“Here’s an email I’m eager to share with you, I’m so relieved these animals are now safe!!” But there is so much more work to be done to free animals from dilapidated road side zoo!!”
Animaland Zoo Shut Down For Good
Dear Julie,
Now they have grass under their paws, clean water, companionship, enrichment and veterinary care. At last, thanks to the Animal Legal Defense Fund and your support,the animals once held at Animaland Zoo in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania will get the lives they deserve. With you by our side, we sued the roadside zoo for violating the Endangered Species Act and state wildlife laws. In the face of our lawsuit, Animaland settled with us and shut down. We were able to step in and choose new locations for Bear the wolf and the two black bears, Shawn and Sandy.
Let’s celebrate this together—your continued support of the Animal Legal Defense Fund empowers us to litigate these victories for animals.
Help Us Rescue Other Animals in Captivity
All of the animals at Animaland were suffering physically and psychologically. Sandy and Shawn were forced to share a concrete enclosure for 17 years. Almost two decades in a cell hardly big enough for the bears to move in. Thanks to our lawsuit and logistical support from the sanctuary team at Lions Tigers & Bears, Sandy and Shawn are now living at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, a Texas sanctuary where they’ll have the freedom they need.
We also found a safe place for Bear the wolf to live out the rest of his life. Bear was lethargic at Animaland, a pack animal in agonizing solitude. After being nowhere near others of his kind for years, Bear is now safe at the Wolf Sanctuary of Pennsylvania, where he is exploring lush vegetation amongst other wolves.
Your generous support helped save Bear, Shawn, Sandy and other animals from Animaland. The tax deductible donation you make today can help us find happy endings for even more animals.
We would also like to thank the law firm Baker Hostetler in Philadelphia for their invaluable pro bono assistance with this case.
Every day, the Animal Legal Defense Fund fights to protect animals, and victories like this one are the reason we never give up.
ANDREW POTTS, EXCLUSIVE, Gold Coast Bulletin; September 4, 2016 3:00pm
A CITY hall cage fight is brewing over plans to revive a ban on circuses with exotic animals performing within the city. Fur is expected to fly, with councillors set to defy the recommendations of bureaucrats and vote to ban circus animals on city controlled properties, nearly four years after such a ban was lifted.
A petition calling for the ban will go before the Community and Cultural Development committee on Thursday with council officers recommending that “no action be taken”. But committee head Bob La Castra said the advice was unacceptable and that he could not stand by and do nothing while animals “suffered”.
He urged ratepayers across the city to put pen to paper and lobby their elected representatives before Thursday’s vote.
Cr Bob La Castra is leading the charge to reinstate a ban on circus animals performing on the Gold Coast. Photo: Jerad Williams
“The views of those who believe this to be still acceptable are totally out of line and dated,” he said. “This should not be happening in our own backyard and we need those people who feel strongly about this to make their feelings known, so write to your councillors, speak out about it and fight this barbarity.
“By allowing these circuses on our land we are complicit in what they are doing and banning them would send a message that what they are doing is not right and that we are taking a stand.”
Police and Animal Rights campaigners outside Gold Coast Council Chambers protesting against the circus. Photo by Richard Gosling
If the ban is successful, circuses with exotic animals would still be allowed to perform on private property. A ban was first put into place in 2009 by the council with the backing of then-Mayor Ron Clarke. It was lifted in a January 2013 decision by the council in which Mayor Tom Tate used his casting vote to break a deadlock tie.
The Gold Coast Bulletin understands councillors on each sides of the argument are running the numbers to determine if the ban could potentially pass.
Both sides concede a vote could go either way.
But Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow, an ardent supporter of circuses, said she would fight the ban tooth and nail and declared the opposing argument to be “crap”.
Cr Dawn Crichlow with Massai the Lion. Pic Jono Searle.
“The kids want the circuses and I will fight all the way because it is a matterwhich is close to my heart and those of many others,” she said. “I am sick of the noisy minority coming up with all this crap.“I cannot believe this women condones & thinks it’s ok for children to see abused & tortured animals, just for their pleasure….condoning this just lets kids think that it is ok to be cruel to animals for the sake of entertainment???? By allowing circuses to carry on using animals is agreeing with the torturous training these poor young animals have to endure. Would it be ok to watch a double human act if you knew that one-half of the act was constantly being physically abused & tortured; just for entertainment???? NO, I DON’T THINK SO!!! ANYONE THAT DOES THINK ITS OK…WELL, I THINK THEY NEED TO BE SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP”
RSCPA chief executive Mark Townend called on the council to “move with the times” and end the mistreatment of exotic animals.
“I would hope the council gets into 2016 thinking because realistically circus animals are very 1970s,” he said. “There are great circus which do not put animals through these ridiculous things which are not in their natural behaviour.“I appeal to the council to move with the times because we can have a successful circus without putting animals through such treachery.”
The petition calling for the ban to be reinstated was submitted to the council in March by then-Robina councillor Jan Grew in the final act of her 22 year political career.
More than 45 councils across Australia have exotic animal bans in place. Both City of Melbourne and Penrith both voted to introduce their own boycotts this year. Protesters are expected to attend Thursday’s council committee meeting and security will be on hand.
