Petition; European Pharmaceutical Companies Use & Want Pregnant Mare’s Blood To Speed Up Factory Farming!

I received this via email & think everybody needs to sign it. It’s now not only mares pregnant urine they use for Hormonal products! They know want pregnant mares blood to be used by industrial farmers, to get pigs and other animals in “heat” on demand in the factory farming industry. This is an horrendous life for any animal but pregnant horses??? ITS WRONG & NEEDS STOPPING….PLEASE SIGN!!!

 P.S This is a legitimate petition as opposed to many fake ones; see a previous post about fraudulent petitions!

OA

By; Oliver MacColl – Avaaz <avaaz@avaaz.org>

This is on fire — in days over a million have joined! But we need everyone to make this even bigger before it’s delivered to ministers. Forward the email below: It’s a horror movie – hundreds of pregnant horses are hooked up to machines that drain their blood, even until death! All so big drug companies can sell their hormones to industrial pig farmers!! EU ministers meet in days and could ban this disgusting trade. Let’s jolt them into action with a massive call – sign the petition, and tell everyone! SIGN HERE Dear friends, It’s straight out of a horror movie: hundreds of pregnant horses hooked up to blood-draining machines, some so weak they collapse and die. But we can stop this right now. The industrial horse torture is driven by European pharmaceutical companies who use the blood to speed up factory farming! The EU has said it’s considering action, but so far nothing has happened. No more horses need to die! Ministers are meeting next week — let’s light a fire under the EU with a massive petition demanding they ban the abusive pregnant horse blood trade. Add your name to the petition below and tell everyone:  Click to sign the petition To the EU Parliament, Commission, and Council: We call on you to ban the import to Europe of any goods produced using techniques which are cruel and cause suffering to animals. As a world leader in animal welfare, Europe should apply its own standards to products it imports. Click to sign the petition Death is far from the only horror: so much blood is taken that it can lead to shock and anaemia. And because only the blood of pregnant horses is valuable, they’re often forced into repeat pregnancies and abortions.  Demand is driven by pharmaceutical companies who sell the hormone found in pregnant horse blood to factory farmers to get pigs and other animals in “heat” on demand — another layer of abuse in this sorry story.  If we shine a light on this horror by raising a massive global outcry now, we can help get a ban of all products made from the suffering of animals — making it difficult for companies all over the world to make big profits from this disturbing industry. Add your name to the petition above then forward this to friends and family — let’s build pressure on the EU to act! Click to sign the petition Horses are full of beauty, grace and majesty — it’s hard to understand how people could be so cruel. But when we come together in massive numbers to protect animals from the horrors they face every day, we can do incredible things. Let’s do it now for these horses who need us to be their voice more than ever. With hope, Oliver, Rewan, Bert, Ari, Camille, Nataliya, Ricken and the entire Avaaz team More information: Blood farms investigation (Animal Welfare Foundation) http://animal-welfare-foundation.org/en/what-we-do/blood-farms.html The cruel trade with pregnant mare blood (Animals’ Angels USA) http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/cruel-trade-pregnant-mare-blood-united-states-uruguay-and-argentina-9-30-15 Turning horse blood into profits (The Dodo) https://www.thedodo.com/turning-horse-blood-into-profits-1382177497.html Why is the world out for horses’ blood? (The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/03/horse-blood-farms-china-donkeys-wild-horses-us-mass-slaughter News Link & Petition:–https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/horse_blood_loc/?aBdTNjb

Animal cruelty arrests in South Herefordshire Hunt investigation

The hunt kennels in Wormelow have been closed and all horses and hounds moved elsewhere!

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty in connection with an investigation into the South Herefordshire Hunt.

West Mercia Police is questioning a 37-year-old man and woman, aged 27, but has so far released no further details.

The hunt’s kennels in Wormelow, near Hereford, have been closed and all horses and hounds moved elsewhere.

A message on the hunt’s Facebook page says salaried staff have been suspended and an internal inquiry will begin.

Latest updates on hunt arrests

The gates at the kennels are shut and nobody was on site earlier. West Mercia Police says the investigation is continuing.

News Link:– http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-36497801

Animal Aid: TWO HORSES DIE AT PLUMPTON’S SUNDAY RACES

“All horses love to run, my horse loves to gallop (without any coaxing, i.e. kicked, whipped) on the beach; then she stops when she has had enough! But there is a big difference between letting them run freely & forcing them to carry on galloping, when they have given their all, by whipping etc. This just totally pxxxxs’s me off! Why? Because it’s all down to money!”

