salve, ice cream, chocolates, and cheese crackers. Michelle Desilets, Director of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, reported: We found her chained to a wall, lying on a mattress. She had been shaved all over her body. If a man walked near her, she would turn herself around, present herself, and start gyrating and going through the motions. She was being used as a sex slave. She was probably about 6 or 7 years old when we rescued her, but she had been held captive by a madam for a long time. The madam refused to give her up because everyone loved Pony and she was a big part of their income. They also thought Pony was lucky, as she would pick winning lottery numbers.  Clients came in especially for her. You could choose a human if you preferred, but it was a novelty for many of the men to have sex with an orangutan. They shaved her every other day, which meant that her skin had all these pimples and was very irritated. The mosquitoes would get to her very badly and the bites would become septic and be very infected, as she would scratch them constantly. They would put rings and necklaces on her. She was absolutely hideous to look at.  It took us over a year to rescue her, because every time we went in with forest police and local officers we would be overpowered by the villagers, who simply would not give her up. They would threaten us with guns and knives with poison on them. In the end it took 35 policemen armed with AK-47s and other weaponry going in there and demanding that they hand over Pony. It was filmed by a local television crew and in the background of the film when we are unchaining Pony you can hear the madam crying hysterically, screaming, “They are taking my baby, you can’t do this!” There is no law enforcement in Indonesia so these people didn’t face any sentence or anything for what they had done.  

American troops blow up dog for fun
A video has emerged online that appears to show some American troops blowing up a dog-for fun. On the footage soldiers can be heard - off camera - laughing as the animal approaches a trap-apparently set up by themselves. Then out of nowhere an IED explodes into a fireball of smoke and flames.  Amid the smoke and fire we can see the dog blown into the air, as it scrambles to get away from the terrifying force of the blast. The troops chuckle unremittingly at the poor beast's terror before he disappears in the smoke. It is not known if the poor creature survived the impact.  The disturbing footage will do further damage to the credibility of the US missions in the Middle East. Earlier this month, video that appeared to show US soldiers in Iraq beating a sheep to death with a baseball bat emerged. Repeated incidents of gratuitous violence have raised questions about the capability of US soldiers to be at the forefront of sensitive relationships with local populations.  

Ireland bans inhumane puppy farming
The country, once considered the Puppy Farm of Europe, banned puppy "farming".  New legislation went into effect on Jan 1^st 2012 thanks to the efforts of campaigners who had fought to ban the inhumane conditions typically associated with commercial puppy breeding operations. The new laws aim to crack down on breeders who fail to maintain humane conditions for the dogs within their care. Thanks to the Dog Breeding Establishments Act and the Welfare of Greyhounds Bill, breeders will have strict rules to follow which should ensure that the inhumane conditions of yesteryear can become nothing more than a distant memory.  We’ll see  

Horse racing kills 5 more horses in Dublin
The horse racing death toll has prompted calls for a ban. 5 young horses died at the beginning of this year at Leopardstown race track. This follows a similar incident where 6 horses died at Tramore track in Killarney a few years ago. In Sligo 2 years ago a horse collision at Cullenamore Races resulted in a horse having to be put down and 2 jockeys rushed to hospital. The collision occurred in front of hundreds of spectators. Laytown is remembered for the pile up of horses in the 1990s when 3 horses were killed. While these fatalities are described as ‘freakish’ ‘sad’ and ‘regrettable’ the number of injuries and deaths is rising.  

Horse-drawn carriages voted out
On 19 Dec, at a packed meeting, Oxford councillors voted overwhelmingly against the introduction of horse-drawn carriages to the city centre. Animal Aid’s horse consultant, Dene Stansall gave a speech to the council. Thank you to everyone who helped secure this important victory for the horses.  Animal Aid  

Circus wild animal ban upheld in Austria
The Austrian Constitutional Court in Vienna announced that it had thrown out the application by Circus Krone to overturn Austria’s ban on wild animals in circuses. This decision clears the way for a UK ban on the use of wild animals and ADI is now calling on the Government to take immediate action to enact a ban. The Government claimed earlier this year that there were legal impediments to a ban, and cited the upcoming Krone case – even before it had been lodged. Now, the Government’s last so-called ‘impediment’ has gone. The Government will probably use another excuse now!

To maintain pressure on our government, who are continuing to consider a licensing and inspection regime for wild animals in circuses, EDM 2563 Ban on Wild Animals in Circuses has been tabled in Parliament. The EDM, sponsored by Jim Cunningham MP and supported by cross-party MPs, Jeremy Corbyn, Gordon Henderson, Kelvin Hopkins, Caroline Lucas and Bob Russell, calls on the government to introduce a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses, effective 1 July.

7 groups rejected the offer to meet with staff at Defra in December. The RSPCA, the Captive Animals’ Protections Society and the Born Free Foundation were among them. The meeting was meant to be about the licensing of wild animals in circuses – the alternative the government opted for instead of an outright ban. In a statement the groups said that they believe “an outright ban is the only way to properly address the welfare problems associated with the use of wild animals like elephants, lions and tigers by travelling circuses.”  It added: “They are outraged that the government has ignored both public opinion and the clear view of the House of Commons which, following a comprehensive debate in June, unanimously voted in favour of a ban.”

 Circus demos in Malta

A crowd of some 300 protested against circus animal cruelty and exploitation this evening as a circus started presenting its shows in Floriana. The protesters walked from City Gate to Floriana Granaries, where the circus has been set up. The crowd included representatives of 20 NGOS which form the Circus Animal Rights Coalition. 8^th Dec

Animal rights activists protested against animal cruelty outside the Orfei circus this evening, shouting slogans such as  "Torture... Freedom... Animal circus, animal cruelty." The group of some 150 walked from City Gate towards the circus in Floriana accompanied by a small group of policemen. The activity was organised by the Animal Rights Coalition. Near the circus, they stood behind barricades, booing at people there - just as they did during a similar protest last year. TV personality Moira Delia said that although the circus organisers claimed the animals were treated well, the reality was that these animals lived in captivity and had been made to undergo harsh training to go against their natural instincts and perform. This, she said, was cruelty. She said the coalition wanted the government to step up to its commitment to ensure animal welfare and ban circuses with animals.  Times of Malta Dec 20^th

The National Museum in Krakow has been flooded with complaints after a “disgraceful” exhibition by Polish contemporary artist Katarzyna Kozyra. Exhibits at the show include a video installation called Pyramid of Animals (1993), which includes a pyramid of dead, stuffed animals, including a horse, a dog, a cat and a cockerel.  

Sled dogs - The embattled Whistler Outdoor Adventures, which came under worldwide condemnation after the massacre of many of its sled dogs in April, 2010, announced it is gifting its entire sled dog operation to a newly created not-for-profit foundation. The Sled Dog Foundation will own the company's surviving 153 dogs, the land leases, kennels and equipment and plan to give all of the profits towards the improvement of animal welfare of sled dogs. Whistler Outdoor Adventures owner Joey Houssian had suspended his company's sled dog division after the killings became public knowledge and previously told the media he took "moral responsibility" for the dogs' deaths.  The sled dog deaths sparked changes to British Columbia’s animal cruelty laws after a provincial Sled Dog Task Force was struck and made its recommendations in April, 2011. Fines for animal abuse for the most serious offenders rose from a maximum of $10,000 to $75,000 and jail sentences increased from 6 months to 2 years. To date, no charges have been laid.  

Tigers have been starved to death in Chinese battery farms to make £130 bottles of wine from their crushed bones and their skins turned into trophies. At least 11 tigers suffered the agonising death in just one farm last year, according to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s TigerTime campaign.  China banned the trade in tiger bone wine in 1993 – but many farmers think this does not apply to animals that die naturally. Shepherd, the famous wildlife artist, said: “It’s believed farm owners starve tigers to death to enable them to claim they died from ‘natural causes’, getting round the few restrictions that are supposed to curb their activities.” TigerTime supporters met Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne to urge him to press China to ban all trade in tiger parts. And it wants people to sign its petition at www.bantigertrade.com  

Animal abuse for tourists in Vietnam
Nha Trang is one of the most beautiful beach resorts that the diverse country of Vietnam has to offer. Vietnam has an abundance of natural beauty and many areas of interest for tourists yet the tourist board is constantly looking for new ways to attract and keep attracting more and more visitors.  Not content with exploiting the natural beauty the tour operators have begun to exploit their animals as well.   A tour sold as the ‘Three Island Tour’ promised a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon cruising around 3 islands.  At the first island tourists were taken to a large pen full of saddled ostriches and encouraged to pay a small supplement in exchange for a ride on these shabby looking birds. On the second island there was an opportunity to buy pellets and feed tame deer which were roaming the island freely. This was a hit until 3 of the tour staff jumped on a young buck, pinned it to the ground whist a 4^th member of staff began to saw at its partially grown antlers with a hand saw. The final island or ‘monkey island’ as it is called was inhabited by hundreds of monkeys who were roaming freely around the area, and clearly weren’t intimidated by the tourists. They jumped onto people’s shoulders and made swipes at cameras and other belongings. The finale of the tour found us all gathered around an outdoor arena surrounded by benches where we were to sit, ready to witness the ‘animal show.’  Black bears with muzzles and wearing fez hats cycled around on tiny bicycles, which were attached to them by a chain around their necks and small monkeys dressed in tracksuits performed tricks such as tightrope walking and handstands. Dogs, goats and more monkeys performed in this bizarre and distressing show, all the while being applauded and received by hoots of laughter from the audience.  The finale of the show involved a sorry looking elephant, chained at the foot balancing on a stool on one leg.  Whilst the rest of the tourists were taking photos and tipping the animal trainers I walked around to the back of the area and saw more animals chained up in cages. In Vietnam, practices and shows of this kind are the norm and provide impressive entertainment and a great way of making money and as the tourism increases I fear shows of this kind are only going to increase too.   I wholly support the people who are attempting to escape the poverty they live in, yet we have to ask ourselves at what point does the ends justify the means, and whether the mistreatment of these animals is really the only solution.  Travel News 4^th Dec

 Police are investigating the discovery of 9 dead and 60 emaciated horses and ponies on a farm in Northern Ireland, echoing the Spindles Farm case in 2008.  The animals were found on a farm in Co Antrim on 22 Nov. They had been left without food or water and were standing knee deep in excrement.  Vets say the scene was reminiscent of those in 2008 when more than 100 horses, donkeys and ponies were removed from a farm in Bucks.  Vet Nic de Brauwere of Redwings was part of the rescue at the farm. He said the conditions were “as bad as anything he had seen in 20 years working in horse welfare”. “It was imperative that action was taken to protect the horses, ponies and donkeys from further suffering,” he added.  Allen Andrews of the Donkey Sanctuary said: “It was clear that these animals had been severely neglected and the surviving horses and donkeys were the most emaciated I have ever seen. Only time will tell whether these desperate animals will be able to recover fully.” All 10 donkeys were taken to the Donkey Sanctuary’s Northern Ireland centre and the other animals to the Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary in Ballynoe.  

Istanbul’s mayor promotes animal rights
A 3-month project by the Istanbul municipality’s “Existing is a Right, Love for Animals and Animal Rights,” a programme which has seen 10,000 children educated on the importance of respecting every form of life on Earth, ended with a concert at the Cemal Reitş Rey concert hall in Istanbul’s Harbiye quarter. Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topba spoke at the concert. “All life is holy and precious, be it of humans, animals or ecology, and no person has the right to take away the right of another living being to live,” he said.  Addressing a range of animal rights-related issues, Topbaş announced that the municipality has decided to close down the İstanbul-based Dolphin Display Centre when its contract expires in 2 years time. “You can’t base entertainment around a process that makes animals suffer and causes them pain,” he said.  He also recommended those who want to buy pets to go to shelters where the animals have been taken good care of and are in need of safe, caring homes.  Today's Zaman. 26 Dec

Well-known Turkish photographer Mehmet Turgut, dedicated the most recent edition of his photography and culture magazine “46” to animals. In addition, he has launched an exhibition called “5199,” whose title refers to the law on the protection of animals in Turkey. For the exhibition and the magazine, Turgut worked with numerous stars from the arts scene in Turkey. According to the existing law, maltreatment of animals is not considered a crime. Unfortunately all cruelty against animals is considered to be a misdemeanour. The sanctions on torturing an animal and smoking in a closed area are almost the same,” he says.

Congress passes Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act
In an astounding an undeniable display of insanity, Congress passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), which seeks to classify various animal rights campaigns as full fledged acts of “terrorism.” Activists filed a case opposing the law saying that AETA is direct a violation of their rights by “criminalizing constitutionally protected actions.”  Rachel Meeropol, an attorney with the Centre of Constitutional Rights pointed out some issues with the AETA, including its loose definition of “animal enterprise,” a term which can be moulded to fit any context (like a business which happens to sell meat and cheese products). “Basically, the law is saying if you cause an animal enterprise to lose profits, then you’ve committed a terrorist act. The whole point of many protests is to cause a business to lose profits, to convince the public that a certain company doesn’t deserve to be patronized,” she said.  

Portslade Animal Rescue
Karen’s biggest regular donor has lost his job.  She fears she will have to close unless other regular donors can be found. She is looking to re-home cats and rabbits.  She has 85 rabbits and 33 cats. 3 young rabbits were dumped in her bin 10 days ago but have been rehomed. Virtually all her rabbits have ongoing teeth problems or need their bottoms washed daily.  Many of the cats are “pissers” although that may change over time if they are homed alone or with a smaller number of cats. In the meantime she has outstanding vet bills to pay and the daily food and hay bills. She doesn’t know how she will manage during this interim period, especially as re-homing older animals is so difficult. If you can help in any way please phone her on 01273 885101 or 07504 996514 or send cheques made out to Portslade Animal Rescue to c/o Sue 7 Stoneham Road, Hove BN3 5HJ

Anti-fur protesters win compensation
3 anti-fur trade protesters – including 2 women aged over 60 – have won apologies and compensation from Dorset Police for unlawful arrest.  They staged a peaceful demonstration outside a boutique clothes shop but were detained under Section 14 of the Public Order Act, which is designed for serious disorder.  “I think the arrests were an insult to the democratic rights this country has fought 2 world wars to protect,” said demonstrator Steve Crabb.  The protesters were part of a small demonstration with placards staged outside the clothes shop Lonah last March.  The demonstrators were asked to stand on the other side of the road but returned after deciding the police had no power to move them, and were arrested under Section 14.  “It is for smashing windows and drunks and setting out to intimidate people,” said protestor Linda Savage, a retired post office assistant from Southbourne who was dressed as a rabbit. Dorset Police now accept they did not block the pavement or commit any offence, and that there were no complaints from the public or allegations of intimidation. They were taken to Bournemouth police station for almost 7 hours and held in cells, fingerprinted and questioned. Protester Audrey Douglas, 70, a retired retail worker who uses a walking stick, said: “It was upsetting and a ridiculous waste of time.” The trio declined to say how much compensation they had been awarded, saying it was a private matter. They had to give DNA samples. They are now trying to get the police to delete the arrests and the samples from their records. Mr Crabb said: “If someone does a CRB check, or your car gets stopped for a broken rear light, it will come through that you were arrested for a Section 14 offence – it will not come up that the arrest was unlawful. “That will instantly put you in a bad light.” The police’s letter to their solicitor said the arresting officer, PC Lemon, and the custody sergeant, Sgt Rose, will receive “management action.”  The letter also alleged previous protests by unnamed people had been “intimidating”. PC Lemon had sought advice on powers before the demonstration from the force’s Public Order Unit. The trio’s solicitor, Beth Handley from Hickman and Rose in London, said: “It’s a bit worrying that the officer on the ground had been advised by other colleagues that it was OK to use these powers. “I hope as a result of this claim the police understand they can’t use these powers to deal with these kind of protesters – it was just really outrageous.” A Dorset Police spokesman said: “We are of course sorry and have apologised to the individuals and compensation has been accepted.”   The Bournemouth Echo 25^th Nov  

Close Irish fur farms
ARAN, Respect for Animals and the Animal, Anima and Fur Free Alliance (FFA) have released the findings of a new 2011 undercover investigation into Ireland's shameful fur farms, showing that animal suffering is still very much business as usual. The recently obtained footage from an Irish mink farm reveals images of painful injuries on mink's tails; cramped, aged and filthy cages riddled with the animal faeces, and more shockingly the images of stressed, traumatised and balding animals. Ireland's government is seeking submissions into Irish fur farms which closes on Dec 31. The campaign received impressive media coverage including a full page exclusive article in the Irish Daily Mirror with a follow up from Irish newspaper, Foinse, radio stations Ocean FM, Highland Radio, Radio Kerry and Near FM also covering the issue. To launch the campaign, a giant mobile billboard shadowed the Dept of Agriculture in Dublin with a message 'FUR FARMING: TIME FOR A BAN,' before taking to the streets to garner public support. Take action to ban fur factory farms now. Log onto our brand new website www.banfurfarms.ie to see the investigation, and then let our politicians know how you feel about animal abuse. Just type a short message on the link on the website, include your contact details, press send, and our legislators will know how you feel.

Fake Ugg boots made using dog fur
Genuine boots are made of sheepskin with natural wool attached. The fake ones use dog or other types of fur. Farmed in horrific conditions in China, the raccoon dog is a species related to the domestic dog.  But unlike dog or cat fur, which cannot be sold in Britain, there is no ban. As a result, there are fears that, this winter, thousands of unsuspecting Britons may be fooled into buying imitation UGG boots made using pelts of animals skinned alive.  Even the genuine ones are made in China.  All overpriced tat made from animal skins.  

Canadian fur trade stats
The total number of animals killed (in the wild and on fur farms) for their fur in Canada (2009/2010): 3,332,250 fur-bearing animals In 2009, number of animals trapped and killed in the wild: 730,915. These numbers include badger, bear, beaver, cougar, coyote, ermine, fisher, fox, lyns, marten, mink, muskrat, otter, rabbit, raccoons, skunk, squirrel, bobcat, wolf, wolverine. Numbers DO NOT include harp seals on Canada's east coast, or other seal products. Total "dollar value" of trapped animals (wildlife) for 2009: $14,847,952.  In 2010, number of mink killed on fur farms: 2,590,950. In 2010, number of foxes killed on fur farms: 10,385. Total "dollar value" of fur farmed animals (foxes/mink) for 2010: $192,510,789  

Fur in Brighton
With the fur industry dying out as more people become aware of the reality of the cruelty involved in fur production, the trend for ‘vintage’ clothing is being used as a last attempt to make fur seem acceptable to the public once again. But regardless of whether an animal was killed yesterday or 20 years ago, they will have suffered immensely simply for ‘fashion’. Millions of animals are raised in tiny wire mesh cages on fur farms or caught in brutal traps in the wild, before being killed through strangulation, gassing, electrocution or having theirs necks broken (amongst other methods). There’s no excuse for this cruelty…  Let's make Brighton fur free!  These are the shops still selling fur: To Be Worn Again 51 Providence Place Brighton BN1 4GE 01273 624500  https://twitter.com/#!/tobewornagain  Wolf and Gypsy  30 Sydney St  Brighton BN1 4EP  01273 671797   info@wolfandgypsyvintage.co.uk  www.wolfandgypsyvintage.co.uk/   www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75560500319&v  Hope and Harlequin 31 Sydney St Brighton BN1 4EP 01273 675222  www.facebook.com/pages/Hope-Harlequin/186071438100506 http://hopeandharlequin.com/ shop@hopeandharlequin.com bridal@hopeandharlequin.com  Opening times: Mon - Sat 10.30am- 6pm  Sun 12am - 5pm Or by appointment out of hours. Snooper's Paradise 7-8 Kensington Gdns  Brighton BN1 4AL 01273 602558 Opening times: Mon - Sat 10:00am-6:00pm  Sun 11:00am-4:00pm Oasis Antiques 39 Kensington Gdns  Brighton BN1 4AL 01273 683885

And in Chorley
Continue to sell tatty mittens of suede and fur (rabbit?) even though we politely asked them not too. Anise 61 Chapel St Chorley PR7 18U 01257 264858  nickhart@anise.eclipse.co.uk  

No wild black rhinos remain in West Africa, according to the latest global assessment of threatened species. The Red List, drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has declared the subspecies extinct. A subspecies of white rhino in central Africa is also listed as possibly extinct, the organisation says. The annual update of the Red List now records more threatened species than ever before.  The poaching is driven by an urban myth in Asia – that a Vietnamese politician had his liver cancer cured by powered rhino horn. The price of horn has shot up to about $38,000 (£24,000) per kilo, more than the price of cocaine, and approaching the price of gold. The IUCN said, the Javan rhino itself is teetering on the brink, probably down to about 40 individuals, in a single park in Indonesia. In South Africa, a poaching war is in full swing in supposed sanctuaries like the Kruger National Park; by the end of August, nearly 300 animals had been killed for their horn in S. Africa this year alone and the final total will probably be more than 400. A report from the Humane Society International, complete with sickening photographs, reveals that poachers now use silent tranquiliser dart guns, rather than rifles, as the risk of detection by wildlife protection officials is less. So while the animals are still alive the poachers "use machetes and chainsaws to hack off their horns, leaving the animals to regain consciousness with hideous deep face wounds, massive blood loss and unimaginable pain". And all this for a myth, long accepted in traditional Asian medicine, that rhino horn has curative properties. To its credit, the British Government 3 months ago began a protest about the situation, and at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species put forward a request for Asian nations to raise awareness, pointing out rhino horn's non-existent medical virtues. Richard Benyon, the UK Wildlife minister, said: "The world community cannot sit back and just watch these species disappear." Of the five main rhino species, all except one – the population of white rhinos in S. Africa – are now threatened with extinction. It is happening before our eyes. These marvellous relics of the age of megafauna, of the time of the mammoth and sabre-toothed tiger and other remarkable beasts which died out at the close of the last ice age, are coming to the end of their time on Earth, simply through naked human greed.  Edited from Independent 18^th Nov  

Park escapees shot dead
“Shoot to kill.” That was the order given to law-enforcement officers hunting for dozens of exotic animals that escaped from a private animal park near Columbus, Ohio. And kill they did.  48 animals were shot including 18 Bengal tigers, 17 lions, 6 black bears, 2 grizzlies, a baboon and 3 mountain lions.  3 leopards, 2 monkeys and a grizzly bear were captured and taken to a zoo. A monkey – which may be carrying a virus – is still loose. The incident has left animal-rights activists seething at the lethal treatment of creatures that had done no harm. “What happened in Ohio this week is appalling,” wrote Will Travers, co-founder of the Born Free Foundation, in a CNN editorial. “All those wandering animals, confused by their sudden and unfathomable ‘freedom,’ were shot dead as though they were alien invaders in a safe bucolic land.” Online comments were more blunt: “I hope they find and punish these animal murderers,” a reader wrote at CNN.com. The exotic animals – 56 in all – ran free after their 62-year-old owner, Terry Thompson, unlocked their cages and then apparently killed himself. The incident underscores Ohio’s deplorable record in dealing with wild animals, according to a Humane Society report. Missouri, Nevada, N. Carolina and Oklahoma were also singled out for having few restrictions on keeping dangerous non-native wild animals as pets. “The average pet owner cannot provide the sophisticated care exotic animals need in captivity,” Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the US, said in the 2009 report. Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, explained to reporters why the animals were shot instead of sedated. The feral escapees were too dangerous, he said, and a tragedy for the animal world “could have been a bigger tragedy for the human world.” Attempts to tranquilize some animals failed, county sheriff Matt Lutz told the Wall St  Journal. When a vet tried to tranquilize a 300 lb tiger, “this thing just went crazy. It started to run into the wooded area and our officers took it down.”  The Globe & Mail 19^th Oct  

Puppy farming in Ireland
A group of ARAN members joined outspoken human rights campaigner and former 2011 Irish presidential candidate, Senator David Norris, as he delivered a giant “Postcard” to the office of the Minister for Environment, Phil Hogan. Whilst Senator Norris held the “postcard” for media photographers, ARAN members held placards of a helpless puppy with the tagline ‘We Hear Your Cries and We’re Coming to Help’. Ireland is known as Europe’s puppy farming capital. Hundreds of puppy farms operate across the country without any laws to govern their activities — the only hope of securing governance over these operations is the ‘Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2010’. For the last year ARAN has been working to ensure the legislation is signed into law and TV3’s recent ‘Animal A&E Investigates’ programme showed the need for the legislation to be enforced. The heartbreaking footage showed unscrupulous puppy breeders keeping female pregnant dogs in damp, dull, dirty and unhygienic ‘sheds’, where the animals appeared filthy, thirsty, hungry and deeply traumatised. Now that we have the Welfare of Greyhounds Act as part of Irish law, we must ensure the Minister signs the ‘Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2010’ into law without delay. Send the Minister a polite email outlining why these farms, if they must operate, should be monitored by such legislation to ensure blatant cruelty and suffering is stamped out. Urge him to enact the legislation as a matter of urgency. Philip.Hogan@oireachtas.ie ARAN believes that there should no puppy farms or dog breeding operations existing anywhere in the world when there are thousands awaiting death in pounds and tens of thousands desperate for a good home in rescue shelters. ARAN’s message is to adopt, never buy and always to spay or neuter your companion animal.  

And in Australia - Massive new fines, jail terms and unprecedented powers to shut down illegal puppy farms will be introduced in Victoria in a crackdown on animal cruelty. Premier Ted Baillieu announced the toughest dog and cat laws in Australia with legislation introduced in State Parliament. "We are not going to tolerate cruelty to animals," he told the Sunday Herald Sun.  The new legislation - to take effect this year - will include powers to seize the assets, property and profits of people operating illegal puppy farms, fines of up to $146,000, 10-year bans on people owning a pet if they are found guilty of animal cruelty and strict jail terms for unlawful breeders. RSPCA and council inspectors will also be given new policing and confiscation powers and a $1.6m Animal Welfare Fund will be created through money raised by the sale of confiscated assets. Maximum penalties for illegal puppy farms will rise by more than $18,000 and penalties for operators who commit acts of cruelty will be doubled to $30,000. Individual breeders will also face penalties of up to $30,000 and 12 months' prison and fines of up to $60,000 and 2 years' jail for aggravated cruelty. Corporate businesses busted under the new regime will be slapped with fines between $73,300 and $146,688. Mr Baillieu said the laws had been drafted in response to puppy farms found in Victoria where dogs had been kept in cages, tied up for days and carcasses left to rot. He said the far-reaching action would send a clear message to dodgy operators that they faced massive fines, loss of assets and imprisonment as well as having farms shut down. "These are some of the strongest laws ever introduced to protect animals from abuse and neglect." The new laws build on a Coalition commitment to smash illegal puppy-breeding rings following several public protests in favour of harsher penalties. In another major shake-up, it will become compulsory for every dog and cat sold in Victoria to be implanted with a unique microchip number that must be quoted in advertisements and at points of sale. A new offence will be created to punish breeding houses not using the technology and fines will apply to any pet shop, farm or individual caught selling a cat or dog without the chip, putting the onus on the seller rather than the buyer. Industry sources said the crackdown could lead to a shortage in puppy numbers and potentially push up the price of pets. The Government concedes the clampdown could raise puppy prices slightly at pet stores but believes the public will be happy paying a little extra if it means knowing that their dog has not be treated cruelly. Mr Baillieu, who has 3 dogs, said he was determined to make operators accountable for the welfare of animals in their care. "I have been touched by the passion in the community on this issue and the efforts of so many who have written to me," he said. "As a dog owner, I am appalled by images I have seen of abused and helpless animals." It is not known how many illegal puppy farms exist in Victoria but there are 64 approved breeding houses where an average of 45 dogs each breed a litter of 6 each year.  Until now, RSPCA inspectors have had limited powers even when they have evidence of farms mistreating animals, with their only course of action to refer concerns to councils. Sunday Herald Sun  Oct 23  

US Greyhound Killer Sentenced to 5 Years
Ronald Williams, the greyhound trainer responsible for the  deaths of more than 3 dozen dogs at Ebro Greyhound Track, plead no contest to 39 counts of felony animal abuse and will spend the next 5 years in prison. Investigators said he abused and neglected 42 dogs, with most of them dying from their injuries. Williams received the maximum sentence allowed under Florida state law.  Makes a mockery of our 6 month max.  