“See how animals are really trained to perform for your entertainment!! Then ask yourself; is this fair on the animals? Do you enjoy knowing they have been hurt for you entertainment????”
“The Circus, where animals are miserable & go insane; confined to metal cages when not being abused & are trained through fear; fear of being whipped, hit with objects, tied by the neck i.e tortured, etc. etc.”
(Anyone who condones this…will be classed as an animal abuser through my eyes)
“This is cruel, despicable, illegal & heartbreaking. Caught & imprisoned from cub to adult in tiny rusty cages; their world is one of pain, irritation, infection, teeth pulling & repulsive food; literally going stir crazy!! They simply won’t know what it is like to live as a wild bear should, with fresh air, lush grass & trees etc. They can not be returned to the wild as they simply wouldn’t be able to survive; having been kept a prisoner most of their pitiful lives!. Although the video documentary is 43 minutes long, I urge you to watch it, see how Animal Asia started undercover investigation to save these sentient beings. It is hard to imagine how these beautiful bears can still be bought or caught, entrapped some wear a metal jacket around them, with a tube constantly fixed; to extract bile. But it’s not just bile, parts of the bear can also be acquired; the farmers will make money dead or alive. Public demand warrants this abuse; even though there are now synthetic bear bile products, there is no need for these bears to live & die in a cage; in constant pain. These bears need to be rescued so please help by signing the petition at the end of this blog & share amongst your social media friends etc.”
29 January 2015
Thirteen more bears have died at Cau Trang Bear Farm in Halong Bay, Vietnam bringing the total death toll since November last year to 18.
In the two months since Animals Asia inspected three farms in the vicinity of the World Heritage Site, 26 of the 49 moon bears – a protected species – are said to have died leaving just 23 alive in Halong City.
(Some scenes are graphic) Although this video is long, please watch it to understand what happens to these poor bears & how Animal Asia came about to rescue them!
“Published on 13 Sep 2012
Watch the hard-hitting, undercover documentary showing the brutality of the bear bile industry across China, which recently won a top award at the Fifth China Ya’an International Panda, Animals and Nature Film Week. The documentary was made by three independent film-makers who devoted four years to its production, visiting small and large bear bile farms, revealing “legal” farms with conditions that are clearly breaking current regulations for such farms in China.”
Having previously focussed just on Cau Trang Farm, Animals Asia is now pressing the Vietnamese government to allow it to bring all 23 remaining bears in the Halong City area to its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in nearby Tam Dao.
The latest news has left Animals Asia staff devastated and angry that bears have been allowed to die when an offer for their rescue remains on the table.
Authorities, concerned that the bears are being slaughtered for parts for use in traditional medicine have also ordered that TV cameras cover their burial – as interest in the case continues to grow in Vietnam.
Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“The eyes of the country are now on Quang Ninh province and the relevant authorities to see that right course of action is taken. We cannot be sure of the exact details surrounding the bears’ deaths but we can say the farmer chose to let them die. We offered to treat the animals and the offer was rejected. It was the farmer who took the decision to let the animals die. It was a conscious choice. We can only speculate as to his motives.”
The Central Forest Protection Department (FPD) has informed Animals Asia that it is urgently requesting the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) form an investigation team.
The team, expected to include representatives from Central FPD, CITES and MARD’s Nature Conservation Department, would travel to Quang Ninh province to investigate the exact causes of death, whether the correct procedures were followed to dispose of the bodies and to ascertain how the remaining bears can be saved.
Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE, said:
“These deaths are utterly tragic and unnecessary. It’s heart breaking to learn that so many bears have spent years suffering on the farms, and have now needlessly died when there is a sanctuary ready and willing to give them the life they deserve just a few hours down the road.”
“Through the increased local coverage of the deaths of these bears, Vietnam is seeing the reality and brutality of bear bile farming. While their deaths have shone a spotlight on the industry in Vietnam, there was no need for them to die at all.”
“There have been enough delays and we’ve seen what that has achieved. The time has come to act, and act now. We are beseeching the authorities – let us save the remaining Halong Bay bears before it’s too late.”
Nearly 2,000 bears remain in cages in Vietnam being farmed for their bile for use in traditional medicine – despite the practice being made illegal. Bear bile farming technically became illegal in 1992 when Ministry of Forestry approval became necessary to keep bears. In 2002, bears came under CITES group I, making their exploitation strictly illegal. However it wasn’t until 2005 that the first species-specific regulations were enacted.
Animals Asia has rescued over 500 bears from bear bile farming as part of its work to end bear bile farming in China and Vietnam.
HELP US SAVE THE HALONG BAY BEARS
Emaciated, missing limbs, some near blind, others with open wounds, all starving – these are the animal collateral of Vietnam’s cruel bear bile industry.
Help us force the farmer who profited for years from these poor bears to hand them over to Animals Asia for urgent medical care and rehabilitation.
Sign the petition and ask the Vietnamese government to remove the bears from the farm so Animals Asia can give them the care they deserve.
Animals Asia was founded in 1998 and is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam.
