THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS FAILING EUROPEAN ANIMALS

When meat is imported into the European Union the law stipulates that the animal must have been slaughtered in line with EU legislation.

However, when EU animals are exported, the same rules are not afforded to them and instead they can face brutal treatment and long drawn out slaughter.

Every year three million European animals are sent on long, stressful journeys to be fattened or slaughtered outside the EU. A vast number of these go to the Middle East where Compassion’s recent investigation, in partnership with Animals Australia, has uncovered immeasurable suffering.

Please take a moment to watch the film and slideshow below to find out more about this deplorable trade. Be warned; some of the film is distressing to watch, but it’s essential concerned citizens find out where European animals are ending their journeys.

Take action against the EU’s cruel live animal export trade

 

Published on 27 Feb 2014

Every year three million European animals are sent on long, stressful journeys to be fattened or slaughtered outside the EU. A vast number of these go to the Middle East where Compassion’s recent investigation, in partnership with Animals Australia, has uncovered immeasurable suffering.

Please take a moment to watch the film and find out more about this deplorable trade. Be warned, some of the film is distressing to watch, but it’s essential that concerned citizens find out where European animals are ending their journeys.

Watch, share and take action here: http://goo.gl/tEQQ2R

Please take a moment to watch and share our investigation. Warning: Due to its upsetting nature, you may need to verify that you are over 18 to watch the film.

When European farm animals are exported to non-EU countries every shred of protection they once received in their place of birth is rendered meaningless.

After enduring long, exhausting journeys by land and sea they may face terrifying ordeals at slaughter.

Animals are dragged by their limbs, bound up with ropes, pinned down by groups of men, beaten with metal rods, suspended upside down for extended periods of time, and eventually slaughtered in unacceptable ways that leave them conscious for many minutes after having their throats cut.

The European Commission has the power to take steps to stop this, but as each day passes without action more and more animals continue to suffer.

• The European Commission must work towards ending the live export trade and if necessary replacing it with a trade in meat.
• While a trade in exporting live animals continues, the European Commission must implement a scheme that will guarantee exported animals are treated in ways that prevent the worst of the suffering.
• The European Commission must provide practical support to countries that import live animals from the EU in order that they can improve transport, handling and slaughter methods. This will not only improve the welfare of EU animals but also of any other animals slaughtered in those countries.

Please take action today. Email the Commission and call for an end to this suffering.

News Link:-http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=25833&ea.tracking.id=7774353c&utm_campaign=transport&utm_source=actionemail&utm_medium=email&ea.url.id=204606&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx/5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

Please sign the petition at the above link Or below

http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=25833&ea.tracking.id=7774353c&utm_campaign=transport&utm_source=actionemail&utm_medium=email&ea.url.id=204606&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx/5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

Please also take a moment to share the results of this investigation and call on others to take action with you!:-www.ciwf.org/EUliveexports

Media Gallery

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• Graphic Videos: Yet More Egypt Cruelty Footage Emerges
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• GRAPHIC VIDEO: We Must Shut This Slaughterhouse Down: Please Send Email

Upsetting VIDEO: Fury over beating of horse with a stick

“It is not the animal tied up; it’s the one doing the beating that is the animal….SICK POS….I would love to do the same to the aggressor. Arabian horses are noted for their flowing gate, & overall beauty; I would love to own one! It pains me deeply to see this sickening POS treat the horse in such a sadistic manner; I don’t know if the horse survived or not! I pray they are caught & given the appropriate sentence!!”

Sign the petition please:– http://www.yousign.org/en/saudi-horse

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Feb 19, 2014 in News

Anger is growing after video footage has emerged of a man striking a horse on the forehead with a stick, causing it to collapse.

Warning footage is upsetting – Men Laugh As One Strikes An Arabian Horse

Published on 15 Feb 2014

The perpetrator is seen to be laughing following the incident, as the horse appears to struggle to regain its feet.

The footage is believed to be of two Saudi men, according to reports. At the time of writing, nearly 500,000 people had viewed the footage on YouTube.

The animal was tied to a power pole when the incident occurred.

The reaction in Saudi Arabia has been swift, with efforts under way to identify those responsible.

