“Finally some good news, received via email, not over yet; but proves petitions do work!!!”
Dear Jules
We have good news to share with you.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals’ (WSPA) petition calling on the Welsh Government to stop factory dairy farms in Waleshas successfully passed its Petition Committee hearing.
You might remember that we wrote to you back in December, following news that Welsh Planning Minister Carl Sargeant had approved plans to build a 1000-cow intensive dairy farm, asking you to join us in urging the Welsh Assembly to update relevant planning documents to better support decision-makers faced with factory dairy applications.
The petition received 9246 signatories, including Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd, who came with WSPA campaigners to hand it in to the Welsh politicians.
The concerns laid out in the petition were heard by the Committee on 18 February, who have decided to take the issue further.
Thank you for helping make this one of the most-signed petitions to the Welsh Government.
The fight to stop factory dairy farms in the UK is far from over, but we wanted to celebrate this positive decision with you.
The next steps will see the Committee write to both Carl Sargeant, Minister for Housing and Regeneration, and Alun Davies, Minister for Natural Resources and Food, for more information.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated on progress, and you can read more about this on our website.
Get inspired! See how Mercy For Animals is winning the fight on behalf of farmed animals. From groundbreaking undercover investigations that expose shocking animal cruelty to historic legal victories, MFA is pushing the ball forward on society’s treatment of farmed animals.
During the past 12 months, we have gone head-to-head with the largest corporations and meat producers in the world,pressing for change and speaking up on behalf of animals.
By releasing eye-opening undercover investigations, securing criminal convictions of animal abusers, pressuring corporations to adopt farmed animal welfare policies, and encouraging millions of Americans to transition to a vegan diet, we’ve moved the ball forward for farmed animals. We have achieved real, meaningful change.
It’s only because of supporters like you that MFA was able to advocate so effectively on behalf of farmed animals in 2013—exposing cruelty and inspiring compassion.
The numbers speak for themselves. In the past year, Mercy For Animals reached over 20 million people through our online programs, informed 15 million people through news stories, and distributed over 1 million pieces of pro-vegan literature at 600 outreach events in over 190 cities.
But these numbers only tell part of the story. Our work has inspired countless people to move toward a vegan diet, sparing millions of animals the horrors of factory farming. And our undercover investigation and corporate outreach work has led to policy changes that will impact millions more animals each year.
Just look at all we’ve accomplished in this one year alone:
MFA’s groundbreaking undercover investigations shone a bright spotlight on the animal suffering behind the pork, egg, dairy and foie gras industries.
Our legal advocacy department pushed for improved legal protections, triumphantly fought ag-gag bills, and ensured that existing animal cruelty laws were enforced.
Our corporate outreach efforts successfully pressured some of the world’s largest corporations to adopt historic farmed animal welfare policies.
MFA’s advertising campaigns, grassroots advocacy, and public demonstrations educated consumers nationwide about animal abuse on factory farms and the many benefits of a compassionate vegan diet.
MFA gives a crucial voice to hens crammed into tiny, barren cages, unable to spread their wings; for pregnant pigs immobilized in crates so small they cannot even turn around; and for cows viciously beaten and mutilated without painkillers.
With you on our side, Mercy For Animals is effectively bringing this cruelty to light and serving as a powerful advocate for these innocent animals.
Please watch our new “Year in Review” video highlighting our many successes and victories from 2013. We hope our shared victories, made possible by your support, inspire you to make a commitment to help the billions of farmed animals who still desperately need our aid. Please consider making a special, year-end donation to support Mercy For Animals’ vital work—so we can secure even more victories for animals in 2014.
This holiday season, give the gift of hope to abused and neglected farmed animals by making a special tax-deductible donation to Mercy For Animals.
Thanks to a kindhearted MFA supporter, all donations made by midnight on December 31 will be matched – dollar for dollar – to a total of $100,000.
With this special opportunity, your gift will go twice as far in helping us build a kinder, more compassionate world.
