Read the magazine here: Animal Spirit – Issue 5 – Summer 2016

By Chris Fegan

I was delighted to visit Poland recently for Catholic Concern for Animals (CCA). The catalyst for the visit was World Youth Day 2016 (WYD), a major Catholic ‘jamboree’ for young Catholics from around the world, which is held every two to three years and which, this year, was held in Krakow at the end of July.

The highlight for the young people was the attendance of Pope Francis for four days.

I also took the opportunity to meet with CCA Members in Poland to discuss our planned activity in the country over the next 12-18 months and also to visit an animal project in Poland.

The unexpected bonus was the Conference on Animal Rights in Europe (CARE) in Warsaw which I also attended, which focused on issues in Eastern Europe and was, as far as I am aware, the first of its kind ever held and it is hoped it will become an annual event – I hope so, as it was excellent.

The whole trip was most worthwhile and, whilst at WYD 2016, I helped the Global Catholic Climate Movement with a Laudato Si’ Eco-Village in which we engaged pilgrims, especially young Catholics and the local Krakow population to WYD and the Pope’s encyclical letter on the environment, which was published last year. I was there to make sure that the Pope’s message on the care for all Creation, including the animal kingdom, was to the forefront, along with all the messages about climate change and sustainability, etc.

I am delighted to say that the message was warmly received by all the young people that I spoke to and they were very well informed about the major animal stories of the recent past, including the killing of Cecil the Lion and the recent deaths of animals in zoos due to human intrusion. I was delighted that this young and ‘active’ generation of Catholics will, and do, take animal welfare issues seriously wherever they live in the world and this was very encouraging.

The CARE was also very encouraging, with a large number of young animal welfare advocates from across Europe discussing the issues of animal welfare generally and focusing on the problems in countries such as Czech Republic, Ukraine and Russia, as well as Poland itself.  The situation in some of these countries is dire and it made me consider that, despite all the problems that animals still face in the UK, the situation is better than that of some of our European neighbours.  The problems seem to get worse the further east you go.

An interesting sub-theme for me was the way animal welfare suffered or benefited under differing political regimes and also within and without EU member countries and accession states. The example of Russia as a country that has had major political upheaval, and indeed revolution, was a case in point, and a short history of animal welfare from the days of Tolstoy to the present was very interesting in this regard.

Also, taking into account the UK populations’ referendum vote to leave the EU, the workings of animal welfare on an international level was very relevant. Keeping the gains made via the EU on animal welfare matters will be a major concern for us all and something we must keep an eye on as the Brexit negotiations move forward over the coming months and years.

All in all, the trip to Poland was very useful.  A lot of differing ground for animal welfare were covered and a lot of boxes were ticked.

Chris Fegan, 1^st August 2016.

Follow Chris’ blog and CCA’s Facebook and Twitter pages for regular updates on the event.

Twenty Hour long rescue operation mounted by Police, Forest and Wildlife SOS to rescue ‘Mohan’, a 55 year old elephant tortured for decades in illegal custody Elephant was found to be emaciated, starved and severely wounded.

Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh

In what was the longest wildlife rescue operations lasting mounted by enforcement agencies in India, an emaciated and starving elephant named ‘Mohan’ was rescued from illegal custody. The gruelling twenty hour long operation involved over fifty police officers and forest officers to ensure safety and to maintain law and order during the rescue operation.

The 55 year old male elephant ‘Mohan’ had been labelled the ‘unluckiest’ elephant in the world as several repeated attempts at rescuing him failed and legal proceedings to win his freedom were postponed and delayed repeatedly. However, years of persistence and efforts by the Forest Department with assistance from Wildlife SOS, finally saw a breakthrough and with it came justice for this unlucky elephant.

The District Court in Pratapgarh issued an order to the Police to immediately file a FIR against the people holding the elephant in illegal custody and seize the elephant within 3 days. The rescue operation lasted over 20 hours and faced stiff resistance from anti social elements in the area, intent on sabotaging the rescue attempt. The presence of a large police force helped maintain safety of the rescue team. The mahout of the elephant ‘Ghulam’ was arrested and sent to jail. The unruly mob damaged one vehicle.

DFO Mr Y P Shukla said “The elephant Mohan was transferred to custody of Forest Department in Pratapgarh where he will be provided medical care for the time being.”

Dr. Adarsh Singh, District Magistrate of Pratapgarh, said, “We complied with the directions of the court to ensure the safety of this elephant.”

Medical examination of Mohan elephant conducted by a team of three veterinarians after his rescue revealed elephant was in a truly despicable condition as a result of constant torture and abuse. The medical report dated 23 July 2016 confirms the elephant is thin and emaciated caused by severe starvation. It also mentions that wounds on his body and ears confirm beating and poking by sharp objects, as well as feet injuries that would lead to permanent joint disorders if not properly treated immediately. The elephant’s dung had a lot of round worms and indicated severe worm infestation.

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said, “We hope that this breakthrough in attaining Mohan’s long overdue freedom sets a precedent of zero tolerance for illegal ownership of elephants and gives hope to elephants across the country that are held in illegal captivity and suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of their captors.”

Wildlife SOS India is one of the largest rescue and conservation charities in South Asia, operating 10 wildlife rehabilitation facilities across India, including the world’s largest sloth bear rescue center, the Elephant Conservation and Care Center and Elephant Rehabilitation Centre which collectively houses 22 rescued elephants. Wildlife SOS runs a tribal rehabilitation project that aims to create an alternative livelihood for poachers and other indigenous communities that once depended on wildlife for a livelihood. We also run a leopard rescue center, a wildlife hotline in New Delhi and Agra, and Forest Watch, which is an anti-poaching wildlife crime enforcement unit. More information about the organization can be found at http://www.wildlifesos.org.