The footage has been circulated widely online, with many Saudis demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.

Emir Abdelaziz Ben Saad Ben Jouli, a horse breeder in the Al-Ahsa region in the country’s east, is among those seeking the arrest of the men.

“I’ve put my telephone number on Twitter, asking people who have any information about these individuals to come forward so that the police can arrest them,” he was reported as saying on The Observers website.

“I was appalled when I saw the video. I can’t understand how anyone can treat a horse – or any other animal – with such cruelty.

“I have already contacted a lawyer in order to launch legal proceedings against these people. All I want is for them to be sent to prison so that they understand the gravity of their actions and, above all, serve as a warning for others,” he said.

“This act is even more incomprehensible given that the horse, especially the pure-bred Arabian, is a very respected and pampered animal here.”

Arabian horses played a major role in the unification of Saudi Arabia, he said. King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s first monarch, and his men criss-crossed the country on the back of Arabian horse as they fought to unite the country at the start of the 20th century.

PLEASE SIGN & SHARE PETITION

Twitter users have created the hashtag #محاسبة_معذبي_الحصان (“punishment for the horse’s torturers”).

The reaction on Twitter has been fierce.

“Humans without humanity,” tweeted @RazanAlDayel.

News Link: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/02/19/fury-beating-horse-stick/#.UwzJauPucZw

Sheep & Cattle Still Suffer As Live Export Breaches Continue In Kuwait

An Animals Australia investigation has again found Australian sheep being illegally sold in a cruel livestock market in Kuwait, despite Animals Australia first notifying Australian authorities of breaches at this market some five months ago.

Under the new live export rules, exporters must ensure that animals remain within approved supply chains. New evidence from Animals Australia has revealed that months after our initial complaint, Australian sheep have continued to be sold and brutally slaughtered at the notorious Al Rai livestock market, in Kuwait. Animals at this marketplace are known to have their legs bound together, be stuffed into car boots, dragged over concrete slabs, and have their throats cut while fully conscious.

This footage taken in August 2012 sparked Animals Australia’s original complaint to the Department of Agriculture.

Warning Very Graphic Video

In January 2013, an investigator returned to the Al Rai market and found even more Australian sheep being offered for sale by at least 11 separate merchants.

Many admitted knowing that they shouldn’t have Australian sheep and ear tags had been ripped out or removed despite the fact that Australian sheep are clearly distinguishable from local sheep in the region. All of the merchants at the market offered slaughter onsite as an ‘after sales’ service.

The Al Rai market in Kuwait City is notorious for cruelty. Animals Australia has conducted a number of investigations there, each time documenting the brutal handling, transport and slaughter of Australian sheep. Preventing Australian sheep from being sold in such circumstances was a cornerstone of why the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System was implemented. Yet nearly one year after ESCAS came into effect in Kuwait, rules continue to be breached and animals continue to suffer.

Al Rai market was already the obvious place in the Middle East for exporters to monitor – the fact they have not done so, even after breaches were discovered, shows how little they care and their willingness to thumb their nose at government regulations. If exporters are not prepared to follow the rules they should have their export licence removed.

Please send an urgent message to your Federal MP to express your opposition to this cruel trade and demand that, while it continues, tough sanctions must be placed on exporters who fail to adhere to the rules.

Petition in link For Australian Citizens only:- http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/kuwait-cruelty-continues/

Petition for other Countries:–http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/841/664/709/

Australian cattle are again at the centre of a shocking expose that is making international headlines.

Frightened animals being bashed, hit, shocked with an electric prod in the eyes and face before suffering a terrifying death… these are the images filmed by Israeli journalist and undercover investigator, Ronen Bar.Watch his interview…

WARNING: contains Very graphic images.

Published on 11 Dec 2012

WARNING: Graphic vision. YOU CAN HELP: 1) Like & comment. 2) Go to http://AnimalsAustralia.org/israel to sign an instant letter against live animal export.

Please email your Federal MP — express your opposition to this cruel trade and demand that while it continues, there must be independent inspection and oversight in importing countries. For Australian Citizens only:-http://animalsaustralia.org/israel

Live export cruelty continues

Sadly Australia is one of the biggest exporters of live animals for slaughter. In 2011 Australia exported around 700,000  cattle predominantly to Indonesia, and around 2.5 million sheep mainly to  the Middle East.

