Stray Animal Welfare in Bulgaria

May 15th, 2012

Contributed by Alina Lilova

The last decades have seen a proliferation of animal welfare charities round the world. This is particularly evident in post-Communist countries such as Bulgaria. Having grown up in Sofia in the so-called Transition years, always surrounded by street dogs and cats I loved and deeply sympathised with, I have witnessed the animal protection movement being born and growing up in its own turn. These pioneers are a motley crew, each with their different scope and methods, occasionally engaging in skirmishes with “rival groups” over allegations of bad practice or complicity with corrupt government officials.

And yet, at some level, concern for animals is a powerful uniting force, and Bulgarian NGOs have proven able to put old grudges aside in times of need. This happens, for example, when a municipality leans towards a quick-fix solution to the stray dog problem and threatens to kill dogs en masse, the innocent together with the guilty. Most recently, following a fatal dog attack on an old professor, Bulgaria’s extreme-right party “Ataka” (famous for its populist anti-Gypsy and anti-Turkish rhetoric) proposed changes in the law that would make it legal to dump stray dogs in temporary fenced-in group enclosures – a notion that sends shivers down the spine of anyone who has had the misfortune to witness first-hand the bleak horror of the Sofia isolator some years ago. For me, that was a traumatic sight equaled only by my visit to a Scottish slaughterhouse – and worse, it involved a dog whom I knew as an individual (the adults I was with were fortunately able to rescue Dolly). Animal activists responded to the radical propositions with a protest outside the Council of Ministers which was supported by almost all the NGOs, and received reassurance from the Prime Minister that their voices would be heard. The final outcome is yet to be seen.

To give you a taste of the character and diversity of these NGOs, I picked a small sample of five groups that I’m familiar with to a greater or lesser extent. The following descriptions are based on website content and on my own observations over the years, and may not be 100% accurate. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Animal Welfare in Action, Global Perspectives on Animal Welfare | No Comments »

Out of Grace

April 13th, 2012

By Alina Lilova

Last month, Compassion in World Farming sent out a newsletter to alert to a horrible tragedy that had taken place at sea – thousands of cattle had died stranded on board the ship Gracia del Mar during her journey from Brazil to Egypt. At first, it was not entirely clear what had caused the animals’ deaths and what had happened to the survivors, but it seemed that extreme weather was involved in one way or another. The earlier report mentioned an engine failure which had disrupted the ventilation system on board, resulting in mass overheating. When further details emerged, it appeared that, on the contrary, cold weather was the culprit, with the ship having being caught in a snowstorm off the coast of Algeria. She tried to dock at different ports, but when the Egyptian vets inspected her and saw the animals, they refused to allow them in the country. It was a vicious cycle – all hell turned loose for those still alive and suffering on board, whose chances were being reduced every minute. Compassion had its supporters send more than 40,000 emails to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), asking for more efficient measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future. And yesterday Philip Lymbery published the whole story on his blog: a total of at least 2000 cattle have died, and the remaining 3600 survivors have finally been unloaded in Djibouti (a country at the southern tip of the Red Sea), awaiting further hardships.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Animals & Politics, Global Perspectives on Animal Welfare | 2 Comments »

Thai WildLife Raids UPDATE

February 23rd, 2012

By Nicola Gothard

Since I wrote the last article much has happened over in Thailand.  A famous Thai musician went down to WFFT to show his support which held up proceedings for a day but culminated in his arrest. The DNP then went away for a long weekend and returned with a vengeance. More armed guards than ever camped out on WFFT grounds and the Director General arrived on site in a helicopter. Despite promising on National Television that he would leave WFFT alone once he had seen the paperwork, he then deemed that he wasn’t happy with the animal welfare at WFFT and the DNP proceeded to confiscate animals. This is laughable, considering the conditions most wild animals are kept in Thailand and the state of the DNP ‘rescue’ centres (example).

They started with the sun bears – this is interesting considering they are of high commercial value in the illegal wildlife trade! By the time I woke up this morning they had drowned a macaque in their clumsy, inexperienced attempts to capture it! In total yesterday, 54 animals were cruelly snatched away from their homes including; 26 macaques,11 gibbons, 5 bears, 8 leopard cats, 1 otter, 2 oriental pied hornbill and 1 great hornbill.

