Slightly Graphic video; Animals Asia: Anger and sorrow as 13 more bears die in Halong

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 “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.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION BELOW

It leaves Cau Trang bear bile farm – at the centre of an international campaign demanding permission to rescue the bears – with only nine remaining bears. The campaign had been backed by over 80,000 animal lovers including celebrities such as Ricky Gervais, Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry and Olivia Newton-John.

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.

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION:- http://halong.animalsasia.org/savehalongbears/

NEWS LINK:- https://www.animalsasia.org/uk/media/news/news-archive/anger-and-sorrow-as-13-more-bears-die-in-halong.html

The ISSUES ABOUT BEAR BILE FARMING

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! “

News Link:https://www.animalsasia.org/uk/our-work/end-bear-bile-farming/

Graphic Media: TweetStorm And Petitions To Help Close THE 2015 DOG AND CAT EATING FESTIVAL

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Apologies for delay, no internet & usual pain!! POSTING FOR & ON BEHALF OF THE FOLLOWING TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS HORRIFIC FESTIVAL (all material, sites & petitions copied with permission from #‎StopYuLin2015‬   Stop Yulin Dog & Cat Meat Festival 2015 – 停止榆林狗與貓肉節2015

**TEAM, WE ARE STEPPING UP THE ACTIONS!**

Today (1/19) we are asking you to push a little bit harder and write a letter to the Chinese government. We have put together a letter, kindly explaining our utter disgust at the YuLin dog and cat meat festival and also how tourism will be hit hard as word is spreading across the internet. We have translated the letter into Chinese as this will be most effective, the English version is for your reference only. Of course you are more than welcome to draft and mail your own letter!
You will need to copy and paste the letter into an email, remembering the add your name and address at the top and add your name, city, state, and country at the bottom.

Link to CHINESE letter: http://bit.ly/1CpW7pt

Link to letter in English/Dutch/German/Spanish (Ref only): http://bit.ly/1BQ5mBw

We thank you for your constant support and for taking this direct action to ‪#‎StopYuLin2015‬.

THIS IS VERY SIMPLE, YOU CAN HELP CLOSE THE 2015 DOG & CAT EATING FESTIVAL…BY DOING A TWEETSTORM – WEDNESDAY 21ST JANUARY

(Must be that date, do not use the #tag before the 21st)

21/01/2015 Tweets List to post on Twitter:-https://sites.google.com/site/12115stopyulin2015/

YOU CAN ALSO HELP BY SIGNING ALL THE PETITIONS BELOW.

Stop Yulin Dog & Cat Meat Festival 2015 – 停止榆林狗與貓肉節2015

STOP THE KILLING & EATING OF CATS & DOGS AT THE YULIN 2015 FESTIVAL

** A FRIENDLY REMINDER **For all those planners and organizers out there, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21ST, is the date for our next BIG tweet storm. Mark your calendars, set your alarms or put a post-it on your computer monitor. See the poster for the time schedule. If you’re not sure how to convert it to your time-zone, please leave us a message and one of us will get back to you.Also, if you are looking for additional ways to help us spread the word about Wednesday’s tweet storm, starting today (Monday), could you please tweet the following message to YOUR individual followers on your Twitter account, that would really help us create even more awareness.

Here’s the message to copy & paste to your Twitter followers:-

‪#‎StopYuLin2015‬ needs you. Pls join me on Wed.1/21 -help end the YuLin Dog Meat Festival. http://t.co/Y9PbVJyOnE RT!

Bringing a permanent end to this festival is going to take a global push and we have 3 months to work jointly letting YuLin city know that we don’t like what they’re doing to the cats & dogs in and around their city.

 Stop Yulin Dog & Cat Festival 2015 

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS THEN TWEET THEM; SPREAD THEM FAR & WIDE