WSPA Australia works actively on this issue of live exports, and the campaign is called ‘Humane Chain’. 

During the journey animals can experience stress, heat exhaustion and extreme temperatures. Many don’t eat, are injured or suffer from disease. Despite efforts made by both the Australian Government and the live export industry to regulate the export process, tens of thousands of animals continue to die every year while being exported.

Almost half of all deaths on board sheep vessels are due to starvation because some sheep are not able to identify the unfamiliar pellets they’re given as food.

For every animal that dies, many more suffer further cruelty

Moving to the alternatives to live animal export will not only help animals, it’s also better for our economy

There are alternatives to live animal export that will benefit farmers, jobs, our economy and the animals.

According to an independent assessment (S G Heilbron, 2000) live animal export costs Australia $1.5 billion in lost GDP, $270 million in lost household income and around 10,500 lost jobs.

WSPA funded researched in 2012 that shows that northern cattle farmers could increase their income by 245% if they had access to an abattoir. It would also add $200 million to the regional economy each year and create 1300 jobs. Read the research here.

WSPA funded research in 2010 that shows a sheep processed in Australia is worth 20% more to the economy that one exported live. Read the research here.

WSPA Live Sheep Exports It’s Just so Cruel

This video shows evidence collected during WSPA’s recent investigation into the mistreatment of Australian sheep. Investigators have documented cruelty throughout the live export supply chain, from transportation on ships, through to holding yards and abattoirs in the Middle East. You can take action to help end this cruel trade by visiting http://www.humanechain.org

Petition for any Country:–http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/841/664/709/

You can watch a short video that explains the benefits of moving away from live exports and the next steps we should take here.

Halal certified chilled meat products from Australia are accepted both in the Middle East and in Indonesia. There’s no excuse to continue the live animal export trade.

Australians want an end to live animal export

Three quarters (74%), or 12.4 million, of Australians claim that they are more likely to vote for a political candidate who promises to end live animal export, according to a Longeran Poll from May 2012. 

Those animals that survive the journey arrive on foreign soil where they are no longer under Australian protection. Few  countries to which Australia sends animals for slaughter have equivalent animal welfare protection laws. Many animals will be slaughtered fully conscious.

Links Animals Australia:-http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/kuwait-cruelty-continues/

Links WSPCA:-http://www.wspa.org.au/wspaswork/liveexport/default.aspx

Livestock cruelty allegation forces exports probe

September 7, 2012

Livestock exporters are being investigated after allegations that Australian sheep are being illegally sold and slaughtered in an inhumane way at a notorious Kuwait market.

It is the second major Agriculture Department investigation since strict new animal welfare rules were implemented after last year’s cattle slaughter controversy in Indonesia.

A photo taken at the Kuwait market. Photo: Animal Australia

Animals Australia lodged the complaint after the animal protection organisation’s Kuwaiti investigator discovered exported sheep were being sold in non-approved markets and killed in makeshift abattoirs, with slaughtermen ignoring international killing guidelines.

The case has again raised concerns from activists, Labor backbenchers, the Greens and independents that the new rules rely too much on self-regulation by the industry.

Exporters now must comply with rules that assure high animal welfare standards from farm to slaughter. All animals are tracked so officials know that animals are slaughtered in approved facilities.

Exporters must have supply chains independently audited, with the audit results given to the Agriculture Department.

The investigation has heightened fears over animal welfare with the upcoming Muslim festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha less than two months away.

Animals Australia lead campaigner Lyn White warned the festival was the peak period of animal suffering across the region and called on the government to implore exporters to have staff in every market place to ensure animals are not sold into non-approved facilities.

‘‘Animals being bought en mass for sacrificial slaughter by families and individuals. We hold grave concerns that Australian exported animals will continue to find their way into markets, in breach of regulations,’’ Ms White said.

Many in the industry are also worried about the potential for more cruelty in October.

Labour backbenchers Melissa Parke and Kelvin Thomson have led a vocal campaign against the trade with both seizing on the latest revelations as evidence the industry cannot be trusted to self-regulate.

