In addition to AIA’s proactive advocacy work, outlined in its five year strategy 2022-2026, we also react to current situations of animal cruelty .
AIA’s International Campaigns Secretary, Marian Hussenbux is responsible for AIA’s global animal advocacy work. This involves writing to people of influence about animal suffering and cruelty around the world, often in support of campaigns run by other organisations.
AIA’S CAMPAIGNING ACTIVITY
June 2025 – August 2025
UNITED KINGDOM
Foie gras – we asked Minister Steve Reed to fulfil the promise to ban the imports of a product long considered too unethical to produce in this country.
We urged South Holland Planning to reject an application to build 12 poultry houses to house 552,120 hens. These applications are disgraceful for all reasons imaginable. More information on these below.
We wrote to complain again to Steve Reed: his Planning & Infrastructure Bill, which all the conservation organisations we know consider to be disastrous, would mean developers can pay into a fund and then, consciences salved, carry on building in sensitive areas, including over active badger setts.
The RSPB reported:
“Last month, we stressed that the to move to a ‘cash to trash’ model for developers was a dangerous plan. We were pleased to see MPs across political parties sharing our concerns and speaking up. Paul Holmes (Conservative) stated his party believe environmental protections are under threat. Ellie Chowns (Green), Chris Hinchliff (Labour) and Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrats) spoke up about the dangers of prioritising offsetting over the prevention of damage to ecosystems. Olivia Blake (Labour) reminded the House of Commons that ‘nature is not a luxury; it is essential. It sustains our health, our economy, our climate and the rich web of wildlife that makes our planet thrive.’ …”
This was the status quo on July 8: “Report Stage debate [has]closed, and the Bill passed its Third Reading vote.”
The Driven Grouse Shooting (DGS) Parliamentary Debate took place on June 30 -This is the third time in nine years that a petition on this controversial subject has met the criteria for a debate (100,000 signatures) but the first time under a Labour government.
I read the Hansard script and noted that very few speakers were recorded, not one of the four Green MPs was present, and the only MP to speak against DGS was Sheffield Hallam MP Olivia Blake, (please see above for more about her) the Parliamentary Hen Harrier Champion, whose constituency provided the largest number of votes for the debate.
The lack of interest from all sides of the House and the smug tone of much of what was said by MPs who often declared their membership of shooting organisations and were very satisfied indeed with the status quo were extremely depressing.
Wild Justice, whose petition this was, stated: “Daniel Zeichner, Defra Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, rounded off the ‘debate’ by providing the Government’s position on our petition. He repeated Labour’s earlier stance about having no plans to ban driven grouse shooting but this time adding, “we keep options under close review”. Not close enough, obviously.”
Wild Justice continued: “The very reason that raptor persecution continues on driven grouse moors is because the criminals there know that (a) there is only a miniscule chance of being caught, and (b) even if they are caught, the punishment is of little consequence. The one, and only, custodial sentence ever given to a gamekeeper for committing raptor persecution offences was a case in Scotland in 2014, when a gamekeeper was filmed by the RSPB trapping a Goshawk and clubbing it to death with a stick, amongst other offences. He was given a four-month custodial sentence. Every other gamekeeper convicted since then has received either a small fine (probably covered by his employer) and/or a short community service order”.
He (Daniel Zeichner) did acknowledge the cast-iron link between driven grouse shooting and the illegal persecution of birds of prey but then feebly muttered:
“There are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey and other wildlife, and anyone found guilty of such offences should feel the full force of the law. Penalties can include an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence”.
So that’s alright then.
Steve Reed received another message from us about captive elephants. You might have seen the new report by Freedom for Animals: The unnatural lives of elephants in captivity: THE CASE OF DUBLIN ZOO – a very damning report on the misery of captive elephants.
All aspects are covered- plus, this very telling one:
Herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD is considered the primary cause of calf mortality in the global captive Asian elephant population.
We think it does not arise in wild elephants.