I can’t imagine the stress this is putting on all the animals, staff and volunteers at WFFT! It make me so angry that these animals have been rescued from animal abuse once  and are now suffering as pawns in a game of retribution!

Actions

Today I think we should focus on tourism in Thailand. The Department of National Parks is clearly corrupt or on a vendetta against WFFT from the bottom to the top of the department. So, we need to force their hand using another, more powerful, government department. Tourism is a huge part of the Thai economy and they will care what the world thinks of Thailand!

1.   Tweet your views on the wildlife raid to @ThailandFanClub and don’t forget to use the hashtag #ThaiWildLifeRaid

2. Post your views on the wildlife raid on the Tourism Thailand Facebook wall https://www.facebook.com/AmazingThailand

3. Send a message via the contact form on the Tourism Thailand website http://www.tourismthailand.org/contact-us

4. This is a link to the resource centre set up to help people find information and take action for WFFT. If you are interested in finding out more or taking further action then please visit http://www.wix.com/anoelle45/wffthelp#!

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Wildlife Rescue Centre Raids in Thailand

February 16th, 2012

By Nicola Gothard

The Department of National Parks in Thailand have been carrying out raids on NGO sanctuaries after an ‘anonymous’ tip off about animal cruelty and holding animals without the correct paperwork.

WFFT, a well respected wild animal rescue centre, was ambushed by National Park officials and given 3 hours to present the paperwork for 450 animals. They then proceeded to arrest staff and confiscate the animals. The same thing happened at Elephant Nature Park and several other smaller NGOs.  The animals are being man handled and mistreated by National Park staff, then loaded on to trucks in tiny cages, whilst the volunteers and staff at the sanctuary look on in horror. In a further ludicrous act the confiscated wildlife were taken to profit making, run down zoos. Hundreds of animals which have already had a rough life are now scared and suffering unnecessarily.

Why not raid trekking operators or zoos or even confiscate all the poor animals used for tourist photos on beaches? Well, probably because they didn’t vocalise their concern about recent elephant poaching in National Parks. It is believed that certain people in the  forestry department were involved in this activity and the raids are an act of retribution for the NGOs implicating the forestry department in these crimes.

WFFT Thailand is a well respected animal sanctuary in Thailand that has been rescuing abused wildlife and assisting wild animals in need for many years. Elephant Nature Park rescues begging elephants, performing elephants and elephants used for trekking and provides them with a natural sanctuary where they don’t have to perform and are free to behave as elephants should.

The raids have been going on for four days now – causing immense distress to all concerned. We need to make Thailand aware that the world is watching and their tourism industry will suffer if they allow these kinds of corrupt heavy handed tactics to continue.

Actions

1.  Tweet  with this hashtag #ThaiWildlifeRaid – lets make the whole world aware of what is going on!

2. Sign this petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/urgent-plea-for-rescued-thai-wildlife/

3. Email the Director General of National Parks in Thailand  @ dg@dnp.go.th

4.Write to your Thai Embassy to make your feelings on the matter clear!

His Excellency Mr Kitti Wasinondh
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary
Royal Thai Embassy
29-30 Queen’s Gate
London
SW7 5JB

Email: thaiduto@btinternet.com

Concerned individuals outside of the UK will find the relevant contact details for their Thai Embassy athttp://www.thaiembassy.org/www.thaiembassy.org/

Lets do this people!!

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Judge Dismisses PETA’s Case against SeaWorld

February 9th, 2012

By Nicola Gothard

Recently PETA filed a law suit against Seaworld claiming that they had imprisoned legal persons, namely 5 orcas, and this was against the 13th amendment of the United States constitution, which outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude.  Surprise, Surprise, today it was thrown out of court because it has not yet been established that Orcas are ‘persons’ in the legal sense of the word. Surely anyone in their right mind would know that the issue of ‘person-hood’ needed addressing first? Just because they believe it goes without saying doesn’t mean it does. If you are going to take the game in to the court-room then you need to play by the rules of society. It just seems like a huge waste of time and like most things with PETA, just an excuse for publicity. If animal protection could be advanced by miles of press clippings then PETA would have already won the battle.  They must adhere to the mantra of  ’all publicity is good publicity’.

