Group Seeks to Ban Chinese Fur Trade with Australia

GRUESOME!

Excerpted from the International Business Times....

Humane Society International (HSI) called on Wednesday for a ban on the fur trade to Australia. The call was issued after the animal rights group discovered that the fur were sourced from the raccoon dog in China, ABC Radio Australia reports.

About 10 million dogs in China are killed for their fur, prompting an animal rights group to seek a ban on fur trade to Australia. The dog fur are used are inside lining for ugg boots.

What angered the society were reports that Chinese workers skinned the dogs while still alive. The dog's fur is used to make Ugg boots, a popular fashion brand in Australia, to line the inside of the shoe. However, the fur is passed off as sheep skin.

Besides raccoon dogs, other types of domestic dogs are also suffering because of the high demand for their fur. Verna Simpson, director for Asia Pacific of HIS, estimated about 10 million domestic dogs in China are killed yearly for their fur.

Australian Animal Rights Campaign to Help Calves

Here's the full article from the Weekly Times Now...

ANIMAL rights groups have begun a campaign against the dairy industry's treatment of bobby calves.

Australian Dairy Farmers says calves can be left unfed for 30 hours before slaughter but the RSPCA says the practice is "cruel".

Animals Australia has a video on its website showing calves being roughly dragged off utes and thrown to the ground.

RSPCA scientific officer (farm animals) Melina Tensen said there had been no independently funded research into the effects of leaving calves unfed for 30 hours. Dairy Australia commissioned a blood-test study which showed that calves deteriorated after 24 hours off feed, she said.

The study showed a limit of 24 hours without food "would be better", she said.

Australian Dairy Farmers animal health and welfare chairman David Basham, said studies had shown "no adverse affects on welfare up to 30 hours".

However, he said some practices shown in the Animals Australia video were not condoned by the industry, "dragging them off trucks and things like that".

Australian Scientists to Study Animal Feelings

The purpose is to make them happier as livestock. I guess you have to decide for yourselves what you think about that.

The excerpt below is from the Sydney Morning Herald. Go here for the full article...

Australian scientists have set themselves the challenge of understanding the minds of animals and what they are feeling.

A team based at the CSIRO aims to use the study to reduce stress and pain in livestock.

"The challenge is to gain insights - in a scientifically rigorous way - into how animals' minds work," CSIRO scientist Caroline Lee said in a statement on Wednesday.

Advertisement: Story continues below "Ultimately, the outcomes of this research will expand on our understanding of emotional and cognitive functions of livestock and the impacts of farming practices on animal welfare."

The research is being funded by Meat and Livestock Australia

Australian Youth Least Passionate About Ending Whaling

This finding was one of the survey results announced by the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

That sucks. Young people are the future of conservation. And they are going to be stuck with a lot of shit that we're leaving for them.

US Retailers Investigate Mulesing in Australia

Sounds like they may roll over on the issue. I don't know, but I'm just not convinced the Australians are that committed to phasing out this practice. I'm just going by equivalent examples in the US. Big industry never wants to change anything that "works."

It's just too "hard."

US Retailers Concerned Over Australia's Delay in Ending Mulesing

Ugh. Such an awful practice. But, as is typical with many large industries, there is a resistance to change unless there is a clear and immediate profit windfall. Why change for welfare purposes if there is no clear economic benefit? I think it's just another example of short-term vs. long-term thinking, to which all humans are victim.

From the Sydney Morning Herald...

Macy's, Gap and Liz Claiborne Inc are among the big names to warn of their ''growing alarm'' and frustration over the backdown by the marketing and research body Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) from its promise in 2005 to replace mulesing with a commercially viable alternative by the end of this year.

Mulesing, in which woolgrowers surgically remove parts of merino lambs' rears to prevent potentially fatal flystrike, has sparked demonstrations and litigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The American retailers are worried that Australia's ditching of its own 2010 deadline to end the practice may reignite protest: ''We are concerned about what future action PETA may decide to launch if the issue remains unresolved,'' the vice-president and international trade counsel of the National Retail Federation, Erik Autor told the Herald.

Marine Life Top of CITES Meeting Agenda

Oh look, more meetings.

From Al Jazeera...

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or Cites that opened in the Qatari capital on Saturday will be discussing 42 proposals during the next two weeks.

Apart from issues like combating elephant poaching for ivory in Africa and banning trade in polar bear skins, those focusing on sharks and tuna are likely to be among the most contentious.

On its agenda is Monaco's proposal to have a complete ban on the international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna.
Australia and Japan are among the countries refusing to back a total ban.

Interesting to see Japan and Australia united on some issues, in contrast to their conflict over whaling.

Labour Urges New Zealand to Support Australia's Call to End Whaling

I hope they do it. We just need to end this useless practice of whaling.

Profile of Free the Bears Fund

Really inspiring profile of the work done by this Australian organization.

Burp-Less Sheep?

Apparently, Australian scientists think less sheep burping (and less methane releasing) would help with global warming.

New Zealand, Australia to Conduct Whale Research Too

Good news! It's non-lethal.

New Zealand and Australia are joining forces to carry out research on whales using non-lethal methods, in an attempt to challenge Japan's hunting programme.

Eighteen scientists will set sail for Antarctica next month to study minke, humpback and blue whale populations.

They will also be assessing the impact of climate change on the whales.

The scientists hope their research will help to disprove Japan's claims that whales have to be killed if they are to be properly studied.

The six-week voyage will start in Wellington in early February.

