Region: Mexico

Humane Society International / Global

Arindam Bhattacharya/Alamy Stock Photo An Asian elephant (elephas maximus) eats grass in Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India

Gandhinagar — Representatives from more than 130 nations agreed to vital protections for migratory wild species at what’s being hailed as a landmark wildlife convention in Gandhinagar, India. Delegates agreed to increased or first-time conservation protection status for the endangered Mainland Asian elephant, the critically endangered great Indian bustard and Bengal florican, the jaguar, the oceanic whitetip shark, smooth hammerhead and tope shark.  The circumstances of all of these species, require multi-nation conservation co-operation because their ranges traverse country boundaries.

Sixty percent of Mainland Asian elephants are found in India, and the species has been listed as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1986, a victim of habitat loss and increasing human/elephant conflict. The great Indian bustard, whose population has dwindled to around 150 individuals in India, is persecuted by hunting in Pakistan, and the Bengal florican has a population of less than 1000 birds, struggling to survive amidst habitat loss in India and Nepal.

Mark Simmonds OBE, senior marine scientist at Humane Society International, said: “With estimates of up to one million species at risk of extinction right now, nations have a shared responsibility to act, especially in the case of migratory species. Species such as the Asian elephant and hammerhead shark are in desperate need of attention and cooperation from the countries through which they roam, mate, give birth or feed. This truly is proving to be a landmark wildlife convention because we’ve successfully secured increased conservation protection status for many species and we can now set to work on concrete measures to protect them and their habitats.  

The Asian elephant is endangered throughout much of its range, trying to survive in continually shrinking, degraded and fragmented habitat, and increasingly coming into conflict with people. Its protection will be vastly improved if range countries work together to tackle these challenges, and inclusion in CMS Appendix I will significantly aid that.”

Rebecca Regnery, Humane Society International’s deputy director of wildlife, said: “The jaguar, the largest native cat of the Americas, is now absent from more than 77% of its historic range in Central America. Despite protection in all its range states, the jaguar is threatened by illegal killing and trade.  Listing on CMS will formalize range state collaboration on conservation efforts, creating an international legal framework for the first time. This will provide increased incentives and funding opportunities for this work, which is critical for curbing habitat destruction, maintaining key migration corridors and reducing violence and human deaths associated with retaliation and trafficking.”

Lawrence Chlebeck, marine biologist with HSI Australia, said, “This is a fantastic success for international shark conservation efforts. Three of the shark species hardest hit by commercial fishing will, from today, receive brand new international attention and coordination. Sharks are especially susceptible to population decline due to late maturation and low reproductive potential, and they are therefore some of the most threatened animals on our planet. International, cooperative conservation measures, such as those that will result from these listings, are absolutely vital to the ecological viability and survival of these species.”

Summary of key decisions today at CMS CoP 13

  • Mainland Asian elephant/Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) added to Appendix I
  • Great Indian bustard and Bengal florican added to Appendix I
  • The jaguar (Panthera onca) added to Appendices I and II
  • The antipodean albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) added to Appendix I
  • Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) added in Appendix I
  • Smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) added to Appendix II
  • Tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) added to Appendix II.

These decisions have been made in the convention’s ‘Meeting in the Whole’ and are subject to formal verification in the closing plenary of the CoP on 22nd February. However, as they have been agreed by consensus, this is now a formality.

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins whiggins@hsi.org

Mexican celebrities Cinthya Velazquez and Sofia Sisniega join NGO Te Protejo and Humane Society International/Mexico in calling for government action

Humane Society International / Mexico

MEXICO CITY—After two years of leading the fight to end cosmetic animal testing in Mexico, the #SeLibredeCrueldad campaign led by Humane Society International and joined by ONG Te Protejo, took to the streets with 1,000 cardboard bunnies today, to call on the public to support federal legislation to ban on this cruel and outdated practice.

By placing 1,000 cardboard rabbits at one of the most iconic landmarks in Mexico city – Plaza de la Republica – the event, aptly named “1,000 Rabbits demand that we #BeCrueltyFree” aims to illustrate that cosmetic animal testing is still legal in Mexico, while encouraging citizens to become aware that the practice is no longer necessary as there are thousands of safe ingredients as well as alternative tests which are cheaper and more reliable than animal testing.