Belle Vue Stadium
As well as demos every Saturday 6.15-7.30pm with up to 10-20 protesters and regular greyhound awareness stalls, we now have our own Facebook and Twitter pages: Facebook: Shut Down Belle Vue Greyhound Track in Manchester Twitter: shutdownbv  Thanks in part to our 4,500+ followers from around the world on Facebook, Unison Lancashire Police branch decided to pull out of its night out at the dogs at BV,  They wrote: “Representations have been received in relation to the cruelty that surrounds Greyhound Racing that many of us were not aware of.”  Result! Following on from a demo outside the BBC in Scotland, the SDBV group demoed outside the BBC’s Manchester offices in protest at the Corporation’s ongoing promotion of greyhound racing, this time through Five Live’s Colin Murray Friday evening slot. The show follows ShowMe TheBunny racing at Sheffield’s Owlerton track, which has a notoriously difficult first bend. We were armed with placards and megaphones and had a great audience as the BBC’s offices are on Manchester’s commuter route and Europe’s busiest bus route!  

Poole stadium - To get involved in peaceful protests at Poole greyhound stadium contact info@bournemouthanimalaid.org.uk  

Animal cruelty can be a "warning sign" of domestic abuse, Devon and Cornwall Police have said. The RSPCA and Against Domestic Violence and Abuse Devon (ADVA) have been working with police to highlight the issue in the South West. The force said cruelty to household pets was present in 20% of its high-risk assessments.

Romania votes to kill strays
Romanian lawmakers voted to make it legal to euthanise the thousands of stray dogs that roam the country's streets, angering animal rights activists who have lobbied for months to stop the measure. Bucharest alone is home to an estimated 50,000 stray dogs, according to local media, and they are a part of city life, crossing the street, snoozing on sidewalks and even hopping on buses. But backers of the law say local governments must have the option to euthanise because the dogs are a public health hazard. Though most are not aggressive, a Romanian woman died this year after she was mauled by a pack of dogs. In 2006, a Japanese tourist was killed by a stray. Parliament voted by 168-111 to pass the law, which is expected to be signed by President Traian Basescu. The law will allow officials to round up homeless dogs from the street, hold them in shelters for 30 days and then have them killed. Animal rights groups gathered in Parliament, holding banners calling on lawmakers not to pass the legislation. They are calling for increased funding for sterilisation  Corruption fighters claim the measure is a cynical ploy to enrich local authorities because substantial funding will be allocated for the task. "It is a brutal law which will not resolve the problem of street dogs, but will line the pockets" of mayors from the ruling Democratic Liberal Party, animal rights activist Marcela Pisla told The Associated Press. The homeless canine population flourished in the late 1980s after Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu razed old houses in residential districts and built high-rise apartments, causing owners to part with pets. Nowadays, residents are often tolerant of the strays, with many wearing tags showing they have been sterilised.  

Animal rights activists failed in a bid to save a killer whale from an amusement park and have her returned to the wild A court in Amsterdam has ruled that the killer whale, called Morgan, will not be returned to native waters off Norway but will instead be sent to a park on the island of Tenerife. Wildlife experts said the move could contravene European laws on endangered species.  

2 dolphins are dead after the Connyland theme park in Switzerland allowed a 2-day rave to take place just a few yards from their tank. The pair died agonising, drawn-out deaths, seizing and foaming at the mouth. Vets now say their deaths were likely caused by the ear-splitting music of the rave and drugs that ravers threw into the dolphins' tank. Carin Zellerman is an animal activist living in Sweden. After hearing about the tragedy -- and the fact that Connyland ignored protests by local activists who warned a rave would endanger the dolphins -- she decided to start a petition on Change.org to save the remaining dolphins from Connyland's negligence. Please sign Carin's petition calling on Swiss officials to shut down the Connyland dolphinarium. /www.change.org/petitions/dolphins-die-after-rave-at-connyland 8 dolphins have died at Connyland in the past 3 years, and a 2010 investigation into alleged violations of Swiss animal welfare laws at Connyland is still pending. Meanwhile, the health of the remaining dolphins at Connyland is slowly deterioriating (due to illness and chemical poisoning as well as claustrophobia that gives rise to depressive behaviour and sometimes self-abuse). The good news is that a global outcry over this disaster is fuelling the longstanding domestic movement to get Connyland's dolphin tank - the last dolphinarium in Switzerland - shut down. Swiss officials can't ignore this gross violation of animal welfare; they need to know that the world is watching, and that thousands expect them to save Connyland's remaining dolphins.  

The Thirteenth Amendment was adopted Dec 6, 1865. It outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude (with the exception of punishment for a crime) throughout the USA. The act effectively ended the fight to abolish slavery and became a cornerstone in the fight for civil rights at home and abroad. It seems no exaggeration to say that the Thirteenth Amendment changed the course of human history. Now it's in a position to change the course of non-human history. At the Sea World quarters in California and Florida there are 5 orcas that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has, in a lawsuit recently filed in a U. S. District Court, described as living in involuntary servitude. The mammals were captured in the wild, confined, and forced to perform cheap tricks for human spectators. In the ocean, these animals swim 75 miles a day. At Sea World, they live in a tank. This, PETA claims, qualifies as involuntary servitude, and is thus a violation of the Thirteenth Amendment. The lawsuit has opened up a debate in the USA with scientists and philosophers.  Read article and comments at: www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/11/how-petas-lawsuit-against-sea-world-could-end-factory-farming/248127  

A bid to run horse-drawn carriages around Oxford city centre has passed its first hurdle, despite objections from animal rights campaigners. A remaining sticking point is how droppings will be collected. Oxford City Council has agreed by-laws can be established which would allow horse-drawn sightseeing carriages to operate through the city for the first time in 70 years.  

But in New York … Lawmakers and animal rights advocates rallied on the steps of City Hall in New York to demand a ban of horse-drawn carriages, following several recent publicised deaths of carriage horses. They said the practice is outdated and is a health hazard to the animals. Earlier last month, a carriage horse collapsed near 60^th St and Broadway. A couple of weeks prior to that, a carriage horse named Charlie collapsed and died suddenly in Central Park and on 4^th Dec yet another horse collapsed from exhaustion and was taken back to the stable after it managed to get back on its feet.  

Dog abuser filmed and convicted
Jonathan Bloomfield from Grimsby got a taste of vigilante justice back in October when about 50 angry people showed up after viewing a video of him cruelly abusing his dog, Butch.  The video was taken by a neighbour and posted on Facebook. It was used as evidence in the animal cruelty charges against him.  It showed Bloomfield coming outside several times, kicking Butch and then grabbing him by the neck and punching him directly in the face.  Someone (could have been his partner) then opened the door and beat Butch with a pole as well. Butch cowers in fear from the repeated attacks, and even cowers just from the door being opened.  It's clear this innocent dog just wanted to come in and be part of the family.  Bloomfield claimed many excuses for the beatings, stating he was "training" Butch, that Butch had bitten his son when the boy had taken some potato chips away from him, and that he was tired of his barking. Bloomfield confessed to 2 counts of animal cruelty and was sentenced to 260 hours community service, £100 in costs and banned from keeping animals for the next 15 years.  He now says that he should be compensated for the "invasion of privacy" from the video, stating: "If my neighbour had concerns, he should have got in touch with the RSPCA, not made videos and put them on Facebook and YouTube.  I will be seeking the advice of a solicitor and should be compensated for the invasion of privacy which has left my family homeless and denied my young son a better future." In cases of animal cruelty, the animals have no voice so videos are paramount as far as evidence is concerned, since they show proof of the acts, as was the case here.  Clearly people are growing weary of the lax and weak laws related to the abuse of animals and this time took matters into their own hands.  Hopefully the courts will not award Bloomfield a thing.  Awarding money to an abuser will deter people from videoing and it's the animals who will suffer in the end. Butch was taken into the care of the RSPCA on the day of the incident, where it's hoped now he can find a home where he's given the love and attention that he deserves. Animal Advocacy Examiner Nov 28^th   

Sadistic thugs broke into Brent Lodge Animal Park, Hanwell, W. London and decapitated a wallaby leaving just its torso behind.  

A woman killed her neighbour’s 10 week old kitten  by cooking it in a microwave. Gina Robins put the pet inside the oven after a row with Sarah Knutton, and then sent her a text which read: ‘The cat? Karma.’ A court heard that the pair had argued several days before, but Miss Knutton agreed to let Robins use her microwave to heat up a jar of baby food. She told magistrates she heard a loud ‘popping’ sound and then a ‘horrendous screeching noise’ come from her kitchen before finding the horrific consequences. Robins claimed the kitten must have jumped up on to the worktop while fighting with other cats and managed to shut itself in the microwave. But the court dismissed her explanation as ‘far-fetched’. Robins denied it was a ‘revenge’ attack after falling out with Miss Knutton, who had called the police about Robins’ boyfriend’s behaviour a few days earlier when he had been shouting outside the house. Robins, of Torquay, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and faces jail when she is sentenced this month.  

A thug who clubbed a kitten to death and tossed it out of a window ‘like a rag’ has been jailed for 18 weeks. Daniel Moran ripped a spindle from a banister rail and battered his former  girlfriend’s 3-month-old pet to ‘punish’ her, a court heard. 18 weeks for killing an animal but 18 months for rescuing one (Sarah Whitehead)  

A father and son were jailed for training bull terriers on treadmills for illegal fights in which the dogs 'ripped each other to pieces'. Ian Draper and son Danny kept animals in squalid conditions to turn bull terriers into 'bloodthirsty machines' as part of a dog-fighting ring in Witney, Glos The dogs were often starved of food with one animal so desperate it ate its own collar to satisfy its hunger pangs. Father and son admitted 13 charges between them of causing unnecessary suffering to animals after being caught in a covert RSPCA investigation in 2010. Ian Draper was given a 20-week prison sentence and Danny Draper a 12-week sentence at Swindon Magistrates Court. Ian Draper's partner Katy Davies was fined £615 after admitting aiding and abetting, while Danny Draper's girlfriend Laura Hornsby also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals and was ordered to pay court costs of £300. Ian Draper was also banned from keeping dogs for life after he admitted breaching a previous 10-year ban from 2005. His son was banned for keeping dogs for 15 years.  The animals were discovered after a tip-off from a vet when Ian Draper's ex-wife Sharon took a painfully-thin terrier named Bridget to the practice to be treated after she had swallowed her own collar in her desperation for food.  

A thug who kicked, punched, choked and whipped his 4 dogs when he thought no-one could see was caught on film by his horrified neighbour. Jake Soden would launch his unprovoked attacks on his “terrified” dogs late at night and early in the morning. But his neighbour checked his CCTV after he heard a dog whimpering in the early hours and discovered footage of Soden kicking a husky with so much force its legs were lifted off the ground. He gave the recording to the RSPCA and Soden appeared before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to 5 charges of failing to protect the dogs from pain, injury or fear contrary to section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. He was given a 15-month community order and disqualified from keeping animals for life.  

Riain Richards, who swung a cat by its tail handed himself into police following pressure from his family who urged him to come forward. The 20 year-old voluntarily met officers and RSPCA inspectors over the daylight attack on Mowgli on the streets of Ramsgate, Kent. The developments came after one brother, Jon, 28, after being shown images of the CCTV footage of the attack, said that "if it's him, then he's an idiot”.  Mowgli's owner, Michelle Buchanan, urged the public to help catch the man responsible for the "appalling" cruelty. Mowgli is still traumatised and won’t go out. The attack was captured on a CCTV camera outside the Camden Arms pub next to Miss Buchanan’s flat, and the footage was handed to the RSPCA by its landlord. The 17-second clip shows the man spinning Mowgli around at least 14 times before going out of shot.  If convicted of cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act, Mr Richards faces a maximum sentence of 51 weeks in jail and/or a fine of up to £20,000.  

Another kitten microwaved – A woman returned home in Nuneaton to find her front door ajar and her kitten missing.  She later discovered the 10 week old kitten dead in her microwave. Police reckon that thieves killed the kitten after not finding anything to steal. Another nearby home had been broken into. No doubt another pathetic sentence if the evil scum are ever caught.  

The former owners of Britain's last circus elephant are to face a trial on June 18 next year. for animal cruelty. Moira and Bobby Roberts are charged with causing Anne suffering by chaining her to the floor, failing to prevent her groom from beating her and failing to ensure her needs were met. Footage showed her being hit with a pitchfork. The 59-year-old elephant – Europe's oldest – is now living in Longleat safari park in Wiltshire. She has the run of an 80-acre enclosure and access to a series of paddocks, meadows and water pools at the park. A private prosecution was originally planned by animal rights group Animal Defenders International but the Crown Prosecution Service announced it had decided there was enough evidence to pursue the case against Mr Roberts, 68, and his wife, 62, itself. It is understood that the case will rely on the footage secretly obtained by ADI and passed to the Mail. The prosecution is believed to be the first of a circus owner for animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Anne was brought over from Sri Lanka in the 1950s and worked for the Bobby Roberts Super Circus, based in Polebrook, Northamptonshire, for 50 years. Mrs Roberts admitted she was under 'strain' due to the announcement. She also said she was continuing to hunt Romanian groom Nicolae Nitu, who was filmed attacking Anne and fled the country after the alleged cruelty emerged. She said: 'No one knows where he is. We have people searching for him.' She added: 'We are shocked and dismayed. We've done nothing wrong. It's been the worst year of our lives.' Last night Sir Paul McCartney pledged his support to ADI's campaign for a ban on wild animals in circuses, following the news of the prosecution. He said: 'It is heartbreaking to see these poor animals confined in small cages and carted around the country with little respect for their welfare and well-being.'  Daily Mail 11^th Nov       

The owner of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has agreed to pay $270,000 to make a USDA animal cruelty investigation go away. The agency calls this civil penalty the largest ever assessed against a circus under the Animal Welfare Act. The circus also has agreed to require a training regimen “for all personnel who work with and handle animals.”    

A lawsuit claiming systematic abuse and exploitation of elephants by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was dismissed by a federal appeals court.  The 3-judge panel concluded 2 animal protection groups and a former employee with Feld Entertainment Inc., owners of the circus, did not have "standing" or authority to bring the lawsuit, since they could not establish actual legal "injury" to themselves. The judges also questioned the credibility of the one-time circus worker, the main witness in the litigation. The key question was whether the standard, open use of metal restraining and control devices improperly created the illusion, especially among children, that they did no physical or psychological damage to the animals. "Nothing in the record supports the key link in (the plaintiffs) argument, namely that Feld's use of bullhooks and chains fosters a public impression that these practices are harmless." Vienna, Virginia-based Feld owns the country's largest collection of Asian elephants, an endangered species. They travel and perform as part of the multi-act circus. Most are kept at a Florida sanctuary in the off-season. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Animal Protection Institute (API) joined forces, alleging Ringling Brothers harms the animals in violation of the Endangered Species Act. They were assisted by a former trainer - called a "barn helper" in court records - who testified the world's largest land mammals were being mistreated through "inhumane" practices. The bullhooks, 2- to 3-foot rods with a pointed end, are used to guide and control the animals, both in the ring and in their living quarters. The chains are placed on the animals' legs when they are not performing and when travelling by train. The circus argues the elephants are not harmed by such treatment, and the practices are done for their protection and the safety of the animals, spectators and circus personnel.  

The Veterinary Council of India has officially banned tail docking and ear trimming for cosmetic purposes throughout the country.  

Dog guards grave
People living in a Chinese village have been so moved by a dog that has been guarding the grave of its deceased owner they plan to build a kennel for him. The yellow dog belonged to Lao Pan, a single man who died earlier this month aged 68. After his room in Panjiatun village near Qingdao city, Shandong Province, was cleared his dog disappeared. But villagers later found the dog by the man’s grave.  

A 15-year old campaigner has challenged the Police to bring anti-social behaviour proceedings against him. Jake Knight investigates animal cruelty and works to enforce existing laws on behalf of his group South Coast Animal Rescue. According to Mr. Knight, during a meeting with Sussex Police, he was told that should he continue to gather evidence of animal cruelty then he may face an anti-social behaviour order. "Try and tell a police officer that if he or she gathers evidence of a crime then they may be prosecuted for anti-social behaviour. "It is absolute tosh and I challenge the Police to bring anti-social proceedings against me. The court will laugh at the Police."  

Documentary films about animal welfare are receiving attention these days in China, which has no animal protection laws. A number of short films exposing cruelty toward animals, such as elephants and pigs, and depicting the sad lives of stray dogs and cats have been screened publicly for a month online. They appeared on the website of the First Chinese Documentary Film Awards established by iSun TV that is based in Hong Kong.  

Wild deer may be culled in much larger numbers across lowland and urban Scotland to limit their rapidly increasing population and reverse a steep rise in road accidents - 7,000 collisions a year.  Wildlife experts have found that the growth in new lowland and urban forests and green spaces has led to a surge in deer numbers, which has increased the rate of crashes and collisions on motorways and major roads in heavily-populated areas.  Lower the speed limit in areas with deer or put up fencing where speed limits aren’t practical, such as motorways.  

Dog death was accident
A 33-year-old man will not face prosecution after a dog was found dead after being dragged behind a Porsche for more than 6 miles. Detectives said they were satisfied the animal's death was a tragic accident that followed an "extremely unusual set of circumstances". The dog ran off from a dog walker and the man inadvertently ran over the dog's lead, which became trapped under his car. He was detained after a witness near Brighton spotted a black Porsche Carrera being driven with a beagle-collie cross attached. The witness said the car was leaving Devil's Dyke car park, on the Downs north of Brighton at 10pm. Half an hour later the car pulled into a lay-by on the A27 and police arrived.  Police and Porsche had carried out forensic tests to see if a lead could become snared under the car.  The man had been living in fear since the incident, which made headlines.  

Lion kill as tourist attraction is OFF
In a move to revive Egyptian tourism, a young Egyptian man announced he would fight an African lion. Al-Sayed al-Essawy said he bought the 280 kgs lion for $4,200 and would use an iron shield and dagger to defend himself but kill the lion with his own hands. The match was to be held on June 25^th in front of the Giza Pyramids - an international event aiming to attract tourism, and to show the world that Egyptians are the strongest soldiers on earth.  El-Essawy says he can jump from the 10^th floor of a building and eats wood and rivets. He also can drag cars by his teeth and fixes hooks in his skin to drag trucks. Egyptian tourism, a critical part of the Egyptian economy, has declined dramatically in the wake of Egypt’s January 25 Revolution which toppled its 30-year dictator from power.  The lion was purchased from a breeder and is familiar with human beings. In photos the lion is inhumanely housed within a tiny, dark cage and is displaying playful familiarity with this man. This lion has become used to humans. However, following protest communications the Minister for Tourism stated: Under no circumstance will the Ministry of Tourism tolerate any degree of inhumane acts against animals. The alleged plan to host a lion fight is currently being investigated by officials, and I am personally involved in making sure such a barbaric act does not take place in Egypt.

William & Kate to attend cruel rodeo
Prince William and his wife Katie will attend the cruel Calgary rodeo at the beginning of July 2011. Please write to him and his wife and ask them not to go to the rodeo by using this contact form: www.princeofwales.gov.uk/contactus Send them the link to a DVD with graphic footage made by SHARK: www.youtube.com/user/SHARKonlineorg#p/a/46BB675F2F737228/0/XZxL7umkbRo

Circus news
Jim Paice, the Coalition Minister responsible for hunting and shooting (yes, that's his actual title) was quoted in the press stating that he was against a ban of the use of animals in circuses and "if you don't like animals in circuses, don't go".  This remark in reality equates to saying "if you don't like dog fighting, don't go" or "if you don't like child porn, don't watch it" instead of agreeing it should be banned by law because it's wrong. Paice is also responsible for Defra who are supposed to ensure the welfare of animals in farms and slaughterhouses. You can see now how the slaughter and farming industries are now an unaccountable free-for-all can't you? You can contact this clown with your thoughts on the matter here: james.paice.mp@parliament.uk

The Tory/Lib Dem government announced that they will not ban the use of wild animals in circuses because of a legal challenge in Austria. Yet it emerged that there is no such legal challenge. The Government has rejected a ban in favour of a licensing regime. The European Commission has ruled that a ban is a matter to be decided by individual governments. The Government are now consulting on the details for their licensing scheme, adding more delay for Defra ministers to do nothing, while the majority of the British people support an outright ban. The RSPCA has attacked the government’s failure to introduce a ban, saying they are ‘furious that the government has decided to ignore public opinion and not ban the use of wild animals in circuses in England after all.’ More than 22,000 people have signed the Independent newspaper’s petition calling for a ban.  MPs could overturn the Government's controversial refusal to ban wild animals from performing in circuses, Backbenchers from all parties held a special Commons debate on the issue and voted overwhelmingly in favour of a ban.  

The Government's failure to ban wild animals in circuses has been criticised by a former expert adviser to Defra.  Raymond Ings, a specialist in elephant welfare who served on Defra's Zoos Forum for 8 years, described the decision as "completely barking mad". He said circuses were "fundamentally unsuited" to keeping elephants, big cats, bears and other wild animals. Mr Ings, who trained Government-approved zoo inspectors until last year, said: "When I heard this I was spitting blood. There is not an animal-welfare scientist in this country saying circuses could ever provide an environment for elephants.  "After the public has gone home the animals are chained up in beast wagons for hours. The environment is far too restrictive. The best zoos can meet the needs because they are static. Circuses can't, because you have to up sticks all the time and you can't give them the space." 

Newcastle Animal Rights group staged a protest against Bobby Roberts Super Circus, outside the Blaydon Rugby Club in Blaydon, Gateshead, where the show was being held. The circus has recently been at the centre of animal cruelty allegations following secretly filmed footage showing a now ex-employee repeatedly beating and kicking an elephant, in March. Jonathan Proctor, of Newcastle Animal Rights, said: “We demanded that the rugby club cancel its contract with the circus, but they refused to do so. “We have a petition with 100 local businesses on it calling for the club to cancel their contract with the circus and we are planning to hand that in as soon as possible. “We hope this is the last time Bobby Roberts’ circus will be here and we are determined to take a stand against any circus using animals.”

Performers at Zippo’s circus, at Mile End’s Wennington Green, woke up this morning to find their Big Top circus tent and one of their circus trucks covered in graffiti. The words ‘Animal Abusers’ had been sprayed across the tent curtain. Circus manager Paul Winston predicts the curtain would cost thousands of pounds to replace if they are unable to scrub off the graffiti.

Great British Circus at Dial Post about 10 miles north of Worthing from 7^th – 19^th June.  Tigers and other wild animals.  Demos were held daily and attendance was so bad that it’s VERY unlikely they’ll return

Loads of circus info, including future (and past) tour dates, on www.veggies.org.uk/ar/circus

A bill to create an animal abuse database in Texas passed the Senate on 25^th May. However, a last-minute amendment made sure the database – similar to the state's sex offender registry – only be available to police. In addition to the registry, animal cruelty offenders must attend a responsible pet owner class. Some people would not be allowed to adopt pets either.

The Hawaii legislature passed S.B. 1069, which makes it a felony to attend or wager on a dogfight and to use “bait” dogs to train them for fighting. Hawaii currently has the weakest dog fighting law in the country, but this new law will make it one of the strongest.

Jeremy Clarkson on Badgers
This was the moron who admitted aiming for animals unfortunate enough to be crossing the road in front of his tin god!  In a strangely skewed rant in his Sun column Jeremy Clarkson starts, "I love the TV show Countryfile. And I especially like its tame farmer, Adam Hanson. But over the years I've watched with clenched fists as his cattle are tested for TB and he never says what's causing it. I know it's been transmitted by badgers." He goes on to say that Adam Hanson also knows this but won't say so because he has been threatened by extremists. And rounds off the rant by describing the badger as a 'smelly, diseased black and white rat'. 

Neglected rabbits
The enduring appeal of the rabbit has led to it becoming one of Britain's favourite pets – only beaten into third place by dogs and cats. But new evidence suggests they are also one of the most cruelly neglected and misunderstood. There are up to 2m rabbits being kept and bred in the backyards and gardens of the UK. However, according to a new survey, up to 75% of them are being badly treated. Not only are they being kept in woefully cramped conditions, a situation for which the pet industry bears a heavy responsibility; they are also becoming sick through being fed the wrong food. A majority of the rabbit owners asked did not know what the correct diet for their pet was, and almost half didn't know that rabbits needed space in which to exercise. The owners' survey, commissioned by a group of animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA, found that 60% didn't know that their pets were intelligent and social creatures that needed mental stimulation. "Officers have been worried for many years about the rabbit. They are intelligent and inquisitive animals who have been getting the bad end of the deal for a long time now, and we really have to try to do something to change people's attitudes and tackle the ignorance that sadly is so prevalent," said RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley, who added that the charity had rescued 33,000 pet rabbits from cruelty in the past 3 years. There have also been some 250 convictions of cruelty to rabbits over that period. "If you ask any RSPCA officer which animal they feel most sorry for, it's usually the poor, forgotten rabbit sitting in a tiny hutch without the proper food, or any food at all, and some dirty water. It might once have been loved for a brief time by some child, but it has quickly been forgotten and it's a very sad sight that I have seen countless times. "People have been keeping rabbits in this country for a long time, but it originally was kept as food, so it would be in a tiny hutch for a very short period of time. "Ppeople are still buying these small cramped hutches and the pet industry is still putting them out there for sale, and they are terrible. Rabbits are gregarious animals: they live in the wild in groups."  The situation has got so bad that some animal sanctuaries will not let their rabbits be re-homed as pets for children. 75% of the rabbits seen by British vets are in poor health, suffering from obesity and rotting or overgrown teeth. "We have this view of the cute, fluffy animal as opposed to the sleeker creature that we actually see out there in the countryside running wild, but actually they are the same," said Dr Anne McBride, an animal behaviour expert from the University of Southampton. "People are feeding them a lot of concentrated food and not the kitchen scraps they would once have, mostly because people are eating more convenience foods themselves. But rabbits need hay, grass, fresh greens, and a lack of that is directly related to their dental problems." TV vet Matt Brash said bored and unhappy rabbits self-harmed and became aggressive and depressed. "There are some damaging myths out there that have been passed down through the generations about how to care for rabbits. We want to get owners thinking about how rabbits behave in the wild to understand what they need as pets to keep them healthy and happy."

Sick cruelty

Dog beheaded - Graphic video footage showing the torture and beheading of a 1-year-old dog has been circulated among teenage school students.  The attack on the helpless dog has been labelled "New Zealand's worst" by animal welfare activists. Police are hunting those in the video. The sickening images show a man tying the red nose pitbull to a tree while 3 people, including a woman and a child, look on and laugh as it tries to escape. 

Dog dumped in frozen pond - Gabriel Radzikowski took Sara Lilly's 15 year old Yorkshire Terrier from her back garden in Bath when he became annoyed that she did not support him and use her position at the bank to secure him a loan. He held the dog, Bilbo Baggins, for a ransom of £500 before leaving it in a frozen pond. A woman heard whimpering and saw that a hole had been smashed in the ice in the middle of the lake and Bilbo was bobbing in the freezing water. She managed to rescue the dog and took him home where she contacted Ms Lilly through the telephone number on his collar. Police tracked down Radzikowski and he was arrested. The jury took 2 hours to find him guilty of blackmail and intimidation and he will be sentenced next month.

Birds beheaded - A 15 year old boy has been arrested for the 18 birds beheaded, a frog speared, fish poisoned and windows smashed at a park in Manchester.  After beheading the birds, the bodies were thrown around, a pond filled with fertiliser, killing the carp and trees chopped down.
What more can one say?

A Norwich man who set up a cockfighting training farm at his parents’ home and ran illegal fights for nearly 3 years has been banned from keeping animals for 5 years. A court was shown a 6-minute video filmed by Trevor Hall showing cockfighting at his parents’ farm in Horsham St Faith, near Norwich.  Hall had previously admitted 5 charges of holding cockfights, keeping and training cocks to fight, keeping premises for cockfights, taking part in cockfights, and being present at a cockfight. But he claimed that he was forced into holding the cockfights by Travellers who had threatened the safety of his girlfriend and parents. Yesterday’s trial at Norwich Magistrates’ Court heard that Hall had a collection of cockfighting books including ‘The art of training fighting cocks’, DVDs and videos including ‘Chicken Fights 3’, and had filmed his cockerels fighting. He was finally caught when the RSPCA and police jointly carried out raids at his parents’ home, and at his girlfriend‘s home in Vale Green, Mile Cross, where he lived, on August 18 last year. Hall was given an 18-week suspended sentence and a curfew for 5 months to live at the address in Vale Green between 8pm and 7am daily. He must also pay £250 towards costs.