Two horses, both aged six-years-old, lost their lives at Plumpton Racecourse yesterday afternoon (Sunday 11 May).

In the first race of the day, Head Rush was pulled up injured, halfway through the two-mile hurdle race in which he was competing. Then, in the final event of the day, a National Hunt flat race, grey gelding Eastbury fell to the ground injured and was seen struggling to get up.

Horse deaths at Plumpton are not rare. Two other horses, Ironically and Business Mover, were killed in almost identical circumstances to yesterday’s victims on the same race day in May 2013. And a total of 29 horses have perished at the East Sussex course since March 2007.

Animal Aid says that urgent action is required by both the racecourse and the British Horseracing Authority to prevent further horse deaths.

For further information

• For press enquiries, please call Andrew Tyler or Dene Stansall on 01732 364546.

Visit Race Horse Death Watch for full listings of on-course deaths.

Posted 13 May 2014: News Link:-http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_horse/ALL/3099//

 

 

Related articles

• Battlefront Dies on the First Day of the Grand National Meeting
• Cheltenham Claims Another Victim – Matuhi :Deathwatch 2012 New Report Shocking Death Toll
• Animal Aid: Horse Racing
• Petition: Please Ban the Grand National
• Champion jockey has seen an incredible 20 mounts die during the last five years
• The Grand National – Please Don’t Back the Cruelty
• The Grand National – Please Don’t Back the Cruelty
• Recession doubles the number of racehorses being destroyed in abattoirs

PETA Petition: Horse Racing’s Daily Double: Drugs And Death – PETA Undercover Investigation

“I am seriously shocked & disgusted at the following painful treatments these poor horses have to endure. A horse, forced to run with a makeshift super glued hoof; later had to be killed! Please watch the video & read on screen or listen to how trainers, vets  or owners talk about their horses…the sick POS need putting down; not the horses! I am furious & sickened by what PETA documented. If you love animals; Please DO NOT BET ON any RACE HORSE either in the US or UK!!”

“PLEASE TAKE ACTION at the link  BELOW; please don’t let them suffer!”

Imagine being forced to run, being pushed beyond the breaking point, the bones in your legs straining to hold up the weight of your body, your bleeding lungs incapable of breathing in enough air, and forced to keep running in spite of it all.

This is what life is like for racehorses who are chronically drugged by trainers in order to mask their pain and make them run faster.

All this, just so their owners and trainers can win money or fame.

For the first time ever, PETA has captured these cruel, standard industry practices on camera during an undercover investigation of leading thoroughbred trainer Steve Asmussen. Watch now:

UGH: Horses Drugged for Racing!

Published on 20 Mar 2014

A PETA undercover investigation of a leading thoroughbred trainer reveals that horses are DRUGGED to make them run faster and to hide their injuries. http://peta2.me/2nnnb

Subscribe to peta2tv: http://peta2.me/2cuol
Take Action NOW to Help Stop This: http://peta2.me/2nnnb
Slaughterhouses: Where Race Horses Retire?!http://peta2.me/2nnnc
Deadly Races: http://peta2.me/2nnnd
Do YOU Love Horses? Help Them NOW: http://peta2.me/2nnnb
Animal Rights = Human Rights: http://peta2.me/2nnnf

“We witnessed a horse so sore it hurt him even to stand, thyroid medication dumped into horses’ daily feed, and horses who had been blistered in a bizarre attempt to stimulate healing. Even at this top level of racing, the syringe is the top training tool, and if the horses get out alive, they’re broken.”

PETA’s investigation revealed the following …

• Many if not all horses in Asmussen’s New York stable were given thyroxine, a powerful drug that treats hypothyroidism. Horses may not have needed the drug―they may have been given it solely to “juice them up” and push them beyond their natural capabilities.
• A horse’s legs were burned with liquid nitrogen, according to one trainer, and other horses’ legs were blistered with chemical paint, purportedly to stimulate blood flow to their sore legs but leaving multiple scars.
• Horses were also given muscle relaxants, sedatives, and other potent pharmaceuticals―treatments designed for ailments such as ulcers, lameness, and inflammation―at times when they had no apparent symptoms.
• Horses are reportedly sometimes electro-shocked with concealed buzzers to make them run faster.
• One horse, Nehro (who came in second in the 2011 Kentucky Derby), was forced to run with chronically painful hooves that actually had holes in them and that were held together with superglue and was eventually killed after becoming violently ill.

HELP HORSES NOW!

