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National Anti Snaring Campaign

SHAC

SPEAK CAMPAIGN

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ARAN

BRIGHTON ANIMAL ACTION

Campaign for the Abolition of Animal Slavery

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Landmark vote to ban bullfighting
The Catalan Parliament has voted to ban bullfighting, a move that campaigners claim could mark the beginning of the end of Spain’s most controversial sport. Protestors dressed as slaughtered bulls stood outside the Catalan Parliament before 67 deputies voted for the ban, with 59 against & 5 abstaining. The motion must pass a final vote next year before a ban comes into force. Though the ban will put an end to bullfights, it will not prohibit street fiestas in which bulls are tormented, sometimes with balls of fire attached to their horns. Campaigners, collected 168,000 signatures for a motion to convince the Catalan deputies to hold the vote. A spokesperson for the campaigners commented “ if bullfighting is banned in Catalonia, other regions of Spain will follow,  we think this will be the beginning of the end for this cruel spectacle.” Catalonia is not the first region to ban bullfighting. In 1991 the Canary Islands included bullfighting in a law that prohibited the suffering of animals for public enjoyment. The Catalan vote, however, is the first to specifically ban what Spaniards call ‘”the national fiesta”. The initiative, which will pay compensation to bull breeders and bull ring owners from public money, comes as the number of bullfights and fiestas involving bulls has fallen in recent years. The Times 19 Dec

It’s an ill wind…..  Spain’s worst economic downturn in decades has, at least, proved good news for one long-suffering symbol of the country - the bulls that normally face matadors in the ring. As Spain’s unemployment rate nears 18% and consumer spending dives, many are forsaking an afternoon at los torros. With crowds staying away, the number of bullfights fell to 1,443 in 2009, from 1,877 the year before - a drop of 23%. According to figures from the Union of Fighting Bull Breeders, more than 4,000 bulls have been spared a cruel demise. Instead of being dispatched with the estocada (death blow) by the man dressed in the golden traje de luces (suit of lights), these animals are being kept on farms around Spain and will probably be slaughtered for food later. No real reprieve then!  The industry generates €2.5 billion a year for Spain’s economy. It receives subsidies from the Spanish government and the EU estimated at €600m and represents about 1.5% of GDP. However, bull-breeding industry sources say that there has been a downturn not only in the number of bullfights but also in street festivals, in which bulls are customarily tormented by crowds before being killed.

Man Gored To Death During Bull Fight Festival
At a bull fighting festival in northern Colombia a man was gored to death.. He was taken to the hospital, where he died. Unlike most bull fighting matches, in Colombia, it's forbidden to kill the animals. An average of 20 participants die each year in these festivals, held annually.

Parakeets to be legally shot
Once seen as exotic, ring necked parakeets have apparently become such a threat to native species that the public is to be allowed to shoot them. The bright green birds, which have colonised many areas of suburban Britain , will join wild boar, jackdaws, crows and magpies next month on a list of pests that people may kill on their own property without a licence. Ring necked parakeets, first seen in the wild 40 years ago, are blamed for wrecking fruit crops and threatening nuthatches, kestrels, starlings and tawny and little owls by taking over nesting sites. Some residents object to their squawking.  Their inclusion on an updated list of pests supervised by Natural England is part of a new government assault on alien species threatening Britain’s fragile habitats. Separate sanctions against people caught releasing so called alien pests into the wild are to be extended from April to cover more than 60 non indigenous animals and plants, including wild boar and parakeets. Anyone caught releasing them will face a 2 year jail term or £5,000 fine. Ministers at Defra say controlling the spread of “invasive non native species” is essential if native wildlife is to be protected. The wild boar, which has spread through areas such as the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, was added to the Natural England list last year. The parakeet was imported from India and first reported in the wild in 1969. Recent estimates put the population at more than 30,000, mostly in S.E. England. The move to designate parakeets’ pests has been attacked by some experts. The London Wildlife Trust claims there is “little evidence” the birds cause a problem and says they are “as British as curry”. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act it has long been an offence to release into the wild any animal or plant that is not a resident of or common visitor to Britain . The act also makes it an offence to release species present in the country but officially considered pests. A total of 63 species will be added to the list of alien pests in April. In addition to the boar and parakeet, the European eagle owl, Chinese water deer and snow goose will be listed, as well as plants such as the rhododendron, which can wreck woodland.  Huw Irranca-Davies, the wildlife minister, said “It’s essential our native species are given the protection they need to flourish. Stopping the spread of invasive non-native species makes a real difference to the survival of our own plants, birds and animals.” The Sunday Times 20 Dec

Olympics row over horse 'cruelty'

YouTube footage of controversial dressage technique provoked a storm of protest and threats to boycott the 2012 event in London. An international row over allegedly "cruel" training methods is threatening to engulf the elite world of top class equestrian sport ahead of the 2012 Olympics. The controversy over what is being called "the blue tongue scandal" has led the British Horse Society to demand an urgent inquiry into the practices being used on some of the world's most expensive competition horses. Tens of thousands of people have signed online petitions or sent letters of protest to the sport's governing body, The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), based in Switzerland. There is also talk on social networking websites of a boycott of the 2012 Olympic equestrian event in S. London, at which some 23,000 spectators are expected.  Full article on: www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/03/olympics-row-over-horse-cruelty  The Observer 3 Dec

British Dog breeders to be registered
A shake up in the way that dogs are bought and sold is to be proposed by an inquiry into the future of canine breeding in Britain . Plans for a compulsory registration scheme for breeders whether of pedigrees or crosses has emerged in a report by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, a leading zoologist, which aims to stamp out controversial breeding practices in which puppies are born with disease and deformities. Breeders with a registered number and who are subject to checks on their animals and premises would be allowed to sell or advertise the sale of puppies. The proposals, which are already in force in France , are an attempt to draw a line under the unscrupulous breeding of dogs for the competition ring, which was highlighted in the television documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed on BBC 1 in 2008. In future it is envisaged that all puppies would also be sold with a veterinary certificate guaranteeing their health and stating the name of their parents as well as the registered number of the breeder. All dogs would be microchipped and breeders would be subject to random inspections. Professor Bateson’s blueprint, commissioned by the Kennel Club and the Dogs’ Trust, is to be published this month. It is certain to provoke fury among some breeders, but he believes that change is now inevitable. Inbreeding of dogs was one of his main concerns. The Kennel Club has banned the mating of parent dogs with offspring and siblings. He believes that this should be extended to grandparent and half sibling dogs. The club already has an accredited breeder scheme, but it is voluntary. Of the 150,000 pedigree puppies registered with the club each year, only 10% are from breeders signed up to the inspection and audit regime. Professor Bateson said that in future he expected registration to be restricted to accredited breeders who follow tough health and welfare rules. The club has already reviewed the standards for each breed, but Professor Bateson questioned the organisation’s role as “judge and jury”. He favours instead a new statutory body to oversee all breeding practices. “I think regulation is the only way to do it. The public need to insist they know the pedigree of a dog and that it has been properly looked after, and only go to accredited breeders,” he said. The Times 4 Jan

National Trust Admit Deer cull has failed
The National Trust for Scotland has admitted that a controversial cull of more than 12,000 deer on one of its Highland estates has failed to regenerate ancient woodland. The heritage body, which began the cull on Mar Lodge estate in 1995, has spent £750,000 on killing thousands of red deer which, it claimed, caused deforestation. The animals were blamed for destroying young trees but it is thought that poor soil may also have contributed to the decline in Caledonian pine woodland on the land in Royal Deeside. The trust’s group manager said “We haven’t achieved the level of regeneration we wanted and are now trying to look at what is practical.” His admission, made in the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association (SGA) magazine has provoked criticism from those against the cull. About 800 deer a year have been slaughtered and the herd now numbers 1,500 compared with 4,000 in the mid 1990s. The SGA said the cull had produced virtually no new trees and accused the National Trust of ignoring advice to use fences.” All the money spent over the last 14 years to establish regeneration without fencing has not worked,” said a spokesman for the SGA. “Some areas are being choked by blanket heather because the focus is on killing deer. The trust is supposed to set the standard for land management but it’s anything but an exemplar.” Willie Forbes, a former head stalker at Mar Lodge, said: “What is disgusting is the killing of deer at night using spotlights, which means they are pursued 24 hours a day. There are virtually none left. Tourists come here to see wildlife but go away disappointed. The glen has been silenced.” Earlier this year, the Deer Commission raised concerns after a site visit revealed little evidence of regeneration

African pygmy hedgehogs become latest handbag accessory

These tiny creatures are said to be stealing the hearts of rich women, including footballers' wives and girlfriends, ousting designer dogs like Chihuahuas from their handbags. At 5 inches long, owners have told breeders they prefer the hedgehogs to take in their bags because they are easier to maintain than dogs. Their popularity has been cemented by the variety of colours buyers can choose between from albino to apricot and chocolate to salt and pepper. Animal welfare experts are outraged that the hedgehogs, selling for around £250, are being marketed as fashion accessories. Pygmy hedgehogs are undoubtedly very cute but animals aren't accessories and promoting them as such is irresponsible. They are exotic animals whose needs cannot be met in a household situation. These are disgusting deplorable people who swap and change their pets like their outfits. Cheshire Waterlife wildlife centre, which stocks the hedgehogs, witnessed a sharp increase in demand for the animals as pets in the run up to Christmas, saying customers had travelled hundreds of miles in search of the creatures. Steve Birchell, owner of the centre, said: "Our business is based on respect for animals and we ensure that anybody who buys a pet from us knows and understands the importance of proper care for their pet. We've been astounded at the popularity of these cute little creatures. “ Telegraph 11 Dec