More than 10,000 bears – mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears – are kept on bile farms in China, and just under 2,000 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.
Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.
Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages. In China, the cages are sometimes so small that the bears are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Some bears are put into cages as cubs and never released. Bears may be kept caged like this for up to 30 years. Most farmed bears are starved, dehydrated and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them.
“PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HELP SAVE THE REMAINING BEARS! “
“My first post in a while, just taking it slowly, waiting for next spinal op!!. I sincerely hope this park is to help polar bears, not breed them or just have them for entertainment. If only they could rescue Yupi; currently housed at Morelia Zoo in Mexico! I hate to see wild animals behind bars, but have to also say this is a pretty impressive enclosure, shame they couldn’t add icebergs & snow….but living in England myself, he may just get a taste of life in the snow; however nothing like the habitat this bear should be in…wild & free!!!”
News Link; Post 1; BORN FREE
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has announced the import of a polar bear, Victor, from Rhenen Zoo in the Netherlands. According to their website, Victor is a 15-year-old bear who has been “retired” from the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP).
The arrival of Victor represents the first time that a polar bear has been kept in a zoo in England since the death of Mandy at Flamingo Land in 2004. (However, we believe that there is a female polar bear at a private facility in Oxfordshire).
There are considerable threats facing wild polar bears and their habitat, but Born Free firmly believes that breeding more bears in zoos has no genuine role to play in polar bear conservation. Furthermore, experience of polar bears in zoos the world over has shown us time and again that polar bears simply do not fare well in captivity – partly as a consequence of the restricted environment. It must be taken into account that the average polar bear enclosure in captivity is 1 million times smaller than the natural range of a polar bear in the wild.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the UK has not become “polar bear-free”. After many years of campaigning, Born Free was instrumental in securing the transfer of Mercedes, the last polar bear at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, to their sister site at Highland Wildlife Park. Mercedes had been kept in a wholly unsuitable “traditional” bear enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo since 1984. Highland Wildlife Park brought in a young male from the Netherlands, just prior to Mercedes’ death in 2011. Another male polar bear was then imported in 2012 from a zoo in Germany.
According to news reports, Victor is expected to be joined by two other polar bears by the end of the year, although it is currently unclear where these bears will be arriving from. Yorkshire Wildlife Park has so far not ruled out breeding polar bears at their new facility.
In October 2013, Yorkshire Wildlife Park launched a £150,000 appeal to rescue Yupi, a female polar bear currently housed at Morelia Zoo in Mexico in what most experts believe is a very inappropriate climate and enclosure. The offer to rehome Yupi is yet to be accepted and it is unclear whether there is any realistic chance of Yupi being relocated to Yorkshire.
If Yorkshire Wildlife Park truly wants to help polar bears, it will focus on genuine rescues of polar bears from the most unsuitable zoos worldwide, rather than act as a facility for European zoos to offload bears surplus to requirements from the European breeding programme. Furthermore, Yorkshire Wildlife Park should ensure that they do not breed from any bears, to avoid adding to the numbers of bears in captivity with no prospect of release to the wild.
PUBLISHED: 13:26, 18 August 2014 | UPDATED: 08:11, 19 August 2014
Frolicking in his new home, England’s only polar bear is a picture of contentment.
But moving the 75-stone animal from a Dutch zoo to this purpose-built enclosure was a tricky proposition – not least for Victor himself.
With his breeding days behind him, the 15-year-old was picked to be the first occupant of an £850,000 facility at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, complete with an eight-metre-deep lake and swathes of grassland, designed to resemble the Arctic tundra in the summer.
To reach it, however, he had to endure a 12-hour journey locked inside a cramped metal box. After being trained to walk into the cage, he was loaded on to a lorry and then ferried to Hull from the port of Zeebrugge, receiving fish and water through the bars along the way.
His new keepers were relieved that upon his arrival on Thursday they were met by a ‘very confident’ and ‘laid back’ character – rather than a polar bear with a sore head.
After spending the weekend in a holding area to give him time to adjust, Victor was finally let loose in his new home yesterday. He quickly settled in with a refreshing dip in the man-made lake, before a rest in one of the caves dug into a bank at the side of the water.
His enclosure is one of the biggest in the world, and could hold up to ten more animals. Victor is expected to be joined by two others by the end of the year – but for now he has all ten acres to himself.
Cheryl Williams, the wildlife park’s director, said: ‘He is quite greedy and loves meat and fish, with his favourite being mackerel, but he is not very impressed by vegetables. I have been told he likes the occasional peanut butter sandwich but we haven’t tried that yet.
‘He weighs about 480kg (1058lbs) so he is pretty chunky, but that is his summer weight. When it comes up to winter he will become a real hungry Horace and eat lots more, when it gets colder he will probably be about 500kg (1102lbs).
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To reach it, however, he had to endure a 12-hour journey locked inside a cramped metal box. After being trained to walk into the cage, he was loaded on to a lorry and then ferried to Hull from the port of Zeebrugge, receiving fish and water through the bars along the way.
His new keepers were relieved that upon his arrival on Thursday they were met by a ‘very confident’ and ‘laid back’ character – rather than a polar bear with a sore head.