Contact your U.S. representative and senators and ask them to support the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2013, Senate Bill 973 and House Bill 2012, which would increase oversight and penalties for overusing drugs in horse racing.

Remember: The best thing you can do to help horses in the racing industry is never to attend any race, including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.

Participation in this action alert is limited to those who live in the U.S., but if you are outside the U.S., you can still help horses by sharing the video and encouraging everyone you know to skip horse races.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW AT THIS NEWS LINK:-https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5365&utm_campaign=0314%20Horse%20Racing%20Investigation%20EA&utm_source=peta2%20E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert

 

Related articles

• A Horse Racing Controversy Surrounding an Oaklawn Trainer
• PETA undercover…
• PETA Accuses Top Horse Trainer Of Animal Cruelty Following Undercover Investigation
• Undercover PETA Video Reveals the Darker Side of Horse Racing
• And, The Asshole Of The Day Goes To Steve Asmussen!
• Undercover video leads to investigation into horse abuse
• End the Abuse of Racehorses
• Horse trainer accused of cruelty

Abandoned Thoroughbred, Defense Team, rescued by South Florida SPCA

“I would be first in line to pick up this stunning mare, how anyone could just abandon her is beyond my comprehension; there is no & never will be, a good enough excuse for this cruel crime, whilst animal organisation exist to help!. But a former race horse that costs thousands, then doesn’t race well, is more than often sent to slaughter or abandoned! I hope they find whomever she belonged to; then proceed with criminal charges! Then I hope Defense Team gets a forever home & is loved for the rest of her life!!!”

MIAMI, FL (February 17, 2014)

 Defense Team, a Thoroughbred gelding, was rescued today by South Florida SPCA. Laurie Waggoner, SFSPCA director of ranch operations, received  a mid-morning call from a Hialeah farmer who reported the former racehorse wandering along a road near one of his pastures, and that he looked “really bad…really skinny.” Waggoner and members of the Hialeah police department found the horse ambling roadside, eating grass.

If you’d like to donate toward the care of Defense Team, please visit http://www.spca-sofla.org/donate/donate-now and indicate that it is for Defense Team at checkout.

“His body condition score is a 1,” said Waggoner, referring to the lowest score on the Henneke System of Body Condition Scoring (view chart.) Fortunately, Defense Team does not appear to be lame or have any other major issues or injuries. He will receive routine vaccinations and a Coggins test, along with farrier attention to his hooves which appear to have been neglected for some time.

The horse’s tattoo number matched that of Defense Team, and SFSPCA learned he was foaled in Florida on April 6, 1999. He was purchased in Ocala, FL for $6,000, and raced only once at Calder on December 28, 2001 where he finished 11 out of a field of 12. (View pedigree.)

I will never comprehend why humans can throw animals out like trash; or just abandon them….heartbreaking!!!

Waggoner noted Defense Team seemed very happy to be found, loaded easily on her trailer and was welcomed to the SFSPCA ranch in Homestead with a nice, safe stall and a tasty flake of hay.

If you’d like to donate toward the care of Defense Team, please visit www.spca-sofla.org/donate/donate-now and indicate that it is for Defense Team at checkout.

Report horses or other large livestock animals that appear to be abandoned, abused or neglected. Call 911 for emergencies, or 305-4-POLICE (Miami-Dade, FL) for non-emergencies.

News Link:–http://www.spca-sofla.org/abandoned-thoroughbred-defense-team-rescued-by-south-florida-spca/

Carriage Horse Controversy Extends Beyond New York City

“As a life-long horse owner, I am so against this industry. No horse should be made to work up to 9 hours a day, dodging traffic, breathing in toxic fumes all day; with only 5 weeks a year at pasture…my comments are next to paragraphs I disagree with! Please sign the petitions & watch the videos at the end of this news post!”

By Pat Raia  Feb 12, 2014

While a high-profile ordinance that would ban the use of horse-drawn carriages in New York City has not yet reached the city council, the proposed legislation has drawn criticism from carriage operators as well as from a veterinarian who believes such a ban is not necessarily in the horses’ best interest.

Horse carriage owners and operators oppose such legislation on grounds that their industry is already heavily regulated, and their horses are well-protected under a current law. Photo: John Manuel/Wikimedia Commons

Last year, Allie Feldman, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), called for a citywide ban on horse-drawn carriages on grounds that the carriages were inhumane. At that time, she said 16 members of the New York City council would support an ordinance that would replace horse-drawn cabs with electric vintage replica cars. In January, newly-elected New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said he would back any legislation that would ban the operation of horse-drawn carriages in the city. However, Feldman said that, so far, no legislation has reached the members of the New York City council.