Animal Rights Action Network staged our 3^rd rally in Dublin on Dec 6^th despite the torrential rain that poured heavily across the country, deterring many hundreds of supporters who’d planned to come along. In Dublin, however, the weather could not have being better, like a summer’s day – the only city in Ireland to have good weather this weekend! People gathered at the Garden of Remembrance - at one stage it seemed that there was no more than 100 attending. But as we made our way onto O’Connell St, the rally line started filling out and thickening. Passing traffic, tourist busses and onlookers cheered, beeped horns and waved in support - whilst a chant ‘There’s No Excuse for Animal Abuse, Animals Have Rights’ kept the march going. There were children of a few months of age up to supporters in their 70’s – it was a huge spectacle of old and young coming together as one voice to call for the war on animals to end and to establish rights for them. ARAN would like to say thank you to many of Ireland’s other animal protection groups and their supporters for their attendance and vital support. As the rally proceeded through O’Connell St, it started building up in numbers as we made our way onto Dame St and up George’s St where we went onto the Camden Court hotel to hear speeches from the Vegetarian Society of Ireland, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Animal Consultants and Animals Count. Other speeches were also given by CIWF, ICABS and Trish Forde Brennan from the Limerick Greens who brought us up to date with the animal welfare bill plus many more. Recording the event were a camera crew from Supreme Master Television International, a group that focus much of their work on promoting vegetarian, veganism and climate change - this international television station has interviewed most of the world’s top animal protection groups and campaigners, so ARAN was grateful for them choosing to support our work too. The hotel room where speeches took place was filled out for the most part. Press coverage for the event was also positive. Great coverage in the Irish Independent, Irish Times, Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sun, Irish Examiner, Eircom.net, Breakingnews.ie and various online sites, plus radio stations doing interviews the following day for an update on the march and animal welfare bill. Letters of support also came in from groups such as the BUAV, PETA, Animal Defenders International, National Anti-vivisection Society, Advocates for Animals, Animal Aid, Viva and of course Uncaged who organise International Day for Animal Rights which ARAN’s rally was also supporting.  We would also like to give a huge thanks to cruelty free company LUSH for their unwavering support of ARAN and to all their staff and shops in Ireland supporting our work.

Coventry greyhound track closed

Following the Boxing Day meeting at the Brandon-based track, stipendiary steward Irene Haselwood acquired all identity books for greyhound racing to be held there. Rumours that the track was in trouble have been circling for several weeks. In April 2004 the stadium welcomed a return of greyhound racing following a lapse of many years with owner Avtar Sandhu and Malcolm Francis at the helm but the latter then assumed sole control before ill-health forced him to retire in 2007. Local businessman and greyhound owner John Flounders then leased the business although speculation suggests Sandhu remained a key figure. Greyhound racing has toiled to secure off-track confidence with numerous problems making it unlikely to be considered for crucial contract for racing in betting shops. Coventry Telegraph Dec 29^th

Irish greyhound racing received a jolt when it was announced that Paddy Power Bookmakers have terminated their association with the Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park.

Proposed Welfare Regulations – Unenforceable and Worthless!

Despite an overwhelming response from the public to the recent Greyhound Welfare Consultation, calling for a ban on betting or at the very least statutory regulation, Defra are proposing the government afford the racing industry – who do not enforce the Animal Welfare Act - the continued freedom to self regulate GBGB tracks and the Local Authorities to license independent tracks. However, according to LACORS - the government body that coordinates Local Authorities in England - the proposed regulations do not contain any offence, inviting track owners to break the law and leaving councils with no powers to prosecute them.  As a consequence racing greyhounds will continue to receive NO protection under the Animal Welfare Act – on or off the tracks. These proposed regulations will ensure the protection of one thing only – the millions of pounds profits amassed by the gambling industry and the revenue generated for the government through the betting on greyhounds. Let the government know your strength of feeling on greyhound racing by signing the petition: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Dogracingbetban/?showall=1  Also contact your MP.  Request these worthless and fundamentally flawed regulations - which will only serve to protect the gambling industry’s profits and assist them to propagate a ‘well regulated industry with high standards of welfare’ - are withdrawn immediately. Racing greyhounds will continue to receive NO protection under the Animal Welfare Act.

It is reported 10 serious injuries are sustained by greyhounds per week running on the Scottish flapping (unregistered) tracks and dogs no longer wanted are taken out to woods and shot or abandoned. Watch the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4f7Rm25-1o

Further to last month’s report on horse racing and Animal Aid’s excellent website listing horse deaths, it should be noted that it only records on track deaths - not any in training or those that ‘disappear’ either before or after racing. So this increases the number of deaths directly responsible to horse racing

8 tigers and a lioness belonging to a Russian travelling circus died during a 20-hour truck journey across Siberia. The animals were dead when they arrived in the city of Yakutsk. No cause has been determined, but among the possibilities under investigation are poisoning from exhaust fumes or food poisoning. Overheating was a third possible cause, said Yevgeny Yudashkin, an administrator of the private Mechta circus based in Krasnodar. Another circus employee, who was not authorised to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said although the truck was supposed to be opened every 2 hours for ventilation, this was not done. A Doberman dog travelling in the same truck as the Indian tigers and the lioness survived, Yudashkin said. Dogs and a bear travelling in a second truck arrived healthy, he said. The news portal Kursor.ru showed photographs of the dead tigers, one piled on top of another in a cage. Some had their abdomens cut open, which the site said was done for toxicology tests. The animals had performed in Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East and were travelling to Yakutsk, a journey of about 1,400 miles, to perform in holiday shows. They were last seen alive in the city of Neryungri, 510 miles from Yakutsk, a 20-hour drive. The temperature in the region was -33^o F and the animals were in an enclosed, heated truck.

While most big top attractions have already moved away from featuring animals in their acts, 4 circus troupes still use them. A total of 38 beasts, including camels, tigers, snakes, lions, zebras, elephants and even crocodiles, are thought to be in use. Now ministers have launched a consultation scheme to consider the introduction of tighter rules, self-regulation or banning wild animals from entertainment venues. Nationally, it has been claimed a majority of the British public supported a ban on the use of animals in circuses. Jan Creamer, chief executive of welfare and conservation organisation Animal Defenders International, said two-thirds of the public were in favour of ending the use of animals in circuses. “It’s a disgrace that in 21^st century Britain, animals are still being beaten up and chained up in the name of so-called entertainment,” she said. A spokesman for Defra said: “We care about animals and aim to ensure that all kept animals are treated in an appropriate and humane way.”

A German animal trainer is in a critical condition after he was pounced on and mauled by 3 Bengal tigers at a celebrity circus event. Tiger trainer Christian Walliser was attacked after he stumbled during the show in Hamburg . The 200 guests watched in horror as he was pinned to the ground by the tigers. Members of the audience, who had each paid £120 to attend the Dinner Circus, were on the starter of a 5 course meal as the trainer came into the ring to perform his show with 5 tigers. At first onlookers thought it was part of the act as he fell, and 3 of the tigers immediately pounced on him. The tigers dug their teeth into Walliser's head and upper body, tearing off most of his left hand. Within 30 seconds other trainers ran to his aid, using water cannons and fire extinguishers to force the tigers back into their cages.   Walliser was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery. Doctors amputated Walliser's left hand and said he had suffered serious head and chest injuries in the attack. The event took place at the Hagenbeck Dressage hall, one of the oldest active circus venues in Europe . Owner of the venue, said he "deeply regretted" the incident... A police investigation was launched into the incident but a spokesman said initially there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. The incident has drawn comparisons with the horrific attack suffered by Roy Horn, of German duo Siegfried and Roy, who nearly died after being mauled by a tiger during a Las Vegas show in 2003.  Graham Chipperfield was seriously injured 1993 after being attacked by a lioness during training for a Ringling Brothers performance called Lion Attack!

Middle-east circus

We woke up Christmas morning with an email alerting us to a shipment of 6 lions and 3 tigers that was on the Egyptian/Jordanian border and it was headed to Lebanon. This is part of a circus that was coming here to perform for 6 months, and advertisements were put up throughout Beirut.  The circus was supposed to start on 23 Dec, but it had been delayed repeatedly. The Princess Alia Foundation went to the Aqaba border crossing with the Greater Amman Municipality on 25 Dec after being notified that the animals had been stuck on the border for days. According to the report from the Princess Alia Foundation the shipment left its point of origin in Egypt on 21 Dec, and the Egyptian crew accompanying the shipment said the animals had been put in the crates approximately 10 days before. The shipment was delayed for 2 days on the border as the Egyptian crew did not have the proper paperwork to show they could continue the journey to Syria.  The crew admitted that they had not provided food or water since they left their point of origin in Egypt as the owner of the animals did not provide them with money to purchase it. Food and water were purchased by the Princess Alia Foundation and officials from the Greater Amman Municipality after it became clear that the animals had not been fed or watered for at least 2 days.  They then escorted the shipment to the Syria border, and the animals finally left Jordan and headed into Syria. We raced to the circus grounds to document the animals as quickly as possible and check on their health. We finally saw the truck pull up at 19:45 on 27 Dec, 6 full days after the animals left their point of origin in Egypt. The first performance was at 18:00 on 28 Dec, less than 24 hours after the end of this week long trip. We sat through 90 mins of circus performance, clowns, jugglers, acts with dogs and even audience participation with 2 large snakes. The last act was Mohamed Helou, the ‘lion tamer’ and person listed as the exporter from Egypt on the permits, as he forced the lions and tigers to perform.  20 minutes of lions and tigers jumping around, Helou screaming for them to act, as he waved to the crowd while sitting on one of the lions. While at the performance we received a call from the minister asking us to come to his office the next morning.  A report was prepared with information gathered that day, and the Minister was very receptive. We were able to show that regulations were not followed in Lebanon and most probably not in Egypt either. The way the animals were transported does not meet even the most basic standards of guidelines for animal welfare.  Most documents seemed incorrect or totally missing – CITES permits, health certificates, microchip details, veterinary booklets. Lebanon is severely lacking in animal welfare legislation which makes it important to show the failures in the paperwork if we are to be able to save these animals.  The conditions for the animals were just as poor. The information about the transport was bad enough, but we had also been informed by the Princess Alia Foundation that one of the lions, a female cub, had recently had her claws removed and she had not healed from this cruel surgery.  Based on this information, the Minister sent us with Ministry vets to check on the animals.  TV crews and newspaper reporters were on hand as we entered the circus, and the situation quickly became tense and aggressive.  We were stopped by Mohammed Helou and Hussein Akef – another organiser of the circus, as well as the local Lebanese organiser.  There were arguments about cameras and filming, about whose authority we were there on, and who they would let into the circus grounds.  With the Ministry vets standing nearby, we asked to see the veterinary booklets and microchip documents for each animal.  These could not be produced.  They refused to allow anyone from the media to see the animals, and insisted we didn’t film or photograph.  8 adult animals were viewed for only a couple minutes - there was no fresh bedding on site and no free access to water for any of the animals.  They were still in the same small cages they had been in for over a week. The lion cub was in a small metal cage covered by a plastic tarp.  We were all surprised to see the assistant trainer come out with the cub in front of us and all the media.  Helou and Akef stated that this was to prove they have nothing to hide and their animals are healthy.  What they didn’t realise if that pictures show Helou pushing on the back paws to show the claws were still there, while Akef twisted the front paws around and covered them from view.  The first pictures show the paws clearly bloody and raw, and following pictures show Akef realising this and covering them up.  These same people have been investigated repeatedly, and had all animals confiscated in early 2007 in Mozambique. More meetings have been held with the Minister and we urge him to take action against the organisers and confiscate the animals. This shipment could have been stopped long before ever entering Lebanon, but now is the opportunity for the Ministry to make a strong statement that Lebanon will no longer be used as a hub for smuggled animals. Despite being forbidden to film, footage can be viewed at www.animalslebanon.org

