News
The number of news found: 22.
11/29/2013 TLC'S CHILLI SAYS "BOYCOTT THE CIRCUS"
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have a new ad campaign raising awareness about the cruelty that goes on behind the glitz and glitter of the circus. Starring in the new ad is R&B girl-group TLC's Chilli. Like many people, Chilli went to the circus when she was a child. When she learned about what really goes on behind the scenes, she knew she had to do something to help these animals. PETA have uncovered, time and time again, horrible conditions and many cases of animal neglect and abuse happening in circuses. The animals are often starved or mistreated by trainers in order to learn new tricks. They are stuck traveling in hot, cramped, filthy boxcars for most of the year, only being released for showtime. "I know for a fact," says Chilli, "that I would never want to live in a cage or anything like that!"
11/28/2013 CANADA AND NORWAY FAIL TO OVERTURN EU BAN ON SEAL FURS
Canada and Norway failed to overturn a European Union ban on their seal products on Monday when the World Trade Organization ruled the bloc had a right to outlaw imports of the furs on moral grounds. Canada said it would appeal against the WTO decision, and that any public opposition to its seal trade was based on "myths and misinformation". Many animal rights groups have long said the commercial killing of seals and their pups for fur and other products is cruel. Canada and Norway challenged the EU ban on their imports four years ago, saying it violated global trade rules. The trade body did support part of their case on Monday, saying the EU had been discriminatory in how it managed exemptions to the ban offered to indigenous groups and people killing seals as a way of managing fish stocks. But the WTO ruled the overall EU ban fulfilled "the objective of addressing EU public moral concerns". Norway and the EU have 60 days to decide whether to join Canada in appealing against the ruling.
11/27/2013 AL GORE GOES VEGAN, WITH LITTLE FANFARE
Former U.S. vice president Al Gore has gone vegan, just like the president with whom he once served. Gore's recent decision to forgo animal products surfaced as an offhand reference in a Forbes magazine piece about Hampton Creek Foods, an upscale vegan product line carried in Whole Foods. Ryan Mac's article, which posted Saturday, chronicled how wealthy investors including Bill Gates, Tom Steyer and Vinod Khosla have poured money into the company, which hopes to take down the U.S. egg industry with offerings such as a plant-base mayonnaise. "Newly turned vegan Al Gore is also circling," Mac writes. An individual familiar with Gore's decision, who asked not to be identified because it involved a personal matter, confirmed that Gore opted a couple of months ago to become vegan. Gore's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is unclear why Gore, one of the nation's most visible climate activists, has given up dairy, poultry and meat products. People usually become vegan for environmental, health or ethical reasons, or a combination of these three factors.
11/26/2013 MAYIM BIALIK LIKES TO ROOT FOR THE TURKEYS DURING THANKSGIVING
Mayim Bialik is planning a huge feast for Thanksgiving, but turkey will certainly not be on the menu. When she first made the switch to veganism, The Big Bang Theory actress placed a photo of a turkey on her Thanksgiving table as a subtle, but strong reminder of the cruelty most factory farm birds endure. "Turkeys are incredibly intelligent animals," she said, "and I know they are not cute and cuddly like other animals. I like to root for them." This season, Bialik is also a proud sponsor of the Farm Sanctuary's Team Gobble. Farm Sanctuary, an organization founded to care for rescued factory farm animals, is currently spearheading a fundraiser which allows participants to choose a specific animal "team" to support. The actress serves as one of the organization's ambassadors.
11/25/2013 LEONARDO DICAPRIO FOUNDATION GIVES $3 MILLION GRANT TO SAVE TIGERS
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio's conservation foundation has awarded a $3 million grant to the World Wildlife Fund to help Nepal increase its tiger population. The WWF said on Thursday that the money from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, set up by the 39-year-old star of "The Great Gatsby" and the upcoming film "The Wolf of Wall Street," will be used for an initiative to double the number of tigers in Nepal by 2022 - the next Chinese year of the tiger. Nepal's tigers, known as the Panthera tigris, have been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with numbers declining over the years. DiCaprio said a statement that the world's population of 3,200 tigers was endangered by "habitat destruction and escalating illegal poaching." His foundation has helped increase the number of tigers in Nepal's Terai Bardia National Park from 18 to 50.
