ANIMAL INTERFAITH ALLIANCE

With the Conservatives returned as a majority government, Britain now faces the prospect of a vote in parliament to repeal The Hunting Act, which was included in the Conservative manifesto.

Although 80% of the public and 70% of Conservative supporters support The Hunting Act, there could now be a majority of MPs in Parliament who would vote for repeal.

AIA will be supporting Blue Fox in fighting against a repeal of the Act and also in fighting against further badger culls, which are cruel and unscientific.

Lorraine Platt, founder of Blue Fox and Blue Badger said: ‘We have the same amount of anti hunting Tory MPs as last time but we are deprived of many anti-hunt Labour and Libdem MPs who massively lost their seats.  It is paramount that everyone tells their MPs, especially Conservative MPs, to support the ban and say no to repeal.  This is vital as we must secure new Tory MPs to support the ban.  It would be very helpful if people could write to the new Tory and 8 elected Libdem MPs.  There is little time to waste as we suspect a free vote may be offered soon before we can engage support from the new MPs on this issue.  We also want MPs to oppose the roll out of the badger cull as it is unscientific and inhumane’.

In March of this year Green MP Caroline Lucas called for the law to be strengthened and extended to other cruel sports.

Please write to MPs to support the ban and oppose the badger cull roll out.  Many MPs judge the importance an issue by the size of their mailbox.

News just in from Chris Fegan, AIA Political Education & Campaigns Director, about the Maltese Spring Hunt.

“I am delighted to tell you that the Maltese PM has today closed the Spring Hunting Season after a shot bird fell into a school playground.  The hunting season was nearly over but it shows clear political intent.

The Spring season is now closed a few days early, so many birds will live that would otherwise have died. Recent action by the Maltese Govt has shown strong political leadership by the Maltese PM following the Referendum result and, allied with the heavy sentences handed out by the courts in the last couple of weeks, has at least shown the hunters that they will be hit hard for illegal breaches of the Hunting season.

The big fight is now on to try and target the planned autumn hunting season and Catholic Concern for Animals and the Animal Interfaith Alliance will work with LACS to try andstop that from taking place.”

The AIA is delighted to announce that the Dr Schweitzer Universal Kinship Fund has reached a target of £20,000.

The Animal Interfaith Alliance launched the Dr Schweitzer Universal Kinship Fund appeal to commemorate 50 years since the death of Dr Albert Schweitzer.  It is based on the Universal Kinship Fund originally launched in 2006 by AIA Chair, Rev. Feargus O’Connor with the Dr Hadwen Trust to raise funds to promote non-animal research. In 2013 Feargus was honoured with the ‘Fundraiser of the Year’ award by the Dr Hadwen Trust for his unique fundraising achievements at his interfaith celebrations for animals events which bring together members of different faiths who share a love of animals.

Feargus said, ‘We see the vital work of the Dr Hadwen Trust as worthy of all our support because its mission is to save human and animal lives’.

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If you would like to make a donation to the Dr Schweitzer Universal Kinship Fund please send a cheque payable to ‘Dr Hadwen Trust’ to

The Dr Hadwen Trust, Suite 8, Portmill House, Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1DJ,

marked ‘for the AIA’s Dr Schweitzer Universal Kinship Fund’.

‘Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man himself will not find peace.’ – Dr Albert Schweitzer