Judge clears Ringling Bros Circus

A US federal judge has rejected animal rights groups' claims that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus mishandles endangered Asian elephants. US District Judge Emmet Sullivan signed the Dec 30 ruling in favour of Ringling's owner, Virginia-based Feld Entertainment Inc. (FEI) at the outset of a 9-year-old suit brought by the ASPCA that culminated in a 6-week trial in March. The ASPCA, Born Free USA (Animal Protection Institute), Animal Welfare Institute, Fund for Animals along with former Ringling animal trainer Tom Rider had accused the circus of shackling, confining and striking elephants with bullhooks, which have a sharp steel hook at one end. Sullivan dismissed the star witness's testimony, saying Rider lied about receiving payments from animal activists and about his personal attachment to the giant animals. "The court finds that Mr Rider is essentially a paid plaintiff and fact witness who is not credible, and therefore affords no weight to his testimony," Sullivan wrote in his ruling. "Mr Rider's self-serving testimony at trial about his personal and emotional attachment to these elephants also is not credible because he did not begin to make complaints about how FEI treated its elephants until after he began accepting money from animal activists." Feld's attorney for the case, Michelle Pardo of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, greeted the ruling as "a victory for the elephants and a win for the US Constitution because it reinforces that the federal court is no place to entertain a philosophical debate about whether elephants should be in the circus." But the Animal Welfare Institute vowed to continue its nearly decade-long fight to protect the elephants from abuse, blasting the judge for not acknowledging "an overwhelming amount of evidence presented at trial." "While we are disappointed that the judge did not address the merits of this case, the public now knows that Ringling Bros.' Asian elephants are systematically abused on a daily basis," said Animal Welfare Institute general counsel Tracy Silverman. "We will continue to work through other channels in our efforts to ensure that these endangered animals are protected." Founded by 7 brothers in 1871, Ringling Bros. has built much of its success on its trained elephants. In 1995, it established the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Centre for Elephant Conservation in central Florida, which the circus calls "the largest Asian elephant population in the Western Hemisphere."

India ends dancing bears
Until recently dancing bears were a common sight in India. Animal welfare history was made this month when what is thought to be the last dancing bear, one of more than 600, was taken off the streets of India and brought to one of 3 sanctuaries where it will spend the rest of its life, possibly  20 years or more. International Animal Rescue, along with a small coalition of animal welfare groups around the world, capped a year’s long project to place all of India's dancing bears in sanctuaries in India. The practice of “dancing bears” was handed down for generations in India, since the 16^th century, by Kalandar gypsies who used the bears to make a living. Although outlawed in 1972 by the Wildlife Protection Act, but mostly ignored by Indian authorities, the practice, which involved poaching sloth bear cubs, an endangered species, and killing the mothers, was mostly ignored by Indian authorities. Captured bear cubs' teeth were smashed out with an iron bar, their claws were removed, and a hole would then be made through a bear's sensitive muzzle with a hot poker, allowing a rope to pass through the hole and out the nostril. People made the bears “dance” by yanking the ropes and hitting their feet. Sometimes, cheap liquor was used to subdue them. As cubs, they were forced to stand on hot coals to learn to hop from one foot to the other, to simulate dancing. Now in sanctuaries, former dancing bears, usually malnourished with badly damaged teeth, will get special veterinary and dental care, are fed healthy diets, and live with companions in large, forested enclosures with pools. They cannot be returned to the wild because their teeth and claws have been removed, and they were not taught survival skills by their mothers. Besides taking care of the bears, the organisation worked with the Kalandar bear handlers to make sure they learned new trades after surrendering their bears. Kalandar children are also now able to go to school sponsored by the Kalandar Rehabilitation Project, according to Alan Knight, CEO of International Animal Rescue. Telegram.com. 20 Dec

Proposed slaughter of cows in World Cup stadiums
Fifa remains silent about a proposal to slaughter a cow at every 2010 World Cup venue in a blessing ritual. The Makhonya Royal Trust, a body to promote traditional S. African cultures, has called on World Cup organisers to permit is organisation to "slaughter a beast" at a cultural ceremony in each of the stadiums ahead of the tournament. The plan, which involves slicing the throat of a cow with a knife or an assegai, reportedly has the support of S. Africa's traditional affairs minister. In a parallel complaint about Zulu methods of animal sacrifice, Shiceka and King Goodwill Zwelithini were taken to court last month by Animal Rights Africa. Judges considered the case to be so sensitive as to require referral to parliament. But now Fifa has been caught up in the row. The NSPCA, which enforces S. Africa's statutory powers over animal welfare, has written to Fifa requesting participation in discussions with the S. Africa 2010 Organising Committee about the ceremonies. The NSPCA has also said of the World Cup animal sacrifice plan that it "does not condone or support the proposal". The Guardian 23 Dec

Fur Farm Intelligence Unit

In what may be an emerging trend, anonymous activists have made public even more sensitive fur industry info. Just after The Blueprint was released, an anonymous communication surfaced on the internet from “The Fur Farm Intelligence Unit”, publicising the address of “Cascade Farms“, a previously unknown Oregon mink farm. This information did not turn up in the 5-month Fur Farm Intelligence Project, and is a crucial addition to the fur farm address database. This is the second communiqué from the Fur Farm Intelligence Unit, and may signal the birth of a new angle for clandestine animal liberation activity: leaking or otherwise exposing damaging intelligence on animal abuse industries. While the Animal Liberation Front focuses on liberating animals from imprisonment, The Fur Farm Intelligence Unit appears to focus on the dissemination of sensitive data which will have an indirect, but ultimately no less powerful impact on animal exploitation industries.

Will Israel Ban Fur Imports?
After much effort activists have opened a second frontier for their cause in the Knesset, Israel ’s legislative arm. Knesset member Ronit Tirosh has proposed a bill banning fur imports into the country. Ultra Orthodox Knesset members, however, claim that the ban would harm their custom of wearing "shtreimels," which are fur hats worn by religious Jews. “At the moment the religious front in the Knesset places conditions and prevents voting on the bill. The International Anti-Fur Coalition comments “We are talking about 75m animals, not including hundreds of millions of small rabbits being murdered just for their furs. That is, just for the sake of fashion and dandyism, without any reason. Just because a human would like to wear a piece of fur on a pocket book, an animal has to leave his life in torture, being skinned alive. It is not part of humanity, this luxury cash which people wear for fashion could be donated to children in need, and needy families. A warm jacket can come in many forms. The warmth and love in our hearts directed towards preventing abuse and suffering, this warmth will wrap children and people, instead of furs. A survey conducted by the International Anti-Fur Coalition has found that 86 % of Israelis think it is immoral to wear furs, and 79 % support the bill proposed at the Knesset. We are preparing ourselves for a domino effect. Israel is going to be the first to pass this bill, then England will be next. That is because England is exactly like us, it doesn’t have any fur industry of its own, only import and marketing.” The pro-animal activists are optimistic the bill will pass.

James Gray, Amersham horse cruelty appeal has started at Bicester Magistrates Court, Oxfordshire and it will take place every day for 10 weeks (starts at 10 am). Bicester Magistrates Court, Waverley House, Queens Avenue, Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 2NZ

Balkan animal suffering – new website

1^st Jan sees the introduction of our new sister site which has been in the planning for a while now. Largely aimed at being an information and photographic site, with links to all past SAV issues and campaigns, you will find many new photographs held on SAV archives but which are previously unpublished.  We have even more still in our database; possibly these will be added at a later date. This is simply the start of the new site which is called ‘Balkans Animal Suffering’ (BAS). We start with Serbia, but over the coming months will be producing other categories along the same lines which cover other Balkans states such as Macedonia. The aim is for the 2 sites, SAV and BAS to be used in conjunction with each other – SAV will continue to publish global animal welfare issues in addition to those in the Balkans, whilst BAS will solely be an archive and direct link source to campaigns and data originally detailed on SAV.  As declared, there will be a selection of new previously unpublished photographs in some of the posts. Please give us time to get all this up and running correctly; there is a lot of work for a very small team and so things will gradually appear over the months rather than all being published on the first day. SAV will continue to be updated also whenever time and manpower allows. Enjoy finding your way around the ‘Balkans Animal Suffering’ site; if it was a perfect world full of people who respect and care for animals then there would be no need for ANY of this to be done; but a perfect world it is not and animal suffering happens everywhere.  The aim of BAS is to show the situation in the Balkans with the hope that Balkans governments will change their attitude to animal suffering and adopt better welfare policies and legislation, especially for the reduction of stray and roaming animals. Regards SAV. Visit BAS by clicking on: http://balkansanimalsuffering.wordpress.com/2009/12/  