Sometimes I wonder if PETA is actually an organisation run by people who would rather discredit animal rights as a concept and halt all progress in animal protection. There is no doubt about it, they give animal protection/rights/welfare a bad name.  Their extreme publicity stunts make a mockery of us all and more importantly do nothing to change people that don’t already share their views, the words ‘preaching to the converted’ spring to mind. But, hey what does it even matter?  They take the moral high ground, they get coverage and their supporters give them more money and so it goes on!!

Perhaps if they had consulted with or listened to these guys at  www.nonhumananimalrightsproject.org then they would have made better use of their resources, then again do they care?

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Why won’t the UK Government ban wild animals in circuses?

February 6th, 2012

By Nicola Gothard

In light of today’s news that the Greek government has banned the use of all animals in circuses, it would be timely to explore this situation in the UK. Greece joins a growing number of countries to prohibit or limit the use of animals in circuses. National measures have been adopted in Bolivia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Peru, Portugal, Sweden, Singapore, Costa Rica, India and Israel. So, why is the UK, a nation of animal lovers, lagging behind not only European countries but also third world countries not normally known for their animal welfare standards? Despite a unanimous vote in the House of Commons in favour of a ban on June 23rd 2011, the UK government has failed to implement a ban on wild animals in circuses.

The Tory led government appears adamant that there won’t be a ban but the reasons for their position remain unclear. There are very few circuses in UK that even have performing wild animals and unlike fox hunting – visiting the circus is not a favourite past time of Tory MPs and the general elite. Perhaps there is a connection between the Conservatives and powerful people in the circus industry or perhaps they view any measures to improve animal welfare to be another affront on their lifestyle and another step on the slippery slope to ruining all of their country pursuits?

Initially the government said that a ban might be an illegal act under European Union law as it could be seen to contravene the European Services Directive. The European Commission clarified their position to concerned MEPs, stating that in theory a ban could be against the Services Directive but it could also be justified by ‘overriding reasons of public interest’ and that public concern for animal welfare is a legally valid reason under this exemption. The British government said that there was already a legal challenge against Austria after they banned wild animals in Circuses and they would wait to see what the outcome of this challenge would be. In December 2011, the Austrian Constitutional Court in Vienna announced that it had thrown out an application by Circus Krone to overturn Austria’s ban on wild animals in circuses – therefore negating another of the governments arguments.

So what is public opinion in the UK on this matter? In 2011, an independent poll carried out by YouGov revealed that 72% of the public backed the ban with only 8% against. Furthermore, In 2010, Defra announced the results of their 2009 public consultation on animals in circuses, which resulted in a huge 94.5% public support for a ban.

All the arguments against a ban have been answered; by the European Commission, by the Austrian courts, by public opinion and by a unanimous vote in parliament.  If like me you think the government should get their act together and take in to account the opinions of democratically elected MPs and the general public they are supposed to represent, then please write to your MP and ask them to sign EDM 2563 directing the Government to use its powers under section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to introduce a regulation banning the use of all wild animals in circuses to take effect by 1 July 2012.

You can see if your MP has already signed here

Find out how to contact your MP here

Read more about this campaign here

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Posted in Animals & Politics, Captive Wild Animals | 1 Comment »

2011 Research in Review

February 6th, 2012

Contributed by Alina Lilova

2011 seems to have been an exciting year for research in animal behaviour and welfare.

image from http://www.chickencare.net/

More studies emerged that found evidence of empathy in nonhuman species. Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, to feel his or her emotions. Scientists in Britain, cited by the Telegraph, found that when mother hens see their chicks experience something scary (having their feathers ruffled with puffs of air), they display the same signs of distress as the little chicks themselves. Meanwhile, a research group from the University of Chicago found that rats not only get “infected” by a trapped cagemate’s anxiety, but also gradually learn how to free their friend, with no training at all, and will choose to open his door rather than eat chocolate. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Animal Feelings, Animal Friendships, Animal Intelligence, Animal Welfare Science | 1 Comment »

How To Change the World?

January 31st, 2012

By Nicola Gothard

How to change the world? That is the question! god knows where the answer might lie. A quick glance at the history reveals that progress is always slow, sometimes brutal but progress occurs none the less. It often starts with a small group of people who stand up against a perceived wrong (most often against themselves) and they have to make a lot of noise to be noticed, for example, the suffragettes to acquire the vote for women or the Russian peasants against the monarchy – led by a group of well meaning intellectuals, not forgetting the African-American civil rights movement.