“We haven’t introduced a bill and we haven’t even named a sponsor yet,” said Feldman.

Meanwhile, horse carriage owners and operators oppose such legislation on grounds that their industry is already heavily regulated, and their horses are well-protected under a current law. Stephen Malone, spokesman for the Horse and Carriage Association of New York and a 30-year owner/operator of horse-drawn carriages in the city, said an ordinance passed in 2010 gives carriage horses at least five weeks of vacation each year, bigger stalls, and quality veterinary and farrier care. “Whoopy fxxxxxg do…5 weeks of vacation a year, still isn’t sufficient!!

“This industry is regulated enough,” Malone said.

At the same time, Malone said the proposed ordinance would force him to relinquish his horses in order to make sure the animals never work again.

“These horses are not just business assets to me, they are my business partners,” Malone said. “They are not business partners, they are slaves that are over worked; nose to exhaust pipe up to 9 hours a day!!”

The lack of work is just one reason why veterinarian Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, a professor in the Rutgers University Department of Animal Sciences, opposes legislation that would take these horses from their owners and force them into permanent retirement on yet unspecified farms.

Ralston said regular work and a set routine helps to keeps horses healthy and enhances the animals’ quality of life. “Sorry, did she really say ‘ enhances the animals’ quality of life’?? What utter bxxxxxxt! Making a horse walk on concrete, nose to exhaust pipe, dodging traffic, up to 9 hours a day; could cause severe leg & hoof damage which would give no horse a decent quality of life!” 

“The carriage horses, on the whole, are showing no signs of distress or unwillingness to work when asked to do so,” asserted Ralston. “They are well adapted to their environment. If they weren’t, they would not last long on the streets.” ” Well I would bet if they had a say in the matter, horses wouldn’t want to be on the streets. It’s not a willingness to work, they don’t have much say in the matter; they are forced to work!”

More importantly, Ralston said, such legislation sets a dangerous precedent for horses as well as for the humans who look after them.

“If a horse is in its stall without access to pasture, but is getting quality basic care and regular exercise, should we say that this horse is being abused, or is it cruel to ask a horse to do a job that it is well-trained for and capable of doing without distress?” Ralston said. “No it’s not cruel to keep a horse in it’s stall, my horse is in over winter, as are most, to let the pastures rest!.But she goes on the walker twice a day & goes in the working arena twice a day; to let off steam & have a roll around with the other horses; so that isn’t cruel! But I do think it is cruel to make a horse work on concrete for up to 9 hours, surrounded by noise, fumes & dodging traffic; which I would say as a horse owner, would cause some amount of stress!!”

“This is the norm for a majority of the horses kept in urban and suburban settings, and this (kind of legislation) sends a terrible precedent that should have the entire horse industry up in arms.” “Sorry but horses are flight animals that could react in a second to a certain noise, which would put all parties in danger…I can’t believe a vet would say a horse wouldn’t be in distress…surrounded by loud noises & traffic…glad she’s not my horses vet!!” 

THIS IS NOT PART OF THIS NEWS POST – NYC Horse Accident – https://www.facebook.com/CarriageHorseCruelty/photos/a.369677376410171.94249.176907979020446/646860865358486/?type=1&theater

Meanwhile, Feldman declined to comment on whether NYCLASS will talk with horse-drawn carriage operators and others about what the proposed ordinance should contain.

“All I can say is that we intend to make sure our ordinance is fair and equitable to all parties,” Feldman said.

While New York City’s proposed ordinance is being prepared, lawmakers in Philadelphia, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Chicago, Ill., are re-examining their own rules governing horse-drawn carriages.

In Philadelphia, Mark McDonald, press secretary to Mayor Michael Nutter, said the city has no current plans to ban horse carriages there. Instead, a working group is reviewing regulations already on the city’s books.

“The (working group) will focus on licensing and enforcement of our (regulations) regarding carriage horses and the stables that house them,” he said.

In Salt Lake City, City Council Chairman Charlie Luke said council members voted to support an amendment to the city’s existing ordinance on Feb. 4. In part, the amendment regulates the ages of carriage horses, authorizes random drug testing of drivers, and requires carriage companies to educate the public about the carriage trade and how carriage horses are cared for. Luke also said the ordinance puts under contract the company that provides horse-drawn carriages in Salt Lake City.

“The contract gives us more leverage to regulate the industry,” Luke said.