Aussies Deny Foot-Dragging in Sea Shepherd Visas

The Australian government has denied accusations that they are delaying Visa applications for Sea Shepherd crew.

In response, Australian immigration has stated, “our standard procedure is to follow-up certain matters disclosed to the department in a visa application, and that’s what is occurring.”

The department went on to state that the delay may be linked to the fact that Watson is applying to enter Australia on a short-term business visa, rather than a tourist visa, with which he previously entered the country.

Dolphins Threatened by Australian Oil Spill

The World Wildlife Fund has reported that dolphins and other marine life have been swimming around in an oil spill off the coast of Australia. There have not been many deaths yet, but the toxicity could lead to long-term health effects for the animals.

Camels to be Culled in Australia

There are camels in Australia? Apparently so and they are considered feral pests...you know what that means.

Animal Testing Debate Continues in New South Wales

It's good to know that these issues are being fought in places other than just the US and the UK. This particular animal research controversy is occurring in New South Wales (Australia).

From the online Sydney Morning Herald.....

Welfare groups are calling for an urgent public debate on animal testing amid claims millions of creatures are being killed or maimed every year in Australia in the name of science.

New figures published by the NSW government's advisory body, the Animal Research Review Panel, show the number of animals killed in NSW experiments rose by more than 1,000 to 8,813 during 2006-2007.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said the figures were not surprising, and that compliance with international standards meant the number of animals affected was unlikely to fall.

The Australian Association for Humane Research estimates more than six million animals are used in medical and pharmaceutical trials in Australia annually, with at least 100,000 of those animals dying.

Animal Research Booming in State of Victoria

Animals for research purposes are coming from municipal shelters, breeders and the greyhound trade. Unwanted farm dogs are another source.

From the Herald Sun...

In 2007, 394 dogs died during procedures for canine and human research.

The fate of many others remains unclear. None of the animal shelters contacted by the Herald Sun have come across ex-research dogs in need of a home.

RSPCA state president Dr Hugh Wirth slammed municipal pounds for being involved in the research trade.

"The selling of dogs from the pound for this purpose is morally wrong. They are owned by somebody," he said.

Dr Wirth said animal testing was increasing, with Victoria doing more research than any other state.

Shelters Fill Up Due to Wildfires in Australia

Pets have been displaced as well as their owners in the recent wildfires.

ANIMAL shelters are searching for the owners of hundreds of dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and other pets displaced by fires.

Shelter workers fear many owners may have assumed their animals died or they could be looking for them in the wrong places.

They are urging anyone who has lost a pet to register with their council.

Australian Fireman Honored by Animal Rights Activists

The fireman who saved Sam the Koala is now an international Youtube star. And getting recognition he deserves for his kindness.

...Mr Tree, 44, has been rewarded for his compassion by rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) which gave him its Hero to Animals Award.

'The compassion that David Tree showed in caring for Sam is an inspiration to others throughout the community and beyond,' said Peta Director Jason Baker.

I also agree with PETA that the guy they've arrested for starting the fire should face animal cruelty charges. He is the responsible for the deaths of possibly millions of animals.

If there is a hell, there should be a special place in it for this guy.

Peta called on authorities to add cruelty to animals to the arson charge laid against a 39-year-old man on Friday in connection with a bushfire in rural Victoria state that killed 21 people.

'The defendant faces 21 counts of murder, and Peta also wants to see him charged with cruelty to animals (as) it has been reported that over a million native animals may have been killed in the fires in Victoria, including kangaroos, koalas, possums, lizards and birds,' Peta said in a statement.

'This tragedy has shown the best and worst in people,' Mr Baker said. 'Because scores of animals weren't as lucky as Sam, Peta is strongly urging the prosecutor to pursue cruelty-to-animals charges.'

Many Animals Dying in Australian Wildfires

We sometimes overlook a story even when it's right under our noses. Not only did we not think about the impact of the Australian wildfires on wildlife, but we didn't see the AP story on our very own sidebar.

We are losers.

The story says millions of animals may have died.

The official human death toll stood at 181 from the weekend's deadly fires and authorities said it would exceed 200. While the scope of the wildlife devastation was still unclear, it was likely to be enormous, {Jon Rowdon, president of the rescue group Wildlife Victoria} said.

"There's no doubt across that scale of landscape and given the intensity of the fires, millions of animals would have been killed," he said.

Hundreds of burned, stressed and dehydrated animals — including kangaroos, koalas, lizards and birds — have already arrived at shelters across the scorched region. Rescuers have doled out antibiotics, pain relievers and fluids to the critters in a bid to keep them comfortable, but some of the severely injured were euthanized to spare any more suffering.

"We've got a wallaby joey at the moment that has crispy fried ears because he stuck his head out of his mum's pouch and lost all his whiskers and cooked up his nose," Rowdon said. "They're the ones your hearts really go out to."

Australian Firefighter Rescues Koala

Lots of people have died in the wildfires in Australia, and I'm sure a lot of animals have suffered too. Here's a video of an Australian firefighter making a big difference to one little koala.



This critter was lucky, and was rescued. Here is a link to a story about her (now named Sam) and her new friend Bob.

(David) Tree, a volunteer with the Country Fire Authority Victoria, has visited Sam since her rescue and was delighted to see she had found a boyfriend in Bob.

'They've really taken a shine to each other as they are both burnt and share the same burnt smell,' he said.

'My heart goes out to the people in these fires and this was so innocent so people have used this to distract them from all the sad stuff that has gone on.

'It gives people a bit of hope.'