Change starts with an idea, it progresses with commitment, passion and a relentless pursuit of justice.  The animal rights/welfare movement is unique in that people are fighting for individuals of another species against the collective will and accepted norms of their own ’species’. It is sometimes hard to believe that any progress can be made at all when there is still so much racial, cultural and religious prejudice between humans. How can we create justice for other species when we can’t even find the compassion to relate to others of own?

However there is no denying that humanity is becoming a more just, peaceful and open minded group. The ideas behind animal protection started in the 1800s with the immortal words of Jeremy Bentham ‘“The question is not, “Can they reason?” nor, “Can they talk?” but “Can they suffer?” It may seem like we haven’t progressed much in all this time but the words first uttered in the 1800s have propagated and gathered pace over the past 200 years, so that today, they have been explored by modern philosophers like Singer and Regan, they have formed the basis for a new scientific discipline – animal welfare science and they have guided legal protection for animals. People have spread the word and hundreds of animal protection groups have formed, some with influence at governmental level and the power of arrest. In some places it has spread faster than others aided by education, wealth and human rights but there is no longer a place on the planet where someone isn’t doing something to progress this movement.

I was a massive fan of the movie Avatar. It embodied everything that I want for this planet and animal protection. The Navi protected themselves and their planet in bold battle and won. I left the cinema feeling elated and inspired but then it dawned on me that the battle on this planet is much more arduous and cerebral. It involves winning the hearts and minds of 9 billion individual autonomous people in hundreds of different cultures and religions. We can’t win by fighting them. The time for making noise has ended. It’s time to engage in dialogue rather than fight, to include rather than judge. I sometimes feel like we forget that communication is a two way street and the best way to change people is to understand them, just as we would like there to be  no ‘them’ and ‘us’ between humans and animals, we should also remember that there is no ‘them’ and ‘us’ between the animal protection movement and the rest of society. Yes I am angry about things that happen to non human animals but I want to change the world and expressing that anger will do no good. We must take society with us, we must communicate and engage with each and every one of them in a positive, productive manner. We don’t need any more angry jaded people, we need compassionate citizens who believe they can change the world for the better.

Any ideas or comments on the next step forward would be appreciated…..

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Why Even Bother?

January 18th, 2012

Contributed by Alina Lilova

I am writing an article about recent discoveries in the field of animal welfare and animal psychology. The wealth of new information is staggering; scientific papers are being churned out by the dozen every month. I just have to pick out a few juicy bits here and there: nothing easier than that. And yet, the moment came when I stopped dead in my tracks. “Wait a minute. What if people find this silly? You know, the way you shrug your shoulders at the millionth newspaper article which proclaims that 2+2=4 and calls it science?”

A pause for reflection is in order, then. I have to admit that in animal welfare science, a lot of the new evidence hardly amounts to a discovery but is mere validation of truths we know intuitively – or knew once but have forgotten in our post-industrial age. It is a little sad that we need statistical measurements of heart rates and cortisol levels to accept that cows have friends in their herd and get stressed when the farmer separates them, as reported in the Daily Mail. Another study which measured the heart rates of dairy cows showed that when one cow licks the face of another, the effect is profoundly calming.1

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Posted in Animal Feelings, Animal Welfare Science | 1 Comment »

Sneaky Dogs and Queens of the Street (or How to Read the Mind of Your Human)

November 21st, 2011

Lika Yanko - Self-Potrait with a Dog, 1962

Contributed by Alina Lilova

It is no secret to anyone who has ever lived with a pet dog that man’s best friend is a highly social, adaptable and intelligent animal. Both scientific studies and countless personal anecdotes demonstrate without a doubt the canine capacity for experiencing a wide range of emotions, and also for reasoning – and none of it is a surprise, given the dog’s unique position over the millennia as a responsive companion and working partner. Dogs may lack the problem-solving abilities for survival in the wild (compared to wolves, e.g.), but they possess excellent acumen for thriving in their particular ecological niche: the human jungle.

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Posted in Animal Intelligence | 2 Comments »

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