Camila Cortínez, director of the NGO Te Protejo, mentions that this is a great opportunity for Mexico to consolidate itself as a country responsible for animals: “Mexican consumers are increasingly worried about the production policies of the products they acquire, and many of them prefer products that have not meant suffering in animals. Boosting a campaign like this is a big step in Mexico, and puts it at the forefront of progress in favor of animals.”

Mice, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs suffer through highly painful, distressing and stressful tests for cosmetic testing purposes. These tests frequently produce inaccurate or erroneous results, since they have an efficiency of 40 to 60%.

“I could not be more pleased to see Mexico move a step closer to becoming a cruelty-free beauty market. In 2019, with the vast array of established cosmetic ingredients and animal-free approaches to safety assessment, there’s simply no excuse to continue animal testing for cosmetics,” indicates Anton Aguilar, cirector of Humane Society International/Mexico.

Support the campaign by signing our global pledge to #BeCrueltyFree and help us end animal testing for cosmetics!

Facts:

  • HSI has been at the forefront of the campaign to end cosmetic animal testing in Mexico since 2017, working behind the scenes with public officials and the cosmetics industry to broker an agreement on legislative reform.
  • Rabbits, mice, rats, and guinea pigs suffer needlessly through highly painful, distressing and stressful tests for cosmetic testing purposes and there is currently no regulation or prohibition on this outdated practice.
  • Recent polling in Mexico by Parametría polling agency shows that 78% of citizens place importance on making sure their cosmetics are cruelty-free when purchasing a product.
  • HSI’s #BeCrueltyFree campaign was instrumental in driving the European Union to become the world’s largest cruelty-free cosmetics market, and in securing similar victories in India, Taiwan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Guatemala, Switzerland, seven states in Brazil, and three US states.
  • #BeCrueltyFree is leading simultaneous legislative efforts in Brazil, Canada, Chile, South Africa, Southeast Asia (ASEAN), Sri Lanka and the United States
  • Animal tests carried out in the cosmetics sector include eye and skin irritation experiments, in which a cosmetic product or ingredient is rubbed onto the shaved skin or dripped into the eyes of rabbits; skin allergy tests using guinea pigs or mice; and force-feeding studies that last weeks or months. These tests inflict considerable pain and distress, which can include blindness, swollen eyes, sore bleeding skin, internal bleeding, organ damage, convulsions and death. Pain relief is seldom if ever provided, and at the end of a test the animals are killed, normally by asphyxiation, neck-breaking or decapitation.

Media Contact: Magaly Garibay, 5538762199, mgaribay@idee.agency

What is #SeLibreDeCrueldad?

Be Cruelty Free is an international campaign coordinated by Humane Society International, which seeks to ban animal testing for cosmetics worldwide. To date, it has been possible to pass bills in 39 countries, among them the greatest achievement is the ban on the Euopean Union. Currently #BeCrueltyFree (by name in English) is working on seven parallel campaigns, including Mexico.

Humane Society International is a leading force for animal protection, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation, farm animal welfare and animals in research. Humane Society International together with its partners, constitutes one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide — on the Web at hsi.org.

ONG Te Protejo is an organization that promotes the use of products not tested on animals in Latin America and other environmentally friendly and animal friendly initiatives. It works in four main areas: Information and consumer education, Mass dissemination events; Cruelty free brand certification; and Campaigns to impact Public Policies.

More information at ongteprotejo.org, or on their social networks, Facebook: Te Protejo México; Instagram: Te Protejo México; Youtube: Te Protejo.

Humane Society International / Mexico

Vivian Argüelles/HSI Cage-free hens in Mexico

MEXICO CITY—Friday, October 11, is World Egg Day, and Humane Society International, one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations, wants to draw the attention of Mexicans to the reality of egg production – in Mexico and globally – and inform consumers how they can help improve the welfare of millions of hens. Watch our World Egg Day video.

Around the world, more than 7 billion hens are raised per year. Mexico is the fourth largest egg producer in the world with 156 million laying hens.