N.Y. strays to be protected
Legislators and animal rights activists in New York are coming together to support a bill that will protect homeless animals from being killed after they’ve spent time in animal shelters. The Companion Animal Access and Rescue Act (CAARA) will make it illegal to kill animals that are in line to be rescued. CAARA will insure crucial protections for 25,000 homeless pets in New York and end all "convenience" killing by shelters. Convenience killing s the act of killing animals in shelters when there are empty cages available.

Animal smuggler arrested
A first-class passenger has been arrested at a Thai airport after being found carrying suitcases filled with baby leopards, panthers, a bear and monkeys. The animals had been drugged and were headed for Dubai. The man, an Arab Emirates citizen, was waiting to check in for his flight at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport when he was apprehended by undercover anti-trafficking officers who had been monitoring him since his black-market purchase of the rare and endangered animals.  Authorities have said the man was part of a trafficking network. They are searching for accomplices. In Thailand leopards and panthers fetch roughly £3,000 apiece on the black market but their value in Dubai was presumably higher.

Sled dogs exhumed
The British Columbia SPCA said it has new evidence to forward to Crown council for possible animal cruelty charges against the Whistler, B.C. tour company that shot and killed more than 100 healthy sled dogs in April last year. The SPCA has been excavating the ground where they were buried and examining the bodies. Marcie Moriarty of the SPCA said the agency is pursuing Criminal Code charges for causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal. If found guilty, the person responsible could face up to 5 years behind bars.  "Throats have been cut and the animal bled out. That is not an acceptable way to kill an animal in Canada ," she said. The SPCA estimates the investigation could cost up to $225,000. The provincial government has committed $100,000, while the rest will come from donations to the non-profit agency. Moriarty says the hefty price tag is justified.  "This is absolutely worth it to speak for animals in B.C. We're an enforcement agency, we don't get to pick and choose what case we do," she told CTV News. SPCA members are being helped by a team of forensic experts from across North America, including some of whom who aided in the investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton. The animals will get a proper burial after the investigation is complete.

Mandatory licences for cats and dogs, a limit on the number of nonsterilised pets per household, and fines for anyone who leaves a pet behind in a move. These are some of the ideas the city of Montreal wants all 19 boroughs to adopt in a new bylaw to stem the problems of too many abandoned animals and too many cases of euthanasia.  Other countries are racing ahead of us

Blood festivals
Nepal has a new Prime Minister, Jhalanath Khanal. He is of Communist Origin which should mean that he is not in favour of the superstitious blood festivals which Nepal seem to spend every day of the year partaking in.  On Buddhas birthday 17^th May over 700 animals were slaughtered, and just recently a priest drank the blood of 50 dying animals as he slit their throats. This country has no animal welfare policy and it is living in the dark ages. Please write a letter to the new Prime Minister asking him to stop this animal cruelty.  Ask him to stop the government funding these atrocities. Don’t forget that Nepal will intend to behead 250,00 animals in 2 days in 2014 for the Gadhimai festival. Tell him that mustn’t go ahead either.  Please spare a minute to write to him at: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal

International Turtle Day was on 23^rd May, yet new research is revealing that pet terrapins are being abandoned in the UK’s waterways and park  ponds in growing numbers, despite an import ban over 10 years ago. The terrible story of terrapin suffering and premature death in the wild was featured on BBC One show on 25^th May.  In a study of released amphibians and reptiles, Tom Langton of the London Natural History Society has uncovered an increase in the sightings of terrapins and they are in need of help. In the 1980s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoon series appeared to stimulate demand for tiny baby terrapins as children’s pets. Most died, but survivors grew into large adults and were abandoned illegally in thousands. A government ban in 1997 has lead to ‘look-alike’ species being sold cheaply in pet shops despite their unsuitability and growth to a size where households cannot cope. Research across 1600 sq. km of London and the home counties has shown over 10 species and hybrids are now at large in London and across the UK and that many are being killed and injured by people shooting them as a nuisance.   Langton is looking to record where they are living and to bring an end to their release, which in addition to welfare issues can cause a range of ecological problems such as introduced diseases: “many of the species are largely vegetarian and are blamed incorrectly for taking ducklings and fishing bait” said Tom. “An unusual species of African turtle was rescued from a public park in Camden last week – it is not known what exotic diseases it may have been carrying nor what impact they can bring to wildlife in our towns and countryside”. These species have replaced the previous red-eared terrapin thanks to unscrupulous marketing of superficially similar species.  Terrapins and other reptiles are associated with sometimes lethal bacterial infections in children and young people. The animals suffer huge mortality when sold with little advice to the general public. Batches of terrapins have been shot by councils and anglers and hundreds collected and sent to an international rehabilitation centre in Italy on flights organised by Virgin airways where many are reported to have escaped or died due to poor conditions. The news comes as over 90% of those attending the British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation’s 16^th May conference in Regent’s Park voted for a ban on the importation of wild-caught reptiles as a result of the problems associated with the pet reptile trade, which has become out of control and in part fuelled by black market Internet sales. The Animal Protection Agency believes the reptile trade should be banned altogether. APA  www.apa.org.uk

Rescue speaks out on cruelty to greyhounds
Every year many thousands of greyhounds of no further use or value to the racing industry are disposed of and whilst many are killed, a large number will be adopted through rescues.  The idea, however, that all falling within the latter group had responsible owners who put the animal’s welfare and security first is very wide of the mark. Chair of Lancashire Retired Greyhound Trust, Sarah Horner, was recently to speak out about life on the ‘front line’ and accused owners and trainers of dumping greyhounds on branch doorsteps and threatening to have the animal’s destroyed if not taken in. According to industry governing body, Greyhound Board of Great Britain, the sport of greyhound racing is “well run, properly regulated and the welfare of the dogs is always the main priority of those involved.”  I’m not sure Horner would agree, having taken in racing dogs “with maggots crawling out of festering wounds” and dogs “covered in crap and pee, and emaciated.”  The above are ex-Belle Vue dogs, a track the rescue is now affiliated to under the new name Lancashire and Belle Vue RGT. Horner states: “I had one Belle Vue owner bring a dog to me whose back leg was dangling the wrong way round, he had it in his arms and shoved the dog at me and said ‘see what you can do with him’ (and then) laughed and walked off.”  And according to Horner the above is an example of what is seen at many non-track based RGT branches. The Ormskirk based branch has homed more than 40 greyhounds since its formation in Oct 2010; a figure to include greyhounds retired responsibly, greyhounds with injuries the owners are refusing to pay to have treated and greyhounds found as strays. In 2010 the number of greyhounds homed nationally through the RGT fell by approximately 500 on the previous year.

Greyhound Crusaders/SWAP team UK have received an important email alert concerning 2 Manchester radio stations 'Rock FM' and 'Key 103' that are allegedly advertising greyhound racing at the Belle Vue stadium in the UK. Please write to them and make polite complaints about the fact that they are promoting greyhound racing. Greyhound injuries and deaths are a regular occurrence at the Belle Vue track and this must be stopped.  Rock FM Rob.Buttery@rockradio.co.uk  Sales Manager.  Key 103 gary.stein@bauermedia.co.uk Managing Director. Please include these important greyhound educational website links in your email to the radio stations - www.greytexploitations.com  www.actionforgreyhounds.co.uk/  Please also include the link below to the Manchester Evening News article in your emails to the radio stations: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/s/1232532_30_injured_greyhounds_put_down_at_dog_track  and the youtube video http://youtu.be/Yuqerm_Mor8  

The businesses listed below have all sponsored races at tracks that are owned by the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) and it is vitally important that we alert them to the IGB's proposal to establish greyhound racing in China, making them aware of how unpopular the IGB's plans are with many people and welfare groups across the globe, including celebrities like Louis Walsh, comedian, actor and writer Ricky Gervais, actress Annette Crosbie OBE, writer Jilly Cooper OBE, Marc Abraham (celebrity TV vet) who are all backing the campaign along with several Irish celebs. The Irish Greyhound Board has received a lot of bad publicity since announcing this sick and evil proposal. Do these sponsors really want to have their business names associated with the IGB at this moment in time under the current circumstances? We are hoping that we can encourage the sponsors to write to the IGB expressing any concerns they may have, asking the IGB to stop the plans they have to establish greyhound racing in China. There is even a possibility that some of these businesses may consider cancelling their sponsorship with the IGB if their concerns are great enough!  The IGB may not want to listen to anti-greyhound racing protestors, celebrities and animal welfare groups but we are fairly sure they will listen to their own sponsors. Sponsorship is a vital lifeline to the racing industry.  Please start your letter with Dear Sir/Madam and please include the following points:  IGB's proposal to establish 5 greyhound stadia in China. China is renowned for having no animal welfare laws and that many dogs are often skinned alive for their meat and fur! Make them aware of how unpopular the IGB's plans are with people and welfare groups across the globe, including many celebrities. The Irish Greyhound Board has received a lot of bad publicity since announcing the proposal. You can include this link in your letter about the recent article in the Irish Daily Mail - www.greytexploitations.com/resources-and-reports/the-dogs-who-run-for-their-lives   which describes the horrendous lives of greyhounds racing at the Macau track in China, a blueprint of what is to come! Please include this link about the IGB's new proposals to set up 5 stadiums in China-  http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0506/1224296281917.html  Do they really want to have their business names associated with the IGB?   Encourage them to write to the IGB expressing any concerns they may have and asking the IGB to stop the plans they have to establish greyhound racing in China? They can also write to the Dept of Agriculture: Simon.coveney@oir.ie   shane.mcentee@finegael.ie   Please include IGB contact details for the sponsors to write to Adrian Neilan CEO of the IGB -  adrian.neilan@igb.ie Barry Coleman (head of Greyhound welfare at the Irish Greyhound Board) - barry.coleman@igb.ie and Irish Greyhound Board public relations dept- pr@igb.ie    It is imperative to keep all correspondence polite.  E-mail addresses for sponsors of races - Shelbourne Park sponsors: merrion@iol.ie; brooks.thomas@brooksgroup.ie; medinfo@daiichi-sankyo.ie; info@jackandjillraffle.org; info@boynevalley.com; info@farnhamarmshotel.com; enquiries.ireland@ferring.com; info@smurfitkappa.com ; info@taytopark.ie; info@crimecontrol.ie;  Harolds Cross – where Snip Nua was destroyed: info@cheeverstown.ie; info@oblatebasketball.com; sales@ripleycourt.com; info@setantaschool.ie; leanorafrawley@kod.ie; info@petstop.ie; denisbeary@hotmail.com; info@dublincoach.ie; ccadmin@eircom.net; info@begleygroup.ie; info@copan.ie; info@westmanstowngolfclub.ie; info@gmcirl.com; info@jackson-court.ie; hfrathcoole@eircom.net; cr@symantec.com; chairperson.ballyfermotdls.dublin@gaa.ie; info@absolutelimos.ie; sales@fasttrap.net; info@kenilworthmotors.ie;  enquiry@dentsply-gb.com; info@thelaurelspub.com;  The Rody Bolands Bar:  Online contact page - http://www.rodybolands.com/rody%20bolands_005.htm

Freedom for Tony the Truck Stop Tiger
Tony, the 10-year-old Siberian Bengal tiger who’s been at the heart of an ongoing catfight over his living conditions at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La., has had his freedom granted! On Friday, May 6, District Judge R. Michael Caldwell of the East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), preventing them from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin to keep Tony as of this Dec 14.  Tony's garnered the attention of people around the world who have been fighting to have him freed from the concrete cell he's spent his entire life in for years. Unfortunately, officials have bent the rules and looked the other way when it came to the Tiger Truck Stop.  Despite state laws preventing private ownership of exotic animals, Sandlin was grandfathered in by the LDWF because he owned Tony before the laws were enacted in 2006, leaving Tony, who’s been alone since 2003, stuck. The ALDF plans to work with the LDWF to find the best home for Tony and will make recommendations on sanctuaries where Tony can live out the rest of his days in an environment that can actually meet his needs. 

The crackdown on activists 
One morning back in 2002, Will Potter, a young newspaper reporter on the metro desk at the Chicago Tribune, heard 3 heavy knocks on his apartment door. When he opened it, 2 FBI agents flashed their badges. They told Potter he could either come outside and talk with them, or they would visit him at work. Downstairs in the alley, the agents brought up a demonstration that Potter and his girlfriend, Kamber Sherrod, had participated in a month earlier. They had joined in an animal rights leafleting campaign in the high-class suburb of Lake Forest, dropping flyers on the doorsteps of houses around the home of an executive in an insurance company that covered an animal testing laboratory. Both were arrested, along with numerous others, and charged by the local police with misdemeanour disorderly conduct. The charges weren't serious, but the agents warned Potter of other possible consequences if he didn't cooperate with them. "He told me I could help them by providing more information about the other defendants and other animal rights groups," Potter told me in an interview in Washington. "I had 2 days to decide. "He gave me a scrap of paper with his phone number, written on it underneath his name, Chris. 'If we don't hear from you by the first trial date,' he said, 'I'll put you on the domestic terrorist list.'" Potter was stunned. "I felt as if I was staring blankly ahead," he said, "but my eyes must have shown fear. 'Now I have your attention, huh?,'" Chris said. The agent went on to tell him, "'after 9/11, we have a lot more authority now to get things done and get down to business. We can make your life very difficult for you. I can make it so you never work at a newspaper again.” Potter left, and threw away the FBI's number. The charges against him and the other demonstrators were dropped, but for years afterwards, small incidents recalled the FBI's threats. When Kamber Sherrod went to renew her drivers' license, "I was detained by several police officers as I was trying to leave the building, because, according to them, my name was 'flagged' in the system," she told me. Before they finally let her go, they asked, "What happened in Chicago?" and "I overheard one cop mention a 't-list.'" When J. Johnson's car broke down years later in Arkansas and a cop idly ran his license plates, "flashing letters burst forth in bold: 'member of terrorist organisation, animal rights extremists, approach with caution." And Kim Berardi, also arrested along with Potter, was blocked from boarding a flight at the Seattle airport, handcuffed, and questioned by "2 SEATAC security officers, 2 FBI agents, 2 Homeland Security operatives, and 2 officers from the federal Joint Terrorism Task Force." For Will Potter, the FBI's visit marked the beginning of what would become a career as an independent journalist, tracking the government's prosecutions - and persecutions - of environmental and animal rights activists, which one FBI deputy director, at the height of the war on terror in 2004, identified as "our highest domestic terrorism investigation priority." Because of this campaign's similarities to the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1940s and 1950s, Potter dubbed his blog on the subject, launched 5 years ago, "Green Is the New Red." Potter's book, published last month and also titled Green Is the New Red, documents the scare tactics used by the government, often in concert with large corporations, against even patently non-violent activist groups, which they dub "animal rights extremists and eco-terrorists." Prime targets were the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and especially Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC). Far from targeting only their clandestine operations (which focused on corporate property damage), the FBI "argued that terrorism laws must be radically expanded to include the above-ground campaigns of groups like SHAC," Potter writes. In Nov 2006, George W. Bush signed into law the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. Activists prosecuted under AETA have in several cases ended up in the "Communications Management Units" at 2 federal prisons. Created secretly during the Bush administration, these "experimental" units were supposedly designed to hold high-risk inmates, including terrorists, whose crimes warrant heightened monitoring of their external and internal communications. But the reality, as a current lawsuit by the Centre for Constitutional Rights asserts, is that many prisoners end up in the CMUs "for their constitutionally protected religious beliefs, unpopular political views, or in retaliation for challenging poor treatment or other rights violations in the federal prison system." Even attempting to communicate with those in a Communications Management Unit can subject a person to surveillance and harassment, as Potter learned early this year when he received some documents from Public Intelligence, a Wikileaks-style organisation. The documents included what appeared to be a running report to law enforcement officials around the nation from the federal Bureau of Prison's Counter-Terrorism Unit, which monitors correspondence in and out of CMU's. ……..Potter writes that "It's unsettling to see my name in documents produced by the Counter-Terrorism Unit. What's even more disturbing, though, is the thought of scarce government resources being wasted on such reports … Lectures, public websites and First Amendment activity by journalists and attorneys should not be the purview of the Counter-Terrorism Unit. And even if you think that it should be, and even if you think I am some kind of potential terrorist, this "intelligence briefing" is absolutely useless. Any intern could have created the same report using Google." When I phoned the Bureau of Prisons media relations office to ask about this report, a spokeswoman said I would have to request the documents under the Freedom of Information Act. "I know what you mean," she said, "but I can't comment on it."  James Ridgeway,  Green Is the New Red May 11 Full article and many more on the website

Fendi’s fur in S. Korea
Animal Rights activists from all over the world expressed outrage during the Fendi 2011 Autumn/Winter runway show at the “Floating Island,’ a newly-opened cluster of 3 artificial islands on the Han River in Seoul, S. Korea. S. Koreans are the world’s largest consumers of fur clothing. Demonstrators greeted every visitor to the event with a chant of “shame on you.” The Joong Ang Ilbo reports that, “more than 100 animal rights activists lined up on both sides of the road leading to the venue several hours before the show began. They were surrounded by a nearly equal number of security guards in sleek black suits.” Some of the demonstrators were holding picket signs that read, “No Fur.” A dozen elementary school students, among the protestors, were observed screaming, “furs are cruel! We hate Fendi!.” A few activists held pictures of brutally-skinned animals, some others brought their own dogs (S. Koreans eat dogs as a delicacy), and many of them chose to say, “shame on you,” in a low whisper to each and everyone of the glamorously-dressed guests. According to the Joong Ang Ilbo, “’Furs are no longer objects to be acquired and people in other countries are increasingly disgusted by them,’ said Cho Hee-kyung, a representative of the Korean Society for Animal Freedom. ‘That worldwide trend has yet to arrive in Korea and it’s a shame that the country has emerged as the world’s number one consumer of furs. Due to falling fur sales in the West, Fendi has moved its focus to Asia and the Seoul city government is being manipulated.” More than 20 models donned a variety of furs - from sable to fox, chinchilla and mink. Unlike other local fashion events that involve the participation of a slew of fashion-conscious entertainers, this large-scale global fashion event attracted none. The runway event came 10 days after the Italian fashion brand officially announced it had ended a tug of war with the Seoul Metropolitan Government over featuring furs on the runway. In the compromise, it was decided that furs would be presented, though on a much smaller scale than originally planned.

Namibian seals
Animal rights activists have targeted the World Cup, calling on the International Rugby Board to withdraw Namibia from the tournament because of the African country's continued slaughter of fur seals. They hoped a withdrawal would draw some attention to the killing of seals on the Namibian coast. "We are making a formal request to the IRB to drop all Namibian fixtures from the World Cup," a group called The Seals of Nam said in a statement.   The Namibian fisheries ministry has set a quota to cull over 90 000 endangered Cape Fur seals. It's the 3^rd year the quota has been set and it is infuriating activists. They claim 85,000 baby seals are beaten to death at Cape Cross and Atlas Bay in Namibia, and 6000 bulls shot.

Over 200 stray dogs were murdered in mid-May in Botosani, Romania.  The links below provide an insight into the corruption that is the current stray animal system in Romania.  It also happens throughout the Balkans states, currently banging on the door of the EU to become members.    Please to look at the pictures, sign the petition and leave a message for Romanian politicians. The final link provides an insight into the corruption currently in Romania associated with stray animal 'welfare'.  How shelter dogs are deprived of food in order that officials can feed it to their pigs at home!  Full details and pictures via the following link: http://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com Scroll down to “Top Posts” in the right hand column.  This site also has photos from the London demo held on 26^th May. 

Britain's most celebrated songbird, the nightingale, will be extinct within 30 years, scientists have warned. Populations of the bird, which has been an inspiration for generations of poets and romantics, have crashed by more than 90% the last 40 years. According to a study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the species is on course to vanish completely from the UK. The findings mean the bird will be upgraded to "red status" - signifying the highest possible degree of conservation concern.  Its decline has been blamed on the explosion in the muntjac deer population, which has drastically reduced the availability of the bird's favoured habitat in woodland undergrowth.  Pressures on its habitats in sub-Saharan African, where the bird winters, as well as along its migration route to the UK are also believed to have contributed to the risk.  The bird's song – which is heard from mid-April to June, as males attract a mate and secure territory from competitors – was once a familiar sound across southern England but has now disappeared from large areas, vanishing even from previous strongholds.  In Bradfield Woods in Suffolk, for instance, numbers dropped from 12 pairs 7 years ago to 2, one year ago. Now none remain.  The decline is among the steepest ever recorded by a British bird.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People's Trust for Endangered Species have released research that shows hedgehog numbers are dropping precipitously. They're down 25% in the last 10 years alone. The hedgehog population for the UK in 1955 was about 30m. Today it is around 1m, and falling. The landscape, suburban and rural, has become massively fragmented. In the countryside intensive farming, improved pastures and poorly managed hedges have all contributed to the isolation of hedgehogs in what are known as "rural refugia", or more commonly, towns and villages. In many cases the hedgehogs also have a jailor, in the form of badgers, the presence of which prevents their spread out into the wilds. That has all been going on for some time now, but what is new is what has changed in the last sanctuary for the hedgehog, suburbia. It was perfect. A mosaic of different habitats all interconnected with sufficient green space to allow movement that for the most part kept them away from the busier roads. But the pressures on space have reduced the green routes; the numbers of cars have increased enormously; front gardens have been given over to car ports; rear gardens have become extensions, either literally, or with decking and patios; easily maintained tidiness has become the goal and, finally, fences have got concrete footings. The call is going out for people to start to work with their neighbours to ensure that their gardens help, rather than hinder, hedgehogs. If you have a compost heap, a wild border or two, a shallow pond and lots of rotting log piles but no hedgehogs it may be because your garden is impenetrable. Cut hedgehog-sized holes in the fences or remove a few bricks at the bottom of the wall and there are many other simple ideas available through the British Hedgehog Preservation Society website.

The slow loris' cute appearance is slowly killing the species as cruel traders attempt to smuggle the animals to be sold as illegal pets. The animals which helped inspire the Furby toy are often stolen from their mothers as babies and then have their teeth ripped out with pliers to make them "safe" for humans to handle. Alan Knight, who manages a wildlife sanctuary in Indonesia, said the YouTube videos were contributing to the surge in demand. "Sadly, they are victims of their own beauty and cuteness," he told The (Australian) Sun. "If they weren't so attractive people wouldn't post videos of them, which fuels the demand for them as novelty pets. "If people only knew. The traders rip out their fangs and they shriek with pain."

Bull tortured to death
A bull is about to be tortured to death again in the Festival of the First Fruits on 5 Dec in Kwazulu Natal in S. Africa, including having its eyes poked out and its tongue pulled out.  It is likely to be tortured for up to 40 minutes before dying. The killing ritual symbolises the coming of age of young warriors who partake. The youths participate in a bid to prove themselves worthy and as a test of courage. Please make your voice heard by signing the petition to government ministers in SA and members of the royal family in Kwazulu Natal. www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_the_brutal_bare-handed_killing_of_the_bull

EDF Energy has begun blocking off the badgers’ setts - even though the company has not yet applied for planning permission for the 400-acre Hinkley C power station. Spokesman for the Badgers Trust, Jack Reedy, said badgers can suffer distress and violence if they are dislodged. “If it’s not done very carefully, it can be very stressful for the animals and unbelievably cruel,’ he explained. ‘There is no guarantee they will use artificial setts and if the badgers try to move in with a new colony, they can fight and sustain quite severe injuries.’ Kick Nuclear has slammed EDF Energy for persuading environmental watchdog, Natural England, to grant a premature licence to block off the setts. Natural England’s policy guidelines state that it will only issue a licence, ‘after detailed planning permission has been granted.’ However EDF Energy has already been given the go-ahead – even though the company has not yet formally applied for planning permission. Natural England claim that the Hinkley project is ‘an exceptional’ case and that granting an early licence will avoid delays in planning applications and construction. But Natural England is meant to protect wildlife – not the interests of powerful multinationals. Natural England has said that if planning permission were to be refused, the badgers would be allowed to return to their original burrows. Despite being the national experts in the protection of badgers, the Badger Trust says it was not consulted over the removal of badgers from the site. 

Senate votes to ban distribution of 'crush videos'
Videos appealing to a sexual fetish by showing women killing small animals will be banned under legislation that cleared the Senate and is headed to President Obama for his signature. The voice vote in the Senate followed a vote in the House to ban them. Congress banned such videos in 1999, but the Supreme Court earlier this year struck down the law, saying it was too broadly written and violated 1^st Amendment free-speech protections. The more narrowly crafted bill going to the White House makes it a crime to sell or distribute videos that violate bans on animal cruelty by showing animals being burned, drowned, suffocated or impaled. The legislation makes interstate sale of such videos a crime subject to fines and imprisonment. The legislation makes exceptions for films depicting hunting, trapping and fishing. LA Times. 19 Nov

Michigan teen accused of beheading cat
A court hearing is set in the case of a Michigan teenager who police say severed a cat's head. Jonathan David Cook was arraigned on a felony count of killing or torturing animals and is being held in the Grand Traverse County jail on a $50,000 cash bond. Sheriff's deputies arrested the 18-year-old 2 weeks after prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for him.  Cook told police a cat bit him when he tried to pet it, so he fatally stabbed the animal and stuffed the cat's head in a plastic bag tied to his belt buckle. Cook's hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2.  Stronger action taken than if it were in the UK

Arrest for sheepskin business arson
Walter Edmund Bond admitted in U.S. District Court to setting the fire that burned the Sheepskin Factory to the ground on April 30, 2010. The store sold sheepskin blankets, rugs and related products. Authorities were led to Bond after an informant told them Bond - who called himself "Lone Wolf" on the Internet and has the word "Vegan" tattooed in his neck in large letters – bragged on an animal rights web site that he "torched" the business. "Be warned that making a living from the use and abuse of animals will not be tolerated," Bond allegedly wrote on the web site. Bond faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a maximum $500,000 fine when he is sentenced at a later hearing. He could also be forced to pay restitution to the business owner, who was uninsured. The business was valued at $500,000. Bond has a prior arson conviction in Iowa and is a suspect, while not charged, in 2 other arson cases of a leather store and a restaurant in Salt Lake City.

3 lions proved who's at the top of the food chain when they pulled an inebriated worker who was taunting them into their enclosure and devoured him before his horrified friend, authorities said. Jan Bredenhand, who had been working as the restaurant manager for the Addo Croc and Lion Ranch near Port Elizabeth, S. Africa, for just one month, returned from an all-night party and hopped on a gate around the lions enclosure when he was attacked. A witness told police that the 30-year-old and one of his friends provoked the lions with loud taunts. It was the second mauling death of a worker by lions at the park in 6 years.

Bangladesh has approved a law that sets jail terms of up to 12 years for deliberately killing tigers and other wild animals endangered in the country. The minimum jail term will be 2 years for killing pythons and crocodiles and a maximum of 12 years for killing tigers and elephants.

Bullfighting to be “culture” in Spain
Spain's bullfighters said the government had agreed to their request for the centuries-old tradition to be managed by the ministry of culture. A group of leading bullfighters who have been calling for such a move away from the interior ministry met during the day with Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba. "He told us that the transfer is going to take place" to the ministry of culture, Cayetano Rivera Ordonez, one of Spain's most popular matadors, told a news conference. The move "will be very helpful" for bullfighting, said another matador, Jose Maria Manzanares. "We feel we are artists and we believe that in (the ministry of) culture there will be more support" for the tradition, he said. The decision comes amid intense debate in Spain over bullfighting, which animal rights activists condemn as a form of torture but which proponents see as part of the country's cultural heritage. The N.E. region of Catalonia in July became the first part of mainland Spain to ban the tradition. The decision was the result of a petition signed by 180,000 people calling for the ban. In the Madrid region, which has a strong bullfighting tradition, animal rights activists have collected more than 50,000 signatures on a similar petition. Spain's Senate rejected a motion presented by the conservative opposition Popular Party that would have declared bullfighting as being "of cultural interest." The motion also called for Spain to ask the UN cultural agency UNESCO to place the spectacle on its World Heritage list. Polls show rising disinterest in bullfighting throughout Spain, especially among the young, although arenas are regularly filled to capacity for the spectacle, which ends with the death of the bull. 