“This might just be about the shortest post I have ever done, but it’s certainly one that’s made me the happiest, hence the slideshow of noble equines! Just a shame more can’t follow suit!! “Seriously, look at the beautiful, graceful equines below; then tell me why anyone; would want to eat one?? I’d bet every breed of horse below, has gone to a slaughterhouse, somewhere in the world; often looking as good as they do in the pictures! It’s not just the old & sick horses they slaughter, they want nice fit, healthy horses too!!”
She explained that the Armagh plant asked theFood Standards Agency(FSA) to remove itsauthorisation and stopped killing horses at the end of January.
“There was one slaughter plant in County Armagh approved by the FSA for equine slaughter,” she explained.
“This establishment is also approved for the slaughter of cattle and sheep. It ceased slaughtering horses completely on 25th January 2013 and has asked the FSA to completely remove their authorisation to slaughter equines.”
She said this was the only establishment approved by the FSA to slaughter horses in Northern Ireland in recent times.
Crocodile approaches cat at water’s edge of reptile enclosure at zoo
Cat hisses at crocodile and swats it twice causing it to retreat underwater
When a domestic cat came face to face with a crocodile it seemed the feline was about to meet a grisly end.
The hapless ginger and white cat found its way into the crocodile enclosure at a zoo in Jaipur, India,
As one reptile glided up to the animal at the water’s edge onlookers tried unsuccessfully to scare the moggy away.
The domestic cat too a swipe at the snout of the formidable predator as it approached in the crocodile enclosure
But if the crocodile thought feeding time had come early and the cat would be its helpless victim, it had underestimated the fearsome feline.
As the croc poised to snap up the unusual prey in its jaws, the cat finally spotted the danger in the water to the relief of zoo-goers who assumed it would flee.
Instead it hissed at the crocodile and swiped out with its paw not once, but twice, scratching the croc on the snout.
The crocodile, perhaps not used to such feisty prey gave up and retreated back into the water.
The battle was filmed by Manu Chaudhary, 25, and her husband Vishal, 26, fromSouthall, Middlesex, who were celebrating their first wedding anniversary by taking in the sights of India.
Mr Chaudhary, who lives in New Delhi, India, said: ‘While we were at the crocodile section we realised a cat had got in and was at the edge of the crocodile pond.
‘We initially thought the cat was under the impression that it was a rat in the pond.
‘When the crocodile came up in the water we felt sure we were witnessing the last minutes of her life.
‘We couldn’t believe it though when the cat daringly warned the crocodile and then fearlessly slapped it twice.
‘I was just screaming: “Oh my God, oh my God”. We were amazed at what we had seen.’
In the video the couple can be heard crying: ‘She’s fighting, oh wow, that’s superb. Look at it!‘ The cat is seen scratching the crocodile before sauntering off
GHARIAL CROCODILES
Gharial crocodiles, also known as fish-eating crocodiles, are one of three kinds which are native to India.
When a domestic cat came face to face with a crocodile it seemed the feline was about to meet a grisly end. The hapless ginger and white cat found its way into the crocodile enclosure at a zoo in Jaipur, India. As one reptile glided up to the animal at the water’s edge onlookers tried unsuccessfully to scare the moggy away.
Animals Asia’s Vietnam bear rescue centre has been saved from the eviction threat that has been hanging over it since 5 October 2012.
A communiqué issued by the Vietnamese government confirms that Prime MinisterNguyen Tan Dung has concluded that the rescue centre’s operation should be maintained, and that construction on the project’s second phase should continue.
This decision ensures that the 104 bears living at the centre that have been rescued from the bile industry will stay, 77 local Vietnamese staff keep their jobs, and Animals Asia who fund and operate the centre will not suffer the financial losses of US $2 million as previously feared.
Animals Asia is a charity that is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam. The Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, located in Tam Dao National Park, is dedicated solely to the rescue of previously farmed bears in Vietnam.
Tuan Bendixsen, Vietnam Director, Animals Asia commented: “We are very grateful to the Prime Minister for his commitment to the bear rescue centre. We look forward to working with the government to end bear bile farming and help conserve the bear species..”