After spending the weekend in a holding area to give him time to adjust, Victor was finally let loose in his new home yesterday. He quickly settled in with a refreshing dip in the man-made lake, before a rest in one of the caves dug into a bank at the side of the water.
His enclosure is one of the biggest in the world, and could hold up to ten more animals. Victor is expected to be joined by two others by the end of the year – but for now he has all ten acres to himself.
Cheryl Williams, the wildlife park’s director, said: ‘He is quite greedy and loves meat and fish, with his favourite being mackerel, but he is not very impressed by vegetables. I have been told he likes the occasional peanut butter sandwich but we haven’t tried that yet.
‘He weighs about 480kg (1058lbs) so he is pretty chunky, but that is his summer weight. When it comes up to winter he will become a real hungry Horace and eat lots more, when it gets colder he will probably be about 500kg (1102lbs).
Victor, who retired from a breeding programme after fathering ten cubs, is the first polar bear to live in England for about a decade. He was born in captivity in Rostock, Germany, before moving to Rhenen in the Netherlands.
His new keepers hope to use their enclosure to re-home bears living in unsuitable homes in Eastern Europe or tropical countries. The animal, who is such a prolific breeder that he had to be retired because he is father to most of Europe’s polar bears, now lives in a 10-acre enclosure which has the environment of an Arctic summer.
Park director John Minion said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Victor to the park and be able to make a contribution to polar bear conservation. ‘Victor has made a great contribution to the European breeding programme and his genes are very well represented now so the decision was made to retire him to the park. ‘He’s actually the most prolific breeder across Europe, so most polar bears in Europe are probably his children.
Published on 18 Aug 2014
Polar bear Victor is set to become the first resident in the Doncaster-based wildlife park’s purpose-built polar bear centre. The 15-year-old polar bear is due to arrive at the park from his home at Rhenen Zoo in Holland next month, – and will be the only one in England.
‘But that doesn’t stop Victor from being an ambassador for the Arctic. Polar bears are an iconic species that are increasingly threatened in their native habitat and we need to fight their cause. The park expect Victor to live for anotjer 15 years at least, but he will not be lonely for long as more bears are expected to join him soon. ‘We will have more bears arriving in the autumn and will announce those as soon as details are finalised,’ Mr Minion added.
‘So because of that he’s now been retired from the breeding programme and we offered him a home as we’ve just built this specialist enclosure which is the biggest in Europe at the moment.’
And if Victor is anything to go by, the other polar bears will settle in fine at the large enclosure, dubbed Project Polar, which features landscaped hills, valleys, and lakes with water up to 8m deep. Within 10 minutes of arriving he was seen in his house, eating food and having a drink ‘like he had been here all his life’, Mr Minion said. He will be kept of out of the public gaze while he acclimatises to British temperatures, but will be able to explore his new home.
Mr Minion explained what Project Polar includes: ‘The landscaping of the reserves mirror the Arctic Tundra with grass, herbs, shrubs and heathers. There are rocky areas and caves, which provide shelter for the bears as well as their main house. ‘The large lake is 8m deep so Victor will be able to swim and dive. We are sure that Victor will enjoy his new surroundings.’
Last year Yorkshire Wildlife Park offered a home to Yupi, a polar bear trapped in soaring temperatures and a concrete enclosure in a Mexican zoo.
Yupi has been at Morelia Zoo since 1992, after being captured in the wild as a cub. Her current concrete enclosure has virtually no shade, and offers little stimulation, causing campaigners to encourage the zoo to move her to a more appropriate home.
The Doncaster park made an offer to rehouse Yupi, but it is yet to be accepted. Ms Williams said: ‘We would still be delighted to re-home Yupi, who is over twenty years old. It would be wonderful if she could enjoy the rest of her life in the reserve here, so we wait for further news from Morelia.’ There are two other polar bears in Britain, who both live at Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland. One of them, called Walker, is one of Victor’s many sons.
“As a member Country of the EU ( Croatia joined only last July 2013 ) I have to ask why this filthy, decaying & pitiful excuse of a zoo; has been allowed to have its doors open for so long???”
Split, Croatia’s second largest city, is situated on the Adriatic coastline and is one of the country’s most popular vacation destinations thanks to its location and historic monuments, some of which date back to the Roman times.
While tourists have often been satisfied with their visit to Split, one particular attraction – the Split Zoo – has left many visitors disturbed.
A number of low-level reviews have been left about the unaccredited zoo onTripAdvisor, with one visitor stating, “This is by far the worst zoo I have ever seen … The bears had … feces everywhere … and the food being given to the animals looked like it was completely rotten … Someone please shut this place down and send the animals somewhere else!!!”
Another reviewerreported, “The zoo in Split is located at the very top of the Marjan Hill and can be reached by foot from the old town in about 20 – 30 minutes. Unfortunately, on the top of the hill, you will find a very sad place and tears may easily wet your eyes.”
TripAdvisor
For years, animal protection groups in Croatia have been trying their best to shut this zoo down, deemed the “worst zoo in the world” by tourists for its poor care of animals and small, dirty enclosures.