Spectators at a bullfight in Mexico City got a scare when a bull jumped over the barrier into the grandstands. The incident took place during the second bullfight at the Plaza de Toros Mexico when the animal launched itself over the barrier that separates the bullring from the audience. The bull fell into the alley where assistants and other bullfighters were waiting. A picador – one of the pair of horsemen in a bullfight that jab the bull with a lance – was injured when the animal fell on top of him. The animal returned to the ring and the bullfight continued as planned.

Bullfighting comes under attack in France
Since a vote to ban bullfights in the Spanish region of Catalonia from 2012, French animal welfare groups have been stepping up their campaign to get bullfighting outlawed in France as well. About 100 bullfighting contests are held each year But some towns in the south are planning to stage more bullfights because they're hoping to attract fans from Spain. In Manduel, outside Nimes, hundreds of spectators are packed into the stands at a small village bullring.  They tense visibly and fall silent as the matador goads the black bull with flourishes of his red cape, and the bull snorts and lowers his head to charge. The sense of gladiatorial drama is heightened by the music coming over the PA system - brassy, Spanish-sounding melodies with a French touch. At one point, a few bars of the Marseillaise are played. "This is an important tradition which is part of our culture," says Brigitte Dubois, president of the bullfighting association of the nearby town of Nimes. Although bullfighting originated across the border in Spain, it took root in France 150 years ago, partly because of an influx of Spanish immigrants. Wherever you go in this part of France, you see posters for bullfights. "I think the death of a bull in the ring is much more noble than in a slaughterhouse," says Mrs Dubois. "If you ban bullfighting then you should stop eating meat altogether." But the demonstrators gathered nearby say that bulls are tortured in the ring before being put to death. "It's not noble at all, it's a barbarian activity, and it's a real shame now to have that in the south of France," says one of the protesters, Jean-Pierre Garrigues, head of the committee against bullfighting. The bull, he says, is a "herbivorous animal, a pacifist animal, and they want to kill it, to put it in pieces with a lot of blood, and it's awful". Protesters chanting "Down with bullfighting" are turning up more often outside arenas. They've been encouraged by the recent vote in Catalonia, although the conservative opposition there is now challenging the bullfighting ban at the constitutional court. Bullfighting fans in France argue that the ban in Catalonia has more to do with regional tensions in Spain than with concerns about animal welfare. In theory, bullfighting is already banned in most of France, but it's allowed in areas where it's become a local tradition.  There are considerable economic interests in bullfighting in the south. About 100 bullfighting contests are staged each year, with around a thousand bulls dying in the ring.  But Jean-Pierre Garrigues says pressure is now building for a ban in France. "We have 65 members of parliament on our side and there is a bill to abolish bull fighting. Growing numbers of people are now speaking out against what they see as a gruesome hangover from an earlier era, when animal welfare seemed less important. In June 2 MPs who presented a bill to parliament to ban bullfighting said ending the practice was a question of France's honour.  "Bullfighting is an incongruity of our times," the bill reads. "In an already extremely violent world, adding violence to violence is disgraceful."

Wallaby died at Irish disco
A circus owner has been questioned by detectives about allegations that a wallaby died after being plied with ecstasy and alcohol at a birthday disco in Ireland. The marsupial was let loose among more than 150 revellers dancing at the Clarion Hotel in Liffey Valley, Dublin, to the theme tune of the Australian television show Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. Animal welfare campaigners set an official garda investigation in motion when they passed on complaints about the alleged mistreatment of the animal. Officers launched an inquiry after complaints were passed on from a witness at the 30^th birthday celebrations and others who saw a video uploaded to Facebook.  They have been handed CCTV footage from the hotel.  ''There is no evidence at this stage of a body, or evidence to suggest it is dead,'' said a garda source. Garret Marrinan, the hotel manager, said a duty manager became suspicious when he noticed a commotion around the dance floor in a hired function room at around 11pm on Saturday.  ''By the time he got down through the crowd, the animal and the box were gone,'' he said.  ''We had no idea where it came in or how it got out of the hotel. The whole thing was all a bit upsetting to be honest with you.''  Mr Marrinan said the hotel was helping the gardai with their enquiries. The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) said it had received 5 complaints including one from a person who claimed to be at the party.  Orla Aungier, DSPCA operations manager, said kangaroos and wallabies needed very specialised care and would have been distressed by being handled and the loud music and flashing lights of a crowded disco.  Gardai said the allegations will be thoroughly investigated and party-goers questioned about what happened after the incident, captured on hotel surveillance cameras. Wallabies are classified as exotic animals in Ireland so there is no legislation on their breeding or ownership.  They are offered for sale on online classifieds sites at around £615. The DSPCA said websites are also offering zebras and emus for sale.

Animal Defenders International points out that national measures to prohibit or limit the use of animals in circuses have been adopted in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Singapore, Bolivia, Costa Rica, India and Israel and similar laws are currently being discussed in Brazil, Chile, Norway, Peru and Greece.

143 UK politicians have now signed a parliamentary Early Day Motion, EDM 403, calling for the wild animal ban to be implemented.

2 infant red river hogs have been culled at Edinburgh Zoo following a recommendation by a European advisory body. Despite successfully breeding a pair last summer the organisation was advised by a worldwide breeding programme to kill little Sammi and Becca. The move by Edinburgh Zoo on advice of the Endangered Species Programme (EEP) has brought about criticism from The Scottish SCPA and animal rights organisation OneKind. OneKind slammed the Zoo not only for the decision to cull but for their previous use of the pigs to raise publicity for the zoo. Ross Minett, Campaigns Director, OneKind felt the cull was unnecessary. He said: “We believe it is wrong for these healthy, harmless animals to be killed as part of a controlled breeding programme. Sadly, this sort of practice does take place in zoos; which will surprise many people who believe that zoos are all about keeping animals safe from harm. It is particularly ironic in this case as the zoo had previously used these animals as a means of gaining positive publicity. If zoos are genuinely concerned about the conservation and welfare of animals then they should endeavour to protect them in their natural habitat. If the zoo was unable to care for these animals, they should have been offered to a wildlife sanctuary or an alternative home found for them.” The zoo says the decision was based on a surplus of the species identified by the EEP. A spokeswoman for the zoo said: “As a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, it is imperative that the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland complies with the recommendations that are given. “It is our policy to respect and be guided by recommendations made by the EEP, who base their advice on maintaining and strengthening the genetic diversity of the species within breeding programmes.” Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn also thinks the zoo made a mistake. He said, "The Society believes that a cull of any animal should only be considered as a course of last resort, after all other alternatives have been exhausted. "As the red river hoglets were purposely bred in captivity then the issue of surplus should have been examined prior to commencing the breeding programme. We would expect any modern-day zoo to have thoroughly explored this issue and ensured that any surplus animals from a breeding programme could be rehomed to an alternative collection if required."

Please email Beyond Retro and ask them to stop selling fur. Explain the horrors of the fur trade, and send them links to films and sites about the fur trade. Please keep all letters polite and informative. General Enquiries info@beyondretro.com, Archive and Vintage Enquiries: archive@beyondretro.com, Job Opportunities: careers@beyondretro.com, Media Enquiries: press@beyondretro.com, Web Support: websupport@beyondretro.com, info@beyondretro.com, archive@beyondretro.com, careers@beyondretro.com, press@beyondretro.com, websupport@beyondretro.com You could also phone or write to them at the following addresses. London East End 110-112 Cheshire Street, London E2 6EJ, +44 (0)20 7613 3636. London - West End, 58-59 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JY, +44 (0)20 7434 1406 Brighton 42 Vine Street, Brighton BN1 4AG, +44 (0)12 7367 1937 UK HEAD OFFICE:  23-28 Penn Street, London, N1 5DL, +44 (0)20 7729 9001 There is an online petition to stop the sale of fur at Beyond Retro, go to www.thepetitionsite.com/2/shame-on-beyond-retro

Israel’s Knesset moved to end a bill that would have banned fur use in the country after Canadian furriers lobbied hard in parliament to stop the bill. The Canadians joined forces with the ultra-conservative Orthodox leaders against what would have made Israel the first country to ban fur completely. Animal rights activists have said they would launch a renewed campaign to get the bill revitalised and back on the table.  The bill aimed to end the trading, producing and processing of fur in Israel “except for religious purposes” – a stipulation designed to accommodate the needs of the Haredi community, who traditionally wear sable on their hats. Canada’s Ministry of International Trade last month had sent its Israeli counterpart a letter warning against the fur bill and expressing concern that it “might prejudice Canadian fur trade interests or WTO obligations.” According to the International Anti-Fur Coalition – an umbrella organization of groups in 60 countries – Israel has a tiny $500,000 share in the world’s $16 billion annual fur industry. The figures for Israel include synthetic fur. Canada is one of the leading countries in the field, with annual sales of roughly $500m. For now, the bill remains off the table and despite Israeli and foreign activists cries to have it returned to the Knesset, this round was won by the conservatives and their power in the country.

Finnish animal rights group publishes fresh abuse footage
0 Oikeutta eläimille, a Finnish animal rights group, has published fresh footage from Finnish fur farms The footage shows 2 foxes missing hind legs, severe eye infections and chewed-off tails as well as compulsive behaviour. In February, the same group posted similarly shocking footage shot at 30 Finnish fur farms.  Oikeutta eläimille said in a statement that the latest footage showed that nothing had changed since February. 

New investigation into Norwegian fur industry
We have released our 3^rd fur investigation. So far the media attention has been enormous. 8 min headline news on the biggest TV news in Norway, and all the big newspapers have big stories on the webnews. We're anticipating massive attention in the news tomorrow. Everyone is discussing a ban, and it feels so extremely close now!  Our group also celebrated our 3-year birthday today, with the premiere of our campaign video and the TV news as a surprise. Nearly 100 people attended, and we were able to recruit loads of people for activism for the campaign. Please note the next links do contain graphic animal abuse. Here is our campaign video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJYpDs5fnHo And here pictures from this years investigation: www.flickr.com/photos/dyrsfrihet/sets/72157625279084504 Here is another campaign video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odgf-K-F9-Q  Per Arne

Anti-fur march in London
300 animal rights activists marched through the West End on 13^th Nov to protest the sale of fur.  The activists gathered in Belgrave Sq for a rally, with speakers, info stalls and vegan food provided by Green Garden Cafe. The march set off to the sound of drums, whistles, sirens and chants of "Fur Trade Death Trade" and "Fur In Your Shop, Blood On Your Hands". Soon we arrived at Sloane St, home to many of the companies which are largely responsible for perpetuating this bloody trade, and as the march passed each shop, one by one all of them were named and shamed with chants of "Shame on You" and "Blood on Your Hands." including Armani, Gucci, Fendi, Joseph, Prada, Versace, Gianfranco Ferre, Dolce and Gabbana, Christian Dior, Roberto Cavalli, Nicole Farhi... When we passed Escada on Sloane St we were reminded it wasn't all doom and gloom since Escada has just announced a fur-free policy after a 3 year international campaign by activists in many countries. At the top of Sloane St we passed Harvey Nichols' huge department store, the biggest shop on Sloane St by far, which was a bastion of the fur industry for many years, but which now has a fur-free policy thanks to a nationwide campaign in 2003. We then turned into Brompton Rd, and past Burberry, another notorious user and promoter of fur, who were loudly booed and left in no doubt about our feelings. Next, Harrods, the only department store in the UK which does not have a fur free policy, and which has recently been sold to new owners, the Gulf State of Qatar. We stopped at Harrods for a short protest and speech, and the crowd sent the new owners a clear message that they should take this opportunity to adopt the same ethical fur free policy for Harrods as every other department store in the UK. We then observed and a minute's silence to remember all the animals who have suffered and died for the fur trade at Harrods. There was a spontaneous sit-down protest which moved on after 10 mins as we wouldn’t get the chance to protest at all the other shops which were planned later along the route. Just a little further along Brompton Rd was yet another branch of Armani, where the marchers again loudly let the company know of our disapproval!! Next stop along the route was in S. Kensington, where there are 4 separate branches of the fashion chain Joseph Ltd all close to one another, and here again we held a short protest and a minute's silence for the animals.  Further along the route, we turned into Kings Rd, and past many fashion shops, some of which would normally have real fur on display in the windows, but none seemed to have on this day for some reason. We were told that the police had advised all shops along the route not to have real fur on display. At the end of Sloane St we marched through Sloane Sq and past Peter Jones big department store, which, as part of the John Lewis chain, has a fur free policy, so this was a reminder after all the shops selling fur along our march, that we are making progress in the campaign. Soon we were back at Belgrave Sq from where the march started, over 2 hours earlier. Later around 40 protesters travelled a few tube stops away, and held a lively and noisy demonstration outside the Soho branch of the "vintage" store chain Beyond Retro, which is the target of a sustained campaign by London activists.

Anti-fur protest in Dublin
Shoppers in Dublin’s city centre were met with the sight of animal rights activists doused in red paint as they held an anti-fur protest. 2 women held posters depicting a dog racoon, which was skinned alive on a fur farm in China. Animal Rights Action Network campaign co-ordinator John Carmody said the protest, which is due to be repeated in all of Ireland’s major cities, has 2 aims. “We want people to know that their fur actually had a face and that every year animals are trapped, drowned, beaten to death in the wild or they’re gassed. “Our second message is that we’re urging the Government that the proposed legislation in the agreed programme for Government is brought in by the end of the year. We want this legislation to be passed in the Dáil by 2012, A historic piece of legislation for the animal welfare movement here in Ireland will mean that fur farms will banned in Ireland.” He said there are “roughly 5 farms in Ireland that any one time that can house up to 140,000 mink and we believe there’s also silver fox too.” Mr Carmody said that fur had decreased in popularity in recent years: “Being seen wearing a full length fur coat these days is like a public liability – it’s about as popular as a spot on your face.” Commenting on the release of mink from a farm in Donegal last month Mr Carmody said that the preferred approach to animal rights is the legislative route. “Hopefully we’ll just move towards this legislation…which will mean that fur farming will be banned on grounds of cruelty to animals, supporting the legal, professional route," he said. "We’re hoping that by 2012 that there won’t be any need for anyone to get these animals out of such terrible, heartbreaking conditions.”

Fur price soar on Asian demand
As prices for fur pelts soar, Canada’s fur industry is hoping to reap some of the benefits by striking back at animal rights activists and cheap Chinese imports. The Fur Council of Canada has launched campaigns to counter-act the image of its industry as “monsters,” while also drawing attention to what it says is the higher quality of Canadian made fur clothing. The 2 campaigns, Beautifully Canadian and Fur Is Green, come as fur prices reach record levels and fur emerges as a dominant trend in some fashion designers’ collections. “We are very encouraged; prices for farmed mink, the industry benchmark, averaged more than $60 U.S. with better pelts topping $100 U.S. in recent N. American and European auction sales,” said the fur council’s executive vice-president Alan Herscovici. “That’s a 50% increase over last year, which means consumers would do well to shop now before the new prices work through to the retail level.” The record prices reflect the power of important new consuming markets, including Russia, China and Korea, as well as a new image of fur promoted by leading designers and industry public relations campaigns.

Reptile skin - Recent undercover footage obtained by Swiss TV station Schweizer Fernsehen shows snakes as they are skinned alive and crocodiles, alligators, and other reptiles as they are bludgeoned to death with hammers before their mutilated bodies are thrown onto a bloody pile. This investigation mimics what was found in undercover investigations in Indonesia and the U.S.

Feeding bowls for cats - The S.O.S. Pet Association launched a campaign for the distribution of 2,700 feeding bowls throughout Tel Aviv, which will be placed on streets, in front of residential buildings, restaurants and cafes in efforts to establish an organised feeding system for the city's stray cats.  Another campaign goal is to spay the cats in order to control their reproduction and diminish their numbers, and getting the cats to congregate makes this task a lot easier.

What is VeggieVision?
VeggieVision brings our passion for healthy and compassionate living and eating to Internet TV. With a range of mini-programmes available on demand, each playing for up to 10 minutes, VeggieVision combines entertainment with education, information about products, and a focus on cookery and celebrity.  Vegan promoter & presenter, and VeggieVision TV founder Karin Ridgers is ecstatic to launch the new web TV station and technology in partnership with Life on Show TV. There have been challenges and tears along the way and highlights too such as when Karin met Dragons Den James Cann at an event. After James asked the audience how many were vegetarian he said that VeggieVision could be a success.  When Karin’s vegetarian lifestyle programme was rejected several years ago she decided to go it alone giving up a good banking career and launching an internet TV station. Despite humble beginnings VeggieVision TV has already attracted viewers and contributors from all over the world. “There are no programmes that cater especially for the estimated 3 - 4m vegetarians and vegans in the UK and VeggieVision TV would like to be the answer to this – and more.” Karin says. With such a large niche of the population not being catered for VeggieVision TV aims to cater for those who are interested in vegetarian cookery and healthy living. “We have a fantastic American comedian to share with the viewers as well as cookery clips and celebrity interviews. The Vegetarian Society in Japan has been in touch and would like to film for us too. We have a Hollywood actor who is based in Thailand who has made a super clip for our viewers and we can’t wait to show even more content too.”  VeggieVision TV channels currently include Cookery, Information, Entertainment World Vision and You TV. Karin is speaking to several schools that are interested in working with VeggieVision and is also keen to develop a music channel. Please check out our internet TV station here – www.veggievision.tv    Karin Ridgers

Serbian vet paid to kill
An investigation has exposed a vet was paid 1.5m Dinars for killing 1,148 dogs in just one city – Nis. No wonder there is no enthusiasm for a ‘No Kill’ Strategy. EPAR have now sent criminal charges to the Public Attorney of Nis, to the police of Nis and also to the republic veterinary inspectors relating to the illegal activities of a city vet named ‘Davkovsi’ and also those of city garbage firm JKP`Medijana`.  Both the vet and JKP`Medijana’ have acted in direct opposition to the Constitutional laws of the Republic of Serbia. Rather than paying a vet to undertake the killing of 1,148 dogs during 2009, we suggest that Nis city would have been much wiser if they had invested the same money into a programme of animal sterilisation. 

New Caledonian crows who are renowned for their ability to make and use complex tools, teach youngsters to make tools in what are called "tool schools". These crows are renowned for making the most complex tools in the animal kingdom except for humans. New Caledonian crows are highly intelligent and live in small family groups and this provides the opportunity for youngsters to fashion and use tools by watching adults perform these activities. Researchers from the University of Auckland discovered that parents actually take their young to specific sites when they can practice these skills and that "crows develop their tool-using abilities by 'keeping it in the family'". The youngsters may also learn from their parents mistakes.

A new WSPA-funded sanctuary to house Pakistan’s remaining baiting bears has now officially opened. Its first inhabitants, the 3bears rescued from the country’s devastating floods, are already there. Balkasar Sanctuary is located in a relatively dry area of Pakistan’s Punjab region, an area that was spared from the floods in August. It will provide a refuge for the remaining Asian black bears that are still being used in bear baiting. Since the floods destroyed Kund Park, Pakistan’s only other refuge for baiting bears, Balkasar has assumed an even greater importance. Covering an area of 7 hectares, Balkasar is set away from flood plains and close to the capital, Islamabad. It was chosen for the many natural aspects of bears’ habitat that it provides and it was the best habitat that WSPA and Biodiversity Resource Centre (BRC), their Pakistani member organisation, could find. “It provides space for all the remaining bear baiting bears in Pakistan and is a model project to present to wildlife authorities showing how bears in captivity should be managed,” says Dr. Fakhar-i-Abbas, BRC Chief Executive. The opening of Balkasar demonstrates the dedication and commitment of the Kund Park BRC team and staff who, like so many Pakistanis, despite losing their homes and possessions have remained committed to the cause. Many staff and their families have moved to Balkasar, taking up positions alongside local community members. They are rebuilding their lives and the lives of the bears in their care. With WSPA support, by the end of 2010, they plan to rescue 3 more bears from a life of attack by dogs and bring them to the sanctuary to live out their lives in its natural and peaceful environment. Rescuing bears from baiting is a lengthy and complicated process. It involves many negotiations with the bear’s owner to identify and then construct a viable alternative livelihood for them. After persuading an owner to surrender their bear, BRC then provides training for setting up and running a new business. Balkasar offers hope and a means with which to end bear baiting in Pakistan.

Indian police have busted a transnational elephant-smuggling ring – highlighting a new threat to one of the country's most iconic animals. Officers in Assam said they arrested 5 people and recovered 3 elephants – 2 of them calves – that were destined to be illegally trucked across the country and even abroad. Police said that documents gathered during the raid suggested the ring had been responsible for smuggling almost 100 elephants over the past 5 years. The elephants can reportedly sell for up to £50,000. Elephants are protected under a 1972 law and the sale of the animals is illegal. Even transporting one across state boundaries requires an extensive documentation process and the permission of the chief wildlife officer. But reports suggest that, having been captured, drugged and even whipped into submission, elephants are trafficked in much the same way as people, with fake documents being prepared and bribes being paid to officials. Police in Assam carried out a 3-day operation, which concluded with the arrest of the 5 suspected smugglers, after being contacted by a local wildlife protection group, the Green Heart Nature Club. The illegal trade was driven largely by wealthy businessmen in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who wanted to keep the animals as status symbols. There was evidence the animals were also smuggled outside of India, with some being trucked into Nepal and Burma. The superintendent of police said he believed the ring may have been trying to smuggle as many as 10 elephants when it was caught. It is not known what happened to the 7 not recovered. He told the Associated Press that smugglers regularly captured wild elephants from the forests of Assam, trained them for a year or 2, and then claimed they were the offspring of the state's many domestic elephants. Earlier this year, the Indian government acknowledged that with many conservation efforts focusing on the highly threatened tiger, the plight of India's elephants was often overlooked. To remedy this, the authorities announced that they planned to make the elephant a so-called national heritage animal and to afford it the same level of protection as that received by the tiger. It is estimated that there are 26,000 Asian elephants in India, of which 3,500 are working animals. While the total has not experienced the sort of drastic decline undergone by the tiger, the gender ratio is badly skewed and in some areas there is just one male elephant for 100 females.

Threat to disrupt Euro 2012
In Russia and Ukraine, homeless animals are destroyed with the use of curare-like paralysing poisons. Ditiline is forbidden in Ukraine, but the drug is widely used anyway. Ukrainian animal rights activists no longer seek understanding and support from the government and say that they are ready to take extreme measures: they threaten to disrupt Euro 2012 football championship in the country. On Feb over 2m people filed a written protest against the return of the barbaric extermination of homeless animals. Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow's former mayor, stated in May 2008 that he was supporting humane policies towards the regulation of the number of homeless animals. However, reality proved no action: animals would be captured in the streets and sent to unfinished shelters, where they would die because of poor housing conditions. The same year, Luzhkov's deputy Pavel Biryukov offered to replace the sterilization of homeless animals with their extermination in municipal shelters. The black list included quarantined and sterilized dogs. In Russia, homeless dogs are also destroyed with drugs such as ditiline and its derivatives. Many in Russia believe that a large number of homeless animals is a result of uncontrollable breeding of purebred dogs and cats and the absence of propaganda to sterilize homeless pets. In addition, taking homeless pets from dog pounds is not considered a traditional practice in Russia. The culture of eating dog meat has been prospering in Moscow lately. A journalistic investigation conducted by one of Russian TV channels revealed a whole chain of restaurants serving dog meat in Moscow. The attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church is terrible too. In 2007, a priest of Russia's iconic Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius ordered to pack over 30 cats in sacks and take them to a landfill where they were bulldozed. And in the same year a priest ordered a security guard to beat a puppy who ran onto the church territory. The guard broke the puppy's spine. Ukrainian animal rights activists won the support of UEFA after their numerous attempts to reach the national authorities had been left without attention. In Ukraine, homeless animals are destroyed barbarically. Dog catchers use special syringe guns to kill homeless pets. "Animals stay conscience during the process. Ditiline literally breaks their lungs into pieces over several hours, and dogs die in unimaginable pain. Animals are being destroyed in public people including children are watching," an activist said. In Ukraine's Lisichansk, local authorities purchased a mobile crematorium. It looks like a field kitchen with a chimney. The crematorium is operated by a driver, an operator and a catcher "armed" with a syringe gun. They paralyse animals and throw them into the container. As soon as they collect 40 kilos, they burn the paralysed dogs and cats while they are still alive. Ukraine is hosting the Euro 2012 football championship. Activists, with famous people among them, are ready to organise protest meetings near Ukrainian embassies in EU countries if nothing changes for the better. Director of Euro 2012, Martin Cullen, told Ukrainian officials that he condemned barbaric methods of solving the problem with homeless pets. The official stated that the government of Ukraine should take the problem under control because the brutal methods used against the animals contradict to European norms.

Dying bear forced to drink Coke
Shocking footage has appeared showing a dying mountain bear being held captive in a filthy cage drinking from a Coca-Cola bottle for the amusement of customers in an Azerbaijan cafe. The harrowing scenes show the malnourished bear gripping the plastic bottle with its paws in a cramped, squalid cage. The pictures were taken in the city of Gabala by Daryl Willard a British sports coach who has worked in the former Soviet republic. Gabala is where former England football captain Tony Adams currently lives and manages a team.  Mr Willard revealed that just a few days after his initial visit he returned to confront the cafe owner only to discover the bear had died and been replaced by another one. He told the Sun: 'People cheered and shouted as they watched the starving bear drink from the cola bottle and eat sandwich leftovers they threw. 'A few days after it died, there was a new one. They told me they catch a new one up in the mountains.' The country's embassy claimed the cruelty was 'an isolated case'.  You can email the embassy in London to make a complaint. london@mission.mfa.gov.az

Smoking chimp saved
A 12-year-old chimpanzee is heading to a sanctuary in Brazil after animal rights workers discovered him smoking cigarettes to entertain visitors at a Lebanese zoo. Omega has never climbed a tree or seen other chimpanzees. Organisers of Omega's evacuation say it marks the first time a chimpanzee has been rescued in Lebanon, a country with virtually no animal rights protection laws. In his younger years, Omega was used in one of the local restaurants to entertain people and was made to smoke cigarettes and serve water pipes to customers. After he grew stronger, he was locked up and taken to a zoo where for the past 10 years he has lived in a small cage. Chimpanzees and other highly endangered wildlife are regularly smuggled to the Middle East to be displayed in private zoos, hotels and for the pet trade.

Man jailed for cat's microwave and freezer torture       
Colin Sherlock has been jailed for 4 months after torturing a cat by putting it in a microwave, a tumble drier and a freezer. Sherlock, who had been drinking, laughed as a friend filmed him on a mobile phone picking up the young cat, called Roxy, and putting her in each of the appliances in turn - . in the microwave for 8 seconds, 7 seconds in the tumble drier, in a freezer for 20 seconds before being taken out and dunked into a bowl of washing up water. The cruelty came to light because the footage was sent to friends and one recipient was so shocked she took it to the police. Sherlock, of Teignmouth, Devon, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and was jailed for 126 days at Torquay magistrates court. The Magistrate commented "the offence is so serious that only custody is justified because of the high level of cruelty imposed on the cat. The animal, which belonged to one of Sherlock's relatives, is now "extremely nervous" having suffered "serious mental trauma. Jim Farr, an RSPCA inspector, said: "I am pleased with the sentence. It sends out a clear message that anyone who carries out acts of cruelty will face justice. "Roxy is now in foster care because of the after effects of this trauma and she is not yet ready to be rehomed.

4 cats and a dog were forced to eat each other to stay alive after their owner abandoned them for 3 months, a court heard. Lorraine Peake left her cross-bred doberman and cats to starve to death in squalor when she moved house in March this year. A relative found the horrific scene and alerted the police when they visited the house in Bolton on June 6. Alcoholic Peake pleaded guilty to 5 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal between May 13 and May 27 when she appeared at Bolton Magistrates Court. The court heard that Peake had not been living at the house for the previous 3 months and had gone into rehab 2 days before officers were called. The court was told that one of the cats had been dead for up to 19 days and was 'feasted upon by the surviving animals'. The other animals survived longer while eating the carcass but had been dead between 7 and 10 days when they were found. Peake was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 250 hours work and will have to pay £250 costs. She was also banned from owning animals for life, but will be able to reapply for the right in 10 years.

The Austrian case -  The police used a policewoman to infiltrate the VGT and Vegane Gesellschaft. She even demonstrated against the imprisonment and visited Felix in jail.  She spent 18 months in the organization.  Then she disappeared and now the defence wants her in court because if the police had someone inside the organization then she is the perfect witness and must be heard.  Good tactics by the defence, bad luck for the police. The operation was illegal because it was not approved by the Public Prosecutor.