The last set of petitions & tweet links

  1. http://forcechange.com/67344/stop-dog-meat-festival/
  2. https://www.change.org/p/mr-chen-wu-yulin-governor-please-shut-down-the-yulin-dog-meat-festival-in-guangxi-china
  3. http://animalpetitions.org/3749/stop-cruel-dog-meat-festival/
  4. http://www.petition2congress.com/10339/we-urge-chinese-government-to-stop-yulin-festival-eating-dogs-in/
  5. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/805/082/951/stop-killing-dogs-for-annual-yulin-dog-eating-festival/
  6. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/126/095/020/stop-the-yulin-dog-masscare-2015-petition-stating-chinese-products-will-be-boycotted/?cid=FB_TAF
  7. https://www.change.org/p/chen-wu-please-shut-down-the-yulin-dog-meat-festival
  8. https://www.causes.com/actions/1771169-sign-the-petition-to-mayor-and-officials-in-yulin/
  9. https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-people-s-republic-of-china-stop-the-yulin-dog-meat-eating-festival
  10. http://animalpetitions.org/5242/end-public-consumption-of-dogs-in-china/
  11. https://www.change.org/p/wang-lutong-ban-the-chinese-yulin-cat-and-dog-festival
  12. https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mr_Liu_Xiaoming_Chinese_Ambassador_To_The_United_Kingdom_Stop_The_Barbaric_Yulin_Dog_Slaughter_Festival/?skIjnib
  13. TWEET STORM – https://www.facebook.com/events/297433457123120/?ref=5
  14. The tweetsheet link for petitions against the Yulin dog & cat eating festival https://sites.google.com/site/yulinpetitions/ #stopYulin2015

Information about the Yulin Dog Meat Festival

Here is a list of the various levels of corruption I found connected to the festival:

*STOLEN PETS

“An animal rights lawyer in Beijing said that official claims that all dogs are bred by local dog farmers is false. An Xiang said according to research there are no such farms and that all dogs are abducted from the streets.”

“It is thought most dogs are pets or strays abducted from streets. Vendors then buy them for around nine yuan (85p) and sold for 25 yuan. People who steal the dogs make the biggest profits of all, the news agency said.

”(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-dogs-sold-85p-cooking-solistice-hotpot-1452814)

*CRIMINAL LAWS ARE BROKEN

“Some of the animal thieves broke Criminal Law using weapons to threaten residents to hand over their dogs,” Li said.

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-dogs-sold-85p-cooking-solistice-hotpot-1452814)

*MEAT NOT PROPERLY QUARANTINED

“Another risk factor highlighted is poor food safety. Liu Lang, director of the Beijing Small Animal Veterinary Association said butchers slaughtering the dogs are at risk of rabies, while the meat is not properly quarantined or inspected, increasing the chance of food safety problems.” 

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-10000-dogs-be-slaughtered-yulin-summer-solstice-celebration-1451869)

“While a quarantine regulation on dogs and cats was introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture last year, meaning all cats and dogs had to be quarantined before transport, this is rarely observed, he added.”

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-dogs-sold-85p-cooking-solistice-hotpot-1452814)

*ILLEGAL SLAUGHTERHOUSES

“Li said there were no dog farms or slaughterhouses that safely produce dog meat: “I was told there are four major workshops that produce dog meat in the city. I visited them and found all of them had no business licences or certificates.”

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-dogs-sold-85p-cooking-solistice-hotpot-1452814)

*UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO PROTECT ONE GROUP BUT NOT THE OTHER

“Medical staff have been banned from attending the dog meat festival by health authorities from three local hospitals: “According to the directive issued by higher authorities, hospital staff are prohibited from having dog meat at food stalls, restaurants or hotels in Yudong and Fumian districts,” the notice read.”

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-dogs-sold-85p-cooking-solistice-hotpot-1452814)

*HIDING THE FACTS/TRUTH

“According to South Morning China Post, local restaurants have been ordered to cover the word, dog, on signs to appease protesters: “Food safety authorities told us to change our signboards due to the objection of certain dog lovers,” staff members reportedly said.” 

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-dog-meat-festival-2014-dogs-sold-85p-cooking-solistice-hotpot-1452814)

*LOCAL YULIN GOVERNMENT STILL CULPABLE*IT’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO NOT PROTECT YOUR CITIZENS“In Yulin, local authorities have stressed that they had no hand in organizing the controversial dog fest.

(http://www.worldcrunch.com/china-2.0/china-traditional-dog-meat-recipes-v.-new-animal-rights-activism/animal-rights-animals-shark-fins-dog-pets-wildlife/c9s17554/#.VI1hztKG89l)

Conclusion: Corruption is flagrant and decimating China’s cats and dogs ruins China’s reputation, threatening their economy.

Conclusion: The YDMF is detrimental to the social and moral development of China’s citizens.

Conclusion: China needs to develop animal welfare laws and not use the YDMF to “clean-up” their stray cats and dogs.