11/22/2013 BULLFIGHTER GUILTY OF ANIMAL CRUELTY
Bullfighter José Antonio Canales Rivera has been found guilty of a crime of animal abuse, and sentenced to pay a 600 euro fine for causing an injury to his horse which resulted in bleeding from the nose. The Observatorio Justicia y Defensa Animal group had reported the bullfighter to the environmental office of Cádiz, with several witness testimonies reporting the incident. The incident occurred in February when his horse was found to have numerous injuries to his nose when it was seen in one of the stable blocks at an equestrian club in the province of Cádiz. According to witnesses, the injuries were "bleeding and deep," in a crescent shape above the nose.
11/22/2013 GABON TROOPS KILL POACHER AND ARREST 34 OTHERS NEAR ELEPHANT PARK
Gabonese soldiers killed a poacher and arrested 34 other illegal hunters near a national park which is home to endangered forest elephants, the government said on Tuesday. The troops pursued the men close to the northern border with Cameroon on November 10 and 11 and shot dead one of them in a gun battle, according to the presidency statement. The soldiers found the carcass of an elephant and a panther at the camp used by the poachers, who had also been mining for gold, it added. The heavily wooded central African country is battling to save its forest elephants thought to account for around half of the world's remaining population of 100,000. An estimated 11,000 of the elephants - prized by ivory dealers for their hard, straight tusks - have been killed in the Minkebe park since 2004, the government said in February.
11/21/2013 NORWEGIAN ARMY PLACED ON STRICT VEGETARIAN DIET!
The Norwegian military has announced plans to introduce "meatless Mondays" into army diets, in a bid to battle a more unusual enemy – climate change. Troops will be placed on a strict vegetarian diet once a week to reduce the amount of ecologically unfriendly foods they eat, whose production can contribute heavily to global warming. Military spokesperson Eystein Kvarving told AFP the move was "a step to protect our climate." He said: "The idea is to serve food that's respectful of the environment." Kvarving said the initiative was not designed around saving money, but was instead about "being more concerned for our climate, more ecologically friendly and also healthier." The new dietary regime has been trialled at some of Norway’s larger bases and military bosses now plan to roll it out across all units. They hope to reduce their meat consumption by 150 tonnes per year.
11/21/2013 STUDY ESTIMATES 400,000 SEABIRDS ARE KILLED BY GILLNETS
A recent study from the Biological Conservation journal brings shocking news: every year across the globe, an estimated 400,000 seabirds are killed by gillnets. Gillnets, a common term for any net used to entangle and catch fish, are used all over the world, and at any depth. These nets, whether used in subsistence or commercial fishing, trap anything that swims through them. When unintended marine wildlife, or "bycatch," is caught in these nets, the results can be significant. The study synthesized previously collected data from around the world. Overall, it identified 148 different seabird species at risk for becoming gillnet victims, of which 81 have been officially reported as bycatch.
11/20/2013 RED MEAT IN SCHOOL DINNERS COULD BE CUT
The amount of red meat being offered to school children in Scotland is being reviewed after concerns over potential health risks were raised. Fears over the amount of processed and fresh meat being consumed by youngsters have been flagged up to Highland Council bosses. Inverness Councillor Bet McAllister asked the council to substitute one red meat meal a week for a vegetarian option. She raised the subject at the adult and children’s services committee, saying not only would there be health benefits by changing a meat dish for a vegetarian one, but it would be cheaper too.