Bottom Trawling in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – we wrote again to Steve Reed as he had said he was concerned about this destructive activity. All the MPAs should be protected from the practice and the Secretary of State needs to act on his concern.
Good news is that MP Dr Danny Chambers’ Animal Welfare Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons on July 4, with cross-party support.
Now on its way to the House of Lords, the legislation wants to crack down on the smuggling of pets from abroad, and prevent mutilated pets, such as dogs with cropped ears and docked tails, from coming in from overseas. Heavily pregnant animals will not be imported.
Dr. Chambers replied to our thanks to say he appreciated our support and we all hope it will pass in the Lords. Update – it has!
There is a planning application for yet another poultry facility 25/0745/FUL Newton Grange Farm, Sleaford, Lincs, reported by the campaigning organisation Animal Rising.
This is their plan: Six industrial broiler sheds crammed with 270,000 chickens at a time- over 2 million birds killed every year- toxic ammonia emissions that will pollute the air and harm wildlife- Six Sites of Special Scientific Interest within 10 km at risk of contamination – the birds will be packed in, grown as quickly as possible, and slaughtered in a relentless cycle — 7.5 flocks per year. -The environmental damage will be felt far beyond the sheds themselves.
The proposed intensive poultry unit raises serious concerns regarding antibiotic resistance. The UK Health Security Agency reports a concerning rise in deaths from antibiotic-resistant infections, with over 2000 deaths annually in the UK. A significant 32% of UK antibiotic usage is attributed to use on animals. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate 2022 report indicates that 16.4 tonnes of antibiotics are administered to meat poultry annually and intensive animal agriculture is a key factor driving the increase of these infections.
Furthermore, the risk of avian influenza outbreaks in intensive poultry units is substantial, with impacts on wild bird populations too.
Scotland: we wrote to Ministers Mairi Gougeon and Jim Fairlie about the plight of salmon: Scottish farmed salmon is a highly visible and widely recognised product across the UK, and we are somewhat relieved to see the Scottish Government has published official guidance to support farmers with protecting the welfare needs of salmon at slaughter.
We have, for a long time, been greatly perturbed about aquaculture and the serious issues affecting both the farmed salmon, the wild salmon in whose habitat the pens are located and the environment which is dangerously polluted by waste.
Investigations have shown horrendous instances of farmed salmon having their gills cut whilst they are still fully conscious, and instances of farmed salmon being repeatedly clubbed to death or left on the floor to asphyxiate.
Countries such as Norway, Germany and Switzerland have already recognised the need for farmed fish legislation and have acted accordingly. Scotland could, if it chose, be the first of the UK nations to implement species-specific legislation for farmed fish at slaughter.
Scottish gugas – juvenile gannets – are due to be killed on Sula Sgeir, north of the Isle of Lewis, under licence. 10 men will travel to the island which is uninhabited by humans, to take some 500 baby birds out of their nests using a pole and noose and will then crush their heads. The animals are then “prepared” and returned to be sold as a “delicacy”. It is inhumane and completely outdated and in fact has not been done since 2021.
The fact that NatureScot – not noted for being animal-friendly – stated it recognises the ‘cultural significance’ of the hunt is unsurprising – the aficionados of the corrida say just the same, as do the Faroese in respect of their whale killing.
We joined OneKind in asking the Ministers to put the current licence on hold while a review into NatureScot’s decision has been taken – we have no more news as yet.
FRANCE
Elephants were being displayed by the Gartner Family which has a bad record of cruelty, so we wrote to the Prefect of Tarn-et-Garonne. In 2028, displays of elephants by mobile zoos will be illegal in France anyway – so why not adopt the policy now?
Wolves – we wrote to President Macron via his contact form. Their status is still protected but to a lesser degree, and he should not be persuaded by farming interests to support the killing of wolves. Restoring extra protection for them could influence other European countries to do the same.
(According to the French wildlife group ASPAS – Association pour la Protection des Animaux Sauvages – Portugal, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Poland have already announced that they would maintain strict protection for wolves).