Conclusion: Allowing the YDMF to continue, contravenes the Chinese Constitution and other laws and administrative regulations because every aspect of the YDMF is illegal and makes China look bad in the world’s eyes. There is more to this festival than China’s ability and freedom to eat cats and dogs and the  false health benefits derived from part-taking in the consumption of cat and dog meat, but the festival enables corruption to run rampant throughout China and its bordering countries, like Vietnam.It is imperative to the people of China, specifically for the prosperity of their children, for the good of their social and moral development and the benefit of good health, that the local YuLin government be encouraged to cancel the festival.

Here is additional information on the YuLin Dog Meat Festival: http://bit.ly/166Svi2

Here is the link to our FB page: http://on.fb.me/1t1UxUR

News Link:https://sites.google.com/site/newsletterstopyulin2015/

16 January

Tuesday, 1/13/2015 the “YuLin, Hell On Earth For Cats & Dog” You Tube video, demonstrating the cruelty cats and dogs go through prior to the festival, was posted.Today, 3 days later, it has been viewed 500 times. And the world does not like what it sees going on In China with the complete heartless exploitation of cats and dogs.Please stay with us as we continue to march on toward the June 21st festival date. Thank you for sharing the video. We all must continue creating awareness about this horrid festival.Collectively with our united international voices, we can #StopYuLin2015!!

Stop Yulin Dog & Cat Meat Festival 2015 – 停止榆林狗與貓肉節2015

Please don’t look away from our video. The cats and dogs of YuLin need our global voices to defend them from the slaughter.

We ask for your time, not your money. Won’t you please join our campaign to help end the intolerable suffering of the cats and dogs in YuLin, China?

PLEASE NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT

Published on 13 Jan 2015

The annual YuLin Summer Solstice Dog Eating Festival takes place on June 21st, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China.

This video demonstrates the cruelty cats and dogs go through prior to the festival. Their journey to the festival is wrought with much pain and agony. Because there are no animal welfare protection laws in China, saving them from the sordid dog meat trade (DMT) is difficult. The owners of stolen pets have no recourse either because laws are not broken.

Take action with us to help permanently remove cat and dog meat from the Yulin Festival in China.
Join us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1t1UxUR for ways to get involved in preventing further torment.
You can also follow us on Twitter @StopYuin2015.

Stop Yulin Dog & Cat Meat Festival 2015 – 停止榆林狗與貓肉節2015

Good evening/morning to all our wonderful followers to ‪#‎StopYulin2015‬. As the countdown continues towards the June 21st deadline, and this past Tuesday tweet sheet being a huge success with 9719 tweets going out for all the dogs and cats that suffer, we thought we’d ask our followers to get involved in the creation of the monthly sheet!

We are asking for you to come up with amazing tweets and we will put them on the February 21st tweet storm sheet. Also, remember along with your tweet to include any pictures you would like added. All we ask is to please do not submitted any tweets threatening to boycott China or hate tweets. We must always remember the good people in China that are fighting for this cause along with us.

To those that have never used twitter, it’s restricted to 140 characters, a picture counts for 23 characters and don’t forget to add handles to any tweets you want to go to someone in specific.

We are inspired by all the wonderful people involved with helping to #StopYulin2015 and we know you can do this! We are excited to see what all of you come up with so please send your tweets to us in a direct message, all tweets are kept secret until the time of the storm :0 Just click on the Stop Yulin Dog & Cat Meat Festival 2015 link and it will take you to the Group page and you can direct message us there.

So get your thinking caps and your tweets on!! Deadline for tweets is February 1st and once again, a huge thank you for all your hard work in helping to stop the torture and suffering of these beautiful dogs and cats that are victims of this horrible festival.

NB We use a different # for each monthly storm to enhance chances of trending – for your submitted tweets use – #stopyulin2015 – however we will adjust that to our chosen # when inputting it into the tweetsheet. Thanks so much

News Link:https://www.facebook.com/events/297433457123120/?ref=5

10h10 hours ago HUGE success 🙂 & Friday Favour is out … TYSM ReTweet! X

https://sites.google.com/site/newsletterstopyulin2015/

 

GRAPHIC IMAGES: Justice For Pet Dog, Brutally Killed By Police, Langzhong, China!!