11/20/2013 RICKY GERVAIS'S HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS: "DON'T BUY INTO CRUELTY"
Actor and comedian Ricky Gervais shared some holiday shopping tips via Twitter: "When xmas shopping please don't buy into cruelty. No real fur, no foie gras, & don't give anyone a Cliff Richard calendar. That's just nasty." Check out PETA's ten good reasons to NOT wear fur. Refer to the Go Cruelty-Free website for tips and guidance on products that aren't tested on animals. Plan an animal-free menu for your holiday feast that is simple and delicious. There are limitless possibilities for compassionate gifts and celebrations this holiday season.
11/19/2013 "ANONYMOUS" TARGETS JAPAN WITH CYBER ATTACKS OVER DOLPHIN HUNT
"STOP these slaughters IMMEDIATELY, or get ready to face the extent of our wrath." That was the online warning that the Japanese government received from Anonymous, a group of "hacktivists" (hacker-activists) who primarily hack websites to bring about social change. The group has given this warning to government officials in Japan to put an end to dolphin slaughter. Anonymous has 22 Japanese websites on their hit list, including those of the prime minister's office, Taji, Wakayama Prefecture, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Some of Anonymous' past hacktivism has targeted the websites of large corporations (such as PayPal and Sony), the Westboro Baptist Church, websites that host child pornography, and many different government sites from around the world.
11/18/2013 BOY GEORGE LOST OVER 50 POUNDS ON VEGAN DIET
English singer-songwriter Boy George recently confessed to the Daily Mirror that he keeps pictures of himself in his heavier days on his cell phone as a reminder of how far he has come – and to never go back there again. Following a 4-month stint in prison in 2009, Boy George turned his life around. "After I came out of prison I lost about four stone in two years through a vegan diet and lots of exercise but I couldn't get that final bit off," he said. "Then a friend told me about a nutritionist called Amelia Freer and she put me on a metabolic plan, so I'm avoiding sugar, glucose and processed food." George does treat himself from time to time, but not with burgers and greasy fries like before.
11/13/2013 NETANYAHU AND WIFE JOIN MEATLESS MONDAY INITIATIVE
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara have decided to join the Meatless Monday initiative, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said Monday. "With my responsibility as prime minister to protect the lives of people here, I feel committed to increase awareness to fight cruelty toward animals," Netanyahu said. Netanyahu and his wife met with Micki Haimovich, who launched the Meatless Monday campaign in Israel a year ago. Haimovich told the prime minister and his wife about the international imitative and about the health and environmental aspects of consuming meat. The couple said they eat very little meat and added that their son Yair has become a vegetarian in the past few years.
11/13/2013 U.S. APPEALS COURT HALTS SLAUGHTER OF HORSES FOR MEAT
A federal appeals court temporarily halted plans by companies in two U.S. states to begin slaughtering horses, continuing on-again, off-again efforts to resume domestic equine slaughter two years after Congress lifted a ban on the practice. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver issued a temporary injunction barring the Department of Agriculture from inspecting the plants in New Mexico and Missouri, which were gearing up to open in the coming days after a federal judge in Albuquerque on Friday dismissed a lawsuit by The Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society and other animal protection groups alleged the department had failed to conduct proper environmental studies when it issued permits to the slaughterhouses. The Humane Society filed an immediate appeal and won an emergency injunction.
11/11/2013 DOZENS OF COWS SUFFOCATE ON MELBOURNE FLIGHT
Authorities are investigating after dozens of cows reportedly suffocated to death on a flight from Melbourne to Kazakhstan. The export cattle, part of a Kazakh government breeding program, were among 213 loaded into custom boxes and onto the top deck of a Boeing 747 freight plane last month. But up to 49 heifers died during the 17-hour flight when the plane's air conditioning system failed, according to reports. Cattle on the plane deck's lower level were unaffected but veterinarians said those on the upper level asphyxiated after ammonia from animal wastes produced poisonous vapours, The Land reports. Garry Robinson, chief executive of Livestock Shipping Services, told the newspaper the air shipment was his fifth in as many weeks to take cattle from Australia to Kazakhstan, but the first to encounter problems.