The second newsletter of Animal Rights Prisoner Support is already in the net. There are lots of letters from the prisoners telling us how they feel and how they are.  www.londonanimalrights.org.uk/FINAL%20ARPS%20newsletter%20no%2002

Hamster in microwave

A teenager who cooked his little brother's pet hamster in a microwave was told he faces a custodial sentence. The 16-year-old who left the animal with terrible internal injuries and a seriously burnt hind leg. The crime only came to light when his mother's friend took the animal to a vet the next day. The shocked vet took the decision the put the hamster down and called the RSPCA. Kettering Magistrates' Court heard the youth initially blamed his other brother. But in court he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering under Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Kevin McCole, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said the teenager had threatened to microwave the hamster on 3 previous occasions. He told the court: 'On March 23 the mother was sitting at home in Corby, Northamptonshire, with her husband when she heard a commotion in the living room. ‘2 of her 3 sons came running in shouting the eldest had put the hamster in the microwave and cooked it. 'They put the hamster back in the cage but her son was laughing and not at all sorry.'  The 1-year-old white Russian hamster was still able to move by the time it got to the vet but its condition was rapidly deteriorating. Mr McCole added: 'The right hind leg had been completely burnt away leaving just the skeleton and the charred remains of flesh. 'The vet concluded the hamster had been caused a great deal of pain and would have been made to suffer unnecessarily for an extended period of time.'  In mitigation, John Whiston, said his client had admitted responsibility for the offence and was still awaiting the results of a psychiatric report. He added: 'He cannot explain to me or you why he did it. A further psychiatric report is required.'   Chair of the bench, Melvin Garner, adjourned the case until Feb 5. He said: 'We consider the offence to be so serious a custodial sentence is appropriate. 'But we realise if the psychiatric report recommends hospital treatment that will take priority.'  The youth was released on unconditional bail. Speaking outside court, RSPCA Inspector Clint Davies said he was pleased magistrates were taking the offence seriously.

Bronx teenager roasted cat in oven
Cheyenne Cherry will serve 2 years in jail for roasting her friend's pet in a 500^o oven. Cherry broke into her friend's Bronx apartment on May 6 and stuffed tiny Tiger Lily in an oven. Cherry's accomplice was also sentenced to 18 months in juvenile jail for placing the cat in Valerie Hernandez's oven. When pleading guilty in July to attempted burglary and animal cruelty in Bronx Supreme Court and stuck out her tongue and yelled, "It's dead, bitch" to an animal activist in the audience. Cherry said she broke into Hernandez's flat to "mess the place up."  She also agreed to permanently stay away from Hernandez, to not own a pet for 3 years after her release and to 3 years of post release supervision. 

RIP

Ray Jessop, of  Hull, has died. Affectionately described as "the oldest hippie in town" by fellow activists, he was a fervent animal welfare campaigner. A close friend and fellow campaigner commented "He was absolutely one in a million. Kind, gentle, honest and genuine, compassionate and respectful, I don't know anybody else like him, he was so unique."

 Zeanna Garrett who we sadly lost on 5^th Jan. Zeanna and husband Gerry have been very regular demonstrators at Dover for a number of years now and Zeannas warmth and passion for animal welfare will always be remembered and very sadly missed. We fondly remember both her and Gerry making such a determined effort to be with us at the last monthly KALE demonstration in December 2009.   Despite her illness and the freezing conditions at the harbour on the day, Zeanna and Gerry both did their normal and braved the elements to voice their opposition to the trade in live animal export. Zeanna worked with us and had the pleasure of witnessing the demise of the live animal export trade from the UK over recent months, to the situation we have now where no live animals have been exported from Uk shores for several months. To a very dedicated lady from all at KALE xx

In the new upcoming Irish animal welfare bill it has been agreed that Provisions of the legislation will be a commitment to: Adopt the principles and 5 freedoms set out in the recent Scottish Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, particularly in relation to cruelty and neglect, to ensure that the welfare of animals is properly protected and that the penalties for offenders are increased significantly; Replace the culling of badgers with more effective and humane methods of control; Phase-out fur farming over 3 years; End stag hunting. Animal Rights Action Network would like to extend our thanks for the above to the Irish Green Party for putting these proposals forward which should now go into action and thank John Gormley for helping to make this a reality. Please do everything you can to attend Animal Rights Action Network's huge march for animals on Dec 6^th in Dublin, visit our website www.ARAN.ie for more - let's work for even more changes for animal rights.

Sticky trap alert - Birmingham City Council plan to use sticky traps to deal with a mouse problem in their offices. They have apparently dismissed humane alternatives. This is due to take place in a few weeks time on a weekend so that the employees don't see the mice desperately trying to free themselves from the traps. These extremely cruel devices have been internationally condemned as one of the worst rodent traps ever devised. Using a base board covered in the stickiest of glue, they cause the victims to die slow, horrific deaths. Pointing out that mice and rats are capable of experiencing the same type of pain as other mammals, veterinary surgeons confirm that "there is much suffering by the entrapped animals – it is not a sudden or merciful death" Please urgently e mail Birmingham city council and ask them to call off this totally unnecessary cruelty. contact@birmingham.gov.uk Tel: 0121 303 1111

And they call it justice
4 animal rights activists are facing charges under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act for chanting, demonstrating with masks covering their faces, and chalking defamatory slogans on the sidewalk. If convicted, the “AETA 4,”- Joseph Buddenburg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope, and Adriana Stumpo - could be sentenced to 5-10 years in prison. The AETA 4 case is a startling example of how federal terrorism laws are being used to create new crimes targeting political activists, and astronomically increase sentences for existing crimes. For instance, Marie Mason was sentenced to 30 years in prison for setting fire to empty buildings and taking precautions to not harm anyone. Meanwhile, during a Congressional hearing on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, the Justice Department proclaimed “we are apolitical in this.” But this is anything but apolitical. Animal rights activists could receive 5-10 years in prison, as terrorists, for not harming, or attempting to harm anyone. Meanwhile, take a look at what some others are facing for much more serious crimes: Burning a cross at the home of an African-American man, close to his home, while family inside: 3.5 years. Setting fire to a hotel with people inside: 1 year. Police officer rapes a girl in juvenile custody: 8 months. Assaulting black men on election night because Obama was elected president: about 5 years.  Enron exec guilty of $7m in wire fraud and securities fraud: 16 months.  Tying up a black student and taunting him with racial epithets as part of a high school graduation party: 6 months.   Mailing anthrax threats to the IRS: 1 year. Using the Internet to threaten to destroy buildings of the FBI by fire or explosives; 1 year. Threatening to bomb an Air Force base: 1 year. Drunken man drives over his brother during an argument: 18 months. Mailing anthrax threats to an assistant U.S. attorney: up to 5 years.  Manufacturing and selling home-made explosive devices: 5 years probation. Sending 65 anthrax hoax letters: 4 years. Dumping nearly 13m gallons of untreated liquid waste: 15 months. Threatening to bomb the Oklahoma city federal building: up to 5 years. Setting a dog on fire & burning 50% of his body: 45 days.

Jávea's bous al mar fiestas got off to a controversial start on when the first 'sacrifice of the day' drowned in the harbour. Organisers say that the bull 'became agitated after its horns were set on fire' and it dived into the sea. It tried to raise its head out of the water but was unable to do so and drowned very quickly. Onlookers say it was clear the bull had no strength and was unable to swim. They added that a boat used to guide the bulls back to shore after they enter the water was unable to save it. The crew of the boat grabbed the animal's horns and held its head above water but by that time it was beyond help. Jávea councillor Pepa Chorro, who was responsible for setting the bulls horns on fire, said 'it seemed very nervous' but she put this down to it being the first time it had participated in the fiestas. She added that after its horns were alight it took no more than 5 minutes for the animal to dive into the sea, but due to its very tired state it was unable to stay afloat and all efforts to revive it were in vain. Organisers say the bous al mar fiestas now included the bous embolats (attaching fire to horns) tradition, something that is not normally part of the Jávea fiestas.

Plans to ban circuses with animals from performing in Tendring have been put on hold.  Animal rights campaigner and Tendring councillor Lawrie Payne put forward a motion calling on the district council to do what it could to ban circuses with animals from performing in the district.  About 30 animal rights campaigners in the public gallery booed and stamped their feet when council chairman Nick Turner refused to allow the motion to be heard. Council leader Neil Stock said he feared such a move could leave the authority open to a “possible risk of unforeseen legal consequences”.  The motion will now go to the council’s cabinet for a recommendation before being presented to councillors at the next full council meeting in October. Mr Payne, (Lab, Harwich E.) said: “I’m disgusted and outraged the chairman did not allow democracy to take place on an issue which is of a moral nature, not a political nature. Neither democracy nor animal welfare has been seen to be done at the meeting.  It may be that the Conservatives did not want to be seen not to support my motion in public. If that is the case, it is a shame on them.” The motion follows the abuse of a circus elephant by a groom – who was subsequently sacked – at the Great British Circus, which visited Clacton earlier this year.  Chris Barltrop, spokesman for the Great British Circus, said circuses with animals are legal, so the council would not have powers to refuse them a licence simply because they used them. He said the council does not own the land it uses – Clacton Airfield – and the authority’s only jurisdiction in terms of licensing was about health and safety.