Finally in Chicago, Donal Quinlan, press secretary to Ald. Ed Burke, said Burke introduced legislation on Feb. 5 that would cease the city’s issue of new horse-drawn carriage licenses until all such licenses have expired. That ordinance, which is backed by Mayor Rham Emanuel, remains pending in the Chicago city council.

News Link: http://www.thehorse.com/articles/33385/carriage-horse-controversy-extends-beyond-new-york-city?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=welfare-industry&utm_campaign=02-13-2014

Facebook:–

• https://www.facebook.com/stophorseabuse
• https://www.facebook.com/events/520310184734450/
• https://www.facebook.com/CarriageHorseCruelty

Just a few of many Petitions:-

•  http://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bill-deblasio-please-support-and-pass-legislation-that-will-ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-nyc-in-2014-they-are-inhumane-and-unsafe
• http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-city-council-demand-nyc-council-ban-horse-carriages#invite
• https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-chicago

Graphic Image: Horse Dragged For 100 yards, Arrest Warrant Issued For Abuser

By  Calily Bien Updated: Thursday, December 6, 2012,

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Authorities in Bastrop County are looking for a man who allegedly dragged his horse for 100 yards leaving it with severe injuries. 

Horse dragged behind pick-up..cruel bxxxxxd!! Image from Examiner web page

On Nov. 10, a witness saw Mariano Villafuerta, 43, tie a horse to his truck in the 200 block of Mesa Drive in Del Valle and started to drive away.

The witness said Villafuerta accelerated to a high rate of speed with the horse still tied to the hitch of the truck. The horse had a difficult time keeping up, fell to its side and was dragged for about 100 yards.

According to the arrest warrant, Villafuerta then stopped the truck, got out and began kicking the horse in the neck until it stood up. Villafuerta then grabbed the horse by the lead rope and ran the horse down the driveway to the house in the 300 block of Mesa Drive.

The witness noticed that the horse’s left eye was damaged as well as the skin on his body. The deputy who arrived to take the report took pictures of the aforementioned injuries.

The witness said the horse apparently got out of Villafuerta’s property and was roaming around when Villafuerta found it.

The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office will charge Villafuerta with cruelty to livestock animals by tripping, which is a state jail felony.

As of Wednesday night, officials have not located Villafuerta.

The horse is currently going through rehabilitation at the Meadow Haven Horse Rescue .

News Link:-http://www.kxan.com/news/horse-dragged-for-100-yards

By Penny Eims December 5, 2012:- Man wanted for dragging horse behind truck in Texas

On Tuesday, KEYE TV published a horrific case ofanimal cruelty involving a gorgeous horse who was nearly dragged to his death in Bastrop County, Texas.

The incident took place on November 10, the day that the suspect, Mariano Resendiz Villafuerta, is accused of attaching his horse to the back of his white, Ford F150 pickup and dragging him for over 150 yards.

According to Bastrop County Sheriff’s DepartmentSgt. Ric Cole:

“He was drug at a high speed until the horse couldn’t keep up,” “And then when the horse fell, he drug it.”

Investigators believe that Villafuerta was angry about something at the time, and took that rage out on the horse. According to KXAN News, the authorities were alerted to the horrific situation by a witness who claims to have watched the entire scene.

After the high speed dragging, the horse, now being called “Dragster,” was taken to a veterinary clinic for the multiple injuries which cover his once gorgeous coat.

Dragster is currently being cared for by the Meadow Haven Horse Rescue, where he is expected to recover.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Villafuerta, who is facing one count of animal cruelty, but as of yet, he is nowhere to be found.

Anyone with information is asked to phone 911 or the Bastrop County Sheriff.

News Link:-http://www.examiner.com/article/man-wanted-for-dragging-horse-behind-truck-texas

Redwings Horse Sanctuary: State of Emergency Appeal

As a member of Redwings with virtual adopted horses ( See below about Adoptions) from their centre; I received the grim news through the post. I wish I could show you the appalling & very upsetting pictures the state the horse were found in, but I can’t; however I can tell you how some of the rescuers described the scene:- 

“This was the worst cumulative case of horse suffering we had ever witnessed. Seeing the pain & distress of so many horses was worse than you can imagine. This is a tragic & upsetting situation, but we have to share the harsh reality of this crisis. In the hope that we can stop it from happening again…

Scenes from the Somme – stranded in a vast expanse of deep wet mud, surrounded by barbed wire, with no food & no hope the site was reminiscent of a battlefield with all the horrors of war – the horses were utterly desperate.

Death Camp – the Redwings team likened the scenes to a ‘ concentration camp for horses’ with the vulnerable youngsters & their mothers most likely to succumb to starvation & disease.