11/11/2013 98 PERCENT OF MARINE FISH DIE EACH YEAR EN ROUTE TO AQUARIUMS
According to WWF-Philippines, nearly all marine fish caught for the aquarium trade – 98 out of every 100 – die within a year of being captured in the Philippines, a country that heavily depends on this trade. About 80 percent of these fish die before they are even sold to aquarium hobbyists and still more, around 90 percent, die just within the first year of being sold. The only fish that seem to survive the shipment and handling fairly well include clownfish, damselfish, wrasses, gobies and blennies. Others barely get the chance. The marine fish trade is valued at over one billion dollars with 40 nations supplying 2,000 marine fish and 650 invertebrate species to countries all around the world (the U.S. tops the list by importing half the world's marine ornamental fish), reports WWF-Philippines.
11/08/2013 TEEN SAVES LIVES BY SPEAKING TO ELEPHANTS
A 14-year-old girl from India knows how to speak to elephants, a skill that comes in handy more often than you'd think. Last June, a herd of 11 elephants from nearby forests entered a residential area in the city of Rourkela. Before the wild animals could wreak havoc on the town and its residents, authorities got hold of teenage girl Nirmala Toppo, because unbelievably, she seems to have the ability to communicate with elephants. Nirmala rushed from her village on the Odisha-Jharkhand border to a football field in the city where the elephants were temporarily being held. The elephants started walking with her. In fact, they walked with her for miles, speaking to them the whole way as she guided them back to the forest. Not only does this story show a brave young girl using her skills to help both humans and animals, it proves that it's possible for two very different species to share a bond and communicate with each other.
11/08/2013 CROATIAN COMMISSIONER MIMICA SUPPORTS END OF ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS
Representatives of the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) had a very positive meeting with Commissioner Neven Mimica. He was more than sympathetic, said his son had been involved in the anti-fur campaign and had done a poster for this campaign. Commissioner Mimica promised to help encourage other governments to adopt the cosmetics ban, agreed to pass on other issues to other commissioners, and tweeted the meeting positively even before we did. Nick Palmer form the BUAV says: "Clearly what Europe needs is more Croatian Commissioners."
11/06/2013 CIVET COFFEE CRUELTY EXPOSED
Civet coffee (or kopi luwak) has become an item of luxury in recent years, but it is far from luxurious for its victims - civet cats. Civet cats are held captive in small, filthy, barren cages and are fed copious amounts of coffee berries to meet demand for the "luxury" coffee. The coffee itself is made from digested coffee beans that the cats excrete. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has just released a new video showcasing the cruelty that civet cats endure during their captivity. Watch it here and sign PETA's pledge against civet coffee and their petition asking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to end the sale of civet coffee on the retail website.
11/05/2013 CATALONIA SEEKS BAN ON ANIMAL CIRCUSES
Political leaders in Catalonia launched a bid to ban circus shows using animals in the northeastern Spanish region, where bullfighting was ended two years ago. Lawmakers proposed a bill in the regional parliament to "modify the animal protection law and include a ban on using animals in the circus," said one of the deputies, Jordi Rull. "Circuses can be attractive and do different and fascinating things that draw adults and children, without needing to use animals," he said, adding that the number of animal circuses had declined in the region. The bill is backed by five of the seven parties in the parliament which between them hold a majority of seats, said Rull, a lawmaker of CiU, the Catalan nationalist party that governs the region.
11/05/2013 LOS ANGELES BANS ELEPHANT BULLHOOKS IN CIRCUSES
Los Angeles has now become the first major city in the U.S. to ban the cruel use of elephant bullhooks in circuses. LA joins other U.S. cites and counties that have instituted bans including Florida's Hallandale Beach, Pompano Beach, and Margate, and Georgia's Fulton County. The LA City Council unanimously voted on the ban on Oct 23 with a 14-0 vote. The ordinance outlaws the use of bullhooks in addition to baseball bats, ax handles, pitchforks and any other implement used on elephants and similar animals. The council voted to give circuses three years to choose their course of action - either handle elephants more humanely or remove them entirely from their shows, reports the LA Times.
The number of news found: 22.