Ms Parke, and Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, backed calls for Australian officials to be in the Middle East to monitor welfare during the festival.

Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said the new system was working but was ‘‘not perfect’’ conceding there would be slip-ups.

‘‘But we now have the provisions in place to act on those slip ups and hold exporters accountable for their actions and supply chains,’’ Senator Ludwig said.

The department of agriculture is currently investigating alleged breaches of strict new animal welfare The celebration of Eid al-Adha in the Middle-East involves a slaughtering of an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat, to commemorate Abraham’s act of faith to sacrifice his son. The festival runs from the evening of October 25 to the next night.

Animals Australia has previously uncovered cruelty during the festival, including sheep being dragged along the ground and stuffed into car boots.

Ms White said hundreds of Australian sheep were sold last month at the non-approved Al-Rai market in Kuwait City, the market where she uncovered cruelty in 2010.

Describing the killing of a sheep, she said: ”With the buyer and [his] family crowded into the room to observe, the handling of this sheep included dragging it over and placing it next to and then on top of other just-slaughtered sheep … to prepare it for the throat cut.”

She said the slaughter-man used a knife that was too short, with a fast sawing action, not the quick ”sticking” of the neck required by international rules.

Ms White said the offences were ”critical non-compliances” that could lead to criminal sanctions, adding that the fact that hundreds of Australian sheep were seen at four different sites on two days showed a ”systematic and deliberate breach”.

”The government will no doubt again say that this shows the system is working but how can that be the case when breaches are only being reported by Animals Australia.”

Emanuel Exports and its sister company International Livestock Exports are the only businesses currently exporting to Kuwait. Emanuel Exports would not comment until the investigation was finished.

Earlier this year two exporters were found to have breached the rules in Indonesia after Animals Australia investigations.

Mr Thomson said he would raise questions about the case when Parliament resumes next week.

”The selling and slaughter of animals outside approved supply chains is a serious breach of the new system and exporters who allow it should have their export licence taken off them,” Mr Thomson said.

Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie will introduce a bill in Parliament on Monday to mandate pre-slaughter stunning of all Australian animals overseas.

He said this case made a ”mockery” of the government’s efforts to clean up the trade.

An Agriculture Department spokesman said the investigation would take weeks.

News Link: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/livestock-cruelty-allegation-forces-exports-probe-20120906-25hca.html#ixzz25miK0HLD

Egypt slaughters over 30,000 baby cows stranded at port

CAIRO: Egypt’s ministry of agriculture reported on Thursday that they had slaughtered over 30,000 baby cows who had been stranded for weeks at a Red Sea port. The ministry said that it had discovered what it described as “hormonal capsules” in the animals, local newspapers reported.

The stranded cows had made international headlines after Bikyamasr.com first reportedtheir situation on September 1, including a Care2.com petition that was signed by over 25,000 people globally urging the Egyptian government to free the baby cows from their horrific conditions.

The ministry chose to slaughter the animals instead.

Egypt slaughtered over 30,000 baby cows, but the anti-live export protests are growing.

The baby cows had remained on board the ships for over 6 weeks at Port Sokhna in what animal rights groups told Bikyamasr.com are “horrendous and inhumane” conditions.

It is yet another incident that revealed the horrors of the live export trade.

Background on Live Export

Live export from Brazil and Australia to the Islamic world is a controversial practice that sees thousands of animals crammed into small crates and transported by sea to their destination to be slaughtered for food.

According to the ministry, tests had been conducted to learn more about the potential carcinogen that had been given to the animals before they would be unloaded. Tests had reportedly been ongoing for the past month at a private lab in Egypt, but no results had been conclusive.

According to a al-Shorouk newspaper report, the animals are likely to remain in their confinement for a number of weeks more in order for further tests to take place.

Earlier this year, some 3,000 of the cows died on a ship destined for Egypt after the Egyptian government refused to allow the ship to dock at a Red Sea port.

They were slaughtered as a “precaution,” the ministry said, outraging a number of Egyptians.

Animals Australia, the leading organization reporting on the controversial live export trade to the Middle East and Southeast Asia, said the incident was among the worst the industry had witnessed in years.

