“He was a kitten. He came in at four weeks old.” PITTSBURGH, LONDON––Alerts to the risk that animal shelters, shelterless rescues, and adoption transport may spread rabies came simultaneously in December 2014 from no-kill organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. “He was a kitten. He came in at four weeks old,” Washington Area Humane […]
A few words about fur from Finland
Hi! I notice you do not have any news from Finland. Here is some: the Finn politician Jörn Donner arrived at a party with his wife Bitte Westerlund, whose red dress was made of sealskin. He said, “This is a political statement. It is for the fishermen, because seals eat fish. I think men must […]
Netherlands & Mexico ban wildlife use in circuses
Big wins for Animal Defenders International DEN HAAG, MEXICO CITY, LONDON––Announcements distributed by Animal Defenders International less than 24 hours apart on December 12 and 13, 2014 heralded Dutch and Mexican national bans on the use of wild animals in circuses. Said Animal Defenders International president Jan Creamer, “Use of animals in traveling circuses is […]
EU suspends horse meat imports from Mexico
BRUSSELS––The European Commission on December 8, 2014 suspended a program that spot-checked horse meat exported from Mexico for contamination with banned drugs. Effective on January 15, 2015, “Such suspension results in a ban of the import of horse meat, meat preparations, and meat products from Mexico,” European Commission press officer for health matters Aikaterini Apostola […]
Spanish animal defenders reject bullfighting as “cultural heritage”
Toro de la Vega denounced by 300 protesters MADRID––The prolonged death of a bull named Elegido at the Toro de la Vega “bull hunt” in Tordesillas, Spain on September 16, 2014 was simultaneously ballyhooed by mayor José Antonio González as emblematic of community determination to maintain cultural traditions, and denounced by about 300 protesters […]
Why boycotts cannot stop bullfights, pigeon shoots, or any culture-based cruelty
“Culture-based” cruelties are typically protected by governments which do not fully represent their citizens ANIMALS 24-7, probably like most of our readers, is inundated day and night by cross-posted messages soliciting boycotts of nations including nearly half of the world’s human population, over animal abuse issues typically involving less than 1% of the people whose industries […]
Pit bulls, immigrants, & the alleged Islamic jihad against dogs
Alexandra Semyonova comments from The Netherlands: Every once in a while allegations that Muslim immigrants to Europe are anti-dog erupt again in the media, sometimes due to a real declaration by a radical Muslim group, but more often due to a widely publicized incident involving someone who happens to be Muslim objecting to the presence of a dog somewhere. […]
Bern: the bear pits are gone, but culling continues
“Zoo staff decided it would be kinder to kill the youngster” BERN––The Dahlholzli Zoo in Bern, the Swiss city named for bears, and infamous for centuries of exhibiting bears in pits, on June 25, 2014 reignited controversy over zoo culling practices by announcing that the remains of a healthy young bear called Cub 4 would […]
Did Holocaust comparison cost vegan her RSPCA ruling council seat?
Petra Watson-Smith ousted LONDON––Vegan Society activist Peta Watson-Smith has lost her seat on the 25-member ruling council of the Royal SPCA of England and Wales, but fellow vegan and “radical” candidate Joseph Piccioni, a past ruling council member whom Watson-Smith nominated, was elected. The RSPCA on June 5, 2014 announced the winners in the six-way […]
Will vegan anti-hunters seize the RSPCA?
Six candidates for five board seats LONDON––Ballots to elect the Royal SPCA of England & Wales ruling council are due on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Just under 25,000 RSPCA members are eligible to vote, down from a reported peak of about 38,600 in 2004. They will choose among six candidates for five available seats. Among […]