As the political saga surrounding the promised ban on wild animals in circuses in the UK continues, legendary actor Brian Blessed has urged the government to “end this circus madness” and finally legislate to ban such acts.
The ‘Flash Gordon’ star’s call for action comes as Animal Defenders International (ADI) reveals that the only and much criticised lion and tiger circus act will not be touring Britain this year.
Brian Blessed said “I am deeply opposed to the use of wild animals in circuses and have been working with Animal Defenders International to oppose such acts for many years. Despite repeated promises from the Government, we are still waiting for the law to pass and the animals are continuing to suffer. Please end this circus madness.”
Back in 2011, Brian Blessed made a similar plea following ADI’s shocking exposérevealing the terrible abuse inflicted on Anne, Britain’s last circus elephant. The actor joined the organisation and a delegation of MPs to present a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a ban. At the time Blessed stated, “now is the time for the government to legislate and put a stop, once and for all, to the draconian and humiliating spectacle of wild animals in circuses.”
As a result of changing attitudes and greater awareness of how circus animals are kept, trained and treated following investigations by organisations such as ADI, just two circuses in Britain currently tour with wild animals.
ADI can reveal that Thomas Chipperfield, a relative of the notorious Mary Chipperfield who was prosecuted for animal cruelty following an ADI investigation, who presents the only lion and tiger circus act in Britain, will not be touring with a circus this year. The act featured in Peter Jolly’s Circus last year, attracting widespread criticism and local protests.
Whilst in the circus and at their present overwintering location in Scotland, ADIdocumented how Chipperfield’s lions and tigers exhibited abnormal repetitive behaviour – not seen in the wild but commonly observed in circuses – indicating compromised welfare. Seeing the footage, vets Marc Abraham and Simon Adams said “Big cats are never meant to live like this” and “the limited space available in a travelling circus is unsuitable to big cats”. Although the animals will not be touring, they will likely remain in their temporary, confined living quarters.
ADI President Jan Creamer said, “While the government fails to take action, the suffering of wild animals in circuses will continue and it must take full responsibility. It is time to pass the ban that has long been promised to the public and the animals.”
Little progress has been made since the Government announced it would ban the use of wild animals in circuses in 2012, leading Jim Fitzpatrick MP to introduce a bill. Despite having cross-party support, Christchurch MP Christopher Chope has blocked the backbench bill on seven occasions. The bill will have its next second reading on Friday 27 February.
Whilst Britain stalls on progressing the ban, 30 countries have introduced laws prohibiting animals in circuses. ADI is working with authorities to rescue animals from circuses following wild animal circus bans in Peru and Colombia, and is currently caring for 30 lions and over 20 other animals. The organisation is seeking donations to complete its groundbreaking rescue mission ‘Operation Spirit of Freedom’.
“Firstly I must apologise for the lack of posts… I’ve been in a lot of pain….but hope to get posting more news stories again soon; so please bear with me!” (MY sincere apologies if some post are a bit disjointed…drugs play havoc with my brain!!) so I hope all myposts will make sense…if the don’t…you know why!!”
“Please email DEFRA now, and tell Lord De Mauley that laws which are not enforced are not worth the paper on which they’re printed (Email already written) just fill in your details to send:-http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Live-Export-from-the-UK Please also contact your MP (Letter already done) which will pop up after your email to Defra!
On 10th February the BBC’s Inside Out programme revealed the shocking results of World Horse Welfare’s largest ongoing investigation, uncovering evidence that horses and ponies are being exported through Britain’s ports to uncertain fates on the Continent.
It will show that an unknown number of horses and ponies are leaving Britain’s shores under the pretence that they are for leisure or sport – but may in fact be sold for slaughter.
We have been investigating the movement of horses into and out of theUK, including reports of possible export for slaughter, for several years and have always passed any information that we have onto the proper authorities at the earliest opportunity.
Unfortunately it has become clear that in many cases, proper preventative action from the authorities and enforcement of the law was simply not taking place despite the information that we were providing, and that horses and ponies were being left very vulnerable to abuse as a result.