Very surprisingly, we had a detailed reply from President Macron’s office – but the fact remains that farmers who see wolves as a threat to their flocks will be able to kill them – as- quelle surprise! – deterrence is not working at all!
We made a formal submission in support of a Bill suspending the hunting of curlews and black-tailed godwits in metropolitan France up until July 2026.
SPAIN
A lost dog was seen and reported to the Galende town council, Catalunya. He was described as being in a poor physical condition, suffering from muscle loss and frightened. The administration stated that if an animal had an owner they could not intervene.
According to Law 7/2023 (protection of the rights and wellbeing of animals) the town council is obliged to collect lost and abandoned animals and transfer them to a rescue centre, whether they have an owner or not.
So we joined the organisation FAADA in asking for this to be done and for the dog to receive necessary veterinary attention.
In July, the Encierro, the Pamplona Bull Run, takes place. Many tourists enjoy this futile event – but they might not be aware that it is just a prelude to slaughter in the arena.
We wrote to the Mayor to ask for an end to this vain cruelty.
Donkeys are being used to draw carts for tourists in Mijas, near Malaga. Laura Riera, the equine expert at FAADA and the vet and equine ethologist Teresa Gamonal, inspected the donkeys in situ and stated that the local authority is not in compliance with several animal welfare norms. We wrote to the Mayor of Mijas, the Councillor responsible for Animal Welfare and to the Councillor for Urban Transport.
We joined FAADA in asking for the immediate transfer of the donkeys to appropriate centres which comply with the minimum requirements of norm RD 804/2011.
FAADA have asked to meet with the Municipality to offer their specialised technical assessment and ensure respectful and ethical transition for the animals.
KURDISTAN
Dogs in Erbil – via War Paws, we wrote to Karwan Jamal Tahir, High Representative of the Kurdish Regional Government to the UK.
The government of Erbil, led by Governor Omed Xoshnow, has been carrying out a horrific campaign against dogs under the guise of public safety.
Using over 450million IQD of public funds, the authorities have constructed what they call a “shelter” on the outskirts of the city. In reality, this facility operates more like a mass detention site—dogs are violently captured, dumped into an enclosed area, and left without adequate access to food, water, medical care, or shelter from the elements.
We understand that independent organisations, including War Paws, have been denied access to this facility.
Officials expressed frustration that no residents had signed up to participate in their bounty program offering $2 per dog to anyone who captures and delivers animals to the government shelter.
We expressed our thanks to the residents of Erbil for their enlightened stance.
We asked the UK Representative to pass on our concerns to the Governor of Erbil and ask him to endorse the public rejection of this cruel policy and implement a humane TNR programme in the city. https://warpaws.org/
CHINA
Torture of cats on the internet – we wrote to Ambassador Zheng Zeguang in London about this extremely worrying phenomenon which was featured on major media news.
A member of the organisation Feline Guardians reports:
“China is now experiencing a wave of cat abuse, from elementary school students all the way to the elderly participating in it,” Chen said.
Chen says the number of people involved in Chinese-based networks is “growing larger and larger,” and include foreigners outside the country.
Data gathered by Feline Guardians showed a 500% increase in new torture videos added to the Chinese Telegram groups they monitor between June 2024 and February 2025 – with a new video being uploaded on average around every 2.5 hours. In the first two months of this year, more than 500 new torture videos have been uploaded, with most coming from previously unknown abusers.”
As this cruelty is so rife and affects the young so negatively, we asked the Ambassador to contact his government and request that they take remedial action.
We copied in Animals Asia, ACTAsia and the Duo Duo Project as they all have experience and links in China.
INDIA
Female elephant Mahadevi was rescued from captivity and transferred to vet care/sanctuary – we sent our thanks to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for facilitating this.
CANADA
The excellent Canadian organisation The Furbearers reported that grizzly bear Tex was at risk in British Columbia because of the Human-Grizzly Bear Conflict Response Guidelines.