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“PLEASE SIGN THESE 2 Pre-Written PETITIONS…The Chinese Government & relevant departments must show it’s people & the world, that they do not & will not, condone such random acts of horrific, sadistic killings to innocent beings; by their police force in full view of the public & children!! Those responsible should be made to pay for their sadistic torture!”

Petition 1 to sign:– by Hand In Hand With Asia’s Animal A.

Justice For Pet Dog, Brutally Killed By Police, Langzhong, China!!

Please Help To Get Justice For Dog Beaten To Death By Police

On 4th March 2014, police in Langzhong City, Sichuan, China, brutally killed a pet dog belonging to a homeless man. The killing was done during the day near a primary school for no reason at all and is totally unacceptable.

The dog was still chained when the police forcefully removed it from it’s owner who could do nothing but watch while his companion was beaten to death with sticks and shovels in front of him.

The police later issued a statement defending their actions, saying that the dog’s presence might have posed a threat to human safety but this just shows the ignorance and cruelty involved in their actions and shows the world how unfeeling they are.

The people in charge in the relevant departments of the government now need to show the world that they condemn this killing, along with Chinese citizens and people around the world, by implementing the Small Animal Protection Law.

Groups on Weibo are condemning the killing and petitions have been started.

Help Chinese activists and animal lovers get protection for their animals.
Thank you

Petition 1 click link to sign:- https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/National_Peoples_Congress_Legislate_Small_Animals_Protection_Law/

Petition 2 to sign By Together for Animals in China (TACN)

Demand justice over police killing the dog of a homeless man in Langzhong. Demand animal cruelty laws in China and stop people from committing further atrocities against the innocent and vulnerable.

Homeless man’s dog beaten to death by police!

 Letter of strong protest against the horrific acts of police officials who are supposed to protect our society from violence.

We were horrified by what happened on March 4th, on the busy streets of Langzhong, in broad daylight. A stray dog, the gentle friend and companion of a homeless man, was seized by police and brutally beaten to death with a shovel and a metal pole in front of the owner of the dog, the homeless man, and a crowed of pedestrians.

This horrific violence took place near a primary school, where children could easily see what was happening.

Two of the most vulnerable individuals in our society, the innocent animal and the helpless man, were dealt some of the most violent and degrading treatment imaginable by the very people who are supposed to be protecting society from violence.

No thought was spared for the psychological impact of this terrifying, bloody act on the adults and children who witnessed it. Nor did it occur to the police that this gruesome death was inflicted in broad daylight in the vicinity of a primary school.

How have the people appointed to protect the innocent and vulnerable become so debased? Our police officials, who should be a source of pride to us, are behaving like monsters.

We, the undersigned, ask that the police be legally forbidden from committing further atrocities against the innocent and vulnerable. We would like our children to grow up in a society where they can feel confident that the police will protect people and animals; where the police are known for their kindness and bravery instead of their violence and sadism; where they behave with honour instead of depravity.—

More detailed information and the latest updates of this incident will be posted both on the TACN facebook page (www.facebook.com/togetherforanimalsinchina) and website (tacn.org). Please be sure to follow us on facebook for the updates.

Petition 2 Click here to sign:-http://www.change.org/petitions/guanghui-du-demand-justice-over-police-killing-the-dog-of-a-homeless-man-in-langzhong-demand-animal-cruelty-laws-in-china-and-stop-people-from-committing-further-atrocities-against-the-innocent-and-vulnerable

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Video: China Ivory Crackdown Welcomed

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CHINA has destroyed more than six tonnes of illegal ivory, in a move welcomed as an important signal the country backs action to stop elephant poaching.

China has destroyed six tonnes of illegal ivory in a move to stop elephant poaching. Source: AAP

The ivory, which is sought-after in China for making ornaments, was seized from the illegal trade and has been crushed into powder by the Chinese government.

Conservationists say China is the world’s largest consumer of trafficked ivory, most of which comes from elephants killed in Africa, and the move sends a signal of the government’s commitment to tackling the problem.

Destruction of the ivory, from more than 600 dead elephants, comes just weeks after eight Chinese citizens were convicted and sentenced to between three and 15 years imprisonment for smuggling some 3.2 tonnes of ivory.

“The destruction of seized ivory makes an important public statement that, in conjunction with other government-led efforts to reduce demand, has the potential to have a significant impact on the illegal market for ivory,” said Tom Milliken, from Wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic.