Our investigations have found that horses and ponies are leaving our ports without any checks on their welfare or their paperwork. It is impossible to know whether the laws protecting them are being complied with.
Horses waiting for death!
These movements are not small or insignificant: over just one weekend of monitoring we saw more than 90 horse boxes – a number of which could carry more than 20 equines – leaving and entering the port of Dover.
World Horse Welfare is calling for the legislation meant to protect our most vulnerable horses and ponies from indiscriminate export to be properly enforced as a matter of urgency. We want to help the enforcement agencies to protect horses and ponies, by continuing to provide intelligence and expertise as we have done in the past.
PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO TO UNDERSTAND HOW HORSES ARE BEING TRANSPORTED.!!
P&O Ferries actually stopped a vehicle carrying horse; after checking the vehicle P&O said the horses were not fit to travel….KUDOS to P&O…without whom the horses could have shipped to slaughter!!
Post from P&O Ferries:Service with a conscience
Can we ship livestock on your vessels?
Yes, we can ship livestock on our Dover-Calais and Irish Sea routes, however animal welfare is an issue that concerns us. Hence on our Dover-Calais route we are only prepared to ship breeding livestock and only if booked via the relevant national associations.These livestock must be transported according to DEFRA requirements and accompanied by the correct DEFRA documentation, clearly showing the animals are being shipped for breeding purposes. A surcharge is applied to livestock movements and they will only be shipped on the European Seaway. Please contact the relevant national association for pricing details.
Can we ship horses on your vessels?
Yes, we can ship horses on all our routes (except Dublin – Liverpool, shipments from Tilbury and freight only shipments from Zeebrugge) under the following conditions.
Horses travelling to France MUST be accompanied by either an Export Licence or an AHA certificate AND an equine passport. Ponies must also be accompanied by a fitness to travel certificate or Health Certificate. Horses and ponies travelling with a final destination to countries other than France MUST in addition be accompanied by a Health Certificate.
Horses or ponies travelling from France to the UK may travel on their equine passports only. Horses or ponies starting their journey in any country other than France MUST be accompanied in addition by a Health Certificate.
Health Certificates are ONLY valid for 10 days from the date of vets signature (and can only be signed within 48 hrs of departure). Horses and ponies may return to the originating country on the same health certificate providing it is within 10 days of the vets signature. (day 1 being the day it was signed)
The information detailed above is for guidance only – The responsibility lies with the owner or agent to comply with British and European statutory regulations.
Further information can be obtained by contacting DEFRA.
Find out more by reading our FAQs (Some of which are below), or take action to help these horses today. Or you can make a donation to help keep our teams on the road.
A year after the horsemeat scandal, Inside Out’sDavid Whiteleyinvestigates the illegal export of live horses from the UK.
The World Horse Welfare charity told Inside Out that it suspects that horses and ponies are being transported freely across Europe as unscrupulous dealers exploit a legal loophole in equine transit.
Under an agreement between France, Ireland and the UK, sports horses can be moved freely but low-value ponies are not covered by the agreement.
David Whiteley joins the World Horse Welfare’s field team as they watch for horse dealers who they suspect are breaking the law. As well as concerns over equine welfare, there are fears the horses could be destined for slaughterhouses in Europe, raising fears about food safety and human health. But P&O Ferries refused some lorries due to unevaluated passports…i.e fakes passports! P&O also refused some lorries because some of the horses were not fit to travel! BUT IT SHOULDN’T BE UP TO PORTS TO REFUSE UNFIT HORSES….it’s obvious those trying to take the lorries abroad care nothing about the welfare of its cargo!!! Kudos to P& O Ferries!!
The government says it has agreed to tighten the rules on horse exports from May.
“I won’t believe anything until I see or read new legislation! The Government wonders why horse meat is getting into human food, it’s because the passports are not checked or are faked, horses are being stolen from fields during the night! Read some of the snippets below from News posts, it just doesn’t add up to me!” especially the parts where they say ‘ One of 5 horse slaughter plants’, which includes one ‘Ashgrove Meats in Newcastle West’ that was responsible for contaminated horse meat! Then in another post it says ‘ THE only approved horse-slaughtering house in Northern Ireland has stopped killing horses, the Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has revealed.?????”