The administration had dismissed the Mamalilikulla Nation’s speaking of Tex as a brother or kin and who wanted to provide safe habitat for him. This dismissal was particularly contradictory as the government has spoken at length about Indigenous reconciliation.
We asked the Environment Ministers to immediately revisit these policies and take action to show they understand the importance of individual animals, their role in First Nations culture and spirituality, and that they will protect Tex.
UPDATE: It’s sad to report thatTex was shot and killed.
Again via Animal Justice, we wrote to Manitoba ministers about some 500 ferrets kept in horrifying conditions at a Manitoba pet mill.
Earlier this year, Animal Justice went undercover at David Holden Ferrets, probably Canada’s largest ferret mill in Manitoba. The video shows about 500 ferrets suffering in filthy, tiny wire cages without bedding, and with floors coated in faeces and urine.
The owner has now released some ferrets to a US rescue organization. An illegal makeshift gas chamber was used to kill animals.
Animal Justice lawyers have called on provincial authorities to investigate and rescue all the ferrets. While officials say an investigation is underway, it appears no animals have been removed except for those voluntarily surrendered by the breeder and to date, it appears no charges have been laid against Mr. Holden who continues to sell ferrets through multiple online ads on Kijiji.
Animal Justice in Canada has filed yet another complaint with Animal Welfare Services (AWS), urging officials to take immediate action to protect belugas at Marineland. Drone footage taken in July and shared with Animal Justice by TideBreakers shows what appears to be another sick beluga whale isolated in a “hospital” tank, less than 6 months after the last known beluga death at Marineland. At least 18 belugas have died at Marineland since 2019, as well as one dolphin and Kiska, the lone orca held at the notorious roadside zoo.
The most recent footage was released mere weeks after Animal Justice submitted a legal complaint to AWS following drone footage showing belugas and dolphins confined in small tanks near loud demolition work at the facility. Marine mammal welfare experts concluded based on the footage that the noise, vibrations, and disruption from the demolition activity were likely causing the animals to experience fear and psychological suffering. As far as AJ are aware, AWS has done nothing to improve the situations for these helpless dolphins and belugas.
What would we and Canadian animal advocates do without Animal Justice!
Horses: in response to their report, we appealed again to Premier Mark Carney as Animal Justice and the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition had filed a legal complaint over an April plane full of horses shipped from Edmonton to Japan, where multiple horses collapsed and were illegally denied food, water and rest for over 28 hours.
USA
We repeated a letter to a New Jersey community not to allow geese to be gassed at an airfield.
Rodeo – we wrote again to the Ogle County, Illinois, Sheriff and officials as steer- tailing and horse tripping (the latter illegal in Illinois) took place despite much opposition. This time, 9 steers’ tails were twisted off.
As elephants Tina & Billy had been secretly moved from LA Zoo to Tulsa Zoo, we wrote again to Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson to urge her to schedule Motion 25-0446 for a full Council hearing. We were also asking for Tina & Billy to transferred to sanctuary. It is expected that Tulsa zoo will continue to subject Billy to captive breeding attempts following his transfer from LA.
Please ask the Tulsa Zoo to have Tina & Billy transferred to sanctuary:
Beavers were being targeted in in Mobile city, Alabama. The city has apparently been killing beavers for years, with plans to deploy traps at 23 locations this year.
The “pest” control company reportedly hired by the city apparently claims to kill 300 to 400 beavers each year.
We wrote – twice – to the town officials pointing out that beavers do useful work in cleaning water, diverting streams and helping to stop flooding. We told them that we in Britain exterminated our beavers 400 years ago, to our eternal shame, and are now taking a more enlightened view and releasing them into rivers in Britain.
Furthermore, the medieval devices typically used to capture and kill beavers —Conibear traps—cause immense suffering, slowly crushing or drowning their victims to death. Steel-jaw traps and snares are among other traps commonly used, and they leave victims to struggle for prolonged periods until drowning or suffocating.
Wolves – we wrote to Colorado Parks asking officials to continue to protect the Copper Creek Pack of Wolves.