Image comment: China will destroy ivory stockpile on January 6, 2014 Image credits: The Telegraph

“China’s actions, more than those of any other country, have the potential to reverse the rising trends of elephant poaching and illegal ivory trafficking.”

China has a legal ivory market based on stocks that pre-date a global ban on ivory trade imposed in 1989, and on stocks which were part of a legal “one-off” sale from four African countries in 2008, but the seized ivory cannot be be used for commercial purposes under international rules.

Gabon, the Philippines and the United States have all recently destroyed stockpiles of ivory 

Video & News Link:-http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/world/china-ivory-crackdown-welcomed/story-fnjbnxol-1226796201437

Circus Showtime: Despite Ban Not Seriously Observed

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Global Times | 2013-12-23 19:53:01

Located in Jiufeng Forest Park in Wuhan, Hubei Province, is a “Dream Theater” that puts on animal performances, drawing applause from audiences and growing criticism from animal rights activists

Their circus shows, which include jumping tigers, cycling bears and monkeys riding goats, attract throngs of people at 10 am and 2 pm every day.

Trainer Zhang Jiafeng performs with five tigers onstage. Photo: IC

During peak seasons, like the National Day holidays, the show is put on up to eight times a day, pushing both trainers and animals to the limit.

The trainers’ job is by no means an easy one. For Zhang Jiafeng, 21, who has been performing with the tigers for four years, maintaining safety is still paramount.

During performances, a fence separates the audience from the stage. However, the most dangerous moment for the trainers, Zhang said, is the journey between the den and the stage before and after the show, during which the trainers are placed in an enclosed space with the animals without any protection.

Trainer Zhang Jiafeng sends the tigers from their den to behind the stage ahead of a show. Photo: IC

Despite the danger and psychological pressure involved in this work, the performers and trainers in this circus make at most 4,000 yuan a month.

A goat named Xiaofang and a monkey are one of the most popular duos in the circus. Photo: IC

Animal performances are facing tighter controls in China. The country so far hasn’t legislated on animal welfare, which is still a fairly new concept for the nation. However, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has ordered twice, in 2010 and 2013, an end to all kinds of animal performances. The ban has not been seriously observed

News Link:-http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/833711.shtml#.Urle8dLud84

Graphic Images/Video: British Stores Suspend Orders For Super Fluffy Angora Wool Products After Horrifying Video Reveals Cruel Techniques Used: Petitions To sign

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“This is yet another way humans have learnt how they can abuse animals; & profit from their pain! See video below, which brought me to tears, rabbits screaming in pain as their fur is repeatedly ripped from their bodies. Please please don’t buy clothes made from Angora wool; if you do, then you are condoning this barbaric abuse & cruelty! The video is at the bottom of this post, viewer discretion is advised!”

UPDATED: 13:28, 15 December 2013

High Street clothes shops are cancelling orders for fashion items made from angora wool after disturbing images of how the animals are farmed emerged.

  • Topshop, H&M, Boden, Primark suspend orders for Angora products
  • It follows a storm of protest following release of undercover video
  • Cruel methods at Chinese Angora farm revealed by Peta investigation
  • Rabbits trimmed then plucked using painful and cruel techniques
  • Longer Angora hair comes from using inhumane plucking method

High Street clothes shops are cancelling orders for fashion items made from angora wool after disturbing images of how the animals are farmed emerged.

More than 35 popular brands such as Topshop, H&M, Boden, Primark, Calvin Klein, Whistles and Next have said they will not stock Angora.

It follows an investigation by the animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals which sparked a storm of consumer protest.

Factory horror: An angora rabbit is tied up by its feet and its skin stretched as it is being cut with an electric shear

Topshop told The Sunday Times it stopped buying clothes made of Angora after more than 100,000 people petitioned the company.

Marks & Spencer also told the paper: ‘We will not place any further orders from our suppliers for products containing Angora until we have concluded our visits to farms.’

The agora fibre is prized even more than cashmere, merino wool or mohair because it is considered softer and fluffier than all the rest.

These sought-after knits are produced from the fur of the Angora rabbit — giant balls of fluff with tiny faces peeking out, bred for their long, soft wool.

Angora fibres are hollow, which gives clothes a fluffy texture. It’s warmer than wool and the fibre is also exceptionally fine — just 11 microns (11 thousandths of a millimetre) in diameter — which means Angora is softer than cashmere.