A crackdown on people trading in endangered reptiles and amphibians such as rare tortoises and newts has led to 78 addresses in Kent being searched. Kent Police said several premises were found to be breaching regulations. There were no arrests but inquiries are continuing. Wildlife crime officers targeted retail and wholesale outlets. Pc Michael Laidlow said anyone found to be breaching regulations could face a prison sentence. Traders of protected endangered species needed to show they were imported lawfully into the EU or derived from such sustainable stock, he said.

The owl population in India is under threat due to Harry Potter. Animal rights groups and politicians are blaming the success of the book and film series for the surge in demand for owls like Harry's own snow white companion Hedwig.  Indian markets are now stocking 15 out of the country's 30 species of owl, according to research by wildlife group Traffic India. The country's Environment Minister said "Following Harry Potter, there seems to be a strange fascination even among the urban middle classes for presenting their children with owls." The Sun 4 Nov

 Mass whale stranding – sonar suspected
Environmentalists are trying to establish how 33 whales beached and died off the coast of County Donegal. They were found on Rutland Island near Burtonport. It's thought they were the same group spotted in the Inner Hebrides at the end of October. Dr Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said it was one of the biggest mass deaths of whales in Irish history. He is concerned that Royal Navy sonar equipment could have played a role. Dr Berrow said the British Navy had been in the area off S. Uist and had moved away. Campaigners were concerned that the latest sonar equipment could have disturbed the navigational skills of this deep diving species of whales. No-one from the Royal Navy was available to comment. In the past, the navy has denied that sonar noise from their warships could cause whales to beach. However, in America, the US Navy was ordered not to use mid-frequency sonar during training exercises from 2007 and 2009, after a judge found in favour of campaigners who argued the devices harmed marine mammals in the area. A team from Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology travelled to the scene off Donegal to see if they could determine what had happened.

Strandings on British shores are increasing, but many more go unreported. Marine scientists appealed for volunteers to watch for stranded whales and dolphins and report instances as soon as possible to understand why so many are being found on beaches. There have been more than 500 dolphins, porpoises and whales stranded on British beaches this year. According to the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) there have been 9,494 recorded strandings on British coasts in the past 20 years, but the number could be much higher because many are likely to go unreported. Most are washed ashore dead but around 10% are still alive. Strandings have increased by nearly 25% since central records were first kept by CSIP. "In the first 10 years there were between 300 and 400 a year, but since 2000 there have been more. For more info about how to report a stranding visit  http://ukstrandings.org/how-to-report-a-stranding

Dog breeders have been urged to cut the number of litters bred from individual bitches over their lifetimes in an attempt to improve animal welfare. The Kennel Club has told members it will not normally register more than the first 4 litters bred from one animal and wants the government to lower the legal limit of 6 in line with its new guidance. The club said the move should not mean financial hardship for responsible legitimate breeders, but hoped it would lower the incentives for illegal puppy farms. The club's changes will take effect in Jan 2012.

Many Over The Counter (OTC) or non-prescription flea control products are very toxic to cats and kittens- especially the ones only approved for use in dogs. Even though the cat or kitten does not have the product directly applied to it, the cat or kitten may still become ill through indirect exposure if it is applied to a dog in the household, household furnishings, bedding, etc.. Also, many OTC dog flea control products are not only toxic to cats, but dogs as well. While Advantage Flea Control for Cats and Frontline Flea/Tick Control for Cats are relatively safe, these products may have undesirable side effects in certain dogs, cats or other animals. Hence, use them and other flea control products sparingly, if at all, and with caution.

Waltham Forest & Redbridge Greens have been campaigning against the re-opening of Walthamstow dog stadium. There is a big local campaign to re-open it that has the support of all the other 3 major parties but Greens have had good coverage for their opposition. The company that owns the stadium does not want the greyhound track but they are coming under pressure from local politicians like Labour MP Stella Creasy.

UK special forces in Afghanistan are parachuting German shepherd dogs with video cameras into Taliban strongholds to search buildings for insurgents, with at least 8 animals killed during operations. The dogs are strapped to the chest of their handlers for the drops, and cameras are attached to their heads to feed back images of buildings and surrounding areas. The tactics have been adapted from US special forces, but the MoD said it would not comment on a report on operations by SAS troops. The dogs are reportedly trained to attack armed people, and 8 of them have died in action so far. Animal rights campaigners expressed their outrage at the use of dogs.

The deer enclosure at Clissold Park has come under scrutiny in the last couple of months, following the shooting of one of the deer in August. The deer injured itself after being startled by vandals who broke through the temporary fencing panels surrounding the enclosure as renovation works take place. This incident raised concerns about the adverse affect the renovation works are having on the deer. Their already small enclosure has been reduced in size by a third, the bushes and undergrowth that they rely on for shelter have been removed, and their enclosure has become a building site, with a cacophony of shredding, digging, excavating and demolishing occurring daily. Even when the renovation works are complete, will the `new and improved' enclosure be either of those things? DEFRA guidelines for ensuring the welfare of deer are already broken at almost every level, and the lack of local expert knowledge on deer handling is worrying. Hackney Green Party and other residents have made representations to the Council to find out what is going on, including one member raising the matter at full Council. The answer is: yes, consultations took place, yes the long-term welfare of the deer has been considered. But how reassuring is this? In truth, the Council has been dragging its feet for the past 3 years, apparently ignoring advice from one of the country's top deer experts that keeping deer in Clissold Park was "inhumane." The situation took on a new urgency when a fawn was born early in September – with no shelter and endless disruption, the chances of the deer trampling the fawn were high. There is no avoiding the fact that the deer have "suffered unreasonably because insufficient provision had been made to safeguard their welfare during the reconstruction and re-development of the park" (the words of deer vet Peter Green, who assessed the herd earlier in August)  Still, the Council failed to take significant action, instead turning enquiries into complaints, blocking information from coming into the public domain, and regurgitating standard answers without being fully informed of the history of the deer. Cllr McShane, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Hackney's parks, has asserted that, if the Council was ever advised that Clissold Park is an unsuitable habitat for deer, no member would support keeping the enclosure. It seems clear that this advice has been given. 3 years ago the recommendation was to remove the deer. The local RSPCA inspector maintains that Clissold Park is not a suitable habitat for deer. The recent recommendations for safeguarding the welfare of the deer from deer vet Peter Green are extensive and could therefore be costly. As Mr Green has said, "If in the future the deer are neglected, overcrowded, excessively disturbed, worried by dogs or otherwise caused to suffer, there is no doubt that there would be complaints and investigations that would be impossible to refute" Corners cannot be cut on animal welfare. If the Council cannot afford to keep the deer in proper conditions, they cannot afford to keep them at all.

  Dolphin leaps for joy

US inspectors found more than 30 dead greyhounds at Ebro Greyhound Park owned by Ronnie Williams. Only 5 were surviving some of those were nearly 15 lbs underweight.  Protesters recently lined up outside of the dog track to stand up against animal cruelty. The group spread the word about the protest through a Facebook page for the Animal Justice Rally Group, placing a cross in the ground for every dog that died under the care of Williams. Assistant General Manager, Mark Hess issued the following statement. ‘As far as the 32 dogs found dead, we're just as devastated as anybody. We're working with police to make sure Mr. Williams is prosecuted. That is how we are protesting." Ronald Williams is being held in the Washington County Jail on $74,000 bond.

Protest at G20 against bear farming
Animal rights campaigners in S.Korea hope to use the G20 summit meeting in Seoul to highlight the farming of Moon bears for their bile. Used in traditional Chinese medicine, the bile is an expensive commodity and from the 1980s onwards farming became a cheaper and easier way to harvest it than the hunting of wild bears.  S. Korea is one of very few countries to allow the practice and it is becoming a national embarrassment. The cramped conditions make them aggressive and they fight each other and get injured. Moon bears are on the endangered species list, international trade is banned and other major centres for the industry are being forced to act. Vietnam has banned it - although enforcement is still lax - and China has introduced some monitoring of its bear farms. But S. Korea continues to allow farming for the domestic market and has even relaxed certain restrictions in recent years. The practice of extracting bile using syringes or catheters from live, sedated bears has been banned. But secretly filmed footage broadcast recently by one of S. Korea's leading broadcasters shows that it continues, at least to some extent. Connecting the issue of bear farming to Korea's international image during the G20 is not the first time campaigners have exploited the uncomfortable tension between traditional and modern Korea.  The trade in dog meat made unfavourable global headlines during this country's hosting of the Olympics and the World Cup. For the S. Korean government, its hosting of the G20 summit is a highly significant moment, the crowning glory of this country's transition from poverty to prosperity. And it is uneasy about the moon-bear issue. "Our national image is being harmed and we are trying to resolve the situation," Choi Jong-won, an official at the environment ministry, said. "But the bears are private property and it is difficult to abolish the practice overnight." Campaigners, though, sense an opportunity.  They hope to use the current international attention to persuade the government to find the millions of dollars needed to compensate farmers for the closure of their farms.

10 weeks for murder - A dog was hanged from a bridge by its owner after he staggered home from an all-day drinking session to find it had eaten his food. Michael Evans was jailed for 10 weeks and banned from keeping animals for 10 years after the dog was found with a broken neck in Bury, Greater Manchester.

Reliance Security muscles in on animal rights
A security company is trying to attract business by protecting companies from animal rights protests. Those of you who were at the Newbury road protest will remember Reliance Security whose thugs were used to protect the contractors’ equipment and assist with the eviction of protesters. According to their website, they are now trying to attract business from companies threatened by animal-rights protests. It has been hosting a series of conferences to highlight the problem.

Swimmers have told how a pod of dolphins protected them from a great white shark off the coast of New Zealand. 4 lifeguards were on a training swim about 100 metres offshore at Ocean Beach, near Whangarei, when the dolphins raced in and herded the group together. When onee tried to drift away from the group, 2 of the bigger dolphins herded him back. He then saw why. A great white shark was cruising toward the group about 2 metres below the surface. The dolphins had moved in to protect the swimmers. The group were surrounded by the dolphins for 40 minutes before they were able to reach the shore.  Auckland University marine mammal research scientist Doctor Rochelle Constantine said dolphins were normally vigilant in the presence of sharks. The altruistic response of the dolphins was normal, she said. “They like to help the helpless.”

OBITUARIES

Gerry Garrett - It is with the greatest regret that we have to inform of the passing of our wonderful friend and dedicated live export campaigner Gerry Garrett.  Gerry, along with his wife Zeanna, who passed away in January this year, were regular stalwart demonstrators at Dover in the fight against live animal exports. Gerry was a true gentleman; a larger than life character, always immaculately dressed and so well-recognised with his very English accent. He worked professionally in London city journalism before his retirement. His writing skills continued to be used campaigning for better animal welfare until the end. As a devoted Dover campaigner along with his wife Zeanna, Gerry had the pleasure of joining with us to witness the demise of the live animal export trade from the UK. It was always a pleasure to still see him taking part in the monthly demonstrations which continue to be held at Dover every month, despite the cessation of the trade. Gerry was a dedicated player in the halting of the live animal UK export trade and he will always be remembered for his passion to stop animal suffering. RIP Gerry, thanks for ‘being a voice for the animals’ and for making the world a more compassionate place.  KALE 8th Nov

Jilloch - the chimpanzee who appeared as one of the children in a family of chimps in the advertisements for PG Tip, has died at the age of 34.  Jilloch suffered heart failure at Twyford Zoo.  The commercials ran from 1956 until 2002, when lobbying by animal welfare campaigners led to them being taken off the air. The clips featured the chimps dressed in wigs, hats and clothes, performing a number of sketches with voice-overs from some of the leading performers of the day. Jilloch featured in several adverts in the 1970s and 1980s. Sharon Redrobe, the director of life sciences at the zoo, said: “Jilloch was one of our favourite chimps so we’re all saddened by the loss.  “The animal and vet team worked tirelessly to keep her as comfortable as possible.” Liz Cubberley, the zoo’s African Ape keeper, said: “Jilloch was a friendly chimp. She was quiet and easy-going.” Chimpanzees can live for up to 60 years.  Neil Dorman, curator at Twyford Zoo, said: “Jilloch had a lot of character and will be missed. She was shy but friendly.”

Anti-AR campaign gaining momentum in Austria and Germany
Only weeks after the anti-AR court case in Austria ended, the offices of "RespekTiere" in Austria have again been entered by police with a Bavarian search warrant at 6am. Apparently they were looking for incriminating material related to a Bavarian's farmer’s claim that their actions - entering his farm and filming dead and dying animals, some eating each other - a situation that in itself was illegal and against the animal welfare law of this country. On the basis of that material they filed criminal charges. Ridiculous as that claim may be, he has found support with the authorities and is now pressing charges against the activists. There is a previous case like this here - a journalist who has for years fought the fur industry and who also entered such a facility with the intention of securing filmed material of massive animal abuse, and who subsequently was taken to court on the claim of the farm owner that his actions resulted in the death (he says from shock) of some 1500 animals and he now wants the guy to pay up. That would effectively ruin him, and exactly that is the intention - as it is with RespekTiere. Also, an agricultural body here has put up a website on which they demand that the "terrorism" against their members be stopped by the state, and that material that has been produced illegally (by entering the farms without permission) be banned from being used in court cases.

A circus baboon who was abused and kept in a small cage for 18 years has arrived in Britain to start a new life. Tilin is benefiting from a landmark law in Bolivia, which bans the use of animals in circuses. The law was brought in after secret filming exposed the routine beating of lions, tigers and elephants by trainers to force them to perform. Like Tilin, many of the animals were kept in cramped conditions and were not allowed enough exercise. Tinlin is now on his way to a monkey sanctuary in Berkshire, where he will be able to mix with other baboons for the first time since he was young. The lions Tilin was caged next to have also been rehomed and many more should follow as other S. American countries consider a similar ban.

Animal rights demonstrators held placards outside the entrance to Bobby Roberts Super Circus in Formby in a bid to put pressure on circus chiefs to allow the retirement of Anne, a 58-year-old Indian elephant who travels with the show. Merseyside-based animal rights activist Shaun Reilly said: “We had quite a lot of demonstrators turn up, so that was very positive. “We were protesting as part of a national campaign against circuses which is partly organised by local animal rights groups and partly by the Captive Animals’ Protection Society. “We had people coming up to us to tell us how disgusted they were at the treatment of Anne. “She has arthritis and seems to be limping more and more badly every time we see her.” Anne, who is the UK’s oldest elephant, currently lives alone as all her elephant companions have died. Ruth Hume, who visited the circus with her daughter and grandchildren, said: “I was shocked when I saw the poor elephant. “I am not an animal rights protester, but I was horrified to see Anne was chained up all the time in a tent. “My daughter tried to take a picture of her in her living quarters but a member of staff stood in front of her and told her she wasn’t allowed. “My daughter then asked if that was because they were ashamed of the way Anne is treated, but got no answer.  “I wasn’t aware it was an animal circus and to see was absolutely heartbreaking.  Formby Times 10^th Sept

A circus on tour in Sydney has had to drop an act in which a woman performer swallows a live fish and brings it back up. After complaints, the New South Wales government deemed that the act broke animal protection law, while Glenys Oogjes of Animals Australia said it was "inhumane and foolish". As well as "sensational death-defying acts", the Great Moscow Circus has a troupe of ponies. A spokesman said the manager was too busy to comment on the fish act.

Bullfighting
Spain's bullfighting tradition suffered a new setback on 5^th Oct as the senate rejected a proposal to declare bullfights a part of the country's cultural heritage. Senate rejected the proposal presented by the main opposition conservative People's Party (PP) with 129 votes against 117 and one abstention. The PP said it was considering court action against the decision taken by Catalonia to ban bullfights in July.

Townspeople in central Spain joined in a centuries-old festival to spear a bull to the death, prompting an outcry from animal rights activists. Carrying lances on horseback and on foot, hundreds of residents of Tordesillas commemorated the “Toro de la Vega” festival, held every second Tuesday of Sept since at least 1453. The bull, named Platanito, charged through the streets of the fortified town, across a bridge over the River Duero and into a lightly forested plain where it was lanced to the death. The spectacle lasted about 30 mins. “Spectacles like the Toro de Tordesillas should no longer exist. A country like Spain should not maintain such cruel traditions,” said Nacho Paunero, president of the animal rights group El Refugio. A survey conducted for the group found 76% of those polled agreed that such festivals should be banned, Paunero said in a statement. He said he had sent a request to Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero demanding that a draft animal protection law forbid spectacles such as the Toro de La Vega. The Socialist Party government had promised in its electoral programme to draw up a draft animal protection law, and any such legislation would have to ban such events,” he said. Each region of Spain has responsibility for its own animal protection laws, usually with exceptions for bullfighting. The festival in Tordesillas is allowed under the laws of the Castilla y Leon region. Another anti-bullfighting and animal rights group, PACMA, had rallied hundreds of protesters to decry the festival, which predates the introduction of the classic bullfight at the end of the 17^th century. While calling for the festival to be scrapped, PACMA also demanded that it no longer be promoted as an event of National Tourism Interest.

The European Union spends £37m a year directly subsidising blood fiestas like the Toro de la Vega and other ‘sports’, such as bullfighting. It also ploughs tens of millions of pounds into the towns that host them and has begun renovating dilapidated bullrings.  As if that weren’t bad enough, some MEPs are campaigning to have bullfighting and blood fiestas officially recognised as part of Europe’s cultural heritage.  If this should succeed, then not only will the Toro de la Vega be given an official veneer of respectability, it may eventually become eligible for European arts and cultural funding.  ‘We’re all tightening our belts in Britain and yet our money continues to flow into bullfights and blood fiestas across Spain,’ says Jaqueline Foster, Conservative MEP and vice-president of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare & Conservation of Animals. ‘The Spanish can support these fiestas with their own money, if they want to, but there’s absolutely no way they should be using ours to do so.’ Spain receives £4.3 billion in agricultural support every year. Campaigners fear that a significant proportion of this is siphoned off to provide more animals for fiestas across the country.  Spanish towns and cities also receive an array of grants to help them preserve their cultural heritage. Up to 15,000 towns and villages sacrifice animals as centrepieces of their fiestas - often out of the gaze of tourists and the media. Some involve hanging chickens upside down by their feet on washing lines while townfolk ride underneath and pull their heads off to win prizes.  Another involves placing chickens in boxes with their heads poking out of the top. Local men and boys then chop off as many heads as possible while blindfolded. In yet another fiesta, birds are sealed inside clay pots and stoned to death. Although such cruel games are now theoretically banned, they are still common throughout Spain. This may be because the country’s animal welfare laws have one curious exemption: animals may be mistreated so long as it’s necessary for the smooth running of a fiesta. Even if a blood fiesta does not involve the immediate death of an animal, it can still inflict grotesque cruelty. They claim that it’s a beautiful form of art that is central to Spanish culture. When I watched Platanito die last week I saw no evidence of the beautiful art and rich culture that Spain is famous for.  What I saw was a celebration of mob rule, of cruelty, of wickedness. As I watched Platanito’s eyes close for the last time, I felt sick to my stomach to know that I had helped pay for his death with my taxes - just as you had too. Extracts from Danny Penman Daily Mail 20^th Sept

The practice of running a “toro embolao” through the streets during popular fiestas when burning wax, flaming torches or fireworks are fixed to the bull’s horns will be banned in Extremadura from Jan 2011. Formal bullfights are not affected but all spectacles involving bulls where participants can be persuaded that they are experiencing the thrills and dangers of a real bullfight will be officially controlled. The Extremadura ban will extend to fiestas where bulls are tied up or their movements limited, as well as any form of entertainment where the bull is at an unfair disadvantage or participants use modern devices or up-to-date protection. Although there was nothing new about the centuries-old fiesta in Coria (Caceres) where blowpipes were used to stick a bull full of darts this, too, would have been affected by the new law had it not been voluntarily discontinued 2 years ago. The Extremadura legislation is a reversal of new laws in Catalonia, where formal bullfights will be banned but bull-running allowed to continue in a move that has been dubbed hypocritical outside the region.

3 people were killed and more than 30 injured when onlookers stormed a bullfight in Colombia. The event in the Andean community of Sabanalarga, known as the "corraleja," is known for its party-like atmosphere. However, a number of people decided to jump into the bull ring - only to be severely gored. A 20-year-old man was killed instantly while 2 other men, both aged in their 40s, died later in a hospital. At least 37 others were seriously hurt. The town's mayor blamed public drunkenness for the tragedy.

400 mink were released Sept 9^th from cages at Beck's Mink Farm in Granite Falls, Washington. The largest mink release in the state occurred in 2003, when 10,000 mink were released from the Roesler Brothers Fur Farm in nearby Sultan, Washington. That farm was reported to still be open as of the summer of 2009. Harvey Beck reported an attempted raid of his farm in the summer of 1997. No animals were reported to have been released in that incident. In a verbal folly of Bush proportions, while endorsing a bill that would target “eco-terrorists”, Beck made this statement to Washington state lawmakers in 2001: "What does ecoterrorism have to do with our civil liberties and free speech? Absolutely nothing but destruction."  No claim of responsibility by the Animal Liberation Front has been made.

Voice of the Voiceless has been provided with a document, marked “CONFIDENTIAL”, detailing an invite-only meeting for animal abuse industries on the “threat” of the animal rights movement and the A.L.F. The document was leaked by a client of security firm INA, and provides the schedule for their “security roundtable” titled “Managing Threats from Activist Groups“. The invite-only event was held on Sept 14^th in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In attendance were representatives of animal abuse industries who presumably consider themselves potential targets of the Animal Liberation Front, and other militant groups. The event was organised by INA (Information Network Associates), a shadowy private company which has its niche investigating the animal rights movement. Subjects discussed were: Current issues and trends in the animal rights movement; Activist Groups; Infiltrations - an overview of recent infiltrations and the risk they pose to research laboratories. Discussion will include best practices for preventing infiltrations; Legal Update on pending or proposed legislation affecting animal research. The status of recent activist legal cases also to be included. Discussion on activists’ use of the legal system in attacking laboratories, researchers and companies; Recognising Improvised Explosive and Incendiary Devices; The Anatomy of an ALF Attack - the phases of an ALF attack including target selection, surveillance, rehearsal, operational dry-run, actual attack and claim of responsibility.   Amongst other things INA has embedded at least 2 paid female spies in US animal rights groups, and presumably more who have yet to be exposed. They have received $2,288,166 from the Dept of Defence and the Dept of Homeland Security since 2000.  Several things stand out about the agenda items for “Managing Threats from Activist Groups“: First, INA’s “expert status” on the animal rights movement is an almost complete fraud perpetuated on its clients. This is evident in talks like “The Anatomy of an ALF Attack“, in which INA purports itself to be experts on subjects for which no one outside of the A.L.F. can have knowledge.  This talk claims to cover the “target selection, surveillance, rehearsal” and “operational dry-run” components of an A.L.F. action. The absurdity being that the A.L.F. is anonymous, and therefore, nearly anything that could be said on these subjects is 100% speculative. Over the last several years I have been compiling all known writings by those who have carried out A.L.F. actions. I believe at this point I have read the majority of “how it was done” articles, primers, interviews, and communiqués by or with A.L.F. activists. From these writings, it is clear there is no consistency to be found among A.L.F. actions. Each action is as individual as the activists who carry them out. By the very nature of the A.L.F., no 2 cells have communication with each other, and many (if not most) form only to carry out a single action before disbanding permanently. Yet INA, for the benefit of its revenue, perpetuates the myth of a single, non-nebulous “eco-terrorist” group with an operational system that can be studied and mapped. The unpredictability of the A.L.F. is as dangerous to INA as it is to animal abusers - without a cohesive group following a kind of organisational uniformity that can be decoded, there is nothing to analyse, and therefore - nothing to sell.  Talks like “Recognising Improvised Explosive and Incendiary Devices” further highlight INA’s false expert status, fear mongering, and selling of a false hope for prevention. The talk offers information on “devices, methods, and techniques used by extremists during terrorist attacks”. What INA may never tell its clients is that incendiary devices are - as shown by history and mandated by the A.L.F. guidelines - only used in the total absence of humans, and primarily at night. What, then, is the value in knowing how to spot an incendiary device if they are only placed in empty buildings? And what person does not know a container of flammable liquid with either a lit fuse or timer attached is cause for concern? What exactly is INA selling?  Does INA tell its clients there have been only (by my count) 3 incidents of explosives used in the 30+ year history of the animal liberation movement? And, again, that such devices would only be placed far from any humans, and therefore far from anyone to “recognise” them? By furthering lies INA itself must know to be false, it can dupe clients into paying large sums for inaccuracy-riddled “threat assessments” and peddle “the A.L.F. as a cohesive organization” fantasies, while laughing all the way to the bank. By the ignorance of its clients, and the smokescreen of a little internet-sourced, publicly available information, INA can just get by fooling ignorant individuals in the biomedical research and other industries into feeling a little safer under the illusion that if they just place their trust in the predictive ability of INA, they will be safe from an A.L.F. raid.

Fur
In June the German luxury concern Escada announced they would stop selling fur products. This was a false promise. Within the winter collection Escada will sell fur again. Escada abandons certain fur products only; rabbit and karakul will apparently still be part of their collections. We have to assume that Escada's press release was a wilful deceit of the critical public, in order to get rid of legitimate protesting against their business policy. We call on every activist to take part in an action-weekend from Oct 15^th - 17^th.  We want to make our demands clear through varied and strident protests. Organise actions in your cities, mobilise activists in every part of the world and see to it that Escada has no chance left than to abandon every single fur product.  In the meantime contact Escada: write e-mails and letters, in which we state clearly that the use and killing of non-human animals can't be justified. Find contact addresses at the following link: http://antifur-campaign.org/escada_background.php?lang=en

Eskimos could save the traditional sporran industry thanks to a legal loophole that allows them to export sealskin.  An EU-wide ban on the use of sealskin was introduced last month following a long-running campaign from animal welfare groups.  High-quality dress sporrans, an essential part of kilt couture, are made of sealskin and kiltmakers all over Scotland objected to the new law. They have been turning instead to pony hide, cow hide and rabbit skin, but hope they may be able to continue using sealskin if it has been hunted as part of an indigenous culture.  EU law allows the Yupik and Inuit people to sell and export items made from sealskin.  Ian Chisholm, a founding member of the Scottish Kiltmakers' Association, said: "There's a possibility that we may be able to still use the sealskins if they have been hunted as part of traditional culture."  He and other kiltmakers are now in talks to see if the Eskimos can save the traditional sporran. Mr Chisholm, who runs Chisholm Highland Dress in Inverness, said that if a deal was approved it would be a "lifesaver" for the industry, adding: “Nothing beats sealskin. It has a quality of its own. It has a beautiful lustre against the tartans of the kilts.  You can dye the other skins but you can still tell the difference. They do not have the same texture and are not as soft to feel." Supplying sealskin to sporran makers in Scotland would also be a welcome boost to the indigenous people of the Arctic.  A spokesman for Canada’s Eskimo tribes said they were keen to supply the Highland dress industry and that sales would help pay for gas, food and snowmobiles."  Under the terms of the ban, kiltmakers are allowed to sell their current stock of sealskin sporrans, but many expect to sell out within a year. Sporrans worn informally during the day are made of leather, while the more dressy sporrans made for formal occasions are also available in synthetic material featuring mock leather and faux fur.

Sick youths fed horses apples spiked with metal pins and 2-inch-long screws at Rottingdean Riding Stables in E. Sussex. Horses could be ripped to pieces from the inside by eating this fruit. RSPCA bosses admitted they are shocked by the attack – thought to be the first of its kind in the country - and called on local residents to help catch the 'spiteful culprits'. 'You sometimes hear of manes being cut but we have never heard of anything like this.' Sussex Police who are hunting for the culprits are carrying out house-to-house inquiries.  So many more horrible cruelty cases that I could almost fill another paper – kittens drowned ‘cos the woman “couldn’t afford the call to the RSPCA”; emaciated  dog left for dead – he died; dead stray dog, beaten, with mouth taped up – and perpetrator got 18 weeks jail!!!. Sidney, a 19-year-old black pygmy goat, was found dripping in blood after he was attacked for no apparent reason. His horns were pulled out and he had one dislocated leg and another broken in 2 places. He had lived at the Tennyson Horse and Pony Sanctuary in Middleton, Greater Manchester for 10 years.  A woman who dumped a cat in a wheelie bin- she’s in court on 19^th Oct.  A distressed cockerel has been found trapped in a wheelie bin – in an apparent copycat of the attack on dumped cat Lola. The bird, named Freddie, was scooped out of the large container outside a block of flats in Barnwood, Gloucester. Just a small sample.