Animals Australia’s Campaign Director, Lyn White, said in a statement to Bikyamasr.com that the ship was anchored at sea after being refused port in a number of countries, including Egypt, where the cattle were supposed to be offloaded.

It’s understood that ventilation problems on the converted livestock vessel, the MV Gracia Del Mar, had caused the deaths of more than half of the animals on board since the ship left South America for Egypt a few weeks ago. The ship was anchored in the Red Sea for weeks and saw more animals perish as a result.

“This is nothing short of an animal welfare disaster. If remaining cattle are not offloaded more of these animals will suffer appalling deaths at sea. We are appealing to authorities in Egypt to offload the remaining cattle at al-Sohkna, as was originally intended.

“This disaster is just another example of the inherent risks of transporting animals by sea. It was only nine years ago that 5,000 Australian sheep perished on board the MV Cormo Express after country after country refused to allow it to berth.

“And this isn’t the first time that mechanical issues have caused mass deaths on live export ships. We only need to look to the breakdown of the Al Messilah in Adelaide last year. Had that vessel broken down on the open ocean it would have caused a similar welfare catastrophe — as thousands of animals would have died.

“Australia also exports cattle to Al Sohkna Livestock company in Egypt. Whilst we have an MoU with Egypt which should ensure the offloading of our animals, it has never been put to the test. The Egyptians thus far have flatly refused to allow the MV Gracia Del Mar to dock despite the mass suffering of the animals on board.

“If they continue to refuse to allow the surviving animals to be unloaded it would provide little confidence that the non-binding agreement with Australia would be honoured if a similar incident were to occur on an Australian livestock ship.

“It should not matter if these cattle aren’t Australian and if Brazil doesn’t have a similar piece of paper, they should not be abandoned to suffer and die at sea. We are appealing to Egyptian authorities to offload these cattle as a matter of urgency.”

Australia’s live sheep exports have fallen significantly over the past decade.

In 2010, three million sheep were exported compared with 6.3 million in 2001.

Australia’s government last year was to see a bill that would have banned live export to the world, but industry lobbyists fought back and forced the legislation off the table in a move that angered animal activists in the country and across the world, notably the Islamic world, which receives the lion’s share of live cattle and sheep from both Australia and Brazil.

News Link:-http://www.bikyamasr.com/76962/egypt-slaughters-over-30000-baby-cows-stranded-at-port/

5-years’ jail for torturing animals in Saudi

Punishment also involves fine of up to SR1 million

Saudi Arabia on Monday became one of a few countries to mete out severe punishment against torturing animals, announcing those caught being cruel to pets and other animals could be jailed for up to five years.

The Saudi Ministry of Agriculture announced the sentence in response to a recent film showing a Saudi man cutting off a cat’s tail with an axe after he accused the pet of damaging his car fan.

The punishment also includes a fine ranging between SR1,000 and SR1000,000, according to the London-based Saudi Arabic language daily Al-Hayat.

“That man who was reported to have cut off the cat’s tail would be prosecuted for his cruelty,” the Ministry’s assistant undersecretary for animal wealth Khaled bin Mohammed Al Fuhaid told the paper.

“The punishment for such offences could involve a fine of up to SRone million and five years in prison depending on the type and size of the offence.”

Fuhaid said the kingdom’s laws protect all livestock and pets, including animals and birds, adding that attacking an animal who does not pose danger to man constitutes a “crime and violation of Islam” in Saudi Arabia.

News Link:-http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/5-years-jail-for-torturing-animals-in-saudi-2012-06-25-1.464495

Animal activists slam live export report

ANIMALS Australia and the RSPCA have condemned findings presented in the Federal government’s first investigation into animal cruelty claims of Australian animals in Indonesian abattoirs. 

A report from Department’s of Agriculture’s three-month investigation into the potential breaches of Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme (ESCAS) was released on Friday last week, recommending regulatory action against two live export companies.

The department’s deputy secretary, Phillip Glyde, said there was evidence of non-compliance with the ESCAS animal welfare performance targets in two abattoirs seen in the video footage used in evidence, which was supplied by Animals Australia along with detailed analysis of the video footage from the RSPCA.