UPDATE: The Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission met on Monday, July 7th and they listened carefully to the agency’s Director—and to the public comments they received via email. The CPW Commission made no moves to try to get the Copper Creek family eliminated. Instead, they took the only justifiable course and left management of the wolves in the hands of the professionals at CPW.
Los Angeles hoarding of guinea pigs– we asked the new CEO of PetSmart to immediately end the sale of guinea pigs in their stores. As the largest seller of guinea pigs in the United States, an end to sales at PetSmart would have a profound impact on the numbers of guinea pigs in rescues, shelters, or abandoned “in the wild”. In any case, buyers were not always aware of their complex needs.
We are still very concerned about Florida black bears: we wrote yet again to the Florida Governor and Commissioners prior to the August 13 vote to slaughter them by various terrible means. We thanked one Commissioner who already voted “no” to this appalling slaughter. We wrote on Aug 13, reminding the Governor that we have been campaigning against this hunt for over a year, writing at least 7 times to all the authorities.
Despite searches, we have no update yet on this.
MEXICO
We wrote to all Mexican Senators about including Animal Welfare in their Constitution. A legal initiative called a “período extraordinario” would allow a debate. A compassionate Senator of Sonora state, Lilly Téllez, replied to say she was all in favour, but her party, Partido Acción Nacional, was not a majority one and we needed to contact those who were in such parties as they were responsible for the período extraordinario initiatives. Which we had already done, with no response.
Some good news is that Mexico has passed the Mincho Law:
Mincho the dolphin was forced to perform tricks at a Barceló hotel in Mexico, until one day he slammed head-first onto the concrete and lay there, motionless. There was public outrage and members of the organisation Eko took action.
“The Mexican authorities closed it down for good. But that was just the first step.
Together, with partner group Animal Heroes, Eko launched a campaign for something even bigger: a national law to end dolphin captivity forever.
This groundbreaking legislation bans dolphin shows, swim-with-dolphin programs, and the breeding of marine mammals in captivity. Every dolphin prison in the country will be forced to shut down, and dolphins will finally be moved to sanctuaries where they can live out their lives in peace and safety.”
Please also see a postscript about a very positive animal welfare advance in Ciudad Juárez.
ARGENTINA
Kshamenk is the last orca in Argentina; we wrote to President Milei, pointing out that the conditions in which he is kept are horrific and would the President take responsibility and have them improved. The sad news is, as you may remember, that the Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia is not yet ready to take cetaceans.
AUSTRALIA
Hunting in Australia – we are worried about the Game and Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025, which is currently before the NSW Government.
Hunting is obviously already legal, including of many Australian native animals. The Bill would create a “Conservation Hunting Authority” and expand recreational hunting on Crown land under the false premise of conservation.
The evidence against this Bill includes:
Recreational hunting seriously risks the killing of non-target species, including native species;
The RSPCA explicitly opposes recreational hunting due to the “inherent and inevitable pain and suffering caused”;
There will be no independent oversight or effective enforcement of animal welfare laws;
NSW Crown land and public land should be used to connect citizens with nature, rather than being used as shooting ranges;
A legislated “right to hunt” could make hard fought-for animal protection measures vulnerable; and
|ronically, the NSW Government is reviewing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979, including the consideration of formally recognising animal sentience. We hope this will happen and have beneficial effect.
We asked Victoria Ministers for a ban on the fur trade. Cat fur gloves were seen twice in one store and some from raccoon dogs too. We asked the Ministers to make Victoria the first Australian state to end the trade in fur.
A report from Animal Liberation said that Tripadvisor is still advertising Uluru Camel Tours, though not actually selling tickets for it. Animal Liberation has compiled an extensive map and some of the findings are alarming; from human-animal interactions with captive wild animals, including native species, to rodeos and animal racing activities.
EUROPEAN UNION
We made a formal submission to the EU Commission Consultation asking for a ban on fur farming and the selling of fur of several animals, viz:
“As European citizens, though not citizens of the European Union, we strongly endorse a ban on the breeding of animals for their skins and the trade in products derived from this practice.