Exotic species should be moved elsewhere, and Marjan establish a reserve of domestic animals.
Split Zoo in Split for years was known only by the poor: astounded tourists to sites of Split, the garden is described as the worst memory of your vacation, and local activists persistently struggle to re-zoned area.
Recently all shocked by the news that Tiger Demetrius limp, and that nothing is being done to address the situation. In addition, they say that all they were in the garden, animals makes strange noises. After some time, the problem with the big cat’s paw is resolved, but strangely voting left. Combined with the generally depressed impression in the garden, say activists, tiger voting sounds really painful.
Split is better not to have any zoo than this which violate all the rules, and the animals are kept in really awful conditions – says Srdjan Marinić, president of the Society “Marjan”, which this week sent a request to the Veterinary Inspection to monitor the keeping of animals and health conditions in the zoo … Read the full article at: http://www.jutarnji.hr/1168994 (Vojko Basic / Getty)
Posted by Matthew Liebman, ALDF Senior Attorney on January 6, 2014
It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to a dear friend of the animals and of ALDF. Dr. Mel Richardson, affectionately known as Dr. Mel to his friends and colleagues, passed away on January 2 at the age of 63.
With more than 40 years of veterinary experience, Dr. Mel was a tireless advocate for captive wild animals.
Mel during filming of Lion Ark. He will be sadly missed. — with Mel Richardson. Animal Defenders International
I first met Mel at an elephant summit at the Performing Animal Welfare Society sanctuary about four years ago. I was immediately charmed by his laid-back demeanor, his sense of humour, his discernable kindness, and, of course, his Georgian accent. Dr. Mel quickly became an important part of ALDF’s work on behalf of captive wildlife. He was the expert witness inour lawsuit against the City of Seattleconcerning the inhumane captivity of elephants at the Woodland Park Zoo, where Mel was once a zookeeper.
Dr. Mel was the veterinarian in charge of transporting Ben the bear from a tiny, barren concrete cage to a spacious, naturalistic enclosure at the PAWS sanctuary after a lawsuit filed by ALDF and PETA freed Ben from the roadside zoo in North Carolina that held him captive.
Most recently, Mel wrote a comment letter on behalf of ALDF concerning the cruel captivity of two elephants at the Niabi Zoo in Illinois, who were ultimately transferred to better conditions (albeit, at another zoo).
He was also a regular consultant for us on all sorts captive wildlife cases, and the phrase “Let’s call Dr. Mel and ask him” was uttered frequently at our litigation meetings. These are just a few examples of Mel’s work, and he did much more for many other organizations. His primary allegiance was to the animals and he was happy to help anyone at any time.
We will miss Dr. Mel greatly, not only as a colleague and a consultant, but as a friend. He died too soon, but he left a wonderful legacy that will continue to inspire us to fight for freedom for animals.
**About the last petition►PET.4 This petition is valid and needs to be signed. The wording is just not written clearly in good English, but the content of the petition itself and what it is trying to accomplish is very worthy, which is to promote the correct and uniform application of laws and regulations on the entire territory of the Russian Federation, strengthen the morals of society and humanity, to prevent suffering and death of animals.
Concern for animal welfare – is, above all, concern for the moral state of society in which we live today, and in which our children will live tomorrow !! thank you
➨PICTURE SOURCE SHOCKING DISCLOSURE: MASHA THE 11 YEAR OLD EX-CIRCUS BEAR USED AS BEAR BAITING !!!
The circus bear Masha given at the mercy of the dogs. Photo: ITAR-TASS
►Previously worked in Circus Masha, an 11-year-old bear from a travelling circus troupe based in Moscow, walks in costume during rehearsals in the Circus on Fontanka in St. Petersburg
➨ Well now she is no longer in the circus because of her age.. and she is being held in a much more gruesome place as ” Bear Baiting” in an “Dogs Training Camp ” !! (you can see her on this video) “Dogs Training Camp ” !!!!!! (you can see her now on this video
➨ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK8BnJf9A3c)
Degrading – Masha working in the circus
All dressed up: Masha, an 11-year-old bear from a travelling circus troupe based in Moscow, walks in costume during rehearsals in the Circus on Fontanka in St. Petersburg
She should be swinging around a vast green expanse with her family, but instead Masha is being forced to wiggle along holding an umbrella and basket of flowers. But a life in captivity means she is used to it and today the 11-year-old brown bear is taking part in a circus dress rehearsal. Masha is one of four bears who have completed a three year training programme in Russia as part of a travelling troupe.
➨ BACKGROUND !
Parks trainings of hunting dogs (called “Pritravochnye stations“) See video above! are places where hunters can train their dogs using wild animals as prey, such as wild boars, bears and wolves and smaller animals such as raccoons,foxes, badgers and rabbits.
The dogs risk almost nothing! People pull out teeth and claws of the wild animals so they can’t hurt their hunting dogs during the trainings with these wild animals. (Their teeth and claws are removed as a precaution) but these poor wild animals are suffering to death, they are scared, they are super stressed (and sometimes are dying of stress or injury) they are living in constant fear – says a veterinarian Semen Sereda. These animals are bitten dozens and hundreds of times. Experts say it is possible to make this process more humane, for that you need to change the law ..