Jill RobinsonMBE, Founder and CEO, Animals Asia commented:
“Our priority has been to rehabilitate these bears after their years of trauma from being locked up in small cages and milked for their bile. If we had been forced to relocate it would have had a terrible impact on their well being We want to sincerely thank the tens of thousands of supporters from around the world who wrote letters, sent e-mails and signed petitions calling for the eviction to be stopped.”
The rescue centre was established based on the Vietnam government’s 2005 agreement with Animals Asia to fund and develop a facility on 12 hectares of the park that would permanently rehabilitate and house 200 endangered bears rescued from the illegal bear bile industry. Based on this agreement, Animals Asia has invested more than US$2 million in building and infrastructure.
“You’ve probably seen this, but I just got round to this email. If you haven’t seen it, enjoy…It’s a break from the heartbreaking stories. Besides I’m sure there are many IFAW supporters out there, it’s nice to know our donations can help the little guy’s too!!”
The video Vicki includes shows her and her teammates helping a young female elephant calf escape entrapment in a shallowMaasaiwell, and then help to reunite the frightened calf with her mother.
I had to write and say thank you, because IFAW helped make this happen too.
Keeping my study car on (or off!)the road andpeople on the groundmeans so much to us, over and above the research we’re doing with your support, and of course your work in the wider Amboseli ecosystem.
We rescued this young eight months old calf early this week. Luckily the report came in early in the morning and we were able to get there quick before the mother was forced to leave by herders arriving to water their cattle. It was a happy ending as we were able to reunite the calf with her mother, Zombe.
This well has now been made safe, and we are mapping the other new wells that have not yet been reinforced to make them safe for the elephants.
“This truly was a lucky day, had the police not stopped the truck, the cats wouldn’t have made it! Of course the animal lovers who came to their rescue & bought them, probably out of their own pockets…Kudos to these guys. I just hope they can find loving homes for them all, or at least a decent shelter until they can be adopted. Animal lovers are rising up around the world…we are being heard & we can make a difference. There are a few of the many petitions at the end of this post, lets keep up the pressure & force the Chinese Government to listen…please sign!”
Some of the cats, thought to be destined for a restaurant table, that were intercepted in Xuzhou Photo: One of the cats, thought to be destined for a restaurant table, that was intercepted in Xuzhou
There has been extra security on China’s roads ahead of next week’sonce-in-a-decade leadership change, and officers in Xuzhou pulled over the lorry when they noticed it had out-of-town license plates.
Cats face cruel death at restaurants, these are the lucky one’s
When they heard mewling from under the tarpaulin covering its cargo, they asked the driverswhat they were transporting. “Rabbits,” came the response.
A notorious Cantonese dish is “Tiger and Dragon Locked in Battle”, a hot pot of cat and snake meat.
The appetite for the dish has already made cats scarce and costly in the southern region of Guangdong, and restaurants in the province have had to look elsewhere for a steady supply.
There is no law in China against selling cats, since cats are not regarded as householdpossessions. Cat snatchers generally make around 10 yuan (£1) per cat and sell them to middlemen who then arrange transport to the south.
How could anyone hurt them, let alone eat them…Sickening!!
While the lorry had therefore not breached any laws, the police contacted animal lovers in Xuzhou who negotiated for almost three hours before reaching a deal with the drivers to buy their feline cargo for 3,500 yuan (£350).“Angels without wings”
Back in April the jury had awarded $620,000 to the Jenkins family, $20,000 for
Brandi
veterinary bills and $600,000 for mental anguish, pain and suffering. The judge did reduce the veterinary bills award to $7,500 due to the fact Marylandlaw caps damages at that amount. The upholding of the $600,000 for emotional damages is huge not only for the Jenkins family but for the law starting to view pets not just as property.
The shooting incident occurred back on January 9, 2010 when police officers came to the Jenkins’ home with a civil warrant for their son, who no longer lived at the resident.
Brandi bound out of the house to meet the officers when Deputy Timothy Brooks shot her. Brandi didn’t even get within three feet of the officer and had stopped barking when she was shot.