The Fallen – over 100 horses were so sick, injured & malnourished that they lost their lives.

“Read more from the news below”

Multi-agency operation in South Wales

Redwings Horse Sanctuary, the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the RSPCA have spent over a week working to safeguard the future welfare of more than 400 horses at a location between Bridgend and Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Following a report to the Vale of Glamorgan Trading Standards team, welfare officers and vets moved quickly to assess the horses and provide treatment for those needing it. Over six days (12-17 November), more than 300 horses were removed from the site to places of safety by the organisations involved, with assistance from South Wales police and Bristol-based charity HorseWorld who provided vital support.

These horses will be cared for and receive further treatment as necessary whilst the investigation continues. Redwings have taken immediate responsibility for 19 horses from the site, including 12 orphaned foals.

Sadly, as the operation on site progressed and more animals were assessed, it became clear that a number of the horses were in such a state of suffering that there was only one option for them. Over 100 of the horses had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice.

Redwings Head of Welfare and senior vet Nic de Brauwere said, “I am incredibly proud of the work my team and staff from the other agencies have carried out over the last week to deal with what was an incredibly severe welfare situation. Our interest at all times was to do the best we could for each horse we found, and tragically for some that meant giving them a peaceful end after all their suffering. This operation has been an astonishing feat considering the small number of people involved and the overwhelming number of demands on our time and resources. Our staff worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the animals on the site despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, and we must give special mention to Vale of Glamorgan Trading Standards team who took quick and decisive action in what was nothing less than a state of emergency for these horses.”

Martin Hubbard from the RSPCA said: “This was a difficult and tragic situation that developed very quickly, leaving many of the horses in a desperate condition. It is thanks to the Vale of Glamorgan local authority and to the fast response and hard work of everyone involved that we managed to attend to the animals and get the majority moved to safety.”

Christina Roberts-Kinsey, Principal Trading Standards Officer for Vale of Glamorgan Council, said, “We take all complaints regarding animal welfare very seriously. After visiting the site and witnessing the appalling conditions it was necessary to take this prompt action to prevent any further suffering to the animals. This action would not have been possible without the help and support of Redwings, the RSPCA and South Wales Police.”

This case is sadly typical of the situation right across the UK, where it is believed up to 7,000 horses and ponies are currently at risk of abandonment or neglect. Welfare charities have produced a report into the current equine welfare crisis, which can be downloaded here http://www.redwings.org.uk/news-updatedhorsecrisis.php.

Since January 1st this year we have taken 219 horses and ponies into our care, and we are currently looking after 1300 rescued residents at our Sanctuary sites across the UK. To donate and help us continue to help horses, please text code RWHS00 followed by the amount you’d like to give (eg RWHS00 £5) to 70070, or follow this link to the donation pages, thanks so much.

News Link:-http://www.redwings.org.uk/news-glamorgan13.php

Please do whatever you can to help – and do it today.

Click here to donate now… or text code HORS30 followed by the amount you’d like to give (eg HORS30 £5) to 70070. Thank you.

There are other ways to help too – you can write to your MP, recycle your mobile phone, or send us your unwanted Christmas presents and old horse tack. It all helps!

Thank you.

News Link:–http://www.redwings.org.uk/news-stateofemergency.php

Equine crisis – urgent update

We are in the middle of an equine crisis situation in the UK. Redwings has just helped rescue 300 horses from a site in South Wales, a few weeks ago we helped move 46 seemingly abandoned horses from a site in Hampshire, and we are already operating at capacity, with over 200 horses having coming into our care this year already.

Fly grazing and abandonment are two of the major issues contributing to this crisis. We have been delighted to see the fast tracking of new legislation from the Welsh Government to tackle the fly grazing of horses and ponies in Wales and are urgently asking the UK Government to follow suit in England to help stem the tide of unwanted horses across the country.

The new Control of Horses (Wales) Bill was passed in the National Assembly on December 10th and just needs to receive Royal Assent to become law. It grants more powers to local authorities to take action to help fly grazing and abandoned horses. However, the UK government has no such plans in England at a time when thousands of horses are at risk of suffering and death and landowners and local authorities struggle to cope with the problem.

