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
September 2024 – January 2025
UNITED KINGDOM
We wrote to DEFRA Minister Steve Reed, via Compassion, asking for clear labelling on animal-derived products which 2/3 of the public favour. If implemented, labels would state how the animals were kept, benefitting consumers, higher welfare farmers and millions of animals every year. With major plans in place or under development in France – which we wrote about quite some time ago – Denmark and Germany, it’s time the UK took this step.
To support campaigns run by Freedom for Animals, we asked the London Xmas Market to stop exploiting reindeer at their festivities – and made the same request in Santander, Spain.
KIng’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council received planning – application 22/00860 for pig ‘finishing’ facilities at Feltwell Farm, Thetford. We made the usual objections which must focus on noise, pollution, environmental damage, but we always mention animal welfare.
A report from Animal Justice Project reached us. Also, in Norfolk, the company Innovis runs a boar semen collection facility. This horrible establishment was investigated and appalling neglect, disrespect and cruelty was uncovered. I have to say I found this to be one of the most upsetting reports I have read, involving gentle animals who suffer this process repeatedly.
It was RSPCA Assured and Red Tractor Certified. The latter, to be fair, replied immediately, de-certified the place and reported it to the Animal &B Plant Regulator. The RSPCA, despite our two requests, have not said what they will do – however, since they have no CEO yet, I suppose we cannot expect any action yet. I shall keep this on my to-do list.
This is a link, but it is graphic, so please be warned:
The investigation was covered in many press articles.
Driven Grouse Shooting (DGS): you will probably have signed Wild Justice’s petition to ban this controversial industry, which now stands at over 63.700 signatures.
Please sign if you have not already – and circulate: – we need 100.000 to be eligible for a Parliamentary debate.
As the RSPB favours only licensing – which Scotland has done – we wrote to CEO Beccy Speight to ask why they will not adopt a policy of banning DGS. Since 2018, when the grouse moor people said there was no longer persecution of raptors, 133 birds of prey have been killed or have mysteriously disappeared. This tally is kept by the excellent Dr. Ruth Tingay of Raptor Persecution UK.
Please note that the RSPB describes DGS as an industry out of control, so mere licensing will probably not work – damaging loopholes have already weakened the legislation in Scotland.
Viz:
“The changes made by NatureScot significantly weakened the licence by changing the extent of the licensable area from covering an entire estate to just the parts of the estate where red grouse are ‘taken or killed’, which on a driven grouse moor could effectively just mean a small area around a line of grouse butts.” (from Raptor Persecution UK)
The RSPB themselves have stated:
“In summary, we believe that this new condition means that establishing a link between raptor persecution offences and grouse moor management, and to act as a meaningful deterrent to wildlife crimes, will now require a burden of proof that will be virtually impossible to achieve”.
We received a prompt reply from the RSPB which – as they use the word ‘proportionate’ – basically means they want to keep those members who like killing birds happy – and many farmers and landowners do support the RSPB, as I knew when I lived in Wales and was active in their branch.
We wrote again to the RSPB reminding them of the watering down of licensing Scottish grouse moors.
However, their second reply reiterated their intention to support licensing, saying:
“As you know, the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Act 2024 (WMM Act) regulates all grouse shooting, muirburn and traps, matters in Scotland which we have campaigned on for decades. It is the first time that any form of gamebird shooting has been regulated in the UK, so it was probably inevitable that some of the wording in the Act would be found to be inadequate. Please rest assured though that we have a plan of action to address this part of the wording of the WMM Act and to get this loophole tightened up soon via an amendment to forthcoming legislation.”
So everything on the grouse moors, Scotland or England, is rosy!
SCOTLAND:
Going back to the weakening of the Scottish grouse shoot licensing plan – Wildlife Management and Muirburn Act 2024 – we wrote to 12 NatureScot Board members to complain. With her permission, we quoted Ruth Tingay of Raptor Persecution UK. We had a reply which Ruth described as a cut and paste from the NatureScot web site.