Dogs can train every day, costing to the owner 300 rubles. (about $ 7) per session. The dog has ten minutes to bite the animal and that the maximum…but for the small animals it usually finishes with animal death!
It becomes impossible to the wild animal to fight back. They don’t even try to fight back because they are so terrified..of being abused. These people if the teeth are not been removed put a wood stick into the wolf’s jaws-mouth so they can’t bite.
They chain the bears so the bear can’t more than one feet. They also taking rabbits cubs, foxes and badgers and put them into a special “tunnel” so they can’t run away; and leave the mad dogs rushing on them inside the tunnel (as pictured/video below)
There are about ten parks trainings dogs in Moscow region. But across Russia they are hundreds of them; each of these parks operate legitimately. Because any law prohibiting such existing operating in Russia. The workouts dog parks bring in families with children and their guest, advertising is everywhere: on roadsides, in newspapers, on the Internet.
But there is also an much more gruesome underground “illegal parks” which is very well known by regular confidential customers .. Illegal parks whose advertising does not exist; but only from mouth to mouth…at the request of the customer if he wishes, his dogs can torment a chained boar or a chained bear until it dies .. (a kind of bear baiting till the death follows)
We urge the Russian government to put an end to this unacceptable huge barbarism !!! please sign the petitions massively ! (especially the first one!)
➨ SOURCE:http://www.vita.org.ru/new/2013/apr/11.htm
THE FAMOUS TUNNEL WHERE DEFENSELESS ANIMALS SUCH AS BADGERS, RABBITS, RACCOONS AND FOXES ARE PUT IN… .WATCH HOW THE DOGS ARE TRAINED TO BITE THE POOR RACOON.…BY WOMEN!!
➨ PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING PICTURES !
In order to separate the animals grappled, they stick to unclench the jaw, often breaking teeth..http://www.eg.ru/upimg/photo/158414.jpg
Hunting Terrier – the most aggressive and spiteful of hunting dogs in this picture you see how he bites a poor badger to death
►http://www.eg.ru/upimg/photo/158419.jpg
On pritravku Park, wild beasts fall in different ways: some wounded selected on the hunt, bring the other cubs, third buy on fur farms
►http://www.eg.ru/upimg/photo/158420.jpg
“At last, the big top is falling…but I wish it applied to all animals. All animals in circuses are deprived of their basic needs to exercise, roam, socialize, forage, and play. Horses will still be forced to perform confusing and physically challenging tricks. Former Ringling animal crew employees contacted PETA & reported that horses are grabbed by the throat, stabbed with pitchforks, punched in the face, given painful “lip twists,” and whipped. All animals feel pain, fear, loneliness, stress etc. So why ban one & not the other?? Or am I asking too much? I am very happy that wild animals will finally be banned; but I would have felt a lot happier had it been a ban on all animals performing in circuses!”
The Born Free Foundation has worked consistently for an end to the use of wild animals in circuses since its inception in 1984. Foundation representatives participated in the first Circus Working Group in the mid-1990s, and the second in 2004. Over the years Born Free has seen many lows, and precious few highs. Yet, throughout, the message has been the same: a travelling circus simply cannot meet the needs of wild animals.
Virginia McKennaOBE, Founder of the Born Free Foundation, said: “It has taken a long time – too long – but at last the end is in sight. I know for many, many people this will be a reason to rejoice. I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make a ban a reality, including Parliamentarians of all Parties. Victories for common-sense and compassion are all too rare. “
It is disappointing that it has taken this long to get to this stage, given that the recent initiative to ban originated in discussions that took place prior to the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Nonetheless, the draft legislation should be welcomed as finally reflecting public, Parliamentary and expert opinion.
Born Free remains committed to supporting the enactment of similar legislation in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and for an end to the use of wild animals in circuses worldwide.
Will Travers OBE, the Foundation’s CEO, commented: “I hardly dared imagine we would see such a day when, year after year, meeting after meeting, the NGOs participating in the various Circus Working Groups churned through the evidence, debated the practicalities, fought against Defra’s institutional inertia and Government opposition to a ban. Our supporters have been amazing as have our colleagues in other organisations. One more form of wild animal exploitation is on its way out.”
It would not have been possible to achieve this without the support of campaign partners the RSPCA, CAPS and the BVA, and without the help of Born Free supporters. The work of the Zoo Check team is central to the work of the Foundation, and they work tirelessly to protect animals in zoos, circuses, as pets and in the tourist trade around the world.
Anne The Elephant, Abused in Great British Circus By Groom. Owners were charged
If you would like to help support the Foundation’s work on captive animal welfare, please consider becoming a member of the Born Free Foundation or making a donation: www.bornfree.org.uk/give
“I posted this, way back in February, but have just noticed the video’s were removed??…so here it is again!”
“Question?, why do humans inflict & perform the most heinous acts of cruelty on animals??
“Answer:- Because they can – simple! Animals can’t talk, they can try to fight back; but when they do, humans just use brute force to overpower them. When you think of it like that…you soon start to realise…it is humans that are the cowards; moreover it is humans are the animals!.”