On Tuesday 26th November 2013, MPs held a debate in Westminster Hall and we would like to thank everyone who asked their MP to go along. there was a really good turnout and a fascinating discussion which we hope will have helped pushed this issue up the political agenda. You can watch the full debate here: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=14264

As 6,500 horses remain at risk of needing rescue in England and Wales, Redwings, the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, The British Horse Society, Blue Cross and HorseWorld have released a series of devastating case studies to illustrate how current laws permit horses to suffer needlessly including two recent cases rescued by Redwings; Stephen the foal who was left to drown in a river in Essex and Lottie the pony who was found wandering the streets of Diss.

Stephen was found abandoned at just one day old in a stretch of the River Lea in Essex

You can download a copy of our updated report on the equine crisis below:

http://www.redwings.org.uk/documents/SecondhorsecrisisreportFINALsmaller.pdf

Rescue update of Alton Horses

At the end of September, welfare charities joined forces to remove 46 very hungry and many thin and sickly horses from a bare field in Alton. Eight of the most poorly horses came into the care of Redwings, while the rest found homes at private yards, where the RSPCA is providing for their care.

We very tragically lost Georgiana, only two weeks after her rescue. Georgiana was suffering with salmonella – a disease which several of these horses have – and also had an horrendous small redworm burden. Thousands of small redworms can hide inside the walls of the digestive system undetected, and can suddenly erupt out all at once, causing terrible diarrhoea and internal damage.

News Link:-http://www.redwings.org.uk/news-altonupdate.php

Details of how you can get involved, including a quick and easy way to write to your local MP can be found here: http://bit.ly/Um6rKc

News Link:-http://www.redwings.org.uk/news-updatedhorsecrisis.php

Redwings Adoption Club

The Redwings Adoption Club is the fun way to support our charity and make a new friend in the process! A year’s adoption of a Redwings horse, pony, donkey or mule costs just £12.50, which goes directly towards the daily care of your chosen equine and their friends.

Web link:–http://www.redwings.org.uk/adopting/

Useful Links:–http://www.redwings.org.uk/about-us/useful-links/

Faith’s Rescue & Recovery

Published on 27 Nov 2013

The moving story of Faith, who was rescued from Essex after she had collapsed and could not get up by herself – she was taken to Redwings Horse Sanctuary and against all the odds, she survived – watch her story here and read more about her at www.redwings.org.uk. Text £5 to RWHS00 to 70070 to donate to Redwings.

96 Petitions Added Regards Stopping Bestiality etc. In The ‘New Petitions Constantly Added’ Page

I have just added 96 petitions (as is ) for & on behalf of my friend & animal warrior Cassiopea Valentina regards stopping bestiality & related despicable acts against animals!

All 96 petitions are in the above ‘New Petitions Constantly Being Added’ page. 

HELP PLEASE SIGN THESE PETITIONS THANKS

IL 96% DEGLI STUPRATORI DI ANIMALI USANO LO STESSO TRATTAMENTE NEI CONFRONTI DEI BAMBINI (PEDOFILIA) E DELLE DONNE.

THE 96% OF RAPIST OF ANIMALS USING THE SAME TREATMENT UPON THE CHILDREN (PEDOPHILES) AND WOMEN.

96 Petitions against BESTIALITY : animal rape

From Cassiopea Valentina

UPDATE: Circus Malta: Petition Supporting Animal Circuses Gains 5,000 Signatures

Thursday 9 January 2014

Most animal charities & the public want to see a ban worldwide of wild animals being used in circuses. Now the owner of this circus is circulating his own petition to keep his Malta circus open. So please if you don’t agree with animals performing degrading tricks, kept behind bars & of course the cruelty that has been documented in circuses: PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS BELOW. We can’t let this circus continue, if it does through its petition, the flood gates for circuses using wild animals may open again; that would be tragic after all the hard work has been done to stop them!!

Circus promoter says 2013 could be last year for animal circuses in Malta due to the proposed ban.

But circus promoter Silvio Zammit has collected 5,000 signatures as part of a petition to overturn a proposal to ban animal circuses.

The circus has now moved to Ghajnsielem, Gozo, where Zammit hopes to continue collecting more signatures. The petition will then be passed on to the competent authorities.

Zammit, who has been bringing circuses to Malta for the past 16 years, said he could not allow the banning of animal circuses from Malta without taking any action.

“It was a personal initiative after finding out that the government had moved on to publish a White Paper proposing to ban animal circuses,” he said.

See all the animals, such as, Long horn cattle, Donkeys, Lama, Camels, Lions, Tigers, Zebra, Elephant, Giraffe, Baboon, Horses, Ponies, Donkeys performing pitiful & degrading acts; acts they would never do in the wild. The animal acts stop at 12 mins; then the human artists perform!I believe the only thing not seen is the Hippo; but is in a video below!!