Preview of FAQ
Q. What can I do about this?
Please join our calls for proper enforcement! You can email your MPs and Defra Ministers quickly and easily here.
You can also help these horses by sharing any information that you have, anonymously and in complete confidence, via the‘Tell Us’ pages of our website.
If you would like to make a donation to help keep our teams on the road, you can do so here.
Q. Is live export of horses legal? What are the laws?
A. In some circumstances it can be legal to export horses (for example for breeding or competition). However there is a package of protective legislation in place which should prevent the indiscriminate export of equines for slaughter. Unfortunately it seems that this legislation is not being properly enforced.
The legislation in question includes:
The Welfare of Animals in Transport Order: Sets out the conditions for transporting animals, including rest periods, fitness for transport, vehicle standards and documentary requirements.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006: (in Scotland, the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006) Sets out the basic principle that animals should not be allowed to suffer unnecessarily, either through human action or inaction.
The Equine Identification Regulations: Set out the rules for horse passports.
The Tripartite Agreement: Allows the free movement of some horses between France, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Recently changed – see below.
The Animal Health Act 1981 (Minimum Values) Sets out the minimum value that certain types of equine should have if they are to be exported (see below).
Q. I thought exporting horses for slaughter had been banned years ago?
A. There is a package of legislation in place, including an Act which should have limited the export of equines to protect working horses, ponies, mules and donkeys from export for slaughter. This was brought in as a result of the work of our founder, Ada Cole, and has been improved over the years as a result of our subsequent work as a charity. However, it seems likely that a lack of effective enforcement has led to exports for slaughter taking place under the radar of enforcement agencies. We have gathered evidence and passed this on to the relevant authorities.
Q. What happens to the horses while they are being transported and after they leave the UK?
A. We can’t be sure of what will happen to these horses, but we strongly suspect that some of them will be slaughtered. Some of them are taken to markets where they will be sold for various purposes, including slaughter. We also strongly believe that they will not be transported in good conditions, either when they leave the UK or on subsequent journeys after they arrive in Europe, and that their welfare will not be respected. The animals in question have a low financial value, making it uneconomic to export them unless corners are cut – which will compromise their welfare.
Q. What is the Tripartite Agreement (TPA) and does this affect these horses?
A. The Tripartite Agreement is a long-standing agreement between France, the UK and the Republic of Ireland to allow horses to move freely between these three countries without the need for animal health certification. This meant that horses could move over these borders without health checks, and without any traceability which posed significant welfare and disease risks. Originally applied only to Registered horses (such as a racehorses), it was extended in 2005 to apply to all horses, other than those moving directly to slaughter. We have been calling for it to be changed ever since, to prevent unscrupulous individuals from falsely declaring that they are moving horses for legitimate reasons then transporting the animals to slaughter abroad.
Happily our calls have recently been successful, and the Chief Veterinary Officers of France, Ireland and the UK have signed a new agreement which means that horses moving between France and the UK, and France and Ireland, will no longer be able to move freely unless they are ‘high-health horses’ – meaning registered FEI or race horses. Moreover these movements will be required to be logged, providing much-needed traceability. Movement of horses between the UK and Ireland will be unaffected, as Ireland and the UK share the same official health status (determining which diseases are present and absent from a country), making a change impractical.
The details are yet to be decided, but we are very pleased that such a positive step has been taken to protect horses. The crucial thing now is that the details must be decided upon and these changes must be enforced when the revised agreement comes into force in May 2014. We will be working alongside Defra and the rest of the equine industry to finalize the details and to communicate the changes to horse owners.
Q. What does ‘Minimum Values’ mean and what does it mean for the export of horses and ponies?
A. By law horses and ponies must have a financial value above a certain amount in order for them to be exported overseas. This helps protect equines of a lower market value from being exported for slaughter, as the price for their meat should be less than the price of the horse or pony. However, with the lack of basic checks of welfare and documentation at ports, there is no way to know whether this law is actually being complied with.