Another two abattoirs were ruled out of the investigation along with two exporters implicated in the video footage, with Mr Glyde saying there was no evidence the animals involved were sourced from Australia.

But the department has accepted the report’s recommendations and taken regulatory action against the two exporters – the WA based International Livestock Exports and the Elders-owned North Australian Cattle Company.

The RSPCA and Animals Australia have repeatedly called for an end to the live export trade.

The two groups were pivotal in leading the public backlash that saw the Indonesian market shut down overnight by the Gillard government last June in response to animal cruelty footage raised in the ABC’s Four Corners program broadcast on May 30, which subsequently resulted in the design and implementation of ESCAS standards to improve animal welfare.

The RSPCA argue the investigation of animal cruelty claims raised in February this year highlights the regulatory system was “no magic bullet solution for live exports”.

And the auditing system in place under the Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme (ESCAS) was, “clearly failing to protect animals”, it says.

The RSPCA is urging the government to stop the use of all Mark 4 slaughter boxes that facilitate the slaughter of fully conscious animals as part of live export supply chains – a recommendation of the report – with as many as 40 boxes currently in use in Indonesia and six in the Middle East.

Animals Australia said the report highlighted breaches which represent, “a systemic loss of control over animal welfare”.

Animals Australia campaign director, Lyn White, said despite the Federal Government insisting the new system was working, the report’s findings revealed the system does not protect the welfare of Australian animals.

Ms White said one of the slaughterhouses in question had only passed an audit a few months prior to the cruelty being documented despite their ‘standard operating procedures’ not even meeting government requirements.

She said breaches were not teething problems but revealed, “a fatally flawed system that is reliant on irregular third party audits that are paid for by the exporter”.

Breaches included workers not checking that animals were dead before cutting them up; that animals were subjected to procedures that caused pain and suffering; that animals were unduly stressed prior to slaughter and adding to their stress were being washed and hosed straight after the throat cut.

“These are the most basic animal welfare standards and it is profoundly disturbing that these abattoirs, approved under the new system, were failing to meet them,” Ms White said.

The Government’s investigation identified 37 breaches of new animal welfare standards on eight animals.

ESCAS is now being progressively rolled out to Australia’s other main livestock export markets, not just Indonesia and for sheep in the Middle East.

News Link:-http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/cattle/animal-activists-slam-live-export-report/2563384.aspx?storypage=0

Related articles

• Animals Australia – Indonesia same cruelty (preciousjules1985.wordpress.com)

CALL FOR THE OIE TO TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY

Between the 20th and 25th May, Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) from across the world will meet in Paris for the 80th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

One of the key points for discussion is “the adoption of international standards regarding the safety of world trade in animals and animal products.”

The OIE is responsible for providing guidance on how to protect animals during transport and slaughter and to mediate in emergency animal welfare situations. Yet, in recent months, they have failed spectacularly in fulfilling this role, as was seen with the Gracia del Mar and the footage obtained by Compassion in World Farming from inside an Egyptian slaughterhouse, which was so horrific we couldn’t publish it on our website.

TAKE ACTION – we need 1,000s of supporters to send emails by Monday 21st May

Please send the OIE the email below calling on them to take greater responsibility for providing guidance on animal welfare issues and mediating between nations in the event of emergencies.

On Monday 21st May we will be writing to a number of Chief Veterinary Officers who are known to support moves to tighten and properly enforce guidelines on animal welfare. We will be asking these CVOs to speak out at the General Session and call for the OIE to take a more pro-active role.

To show the scale of support, we will tell them how many of our supporters have contacted the OIE. So please, take action today.

This is the email  (Please be aware that some people may find the descriptions of animal suffering in the email distressing. )

Dear Dr Vallat,

Compassion in World farming has just produced a new film entitled A Path to Better Futures?: the need for implementation of the OIE recommendations on animal welfare.

I understand that this film is too graphic to be released publically, but that it shows extremely disturbing footage of severe animal suffering taken in a number of countries – and makes it clear that there continue to be serious breaches of the OIE’s recommendations on welfare during transport and slaughter.

