Tag: wildlife

Humane Society International / Europe

Vanessa Mignon

BRUSSELS—Humane Society International/Europe, Pro Wildlife, Born Free Foundation, Eurogroup for Animals and Pan African Sanctuary Alliance today presented a new report at an event at the European Parliament, which was hosted by German MEP Manuela Ripa ÖDP, Greens/EFA. The report highlights how the recreational killing of threatened and protected animals for trophies undermines the EU’s efforts to meet its ambitions to better protect wildlife and halt biodiversity loss. The NGOs are calling on the EU to take action to ban the import of hunting trophies from threatened and protected species. Just last week the European Parliament passed a resolution also calling for an EU wide import ban of hunting trophies from species protected under the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) treaty. 

Dr. Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, says: “In its Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the European Commission loudly trumpets its goal of halting global biodiversity loss, yet the EU continues to be the second largest importer of hunting trophies in the world. It is only a tiny minority of wealthy European citizens who choose to travel to other countries to kill endangered and threatened species for their own twisted pleasure. Their trophy hunting poses a completely unnecessary and additional threat to biodiversity. Many wildlife populations across the globe are already under pressure from habitat loss and degradation, climate change, over-exploitation and poaching, they really don’t need a bunch of ego ists stalking them with high-powered rifles or bows just so they can hang their body parts on the walls of their homes as proof of their hunting prowess. The EU must take action to halt these vile imports.” 

Dr. Mark Jones, head of policy for the Born Free Foundation, adds: “It is high time that the EU reconsiders its policy towards consumptive wildlife use, of which trophy hunting is an egregious example. Each year, hundreds of thousands of wild animals suffer and die at the hands of wealthy hunters for ‘trophies’ to skin, stuff, and hang on a wall. Not only does wildlife have an intrinsic value, but wild animals, such as giraffes, elephants, polar bears and rhinos, are ultimately worth more alive than dead. Many of these trophies are imported into EU countries. We believe that the EU should be looking at how it can encourage and reward investment in protecting wildlife, and explore the benefits that can be gained by local communities through its non-consumptive and ecologically sustainable use.” 

Dr. Mona Schweizer of Pro Wildlife adds: “The trophy hunting industry is always quick to claim that their activities help poor indigenous communities in Africa and elsewhere. Yet, there is ample evidence that little money trickles down to individual local community members or households. There are limited job opportunities for locals working for trophy hunting outfitters, which are usually operated by white, foreign business owners. In major exporting countries such as South Africa and Namibia trophy hunting largely takes place on private farms. Any benefits there may be from trophy hunting are not distributed equally. Few people in communities where trophy hunting programmes are operated profit from them. Indeed, trophy hunting even perpetuates wealth inequalities. The European Commission should stop taking industry claims about supporting livelihoods at face value and consider who really benefits from this bloodsport? It’s neither local communities nor wildlife! ” 

Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals, says: “There is strong public support for banning hunting trophies imports. It is no wonder that there has already been movement in a number of Member States with regard to halting the import of hunting trophies from threatened and endangered species. Earlier this year, the Belgian Federal Parliament unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the government immediately stop authorising trophy import permits of species protected under certain international trade regulations. If the responsible Minister takes action, she will be following in the footsteps of the Netherlands, which used the same legal path to ban hunting trophy imports from over 200 species back in 2016. Last week, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution that includes a call for the Commission and Member States to take ‘immediate effective action in the framework of its commitments outlined in the EU biodiversity strategy to ban the import of hunting trophies derived from CITES-listed species’. The long-awaited revision of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking should provide an ideal opportunity for them to do so.” 

Background: 

  • Trophies from at least 15,000 internationally protected mammals from 73 CITES-listed species have been legally imported to the EU during the period 2014-2018 and there has been an increase of nearly 40% of trophy imports during this period. If you add other taxa and species that aren’t afforded international protection, the true number is far higher. 
  • The top five EU Member States to import mammalian hunting trophies were Germany, Spain, Denmark, Austria and Sweden. 
  • At present, the EU legal requirement for hunting trophies to be accompanied by import permits relates only to species in Annex A of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation and six additional species listed in Annex B, namely the African elephant, common hippopotamus, African lion, southern white rhinoceros, polar bear and Argali sheep. 
  • Legally obtained hunting trophies of the species covered by these rules can only be imported into the EU after a Member State has issued an import permit and verified that such imports have been legally acquired and will not be detrimental to the conservation of the species . There is no transparent process for the issuance of such permits and non-detriment findings. Hunting trophies of all other species are exempted from this rule. 
  • The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Environmental Law Ethics Specialist Group calls for an end to hunting trophy imports under ethical, ecological and legal reasons. 
  • The Belgian Federal Parliament unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the government immediately stop authorising trophy import permits of species protected under certain international trade regulations. 
  • This year, the governments of Italy, Spain and Poland are actively considering policy options to ban the import and export of certain hunting trophies supported by strong public opinion polls; based on a 2021 representative survey, the majority of citizens in each country support a hunting trophy import ban. 
  • Prior to these developments, the Netherlands and France pioneered this paradigm shift in Europe. In 2015, France implemented a ban on the import of lion hunting trophies. In the same year, the Dutch government adopted a decision to ban the trophy imports of over 200 species, which came into force in 2016. 
  • A recent policy statement signed by around 170 conservation and animal protection non-governmental organisations from around the globe is also calling for an urgent end to trophy hunting. Several of these organisations are from key source countries for hunting trophies. 