Q. What about horses being imported into the UK?A. There are certainly equal, if not even greater reasons to be concerned about horses being imported into the UK. These horses may well have come from environments where serious diseases are present that we do not currently have in the UK. A lack of enforcement can make it difficult to trace where the horses came from, or where they went, if disease breaks out. In 2010, Britain had its first ever cases of equine infectious anaemia since 1976 when the disease was found in two horses that had been imported from mainland Europe. More cases were reported later the same year and in 2012, all in imported horses. Tracing the other horses that had travelled with the affected animals was a long and complex process.
Equally importantly, the welfare of imported horses may not be respected, with unfit horses being transported over long distances, and little or no enforcement to protect them. Any low-value animal may be vulnerable to this sort of abuse, whether it is entering the UK or leaving it.
The changes to the Tripartite Agreement should help with this issue to some extent, but only so long as they are enforced properly.Take action to help these horses today!
Related Snippets Of Interest:-27/01/2013Limerick Plant One OF Only 5 Licensed to Slaughter Horses For Meat
A NEWCASTLE Westlivestock factory is one of only five facilities in Ireland licensed to slaughter horses for meat, it has been confirmed.
The Ashgrove Meats facility in Churchtown has been slaughtering horses and exporting their meat for consumption in mainland Europe for the past three years. It is the only facility licensed to do so in Munster.
Ashgrove Meats is the only plant in Munster which slaughters horses for meat
Related Snippets Of Interest:-2/02/2013 Meat From Horses With Forged Passports Recalled By Limerick Abattoir
THE FOOD Safety Authority (FSA) has concluded an investigation after horses with forged passports were slaughtered for meatat a county Limerick abattoir.
It has been confirmed that meat from two Irish horses which had been exported to Italy had to be recalled after officials discovered that the animals had forged documentation.
The horses had been slaughteredatAshgrove Meats in Newcastle West, one of only five facilities in Ireland licensed to kill horses for meat.
Under regulations,all horses slaughtered for meat inIreland have to have a verifiable passport to ensure that they have not been in contact with substances which may be harmful to humans.
Related Snippets Of Interest:- 14/04/2013 NI’s Only Horse Slaughtering House Stops
THE only approved horse-slaughtering house in Northern Ireland has stopped killing horses, the Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has revealed.
She explained that the Armagh plant asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to remove its authorisation 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.
“I’m so sorry that posts are few & far between, I do try to post whenever pain allows! But it’s not just pain, pain interferes with other motor skills like using my brain to write posts; what would normally take me 5 minutes now takes 5 days, please excuse mistakes with grammar etc. lol…I’m doing the best I can, while I still can!!”
“Quiet frankly, I am disgusted at the red herrings, stalling tactics & pathetic dilly dallying attempts, by the UK government, not to ban wild animals in circuses; especially since we were fooled into thinking they had decided that a ban was the right way forward. But instead of a total ban on wild animals, they came up with a new licensing regime under the Animal Welfare Act 2006! How bloody stupid, the animals are already covered under the act; it’s just there are no specific animal welfare regulations for wild animals in travelling circuses!!
They have failed miserably to conclude this issue, while other Countries have steamed ahead with a ban on all wild animals in circuses; it seems, the UK don’t think circus life for animals, isn’t bad!. Of course, homes have to be found for the wild animals already in circuses, a ban doesn’t happen overnight. Is the UK Government scared they will have to foot the bill for re-homing animals to zoo’s or safari parks? Because, I’m really struggling to find any logical reason, why they can’t stand alongside other Countries & implement the ban. I take the ban to mean, no more wild animals allowed in a circus from the date of the ban, but a grace period, for circus owners to find homes for the wild animals they hold captive ! Really, what is the governments problem, what’s actually stopping them from implementing a ban? The UK is supposed to be among one of the stricter Countries when it comes to animal welfare, yet they are failing miserably to protect wild animals; in a circus environment,often rife with cruelty & abuse!!