It is also far cheaper than the luxury fabric. Angora jumpers were on sale in Topshop for £36 and scarves in John Lewis for just £30.

The images, taken at an undisclosed location in China, shows angora rabbits in cages

But the Peta investigation revealed for the first time how these bargain knits may be coming at an immense cost to the animals that produce this fluffy Angora wool.

The group released a gut-wrenching exposé into the Angora industry in China, which is responsible for 90 per cent of the world’s supply of Angora wool.

The rabbit is bent across the woman’s knee before being trimmed of its fur using scissors

Investigators went to ten different Angora farms and witnessed, they say, appalling abuse of animals at all ten locations. At half of the farms a particularly barbaric form of live plucking is used to remove the fur.

PETA, which is campaigning for shoppers to boycott Angora, did not name the farms to protect its sources, but has documented its hard-hitting findings in video footage.

Cruel: The dead rabbits are processed for meat after their fur is taken for wool

Peta’s campaigns manager Yvonne Taylor told The Sunday Times: ‘Many retailers have taken on board customer complaints, but, while we welcome their decision to stop sourcing Angora products, we would urge them to also pull existing Angora stock.

The footage (below) showed terrified white rabbits, screaming with fear, stretched prone on wooden boards and held by the neck while their fur is plucked by hand.

In other scenes, the defenceless creatures are tethered with rope by the front and back legs while they are sheared by men armed with metal scissors, who pay little attention to the cuts they are inflicting on the animals.

Animal cruelty: The Angora rabbits are alive throughout the plucking and are kept for several years, plucked every few months, before their throats are slit

Angora has a trade value of £22 to £28 per kilogram, but the longer hair that comes from plucking, as opposed to shearing, can sell for more than double that.

Angoras can live for five years, or even as long as ten years when well looked after, but farmed rabbits have a much shorter lifespan, which can be as little as two years.

Yet it is not just the manner in which these animals — which are more commonly kept as pets in Britain — have their fur harvested that has sparked animal welfare concerns.

Pictures show forlorn looking rabbits with tattered and partially shaved fur cowering in tiny cages in half-covered sheds.

Pain and suffering: The terror in the animal’s eyes is unmistakable as a worker with a Chinese Angora trader stretches it out and yanks out its fur

The rabbits are forced to spend their entire miserable lives standing on the thin cage wires that constantly cut into their sensitive footpads, never having a chance to dig, jump or run around.’

Once the rabbit’s health fails, they are of little use to breeders.

Those who survive the brutal conditions in these rabbit farms are killed by having their necks broken, and are hung upside down and have their throats slit before their flesh is sold to local markets, PETA says.

There are thought to be more than 50 million rabbits on Angora farms in China, producing more than  4,000 tonnes of fur a year.

Left to recover: After the rabbit had had all its fur yanked out it is thrown into a cage to regrow its fur in complete solitude

It is by far the world’s biggest producer, followed by Argentina, Chile, the Czech Republic and Hungary, which produce the bulk of the remaining 10 per cent of the supply chain.

In China, there are no penalties for the abuse of animals on farms and minimal, if any, standards to regulate their treatment. A new law was drafted in 2009, but has not been implemented.

And there is no doubt that China has a woeful record of factory farming and animal cruelty, particularly when it comes to producing clothes for the fashion industry, many of which end up on sale on British High Streets.

In 2009, campaigners exposed how down used in jackets and other items was being ripped from the bodies of live geese by Chinese suppliers.

Two years later it emerged that raccoon dogs were being skinned while still alive to produce imitation sheepskin boots.

No hope: This young bunny is in the process of regrowing its fur while recovering from an eye infection in a naked steel cage

Viewer Discretion Advised: EXPOSED: The Agony Behind Angora

Published on 19 Nov 2013

An undercover investigation by PETA Asia shows rabbits screaming in pain as the fur is ripped from their bodies on Chinese Angora farms. Once you’ve seen the graphic footage, you’ll never want to buy items made of Angora wool again. Join the campaign against this cruel industry here:http://petauk.org/angora

News Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524028/British-stores-suspend-orders-super-fluffy-angora-wool-products-horrifying-video-reveals-cruel-techniques-used-skin-rabbits.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Just A Few Petitions to Sign On this Horrific Abuse Of Sentient beings:-

Chinese Netizens Decry Tourist Treatment of Dying Dolphin

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Chinese netizens have expressed outrage at photos which emerged on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, showing tourists posing with and manhandling a stranded and dying dolphin at a beach in the southern city of Sanya in Hainan Province.