ENDS

Media contact: Adeline Fischer: +4917631063219; afischer@hsi.org  

Humane Society International / Viet Nam

Tikki Hywood Trust

BRUSSELS/HANOI—Today’s ratification of the free trade agreement with the European Union by the Vietnamese National Assembly heralds a new era of intergovernmental cooperation on animal welfare and wildlife protection between the two. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union approved the agreement earlier this year. Humane Society International believes that, if supported with resources, the agreement has significant potential to protect wildlife and increase cooperation on animal welfare.

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for HSI/Europe, said:

“Humane Society International believes that both Parties should seize the opportunity presented by this historic trade deal to increase their cooperation on animal protection. Although there were very limited animal welfare provisions, it does offer a chance for the EU to provide technical assistance and capacity building to advance farm animal welfare in Vietnam. The 2019 mass culling of pigs to eradicate African swine fever there illustrates just how badly such veterinary assistance is needed. The culling process was extremely inhumane due to lack of the right equipment and skills needed for electrical stunning and killing. Through increased cooperation with the EU, a long-term programme of training, capacity building and assistance could be instituted to teach humane animal-handling techniques and proper equipment use to safeguard the welfare and dignity of animals at the time of killing.”

Phuong Tham, director of HSI/Vietnam, added:

“In addition to sharing much needed knowledge and technical assistance on farm animal welfare, the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement includes provisions that can help support our government’s efforts to curb the trade in wildlife products. Sadly, Vietnam continues to serve as a source, consumer and transit country for the illegal wildlife trade. HSI/Vietnam hopes that, through the proper implementation of this trade deal and development cooperation, we can successfully reduce the demand for wildlife products and increase our government’s enforcement capacity with the training and tools needed to tackle the scourge of wildlife trafficking. The illegal wildlife trade not only poses a threat to biological diversity and natural habitats, but, as the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, it can also pose a serious threat to public health. It was technically already illegal to sell and consume wild-caught species in Vietnam, but the existing rules were poorly enforced and wet markets selling wildlife have proliferated.”

Once the trade agreement enters into force, both HSI/Europe and HSI/Vietnam intend to apply to join the respective Domestic Advisory Groups that will be established to allow civil society representatives to monitor the implementation of this free trade agreement.

Facts

  • The EU and Vietnam signed a trade agreement and an investment protection agreement on 30th June 2019. The Council of the European Union approved the agreement on 30th March 2020 after the European Parliament gave its consent on 12th February 2020.
  • The Cooperation and Capacity Building Chapter of EU-Vietnam FTA states that the “Parties agree to cooperate on animal welfare as necessary, including technical assistance and capacity building for the development of animal welfare standards.”
  • As of mid-December 2019, 6 million pigs in Vietnam have been culled in an attempt to eradicate African swine fever. The inhumane culling process highlighted the need for better training and equipment.
  • The Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the EU-Vietnam trade agreement includes commitments to the proper implementation and enforcement of multilateral environmental agreements, as well as provisions aiming to protect biodiversity and reduce illegal wildlife trade through information exchange on strategies, policy initiatives, programmes, action plans and consumer awareness campaigns. It also includes a commitment to enhance cooperation to increase species protection through the proposal of new CITES listings. Notably, in 2019, the EU and Vietnam jointly submitted proposals and succeeded in listing various reptile and amphibian species on CITES Appendix II.
  • Rhino horn is valued in countries like China and Vietnam for purported medicinal benefits, although there is no scientific evidence to back these claims. Horn can be sold for high prices on the black market, but there are indications that the price has fallen recently in Vietnam, thanks in part to a campaign to reduce rhino horn demand launched in 2013 by HSI and the Vietnamese government. The multi-faceted campaign has reached an estimated 37 million people—approximately one-third of the national population.
  • In 2016, HSI organized the first-ever Pangolin Range States Meeting, co-hosted by the governments of Vietnam and the United States, and attended by over 30 pangolin range states in Vietnam.
  • With HSI’s support, Vietnam held an event in November 2016 at which, for the first time in the country’s history, over two tons of elephant ivory, 70 kg of rhino horn, and other seized wildlife specimens were destroyed to send a message to the international community that the living animals are valued, rather than the products derived from them.
  • HSI partnered with the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Education and Training to implement a ground-breaking project under which millions of schoolchildren in Vietnam received educational lessons on threatened wildlife as part of an effort to tackle illegal trade in rhinos, elephants, pangolins, tigers and more.