The UK government & the rest of the clowns that decide the fate of animals in UK circuses, actually need to grow some balls! They have shown a total lack of competence & ignorance by failing to take note of the horrific undercover videos of abuse & totally ignored the public’s vote (94% in 2010 to be exact, more like 100% now) who want a ban on wild animals in circuses; isn’t it their job to listen to the public?? Not to mention all the hard work certain ministers have done & the years of parliamentary debates: all of which clearly demonstrates the overwhelming support for a ban on all wild animals in travelling circuses.
Thanks to undercover videos, social media sites via the internet, have made the public more aware than ever, about circus life for animals.
I have written to my MP, DEFRA & Lord Henley several times regards the circus ban; but I never get the answer I’m looking for! After seeing the video that went viral overnight, of Anne the elephant, being beaten by her groom; I wrote letters & sent a petition, along with many others, to help get Anne the elephant, away from her abusive circus life. I was thrilled when she finally packed her trunk & left the circus for good. Anne is now a different elephant,although she bears the scars from circus life; she is happy & carefree at Longleat Safari Park. See petitions do work, when we all join as one to become the voice for the animals.
Animal welfare organisation “shocked” by opinion of Government Committee regarding ban on wild animals in travelling circuses in England; EFRA Committee at odds with Government policy.
The Born Free Foundationhas today hit out at a new report by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which recommends that the Government revise its plans to ban all species of wild animals from use by travelling circuses in England on ethical grounds.
The UK-based international animal welfare and conservation organisation called the recommendations bizarre and inconsistent, particularly where the Committee claims that public opinion is based on a mistaken perception that large numbers of elephants and big cats are still used in circuses.
Will Travers OBE, CEO of the Born Free Foundation, said: “The opinion of the Committee is woefully out of touch. The majority of the British public, and a unanimous vote in June 2011 by MPs, supported a ban on wild animals in travelling circuses, a position reflected in the Coalition Government’s clear commitment to a ban on the use of all wild animals in travelling circuses in England on ethical grounds; a commitment given repeatedly by Ministers to Born Free on numerous occasions. It has taken far too long to reach the stage of a promise to ban, and frankly I am shocked that the Committee seems to be advocating watering-down the draft legislation”.
The Committee’s understanding of the situation was further called into question when they referred to a ‘domesticated racoon’, despite this species clearly being a wild animal under the relevant legislations. Chris Draper, Born Free’s Senior Scientific Researcher added, “The Committee seems to consider that it is somehow acceptable to use species of wild animal such as zebra, racoons or snakes in travelling circuses.
Not only is this in direct contrast to the overwhelming position of the public and animal welfare experts, but it flies in the face of the Government’s principled position that there should be no wild animals of any species exploited in travelling circuses. We urge the Government to reject the Committee’s recommendations and reaffirm their commitment to bringing about an end to the use of wild animals in this way at the earliest practicable opportunity. Anything less will be seen by the public as no more or less than a betrayal of the animals concerned.”
How YOU can help:
Please contact Defra Minister Lord De Mauley and let him know that it isn’t just lions and elephants in the circus that you care about: you are concerned about ALL WILD ANIMALS! Remind him that zebras, snakes, racoons, camels and all other wild animals have no place in circuses in England.
For those of you in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, please contact your Ministers and ask them to bring in a ban on ALL wild animals in circuses (including zebra, snakes racoons etc.) as a matter of priority.
Sweden on Thursday proposed legislation that would completely outlaw bestiality, tightening current rules that only prohibit sex with animals that causes mental or physical harm.
“The government is now toughening bestiality laws so that there is no doubt that it’s prohibited to abuse animals,” Rural Affairs Minister Eskil Erlandsson said in a statement.
“There should be no doubt whatsoever that bestiality is unacceptable.”
Until now, bestiality was illegal in Sweden only if it could be proven that the animal had been subjected to suffering.
Starting on January 1st, 2014, however, any sexual act with an animal will be punishable by a fine, a maximum prison sentence of two years, or both, even if the animal shows no sign of injury or suffering.
“I hope that this sort of act doesn’t take place in society at all. And now we’re putting that explicitly into law,” Erlandsson told the TT news agency.
In 2008, Erlandsson came in for criticism for using graphic language during a debate on the floor of parliament in an attempt to describe the difficulty of legislating against bestiality.