Brandi did survive the shooting but will need extensive ongoing medical care.Brooks was found to have unconstitutionally shot and grievously wounded the dog by the jury. In addition Brooks along with Deputy Nathan Rector were found to have unconstitutionally and illegally entered the Jenkins’ home. The two officers entered the homewithoutpermission after the Jenkins had left to rush Brandi to the veterinarian.
Cary Hansel, attorney for the Jenkins was very happy with the result not only for what was awarded to the Jenkins but because of what the case means for the legal community. “It’s one of the first cases in Maryland to recognize that pets are family members and not property.” Normally, cases involving property would not be permitted to award emotional damages.
KUALA LUMPUR: Animal rights activistsare praising a government decision to close 6 zoos across the country after they failed to meet the new standards established by the Wildlife and National Parks Department.
The department said that the zoos are being closed after they failed to comply with the new measures and are unsanitary and unsafe for the animals.
They have also not complied with the Wildlife Conservation Regulations 2012, the new regulations regarding the country’s zoos, which came into effect February 1.
The 6 zoos to be closed are Lye Huat Garden in Kedah, Kuala Krai bird park in Kelantan, Countryview Recreation in Pahang, PD Mini Zoo in Negri Sembilan, Taman Kuang in Ajil, Terengganu, and Animal Wonderland at Mines Wonderland in Selangor.
The department said the 6 were closed following examinations by staff at 45 zoos and animal parks across Malaysia.
“All the affectedanimals will either be released to their natural habitats after a rehabilitation process (for local species) or handed over to other zoos in the country,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday.
Under the new regulations, zoos and animal parks are required to ensure that the welfare, health and safety of the animals are being closely monitored.
The closures also come as another set of regulations are to be established this month, but animal rights activists are tentatively optimistic they will make an impact.
Malaysian Animal Welfare Society president Shenaaz Khan told The Sun newspaper that she believes that without a strong enforcement operation, the laws are meaningless and zoos can continue to treat animalspoorly.
“Under these new regulations, even forcing animals to ride a bicycle and juggle balls is an act of cruelty to animals because it is not their natural behavior,” she said.
But she fears that without proper government enforcement and ending permits for new zoos in order to focus on the existing zoos and their conditions, these acts will persist.
The new regulations for zoos in Malaysia are in line with international standards, and have garnered the support from animal rights groups and activists, despite the worry over enforcement.
They include minimum cage sizes as well as having quarantine areas and a veterinary clinic or animal hospital with a full-time veterinary on site.
Shockingly, some “animal sanctuaries” in the country do not currently have an on-site veterinary to treat animal injuries.
Also, zoos and other facilities must deliver vaccinations to all animals, “supply nutritious and adequate food, maintain cleanliness and keep a proper medical record of the animals, perform euthanasia when necessary, conduct wildlife shows involving the animals’ natural behaviour and submit a deposit to the Wildlife Department for the upkeep of animals in the event of a seizure.”
For the country’s local activist community, it is all part of newdirection for Malaysia on animal issues and anti-cruelty measures.
“We have long struggled with these issues in Malaysia and finally there is some movement,” Mahathir Abdul Aziz told Bikyamasr.com. “I have been to these places and documented the poorconditions. Already, though I see places starting to change how they work and treat animals.”
“I’ve Just seen this video of Ben the bear & cried for him, happy tears of course; so thought I would share it with you! Ben was bear kept at Jambbas Ranch Tours, & had been confined for years to a tiny cell made of concrete and chain link, until people spoke up about his neglect. Now at the PAWS sanctuary, Ben can live as he should…just being a bear!”
“When you see an animal that’s been rescued, looking so happy, probably for the first time in their lives, it makes all the petition signing, letter writing & donating, so worth while. don’t you think? So the next time you think ‘oh can’t be bothered to sign that petition’ just think of Ben & his happy little face…I’m sure it will give you the motivation you need!!”
After a long and hard-fought battle, Ben the bear has been rescued and will now live out the rest of his life at a beautiful accredited wildlife sanctuary in northern California. http://bit.ly/benrescue
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.
Error: Please make sure the Twitter account is public.
Flag Counter Added May 2012
Face Book – Please Take Notice
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!!
.
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 
You must be logged in to post a comment.