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Media contact:  Phuong Tham, phuongth@hsi.org

Human – wildlife conflict in India often leads to animals maimed and killed

Humane Society International / India

Arindam Bhattacharya/Alamy Stock Photo

Malappuram, India—Animal charity Humane Society International/India is offering a reward of up to 50,000 IN rupees in Malappuram district of Kerala, for information leading to the positive identification, arrest and conviction of those responsible for the killing of a pregnant elephant who ate a fire cracker believed to have been stuffed in a pineapple or other food item. She suffered catastrophic facial injuries and a slow, painful death.

Police reports show that the incident is believed to have occurred on 27 May when the elephant ate a firecracker-filled pineapple that was originally intended as a snare to catch wild boar. When the firecracker exploded in her mouth, the elephant is reported to have stood for a significant time in the Velliyar River with her trunk in the water, presumably for pain relief.

Following the incident, the Rapid Response Team of the Kerala Forest Department rushed to the scene to attempt a rescue but the elephant succumbed to her injuries. A post mortem revealed that the cause of death was asphyxia as a result of water entering her lungs and trachea.

Sumanth Bindumadhav, wildlife campaign manager for HSI/India said “Regrettably in India, human conflict with wild animals such as wild boars and elephants is a common problem, and often these animals can be maimed or killed by local communities experiencing crop damage and other issues. We don’t yet know if the firecracker-pineapple was maliciously fed to the elephant, or if it was a tragic accident, but whether the intended victim was a boar or an elephant, tragic incidents like this demonstrate the urgent need for better and humane ways to manage wildlife. Community education coupled with the introduction of crop insurance schemes would also safeguard the interests of people as well as the welfare of animals. We hope that by offering a reward for information, those responsible can be apprehended and a strong message will be sent out that treating wildlife in this way is unacceptable.”

Human-wildlife conflict is an unfortunate consequence of increasing fragmentation of wildlife habitats and a growing intolerance to living alongside wild animals in several parts of India. However, sustainable conflict preparedness and management planning methods need to be employed by the forest departments of all states, without which, some citizens choose to take matters into their own hands leading to animal cruelty.

Download video from the scene.

ENDS

Media Contact: Shambhavi Tiwari, stiwari@hsi.org, +91 8879834125

Humane Society International dismayed at listing of farmed wildlife as livestock despite COVID-19 risks

Humane Society International / China

62 dogs rescued from Yulin slaughterhouse June 2019.

WASHINGTON—Just three weeks ahead of China’s infamous Yulin dog meat festival at which thousands of dogs are killed for consumption, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has made official its declaration that dogs are companions and not “livestock” for eating.

The official announcement today came as the Ministry published its final Directory of Genetic Resources of Livestock and Poultry, followed by a lengthy explanation of why dogs are not included in that livestock list.

Dr Peter Li, China policy specialist for animal protection group Humane Society International, which campaigns across Asia for an end to the dog and cat meat trades, welcomed the news, saying: “Now that the Chinese government has officially recognised dogs as companions and not livestock, we are hopeful that China will take stronger steps to hasten the end of the dog and cat meat trade for which millions of animals continue to suffer every year. The announcement presents cities across China with the perfect opportunity to act upon the government’s words by protecting dogs and cats from the meat trade thieves and slaughterhouses. 

In just a few weeks’ time, the dog slaughterhouses of Yulin city will fill up with terrified dogs awaiting brutal slaughter for its infamous festival. A great many of those dogs will have been stolen from homes and streets before being transported to Yulin. They will be precisely the much loved companions and helper dogs referred to in the national government’s statement as being not for food. The Yulin festival is a bloody spectacle that does not reflect the mood or eating habits of the majority of the Chinese people, and its continuation flouts the sentiment expressed by the Ministry of Agriculture. As the Ministry observed, attitudes and appetites about dogs have changed and so now it is time for Yulin’s dog slaughterhouses to lay down the butcher’s knife, and consign the festival to the history books.”

The Ministry’s official statement confirmed that the majority of people who participated in the public consultation process opposed including dogs as livestock. It went on to say that dogs have a long history of domestication from traditionally helping guard the family home, helping in hunting, to now being companions and pets, search and rescue police dogs, assisting those with visual impairment, and generally having an intimate relationship with humans. It noted that the United Nations FAO livestock list does not include dogs, and that internationally dogs are not treated as livestock. The statement concluded by reflecting on the fact that times are changing, and that people’s awareness and diets are changing too including changes in some traditions and customs regarding dogs.

The finalized livestock list includes almost all the animal species published in an earlier draft proposal. A number of wild animals are now officially declared “livestock” such as sika deer, red deer, reindeer, alpaca, guinea-fowl, ring-necked pheasant, partridge, mallard, ostrich, and the three most commonly farmed wild species for China’s fur trade – raccoon dog, silver fox and mink. A separate list of aquatic species is expected to follow.

Dr Teresa Telecky, vice president of wildlife at HSI, says: “The inclusion of wild animal species such as foxes, raccoon dogs and mink, on the finalised livestock list is highly regrettable. Intensively farming these animals in commercial captive breeding environments presents insurmountable welfare challenges as well as potential human health risks from zoonotic diseases. It is self-defeating to close wildlife markets on the one hand while on the other sanctioning the rearing of millions of wild animals in overcrowded and stressful conditions. Rebranding them as livestock instead of the wildlife that they truly are, doesn’t remove the risk to humans or the suffering of those animals. We strongly hope that China removes these species when the list is next reviewed.”