A Kent breeder who kept dogs in "truly appalling" conditions has been banned from keeping animals for life. Melanie King was found guilty at Sittingbourne Magistrates' Court of causing unnecessary suffering to animals. RSPCA inspectors found more than 70 dogs living in squalor at her business at Whents Farm in Teynham in February. Some of the dogs had untreated medical conditions and were living on soiled and damp bedding, the RSPCA said. King was also sentenced to 140 days in prison, suspended for 12 months. Magistrates ordered her to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 in costs. RSPCA inspector Ray Bailey said: "Melanie King was totally irresponsible.  She had been given previous warnings, but failed to take action to safeguard the animals' welfare. The conditions many of the dogs were kept in were squalid and truly appalling." The RSPCA said Whents Farm now has new owners who have no connection to King.

Jake, a former rescue dog, was on a walk in a park with his owner when a woman's screams were heard in the distance. The fearless hound darted off into a woodland area and found Esmahil Adhami molesting a woman. Jake lunged at Adhami and chased him away - and stayed with the distraught victim, circling her "like he was guarding", until the police arrived. His ‘mum’, Liz Maxter-Bluck, said Jake had been "incredible" during the incident that took place on Hershall Common, Coventry, last July.  The attacker has since been convicted of serious sexual assault and jailed for 4 years. Jake received his bravery award and a medallion from the RSPCA in recognition of his actions.

Rodeo attack on woman
A young woman who entered a corral at the Patriotic Celebration Festival to protest animal cruelty was lassoed and dragged out by rodeo riders, There is little coverage of the event outside the Chilean press (although the Today show did include a brief spot about the video).  The spokesperson for the rodeo federation said that he "regretted what happened," but went on to justify the attitude of the riders.  Word has trickled out that one rodeo rider has been suspended because of the girl's age (she was only 17), but there is no news about whether other charges apply. The fact that rodeo riders thought that it was appropriate to treat an animal rights protester with the same cruelty that they did the animals shows the extent to which people can be desensitised to both the pain of animals and the pain of women.  We can only hope that the rodeo riders who performed this atrocity were punished, but the whole incident indicates a serious lack of respect for both human and animal life.

Calf roping protest
An animal rights charity is calling on the Minister responsible for animal welfare to come down hard on Hunter Valley rodeo organisers who are breaching the Cruelty Act. Animal Liberation says it has footage of rodeos in Cessnock and Stroud where terrified calves are being strangled and dragged for metres.  The charity's Executive Director, Mark Pearson says the DVD has been passed onto police for investigation. Calf roping has just recently been banned in South Australia, it's banned in the A-C-T and it's banned in Victoria.

Mike Roselle and Rod Coronado have known each other for awhile, but it was their Facebook friendship that landed Coronado back in jail. In his younger days, Coronado wreaked a lot of havoc on behalf of animals. As a teenager, he was associated with Sea Shepherd and, in 1986, he caused about $2m in damage when he and a partner destroyed the Hvalfjordur whaling station and sank 2 whaling vessels in protest of Iceland's refusal to comply with the international ban on commercial whaling. He was known for controversial direct action animal liberation, using tactics like arson against cruel industries including fur and animal research. Coronado's story is told in Dean Kuipers' book Operation Bite Back: Rod Coronado's War to Save American Wilderness. Someone suggested that Roselle send a friend request to Coronado and, since he knew the guy, he did. Once the 2 men were linked, Coronado was arrested for being in violation of his parole agreement not to associate with other activists who have a history of violence or condoning violence. Although Coronado had informed his probation officer that his monitored computer had crashed, he was also slapped with a violation for using an unauthorized, unmonitored computer to post on Facebook. He was sentenced to 4 months in prison. Ever since a 1995 arson attack on Michigan State University research facilities, Coronado has moved back and forth between prison and some form of house arrest or parole. A few years ago, he distanced himself from his younger, wilder days in an open letter, which stated: "no longer do I personally choose to represent the cause of peace and compassion in that way." Apparently he hasn't gotten far enough from the activism of his youth to escape the long arm of Facebook. "Guilt by association, that's not really part of our legal system," said fateful Facebook friend Roselle. "This is a flagrant constitutional violation, if you ask me."

Greyhounds
Stuart Mason, a trainer "attached" to Sheffield's Owlerton Stadium and who trains greyhounds at kennels near Wakefield, faces a Greyhound Board of Great Britain inquiry after it was confirmed that his dog Droopys Arshavin tested positive for cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine following a race at Wimbledon on Aug 3^rd. Mason raced the dog again at Sheffield a week later. An international greyhound protection group has said it is angry but not surprised after hearing of the allegations against Mr Mason. "The group's UK Co-ordinator, Tony Peters, said: "Sadly, the doping of racing greyhounds appears to be widespread and most of it goes undetected. "For public relations reasons, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain makes a show of trying to catch offenders and, from time to time, somebody is charged, but this case is really only the tip of a very large iceberg. "Although doping is obviously carried out to defraud bookmakers and other punters, our main concern is the harm it causes to the dogs and the risk to their lives of giving them substances like cocaine. "It is yet another example of how little those in the racing industry care about the dogs they use as money-making commodities. "We are calling on the police to investigate, as a Class A drug has been administered to this greyhound, which is far too serious a matter just to be left to the racing authorities. 2 years ago, a report by investigative group Greyhound Watch branded Owlerton 'one of the most dangerous greyhound tracks in Britain', because of the number of injuries occurring there. An RSPCA report on greyhound racing has stated that 'at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies which do not make the track, or retired dogs aged 3 or 4 - simply disappear, presumed killed'. Anyone wanting to help the campaign to close the Owlerton track, please contact Sheffield Greyhound Action at sheffieldgreyhoundaction@googlemail.com or on 07757 278824.

Rarely do you come across a full and frank viewpoint from the gambling industry but a video of Gordon Bissett – head of Ladbrokes Greyhound Stadia – delivering a speech during a conference organised by the American greyhound racing industry in March of this year said it all. Mr Bissett appeared blissfully unaware his ‘viewpoint’ on the decline of greyhound racing would be placed in the public domain. Feeling the need to reassure his audience, Mr Bissett said "We are still open for business – there were 37 tracks 20 years ago, currently we are down to 26 – so same kind of situation as yourselves. Our attendances have been absolutely hammered. 20 years ago there were 4m race goers attending our tracks. This changed very little up until year 2000 and now over the last 3 years as the recession has started to take a chunk out of everything, in the high street, and retail, our attendances have plummeted quite dramatically – between 2008 and 2009 a 13% decline in attendances. The business itself has changed considerably when the promoters try and bring people in through the gates they have been offering more and more cut-throat packages, cut-throat prices, virtually giving it away, so not only are there fewer tracks there are a lot fewer people coming through the turnstiles" On the subject of breeding – Gordon Bissett dispassionately refers to greyhounds as inanimate objects, stating "Our concern was that the number of tracks declined, that means the numbers of breeding declined. So far, in the UK that isn’t the case. What has happened is that greyhounds have become a lot cheaper – you’ve heard of ‘buy one get one free’, well we have that with the dogs"  One of the most concerning aspects of Mr Bissett’s ‘Viewpoint’ is that of animal welfare laws. Laws he says are "daft" and laughing whilst ridiculing the necessity to humanely kill a lobster rather than placing it in a pan of boiling water. Mr Bissett’s indifference to animal welfare laws doesn’t stop there and he continues to say "The bigger issue for us is the Welfare of Racing Greyhound regulations that came into effect on April 6^th - about 10 pages of daft legislation. Things like ‘you have to be able to observe the greyhound when it’s in a racing kennel’. The integrity of the kennel has been destroyed as a result of that. There are a whole load of things. You know – the vet room has to have about 20 different conditions attached to it!! Um…. a whole load of legislation which has been drafted and decreed by Defra – by people who don’t know anything about greyhound racing" and Mr Bissett further complains that microchipping was "the biggest bear trap that has been set in the new regulations" and it "was supposed to destroy greyhound racing in the UK by making it so difficult to race greyhounds"  We can draw much encouragement from Gordon Bissett’s disclosure of just how dire the situation is for British racing where he concludes "So, in summary, we’ve got a similar industry to yourselves, a falling number of greyhound tracks, we have falling attendance, we have a rapidly declining tote turnover, we have legislation which is being brought in to try and, I think, probably destroy greyhound racing. We have a problem with our media, we have a problem with our PR, we have a problem with our image, but we’re not downhearted, we’re still here, we’re still operating" Recent industry figures further confirms Gordon Bissett’s graphic description of an industry in free fall. This year the bookmaker’s levy saw a reduction from £13.8m to £9.9m – a staggering 30% drop in just 12 months and trainers continue to jump ship amid demands for higher and more costly welfare standards. The total number of licensed trainers published on the GBGB website is now declared at 1066 in comparison to 1216 when the GBGB took office in January 2009 – a fall out of nearly 13%. However, with an estimated 12,000 greyhounds over-bred annually to supply British racing – still going unaccounted for and presumed killed – the campaign to protect greyhounds is far from over.

Our campaign at Belle Vue seems to be having an effect:  BV has opened up 2 more entrances – either to ease traffic flow (unlikely as they don’t appear to be madly busy every week) or to split us up because we were all at one gate so everyone had to pass us, with our leaflets, banners and placards. RGT have been out in force the last 2 weeks to counteract our argument. They brought loads of dogs last Saturday and were very visual. To top it all one of our campaigners was sexually assaulted by one of the punters going in. The Police arrested the man, he was kept in the cells overnight but was not charged as the woman did not want to go to court over it, being upset enough already.

The Swindon racing office, in response to the recent deaths, is reported saying: “No expense is spared ensuring that we have the finest sand and fixtures on the track, plus the best track preparation, veterinary and racing teams in the business.” The “finest” didn’t save Rackethall Kenny, Swift Abel, Wots Er Name and Daytwo, nor will the “finest” prevent thousands of greyhounds getting ‘smashed-up’ across the country every year. Greyhound racing is frequently and wrongly compared with horse racing. The key difference is of course the horses are being controlled. A greyhound runs by instinctive reaction and when the mechanical hare veers sharp left the greyhound veers sharp left regardless of speed. Pitch 6 greyhounds against each other on an oval circuit and it’s a recipe for disaster. And perhaps there lies the attraction for members of the racing fraternity. Will a greyhound get round in one piece and make the winning podium or will it be the greyhound’s last race? I speak with trainers on a regular basis and I have no doubt all are passionate about greyhound racing. I have yet, however, to speak with a single trainer who is passionate about greyhounds. For that reason I do not expect the industry to ever change, fundamentally, the nature of greyhound racing in Britain.  Clive Ellis Greyhound Watch  Extract from an oval circuit critique article published in Dog News

Lush Cosmetics is launching an in-store campaign "to highlight the cruelty that is going on in greyhound racing". The campaign, which will run in more than 90 Lush stores throughout the UK and Ireland from Oct 11^th - 17^th, is aimed at helping Greyhound Action in our mission to educate the public about the problems with betting on greyhound racing and going to the tracks. Lush's most important date and time for the greyhounds is Wed Oct 13^th at 12 noon, when the media will be invited to stores that are running the campaign. Lush shop assistants will be wearing running numbers and carrying placards saying "Don't bet on it! Help end greyhound racing!" and customers will be invited to join in and try to win a small prize by participating in a human race. Where possible, Lush would also like rescued greyhounds to be present.

Toxin warning for dogs: Xylitol. A sugar-free sweetener called Xylitol has recently been shown to be very toxic to dogs. Xylitol is present in many baked goods, desserts, toothpastes, other oral care products, and sugar-free gums and candies. Doses as low as 0.6 grams per pound of body weight have caused severely low blood sugars and acute liver failure.

The Pope
During his 27 years as head of Rome's Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the then Cardinal Ratzinger not only ignored various reports of child abuse by Catholic priests, despite child protection being one of his worldwide responsibilities but the revision of the Catholic Church's Catechism was also carried out under his direction. Amazingly, the new wording virtually eliminated any mention of the animal world, except to give specific approval of cruel and pointless animal experiments and the use of animals for human recreation (for example bullfighting, hunting and the barbaric religious festivals at which animals are tortured and put to death in Church-dominated countries). The Pope has the power to end so much human and animal suffering by uttering just a few words - but chooses not to do so. He will surely be remembered in history not for his brilliant theology, but for his betrayal of our fellow creatures and his indifference towards the suffering of helpless children.

An Italian town has been forced to cancel its donkey race, which dates back to the Middle Ages, after campaigners said the event was cruel to the animals. The donkeys and their riders represent each of the 5 "contrade" or districts of the town of Fenegro and compete to win a silk banner.  It is one of dozens of "palios" or traditional races held throughout Italy, the most famous of which takes place twice a year in Siena, in Tuscany, attracting tens of thousands of tourists.   Last month, Italy's tourism minister caused a row after suggesting that Italy should ban palios, in which, she claimed, animals were frequently injured. Michela Brambilla said that festivals and pageants in which animals were ridden or chased through medieval towns and villages harmed Italy's image abroad.  Fenegro, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, had to cancel last Sunday's donkey race after Italy's Anti-Vivisection League invoked animal cruelty legislation introduced last year, persuading local authorities to withdraw permission for it to be held. Under the law, anyone found guilty of organising an event which involves suffering to animals can be imprisoned for up to 2 years (more than the UK does) and fined between €3,000 and €15,000. The League suggested instead that the annual race could go ahead in future if jockeys were prepared to dress up in donkey costumes.  A town councillor, Enrico Cantaluppi, said the event was cancelled due to "logistical and technical problems" as well as the League's challenge. He denied that the race put the donkeys at risk and said the future of the event was still being debated. "We will have to see what we can do next year," he said.

Bangkok's rooftop zoo
Animal welfare groups face a battle to close Pata zoo, where more than 200 species live out their days in appalling conditions. There are no trees in "King Kong's" 15 x 10 metres concrete enclosure, just a tyre and a few ropes hanging from the low ceiling. He moves little, spending long hours sitting at the front of his pen, gripping the iron bars. 10 metres away, a lone penguin stands in an air-conditioned pen, next to a pool of water, which is smaller than a bath and nowhere near deep enough for him to swim in. A few years ago, there were a dozen penguins, but only this one survives. Bangkok's Pata zoo sits atop the department store that shares its name, on a busy road in the northern suburbs of Bangkok. Crammed into cages and pens across the 6^th & 7^th floor of the ageing building are more than 200 species: a menagerie of pythons, turtles, flamingos, monkeys, leopards, tigers, bears, and even a Shetland pony. From the rooftop enclosures, you can see the advertising billboards and office blocks next door, while traffic roars past below. The director of the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, Edwin Wiek, wants the zoo closed: "Basically, it is an animal prison on top of a shopping mall. The space is too small, the animals have very little room, there is very little sunlight, the enclosures are dirty, they smell bad, and people are coming past all day, getting far too close, which makes the animals extremely stressed. In 200 steps you can see 50 different species. Most people know that this is not an acceptable way to keep animals. It is a hell for animals." Thailand, like much of S.E. Asia, faces myriad animal welfare issues: cockfighting remains a popular, hardly-underground spectator sport, elephants are still put to work on the traffic-choked streets of Bangkok, and the city remains a hub for smuggling animals across the world. Last month a sedated tiger cub was discovered in a bag at Suvarnabhumi airport disguised amongst soft animal toys. But Pata zoo reflects the fundamental problem: a lack of legislation regarding animal welfare. The zoo is breaking no laws. The animals were all obtained legally, and the zoo's licence was recently extended. All the same, staff don't like the animals being filmed or photographed in their cages. The Guardian visited twice to obtain its footage, and both times we were encouraged to move on if we stayed too long at one enclosure. "There are no rules or regulations to say how much space each animal needs," said the director, Kanit Sermsirimongkol. "It's not about space, it's about the way in which you treat the animals. The space that we provide to the animals is enough for them to freely move around, and to exercise. The zoo has a vet to take care of the animals. And we have many species of animals successfully breeding, which shows the animals are healthy and well-managed." Kanit says the zoo is a respite for people looking to escape the "concrete jungle" of Bangkok and to "reconnect with nature" (There’s REAL nature about 15 minutes outside Bangkok!). He says the animals are especially popular with children. Earlier this year, Thailand's ministry of natural resources and environment declared its support in principle for a universal declaration on animal welfare, and a draft act on the prevention of cruelty to animals has been written, but in Thailand's current unstable political climate, the legislation is unlikely to be passed. "There is an animal welfare law in Thailand, but it is very simple, very ineffective, and is rarely enforced," Wiek said. "It says only that if you torture an animal, you can be fined. And the maximum is 1,000 baht (£20). That's not a tool, that's a joke." Pata zoo has been in Bangkok for nearly 30 years, but attitudes towards animal welfare are changing. Business is slow. During the 3hours the Guardian spent there, there were barely 20 visitors. The lunchtime "performance", featuring primates who lift weights, ride bicycles, and fight with knives, drew fewer than a dozen people to an auditorium built for several hundred. The building is tired and run down, latches are broken on empty cages, abandoned enclosures are filthy. A handful of jackals, held in a tiny concrete room, are barely visible through the grimy viewing window. Across a narrow corridor from King Kong, 2 orangutans share a sparse enclosure, concreted on all sides apart from the iron bars at the front. Here, too, there are no trees or any greenery. The orangutans have learned to beg for food, reaching their long arms through the bars of their cage, clapping their hands as they shriek at visitors. Several years ago there was a second indoor zoo in Bangkok, but all the animals died when the building caught fire, said Roger Lohanan, chairman of Thailand's animal guardian association. "Pata is an old building. If the zoo caught fire, those animals would all die. There is no way to get them out." His organisation has successfully lobbied other shopping centres and hotels to abandon plans for indoor zoos, but campaigning to close the zoo at Pata has foundered on a lack of legal support. "We are fighting a losing battle in animal welfare in Thailand, because anything that can make money is acceptable. When we explain the problems to people, they agree with us, but they go on doing it because the law is on their side."

The Pennsylvania homeland security office is in the news and receiving a heavy dose of well deserved scrutiny. It seems the office has been distributing anti-terrorism bulletins to state police and other public officials. The "terrorist activities" targeted by the bulletins have included such dire threats to public safety as anti-BP candlelight vigils, peaceful demonstrations by anti-war groups, gay and lesbian festivals, a screening of the documentary "Gasland," and an animal rights protest at a Montgomery County rodeo. Governor Ed Rendell has apologized, but continues to support James Powers, his homeland security director. Powers, who authorised spending $125,000 of the state's money for the information contained in the bulletins, said his office is charged with preventing damage to critical infrastructure in the state. He did not explain exactly how protests against a local rodeo amounted to threats against critical infrastructure. Full article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/what-is-the-difference-be_1_b_720012.html

The release of some 5,000 mink from Anderson’s Mink Farm near Ardara in Co Donegal is being investigated by gardaí while locals search for the hundreds of animals that remain on the loose. The owners of the mink farm are blaming “animal liberation terrorists” after the animals were freed in what they claim was a deliberate attack. Some 32,000 mink were in the cages which were cut. Animal rights organisations contacted by The Irish Times said that they had not heard about the incident and did not know if animal rights activists were involved. “We have nothing do with it. However, I commend whoever risked their freedom to do this as these animals have a horrendous life,” said Bernie Wright of the Alliance for Animal Rights. She said the incident may have been “strategically timed” before animals were killed in the next few months.

Red/grey squirrels - As Scottish Wildlife Trust and its partners set about hosting “Red Squirrel Week”, it will be seen by many that the ”native” red squirrel has become a focus for tourism and grey squirrels are paying the price with their lives. But is the claim that the red squirrel is “native” to Scotland, or even the British Isles, something the can be backed up by evidence or is it just another Nessie Monster myth dressed in red squirrel fur? There is no fossil evidence that the red squirrel species was ever "native" to this country.. A recent Freedom of Information request to Scottish Natural Heritage regarding their claim on one of their websites that the red squirrel has been "part of Scottish fauna for thousands of years and has been present ever since" resulted in the astonishing admission that, "we can confirm we do not have on file the information which underpinned the original sentences supplied by the Contractor" - un-named of course. So the foremost national heritage organisation in the country, Scottish Natural Heritage, cannot back up claims made in one of its own websites from any source whatsoever - but that's not surprising as it is impossible to prove a myth. In reality, rather than in the prejudiced world of pseudo science, backing political and economic greed, all squirrels irrespective of their colour are as much native to where they are born as we are, and when an individual grey squirrel is clubbed to death it is not a “species” that is being attacked but a real live animal undeserving of its fate. Extract from a letter by Angus Macmillan, Dunbartonshire

The past month has kept animal rights groups in Egypt busier than usual with filing a lawsuit against a pet store, pushing legislation through parliament and dealing with dolphin cruelty. The Egyptian Society of Animal Friends (ESAF) and the Egyptian Society of Mercy to Animals (ESMA) are suing the Egyptian Agriculture Ministry in an effort to put an end to their use of strychnine to poison and kill stray animals as well as shooting and killing them with the use of guns. “We had submitted legislation to the government 4 years ago to stop this tactic and apply international methods to stabilize the population and sterilize the strays, but it has yet to be looked at,” said Ahmed Sherbiny, head of ESAF and lawyer in the lawsuit. “We tried multiple times to communicate with the government and work together, but nothing has happened so now we are fed up and need to take action. This is our only solution.”

About 5,000 people marched through the streets of downtown Bogota to commemorate World Animal Day, the date when Colombian activists concentrate their criticism of the government for its lack of interest in these living creatures. Carrying coffins, crippled pets and signs protesting animal abuse, the activists demonstrated against such practices as bullfighting and abandoning pets. “The government sponsors killing and mistreatment,” the Colombian Pro-animals Foundation representative Fabiola Blanco said. “Societies as violent as Colombia’s should not tolerate cruel events like bullfighting. “Animals are our little brothers and they need a lot of love and affection”. The commemorative march was held in several cities around the country.  Seems like they can get more people onto the streets than we can!!!

Obituaries

Emma & Mr Johnson – my lovely rats, passed away within 4 days of each other.  Mr Johnson was given to me by Karen from Portslade Animal Rescue after he’d been left at her vet’s to be “put to sleep”, probably because he was a biter!  Emma was abandoned in a flat after the people were evicted.  She had a mammary tumour and was very nervous.  Her tumour was successfully operated on. I carefully introduced her to Mr Johnson as he was already very old and not able to get around too well.  They became close friends.  Over the last few weeks Emma went down hill and Mr Johnson stayed close to her until she passed peacefully away.  He slept in the spot she died that night.  Over the next 2 days he slowly deteriorated, as though he’d given up now his friend was gone.  He died at home on 11^th October and he is buried next to her in my garden.  Sue (Editor)

Greyhound deaths
A veteran greyhound racing enthusiast has vowed to "give up the game" after 6 greyhounds were "put down" following serious injuries at Manchester's Belle Vue dog track in just over a week. The man, who said he had raced dogs at the stadium for half his life, contacted Greyhound Action after a 2 year old dog, called Ballyverry Rock, was "put down" after being badly injured in a race the previous evening. The man, who asked for his name not to be divulged, said the dog's death was "the final straw" for him, after witnessing 5 fatal injuries to greyhounds at Belle Vue the previous weekend. Greyhound Action's UK Co-ordinator, Tony Peters, said: "This gentleman contacted us, in a state of obvious distress, on Sunday, "He claimed the Belle Vue track had become 'more dangerous than ever' and that 6 greyhounds had been 'put down', following serious injuries during races there in just over a week. "He said he'd raced greyhounds at the track for half his life, but these latest fatalities were the 'final straw' and he was 'giving up the game' because of lack of concern by the racing industry for the welfare of the dogs. "He asked us not to reveal his personal details, saying he'd be 'lynched', if 'certain people' involved with greyhound racing at Belle Vue discovered he'd been in touch with us. "He didn't give the names of the 5 greyhounds who lost their lives the previous weekend, but we've been able to confirm, through other sources within the dog racing community, that his information was correct. "3 of the dogs were Clubbing Night (age 3), who broke his leg after falling on Friday, and Trinket Man and Sliding Bog (both age 2), who both suffered serious leg injuries on Saturday. "The other 2 are thought to be Melted Guide (age 3), who was involved in a collision with 2 other dogs on Friday and Mystic Marauder (also age 3) who fell during a race on Saturday. "Toosey Fiona (age 2) sustained a serious leg injury (broken hock) during a trial race on Bank Holiday Monday, but her fate remains unknown. "This Week of Slaughter follows the death of Dave the Twist (age 3) 'put down' after suffering a bad hock injury on August 12^th.  "The tragic deaths of all these dogs is nothing new, as we have received a large number of reports in recent months of greyhounds losing their lives at Belle Vue Stadium, after being badly injured on the track. "Although these injuries are serious, in almost all cases the dogs could have been saved and they would have gone on to live happy lives following veterinary treatment, but they were put to death because they would no longer have been suitable for racing. "Thousands of injuries to greyhounds, many of them serious, occur every year in Britain. The main reason for this is that the shape of the tracks, with fast straights leading into tight bends, creates a very dangerous environment for dogs to run in. "In addition, hundreds of other greyhounds, bred because of the demand created by Belle Vue, are put to death as puppies or young dogs, before they even make it to the track, after being judged unsuitable for racing. "According to recent research, more than 12,000 greyhounds, bred for the British racing industry, are 'put down' every year, after failing to make the grade as racers or when their 'careers' on the tracks come to an end. "An RSPCA report on greyhound racing has stated that 'at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies which do not make the track, or retired dogs aged 3 or 4 - simply disappear, presumed killed'. "Members of the public can help put an end to this horrific situation by not attending dog tracks or betting on greyhound racing, so this appalling death-industry fades away through lack of financial support." Local Greyhound Action supporters hold regular demos outside Belle Vue as part of a campaign to get the track closed down. If you would like to support them, please contact Greyhound Action North-West at greyhoundactionnorthwest@hotmail.co.uk or on 07952 238592.

Month of carnage at Swindon
After learning that 4 dogs were fatally injured in races at the Blunsdon track last month, demands for an end to dog racing at Swindon Greyhound Stadium have flooded in. On July 7^th, Rackethall Kenny, age 2, fell after he was involved in a pile up with 3 other dogs on the second bend and, 2 days later, another 2 year old, Swift Abel, fell at the same bend and was carried from the track with a serious leg injury. On July 30^th, a 2 year old female, called Wots Er Name, also fell at the second bend and, the following day, 6 year old Daytwo fell after a collision with 2 other greyhounds at the first bend.  All 4 dogs were so seriously injured that the track vet decided that they should be "put down". Campaign group Greyhound Action, which claims to have received the information from a sympathiser working at the stadium, is calling for the dog track to be closed. The group's UK Co-ordinator, Tony Peters, said "We were informed of this appalling carnage by an employee at the track, who has become increasingly disturbed about the suffering and slaughter of dogs caused by the greyhound racing industry." He also told us that there were concerns about a recent deterioration of the racing surface at the track, which may have contributed to these tragic incidents. YOU BET THEY DIE…

Mass surveillance project revealed
Statewatch, the civil liberties body that monitors the EU, has gained access to Council of Ministers Conclusions that reveal that Brussels now wants law enforcement agencies in its member countries to build lists of political activists as part of a 'systematic data collection'. Those responsible in the member countries for acquiring the information on 'agents of radicalisation' have been sent by the EU a 'data compilation instrument' that includes a list of 70 questions they are requested to answer. Democracy Movement 7 July

Cat dumped in wheelie bin
Mary Bale stroked a cat as she passed it and then picked it up by the scruff of the neck and dumped it in a wheeliebin. She told the Sun newspaper: "I really don't see what everyone is getting so excited about it's just a cat. I don't know what came over me, but I suddenly thought it would be funny to put it in the wheelie bin, which was right beside me." The cat, which was trapped for 15 hours, emerged unscathed but the footage posted on social networking site Facebook provoked viewer outrage. The Manns found the trapped 4-year-old cat when they heard her cries on Sunday morning. When they looked through their CCTV footage they were shocked to discover it was a middle-aged woman that had put Lola in the bin, and not drunken yobs as they suspected. The RSPCA said it was "appalled" by Ms Bale's actions.  It will send Bale’s case out to prosecutors. Bale faces being charged under the Animal Welfare Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months in prison.  Police did not arrest Ms Bale because she “did not commit a criminal offence”.  Mary Bale - was offered police protection because of the "level of vitriol against her".