Russian animal rights - 8 animal rights protesters posed in T-shirts printed with fake blood, several hiding their faces in surgical masks, outside the trial of a man accused of shooting pet dogs. The trial could result in one of the country’s first serious convictions for animal cruelty. It also provides a showcase for a new, more radical animal activism that is gaining popularity in Russia. The protesters represent a secretive grass-roots organisation called Alliance for Animal Rights. A nebulous organisation, it has no formal registration, and it is unclear who is in charge. Its spokesman, Semyon Simonov, answered e-mails from Sochi. He said the group has 500 members and was set up 5 years ago, initially as a purely Internet-based project, but had been holding rallies since 2005. He said the protests usually attract 50 people, but sometimes all 500 members show up for popular issues such as homeless animals. Among the causes that the group backs is Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. “We call for everyone who takes part not to break the law,” Simonov said. “For us it’s important because our society could react badly to illegal actions.” Nevertheless, he warned, “In Russia there are people who have been disappointed by legal methods, and they could ignore laws that allow the killing of animals.” Activists said they knew of the jail terms for the British activists and were sympathetic. “We hope to achieve success with peaceful methods, but we support these people all the same.” “We think this is bad,” Makhmutov said of the jailings. “We feel that any defence of animals isn’t a crime.” Last month, the activists picketed pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers-Squibb in Moscow. They have also picketed AstraZeneca and Novartis. “In Russia there are supporters of the Animal Liberation Front and their numbers are growing, since there is more deprivation of animal rights in our country than in many others,” Simonov said. He listed the lack of a law on animal rights and public monitoring of laboratories, farms and slaughterhouses. “It’s obvious that if the situation doesn’t change, many people will turn to direct action,” Simonov said. Last year, American activist Steve Best visited Russia and talked to students in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Best, who teaches philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso, is a controversial figure. He co-founded a media information centre for the Animal Liberation Front in the US. He was banned from visiting Britain in 2005 under anti-terrorist legislation after telling a conference, “We will break the law and destroy property until we win.” “The Moscow animal rights community is one of the most active and dedicated I know,” Best said in an e-mail. He described it as comprising “both a highly visible legal and above ground presence” and also “underground activities of the Animal Liberation Front.” “Activists tend to be young students and workers,” he said. “Many activists are anarchists and anti-fascist and understand the connections between animal liberation and human liberation.” Animal rights protesters aren’t yet seen as a threat by the authorities, Best said. He was “able to speak freely” in Russia, he said, although he was told that plainclothes police officers attended some of his talks. Although Best initially was little-known in Russia, “people found out about him and he became a favourite with many animal rights activists because his ideas reflect their views,” Simonov said.

Morocco’s street animals
On the 16^th  Oct, 4 Help the Street Animals of Morocco supporters will embark on a 41 mile, 3 day sponsored walk along the South Downs Way, E. Sussex to raise funds for HSAM's next neutering trip in November.  It would be great to have your support at the start or end of the walk!! Please contact us for times and locations.   If you would like to sponsor/collect sponsors, please email us for a sponsorship form. help-animals-morocco@live.co.uk or ring 01273 241 802

Macedonia Exposed
Despite all out attempts by the authorities at the Vardariste street dog pound to stop photographs being taken, we have managed to obtain some from various contacts and sources. Macedonian volunteers have been doing what they can, trying to save the dogs at Vardariste. We now have disturbing reports from them on conditions. The volunteers feel that only internationals, in particular the EU Animal Welfare Intergroup, can help change the terrible conditions at Vardariste. Volunteers have been threatened if they continue recounting the goings on, as the workers are clearly afraid of the EU finding out. It is our intention to ensure that the EU does find out about the situation in Vardariste / Skopje, and Macedonia in general. Vested interests are very likely in Vardariste, as they are in much of the Balkans. A capture, spay and release programme is supposed to be happening, but actually money is probably being made in a typical Eastern European fashion: by selling off the dog food meant for the dogs at the pound at half price; if they kill all the dogs (since the government wants all street dogs killed) then it is very possible that the majority of the EU provided money could end up elsewhere.  We call it ‘corruption’; what do others call it? If it costs 300 macedonian to inject a dog (ie. to kill it) with soap or whatever and 1400 Maced to spay and release, then one can draw one’s own conclusions. There is a €100,000 EU budget a year allocation (according to information we have been given) for Vardariste, but there is nothing there, only starving dogs that are killed. And as the dogs at the pound keep disappearing (killed off), to be replaced by new ones, they are all held in appalling, overcrowded cages. SAV have witnesses who can attest to this should legal action need to be taken in the future. It is understood that the current death rate for the Vardariste pound is 97%. Yet the government controlled press boasts of ‘wonderful conditions’. More disturbing is the fact that most people can’t go in and feed the dogs now, as the head of Vardariste has closed it to visitors on Saturdays between 9-12. Now it is only opened for adoption on Fridays between 9-12 when everyone is working.  It would appear to us that the situation at Vardariste is almost like that of a ‘death camp’ – with no chance of dogs ever being adopted by people.  Instead they are held in cages, not fed, killed off and then replaced by yet more dogs captured from the streets. SAV are today, 9^th Oct, providing a full copy of this to Caroline Lucas MEP, the new President of the EU Animal Welfare Intergroup, requesting that immediate and effective action is taken within the EU Parliament to question what is actually being done with the EU funded budget for Vardariste. We also request that you provide a copy of this article to your own MEPs, again demanding that investigations be undertaken by the EU into their funding of Vardariste. If you wish to take direct, independent action for the dogs, then letters can be written to: Mayor of the city of Skopje, Mr. Koce Trajanovski :gradonacalnik@skopje.gov.mk  Prime Minister of R. Macedonia, Nikola Gruevski www.vlada.mk/?q=contact  SAV

Last month I wrote about Wurzel, a dog who was murdered by a neighbour, Neville Hill.  He avoided conviction because the dog had been rendered brain dead immediately and not suffered from the blow to the head. I have received a letter from her carer, Trisha Wales.  In it she says that she feels that Wurzel has received justice in as much as Hill was exposed in so many national papers, on TV and radio. The case was found ‘not proven’ leaving a question mark hanging over it. Hill was cross examined for 80 minutes.  The magistrate said that Trisha’s application for costs would be looked upon favourably by the court.  Wurzel’s story is known by millions.  Hill moved from his house next to Trisha and now lives at Nuthurst, Copse Lane, Walberton, W. Sx, where no doubt all the neighbours are aware of what he did.  As Trisha said, Wurzel had a wonderful, well-loved and happy life and knew nothing about her end.  Neville Hill still has to live with the consequences.

What is it that has caused the mysterious deaths of honey bees all over the world in the last 5 years? A new film may have the answer. Vanishing of the Bees, which will be released in Britain soon, claims the cause is the use of a new generation of pesticides that weakens the bees and makes them more susceptible to other diseases. Narrated by the British actress Emilia Fox, the 90-minute film tells the story of what has become known as colony collapse disorder. The problem first appeared in America in the winter of 2004, when many beekeepers across the country found that their bees had suddenly vanished, leaving behind empty hives. Since then scientists have failed to find a single cause for it.  The film goes on to suggest that neonicotinoid pesticides, some of them made by Bayer, one of the world's biggest chemical companies, may be behind the disappearances.

Koalas are dying of stress because their habitats are being destroyed, research has found. The majority of koalas live on a stretch of eastern coastline in the states of Queensland and New South Wales. Koalas live in the rolling hills and flat plains where eucalyptus trees grow, because they need the leaves for both food and water. But as people move in, koalas are finding themselves with fewer trees, researchers have said. The stress is bringing out a latent disease that infects 50 to 90% of them. Numbers show that even in their stronghold, koala numbers are declining alarmingly. The problem came to national attention in August, when the well-known Sam the Koala died during surgery to treat the disease, called chlamydia. Sam captured the world's attention during major wildfires in February, when she was photographed drinking from the water bottle of a firefighter in a smouldering forest. Sam was in such obvious pain from chlamydia a vet decided to operate. But her organs were too scarred to complete the surgery, and Sam was euthanised. Chlamydiosis is a virus that breaks out in koalas in times of stress like cold sores in humans and leads to infections in the eyes and urinary, reproductive and respiratory tracts. It can cause blindness, infertility and death. Deborah Tabart, chief executive of the Australian Koala Foundation, urged the government to follow up on Sam's case by classifying koalas as a threatened species and implementing policies to preserve their habitat. The USA already considers the koala a threatened species.  And the Australian Koala Foundation estimates there are fewer than 100,000 koalas left in Australia, down from the millions at the time European settlement started in the late 1700s. A 2008 survey of the Koala Coast by the Queensland government shows the population dropped 64%, from more than 6,200 in 1999 to about 2,800. While car accidents and dog attacks killed many koalas, the report blamed about 60% of the deaths on disease.

Join global letter-writing campaign to save more bears
2 years ago, the Vietnamese Government promised to rescue and transfer into our care 80 endangered moon bears being held illegally on farms in N. Vietnam. So far, we’ve received only one. This is despite constant appeals and lobbying to the authorities by Animals Asia and other international and local NGOs. These bears desperately need your help! Please join our global letter-writing campaign to help us free the remaining 79.  We’re planning to deliver all the letters we receive from around the world to the Vietnamese Prime Minister at the end of October. The bigger the piles of letters, the greater our hope of saving these poor bears from further misery in the wretched bile industry. Over the past 24 months, we’ve tried every legal means available to us, but still the 79 bears remain in terrible conditions in small cages on farms in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, even though they are clearly being held illegally under Vietnamese law. Because these bears are unmicrochipped, they should have been confiscated and transferred to a rescue facility. So please, go to our website now to download a sample letter, or write one of your own – and please ask everyone you know to write as well, because time is running out for these bears! If you choose to write your own letter, please be polite and please be quick! For maximum impact, and to show the Vietnamese government that people all around the world want to see an end to bear farming, we need to collect all the letters together as soon as possible, so we can get them off soon. Although bile farming is illegal in Vietnam, the practice is still widespread. The farmers drug the bears with ketamine, restrain them with ropes, and repeatedly jab their abdomens with unsterile 4-inch needles until the gall bladder is found, then the bile is extracted through a suction pump. The bears are regularly subjected to this agonising process and remain trapped in small cages for years – the mental and physical torture they endure is difficult to imagine. Please don’t put this off until tomorrow – these 79 bears have waited long enough. Jill Robinson MBE Founder & CEO Animals Asia Foundation

An American woman has been mauled to death by her 160kg pet black bear as she cleaned its cage.  The victim had been keeping the animal inside a 15ft by 15ft steel cage near her house. Ms Walz had thrown some dog food to one side of the enclosure to distract the bear while she cleaned the other side, officials said. But, at some point, it turned and attacked her. The bear was shot and killed by a neighbour. Tim Conway, of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, told the local newspaper: "These animals, even though they may be very docile one day, you never know. "They are wild animals and they're very powerful and they could easily destroy your day." He said Ms Walz also owned a Bengal tiger and an African lion, and had licences to keep them. "I don't know what makes an individual want to have a pet or animal like this in captivity. I just don't," Mr Conway said. An investigation into the bear attack is continuing, police said.  The poor bear.  But at least s/he got a final revenge for such a lifetime of confinement.