 Facts about China’s dog meat trade

  1. Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat. There are estimated to be more than 91.49 million dogs and cats kept as pets in China. An estimated 10 million dogs a year are killed for China’s dog meat trade.
  2. The World Health Organization warns that the dog trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera.
  3. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20% of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey revealed that even in Yulin, home of the notorious dog meat festival, most people (72%) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it. Nationwide across China, a 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64%) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7%) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5%) have never eaten dog meat.

Download video and photos of China’s dog meat trade.

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org

 

 

Humane Society International says ban reflects Chinese people’s love for their pets

Humane Society International / China

AP Images for HSI A cat climbs up the cage at the slaughterhouse in Yulin, China, trying to escape. This cat was later rescued by Peter Li, China Specialist with HSI. May 2015.

BEIJING—The city of Zhuhai in Guangdong province has become the second city in mainland China to ban the consumption of dog and cat meat, and of wildlife, in what campaigners at animal charity Humane Society International hope will be the start of a domino effect of progressive legislation across China to end these brutal trades that see an estimated 10 million dogs and 4 million cats killed every year, mostly stolen pets and strays.

Zhuhai’s ban comes after the city of Shenzhen banned dog and cat meat earlier this month, and just days after China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs publicly stated that dogs are companion animals and not “livestock.” The Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Zhuhai Municipality stated that lawmakers must adhere to China’s livestock “white list” of animals for human consumption. Other cities in mainland China are believed to be considering bans.

Humane Society International has been at the forefront of campaigns to end the dog and cat meat trade across Asia for many years and has helped to rescue thousands of dogs and cats from China, South Korea, India and Indonesia. In South Korea the charity works cooperatively with dog meat farmers to help them transition to alternative humane livelihoods, and lobbies regional and national governments to advance legislation.

Dr. Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist, welcomed the Zhuhai ban, saying: “Zhuhai’s ban on dog and cat meat eating is thrilling news for all those in China and around the world who have campaigned for so long to end this brutal trade. Coming so soon after Shenzhen’s ban and the government’s historic statement classifying dogs as companions, we hope this will be the start of a domino effect of progressive legislation across China with other cities following suit. With so many millions of dogs and cats falling victim to the meat trade, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that most people in China don’t eat dogs and cats, and that for years there has been enormous public support there for an end to the cruelty. So now it would seem that in the absence of a national ban, cities are taking matters into their own hands and reflecting the mood of the people.”

“This isn’t just good news for animal protection, it’s very good news for public health because the dog meat trade poses a significant human health risk, linked to the spread of trichinellosis, cholera and rabies. Rabies has been found in dogs traded for human consumption in China, Vietnam and Indonesia, and is easily spread as thousands of dogs are crammed on slaughter trucks and driven across provincial borders to markets and slaughterhouses.” 

Facts about China’s dog meat trade

  1. Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat. There are estimated to be more than 91.49 million dogs and cats kept as pets in China. An estimated 10 million dogs a year are killed for China’s dog meat trade.
  2. The World Health Organization warns that the dog trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera.
  3. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20% of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey revealed that even in Yulin, home of the notorious dog meat festival, most people (72%) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it. Nationwide across China, a 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64%) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7%) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5%) have never eaten dog meat.

Download video and photos of China’s dog meat trade.

END

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International dismayed that farmed wildlife are listed as livestock despite COVID-19 risks

Humane Society International / China

Dogs rescued from a slaughterhouse in Yulin, China, June 2019.

BEIJING—China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has for the first time ever explicitly stated that dogs are companion animals and not “livestock,” in what could potentially be a game-changer moment for Chinese regional governments to follow the lead of Shenzhen city and ban the eating of cats and dogs, says long time anti-dog meat campaigners Humane Society International.

The draft document of the National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources was published by the national government on April 8th, which is currently accepting input from Chinese animal protection groups on the policy. It provides a list of animals considered “livestock” including pigs, ducks, chickens and others but omits dogs and cats. The livestock list proposes the only species that can be traded for meat, and the Ministry provides the first ever explanation for their omission, stating:

“With the progress of human civilization and the public’s concern and preference for animal protection, dogs have changed from traditional domestic animals to companion animals. Dogs are generally not regarded as livestock and poultry around the world, and China should also not manage them as livestock and poultry.”

Dogs and cats have never been listed as “livestock” before, but the national government in China has never officially commented on their omission until now. Coming so soon after the city of Shenzhen became the first city in mainland China to ban the consumption of dogs and cats, Humane Society International is hopeful that this could signal a critically important shift in China’s desire to see an end to the dog and cat meat trade.

