Help CIWF #BanLiveExports with Compassion in World Farming

Posted on 4:00pm Saturday 8th May 2021

Compassion in World Farming are campaigning to ban live exports and stop animal suffering. And they have a donation match underway.

In their email with news of this match fund (which is up to £30,000), they remind us of three terrible events which took place fairly recently:

In the Suez Canal in March 2021 when the Ever Given, a 400 metre container ship, got stuck. She blocked a busy transport route – and that meant long delays for about 200,000 on the 16 livestock ships waiting to pass through the Suez Canal.
In February 2021, two ships carrying 2,600 young cattle going from Spain to Libya got stranded at sea after an outbreak of bluetongue. They were refused entry at one port after another – and food and water for the animals started running out. Dozens of young calves apparently died on board. The ships had to go back to Spain and the rest of the animals faced being enthunised.
And in November 2019, a ship carrying 14,000 sheep from Romania to Saudi Arabia overturned and sank. All but 180 of the animals on board died, either from drowning or of exhaustion and injuries. The salvage company reported secret decks that were loaded with more sheep than the cargo plan had actually declared – and that could have caused the ship to capsize.

We need to ban live export.

And with this match, every pound you give could be doubled.

CIWF say that 2021 could be the y ear live animal exports for slaughter and fattening from England and Wales come to an end. But they need to be banned from or via Scotland and Northern Ireland as well – this loophole needs to be closed.

CIWF has a battle plan and I quote from their website:

"STEP 1:
Push the UK Government to honour its Brexit promises and ban live animal exports in England and Wales.

STEP 2:
Persuade Scotland to follow suit and ban all live animal exports, closing the loophole to Northern Ireland and Europe.

STEP 3:
Convince the European Union to follow our good example on animal welfare and ban live exports from the EU and long journeys within the EU.

STEP 4:
Leverage this success to persuade other countries around the world to ban cruel live exports for farm animals."

I do not know how long this match fund is going on for – it goes up to £30,000 – but every penny counts and will help CIFW campaign hard to stop live exports.

PLEASE DONATE HERE – THANK YOU

Visit Compassion in World Farming to find out more about their work and how you can get involved and help.

Other ways to help stop ban live export

The 10^th to 16^th May is National Vegetarian Week and a good opportunity to take a step in that direction, however small a step we all take. Look at the Vegan Society's website too for help with vegan meals.
If you do eat meat, look carefully at the package to see where it has come from. Buy meat that has been locally produced.
If you eat out, ask where the meat on the menu has come from. Show you care.
Visit Ban Live Export’s website to find out more about live export and the world trade – it is incredible how far these animals have to travel when they are alive and packed in to transport, many without water or food.
Spread the word – many people don’t think about animals travelling long distances like this, only to be slaughtered when they reach land.
Put the date of 14 June 2021 in your diary – it’s Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day
Support CIWF by giving a gift of compassion to celebrate a special occasion, perhaps a birthday or anniversary. Make a donation of at least £15 to Compassion in World Farming, and your nominated friend or relative will receive a gift certificate, a compassionate pen, a hand-written card from CIWF, and a copy of the latest Farm Animal Voice magazine.

Celebrate a birthday or anniversary with a gift of compassion
image © CIWF

We need to put the pressure on!

New Zealand have announced that live animal exports are to be phased out over a two year periods to uphold high standards of animal welfare. Other countries need to follow suit. Read all about New Zealand’s news here.

#BanLiveExports

World Binturong Day

Posted on 3:00pm Tuesday 4th May 2021

The 8^th May 2021 is World Binturong Day.

The aim is to raise awareness of this mammal who lives in the primary and secondary forests of South East Asia in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines (on the Palawan Island).

How much do you know about the Binturong?

Here are 7 facts about binturongs:

The binturong uses its tail to balance – they can grab things and hang from branches with their tails.
Binturongs are also called bearcats – but they aren’t cats or bears! They are part of the Viverridae family
Their conservation status is Vulnerable (according to the IUCN in 2016

The conservation of binturongs isn’t easy – most of the studies on their behaviour and diet and reproduction are from binturongs in captivity – only three were done in the wild, so it’s hard to get an idea of the size of their territory, their diet and the way they all interact with each other. In addition, they are mostly active at night and they live 10 to 20 metres high, so it can be difficult to get accurate information on the binturongs.

ABConservation work to protect the binturong

They are based in France and in the Philippines. They undertake a number of activities:

They have a BearCat Study Programme to improve knowledge of binturong ecology and try to find out the remaining number of binturongs in the forest of the Palawan Island
They have created partnerships with local organisations and also a method of canopy camera trapping from 5 to 20 metres high in the treetops to help detect binturongs. They also take part in conferences to spread information and they are involving Filipino and French university students in the implementation of various research protocols.
They are now mapping the distribution of binturongs on the island with lots of study sites, and undertaking an ecological study of binturongs through camera trapping.
They are raising awareness of the importance of nature and the threat it faces, and working to create tangible actions and solutions to face the threats that will impact humans.
They also have a wildlife rescue centre as well.

Ways to support ABConservation in protecting binturongs are by donating, becoming a member and/or volunteering.

Visit their website here

Please help STOP the donkey skin trade

Posted on 5:00pm Tuesday 20th Apr 2021

Tell Eastern African Authorities:
Ban The Donkey Skin Trade.
Sign the Official Petition Now.

Eastern Africa has the highest donkey population in the world.

So it’s a hotspot for donkey skin traders.

The Brooke says that donkeys are cruelly slaughtered. Their skins are used to make Chinese medicine and beauty products.

Uganda and Kenya have bans on exporting donkey skins in place.

But we need bans across eastern Africa to stop the donkey skin traders for good.

The Brooke has a petition calling on the equivalent of the EU in eastern Africa to push for a ban right across the entire region. This will protect donkeys – and help the owners who need them.

The Brooke say that at the moment, the restrictions covering the donkey skin trade are inconsistent, so traders exploit those areas where the laws and their enforcement are weakest of all. They are stealing and slaughtering thousands of donkeys.

The Brooke is calling on IGAD to push for a ban across the whole region.

Pressure from Brooke supporters has helped secure a ban in Kenya.

Kenya today, tomorrow the world.

We need to act fast to protect the theft and slaughter of donkeys.

Please sign this petition

Our Blog - Ways to help animals

Tell Eastern African Authorities: Ban The Donkey Skin Trade. Sign the Official Petition Now.

Tell Eastern African Authorities:
Ban The Donkey Skin Trade.
Sign the Official Petition Now.