Frank Evans’ bullfighting book has been self-funded; he's sunk a small fortune into it and had been relying on book signings to make sales and recoup costs. He's now loudly complaining to anyone who'll listen that due to "those sodding protesters" causing so many cancellations he's made very minimal sales, and is unlikely to make much of his money back. Oh dear!

Protesters gathered outside Nantwich Bookshop to voice their opposition to Britain’s only matador, who was signing copies of his new autobiography. Up to 20 members of Merseyside Animal Rights held placards and shouted slogans against Frank Evans, known as El Ingles. Steve Lawson, owner of the High Street store, decided to go ahead with the signing of The Last British Bullfighter despite angry calls to cancel it. Waterstone’s book chain had already shelved the 67-year-old’s scheduled appearances at their Manchester and Liverpool stores after receiving letters which said the events would glamorise the ‘cruel, violent spectacle’ of bullfighting.

This year, over 180,000 Catalonian citizens have united behind the Prou (‘enough’) campaign, demanding an end to the bloody cruelty of bullfighting in their region. The Prou campaign calls for a modification to Catalonian animal protection law, which currently safeguards all animals except the bulls and horses used in bullfights.  Overwhelming public support has forced the Catalonian Parliament to schedule a vote on removing the exemption; it will take place later this year. A ‘yes’ vote for animal welfare in this key region would be a groundbreaking step towards making bullfighting history across Spain.

Campaign for fur-free sporrans
Edinburgh Fur-Free City have been campaigning sporrans for nearly 2 years now. We are now giving our sporran campaign another push (see www.edinburghfurfreecity.co.uk/sporrans.php). Sporrans are made of fur from seals, mink, fox, chinchilla, rabbit, badger, skink, bobcat, beaver, muskrat, and musquash - and killing methods include skinning alive, anal electrocution, genital electrocution, gradual beating, neck breaking and twisting, poisoning, gassing, clubbing, stomping, amongst others. We've contacted all sporran makers and retailers asking them to go fur-free by end of Sept. Thanks to the countless letters and e-mails sent by you to support the week of protests across Scotland, MacDonald Sporrans has just confirmed that they will be phasing out real-fur sporrans within the next 1-6 months.  We shall be keeping a close eye and make sure that it happens!  Now for the others. Our main targets are Retailers: Geoffery (Tailor) Highland Crafts Ltd / 21st Century Kilts, Gold Brothers, Hector Russell, Kinloch Anderson. Manufacturers: Scottish Sporrans/Janet Eagleton and Son, William Scott & Son, RobinCraft, Margaret Morrison.

Sarah Coggles is a shop in York that sells fur, and it is also available to buy on their website. Customers with a Nectar loyalty card can get points when they buy products (including fur products) from the Coggles website. As part of the campaign against Sarah Coggles, we are asking Nectar to stop supporting the fur trade by offering loyalty reward points on the Coggles website. The Nectar shoppers loyalty card scheme involves big and respectable groups such as Sainsburys and Orange, and so surely Nectar would not want to lose public image by being associated with the fur trade. Please can you politely contact Nectar via their website www.nectar.com and ask that they remove their loyalty points from the Sarah Coggles website immediately.

Following a short demo outside a stylish 'retro' shop in Brighton selling fur, Santa Carla soon saw the error of their ways and decided to remove the fur they had on display, as well as promising to give a 'fur free pledge' to CAFT. This success follows a recent campaign against 'Native American' shop; Two Feathers, who were selling Beaver and Rabbit pelts, as well as tat decorated with Coyote and wolf. It took slightly more protests (about 3) before they capitulated.

First policies for animals in China & Nepal
2 far-east countries that are infamous for violations against human rights are making a very unlikely compassionate leap by instituting their first policies to protect animals.  Nepal has passed its first Animal Welfare Act and China has drafted the China Animal Protection Law. The recently approved Animal Welfare Act in Nepal already has 2 initial projects in the works.  The building of the country’s first animal sanctuary for rescued animals and a separate sanctuary for donkeys.  Both are scheduled to open in mid Oct. The shelter will house rescued animals and include a veterinary hospital and spay and neuter clinic. The donkey sanctuary already has 14 rescued animals waiting to be transferred to the facility.  They are part of a rescue mission from one of the worst cases of animal cruelty Nepal has ever witnessed – 55 other donkeys died during that tragedy.  The abuse to donkeys is widespread in Nepal because they are frequently used for labour and made to carry heavy loads on their backs.  They are crowded into small sheds and given little food or water. Animal Nepal, a network of animal rights activists, hopes the new Animal Welfare Act will, “Raise awareness against animal cruelty.”  The group has been fighting for the new law for many years. In China the RSPCA is very proud of the drafted Animal Protection Law about to be considered by the Chinese government.  The organisation has been trying to get legislation like this passed for more than a decade. Paul Littlefair, senior programme manager with the RSPCA’s international department said, “It is a very significant landmark – when it is passed it will be the first time in China’s history that the state is sending a clear message to every citizen: ‘the way we treat animals, matters’.” The Chinese Animal Protection Law encompasses a vast area of animal welfare. It addresses the deliberate cruelty to animals and the inhumane culling methods used against dogs. It also stops the live skinning of animals for their fur and the feeding of live farm animals to big cats in zoos and wildlife parks. Overall it protects 6 categories of animals, those on farms, in laboratories, pets, working animals, animals in entertainment and wild animals. The RSPCA is committed to staying in China to see that all of these initiatives are implemented.  The group will also promote education to the public about many of the misconceptions they have regarding animals.  Many Chinese believe the cruel practice of culling dogs is the only method of destroying rabies and are unaware that vaccines are available for both the prevention of the disease and to cure it once someone has been affected.   Also, the RSPCA will help oversee that the new law is enforced. Legal experts from the government have put the final touches on the proposal and sent it to be reviewed. Chang Jiwen, who helped draft the law said, “It’s different from Western laws. Eg., we won’t require keepers to give dogs shelters as most Chinese can’t afford that.  Only people who unnecessarily and intentionally abuse animals will be punished.”  He hopes regulations in the future will be more sophisticated and move toward Western laws. However even before the China Animal Protection Law has been voted on, it is being credited with stopping the latest dog culling that was ordered to begin this week.

Grizzly Bears dying out
First it was the giant panda, then the polar bear, now it seems that the grizzly bear is the latest species to face impending disaster.  A furious row has erupted in Canada with conservationists desperately lobbying the government to suspend the annual bear-hunting season following reports of a sudden drop in the numbers of wild bears spotted on salmon streams and key coastal areas where they would normally be feeding. The government has promised to order a count of bears, but not until after this year's autumn trophy hunts have taken place.  It has enraged ecology groups which say that a dearth of salmon stocks may be responsible for many bears starving in their dens during hibernation. The female grizzlies have their cubs during winter after gorging themselves in September on the fish fats that sustain them through the following months.  "I've never seen bears hungry in the fall before, but last year they were starving," said British Columbian wildlife guide and photographer Doug Neasloss. "I noticed in the spring there weren't as many bears coming out, but I felt it was premature to jump to conclusions." But now, he said, "there just aren't any bears. It's scary."  It was the same story from other guides over 16 rivers where once they would have been encountering dozens of grizzly bears. Reports from stream walkers, who monitor salmon streams across the vast territories, have been consistent, according to the conservation group Pacific Wild – no bears, and more worryingly, no bear cubs.  Because a few grizzlies have been wandering close to centres of human habitation people think there were plenty of bears around, but it's the shortage of food that's driving them into town. In one river, the Fraser on Canada's W. coast, 10m sockeye salmon were expected back to spawn there this summer. Only 1m turned up. Canada's Ministry of Environment announced in July that it would ban hunting of grizzly bears on an additional 470,000 hectares, bringing the total protected area for grizzlies and black bears to 1.9m hectares. The news came after Jane Goodall, the renowned wildlife campaigner, added her voice to the campaign against the hunts, which are for trophies, not meat. Grizzlies once roamed across most of N. America and the Great Plains until European settlers gradually pushed them back. Only 1,000 remain in the contiguous US, where they are protected, but the number is less clear in the vast wilds of Canada and Alaska, where they are prized by hunters who shoot hundreds of the 350kg giants every year, providing a lucrative income for provincial governments that license the hunts. Indigenous groups have added their voice to the call to save the bears, pointing out that trophy hunting is against their traditions and threatens tourism, which is a vital source of income for the remote areas of Canada. But a senior biologist with the US National Wildlife Federation said the evidence remained anecdotal and called the reports "alarmist". Bears would not starve so quickly because of the decline in salmon while there were other food sources such as berries, around. He said the long-term impact of the salmon decline on bears was a serious issue, but several years of data would need to be compiled to reveal a change in population trends. A report released last week showed species numbers to have fallen dramatically in the province of Alberta, where local officials have decided to suspend the annual hunting season despite intense lobbying from hunters. The Observer. 20 Sept