“By posting this, I’m certainly not trying to convert everyone to become vegetarian or vegan…I’m just sharing the truth about what happens to animals from birth to slaughter. For those that choose to stay meat eaters, watching this might just give you a better understanding of why so many people are choosing to be vegetarian or vegan. Seriously, all I ask is that you try to watch as much as you can…as difficult as it is in some parts…it is very informative.”
“After viewing it, people are entitled to their own opinions regards the subject matter! I am not telling people what they should or should not eat, it’s a personal preference. However, the best thing that has happened since the release of this film, is that public attitudes have changed & paved the way for better animal welfare!”
“More & more people are learning, through video films like this, exactly what happens to animals, & more are demanding changes. Like the great saying by Sir Paul McCartney “If slaughter houses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian’ not sure about all, but it would change many people!”
“Please read everything below the video first, as this gives information about watching in other languages, turning annotations on & off because this is a multi subtitled video. If you can follow English by listening, then you may want to turn off the subtitles to concentrate of the subject matter. Plus it gives a list of websites full of information about food!”
Earthlings – Full length documentary (multi-subtitles)
Uploaded on 13 Dec 2010
EARTHLINGS is the single most powerful and informative documentary about society’s tragic and unforgivable use of nonhuman animals, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix with soundtrack by Moby. Directed by Shaun Monson, this multi-award winning film by Nation Earth is a must-see for anyone who cares about nonhuman animals or wishes to make the world a better place.
PLEASE: don’t run from reality, watch the film and share your thoughts with other viewers in the comments section. Thank you.
UNITY is the newest film by Shaun Monson for Nation Earth. Written and produced over the past five years, it will be released in 2012. The structure of the film comprises six acts, which are as follows: Body, Mind, Heart and Soul, bookended by a Prologue and Epilogue.
The subject of the film focuses on humanity’s propensity for apathy and empathy. Shaun has described UNITY as a film about opposites, or rather, “Why we perceive opposites in one another despite our various religions (88% of the planet is religious), all our Self-Help books, our 12-Step programs, even our philosophies and vast technology.”
The imagery in UNITY will be an intricate collage of everyday life, some beautiful, some horrible. The film is filled with joy, wonder, sorrow and maturity. As with Shaun’s previous film, EARTHLINGS, the editing once again manages to lead viewers into new and intriguing directions by a mix of unprecedented beauty with heart-breaking tragedy. While it is a cautionary tale, UNITY also hopes to introduce a little grace, philosophy and awareness into more lives than ever before.
A web search will reveal how EARTHLINGS has been the subject of some of the most fanciful descriptions, tributes and accolades ever lauded on a documentary, especially one that tackles such a difficult subject matter. And even though the film was roundly ignored by distributors upon its initial release in 2005, there is no doubting the influence the film had on future documentaries dealing with the same topic, including three films by HBO: DEALING DOGS (2006), I AM AN ANIMAL (2007), and DEATH ON A FACTORY FARM (2009), as well as two Academy Award® nominated films in 2010: FOOD INC., and the Best Documentary Feature, THE COVE.
UNITY picks up where EARTHLINGS left off, except instead of focusing on our relationship with animals, the film explores man’s dualistic relationships with each other. Therefore, the point we wish to make with UNITY is to cast a light on this essential contrast between apathy and empathy. Our principle intention is to indicate to those who see the film that we have all (human, animal or tree) sprung from the same root: that root being the earth.
“As the CITIES conference comes to the end of its first week, I thought I would just add the video in along with this post. Born Free’s CEO Will Travis, talks about some of the issues raised. Although I can’t believe the bid to halt the polar bear trade, was just swept under the table…WTF… Russia, Canada & the US…really have left the polar bears out in the cold…literally! I’m disgusted with their decision; same goes for the poor manatee!! I can’t wait to see what rubbish they come up with next week, for protecting species round the world; who are just about hanging on with their teeth!! Do the delegates from their respective country, actually know the danger some species are in?? I have my doubts given the first weeks bungles, honestly some of them are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard. Take about 30 of us animal advocates from face book, stick us round a table; & I’m sure we could come up with plans to help those in need!!”
Today saw the launch of the first ever internationally coordinated enforcement investigation into the online ivory trade.
Summing up week one at the CITES meeting in Bangkok
Published on 8 Mar 2013
Will Travers, CEO of Born Free, sums up week one at CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) meeting, covering secret ballots, elephants, rhino, polar bears, manatees and turtles.
The report revealed that there were hundreds of ivory items conservatively valued at approximately EUR 1,450,000 for sale during a two-week period on Internet auction sites in nine European countries.
During this survey of sites by enforcers, more than 660 advertisements for ivory on 61 different auction sites were analysed and as a result of the surveillance, six national and three international investigations were launched in cases where ivory was described as new or where ivory was being traded from abroad.
The 177 countries that are Party to CITES have already agreed, thanks in part to IFAW’s lobbying efforts, to investigate and prosecute wildlife criminals trading online as well as evaluate or develop their domestic measures to ensure they are sufficient to fight online wildlife crime.