Loch Long is renowned for its natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage, but an industrial large-scale salmon farm is threatening to scar the loch’s pristine coastline and destroy its wildlife. With information from the Scottish Greens we wrote to the Cabinet Secretary. Absolutely everything about this application is bad. It has already been rejected by the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, and has strong opposition from locals, but the corporation behind this mega-project is pushing ahead with an appeal.
Electric shock collars – Ross Greer Green MSP proposed a ban. Though the Scots are ahead of the game in many instances of animal welfare, in this matter Scotland is years behind many other European countries, including Wales, who have already banned these terrible devices. MSPs voted on Greer’s proposals on 23rd January. The collars have not been banned.Scottish Wildcats, the rarest feline in the world. After receiving from Wildcat Haven that Forestry and Land Scotland was logging in the Clashindarroch where WH say there are breeding wildcats, we wrote to ask them to stop forthwith before their habitat is destroyed. Their standard reply came promptly: they stopped logging on Jan. 31 and maintained they took care to avoid dens, did not operate in the breeding season and worked with the organisation Saving Wildcats.
We wrote again to point out that the wildcats are fertile from December, so mating could take place earlier than they say – that they themselves have said dens are very difficult to find – and we contend that saving wildcats already existing on a habitat makes more sense than breeding in captivity and releasing later, which is what Saving Wildcats does.
Saving Wildcats is a partnership project lead by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), dedicated to Scottish wildcat conservation and recovery, aiming to prevent the extinction of wildcats in Scotland by breeding and releasing them into the wild.
We made a submission to the Northern Ireland government on MLA John Blair’s attempt to get the hunting of mammals banned – with no exemptions, no loopholes, no licensing. Due to the election everything went on the backburner.
FRANCE:
Colosse, a children’s charity, was accepting donations from French bullfighting. We asked them to refuse, as other charities have.
At Salleboeuf in the Gironde there is a small refuge called Touche Pas a Mon Popotte. The animals- companion, farmed, wild – are being terrorised by hunters operating right along their fences. We wrote to the Mayor of Salleboeuf and the Prefect of Gironde asking for a limit on movement of hunters and dogs, away from the fences. We read an update from an unknown correspondent who said that neither the Mayor nor the Prefect could stop this as it was not illegal. He advised the refuge owner to ask her neighbours to refuse entry on their land to hunters – which many would not be prepared to do.
We received a reply from the Prefect, saying that our requests had been sent to the services responsible for hunting and that state services would keep an eye on the matter.
SPAIN
We asked the local government of Cugat, Catalunya to confiscate a starving horse. The excellent organisation in the region is FAADA, we receive much information from them and they are able to bring legal cases which often succeed.
Community cats in Canarias are to be caught and destroyed. They are classed as invasive non-native species. We wrote to the President of Canarias, again via FAADA.
FAADA again: a dog had been tied up for some time in Argentona, Catalunya, injured and with no shelter. Police and local authorities seemed to be only concerned about there being no identification on him. We wrote to the Town Hall to ask them to take action as this is illegal.
www.faada.org. (there is an English version)
NORWAY
Via Greenpeace, we wrote to the Norwegian PM in opposition to their desire to mine the Arctic – which would make them the first country in the world to do so.
The latest is: “…Norway has paused its controversial project to open up its seabed for commercial-scale deep-sea mining. Oslo had planned to let companies apply to mine 280,000 sq km (108,000 sq miles) of its waters for precious metals – an area bigger than the size of the UK…
“Environmental scientists had warned the move could be catastrophic for marine life, while the plans were opposed by 32 countries including France, Canada, Brazil and Germany…”
However: “Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoer called Sunday’s development a “postponement” and said preparatory work on regulations and environmental impact would continue”.
ICELAND
Whaling again – we wrote to Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir to ask her to put an end to this cruel hunt. In a deplorable step backward for marine mammal conservation, her predecessor Bjarni Benediktsson had made the decision to issue new licences for commercial whaling. These licences authorise the killing of up to 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales annually over the next five years.
Former Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir had appointed a committee to review the legal environment and administration of whaling, as well as compliance with international obligations and treaties. We had written to her on the matter as well. We have been writing to Icelandic Ministers since 2022 at least.