The Great British circus is being criticised again – this time for flyposting all over Colchester. 2 months ago the Circus was at the centre of a storm of criticism after hidden camera footage showed a performing elephant being hit by a groom. Now it’s in trouble for plastering posters on phone boxes, telegraph poles and road signs all over Colchester. A councillor said the posters break the planning rules on advertising.  Planning law allows circuses and travelling shows to put up posters, but they are supposed to work with the council and only use agreed sites. Cleaning teams are having to go around and take them down.  Circus spokesman Chris Barltrop said the circus would remove any offending posters which are brought to its attention. There will be a demo on Sun 18^th Oct at 2pm (show starts 3pm) against The Great British Circus at Orsett Showground, Nr. Grays, Essex RM16 3JU (situated just off the A13 - 5 miles east of the M25 Junction 30)

Greyhound Board of Great Britain in Crisis
The industry’s necessity to achieve UKAS accreditation and the implementation of imposed welfare changes, without any increased funding from the gambling industry, is already proving disastrous for the GBGB. The introduction of new kennel inspections, micro chipping and drug sampling, have culminated in the Greyhound Trainers Association chairwoman – Norah McEllistrim – calling for a ‘Vote of No Confidence’ in the GBGB and Stuart Locke-Hart, who represents greyhound owners on the GBGB board declaring ‘I believe the CEO’s [Ian Taylor] position has become untenable and he should resign’. The Racing Post’s coverage of the rows, also forced an impromptu meeting to discus what Jim Cremin – the greyhound editor – has described as ‘the biggest crisis the sport has faced in the 36 years I have worked within it’

Oxford greyhound stadium - We are trying to get together a group of supporters to hold demos and distribute leaflets on a regular basis outside Oxford Greyhound Stadium, with the aim of eventually forcing the track to close, by persuading people not to attend races there. As many as 15,000 greyhounds are put to death every year because of the existence of the British dog racing industry, so as one of Britain's 27 major greyhound tracks, Oxford is responsible for the deaths of about 500 greyhounds annually. In addition, thousands of injuries are caused to dogs running on the tracks, many of them serious. Just the Saturday before last, a 2 year old greyhound, Rookies Fantasy, was "put down" following a serious leg injury at the Oxford track. The greyhound racing industry relies on 60% of people attending races for the first time going back again at some time in the future, so educating punters about the plight of the dogs is vitally important. At other tracks where frequent leafleting/demos have taken place, there has been a significant reduction in attendances and some have closed, including nearby Reading, which ended dog racing last year. Like many other tracks, Oxford was forced to put a stop to its Tues night meetings earlier this year, owing to poor attendances, and no longer gets additional revenue from speedway racing, which ended there in 2007. So now is the time to increase the pressure for its closure. If you live in or near the Oxford area and would like take part in the campaign, please contact us as soon as possible at info@greyhoundaction.org.uk or on 01562 700 043. We are not asking you to commit to leafleting/demos there every week. The idea is to set up a reasonably sized group, so that this can be done on a rota system.

Yet another American dog track announced that it is closing! Phoenix Greyhound Park (PGP) in Arizona will run its last race on Dec 19^th. This follows last week’s news that Valley Park in Texas has also suspended its schedule through 2010.

Cats/dogs on Rhodes - The Daily Mail published (21^st Sept) a very distressing article about the cats & dogs of Rhodes who are poisoned en masse at the end of October when the last plane has left. The Greek Macho image does not allow the neutering of pet animals & the tourists feed the cats so they develop no skill at catching their own prey. According to one local, whose own dog was poisoned, it is the fault of the tourists who feed the cute little strays so they never learn to catch mice, rats, lizards & snakes.   Nothing will change unless the tourist trade is affected.    They even print a calendar - Kitties of Rhodes - so it is up to us to make our absence felt & why.  When Greece joined the EU their slaughtering practises were unacceptable to Europe & had to change. For those of you who have influence, please convince the Greeks their behaviour towards cats & dogs is equally so.  Otherwise those who venture to visit out of season might see unwanted dogs hanging from a tree or cats expiring in agony from weed killer laced food.  It is down to us. If we don't come & the Greeks know why, it will change. If you must go, don't feed the strays unless you are prepared to bring them home with you.  

School condemned for reptile market - Shenfield High School has been publicly condemned for its part in facilitating an underground reptile market that took place on Sun 27 Sept, at which illegal trading of wild animals took place. The Animal Protection Agency (APA), with support from International Animal Rescue, is now calling for an inquiry, and will be carrying out their own investigation, into the school’s role in keeping the event hidden from the authorities. The school originally announced that it had disallowed the event.  A hunt then began for the new venue after organisers had threatened that their event would go underground. Public appeals for information were made and the police, as well as officers of several councils across Essex, spent considerable time searching through their contacts to track down the event.  Some councils even made out-of-hours provisions in case the event turned up in their areas. Early on Fri afternoon, the Animal Protection Agency received a tip-off from a reptile keeper that the event would be taking place at the original venue, Shenfield High School. The school, however, refused to confirm or deny that the event was taking place there and advised that an announcement would be made after 6pm (ie. after council hours).  On Fri afternoon, Brentwood Borough Council were not aware that the event would be taking place at the school but did warn that the school could face prosecution if illegal trading took place. Elaine Toland of APA said: “The school was made fully aware of the legal situation regarding reptile markets and also the health risks involved in staging such an event. Our team of investigators attended the market where countless criminal transactions were observed and recorded. The school, which is complicit in those crimes, may now be subject to prosecution. It’s a scandal that time and public resources were wasted in tracking down this event when Shenfield High School could have provided information to the authorities that would have been helpful. If the school was confident that this was a legitimate event, then why all the secrecy?” Conditions at this event were typical of all reptile markets and would have caused tremendous stress to the animals traded. Under current legislation, animals are protected from this type of mistreatment and numerous organisations are working hard to ensure that this form of abuse is stamped out. Experts in public health warn that venues at which reptile markets have taken place may be contaminated for up to 3 months afterwards. The APA is focused on ceasing the trade in wild animals as pets. They work closely with International Animal Rescue which is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of suffering animals all over the world.

A South Tyneside teenager who stole a cat and forced it to inhale cannabis by trapping it in a bag has been given a suspended sentence.  Mark Kane, 19, was filmed on a mobile phone carrying out the "sadistic attack" on the tabby cat in January. Kane, of St Aidan's Rd, S. Shields, had earlier admitted causing unnecessary suffering. He was given a 3 month sentence, suspended for 2 years, and banned from keeping animals for 10 years. He was also ordered to pay £100 in costs. Magistrates on S. Tyneside were told Kane had stolen the cat from a friend of his girlfriend. The court was shown a video in which Kane was seen putting a cat in a bag, inhaling some cannabis and then blowing that cannabis into a bag, sealing the bag and then swinging the bag round his head like a lasso. The cat survived the attack but ran off and has not been found, the court heard. Clive McKeag, prosecutor in the case brought by the RSPCA, described the attack as "sadistic and wicked". Passing sentence, Ken Buck, chairman of the bench, said: "We do think the charges of animal cruelty are appalling in nature and caused real stress and unnecessary suffering to a domestic pet which was in your care." Outside court, RSPCA inspector Claire Hunt said: "He had a complete disregard for this animal's welfare. "He thought it was a funny thing to do to a defenceless animal." She said she was pleased with the sentence, and added: "It deters people from doing the same thing." The max 6 months inside may be a better deterrent. He’d have got more if he’d stolen the cat for its own safety

A woman pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to 85 St Bernard dogs and failing to meet the welfare needs of another 14 St Bernards.  Mary Ellen Collis, formerly of Wardana Kennels, Brigstock, and now of Denby Lane, Wakefield, appeared at Corby Magistrates’ Court to answer charges relating to the 99 dogs in a case brought by the RSPCA.  Collis is due to be sentenced at 2.15pm on Fri 23 Oct at Wellingborough Magistrates Court.

The cost of flying a hawk to scare pigeons away from Trafalgar Square has soared to almost £60,000 a year. The bird of prey is flown daily for up to 4 hours as part of efforts introduced by former mayor Ken Livingstone to disperse birds he dubbed "flying rats". Since the scheme started in July 2003, a total of £354,829 has been spent on hawks and 130 pigeons have been killed. This equates to £2,729 spent per bird. Figures show that in the last financial year the scheme cost £59,020. Mike Tuffrey, leader of the Lib Dem London Assembly Group, said: "A hawk that costs the taxpayer more than £50,000 a year is a staggering amount. Alternative ways must be found, such as nesting prevention and chemical contraception in feed. Most Londoners will certainly welcome the reduced nuisance in Trafalgar Sq, but the Mayor must find a far more cost-effective way to tackle the problem." Feral pigeon numbers have dropped from about 4,000 to the present 120 to 140.  Julia Fletcher, of the Pigeon Action Group, which campaigns for the birds' welfare, said: "What it's doing with taxpayers' money is actually performing blood sports in Trafalgar Sq. "It's totally unnecessary, not only because of the costs to the taxpayer, but because it's not going to drive the pigeons away." Numbers had fallen, she argued, because they had been "starved out of existence" after feeding them in the square was banned. A hawk does not prevent the pigeons returning, she said, because the birds are creatures of habit and always return home. The GLA pays for 75% of the cost and Westminster city council meets the rest. A GLA spokesman said increased spending reflected "the provision necessary to reduce the population". Cutting pigeon numbers had "improved the décor, safeguarded priceless cultural icons and created a cleaner and healthier environment". For this financial year, more than £25,000 has been spent up to the end of last month, suggesting the total could top last year's figure. The highest cost so far was £78,241 for 2003/04, but the GLA said that was because it was the first full year of the control programme. The spending covers the contractor's costs for transport to the square and the hawk's handler. Usually 2 Harris hawks are delivered each day, although only one is flown at a time. Wardens also patrol the square to stop people feeding the pigeons.

90 Australian Super Circus Sydney advertising billboards were destroyed in Dublin, 24 as the circus was performing there. This circus, formerly part of Circus Vegas, is notorious for attacking protestors and for releasing animals on to major roads as advertising stunts. Give up the animals Circus Sydney. Till all are free. ALF Ireland

Animals bolt from circus - Dublin's traffic is often snarled, but this could be the first time llamas are to blame. 5 of the S. American animals along with 2 goats ran rampant on the capital's major ring road, the M50, causing 8 km traffic jams. Police eventually corralled the animals safely into a trailer. Circus owner Alexander Scholl said his animals bolted when fuel delivery men left a gate open. He rejected rival circus owners' claims that he deliberately let the llamas go to gain attention for his Circus Sydney, which previously has lost elephants and a wallaby.