While at least one country has strengthened their legislation to specifically target online wildlife crime and a small number of countries have started to develop strategies for tackling illegal wildlife sales on the internet, many more countries need to deliver on their promise and stamp out online wildlife crime.
Since 2004 IFAW has been highlighting the growing global threat posed by online wildlife crime to endangered wildlife. A series of IFAW investigations have repeatedly shown that there are thousands of wild animals and wildlife ‘products’, such as ivory, available for sale on the internet all over the world.
Stop The Ivory trade
IFAW has found live primates, big cats, birds and reptiles advertised online while animal parts from rhino’s, elephants, sharks, Tibetan antelopes and sturgeon have also been available to purchase on the internet.
In January 2012, IFAW’s online monitoring found 17,847 ivory products listed on 13 Chinese websites, even though none of these products had the necessary Government approval.
Meanwhile, a four-week investigation in the United Arab Emirates and some neighbouring Arab countries in the same year found 796 adverts featuring live wildlife over 11 websites. None of the adverts had any documentary proof to demonstrate that the sales complied with the law.
In Europe an IFAW investigation in 2011 found a thriving trade in ivory items. The investigation tracked 43 sites in the UK, France, Portugal, Spain and Germany for a two-week period and found 669 advertisements for ivory.
The statistics are disturbing but can be hard to comprehend so let me give you one example that shows the horrors of this illegal trade.
In 2010 a British couple admitted 12 counts of illegally exporting, three of illegally importing, seven of illegally selling and two of illegally possessing specimens under the Customs and Excise Management Act.
The couple in question had been selling animal body parts from owls, a baboon, macaque monkeys, a python, an African penguin, an African lion cub and a Malaysian flying fox.
These items were kept in a store room full of skulls and other animal body parts which, when I saw the pictures, made me think it as a room of death for wildlife.
Highlighting the problem of this trade is an important first step but IFAW has been going one stage further and engaging website companies, law enforcers and Governments in our campaign to stamp out online wildlife crime.
After our 2008 Killing with Keystrokes investigation, where we found ivory was the number one wildlife product being traded online, we encouraged eBay to ban the sale of ivory on their websites and IFAW was very pleased to see them announce this ban in January 2009.
Meanwhile other websites have since followed suit including Alibaba (www.taobao.com) in China, the world’s largest business-to-business and outsource portal site for traders.
However, while banning the sale of wildlife products on websites does restrict unscrupulous traders’ ability to easily profit from these products, there is clearly a need for enforcers to ramp up their efforts.
We have seen traders time and again attempting to disguise their wildlife products to avoid detection by police, customs or website companies such as eBay.
In addition to working with INTERPOL IFAW is working with enforcement agencies across the world to catch online wildlife criminals by sharing the findings of our online investigations, facilitating international enforcement operations and by bringing together website companies and enforcement agencies in order that they can work in partnership in their fight against illegal wildlife sales on the internet.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
You can find out more about me & this blog by reading "ABOUT THIS BLOG" on the menu (when i finish it) lol
PLEASE NOTE.....
Not all of my posts will be current news, or even about animal abuse! I do like to share other animal news, uplifting stories or videos; some that are funny or just touch the heart!
If I have anything to say on any post, you will see it in bold blue writing. I try to remain a lady, but it's hard to contain my anger & emotions at the some of the stories I post; I don’t have a heart of stone, tears stain many articles I write!
Lastly, my apologies for any errors; I am learning whilst posting, so if you find anything that doesn't work or a broken link, sorry, I'm only human!!!!
ABOUT THESE POSTS
I would just like to make readers aware, that I search for stories on the internet; regards animal abuse etc. I copy stories etc. from the internet; assuming these stories are correct at time of publishing. Having said that, sometimes the press get it wrong! So I just want to add that at the time of me posting a news story, I presume all the facts seem present & correct.
Please note....all people mentioned in this blog, are presumed innocent, until proven otherwise, in a court of law.
For anyone wishing to connect to me via my Facebook page...PLEASE NOTE, ONLY PEOPLE I ADD AS ANIMAL ADVOCATES CAN SEE MY WHOLE PAGE...I do this out of respect for those friends I have who do not wish to see graphic images, videos or links of animal abuse!
As 99% of my page is animal related; anyone not in the above group of friends; will only see a limited amount of posts!!
DUE TO ANIMAL HATERS...I WILL ONLY ADD PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVE WHO THEY ARE via Facebook, Wordpress, Twitter etc. & WHO HAVE A GENUINE INTEREST IN ANIMAL WELFARE... i.e. if your Facebook page has absolutely nothing to do with animals, I see no point in joining my page. My Facebook is solely for animal welfare, I am not interested in playing games etc. I don't mean to sound rude but I am not interested in the amount of friends I have, its the quality of those friends that count.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND REQUESTS FOR YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN. I do not want anyone to be upset by graphic images etc.
My aim is to educate & raise awareness to the horrors animals face, at the hands of humans, every day, around the world!!
We can not hope to achieve better laws, to protect animals, unless we unite as one, to speak up for those who are voiceless!!
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DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
STOP ANIMAL ABUSE 
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