In Mexico, the vast majority of hens spend their entire lives crammed in metal cages, where they cannot stretch their wings or walk. The space per hen in these cages is less than a letter-sized sheet of paper, and the restriction is so severe that hens usually develop abnormalities in their bones due to their inability to move, and experience stress and frustration by not being able to perform their natural behaviors.

Hens are sentient, intelligent and sociable animals. Scientific studies have shown that they can count; they anticipate the future, which in turn affects their decision-making; they empathize with their chicks; and they enjoy social activities such as dust-bathing.

Vivian Argüelles, animal behavior and welfare specialist for HSI/Mexico, said, “In the wild, chickens spend their day scratching and pecking the ground in search of food. They dust-bathe to keep their feathers clean and healthy. They look for different places to  lay their eggs, and at night they sleep on tree branches to keep themselves protected from predators. In cages, hens cannot do any of these things.”

Several countries have totally or partially banned the use of cages for egg-laying hens, including the members of the European Union, Bhutan, India and New Zealand. In the United States, several states, such as California and Washington, have passed their own bans.

“In recent years, growing concern about and the rejection of the intensive confinement of egg-laying hens have mobilized companies, governments, universities and organizations to develop and implement alternatives that offer better welfare conditions to these animals,” Argüelles said.

Among the alternatives available in the Mexican market, there are cage-free production systems, where hens live in closed sheds and have nests in which to lay their eggs, elevated perches where they can rest, litter to scratch, peck and dust-bathe and enough space to walk, stretch their wings and fly. In free-range systems, hens also have access to an outside area where they can exercise, sunbathe and receive greater stimulation from their environment.

In Mexico, cage-free eggs are already available in supermarkets, and dozens of companies in the food industry have  made commitments to buy only cage-free eggs in their supply chains by 2020, 2022 or 2025 at the latest. These companies include Grupo Bimbo, Toks, CMR, McDonalds and 100% Natural, to name a few.

Humane Society International works with food industry companies on the adoption and implementation of their cage-free policies and with poultry farmers to achieve a successful transition. The shift towards systems of greater animal welfare will continue, as  more consumers say, “No” to cages and, if they consume eggs, choose cage-free.

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Media contact: Laura Bravo, laura@labcomunicacion.com.mx, 04455 54556 1476

About Humane Society International
Humane Society International and its partner organizations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org

Humane Society International / Mexico

Cage-free hens
Michelle Riley/The HSUS

VERACRUZ—The Mexican diner chain La Parroquia de Veracruz announced its new commitment to animal welfare, pledging to source only cage-free eggs in its egg supply chain by 2025. With 32 restaurants in Mexico, the company worked with Humane Society International on the adoption of this policy, and will continue to work with the organization to complete the transition to a 100% cage-free egg supply chain at all its locations, improving the animal welfare standards of the product as well as the economic sustainability of all their processes.

Marcelino Fernández Rivero, CEO  of La Parroquia de Veracruz, stated: “We are proud to offer our customers higher quality products by joining the cage-free egg movement. La Parroquia de Veracruz has corporate social responsibility policies on different issues, and it is a great pleasure for us to work to improve animal welfare in order to achieve a more responsible supply chain.”

Vivian Argüelles, animal behavior and welfare specialist for HSI/México, stated: “We congratulate La Parroquia de Veracruz for its commitment to only serve cage-free eggs in all its restaurants by 2025, and we are looking forward to working with them to ensure that the commitment is implemented. More and more corporations are adopting responsible consumption procurement policies, specifically with respect to cage-free eggs, and we invite other Mexican companies to follow this initiative.”

La Parroquia de Veracruz joins hundreds of other leading food companies committed to switching to cage-free eggs in Mexico and other regions around the world.

This commitment will improve the lives of thousands of egg-laying hens in Mexico. Conventional production systems in the country keep hens confined for their entire lives in wire cages so small they cannot even fully stretch their wings or carry out their natural behaviors. Common sense and science tell us that immobilizing animals for their lifetime in cages results in significant stress and physical pain.