While he first expressed his “disgust” for anyone who has sex with animals, Erlandsson continued to offer a graphic example to demonstrate that “what counts as sexual abuse of animals” isn’t always easy to define, much to the surprise of fellow MPs.
“It was distasteful. It sunk to a horrendously low level. I don’t think one needs to discuss details like that in the Riksdag,” Social Democrat MP Monica Green told the Aftonbladet newspaper at the time.
“He mixed up people’s sexuality with animals’ sexuality. His example was also appalling.”
While it’s been nearly 18 months since the government first commissioned an inquiry into the bestiality ban, news that the law was finally on its way came as welcome news to Sweden’s veterinarians.
“It’s very good that the law will be changed,” a spokesman for the Swedish Federation of Veterinarians (Sveriges Veterinärförbund), Johan Beck-Friis, told AFP.
“It’s very important that society makes a clear statement that it is unacceptable to use animals that way,” he said.
Germany introduced a ban in December, following in the footsteps of Britain, France, and Switzerland among others.
The Swedish parliament is expected to pass the bill into law soon, as there is broad political consensus on the issue.
According to Beck-Friis, under the current law veterinarians may suspect that an animal has been sexually abused but they are generally unable to prove it.
As a result, there are no statistics available on how common bestiality is in the country.
In 2006, the latest year for which statistics are available, about 100 cases of animals suffering injuries suspected of being related to bestiality were brought to the authorities’ attention, Beck-Friis said.
“This is bad news my friends! Please sign petitions below & share widely, only our voices collectively joined, can help stop this heinous brutality; a bloody sport, disguised as tradition!”
Spanish MPs have voted to consider giving bullfighting special cultural status – a move that could overturn regional bans on the age-old tradition
The number of bullfights each year is falling in Spain
In a 180-40 vote, the parliament backed a petition signed by 590,000 people.
The tradition dates back at least 4,000 years and is thought to have been popularised by the Romans
It remains popular in southern France, Portugal and some South American countries
On Tuesday, the popular petition was easily backed in parliament, where the governing conservative Popular Party (PP) has a majority.
Under the proposal, bullfighting would be promoted by the authorities who would also push the UN to recognise it as part of Spain’s cultural heritage.
A parliamentary commission is now expected to fine-tune proposed legislation and the vote could take place later this year.
The parliamentary vote is an attempt by pro-bullfighting conservatives to keep this controversial tradition alive, the BBC’s Tom Burridge reports.
About 2,000 fights are still held every year in Spain, but the numbers are falling.
Bullfighting was banned last year in Catalonia, in the north-east, with supporters of the measure describing the blood-soaked pageants as barbaric.
The ban in Catalonia was also seen by many Spaniards as an attempt by Catalan nationalists to distinguish the region from the rest of Spain and its traditions.
Bullfighting was also banned in the Canary Islands in 1991.
From the moment the bull enters the ring, he is destined to die. His death will be slow and painful, and the last moments of his life will be full of terror and confusion as he hears the sounds of a jeering crowd. For the bull, bullfighting is no “competition”. It is simply slaughter for human entertainment.
Some links & Petitions to sign against Bullfighting:-
“Please watch the video below, from last year…then please sign petitions etc. Together we can save the badgers”
The Government’s proposed badger cull, set to go ahead last year was postponed after a sustained and comprehensive campaign that involved numerous organisations, including the League and our supporters, coming together as Team Badger.
Last year over 160,000 people also signed a Government e-petition, far exceeding the 100,000 signatures needed to be considered for a House of Commons debate, which went ahead on 25th October.
The Parliamentary vote against the badger cull was overwhelming: 147 votes to 28 votes, with the majority of MPs agreeing with scientists, animal welfare organisations and the general public, that the cull is wrong and would be ineffective on scientific, humanitarian and practical grounds.
However, the vote is not binding and the Government are still planning to resume culling this summer.
The League, our partner organisations and supporters are committed, therefore, to continue with the campaign to ensure the cull isn’t just postponed, but abandoned for good, in favour ofvaccinatingbadgers and developing an effectivebovine TB vaccine.