Dr. Peter Li, China policy specialist at Humane Society International, says: “This is the first time we’ve ever seen China’s national government explain that dogs are companion animals. Recognizing that dogs hold a special bond with humans is an essential first step towards eliminating the consumption and trade in dog meat.  This could be a pivotal moment that provides encouragement for other cities across the country to follow Shenzhen’s lead to ban the eating of dogs and cats.

“Companion animals have never been part of China’s culinary mainstream, and certainly most people in China want an end to the theft of their companion animals for a meat trade that only a small percentage of the population indulge in. Tens of millions of dogs and cats every year, mostly stolen pets, suffer for the meat trade which is almost entirely fuelled by crime and, perhaps most significantly right now, poses an undeniable human health threat with the risk of diseases such as rabies and cholera.”

The proposed livestock list also includes a variety of farmed wildlife species such as Sika deer, red deer, reindeer, alpaca, ostrich, as well as species typically farmed in their millions in China for the global fur trade, specifically mink, silver fox, blue fox and raccoon dog.

Dr. Teresa Telecky, vice president of wildlife at HSI, says: “Listing wild animals, including foxes and raccoon dogs, as ‘special livestock’ is concerning. Rebranding wildlife as livestock doesn’t alter the fact that there are insurmountable challenges to keeping these species in commercial captive breeding environments, and that their welfare needs simply can’t be met. In addition, there’s clear evidence that some of these species can act as intermediate hosts of viruses, such as COVID-19, which is why we’re urging governments around the world to stop trading in wildlife.”

Facts about China’s dog meat trade

  1. Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat. There are estimated to be more than 91.49 million dogs and cats kept as pets in China. An estimated 10 million dogs a year are killed for China’s dog meat trade.
  2. The World Health Organisation warns that the dog trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera.
  3. Most people in China don’t eat dogs, in fact dog meat is only eaten infrequently by less than 20% of the Chinese population. A 2017 survey revealed that even in Yulin, home of the notorious dog meat festival, most people (72%) don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it. Nationwide across China, a 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, and commissioned by Chinese group China Animal Welfare Association in collaboration with Humane Society International and Avaaz, found that most Chinese citizens (64%) want to see an end to the Yulin festival, more than half (51.7%) think the dog meat trade should be completely banned, and the majority (69.5%) have never eaten dog meat.
  4. Shenzhen’s food safety legislation (Shenzhen Special Economic Region Regulation on a Comprehensive Ban on the Consumption of Wild Animals) was first proposed in February by Shenzhen legislators, and comes into effect on 1st May. Article 3 makes clear that the consumption of “pet” animals such as cats and dogs is not permitted.

Download video and photos of China’s dog meat trade.

END

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org

Say NO to elephant rides, dolphin shows, fur fashion, mouse poisons and traps, animal souvenirs, delicacy meats, cruel circus tricks and sad selfies!

Humane Society International / Global

Wild rhinos in a field in Kenya
Franky_Pictures/iStock.com

Around the world, many thousands of wild animals are exploited for human entertainment, food, fashion and frippery, or killed or injured through poisons and traps, not only causing immense animal suffering but also threatening many species with extinction. According to a UN report, species extinction is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, with direct exploitation by people a top threat. So here are Humane Society International’s top tips for how to be a wildlife warrior.

Teresa M. Telecky, Ph.D. vice president of wildlife at Humane Society International, says: “The best way to stop animal cruelty is to refuse to take part in it. By saying no to riding elephants in Asia who have been brutally captured and trained, by refusing to pose for selfies with wild animals exploited for their whole lives for tourism, and by mouse-proofing our homes and habits instead of reaching for the poison, we can all be wildlife warriors. Change starts with each of us, we have the power to make a difference for wildlife.”

Be an animal-friendly traveller

Avoid cruel and exploitative activities such as riding elephants and camels when on holiday. Elephant rides, treks and interactions are promoted to tourists in South Africa and across Asia, especially in India and Thailand. The elephants are usually caught as babies from the wild and brutally ‘broken’ to accept riders. A similar fate can face camels forced to give endless rides to tourists in Egypt. These animals perform repeated tourist duties without rest breaks or proper shade and refreshment. They receive little or no veterinary treatment for injuries, can be chained for hours, and suffer cruel training methods such as beating with whips and sticks. Instead of riding animals, hiring bicycles is a fun alternative, or take things slow on foot under your own steam.

Don’t mistake exploitation for entertainment

Exploiting wild animals in captivity is not acceptable as entertainment. The natural marine habitat of whales and dolphins, for example, cannot be replicated in captivity, and swimming with dolphins increases demand for captive animals, including from brutal “drive fisheries” such as the Taiji hunt in Japan. Unfortunately, dolphinariums can still be found in countries such as the United States, Japan, China, the UAE and many European countries like Greece and the Netherlands.

Poor quality zoos can also be an animal welfare nightmare, keeping wild species in deprived conditions which fail to meet their complex physical and psychological needs, and denying them proper care. Sadly, these can be found all over the world, and in countries like Indonesia, Thailand and China display can also involve forcing animals to perform circus-like acts for which they are subjected to repetitive and stressful training. It’s far better to see animals in the wild on a safari where you can observe their natural behaviour without disturbing them.