The photos which went viral on Weibo shows the tourists holding the wounded animal and using it as a prop while snapping photos on their iPhones. The dolphin later died due to an injury to its tail believed to have been caused by a collision with a fishing boat.
The tourists are being accused of contributing to the death of the dolphin by handling it roughly and increasing its distress. They lifted the wounded dolphin out of the water and snapped photographs with it even while it was dying of its wounds.

The incident reportedly happened on June 16. Xinhua news agency reports the tourists found the dolphin at about 6 pm on Sunday near the shore in Dadonghai, a top resort in Sanya City. According to the CNN, Chinese Hinews service said the dolphin died around midnight at a local marine park due to excessive bleeding from its tail.

The CNN reports that a witness confirmed the dolphin was still alive when the tourists found it and pulled it out of the water for photographs. But instead of helping it, a crowd gathered taking turns to snap photos with the animal as it bled to death.

Chinese tourists manhandle dying dolphin

The incident shocked Chinese netizens who condemned the behaviour of the tourists, describing them as “having no shame,” “uncivilized” and “disregarding life.” Other netizens described them as “ignorant.” According to the CNN, a commenter, @Justin_joe, called them “a group of animals,” while another, @Jiangxiangsiyi, lamented that “China is now filled with people lacking moral values and civility.” 

Chinese tourists manhandle dying dolphin

However, others felt that netizens over-reacted. A blogger, @Woaijialin, wrote: “I think people have focused on the wrong thing. They don’t care when people die, but care only about dolphins.”

 Xinhua, however, used the opportunity to educate the public, saying that experts recommend that anyone who finds a stranded dolphin should contact the responsible authorities while keeping the animal wet and protected from sunlight. It is also recommended that care should be taken to prevent debris entering the blowhole on the animal’s head.

The tourists involved in the incident have not been identified. However, it is unlikely they will be prosecuted because while there are laws protecting endangered species, there are no laws protecting non-endangered species in China.

News Link:– http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/352653#ixzz2XWOKZqF3

Ask Airlines to Stop Shipping Monkeys to Be Tortured :Please Sign Petition

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Air Cruelty: Inside the Labs of Two of the Largest U.S. Primate Importers

Published on 27 Sep 2012

Shocking undercover and whistleblower footage from inside the laboratories of Covance and Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL), two of the largest importers of primates into the United States for use in cruel experiments.

Every year, tens of thousands of nonhuman primates are transported from countries such as China, Mauritius, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia to the U.S. to be imprisoned in laboratories and tormented in experiments. Some are bred in captivity on cramped, squalid monkey factory farms, while others are stolen from their families in the wild.

The traumatized monkeys are crammed into small wooden crates and transported in the backs of trucks and the dark and terrifying cargo holds of planes, often on passenger flights just below unsuspecting customers. 

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly 23,000 nonhuman primates were brought into the U.S. in 2010—nearly all of them destined for laboratories. Nearly 3,000 monkeys were imported by animal testing conglomerate Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL), where recent photos and video footage leaked by a whistleblower show sick, distraught monkeys suffering horribly from tests in which they were injected with experimental chemicals.

Almost every major airline in the world—including Delta Air LinesAmerican AirlinesUnited Airlines, US Airways, Air ChinaChina Southern Airlines,China Eastern AirlinesTAM AirlinesEl Al Airlines, and dozens of others—refuses to take any part in this violent industry and prohibits the transportation of primates to laboratories.

However, an increasingly small group of airlines—including Air France, Philippine Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines—continues to profit from animals’ misery by transporting monkeys destined for U.S. laboratories.

Please be a voice for the monkeys who are suffering in the primate trade. Take a minute of your time now to urge airlines that still transport monkeys to U.S. laboratories to join their peers and adopt a formal policy against the transportation of nonhuman primates for use in experiments.

Petition Link:https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3888

CITES Partner Spotlight: INTERPOL’s Project WEB combats online wildlife crime

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“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.

Following the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW’s) recommendation and with our support INTERPOL undertook Project WEB, an investigation into the online ivory trade within the EU.

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.