As part of Team Badger, the League recently submitted evidence to theEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee inquiry, which is looking into vaccination alternative to culling and is due to report later this year.
Vaccination has already been a proven success inWales, where over 1,400 badgers have already been protected against bovine TB as part of a five year programme of work to eradicate TB completely. The badger vaccination initiative in Wales reflects the constructive alternative to culling that the League, along with “Team Badger”, is calling for. It also demonstrates the co-operation that is possible between the farming industry and government in taking swift, positive and decisive action against the spread of Bovine TB.
The League, alongside our campaign partners, believes strongly that vaccination of both badgers and cattle and better husbandry are the most effective and long-term way to tackle this terrible disease. Together we successfully came together to ensure badgers had a stay of execution in 2012 and we are now working for a full and permanent pardon in 2013.
What can I do to stop the cull happening this summer?
You should contact your MP to remind them that the badger cull is set to go ahead in summer of 2013. You should ensure that they know the evidence and science against the cull and ask them to make sure they will continue to oppose the cull in 2013.
Badger cull to begin from June, Environment Secretary confirms
Conservative MPOwen Paterson said that, if successful, the cull aimed at stopping bovine tuberculosis would be rolled out across the country next year.
It has not been confirmed where this summer’s pilot culls will take place, however the National Farmers Union (NFU) said it believed they would be in Gloucestershire and Somerset.
Animal rights campaigners expressed dismay, claiming there is still no scientific evidence to support the cull and that the move is against the wishes of the British public.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Paterson said: “We need to make sure that these two trials are carried out in a professional and scientific manner and if we prove that this works we will continue.”
The Government wants to stop the animals spreading the disease which has cost the taxpayer £500m in the last decade. That figure is expected to rise to £1bn in the next 10 years.
Adam Quinney, the vice president of the National Farmers’ Union, welcomed the decision and said they had expected the cull to go ahead this summer.
“The two licences have been issued for two areas in Gloucestershire and Somerset and they still stand.
“There have been discussions about looking at alternative areas just because it is prudent,” he said.
The cull cannot take place before then for a number of reasons, including licence restrictions and welfare concerns for badger’s caring for their young.
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said they were “deeply disappointed” with the plans to cull the animals tomorrow as there is no “real proof” that it will help either cows or badgers and called for Defra to look again at alternatives including vaccines.
They said: “The Government must think again and the RSPCA will continue to campaign against the cull until it does so.
“After this year’s postponement we had hoped that the government would finally see sense and pay attention to the vast amount of scientific research showing that a cull will be ineffective, wasteful and potentially damaging to the welfare of both farm and wild animals.
“The vaccination of both badgers and cattle along with more effective biosecurity is the only approach which addresses the welfare of both cattle and badgers and the long term livelihood of farmers.
“This announcement flies in the face of the views of a huge majority of MPs who voted against the cull as well as the majority of the British public and the overwhelming weight of scientific opinion. The RSPCA stands ready to work alongside all those seeking an alternative to this barbaric cull.”
UK channel 4 news item with Brian May, badger supported and guitarist with Queen and Jan Rowe, cattle farmer, debating the badger cull which is taking part in the UK now. This programme was first shown in the UK on Monday, September 17th, 2012 If you are against the cull please support http://www.teambadger.org
ADI is appalled to hear that DEFRA plans to spend £261,000 on developing a licensing scheme for wild animals in circuses, when the majority of members of parliament (63%) and members of the public (94.5%) have already stated that they want to see a ban.
Jan Creamer, Chief Executive of ADI said:“This is a political and ethical matter that should be decided by the majority public will. Yet the Governmenthas repeatedly ignored the public and parliamentary will on this issue. We asked this question because Defra had already revealed in their impact assessment that a licensing scheme would cost £75,600 as a one-off cost as well as annual costs of £19,400. What is interesting is that Defra has not disclosed how much they have already spent on a licensing scheme, which flies in the face of the decision of the MPs Backbench Committee of the House of Commons in June of last year which directed the Government to ban wild animals in circuses”
In a response to a written question from Mike Hancock MP on behalf of ADI, Defra replied that their budget from July 2012 to October 2012 for taking forward the implementation of licensing regulations, as well as developing the case for a ban on the use of performing wild animals in travelling circuses, is estimated at £261,000. No mention is made of how much has been spent to date.