I understand the film includes footage of the following:

• Cattle in an Egyptian slaughterhouse being beaten – very hard – on the head with a large pole while other animals have their leg tendons slashed.
• Also in Egypt, cattle being stabbed repeatedly in the neck until finally they collapse to the ground.
• And, in Indonesia, live cattle being unloaded from a ship. A crane is used to hoist them – hanging by their heads in groups of three – from the ship to a waiting truck.

These are not isolated cases. Compassion in World Farming has in recent years told the OIE about cruel slaughter practices that are in breach of the OIE recommendations in a number of countries, including several in the Middle East, Indonesia and Turkey.

Moreover, a World Bank report reveals serious animal welfare problems in a range of countries across the world. The report contains a litany of suffering and concludes that animal welfare at all the slaughter facilities visited “requires significant improvement”.

I am aware that the OIE recognises the challenges faced by its Member countries but would urge the OIE to do more to help its Members to implement its recommendations. I am pleased that the OIE plans to appoint an Animal Welfare Coordinator to help with implementation of the OIE recommendations in Indonesia and neighbouring countries. However, clearly more than one person is needed to tackle these problems, which are prevalent in many parts of the world.

I welcome the planned OIE global conference on animal welfare in November in Malaysia. Please ensure that this is not just another ‘talking shop’. It is vital that it produces a strong commitment by countries to comply with the OIE recommendations – and a clear action plan as to how animal welfare across the world can be radically improved.

Yours sincerely,

Click here to send:–http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=14975&ea.url.id=89316&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx%2F5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

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• Compassion in World Farming – Overwhelming response to Red Sea crisis (preciousjules1985.wordpress.com)
• Campaigning for farm animal welfare – Compassion in World Farming (preciousjules1985.wordpress.com)

Donald Trump’s sons in line of fire over African hunting trip

Trumps sons, animal killers

With their bouffant hairstyles and pin- striped suits, the millionaire sons of Donald Trump are a chip off the old block when they appear among New York’s glitterati. But one area where Donald Jnr and Eric Trump don’t see eye-to-eye with their father is in killing animals for fun.

The pair have been forced to defend themselves against accusations of cruelty after photographs emerged on the internet of them standing next to animals shot dead during a hunting holiday last year.

Zimbabwean conservationists and animal-rights groups have hit out at the two millionaires – and even Donald Snr has publicly questioned why his sons enjoyed hunting so much.

The photos appeared on the website of Hunting Legend, a company that specialises in tailor-made big-game hunting across Africa for wealthy clients in Europe, the Middle East and the US.

Wealthy hunters pay thousands of dollars to shoot big game in Africa. The most prized hunts are the so-called “Big Five” – leopard, lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo. Four of the five are endangered. Killing one of these can often cost $10,000 (£6,300) for licences, which are meant to be strictly rationed. Hunting lodges insist animal populations need to be controlled and that the money that is generated through licences finance conservation efforts and provide employment for locals.

In a series of tweets, 34-year-old Donald Jnr defended his holiday: “I hunt and eat game. I am a hunter, I don’t hide from that.” In a reply to a critic he also denied that the kills were wasteful, writing: “I can assure you it was not wasteful the villagers were so happy for the meat which they don’t often get to eat. Very grateful.”

But many conservation groups are uncomfortable with private hunts, especially in Zimbabwe, where endemic corruption and a poor security situation means poaching and overkill is rampant whilst little money filters down to the poor. One of Zimbabwe’s most eminent conservationists told The Independent yesterday that he believed private hunting should be banned for two years until a genuine count of the country’s animals could be completed.

“The government deliberately overestimates how many animals we have so they can grant more licences and make more money,” Johnny Rodriquez, of the Zimbabwe Conservation Taskforce, said. “If things carry on the way they have recently there won’t be any animals left in the next five or six years.

“You can’t paint all the private hunters with the same brush but there are a lot of unethical guys out there.”

The brothers are shown in trophy photos standing next to a dead elephant, a crocodile, a kudu, a leopard and a waterbuck. The animals were all shot on a hunting range close to Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls. In one picture, Donald Jnr is holding a knife and a severed elephant tail.

 “How can anyone enjoy taking the life of any animal, especially elephants, leopards & croc’s? If these guys wanted to feed the villagers, give them money so they can buy tools to enable them to grow their own food – money to help with clean water pumps etc.”