Don’t buy wild!

Souvenirs made from wild animal parts such as sea turtle shell, fur or ivory means that an animal has suffered for your trinket, and you may be supporting the poaching and trafficking of wild animals. Instead, support the local community by buying a painting, carving or animal-free craft item by a local artisan.

Say no to sad selfies!

Never pay to have your photo taken with wild animals such as parrots, monkeys or wild cats such as tigers at temples in South East Asia. These animals are often stolen from the wild and sedated with drugs to make them easier to handle. They can also be beaten, and have their teeth or claws removed. In South Africa, thousands of lions are bred in captivity and taken away from their mothers at an early age to be used as photo props for tourists. Once the cubs have grown bigger, they are used for ‘walking with lions’ tourist experiences, and then eventually sold to be killed in canned hunting operations or for the lion bone trade.

Reject ‘delicacy’ meat

The capture and consumption of wild animals such as bats, primates and rats sustains a vast global trade that not only causes immense suffering for hundreds of thousands of animals every year, and encourages exploitation of endangered species, but also poses a severe human health risk. The coronavirus crisis has been linked to the trade in wild animals for human consumption in wet markets in Wuhan, China, and this trade has spawned a number of global health crises in the past. More than 70 million sharks are also killed annually for shark fin soup. The trade involves cutting off a shark’s fin, often while the animal is still alive, and dumping the shark back into the sea to die slowly. Don’t be tempted to eat wild animals as “bucket list” items when traveling, as it merely perpetuates this brutal and often illegal trade.

Don’t wear fur

Millions of foxes, mink, raccoon dogs and coyotes die every year for fashion. Confined in small, wire-mesh cages on factory farms or captured by painful metal traps in the wild, their fur is turned into frivolous trim on coats, hats and accessories. These terrible conditions can create psychological disorders, causing animals to repetitively pace and even self-mutilate. Killing methods are brutal; mink are gassed and foxes and raccoon dogs are electrocuted or, in some countries like China, beaten to death. Fur is also incredibly polluting, as the dressing and tanning processes which stop the animal’s skin and pelt from decomposing naturally rely on toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, cyanide, lead and chromium which can be released into waterways and devastate wildlife. The future of fashion is compassion, so choose a cruelty-free alternative fabric instead and leave fur where it belongs, on the animals!

Be nice to mice and rats

Wild animals like mice and rats are often subjected to cruel extermination methods such as slow poisoning or glue traps. Glue traps immobilise but don’t kill animals who get stuck in them. Small animals may be left to starve to death or die of their injuries over the course of hours, sometimes pulling or biting off their own limbs in a desperate attempt to escape the traps, or even suffocating from falling face-first into the glue. Using poison can not only cause mice and rats to suffer a slow and agonizing death, it is also a threat to other wildlife and pets who come into contact with the poisoned animal. It’s far kinder to rethink rats and mice as wild animals who live alongside us, but sometimes in unwanted places from which we must encourage them to leave. HSI advocates the use of non-lethal deterrent and eviction methods that are not only more humane but also more effective in the long term. By blocking access points, removing food sources, using welfare-friendly deterrents such as mouse-mesh, and as a last resort relocating individuals using a live-capture trap, we can keep our homes and gardens rodent-free. More information can be found here: https://www.hsi.org/news-media/humane-rodent-solutions/

Donald Trump Jr. was a speaker at the February 5 to 8 convention in Reno

Humane Society International / United States

WASHINGTON — An undercover investigation last week by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International exposed exhibitors peddling wild animal products at the Safari Club International convention in Reno, Nevada. Items found for sale include belts and boots made of elephants, hippos and stingrays, which likely violate Nevada’s wildlife trafficking law.

Among the other items for sale were boots made of giraffe skin ($1,390) and kangaroo skin ($1,080), and trips to hunt Asiatic black bears, giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos and more. One outfitter said hunting a giraffe costs “only” $1,200 because they have “too many giraffes” and need to “get rid of the animals.”

For the second year in a row, the investigator found “canned” lion hunts for sale, where customers pay to shoot a captive-bred lion, violating SCI’s own ban that it implemented in February 2018. In his sales pitch, one vendor bragged that his safari company holds five of the top 10 lions ever recorded in SCI’s Record Book.

Among the featured speakers and entertainers at the convention were Donald Trump Jr. and the Beach Boys. A “dream hunt” with Donald Trump Jr. aboard a luxury yacht in Alaska to kill black-tailed deer and sea ducks was sold to two winners for auction at a total of $340,000. A taxidermy ibex mountain goat that Trump Jr. killed was on display on the convention floor.

Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said, “This convention does nothing other than celebrate senseless violence towards wildlife. For far too long SCI has chosen profits and bragging rights over conservation, ethics and the law, and has been trying to convince the public that the display of thousands of dead animal trophies, parts and products is somehow beneficial to conservation. The public isn’t falling for it anymore. Wild animals are not commodities to be sold, with their deaths something to celebrate. This needs to end.”