THE EUROPEAN UNION
There appeared to be a risk to the ban on the import of seal products into the EU. We wrote to Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, to Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security and to Anne Delvaux, one of whose remits is the Seal Ban. We received a prompt reply from Anne Delvaux, saying there was no intention of weakening current protection for seals. They would be carrying out a Fitness Check on the legislation.
EGYPT
Sea turtles were being kept in a basin at a hotel. We asked for them to be relocated to an appropriate rescue.
ETHIOPIA
Ethiopian Airlines carry monkeys from Mauritius to labs in Europe. We have written about this before. To mention one argument against, among many, TB is endemic in Mauritius.
MOROCCO
We asked CEO Mattias Grafstrom of FIFA not to award Morocco the 2030 football tournament because of their mass killing of street dogs.
FIFA took no notice and Morocco was one of the successful bids. We appealed to the CEO to adopt a policy of standing up against this cruelty everywhere they organise their tournaments.
NEPAL
Five years passed and yet again we were faced with the horrors of the Gadhimai Mela in which many thousands of animals of many species are ritually and horrifically killed, ostensibly to please the goddess. This happens in December, so we decided to begin writing to the PM, other Ministers responsible and the community elders in October, repeating our requests in November and early December.
We were helped this time by friends Barbara Webb of HART and Sneha Shrestha of Sneha Care Rescue, who as well as being very busy with her rescues, TNR and educational programmes, is co-ordinator of the campaign. She organised several rallies, including one that brought together some 4000 women to object to the cruelty.
In the middle of this work, floods came to Nepal and Sneha’s house suffered an inundation – so thank you, Sneha, for battling on!
Sneha Care: www.snehacare,org
and Himalayan Animal Rescue Trust: www.hartnepal.org
There were fewer animals sacrificed, as those brought in from India were confiscated. The Humane Society International helped by monitoring the Indian border to see that confiscated animals were cared for.
Sneha and her team suffered much abuse this year from the crowds as they tried to record the killing and the police attempted to stop the animal campaigners from alerting the public to what was going on.
The authorities covered the site with smoke, put hay over the bodies, attacked opponents, and tried to stop drone filming.
We asked the Nepali Ambassador in London to pass on our appeals for compassion to his government.
UNITED STATES
There are Piping Plovers on Southampton beach, Long Island. SUVs were being used on the site, risking disturbance.
Having received the news from the excellent Humane Long Island, we wrote to the Trustees, Board and Clerk asking them to protect this federally – protected rare bird.
We had a reply from Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara who maintained there was no intention or in fact ability to override federal protections of species. She also stated there was other disruption, such as raking of the beach and the presence of dogs – the regulations have to be ‘fair’.
Of course, we agree with that!
Again, for Humane Long Island – we asked Hempstead Town not to allow an application made by William “Billy” Berman—a serial animal exploiter with ties to the notorious Sloth Encounters ‘ owner Larry Wallach and wildlife trafficker Shane Hensley—to privatise the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter.
We wrote to Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent to complain about Holtsville Ecology Site & Animal Preserve Long Island, where Honey the bear has died of multiple ailments – 100 animals need to be transferred to reputable sanctuaries, which could be arranged by Humane Long Island. We also wrote to Brookhaven Supervisor and Councillors. We have no update yet on this matter.
We wrote yet again to Bronx Zoo about elephants Happy and Patty, since the report from Non Human Rights Project had reported that Happy was back out on display, but lying down, looking tired. We repeated our request to retire her and Patty to sanctuary.
Wildlife in Idaho – we thanked Wildlife Services for banning the aerial killing of predators in Wildernesses – but not in Wilderness Study Areas; we asked them to extend the ban.
Forty-three rhesus macaques had escaped from the Alpha Genesis laboratory breeding center in South Carolina and were at large. Scared, disoriented, and without the skills to survive in the wild, they were vulnerable. We asked Alpha Genesis to provide a permanent home for these monkeys at the Born Free sanctuary in Texas.
The Rodeo in San Diego. Los Angeles has imposed a ban on bareback bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, team roping, and steer wrestling—all of which cause injury to animals forced to endure this event. We wrote to San Diego council members, asking them to do the same as LA, stressing how unedifying these practices are for young spectators.