Despite widespread support from both the public and MPs for a complete ban on the use of wild animals in circuses, the government is continuing to pursue an expensive and ill-conceived inspection and licensing regime. Such a system would not prevent animals in circuses from suffering.
Animal Aid, along with several other animal groups, have issued a public statement saying that nothing less than a complete ban on the use of wild animals in circuses can be justified.
Veteran circus impresario Gerry Cottle, a former leading advocate of wild animal acts in the Big Top, is backing the Government’s new ban on the practice.
The showman spent 50 years fighting attempts by councils and campaigners to stop his elephants, lions, monkeys and, in one famous case, a duck from performing. But he has “reluctantly decided to move on”, conceding today: “The animal issue has given circuses a bad name.”
Mr Cottle, 66, will have no animal acts in his new touring circus, following the Government’s pledge at the start of this month to outlaw them “at the earliest opportunity”. Draft regulations are due before Parliament in the summer, with a new licensing regime in the meantime to improve conditions for performing animals.
“Sad as it is for me to say, I now support the ban,” said Mr Cottle, who ran away from home at 15 and set up his first circus featuring two elderly ponies he bought for £60.
“Times have changed and this issue has to be decided one way or the other. I believe a ban will, in the end, improve the image of circuses in Britain.”
Famous fights: Gerry Cottle has challenged campaigners over animal acts for 50 years
His passion for amazing animal acts has triggered famous battles. In the Eighties, Brent council objected to his use of a turkey called Lucky at his annual festive Wembley Circus. In 1993, Haringey council tried to ban the use of a duck called Quackers in a clown act.
“We checked and found Haringey had many Chinese restaurants where you could eat duck,” said Mr Cottle. “It prompted the headline, ‘You can eat a duck in Haringey, but you can’t watch it perform’.”
His new £500,000 all-human show starts its UK tour in Southend next month. “We may have gone from a country where a circus wasn’t a circus without at least one elephant to a place where you can’t even have a performing duck, but I have reluctantly decided to move on,” he said.
The show features 50 acts in 100 minutes for a flat rate of £10, and Mr Cottle calls it the “easyJet of circuses”. He added: “Instead of animals I have a brilliant blindfold trapeze act, a boneless boy who fits into a bottle, six Big Top beauties, a tumbling troupe, a Wheel of Death and lots more.”
Travelling circuses will be banned from using wild animals in their shows, the government has announced.
Ministers unveiled plans on Thursday to outlaw the “outdated” practice through new legislation at the “earliest opportunity”.
A tough licensing regime will be brought in to improve conditions for performing animals while changes in the law are developed.
Animal welfare minister Lord Taylor said: “There is no place in today’s society for wild animals being used for our entertainment in travelling circuses. Wild animals deserve our respect.
“We have said many times we wanted to ban this outdated practice, but before we could do that there were serious legal issues we had to consider.
“We are developing proposals to introduce a bill as soon as parliamentary time allows.
“In the meantime we are introducing a circus licensing scheme to ensure decent conditions for wild animals in travelling circuses.”
It comes after a push for action following allegations of mistreatment of a circus elephant, Anne, last year.
MPs backed a blanket ban last June and, though it was non-binding, it was highly embarrassing for the government. Downing Street later signalled it would bow to pressure over the demands. But it warned that the government could be left open to lawsuits from circus owners and workers.
That is a hurdle that is still likely to make progress of the ban slow.
Tory MP Mark Pritchard, who led last year’s backbench call for a ban, claimed at the time he had been threatened by the prime minister’s office unless he backed down.
He said: “Any licensing scheme should also guarantee that no new wild animals are imported into UK circuses.
“Quite frankly, I don’t believe the government when they say they will move towards a ban.
“I don’t trust No 10 on the issue. I will believe it when I see it, but I am not holding my breath. Time will tell if I am right.”
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