Project WEB by the numbers:

Estimated €1.45 million worth of ivory

Found in 9 Countries

Across 61 auction websites

In 660 online advertisements

Containing 100s of items made from ivory

Over a 2 week period

Leading to 6 national investigations

And 3 international investigations

This week sees the 16th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

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.

–TM

Please sign petition:- Take action to help end the trafficking of wildlife online now, click here. 

News Link:-http://www.ifaw.org/united-kingdom/news/cites-partner-spotlight-interpol%E2%80%99s-project-web-combats-online-wildlife-crime

Sickening Moment:Tiger Is Beaten Around The Head With A Stick, Whilst Families Sit For Photo’s

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“What the hell gives humans the right to treat animals, in such an appalling & brutal manner; just for the sake of entertainment??  And why the hell is China allowed to get away with virtually no animal welfare rules; when the rest of the world has to comply?? The people in the video actually think this is fun! This is no where close to fun, it’s just down right animal abuse, for the sake of entertainment. The world is losing tigers at an alarming rate, yet in China it appears anything goes!! It’s well overdue that they should have similar laws to other Countries in place, to protect animals; yet China seem oblivious & turn a blind eye to such rules. I thought this kind of thing was supposed to have stopped, how stupid am I for even thinking such a thing!! Please note, I do not intend this to offend any Chinese individuals; apart from the ones in the video…and those who make the laws that govern your Country!”

“In January last year, the Chinese government banned zoos from putting on cruel animal performances after increased pressure from outraged animal rights groups. A study by Animals Asia in 2010 found bears were often whipped and beaten with sticks, elephants were prodded with metal hooks, while tigers and lions were made to endure chronic pain by being de-fanged and de-clawed  But sure enough, only a few months after the ban came into force, some zoos were found to still be flouting the law…where is the law…why are they still allowed to beat an animal for entertainment? What about health & safety rules for the public? But if they are stupid enough to stand so close to a tiger, who could easily rip an arm off a child with one swipe; I have no sympathy!”

 ” I sent the video to a couple of welfare groups but have yet to receive any reply, so watch this space! Please also sign the petitions at the bottom of this page, thanks!”

Shocking video emerged today showing a dazed and confused tiger being smacked in the head with sticks while being forced to pose for photographs with tourists

Cruel: A docile tiger is smacked around the head as tourists, one of them nonchalantly smoking a cigarette, pose for pictures with the animal
Bashed: The tiger, which appears to have been drugged, is seen slumped on a table as excited parents and children queue up to sit next to the endangered animal

The tiger, which appears to have been drugged, is seen slumped on a table as excited parents and children queue up to sit next to the endangered animal.

To ensure it keeps facing the camera, two men armed with white sticks bash it in the face and neck.

It is not clear where or when the video was taken or who is organising the photographs, which are very likely to have been laid on for financial gain.

But in a posting on liveleak.com, where the footage was uploaded, it claims to have taken place in the popular beach resort of Beidaihe in the Chinese city of Qinhuangdao, possibly at a zoo.

One commenter said: ‘I was seriously hoping this video would end with one of those two guys mauled.’

Parents and two young children sit next to the tiger for their picture in front of a wildlife background Kept in line: It is not clear where or when the footage was taken, but left below the video posted on line suggest it may have been at a zoo in the popular beach resort of Beidaihe in the Chinese city of Qinhuangdao

Emergence of the video comes just days after terrified lions were pelted with snowballs by by laughing visitors, including children, at Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.

In January last year, the Chinese government banned zoos from putting on cruel animal performances after increased pressure from outraged animal rights groups.

A study by Animals Asia in 2010 found bears were often whipped and beaten with sticks, elephants were prodded with metal hooks, while tigers and lions were made to endure chronic pain by being defanged and declawed.

But months after the ban came into force, some zoos were found to still be flouting the law.

Read morehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2263244/Pictured-Sickening-moment-tiger-beaten-head-stick-pose-photographs-Chinese-families.html#ixzz2LeKRQCGo
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Petitions to sign please:-
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/105/635/828/close-tiger-farms-and-stop-illegal-tiger-trade-online/

http://www.change.org/petitions/close-tiger-farms-in-vietnam-stop-illegal-tiger-trade-online

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/757/849/200/stop-cruelty-to-endangered-tiger/

Animal appears drugged as parents and children queue up for mementos
Warning: Graphic content some viewers may find disturbing 

Sickening Cruelty in the name of entertainment

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