The update is that the SD rodeo remains the same.
Red wolves N. Carolina – there are only 16 left. We thanked Wildlife Resources Commission for funding wildlife crossings and making a Resolution to promote their recovery.
Via Center for Biological Diversity. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org
We have much useful contact with Hawai’i via the Hawaiian Humane Society and for several years now have submitted testimony for Bills presented to their legislature.
We thanked Senator Mike Gabbard, Representative Darius Kila and Rep. Andrew Garrett for attending the January discussion on topics covering 3 of the biggest issues in animal welfare in Hawaiʻi today:
– Housing access for pet owners – Animal cruelty penalties – Funding for no-fee and low-fee spay/neuter services
We had very positive replies from Sen. Gabbard and Rep. Kila. We always receive nice replies from Mike Gabbard – he is a long time advocate for animals and in 2021 sponsored the Bill which “prohibits the intentional or knowing capture, killing or entanglement of any shark in state waters, bringing an end to shark trophy hunting charters, the take of baby sharks for the aquarium pet trade and the intentional killing or mutilation of sharks for their teeth, jaws or other parts.”
Several more Bills are in the pipeline and, as they come up in committees, we shall respond.
CANADA
Much news from the Canadians:
We wrote to the Ontario authorities about Marineland. Captive beluga whales and dolphins are suffering and dying in tanks in the province — this is the last place in Canada that still confines cetaceans. We asked them to release these sensitive mammals to sanctuary.
Animal Justice, with whom we have worked on many occasions, reported in a recent update:
“The park has faced over a dozen provincial and criminal animal cruelty charges in recent years. Despite this troubling history, prosecutors have mostly dropped the charges and no cases have yet gone to trial—sending a clear message that zoos and aquariums can get away with illegal activity…
…Provincial authorities have ignored numerous legal complaints filed by Animal Justice about the suffering of whales and dolphins—even though more than a dozen whales and dolphins have died at Marineland since 2019, including orca Kiska. “
However, there is some positive news:
“The notorious marine park has been ordered to pay $85,000 for neglecting three black bears, named Sasha, Sugar, and Maple.”
Animal Justice sought to intervene in the sentencing to give the animals a voice in the proceedings, but they were denied by the Court – they are disappointed that the Crown did not seek a probation order or a ban on Marineland from owning other animals, meaning that unfortunately there are no remedial measures to prevent the future distress of animals at this infamous marine park.
Boogie, a Japanese macaque monkey is languishing and displaying mental distress at Bervie Zoo in Kincardine, Ontario.
Animal Justice has been advocating for Boogie since they first investigated Bervie Zoo two years ago. Their footage of Boogie biting and pacing was aired on CTV’s investigative affairs show W5, and prompted an animal welfare expert to express concerns over poor welfare. Their lawyers have asked authorities to transfer Boogie to a sanctuary, but so far they’ve failed to act.
We asked the Animal inspectorate and Solicitor General to transfer Boogie to sanctuary.
In Canada, zoos are poorly regulated, and there are no federal laws or mandatory inspections to protect animals in these facilities. Ontario is the roadside zoo capital of the country, and its laws are so weak that there are no licence or permit requirements to open a zoo full of wild and exotic animals—making it nearly impossible for authorities to shut down a zoo, no matter how badly the animals are suffering.
We repeated our request, this time to veterinary services, to transfer Boogie to sanctuary.
Animal Justice is calling for legal action after a Nova Scotia fish farm was caught on video violently abusing fishes. Sustainable Blue is a so-called ”sustainable” salmon farm. We asked for it to be investigated and action taken as there are existing provincial and federal animal protection laws against this.
Penned hunting of wild animals with dogs is horrifying and Ontario is the only province that allows it – we wrote to Premier Doug Ford to ban the practice. Animal Justice and Coyote Watch Canada challenged penned hunting under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights—a cornerstone law that gives citizens the right to request a review when a law or policy needs to be improved to protect the environment.
We requested that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry review and revoke the new regulations, and close down all existing penned dog hunting area.
We asked a Canadian TV channel not to air the rodeo.
Export of live horses to Japan: We contacted the Canadian Agriculture Committee who will study a Bill to end live horse exports to Japan et al.