This is not the first time that vendors at SCI’s convention defied local authorities. Last year a dozen vendors were found selling illegal wildlife products in potential violation of the state law. HSUS and HSI have submitted evidence of the violations of state law to local enforcement authorities.

Jeff Flocken, president of Humane Society International, said, “No animals are off limit to trophy hunters. From shooting giraffes, hyenas, zebras, elephants, hippopotamus to primates and lions, the trophy hunting industry reveals its true nature – one that is motivated by the thrill to kill, and not by conservation.”

Hunting trips for sale at the convention included:

  • A $350,000 hunt for a critically endangered black rhino in Namibia.
  • An outfitter advertised its “Trump Special” – a $25,000 hunt for a buffalo, sable, roan and crocodile.
  • Advertised as a “bargain” was a captive-bred lion hunt for $8,000 in South Africa.
  • A $6,000 hunt for any six animals that a customer can choose to kill in South Africa. The offerings were: zebras, wildebeest, warthogs, impalas, hartebeest, gemsbok, nyala and waterbuck.
  • A polar bear hunt in Canada was offered for sale for $35,000.
  • An Asiatic black bear hunt in Russia sold for $15,000.
  • A 15-day Alaska hunt to kill a brown bear, black bear, mountain goat and wolf was sold for $25,000.

The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and the Humane Society Legislative Fund are urging the public to ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny any import request for the trophy of a rare argali sheep that Trump Jr. killed in Mongolia last year.

“No one is above the law—not these outfitters, not the wealthy elite, and not our agencies. Shooting ESA listed species does not enhance their survival and it’s time we make that irrevocably clear,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “We are fighting for strong legislation that puts an end to our country’s significant contribution to this inhumane practice based on vanity and colonialist fantasies.”

Additionally the organizations are urging the public to ask their members of U.S. Congress to support H.R. 4804, the Prohibiting Threatened and Endangered Creature Trophies Act (ProTECT Act) and H.R.2245 the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act (CECIL Act), which would significantly withdraw the U.S.’s prominent role in global trophy hunting of imperiled species.

Investigation Report here.

Photos/video for download from the 2020 investigation.  

Soundbites on YouTube. 

B-roll on YouTube.

 

Media contacts:

The Humane Society of the United States/Humane Society Legislative Fund:

Rodi Rosensweig, 203-270-8929, RRosensweig@humanesociety.org

Humane Society International:

Nancy Hwa, 202-676-2337, nhwa@hsi.org

-30-

Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States and its affiliates around the globe fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, the HSUS takes on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries, and together with its affiliates, rescues and provides direct care for over 100,000 animals every year. The HSUS works on reforming corporate policy, improving and enforcing laws and elevating public awareness on animal issues. More at humanesociety.org.   Subscribe to Kitty Block’s blog, A Humane World. Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter. Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast. 

 

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.

 

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Humane Society International / United States

Video screen grabs from an undercover investigation at Safari Club International’s annual hunter’s convention in Las Vegas.

WASHINGTON — Thousands of trophy hunters from around the world will gather next week in Reno, Nevada (February 5 through 8), for Safari Club International’s annual convention, which will feature approximately 870 exhibitors showcasing and selling trophy hunting opportunities and wildlife parts and products – from animal heads to hides. In addition, trophy hunter Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak at the event on February 8.

Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said, “This annual event is the largest meeting in the world of people who celebrate the senseless killing, buying and selling of dead animals for bragging rights. As our planet suffers an extinction crisis, it is business as usual for the trophy hunting industry and SCI, who continue to revel in spending millions of dollars every year to destroy imperiled wildlife.”

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International have analyzed the products promoted for sale and auctions of trophy hunts by exhibitors attending the upcoming 2020 convention. Among those are more than 300 trophy hunts in the U.S. and abroad whose starting bids range from $1,650 to $100,000 each. These hunts will kill at least 860 animals of over 50 species, including black bears, wolves, leopards and elephants. The auctions are expected to bring in more than $5 million to SCI. One of the hunts up for bid is a black-tailed deer hunt with Donald Trump Jr. in Alaska for $17,000.

Jeff Flocken, president of Humane Society International, said, “The trophy hunting industry’s conservation claim is shattered by SCI’s promotion of and profit from killing rare and imperiled animals. Trophy hunting is unethical, ecologically devastating and inflicts tremendous cruelty on wild animals. It’s time that we move beyond a colonial pastime and celebrate wild animals in their natural environment.”

In addition to Donald Trump Jr. speaking at the event, the Beach Boys and Charlie Daniels are scheduled to perform at the convention. The group REO Speedwagon had been scheduled, but they pulled out of the event and HSUS and HSI applauds their decision.

According to reports, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is slated to attend this year’s convention to accept an award. Last year, the government of Botswana lifted a ban on elephant hunting in the country, for which he received SCI’s praise, despite local and international backlash and opposition from elephant experts.

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International are urging the public to ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny any authorization for Trump Jr. to import the trophy of an Argali sheep he killed in Mongolia last year

Photos/video from the 2019 SCI convention.