Circo Orfei Floriana Malta 1st January 2012

Uploaded on 2 Jan 2012 – By levelone12

He argued that only 390 persons took part in the consultation process initiated by the government, of which 49% said they were against such a circus.

“We know that the majority of these were NGOs, and NGOs do not reflect popular opinion. I am doing this petition on my own. I know that there are many others who would like to sign it, but I have neither the time nor the manpower to go on a nation-wide petition,” Zammit said.

He said he was “very happy” with the number of signatures collected: “This shows that the Maltese do love the circus. They won’t flood the streets of Valletta with placards to support the circus.”

He also said that a number of MPs from both sides of the House visited Circo Orfei this winter. “Some came with their children while others accompanied their grandchildren. They thanked me for the level of the show and all said they had fun,” Zammit said.

He however refused to name them.

The debate as to whether Malta should ban animal circuses for good has been going on for a number of years, with animal rights NGOs insisting that circuses solely operate to maximise profits while completely disregarding the safety of the animals and the adverse effects they may impose.

Animal Rights Coalition said veterinarians only attend to the animal’s physical needs and as a result, the psychological issues brought about by the circuses are not being addressed.

With a number of countries moving to ban animal circuses for good, Zammit said in Italy alone there were 800 circuses. He said the UK was one of the countries which will stop animal circuses as from next year. “But this was the result of many circuses caught mistreating their animals,” he said, adding that the circus he brought to Malta did not see animals performing any tricks and only a minimal part of the show was dedicated to animals.

Zammit argued that the circus animals were born in captivity “and therefore they do not know otherwise. Their trainers threat them like their pets”.

He said Animal Welfare Department officials and veterinarians made regular checks to verify that the animals were well-kept.

Circo Orfei’s travelling team is made up of 60 people, whose living depends on the shows, Zammit said.

“This is their life. They are a community who live on the road and have been doing so for years on end. This is how they earn a living… their bread and butter,” he said.

The Animal Rights Coalition has also called for a full ban on dolphinaria and aquaria. The coalition has said it was unjust to deny dolphins the right to roam free in their natural habitat and called for the ban on dolphinariums as these restrict the creatures to a mere pool.

The Coalition also said that this should extend to aquaria as in this case, animals are likewise being “confined to cages and restricted from roaming in their natural habitat”.

Protesters outside circus. Image from http://www.timesofmalta.com –

But Zammit feels that two weights and two measures were being applied when talking about animal circuses and aquaria.

He also said that circuses gave people the opportunity to see animals which would otherwise require them to travel abroad to zoos or safaris.

He insisted that a proper discussion was required and said he agreed that animals like elephants, pandas and monkeys should be banned. “What we have in our circus are horses, ponies, donkeys and tigers,” he said, adding that tigers in captivity lived for an average of 25 years while those in the wild lived for 12 years.

Circo Orfei also has a hippo and an emu as part of their travelling repertoire. 

News Link:–http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Petition-supporting-animal-circuses-gains-5-000-signatures-20140108

Petitions to ban wild animals in circuses:-We must get the ban in place before this circus succeeds with their petition to continue

• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/114/712/149/ban-animal-circuss-in-malta/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/971/361/878/ban-the-use-of-wild-animals-in-us-circuses/
• http://www.change.org/petitions/dolphins-don-t-belong-in-traveling-circus
• http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/animalslavery/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/112/127/279/stop-brian-boswells-circus/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/903/573/553/no-bears-at-the-bolshoi-circus/
• http://forcechange.com/91545/commend-ban-on-wild-animals-in-circuses/
• http://www.stopcircussuffering.com/ – Petition is within the link

Published on 7 Jan 2013 – This video shows the hippo in the ring, but its towards the end of the video, after the trapeze act! What the hell is a hippo doing in a circus? Bloody outrageous!! Search Circo Orfei on You Tube to see all the animals when not entertaining  :-http://youtu.be/GEMx3YVIRmg 

Published on 10 Jan 2013 – Tiger & Lion Act:-http://youtu.be/aHeMPaW_d20

Published on 6 Sep 2013 – This is about the lions & tigers in the outside enclosure plus RARE WHITE LIONS & TIGERS?? Are they interbreeding??:-http://youtu.be/K40RjOFsX4c

My previous posts on circus in Malta etc.:–

• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/last-two-animal-circuses-in-malta-before-ban-imposed-petitions-to-sign/
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/animal-circuses-may-be-banned-in-malta-by-end-of-the-year-petitions-to-sign/