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Media contacts

Humane Society International: Laura Bravo, 55 5456 1476, laurabravocom@gmail.com, laura@labcomunicacion.com.mx, hugo@labcomunicacion.com.mx

Humane Society International / Mexico

IZAMAL—For the fourth consecutive year, the cruelty-free Fiesta de San Bartolo replaced Kots Kaal Pato, the brutal Yucatan ritual of stringing up animals inside piñatas and beating them to death or cutting off their heads. Humane Society International/Mexico has been working on the ground with local partners for several years now to help the community embrace a cultural change in favor of the humane treatment of animals. Through humane education and by offering alternative activities, animals are no longer victims of cruelty in the name of “entertainment.”

Felipe Marquez, HSI/Mexico animal protection expert, said: “Cruel festivities in which different kinds of animals are abused take place on a regular basis across Mexico. Ensuring the humane transformation of the Izamal fiesta is vital to proving that traditions can evolve as societies’ values become more considerate and compassionate.”

Replacing what used to be one of the cruelest festivals in Mexico, Fiesta de San Bartolo has become a family celebration, promoting sports and games such as “Carreras Argentinas,” in which young people ride bikes while trying to get prizes hanging from a wire in the main plaza.

By continuing to work with the people and authorities of the community Citilcum in Izamal, HSI/Mexico hopes that this annual event will remain cruelty-free into the future.

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Media contact (en español): Magaly Garibay, 55 5407 0502, mgaribay@idee.agency

Humane Society International / Mexico

HSI

Mexico City—To mark World Spay Day, teams of volunteer veterinarians spayed and neutered 531 cats free of charge in Mexico City. The campaign was executed at local veterinary clinic Cemegatos with support from Humane Society International/Mexico. This is the first time the campaign surpases the 500 cats benchmark. The campaign ran Feb. 21 to Feb. 24 and involved 21 veterinarians and over 30 volunteers.

Dr. Claudia Edwards, DVM, HSI/Mexico programs director, said: “Spay-neutering is critical to address the street cats problem. People often misunderstand cats and have prejudices against them, but they are the most extraordinary pets. Cats need to be included in humane population control campaigns accessible to people without the means to pay for this service.”

World Spay Day reminds us of the power of affordable, accessible spay/neuter services to save the lives of companion animals, community (feral and stray) cats and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in shelters or killed on the street. Spay/neuter is also adviseable for pets to keep them healthy and to avoid unwanted offspring. Mexico has an acute street cat and dog problem, with an estimated 23 million free roaming cats and dogs.

Media contact: Magaly Garibay, (+52 55) 5211 8731, ext. 104, mgaribay@idee.agency

Humane Society International

Humane Society International / Mexico

Aguascalientes, Mexico–More than 70 dogs are now on their way to better lives after their rescue from a case of neglect in Aguascalientes, Mexico, at the end of last month. The animals were living together in poor health and cramped conditions in the house of an elderly person.

The dogs were seized in an operation conducted by the Aguascalientes Environmental Attorney General Office, with support from Humane Society International/Mexico and local organization Amigos Pro-Animal. Rescuers took the animals to a temporary shelter to receive veterinary care, proper food and eventually to be adopted out. Local health authorities will monitor and provide health support to the elderly gentleman.

Felipe Márquez, manager of the HSI/Mexico program against animal cruelty, said: “Unfortunately, this is the kind of story we encounter rather frequently. Well-intentioned people try to help stray animals by picking them up, without considering the real implications of this action. Soon they find themselves in an unmanageable situation. However, thanks to the timely response and team work of APA, HSI and PROESPA, these dogs will have a second chance in life after all.”

Aguascalientes animal welfare legislation requires that animals have access to food and water, are provided with suitable and clean living conditions, receive basic health care and are not subject to abuse or ill treatment.

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Media contact: Magaly Garibay, (+52 55) 5211 8731, ext. 104, mgaribay@idee.agency

Humane Society International / Global

Overview

Billions of farm animals suffer in factory farms globally, confined their whole lives to cages so small they can barely move. HSI works with governments, corporations, producers and institutions to enact reform, end intensive confinement farming and promote alternatives to inhumane farming practices.

Humane Society International

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