 

Media contacts:

The Humane Society of the United States:

Rodi Rosensweig, 203-270-8929, RRosensweig@humanesociety.org

 

Humane Society International:

Nancy Hwa, 202-676-2337, nhwa@hsi.org

“Every time we find an animal alive, it feels like a miracle,” say HSI rescuers

Humane Society International / Global

Humane Society International

Note: See ENDS at bottom for the latest videos and updates on our rescue efforts.

Kangaroo Island, South Australia – Animal charity Humane Society International has deployed a disaster response team to Kangaroo Island on a search and rescue mission for wildlife survivors of the bushfires that have scorched over one third of the island. As HSI surveys the devastation first hand, the charity welcomed today’s announcement by the Australian government, pledging aid for species and habitat recovery.

HSI/Australia CEO Erica Martin said: “The land we’re searching is utterly scorched with charred animal bodies everywhere. It is very confronting to see the extent of the loss of wildlife. At one area, which was badly burned a week ago, the scenes were nothing short of apocalyptic. There we only found one living koala amongst thousands of bodies of koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and birds. So as we prepare to set out again to search for surviving animals, we warmly welcome this $50 million pledge. A substantial elevation of funds to the environment will need to be sustained for the long term.”

HSI’s team — led by Kelly Donithan, who is a global expert in disaster response — is building water and food stations to sustain uninjured wild animals in the area, as well as rescuing survivors suffering from burns, injuries, smoke inhalation and other physical or mental trauma.

The first reports from Kangaroo Island are harrowing to read; however, despite the devastation, the team has found and provided aid to koalas, kangaroos and possum survivors. Local groups on the ground with whom HSI is working are battling around the clock, especially Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, which is taking in and caring for burned and injured animals.

HSI’s senior specialist in disaster response, Kelly Donithan, said: “These are some of the toughest scenes I’ve ever witnessed as an animal rescuer: the bodies of charred animals as far as the eye can see. But as we set out each day on search and rescue, we’re still finding animals alive, injured, dazed or traumatised, and it’s such a relief to be able to give them immediate life-saving assistance. We’ve seen kangaroos with devastating burn injuries and dehydrated koalas gasping for water. Amidst all this death, every time we find an animal alive it feels like a miracle. The local sanctuaries here are working around the clock, so we’re bringing in every animal we find in need of veterinary care and then heading straight back out to save more.” 

HSI’s team is assessing every animal survivor they find to decide if they can be left in-situ or taken into care. If animals are uninjured and have access to a reasonable food source, it is far less stressful for them to be left with a water station so that the team can check back on them later.

Ms. Donithan explained: “Obviously, the goal is to keep animals in the wild as much as possible. Unfortunately, the landscapes are so decimated that for many this hasn’t been an option because there is nothing left for them to eat or drink, so they need to be taken in for care. Sadly some animals are so badly burned that euthanasia is the only option. We found one kangaroo so burned her feet and tail were nothing but exposed bones. She was in a terrible state and must have endured such suffering, so I’m grateful at least that she didn’t have to die out there alone and in pain.” 

Despite the best efforts of firefighters, rescuers are seeing new fires continuing to spring up, with animals fleeing with burns. One possum was rescued by the team after emerging from flames as the team was stopped waiting to see if the road ahead would become passable or whether they needed to find an alternate route.

Humane Society International/Australia manages a network of 600 wildlife sanctuaries across the country as part of its Wildlife Land Trust. Many of these sanctuaries have been devastated by the fires or are experiencing an influx of patients to care for. With assistance from Humane Society International, HSI/Australia will provide funds, supplies and support to Wildlife Land Trust sanctuaries and other wildlife carers across fire zones.

Evan Quartermain, HSI/Australia’s head of programs who manages the WLT, said: “It is extremely emotional. I can barely describe it. In some places you can’t walk 10 metres without coming across another carcass. Humane Society International/Australia’s bushfire fund is paying for emergency truckloads of water and supplementary feed for rescued wombats, kangaroos and flying foxes in care impacted by fire and severe drought across the country. We have been able to fund the building of additional rehabilitation enclosures for koalas and other wildlife and with generous donations from around the world we are letting wildlife carers know we are here to support them for the long haul.”

ENDS

Watch:

Australia Fires: Helping animals in crisis,Australia Fires: Helping koalas in need, Australia Fires: Rescuing animals in need and Facebook Live updates from our rescuers in the field.

Read a recent blog entry by HSUS President & CEO Kitty Block.

Donate to our Animal Rescue Fund at hsi.org/aid.

For more information about our response, see our Australia fires faqs.

Download images and b-roll of animal rescue here.

For interviews with HSI’s rescue team on Kangaroo Island, please call Rhiannon Cunningham in Sydney on 0449 803 492 or (02) 9973 1728 and email rhiannon@hsi.org.au, or Wendy Higgins in London, UK on +44 (0)7989 972 423 whiggins@hsi.org.

In the U.S., contact Nancy Hwa, nhwa@hsi.org, 202-676-2337 (direct), 202-596-0808 (cell).

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