Can you picture 7,000 young buffaloes being rounded up and killed by a thousand drunk men carrying large knives? A festival where 200,000 animals are killed to please a goddess? This is exactly what -if nothing is done- will happen in Nov in Nepal. The Gadimai Festival in Bariyarpur, Bara District, is held every 5 years. The mass sacrifice turns the entire area into a marshy land of blood. Animal Welfare Network Nepal wants to end this bloody, cruel practice.  Go to www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-gadimai.html to sign a petition addressed to the Ministers of Tourism, Agriculture, Peace and Law and Justice. 

Dog microchip plans - Under plans to be put forward by both Labour and the Conservatives at the next election, all dogs will have to be fitted with a microchip with their owner’s name, address and phone number. In addition, a national database will hold details of all dogs in the country, including their breed, age and health. Owners who fail to insert a microchip will face a fine and possibly the right to keep their dog. Both Labour and the Tories believe the policy will curb the number of stray dogs and will deter owners from buying dogs they do not look after properly. Andrew Rosindell MP, the Conservative animal welfare spokesman, said he thought microchipping would stop Britain’s pounds overflowing with strays and help identify irresponsible owners. The Conservative council in Wandsworth, S. London, has already made it compulsory for council tenants with dogs to microchip their animals and log details on a database. Rosindell, MP for Romford, Essex, said microchips also helped to cut crime. “If a dog that has been involved in fighting or bad behaviour has been microchipped, it will help the police find who the owner is,” he said. Ian Cawsey MP, a vice-chairman of the Labour party who has been asked by Gordon Brown to draw up animal welfare policies, also said microchipping was vital. The policy will be at the heart of Labour’s animal welfare proposals to be unveiled at its conference this week. They include a ban on shock collars for badly behaved dogs. The collars, which have been condemned by animal welfare organisations as cruel, emit an electric shock to stop the dog misbehaving. The proposals also include plans to ban wild animals from circuses and to outlaw the sale of reptiles that have not been bred in the UK.

The European Circus Association (ECA) announced the filing of legal actions against Austria and the City of Luxembourg to challenge their bans on animals in the circus. ECA President Urs Pilz made the announcement at the European Parliament where the ECA and its partners delivered a report to MEP Doris Pack, Chairwoman of the Committee on Culture & Education, on next steps for the Parliament's 2005 circus resolution which noted the desirability of further recognition of the classical circus, including the presentation of animals, as part of European culture. "We have waited nearly 5 years for the EC to take up its responsibilities and challenge the Austrian ban," Mr. Pilz said. "The right to present well-cared for animals under good welfare conditions in the classical circus in Europe must be established once and for all. Equal treatment for the circus community and enforcement of law also means that bans established by local authorities such as the City of Luxembourg must be invalidated."  Austria instituted a ban on non-domesticated animals in the circus in January 2005. The EC determined that the Austrian ban violated Article 49 of the European Treaty and opened legal proceedings against Austria. However, the Commission dropped the case under pressure from animal rights activists. In June 2009, the European Ombudsman concluded his investigation, finding that the Commission had "abdicated its role as Guardian of the Treaty." He recommended that the Commission reinstate the action or provide a legally valid reason for not doing so. Mr. Pilz emphasised the ongoing popularity of performing circus animals across Europe. Data from the Irish Arts Council shows that more Irish visited circuses in 2006 than opera, contemporary dance, and ballet combined. Independent market research determined that 6.4m Germans visited a circus in either 2006 or 2007. A random sampling of the German public in 2008 found that 86% of the persons surveyed believe that animals are an essential part of the circus. The ECA reaffirmed its strong commitment to animal welfare. It also announced a new Pledge programme under which ECA members would report on their achievements to the public and its intention to identify one European circus each year for excellence and innovation in animal care. People used to love bear baiting and the stocks – mind you, I could think of a few I’d like to see in the stocks!

4 people have been jailed for their part in one of Europe's largest dog-fighting syndicates. Claire Parker, a mother of 3 from Kexby, Lincolnshire, who held dog fights at her home, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison. 3 co-defendants were jailed for between 23 and the max 26 weeks for animal cruelty offences. Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard the ring was smashed after a BBC Panorama investigation. Sentencing had been delayed after one of the defendants was attacked in court. Kenneth King, of Main St, Ragnall, Newark, Notts, was struck around the head several times and left bleeding from his ear. Another person involved in the scuffle was shot with a Taser by police. District judge Richard Blake said: "There's widespread public objection at these sorts of offences; of the sadistic abuse of animals for entertainment. "The dogs in this case are not in any way pets - they are animals used for sadistic entertainment and perverted pleasure." Parker was banned from keeping animals for 10 years. The court found the syndicate had links to a gang in N. Ireland, with paramilitary connections, who supplied illegal American pit bull dogs. Members of the ring attended fights as far away as Finland. Parker was found guilty of holding a fight in the garage at her home, which she shared with her husband, John Parker. He has since died in prison. She was found guilty of being present at a dog-fight, keeping premises for dog-fighting and possessing 3 pit bull dogs. She had denied all the charges. Gary Adamson, of Ramsey Cres, Yarm, N. Yorks, who pleaded guilty to 6 charges in connection with illegal dog-fighting, was given 23 weeks in prison. Mohammed Farooq, of Daniels Rd, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, who was found guilty on 2 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and possessing training equipment for dog-fighting, was sentenced to the maximum penalty of 26 weeks. Owen Batey, of Cannock Rd, Middlesbrough, was given 23 weeks in jail, having admitted setting 2 pit bulls on each other, being present at a dog-fight and owning a pit bull. Christopher Burgess, of Longstone Way, Ladybrook, Mansfield, Notts, who pleaded guilty to one charge of keeping a banned dog, received 160 hours' community service. Both Adamson and Batey were banned from keeping animals for life.

A surge in dog fighting, often in public parks, has left unprecedented numbers of the animals with serious injuries, the RSPCA has warned.  The charity said a new wave of what is known as chain fighting, or rolling, has seen increasing numbers of badly-injured dogs needing treatment. The practice sees young men gather in "ad hoc" places like parks where they hold 2 animals on chains and egg them on to fight. Rottweilers or Staffordshire bull terriers are often used. It is thought the rise in chain fights has resulted from police action against organised dog fighting rings.

Italy's entry for the Best Foreign Film prize at the 2010 Oscars is at the centre of a new animal cruelty controversy. Officials at the country's National Association for Animal Protection (ENPA) are calling for censors to pull Giuseppe Tornatore's film Baaria from cinemas over a gruesome bull slaughter scene. ENPA leader Carla Rocchi has filed a complaint calling the scene, in which a bull has its throat slit while still alive, "senseless cruelty." The animal rights group officials also suggest the filmmaker should be prosecuted. At the recent Venice Film Festival, where the movie premiered, Cinema Paradiso director Tornatore revealed the bull scene was shot in a slaughterhouse in Tunisia with a real animal.

There is a new UK based AR prisoners supporters group who have just published their first newsletter. See www.arprisoners.org

Slum dogs of India – book of beautiful photos by Eloise Leyden and published by Merrell. It only costs £6.47 and the publisher gives 25p for each book sold to help the dogs in India at the TOLFA shelter.  The book is available on Amazon.  Lovely Christmas present.

The police got in a flap recently in Dover when a woman was pulled over for driving with a giant parrot on her shoulder. After they discovered she was banned from driving she was arrested, and a junior policeman was given the job of driving her van to the depot with the 3ft long blue and gold macaw for company.  However this particular copper found out just how low on the pecking order he was on the force, having been given a big bird to babysit. Clearly pissed off that his keeper (and favourite shoulder) had been nicked, the macaw - who the police now know to be called Chip – spent the journey violently attacking him and sitting on the steering wheel biting chips out of his fingers. As it turns out, once Chip was back at the station, the police discovered they were brushing with stardom, 'cos he'd starred alongside Johnny Depp in the 2003 film Pirates Of The Caribbean (Chips agent probably gets him a lot of pirate work). Chief Superintendent Steve Masters of Kent police said 'It was a bit of surprise I must admit to end up with a celebrity on our hands.' Schnews

Netcu Watch

The website dedicated to keeping an eye on the New Labour built National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit was extensively updated on 7^th Nov. In this update NW reports on the widening scope of NETCU which is now going well beyond just harassing peaceful animal rights campaigners and moving into the realms of harassing those that are solely dedicated to saving us all from extinction. Also re-prints of many recent mainstream media articles which have documented the massive attack on our civil liberties by psychotic madman Blair and his new Labour party as well as the usual NW reports of severe abuse of police power when dealing with dissent in the UK and much more. Be sure to bookmark or link to http://www.vivisection.info/netcu_watch  

'Music United For Animals'

'Music United For Animals' is a CD of animal welfare/animal rights songs.  The track list includes 'Your meat is our Murder' a song to expose the misery of the factory farming trade. Here is the song link - http://www.maria-daines.com/music-32.html  Other songs on the album highlight the issue of stray dogs in Romania, vivisection, fur trade, bear bile farming, the use of animals in the circus, puppy mill breeding factories, horse slaughter and the annual killing of seal pups. All songs and info can be found here - http://www.maria-daines.com/bio.html  The journey to make a collection of songs as a voice for animals in distress has been emotional, exciting, hard work, rewarding, and a real eye-opener. We are available to promote this album in the coming weeks, please contact us if you would like a copy of the cd or an interview.  All proceeds of the album will benefit grass roots rescue organisations and animal shelters. Thank you, best wishes, from Maria Daines & Paul Killington. Our website - http://www.maria-daines.com  http://www.myspace.com/musicunitedforanimals

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Last Updated 13 December 2008