It is patently obvious that the fur industry causes enormous suffering to millions of animals, it is unnecessary and completely alien to present day values of animal wellbeing in Europe.
We do not wish to wear the skins of slaughtered animals – that is savagery.
Furthermore, fur farming is a serious public health risk and has considerable environmental impacts. We seem to have forgotten Covid 10, an infection which was probably zoonotic, and the chaos caused by the pandemic.
We appeal to the European Commission to listen to its citizens and take firm action:
Europe should be fur-free.”
UPDATES:
The Snake River in the USA. You might remember we have many times appealed for the dams to be removed, allowing the passage of salmon who are a vital food source for the Southern Resident orcas – however, Earthjustice reports:
“Donald Trump has withdrawn the U.S. federal government from a landmark agreement to restore salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest, slamming the initiative as “radical environmentalism”.
“A presidential memorandum signed by Trump on 12 June abruptly ends federal government support for a deal between the Biden administration, Washington, Oregon, and four Native American tribes, aimed at boosting renewable energy for tribal communities and supporting salmon recovery. The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement was described as a significant step toward restoring salmon and steelhead in the region, where wild populations have declined to dangerously low levels. Once home to 16 distinct species, the basin has already lost four to extinction, while seven more are now listed under the Endangered Species Act.
The Snake River dams – the Ice Harbor, Little Goose, Lower Monumental and Lower Granite – are one of the greatest threats to the survival of salmon… block access to the species’ most productive remaining habitat.
“The Trump administration is turning its back on an unprecedented opportunity to support a thriving Columbia Basin — and ignoring the extinction crisis facing our salmon,” said Earthjustice Senior Attorney Amanda Goodin… This administration may be giving up on our salmon, but we will keep fighting to prevent extinction and realize win-win solutions for the region.”
Hawai’i – a state in which we take a special interest as we have very good contacts there. We have objected on several occasions to commercial fishing in protected zones. Some positive news from Shark Stewards is:
“On August 8, a Hawaii Federal district court ruling determined that a letter from the National Marine Fisheries Services under NOAA authorizing the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument did not have legal authority to open the protected area to fishing. The ruling was in response to a direction under NOAA by the Administrationʻs direction for the removal of protected status by Executive Order from Donald Trump. Since the original announcement, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, the body responsible for commercial fishing in US and International waters in the Pacific, greenlit fishing in Johnson, Jarvis and Wake islands.
The court’s order declares unlawful and cancels the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) April 25 letter that purported to authorize commercial fishing in the portions of the monument established under President GW Bush in 2009, and increased under President Obama in 2014. It is expected this will be appealed by NMFS but is a positive sign for the other two monuments under review…”
FINALLY! – PS – A POSITIVE UPDATE ON MEXICO
Planned Pethood of Juárez – https://www.plannedpethooddejuarez.org/
Mary Tovey writes:
“Juárez is just blowing it out of the ball park! The Municipality of Juárez is hosting bi-monthly free spay and neuter clinics. This is to go on for a year. Amazing and transformative in this area that has long been hellish for street dogs.
Our vets are participating, but it’s not connected to us.
I suspect this may have to do with the new President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo who has supported adding Animal Welfare to the Mexican Constitution. Progressive, life- altering for street dogs and possibly, other than Bhutan, the only place I know of that is addressing the street dog population on a huge scale. Each clinic is full, with large numbers of citizens showing up with their pets. This past weekend (August 9-10) the clinic sterilized 586 animals.
I hope Juárez receives tons of positive press off this, to encourage them to keep going and for other areas too. Our neighbors to the South have shown the USA what it can look like when the Government steps up.
PPJ is not out of the loop, we will be hosting a clinic in Palomas in September and look for more clinics in Ascension.”
N.B. Ciudad Juárez, commonly referred to as just Juárez, is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is the seat of the Juárez Municipality with an estimated metropolitan population of 2.5 million people.
Thanks for reading!
- Marian Hussenbux. August 16 2025
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