Bolt guns
Journalist Nick Mays has written an article for 'Your Dogs' magazine - questioning whether the use of bolt guns to destroy dogs is socially acceptable. The slaughterer requires no formal training or a licence to own what is effectively a lethal and dangerous weapon. A 12 month campaign by Many Tears Animal Rescue and German Shepherd Rescue following the destruction of 10 German shepherd dogs has forced the RSPCA to announce it is suspending the use of captive bolt guns. Greytexploitations contributed to the article with an account of a greyhound that had sustained a traumatic injury following – to what we believe to be - a botched attempt to destroy with the use of a bolt gun. To read the full article and Milton's story www.greytexploitations.com/resources-and-reports/a-license-to-kill

Lewis Pogson was recently released on licence from a sentence of 3 years imprisonment in connection with alledged offences at Highgate Farm, breeders of rabbits and ferrets for vivisection, based in Lincolnshire. We have heard that Lewis has now been re-arrested, apparently for breaching his parole conditions, and that he is currently in Brixton Prison. Please write to him. Lewis Pogson (A6454AK) HMP Brixton Jebb Avenue Brixton London SW2 5XF

An investigation is under way after about 100 dead animals were found dumped in Cripps River in Somerset.  The gruesome discovery was made by a member of the public who spotted a cage on the bank. A spokesman from Secret World wildlife rescue centre said the passerby had seen live and dead ferrets and dead chickens and geese in the water. They called the nearby centre which reported it to the Environment Agency (EA) and the police. A police spokesman said the RSPCA was carrying out an investigation. The EA cleared and disposed of the bodies. Pauline Kidner, from Secret World, based at East Huntspill, said live ferrets had been in a cage with dead chickens and a dead cat, which they had been eating. She said it was thought the culprit could not dispose of the bodies in any other way. A live kitten found at the scene had been found a home and several ferrets were being looked after at the centre.

Collection Boxes OK
At a day long hearing at Brighton magistrates court, Tony Greenstein was found not guilty of collecting money contrary to s.5 of the Factories and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1916. Magistrates decided that because the Council's implementing regulations stipulate that each collector has to have their own collection box, Mr Greenstein could not be guilty of being a ‘collector’ under the Act.  On most stalls there is usually just one tin.    The Defence argued strongly that the effect of making stalls apply for a collection permit, when permits are only for one off events or at most a series of events, would be to make it more difficult to run campaigns such as Palestine Solidarity Campaign, No War/Solidarity Groups as well as the many ad-hoc groups who spring up over the building of a new supermarket etc. The Council’s witness, Sara-Jane McNaught, was unable to comment on whether the Council itself had correctly implemented the Act and was forced to resile from crucial parts of her own evidence. It was abundantly clear that the reason for the Police action, when Brighton PSC has run a stall a stall without police objecting to a collection tin for a decade, was that Brighton PSC had set up their stall alongside EDO-MBM, the group whose activists were recently acquitted of criminal damage for ‘decomissioning’ an arms factory. The Police believed that both stalls were one and the same. PC Dodd, who carried out the confiscation, and the undercover officer in charge, Sgt Baker, had at best a hazy knowledge of the law in question or even the existence of implementing regulations having only been briefed that same morning.  PSC was caught in the middle of an undercover operation the Police had mounted against Smash EDO. The case of course sets no precedent other than in Brighton & Hove itself.   What it does mean is that the Police will now think twice about harassing stalls using their collection box as a pretext.

Burnt dog suspected to have been used for dog fighting
The burnt body of an American bull dog has been found in Sherburn-in-Elmet, N. Yorkshire with injuries consistent with dog fighting. The un-neutered male was spotted by a member of the public walking his dogs in woodland off Laith Staid Lane on 16 Aug. RSPCA inspector Gill Corder said: “It was a horrendous sight for anyone to come across. Almost all his coat had gone and he had blood coming from his mouth. There were puncture wounds on his legs and a gash on his face. He had extensive bruising to his stomach. It seems very likely that he’s been used for dog-fighting.” The dog had been set on fire where he was found, probably some time on Sunday. It appears that he has been laid on the ground and had the fire built around him as his underside wasn’t burnt. It’s not known whether he was still alive at the time, or not. He was micro-chipped but the person who the microchip was registered to had given him away. His subsequent owner had done the same. RSPCA inspector Corder said: “From speaking to them we know that the dog was called ‘Duke’. He was white and grey and aged about 2-years-old.  “His last known owner was called Alan from the Harehills area of Leeds. We want to hear from anyone who can help put us in touch with him as a matter of urgency.” Any information call the RSPCA 24-hour cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 and leave a message for inspector Corder.

Rabbit hutches sold by Britain's largest retail chains are so small that they are tantamount to animal cruelty and could cause owners to inadvertently break the law, the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) warned. With greater numbers of rabbits being sold as children's pets during the school holidays, they urged retailers to improve their hutches. Britain's largest specialist rabbit welfare charity, the RWAF said Argos and Homebase, for example, both sold a £70 hutch that is only 77cm long but is marketed as big enough to allow rabbits to "stretch on their hind legs and run freely".  Please contact Argos and Homebase and any other large chain you know that sell  prisons for small animals  - they may bow to public pressure....Homebase state - "You can find out about some of the practical ways in which we try to be socially, ethically and environmentally responsible. Homebase Ltd., Customer Services Dept,  Acton Gate, Stafford, ST18 9AR. Tel: 0845 077 8888 info@homebase.co.uk Argos - http://www.argos.co.uk/static/StaticDisplay/includeName/ContactUs.htm

Shocking Swedish mink farm exposé
Animal rights activists have uncovered evidence of animal cruelty in Swedish mink farms, and are calling on the government to ban the rearing of mink for fur. The Animal Rights Alliance (Djurrättsalliansen) has for the past 18 months documented conditions at 16 Swedish fur farms. Photos taken at the farms show mink that have bitten each other to death and cages containing the bodies of dead animals. The alliance is now calling on politicians to act: “We argue that all mink farmers are breaking animal welfare laws and that the regulations are not compatible with our animal welfare laws. Given that these breaches of the law have been allowed to continue for 22 yrs, we argue that this is no longer a case for police and animal welfare inspectors, but for politicians,” said a spokeswoman for Djurrättsalliansen. “We argue that rearing minks is morally abhorrent and should be banned immediately,” she said. Flyren said the organisation had not yet decided whether to push for prosecution of the offending mink farmers: “This is more a political question than a matter for the police. If you have such serious breaches of the animal protection laws at 20% of mink farms, then it’s pretty representative of mink farms in general. We want a ban, that’s all we’re going to argue for,” she said. The activists have said they will not cooperate with legal investigations into their break-ins at Swedish mink farms. “We admit that we did it, but we won’t reveal the identities of our research teams. We view it as vital to keep that to ourselves. Full details of the investigation can be found here:- www.sveketmotminkarna.se/horror-revealed-swedish-fur-farms

Greece: Fur farms raided, 50,000 minks set loose
A statement from local police says the break-ins occurred Fri & Sat near the city of Kastoria, which is the centre of Greece's fur industry. Regional TV channels showed farm employees chasing the animals with fishing nets on Monday. The National Fur Breeders' Association says most of the released animals are likely to die in the late-August heat (rather than in the fur farm?). It says the cost to the farm owners could pass €1 million.

This year's anti-fur week of action will take place between Nov 13^th - 20^th, including the National Anti-Fur March on the 13^th Nov in London, (see diary dates listing for details). During the rest of the week there will be fur demos and actions, info stalls and other events throughout the country, please contact CAFT if you would like to take part or if you would like to organise your own event or help out with your local group during the week of action. Hold a protest at a shop which sells fur, though sometimes they can be persuaded to remove fur items beforehand. Hold an information stall in your town - contact CAFT for ideas and info material. Or write a letter to local and national press, highlighting the cruelty of the fur trade. Please keep an eye on the website for developments and start preparing now the week of action. www.caft.org.uk/furweek/fur-week2010.htm

Dogs gassed
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (Paws) has been calling for a ban on gassing dogs. Welfare groups have asked the Government to change a decision in June that allowed dogs to be killed with exhaust fumes. Anna Cabrera, of Paws, said that a lethal injection was the most humane method but it was costly. Often up to 8 dogs at a time are shut in a metal box that has a hose connecting it to a car’s exhaust. It can take up to 10 minutes for the dogs to die. More than 27,000 dogs are put down in the Philippines each month. The Times 7 Aug

Wildlife campaigner drowns squirrel
Norris Atthey drowned a grey squirrel in a challenge to the RSPCA to bring charges against him. He is founder of The Morpeth Red Squirrel action group which has culled more than 500 grey squirrels in 2 yrs. He was furious when Raymond Elliot was prosecuted by the RSPCA last month for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after he drowned a squirrel in a water butt. Elliot admitted the charge and was given a conditional  discharge and  ordered to pay £1,547 costs. The matter is going to appeal. Mr. Atthey said he had killed the grey squirrel to show that drowning was a humane method of culling. Mr Atthey said “ the death of the squirrel was over in seconds, quicker than his usual method of shooting them, and minimal distress was caused to the animal. 'I submerged this grey squirrel for a few seconds in the water and it was dead within 30 seconds. Of approximately 250 greys that I have killed, that has been the quickest method. Normally it can take up to 3 minutes. The usual method is shooting them. 90% have been one off shots, but it is still possible you might miss or not kill it properly. Another method is to transfer a grey into a hessian sack and hit it with a  club”' Mr. Atthey said he will wait to see if any legal action is taken against him before drowning another squirrel. The RSPCA refused to comment on the incident due to the ongoing legal case in Burton . A fact sheet on grey squirrels from the charity says killing them should only be considered as a last resort if there is a serious problem and alternative means of control are ineffective or impractical. It warns that killing is unlikely to be a long term solution and that it is an offence if any unnecessary suffering is caused to captured animals. Natural England advises that grey squirrels can be run into a sack and killed by a sharp blow to the head, or shot in a cage, but trapped squirrels should not be drowned as it is inhumane. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is illegal to release grey squirrels or allow them to escape into the wild. An N.E. spokesperson said 'The animal Welfare Act 2006 protects "animals under the control of man" and so squirrels in traps or cages would be covered. 'This Act prohibits causing unnecessary suffering to such animals. 'It would be for the courts to decide whether the method of killing, be it drowning or any other method, caused any suffering and if so this was unnecessary or not in any particular case brought before them.' Daily Mail 12 Aug

South Korea gets tough
Authorities in Seoul have stated they will toughen punishment for animal abusers after a series of pet cruelty cases provoked public outrage. Offenders could be penalised with a prison term of up to 18 months or fines of up to $12,800 under revised animal protection law proposed by the agriculture ministry. Under current law, offenders can only be fined and there is no option of a jail term. If approved by parliament, the new law will take effect next year. In January public uproar was sparked by a video clip aired on TV, which showed several loose dogs with burns on their eyes and skins and with their claws plucked out. One dog had razor blades in her stomach. An arrested suspect later confessed to cruel treatment of the dogs. In another case, a 24 yr woman was indicted last month for beating a neighbourhood cat to death. Her arrest came after closed circuit video footage was posted on the Internet by the cat's owner, showing the woman repeatedly kicking and trampling on the animal with her high heels, before throwing it against the floor. About 17 % of South Korean households keep pets, mostly dogs, and local animal activists have complained the current legal framework is not enough to protect the growing number of pets. Google 11 Aug

New law for India
A new law for animal welfare is to come into effect in place of the existing law protecting animals against cruelty. "We will have a new comprehensive law for animal welfare prescribing steep penalties for cruelty against the animals," Environment and Forest minister Jairam Ramesh said. The existing penalty is only R50 prescribed in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the only private member's bill accepted by the government in history of independent India. In the proposed law, the environment ministry is likely to recommend measures for authorities and animal keepers to ensure their welfare. A few such regulations have already been intended through draft notification of rules on breeding of dogs and fishes and regulations for pet shops. Ramesh agreed with animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi that the existing penalty was not adequate and had not acted as deterrent against cruelty to animals. To check this, the ministry will also be sending an advisory to state governments to prevent animal sacrifice during Dusherra festival.  "We will definitely send an advisory asking states to ban animal sacrifice as done in some states," the minister added. 6 states in India have now banned animal sacrifice during festivals.  Hindustan Times 12 Aug

A bull leapt out of the arena at a bullring in northern Spain and charged into a crowd of terrified spectators, injuring some 30 people. Spanish public television showed dramatic images of screaming spectators, including children, frantically trying to avoid the animal after it hurdled a security barrier that surrounds the arena as well as a fence and clambered into the crowded stands. The incident occurred in Tafalla, in the Navarra region. Some 30 people were injured. Most suffered cuts and bruises or shock, but one man was gored in the back and a 10-year-old boy was being examined at a hospital in nearby Pamplona after suffering multiple bruises. Several employees of the bullring finally managed to get control of the bull after about 15 minutes, and it was killed and removed by a crane. The incident did not take place during a traditional bullfight but during a contest of "recortadores", in which participants try to avoid the bull while staying as close to it as possible. Mundotoro, a Spanish website that specialises in bullfighting, said the bull was about to be removed from the arena as it was under-performing when it decided to leap into the crowd. Such incidents are very unusual at bullfights. Although the animals occasionally manage to clamber over the security barrier they very rarely get into the stands. Wednesday's incident came amid intense debate in Spain over bullfighting in Spain. Catalonia became the first part of mainland Spain to ban the practice. And in a recent opinion poll, 60% of Spaniards said they do not like the spectacle, which ends with the death of the bull from a well-placed sword. Navarra, where Tafalla is located, is famous for the traditional "running of the bulls" in the regional capital of Pamplona. Dozens of people are injured each year when the runners try to outrace bulls which charge through the old town's narrow streets to a bullring where a bullfight is staged.

Spanish protest - Members of Anima Naturalis, Equanimal foundation and CAS-International pro animal groups create a giant bull shape with their painted bodies during a protest against bullfighting in front of the Guggenheim Bilbao museum, in the Basque City of Bilbao.

Other bull abuse
In village festivals taking place in N.E. Spain, an iron structure containing balls of flammable material is attached to the horns of a bull and set alight, and the animal is let loose on the streets, where it dashes about - often to the deafening sound of firecrackers - while local people tease and dodge it. Such spectacles, known as correbous (bull runs), remain popular in some parts of Catalonia, which in July became the first region on the Spanish mainland to ban bullfights. The ban, effective from 2012, was a victory for Catalan animal rights campaigners, who are determined to see an end to other bull spectacles, though they are usually not meant to lead to the death of the animal. “We do not know how long it will take to outlaw the correbous, but we shall continue campaigning against them,” said Dora Casado of the tiny Anti-Bullfighting Party (Pacma). Spectacles featuring bulls are popular almost all over Spain. The most famous of them are the Pamplona bull runs, in which men run alongside fighting bulls in a July event drawing up to a million tourists to the northern city. Similar runs are held in many places. Other spectacles involve throwing darts at bulls, killing them with lances or chasing them with cars until they die, said Ms. Casado. “In some places, bulls are given electric shocks, even though that is illegal,” she said. The most popular types of Catalan correbous are the “fire bull” and the “tied bull”. In the latter, “the bull is pulled through the streets with ropes while people follow it, shouting, pulling its tail, giving it kicks and blows with sticks,” she says. The bull is not killed in either of the 2 spectacles, but it is subjected to such stress that some die of heart attacks, according to Ms. Casado. Those defending the correbous, however, stress the good life of fighting bulls, which are raised on expansive pastures. “These animals work only 2 days a year” when participating in spectacles, bull breeder Pedro Fumado told the daily La Vanguardia. “They live ... like kings.” The fire bulls and tied bulls “are not just entertainment, but a feeling that emerges from the blood of our ancestors,” said Miquel Ferre, a representative of associations of bull spectacle fans in the Ebro region of S. Catalonia. “It is time to show off all our pride in the bulls,” said Manel Ferre, mayor of Amposta, one of the localities where correbous are the most popular. The municipality of Amposta and local bull associations are spending $115,000 on 42 festive events featuring bulls this summer, La Vanguardia reported. Animal rights activists “will not defeat us,” said Miquel Ferre, whose companions were collecting signatures and prepared a manifesto in defence of the spectacles. Ms. Casado claimed that few Catalans outside a few localities in the south took an interest in bull spectacles. However, she admitted that correbous were more popular than bullfights, and that it was too early to seek a ban against them in the Catalan Parliament. The regional Parliament is, however, planning to adopt animal treatment rules that would limit the duration of the spectacles and thus reduce the stress of the bulls. The fire bull will be limited to 15 minutes and the tied bull to 60 minutes. “That is better than nothing,” said Ms. Casado.

Puppies die in cargo hold
7 puppies have died after flying in the cargo hold of an American Airlines plane. The company said it was investigating the incident. It appears that the animals died from heatstroke after the plane was delayed on the tarmac for about an hour. When they were removed from the hold they were listless. The puppies were taken to a vet but later died. An airline spokesperson said that a shipping company had put 14 puppies aboard Flight 851, which was scheduled to leave Tulsa at 6:30am but was delayed for an hour by storms in Chicago. American Airlines states on its website that it won't carry warm blooded animals if the actual or forecast temperature is above 85F (29C). As the plane sat on the tarmac in Tulsa , it was already 86 degrees before 7am, according to the National Weather Service. The cargo holds carrying animals are routinely kept between 50F and 70F. Baggage handlers taking the puppies to a kennel area at O'Hare Airport grew concerned because they looked lethargic. Employees tried to cool down the dogs, and they were taken to a vet's office, 5 died initially and 2 others died later.  Several of the puppies were also headed to connecting flights. In guidelines to customers, American says it reserves the right to refuse to ship aggressive animals or one that "does not appear fit to travel." It also says it won't take dogs or cats that have been sedated. It asks shippers about each animal's breed, size and age. Spokesperson for the airline said she didn't know the breed or breeds of the dead puppies.  Daily Telegraph 6 Aug

Plan halted to kill diseased dogs
Argentine officials have dropped their plans to kill over 1,000 diseased dogs in Neuquen city after animal rights groups protested the move. City councillors had planned to kill some 1,100 dogs infected with a bacterial disease.  Some 220 dogs would have been killed daily.  Dogs transmit the Leptospirosis disease through urine. It was detected after 2 people were infected with the disease a month ago in Neuquen, some 1,100 km south of Buenos Aires. However, the government has now dropped its slaughter plan and would instead neuter the dogs and put them up for adoption. Dumpsites, where these dogs lived, are being sanitized. Animal rights groups had staged demonstrations across the country to protest the decision. Sindh Today 2 Aug

Instant Karma
A vile cat killer has had his jaw broken in an ‘apparent’ revenge attack. Anthony Docherty was jumped and battered by 2 strangers before a passing motorist stopped to help him… He was finally jailed for 8 months last year for mutilating cats at his home in Clarkston, Glasgow. He was attacked in Barrhead, Renfrewshire where he was rehoused following his release after threats were made against him. Docherty was jostled and heckled as he left Paisley Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to cruelty in May 2009. The court heard how he pulled the tail off one puss and decapitated and scalped others. 3 cat skulls were also found in his garden Scottish Sun 1 July   NO PLACE TO HIDE ...

Noah's Ark to build UK's biggest elephant enclosure
Elephants are set to be the next big animal project for Noah's Ark Zoo Farm in Bristol, with the building of the UK's largest zoo elephant enclosure set to begin within the next 2 years, for completion by 2012/2013. The zoos owners and senior management have visited all UK zoos currently holding elephants including trips across England and Dublin, where advice on elephant keeping was sought from staff at Dublin Zoo currently home to 5 Asian elephants. With a maximum of 12 acres, Noah’s Ark’s elephant enclosure will be situated at the back of the zoo in open farmland, where, the zoo claims, they will be able to roam away from the public. If you believe that elephants don’t belong in zoos please send polite correspondence to the following. The person in charge is Anthony Bush Tel: 01275 852 606 email  anthonyjbush@msm.com and North Somerset Council, Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 1UJ are dealing with the application email n-somerset.dcccomments@n-somerset.gov.uk

China zoos 'barbaric'
A report by animal welfare group Animals Asia Foundations shows Chinese zoos and safari parks treat their animals barbarically, abusing them, forcing them to perform tricks and depriving them of adequate food and shelter. Investigation of 13 Chinese zoos and safari parks between Sep 2009 and Aug 2010 uncovered evidence of animals being beaten with sticks and metal hooks as well as tigers and lions with their teeth and claws removed, causing chronic pain. A large number of captive animal establishments in China provide animal performances as a form of entertainment for visitors. The techniques used to force such animals to perform tricks are cruel and abusive. Showmen frequently engage in negative reinforcement, whipping and striking the animals repeatedly, forcing them to carry out tricks that go against their natural behaviour. The group said its probe also uncovered evidence of animals housed in small, barren, concrete enclosures often in darkened rooms at the back of the performance areas away from the visitors. The living conditions for performing animals fail to meet their basic welfare needs. Many of the animals have no visible access to water. The report features photographs of bears being forced to "box" each other and ride motorcycles along a highwire, tigers prodded into jumping through flaming hoops, and elephants performing uncomfortable and humiliating tricks such as standing on their heads, and spinning on one leg. “There is little educational value in seeing animals in conditions that do not resemble their natural habitat," said the group's animal welfare director. "Teaching animals to perform inappropriate tricks does nothing to educate the public or foster respect for animals." The report called on China to ban the use of wild animals in circus style performances, prohibit the feeding of live prey to larger animals, and usher in a licensing system for zoos and safari parks. China has been plagued by a series of scandals that has thrown the spotlight on poor conditions in many of the nation's wildlife parks, prompting Beijing to draft the country's first animal protection law. In recent months, 11 endangered Siberian tigers starved to death at a cash strapped park in the N.E. province of Liaoning where they were fed chicken bones, and 2 others were shot after they mauled a worker. Allegations that the zoo had harvested parts of the dead animals to make lucrative virility tonics caused an outcry, even in a nation where illegal trade in animal parts thrives due to their perceived medicinal benefits. In N.E. Heilongjiang province, authorities also uncovered a mass grave of animals including lions, tigers and leopards that died of illness and malnutrition at a wildlife park. Independent on Sunday 15 Aug

With the help of Environment Films, they have created a short documentary from the footage taken at these facilities.  With music by Moby and narration by former hostage Terry Waite MBE, “The Performance” is a moving account of the horrible abuse suffered by animals forced to perform for the entertainment of people. Go to www.environmentfilms.org/EF/Animals_Asia_The_Performance.html

Great British Circus
ADI secured footage from a camera concealed inside the elephant tent of the Great British Circus, which shows a staggeringly high level of casual violence in just a few days of observations. Incidences include elephants being hit in the face with a metal elephant hook, a broom and a pitchfork, a worker cruelly twisting an elephant’s tail, and the frightened animals retreating and crying out when struck or hooked. They also filmed 2 elephant hooks being brutally used, a long metal hook was used to hit an elephant across the face during training and a smaller one which was concealed in the palm of the hand and used in the ring, unseen by the unsuspecting audience. ADI footage in slow motion shows how the hook was used on the elephants as they performed and other film shows the elephants reacting and sometimes crying out when the hook is used. In addition to the casual violence, the elephants were also limited for long periods of the day in a small tent and chained tightly every night for up to 11 hours with only enough room to take one step forward or backwards. When the circus moved to a new location, the elephants were confined to their cramped wagon and forced to wait until their tent was erected, resulting in many hours being shut away. During the move from Watford to Bushey on 19 July, the elephants were kept inside the wagons for 7 ½  hours – though the distance travelled was just 5 ½  miles. Stereotypic behaviour was also exhibited by the elephants such as rocking, swaying and head bobbing. Sonja, a wild-caught African elephant, was observed for 11 hours and spent nearly 40% of this time displaying stereotypic behaviour, and the 2 Asian elephants also showed similar movements. Animal behaviourists believe that this shows that the animal is suffering and is not able to cope with its situation. WHAT YOU CAN DO  Please contact your MP and ask them to sign the following Early Day Motions: EDM 976 - Animal Welfare in Circuses (No. 2). Tabled by Mark Pritchard  EDM 948 - Animal Welfare in Circuses. Tabled by John Austin. Also ask your MP to write to Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Minister of State (Minister for Food, Farming and Environment), urging him to bring in a ban. You can also write to him yourself: Jim Fitzpatrick MP Dept for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR e-mail - ps.jim.fitzpatrick@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Jakarta zoo animals in danger
All of the animals at Indonesia 's largest Zoo many of them critically endangered could be dead within 5 yrs unless strong action is taken to change the culture of neglect and corruption that permeates the facility. An endangered Sumatran tiger was found dead in its cage at the Surabaya Zoo in August. The remaining 13 Sumatran tigers are being kept in dirty, cramped cages and are also at great risk, said the chairman of the country's zoo association who has been tasked with overseeing the facility after the government took it over earlier this year. Recently an African lion and an Australian kangaroo have also died. Hundreds of animals die every year at the zoo, and others suffer from hunger, stress and overcrowding. The 94 yr old facility was built under Dutch colonial rule on a 37 acre plot of land and currently holds 4,200 animals. The current caretaker who is running the zoo until a new director is named, blamed bad management and corruption for the problems. "My assumption is that all those animals will definitely disappear in the next 5 yrs unless there are efforts to reorganise how the zoo is managed," he said. “Many employees have been caught stealing meat intended for the animals and sometimes, in the case of rare species, stealing the animals themselves, he said. Fixing the problems "will be a big challenge" for the new boss. This zoo is very old and its cages outdated, they are like prison cells, putting stress especially on the big mammals." Google 14 Aug

Vets on strike
Sri Lankan wildlife vets have gone on strike to protest the alleged mishandling of elephant conservation which has resulted in an increase in deadly attacks. Secretary of the vets’ union said the 5 day strike was aimed at highlighting the escalating conflict between humans and elephants which left at least 50 people and 228 elephants dead last year. In the last month a 75 yr old man riding a bicycle was attacked and killed while another man was crushed to death at his home. “There is no proper management of wild elephants who are being pushed into narrow habitats as the government allows people to encroach into traditional elephant homelands,” The elephant population has dwindled to about 4,000 from about 12,000 estimated in 1900, according to a wildlife department director. “We are working on a cabinet approved plan to resettle elephants in nature reserves, but there is still not enough land and there is nothing I can do,” “Cattle are encroaching on elephant ranges, eating their food sources and using their water”. The strike is also aimed at putting pressure on the government to fill vacancies for 8 vets and to formalise a structure to advance their careers.  There are currently 11 wildlife department vets who are responsible for tranquilising and treating wild animals. Daily Telegraph 17 Aug

Mustangs rounded up
They are recognised in US law as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” but now thousands of mustang horses will be rounded up after an appeal court ruling. The wild animals are to be cleared from California and Nevada after animal rights groups failed to obtain an emergency stay of the order in a San Francisco court. It came as lawyers for the Obama administration mounted their most vigorous defence yet for rounding up feral horses. They argue that leaving the overpopulated herds on public rangeland would do the mustangs more harm than good. The latest ruling will see 80 % of the herd cleared. Assistant U.S. Attorney, said in a court filing that the range cannot support the current population of horses, whose numbers were expected to increase. “The growing population of wild horses will have devastating impacts on the other resources in the area and on the wild horses themselves. 2000 horses will be taken. Critics say the helicopter led roundups are inhumane, often leading to dozens of injuries and deaths. They also dispute BLM’s population estimates and maintain that livestock grazing has caused more ecological damage to the federal land that also supports numerous wildlife species, including deer, antelope and sage grouse. The 2 judge panel’s brief order did not explain its reasoning, only that the “emergency motion for injunctive relief pending appeal is denied.” It said the groups can continue on a normal appeal schedule but indicated the case wouldn’t be heard until after the roundup is over. A lawyer for In Defense of Animals, accused the BLM of ignoring its directive under federal law to manage the land, “devoted to mustangs and burros principally for their welfare” and was instead managing it for commercial livestock.. He said after the ruling that the group intends to continue challenging the roundups even if they are unable to stop this one. President Obama’s administration have come under pressure in recent months from members of Congress who want them to step in and reverse BLM’s overall plans to cull about 12,000 of 38,000 mustangs and burros from herds roaming 10 Western states. A bipartisan letter signed by 53 other House members was sent to Ken Salazar Interior Secretary on July 30, asking for the suspension of all roundups until the National Academy of Sciences can review the programme. It cited the deaths of 105 horses during a N.W. Nevada roundup over the winter and another 34 deaths last month in a roundup in N.E. Nevada.  The Times 11 Aug

Grey wolves protected
A federal judge in Montana reinstated Endangered Species Act protections for grey wolves in the N. Rocky Mountains. The decision means that planned wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana won't go forward and protections remain in place for wolves in those 2 states, along with Wyoming and parts of Oregon, Washington and Utah. The judge ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was wrong to delist wolves in Montana and Idaho but exclude Wyoming for political reasons. The ruling will have important implications in keeping the feds from using anything but science in deciding whether to lift protections for other imperilled species.