We asked Senators to support the Bill with more urgency. We then had to repeat this request as the Conservatives in Senate indulged in delaying tactics.
Now, the Parliament is prorogued for elections, so this is shelved.
Though pet food, animal welfare, the import and export of pets, veterinary services and pet insurance are all subject to regulation, the primary source of the pet industry—breeders—remains largely unregulated.
Classified sites such as Kijiji facilitate animal sales through their platforms and this obviously means that breeders – and buyers – cannot be properly checked. We asked the British Columbia Agriculture Minister Lena Popham to take action.
SOUTH AMERICA
We asked the Costa Rica Minister of Environment to protect the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway – which would help protect leatherback turtles, hammerhead sharks and other marine wildlife.
In order to protect the biodiversity of Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park and Ecuador’s Galapagos Marine Reserve, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Turtle Island in the United States have been advocating for collaboration between the governments of Costa Rica and Ecuador to safeguard the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway. Scientists have documented the critical importance of protection sharks and turtles during their long migrations from industrial fishing. While Ecuador has taken action to protect its half of the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway, Costa Rica has not.
Please see Center for Biological Diversity. www.biologicaldiversity.or
Orca Kshamenk is the only orca in Argentina, captive in Mundo Marino – we asked the Minister of Agriculture to have him transferred to sanctuary.
AUSTRALIA
We wrote To Hon. David Harris, Hon. Penny Sharpe and Hon. Tara Monriarty, in support of a parliamentary inquiry into Dingo management across New South Wales, in line with calls from Bandjalang Traditional Owners and other experts.
We understand that dingoes are the only native mammals specifically exempt from protections under the Biodiversity and Conservation Act 2016, leading to their unregulated management both in the wild and captivity in New South Wales.
We had on a previous occasion complained that there is no regulation around the keeping, breeding and trading of Dingoes in New South Wales, unless they are under an exhibitor’s licence. This is leading to a welfare crisis with Dingoes in New South Wales, with many ending up in the care of volunteer rescue organisations every year.
It seems bizarre that on the one hand, wild dingoes are cruelly killed, and on the other they are bred by private individuals.
Brumbies again in Kosciusko National Park : they are being killed by aerial shooting. A mother aborted her near – term foal because of this terrible practice. The National Standard Operating Procedures oppose any activities during foaling season, yet National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) took their own actions, despite it being foaling season. No accurate population count seems to be possible but advocates expect many fewer than 3000 horses are left. Again, we contacted Minister Penny Sharpe in protest.
We received a reply last month, part of which we reproduce here: “ …NPWS is legally required to comply with the targets set out in the plan, which include reducing the wild horse population to 3,000 and limiting their range to 32 per cent of the park by June 2027. This requirement ensures the cultural significance of horses in Kosciuszko National Park are adequately recognised.
The plan includes a range of available control methods, including aerial and ground shooting, and passive trapping and the provision of horses for rehoming. Updates on horses removed, including methods used, are regularly published online…
Wild horse control is carried out to the highest animal welfare standards. Standard operating procedures, developed with independent expert veterinary and animal welfare advice, meet legislative requirements and are subject to regular review…”
A dog track was mooted for Kilmany, Victoria – via Animal Liberation, we objected to this.
An Illegal abattoir was operating in Snowtown, S Australia: we wrote to the RSPCA Compliance Officer who was not prosecuting or even closing down the facility. We sent a copy to the Deputy Premier, but have no update.
The cruel practice of the mulesing of lambs, peculiar to Australia and very controversial, and the caging of hens, were to be reviewed – that was a year ago, so we wrote to the new Agriculture Minister Julie Collins to remind her.
Live exports by sea is still a big issue, though it will end, partially, in 2028. We contacted Minister Julie Collins and the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles about a new sailing from Fremantle to Kuwait. Is that a safe destination?
We also asked if the slaughterhouse in Kuwait is compliant with Australian standards. Judging by previous and many disturbing investigations, we might know the answer to that.
This is a federal election year and a majority of the electorate will want no animals at all to be shipped after 2028, not just sheep.
- Marian Hussenbux. February 12 2025.
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