Protesters in the Pakistani city of Lahore slapped donkeys with shoes and pelted them with rotten tomatoes to vent their anger at the latest cricket fixing scandal.  Protesters led a procession of donkeys with the names of players accused of taking bribes to fix incidents during the fourth Test against England stuck on the foreheads of the animals.  Animals bear the brunt of everything

Barbaric attack on goat
Sidney , a 19 yr old black pygmy goat, was found dripping in blood after he had his horns pulled out, one leg broken in 2 places and another dislocated. Sidney was attacked at Tennyson Horse and Pony Sanctuary in Greater Manchester and had to be put to sleep because his injuries were so horrific. RSPCA inspector Caroline Hall said it was one of the worst cases of animal cruelty she had ever seen. The Independent 1 Sept

Iran issues fatwa against pets
Iranian authorities have banned all advertisements for pets, pet food and other pet products. The decision by Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance comes after the fatwa was issued by powerful cleric Grand Ayatollah Shirazi. While keeping dogs as pets has become increasingly fashionable in Iran in recent years, the fatwa cited Islamic tradition, which dictates that dogs are unclean. In June, Ayatollah Shirazi declared dogs unclean, saying that dog owners were “blindly imitating the West” and that their devotion to the animals would result in “evil outcomes”. “Many people in the West love their dogs more than their wives and children,” he said.  The ban on pet advertising is the latest attempt by Iran ’s culture ministry to undermine “decadent” Western culture.  In July, Tehran produced a catalogue of haircuts meeting government approval. The list banned ponytails, mullets and elaborate spikes. Daily Telegraph 26 Aug

Man blows himself up
A man accidentally blew himself up trying to kill a spider. The 28 yr old suffered severe burns after attacking the arachnid with an aerosol can at his home in Clacton in Essex. The man was summoned by his wife to deal with a spider she had seen scuttling behind the lavatory. Not being able to reach it, the man decided to kill it by spraying it with the can. However he was unable to see whether it was dead because the bulb in the bathroom light had blown. At this point he turned to a cigarette lighter to illuminate the room, but in the process ignited the gas fumes and caused an explosion. The blast was so strong it blew the man off his feet and lifted the loft door off its hinges. Independent 1 Sept

OBITUARIES

Ronda Maasz – Many of you will remember Ronda from the Shoreham Protests, coaches to other campaigns and Justice & Freedom for Animals meetings.  She sadly died of cancer on 19^th August  at only 63, after being diagnosed early this year.  Another good soul gone far too soon.

Lindy – Anne Ashley is sad to announce that her beloved old cat Lindy passed away of old age (she was over 17) on 22^nd August. She was the mother of Mickey whose death was reported in this paper in 2008. Here’s hoping she’s washing his face again.

Report animal abuse
According to someone at Animal Concern, if an animal is being abused, phone 999, and the police have a legal duty to respond, as a criminal offence is being committed. You can say that someone from Animal Concern informed you that this is a police matter: a criminal offence is being committed. Ask for an incident number, and say that you will phone back to check on the progress of the case - makes them more likely to pursue it then. Also, if the operator is unhelpful or tries to pass the responsibility to the RSPCA, tell them that it is primarily their responsibility, as this is their legal duty as a criminal offence is being committed. Also say that you intend to contact your MP about the police's dealing with the case, in the hope that this will make them take the case seriously. I suspect most police don't even know or are trained to know that it is their responsibility. But it is. The RSPCA do in effect deal with most animal abuse cases, but the police should be dealing with more. The RSPCA are a charity, but the police have a legal duty to respond. As a second port of call, phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, and say the same things, and again, ask for an incident number, and say you will phone back to check on the case.

Get oppressive law repealed
The Conservative/ LibDem coalition Government are currently inviting the public to submit suggestions for legislation they would like to see repealed. In 2005 the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 was introduced by Labour. This Law was trumpeted by politicians as an attempt to crackdown on crimes such as gangsterism, racketeering, people trafficking and sexual slavery. What it ended up as however was a crackdown on our right to organise and protest. It bizarrely contains a whole section specifically outlawing animal rights campaigning. Sean Kirtley, an activist from Stop Sequani Labs became the first high profile victim of this Act receiving 4 ½ years (and a 5 year ASBO on release) for taking part in what even the police admitted was a peaceful protest against the Lab in 2007. Last year after serving 16 months the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction. A precedent was set however and they can legally now come for any of us.  It was reported that the last minute insertion of this specific section concerning AR campaigns came directly after a private meeting between representatives of major pharmaceutical firms and the then Prime Minister Tony Blair and Home Secretary Charles Clarke. It was alleged that these firms threatened to close their operations in the UK and ship jobs abroad if the Govt. did not effectively outlaw anti-vivisection campaigning. One section makes provision for a 5 year sentence for writing letters or emails to firms, staff or researchers involved in animal experiments. You can read the whole section here: www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2005/ukpga_20050015_en_14 The right to stand up and act against exploitation and abuse should be fundamental in any civilised, modern society. Politicians and their friends and paymasters in the corporations and companies who make billions from torturing and killing animals are determined to slap us down and keep us quiet.  This will never, never happen. We won't slink away quietly and turn our heads the other way. Go to http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/restoring-civil-liberties and submit your demand that Part 5 "Protection of activities of certain organisations" of the SOCPA 2005 be repealed. You can also contact Prime Minister David Cameron: https://email.number10.gov.uk/Contact.aspx Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg: pscorrespondence@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk Home Secretary Theresa May: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk  Don't let them take away your voice, it's all animals have got.

Woburn Safari Park criticised
Woburn  has been criticised by government vets for keeping lions in a "very crowded" overnight pen for 18 hours a day over the winter. Woburn Safari Park, which is building a new lion house due to open this summer, was inspected by officials from Defra in January following complaints. A report says the "inadequate" building was "structurally unsound" but praises the Bedfordshire park for other pens. Woburn Safari Park said lions were free to move within 10 linked pens The inspection was carried out by Defra and officers from Central Bedfordshire Council, the zoo's licensing authority, following concerns from a former worker. It was followed up by a second visit in February and a further inspection earlier this month. Reports on the latest findings, on 10 and 11 June, are yet to be published. The park was also issued with a prohibition notice by the council in April to improve fences enclosing bull elephant Raja because of a "real and present likelihood of escape". The notice was withdrawn the following day when the council acknowledged its conditions were being met, the park said. It also said it had removed its sea lions to a facility with sea water, after an internal report in May last year discovered the chlorinated water in its own enclosure was causing eye discomfort. The report on lions, which was compiled in January, said: "There were clear signs of fighting between the animals; the overnight house was inadequate in space provision and facilities for the animals, structurally unsound and unsafe to operate." It found that staff going near the enclosure were armed with a shotgun in case the building deteriorated and the animals escaped. "The lions were confined in the winter season for unreasonable lengths of time," it added. "However, it was clear that the Woburn management were acting to improve the situation." The report also stated that safari park staff should acknowledge problems of fighting between the lions and discuss ways to improve harmony, which may include moving animals or even euthanasia. The inspectors concluded that the new enclosure did "not come close" to meeting the standards of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in terms of space, but it would give lions access to an outside run. "The inspectors were greatly impressed by several other new animal houses at Woburn and would hope that the new lion house will be as successful," the report concluded. "It is for this reason that we advise the management to accept this report and review the design and management of the new accommodation accordingly." A spokesman for Woburn Safari Park said: "The new overnight facility will be bigger than most zoo facilities for lions and the existing day-time facility is bigger than most UK zoos in their entirety." He added that Defra inspectors had "misunderstood" that the 10 pens within the existing lion house were completely interconnectable, allowing animals to move between them. "Housing animals in buildings overnight is routine practice in all zoos for essential management, security and welfare reasons," he said. Craig Redmond, campaigns director at the Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) said the evidence it had seen was "the most shocking scenario at a UK zoo".  "We are calling for the local council, Defra and zoo trade bodies to carry out an urgent enquiry into how these conditions were allowed to continue for a long period of time, without action being taken earlier or zoo inspectors made aware." The council said it was awaiting detailed reports from the vets before licensing conditions are updated.

Residents have branded a cull of Canada geese “barbaric” after they were woken in the early hours by the sound of gunfire in a neighbourhood park. The shooting at Longton Park lasted for at least 80 minutes. The shots rang out just hours after TV footage of a gunman running amok in Cumbria! One woman said she saw ducks and geese trying to flee the park, coming through the hedge and onto the road, clearly distressed.  She said the geese had been causing no harm. But Rugeley based Wildlife Management Services, the company contracted to carry out the operation by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said the culling was done selectively and affected less than 30% of the park’s geese.  None of those killed were goslings or parents of young geese. They said the reason for the cull was personal health, air safety and to protect indigenous species. Canada geese defecate every 11 minutes so large numbers cause a lot of mess. 

A man who ripped the head off a Canada goose in a 'sadistic and torturous rampage' has been jailed for 25 weeks. Jobless Barry Sinfield swung the bird around his head before kicking it repeatedly as it lay on the ground. He then trapped the bird's neck against the ground with his foot and used both hands to pull its head off. Terrified passers-by watched in horror as Sinfield then chased people around the park with the bird's head threatening to smear them with its blood. Sinfield admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and was jailed at Coventry Magistrates Court for 25 weeks. Nick Sutton, prosecuting, said 'The animal was caused despicable suffering from this act. The death was not instant and could have lasted some time. It was a gratuitous act of violence on an animal from which the defendant was gaining enjoyment. The trauma and pain that must have been suffered by the animal and also the effect on the people using the park make this a very serious incident indeed.' Even when Sinfield was arrested he showed no remorse and did not take it seriously. Justice has been done today and he got exactly what he deserved. This sends a clear message that people cannot do this to animals.' Sinfield, who was photographed laughing with friends outside court before the hearing, was also banned from keeping animals for life. Daily Mail 23 June

6 arrests made following bull running torture
The events at the end of a town fair have brought national publicity and condemnation in Spain. Following the outcry after video evidence of youngsters taunting and torturing 2 young bulls in the bullring in Alhaurín el Grande at the end of the town’s feria, the Guardia Civil has used the same video evidence and carried out 6 arrests and identified some 6 more who took part. The Defensor del Ciudadano in the Málaga Diputación, Francisco Gutiérrez, has received hundreds of complaints from the public following the publicity the case has generated, and even had tourists saying they would not return to Spain again. The video shows how a group of youngsters, thought to be drunk at the time, taunt and beat the animal. The Andaluz collective against Animal and Environmental ill treatment claim the young bull was so injured it had to be euthanased. All those arrested were taken to the civil guard barracks to be read their rights and told they were possibly facing animal cruelty charges. All were released after statements were taken, and now it is up to the Prosecutors’ Office to decide whether to proceed with the case. The Partido Popular Mayor of Alhaurín el Grande, Juan Martín Serón, said that he would be cancelling the bullrunning event in future fairs.

Gored and trampled on bull run
2 people were gored during a tense and dangerous second running of the bulls at Spain's famed San Fermin fiesta. At least 5 other people were hospitalised after falling or being trampled by the animals. Thousands took part in the dash to keep ahead of 6 fighting bulls and 6 bell-tinkling steers tasked with keeping the beasts together along the 930-yard course from a holding pen to the town's bullring. The run lasted just under 4 minutes and produced panic when some bulls separated from the pack.  One stopped just before entering the bullring and paced in circles threateningly while staring at the runners. Television images showed the first runner being gored in the chest and hurled like a rag doll to the cobblestones of one of the narrow streets where the bullrun takes place in Pamplona's historical old quarter.  He remained on the ground dazed until he was taken away by rescue workers. One man sustained serious injuries after being gored in the thorax, while a second man was gored in the left leg but was in better condition, said a doctor at Navarra Hospital.  5 more people were hospitalised in Pamplona for less serious injuries, mostly broken bones and bruises sustained in falls as they ran, though other people were trampled.  Thursday's gorings were the first for the series of 8 bull runs held during the 9-day street festival that also features around-the-clock drinking that attracts tens of thousands of Spaniards and foreigners. An 18-year-old Australian who sustained 3 fractured vertebrae in the first race Wednesday remained in hospital on Thursday in a serious condition. An American was also injured on Wednesday in another event during the San Fermin party in which calves are released into a bullring to be taunted by young men.  The unidentified 22-year-old sustained a ripped scrotum from a horn injury.  He received stitches at the bullring from emergency workers and was sent to hospital. The runs are broadcast live on Spanish television and the bulls that run each morning are killed in the evening in the bullring, their meat served up in Pamplona's restaurants.

A bullfighter was arrested and fined, apparently for breach of contract, after he turned and ran from the ring at the beginning of a fight. Cristian Hernandez later re-entered the ring but soon left again and was taken to a police station. Several months ago, another bull had gored Hernandez in the leg. After his latest ordeal the matador has said he will retire from bullfighting.

Across Spain, the number of bullfights has dropped from about 1,000 in 2008 to a projected 800 or less this year, as local governments that have always subsidised small-town bullfights cut budgets because of declining tax revenue. Bullfights, or corridas in Spanish, have become a luxury when cuts must be made by town councils to maintain funding for schools, social programmes and road repairs. Making matters worse for bullfighting aficionados, the vast north-eastern Catalonia region where more than 10% of Spain's 46m people live could wind up without bullfights when provincial politicians vote on a proposed ban later this month.

The motion to outlaw bullfighting in Catalonia "will be debated and voted" on July 28, the regional parliament said in a statement. The vote had been planned for mid-July, but the date was pushed back after the right-wing People's Party requested a public consultation. The Prou (Enough) anti-bullfighting campaign spearheaded calls for the proposed ban, collecting 180,000 signatures in favour of outlawing the practice in Catalonia. If passed, the motion would change Catalonia's current animal protection law that forbids the killing or mistreatment of animals in public, with the exception of bull runs. It would also make Catalonia, home to Spain's second largest city Barcelona, the first region other than the Canary Islands to ban the bullfighting. The motion would not ban other bull spectacles like "correbou," where people chase bulls through the streets and "bouembolat," where bulls are forced to run around with flaming wax balls on their horns.

2 French parliamentarians have presented a bill to ban cock and bullfighting, which are widely criticised as barbaric. Lawmaker Muriel Marland-Militello of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's majority UMP party and Genevieve Gaillard of the opposition Socialist Party told a news conference that banning bullfighting was a question of France's honour. "Those who defend bullfighting are terribly active but also terribly in the minority," said Marland-Militello. About 100 bullfights take place in over 70 cities mainly in southern France every year, killing around 1,000 bulls - 10 times less than in neighbouring Spain. Cockfighting is more common in the north of France. Regular demonstrations and debates take place in France over bullfighting. Last June, naked protestors covered in fake blood held a protest at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Around half of the participants surveyed by Ifop in France in 2007 supported a ban on bullfighting in the country. Defenders of the practice argue that it is a tradition and brings economic benefits. "We cannot invoke beauty in order to permit barbarity," said Marland-Militello, adding that bullfighting was the only exception to laws against animal cruelty in France.  A spokeswoman for the bullring in Arles, a major venue for bullfighting in southern France, declined to comment, and a spokesman for the Nimes bullring was not immediately available.  Marland-Militello had proposed a bill in 2004 to ban bullfighting, which did not get anywhere. The current bill has received support from deputies across the board, including Jean-Marc Roubaud, a UMP representative for the Gard region, where bullfighting has a long tradition. "Bullfighting is an incongruity of our times," the bill reads. "In an already extremely violent world, adding violence to violence is disgraceful."

Beach festival donkey ban
The Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary’s Spanish counterpart have successfully banned donkeys being used at an annual beach festival in Sanlúcar de Barrameda in southern Spain, in which they were being abused by drunken revellers. El Refugio del Burrito and 3 other Spanish animal welfare associations united in a moral battle to stop donkeys being used during the Feria de la Manzanilla festival, where party goers were renting the animals illegally from unscrupulous owners, and then riding the donkeys and subjecting them to cruelty and torment throughout the night. Evidence in the form of photographs and films were presented in April to a council representative for local festivals in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Refugio del Burrito was there to highlight the plight of the donkeys and ask for a ban to be introduced.   The meeting resulted in the ban of donkeys on the beach and, this year the festival went ahead without the donkeys. Iván Salvía, El Refugio del Burrito’s general manager who played a key role in this campaign says: “We are so pleased we have been successful in stopping what was a horrific ordeal for the 30 or so donkeys involved in this festival, and that it was made possible by a united collaboration with other animal welfare associations.  Now we can try and stop similar cases in Spain, helping to protect many more donkeys in the future." El Refugio del Burrito is based in Fuente de Piedra and has provided a Sanctuary for life to more than 200 donkeys in Spain.  It is part of The Donkey Sanctuary which aims to protect donkeys and mules and promote their welfare needs worldwide.

Stop the use of Karakul lamb Foetus fur in fashion
The Designers and fashion houses call this fur "astrakhan" this season, but in reality it is the fur of premature foetal Persian or karakul lambs about 2 weeks before birth. It is usually black, shiny, and so tightly curled that it forms smooth ridges. The fur noticeably loses lustre over the next 10 days, and uncurls and lightens in colour rapidly within the first 2 or 3 days after birth. The younger the lamb or foetus, the more valuable the pelt. . And many unsuspecting buyers are purchasing these items unaware as the fur more closely resembles watered silk or crushed velvet.  It looks man made. More worryingly,  a reporter with the Daily Mail recently talked to a fur dealer in Frankfurt who said that he sells karakul coats under the "Kara-Cool" label, which, according to the journalist, "appeals to the younger shoppers." The new processing techniques and the new colours mean we are appealing to a younger customer," another fur dealer told the Daily Mail.  "We used to say that all you could make out of karakul was a black coat fit for a funeral, but not anymore."  Kara-Cool, astrakhan, broadtail, and Persian lamb are just a few of the labels under which the fur of newborn or foetal lambs could be sold; others include swakara or krimmer. It would seem clear that designers and retailers will continually find a way to repackage and remarket karakul and broadtail fur to an unsuspecting public - a public that has no idea how ugly the slaughter of lambs (and their mothers) can be. The fur can turn up in coats, skirts, vests, linings, accessories, and trim. Designers who use this fur include Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce & Gabbana, Miuccia Prada, Christian Dior, Valentino, Carolina Herrera, Givenchy, and Claudio Merazzi. One way to stop the killing is to stop buying the products. Read labels closely and look for words such as Kara-Cool, astrakhan, broadtail, Persian lamb, swakara and krimmer. And tell your friends to do the same. And lobby these designers.

Anti-fur documentary 'Skin Trade' debuts
"Skin Trade," a new independent documentary lambasting the fur industry and those who condone its practices, has had its LA premiere The film, directed by Shannon Keith, an animal rights attorney and founder of the nonprofit organization Animal Rescue, Media & Education (ARME), strives to answer the question of why fur is still a part of modern fashion despite the well documented cruelties of fur farming. "I just could not believe that people were still wearing fur," Keith said before the screening. "I knew it was high time to make this film because these animals are being tortured alive; it's not a pretty thing." And neither is the documentary, which shows graphic, disturbing footage of animals being tortured (in traps, by electrocution and even via fatal beatings) between interviews with a number of notable anti fur activists, including Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), environmental attorney Jan Schlichtmann, designer Todd Oldham, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, Overstock.com chief executive Patrick Byrne (who chooses not to sell fur on his website) and actor activists including Alexandra Paul, James Cromwell and Jorja Fox. What makes "Skin Trade" a little different is its willingness to call out the fur industry's cagey public relations tactics. For example, in recent years the industry has been referring to itself as "green," because skins and pelts are technically biodegradable. But in reality, making fur requires an enormous amount of toxic chemicals. The film also takes on the idea of fur as a status symbol. "These hip-hop stars, they're not enamored with fur," said anti fur activist and former NBA player John Salley. "They're literally putting on an image, and the image is 'I've made it.'" Cromwell, who starred in "Babe," one of the most famous animal movies of all time, boils the future of fur down to a simple equation. "We have a choice," he said. "The question is, 'Will human beings make the choice?' Just choose. Choose, and it ends." LA Times 11 June

Label fur garments EDM 175
Respect for Animals is urging the new Govt to introduce a labelling order for all garments made from real fur or containing fur trim, regardless of cost of the item or the species of the animal involved.   This will protect those customers who have a moral objection to buying fur but also those who may be allergic to real fur.  Currently, it's down to the consumer to decide whether or not a potential purchase is made from real fur or not with the scant (or no) information available to them.   To succeed we need your help. Would you please write to your MP asking him or her to sign EDM 175 Labelling of products made from animal fur, which calls upon the government to introduce fur labelling as soon as possible.  You can write to your MP at The House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA or use http://www.writetothem.com/ where you can also find the name of your MP if you do not know it.  First, you can check here to see if your MP has already signed: http://tinyurl.com/2bwwn9n If your MP has already signed, please write to Edward Davey MP, the Minister responsible for the introduction of a fur labelling order, asking him to act as soon a possible.  You can contact Edward Davey MP, Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs by email at mpst.davey@bis.gsi.gov.uk  or at Dept for Business, Innovation & Skills,1 Victoria St, London SW1H 0ET. The previous Minister (Kevin Brennan MP) claimed that fur labelling is covered under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 which requires traders not to 'omit or hide material information that the average consumer needs to make an informed choice'.  However, if consumers are unaware that they may be buying real fur, they are unlikely to complain that they have mistakenly done so.  The consumer needs the protection of knowing they are not buying real fur. The USA has had a 'Fur Products Labelling' act since 1952 and there is no reason why the UK should not introduce one as well. Please do forward any reply you receive from Minister Davey to Respect for Animals

Vegan streaker jailed for freeing mink
An animal rights activist known as the vegan streaker has been jailed for 265 days (180 suspended) and given 240 hours of community service for releasing 2,500 mink from a fur farm in Zeeland in 2009. Peter Janssen admitted releasing the animals. Most were caught soon afterwards but 50 died and around 100 were never caught. A woman was found not guilty of the same charges. The fur farm owner has submitted a damages claim against Jansen for lost income because of stress caused to the animals and the damage to their pelts while they were free. Janssen got his nickname after streaking through a television show where a Paul de Leeuw programme was being recorded. DutchNews.nl

Dutch Animal Party's advert biggest in the world
The Dutch Animal Rights Party (PvdD) looks likely to make the Guinness Book of Records for the world's biggest advertisement. In early April the party sowed the seeds of a huge message in a field near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The text "Vote for the Animal Rights Party now" under a drawing of a cow's head is now clearly visible. The party has registered the 35,000 square metre advertisement with Guinness. A party spokesperson says, as far as they know, the record currently stands at 20,000 square metres and is held by a commercial advert near airports in London and Dubai. The party emphasizes that their advert is 100% biodegradable. PvdD leader Marianne Thieme adds: "The field also symbolises the fact that our party has a tendency to shoot up in the polls during the last weeks before the election."

Requiem for a Bat
Programmes like Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel, in which Bear Grylls set fire to a cave filled with bats to smoke them out and then gleefully beat them to the earth with a club before stomping them to death, must be brought to an end. They can only perpetuate the unwelcome idea that any non human creature is some foreign object to be treated in any way people wish, no matter how cruelly. Grylls’ actions differ little from some of his Mediaeval counterparts who for entertainment used to tie cats to their heads and run full speed against a concrete wall smashing the cats to death.

BP was burning sea turtles
Endangered sea turtles and other marine creatures were being corralled into 500 sq mile "burn fields" and burnt alive In operations intended to contain oil from BP's ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental organisations demanded that the oil company stop blocking rescue of the turtles, and pressed the US administration to halt the burning and look at prosecuting BP and its contractors for killing endangered species during the cleanup operation. Harming or killing a sea turtle carries fines of up to $50,000 (£33,000). The Obama administration, confirming the kills, said BP was under orders to avoid the turtles. More than 425 turtles are known to have died in the spill zone since April. Conservationists say the losses could imperil the long term survival of the creatures. All 5 species of turtles found in the Gulf are endangered or threatened, the Kemp's Ridley most of all. But in a video posted on YouTube, Mike Ellis, a skipper from Louisiana, accuses BP of chasing away a boat of conservationists trying to rescue turtles caught in the oil and weed a few miles away from the leak. "They ran us out of there and then they shut us down," said Ellis. On days when the weather is fine and there is relatively no wind, BP conducts up to a dozen "controlled burns", torching vast expanses of the ocean surface within a corral of fireproof booms. Biologists say such burns are deadly for young turtles because oil and sargassum, the seaweed mats that provide nutrients to jellyfish and a range of other creatures, congregate in the same locations. The sargassum is also a perfect hunting ground for young sea turtles, who are not developed enough to dive to the ocean floor to forage for food. Once BP moves in, the turtles are doomed. The oil spill is turning vast expanses of the Gulf into a dead zone, killing off the jellyfish, crabs and conches that are the staples of an adult diet. Conservationists are also worried about the survival of the next generation of loggerhead turtles, which are about to climb up on to badly oiled shorelines to begin their nesting season. Conservationists plan to dig up about 1,000 nests, or 100,000 eggs, from nesting grounds in the Florida Panhandle and transfer them to hatcheries for safekeeping, in a last gasp measure to save 100,000 young sea turtles. The Guardian 25 June

Latest update: Sea turtles saved due to a lawsuit filed by the Centre for Biological Diversity and after they delivered tens of thousands of petitions, signed by supporters, to BP. Just hours before the start of an emergency court hearing, BP and the U.S. Coast Guard agreed to take steps to rescue sea turtles before they're burned alive. The oil giant and Coast Guard will develop protocols to protect the turtles, including allowing independent observers to inspect the area before the corralled oil slicks are set aflame and pluck out those in harm's way.

Dog racing funding falls
According to the latest issue of the Greyhound Star, funding from bookmakers to the dog racing industry is likely to fall drastically again next year. The monthly pro-racing newspaper reports: "The talk in some influential circles is that the £9.5m could go as low as £7m, given falling BAGS revenues and the big bookmakers switching their internet betting abroad thus avoiding paying into the Fund." The Fund is the British Greyhound Racing Fund (BGRF), which collects a percentage of money bet with bookmakers on dog racing, and BAGS stands for Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service, which is responsible for afternoon race meetings, staged specifically for betting shops. The BGRF, whose money is primarily used to finance and promote the greyhound racing industry, actually fell to £8.5m this year, compared to £10m last year and £12m in 2008, due to the recession and because the public is becoming increasingly aware of the suffering and slaughter of dogs caused by commercial greyhound racing. We sincerely hope this estimated further cut in funding for 2011 will come about and that more tracks will be forced towards closure as a result. www.greyhoundaction.org.uk

Online comment from dog owner: I was at the track (Belle Vue) tonight and watched in horror as the walkers didn’t have a clue how to control the dogs not even let them stop for emptying. Then it got 10 times worse. I was standing talking to trainers by the traps and watched as a young lad picked the dogs up one by one completely off the ground and threw the dogs in the traps. He did it with every dog. At one stage I heard an owner shouting at the lad, not happy, which he completely blanked. I believe that BV should provide walkers and trap lads with enough training that they are not putting out dogs at risk. I commented to a trainer about this and they said oh he’s a trainers son and is known for being rough .Surely he should know better. Contact Belle Vue Stadium on this matter. General Manager Mick Hardy Tel: 0870 840 7509 Email: mickhardy@gralimited.co.uk Racing Manager Bob Rowe Tel: 0870 840 7503  Email: bobrowe@gralimited.co.uk