News
The number of news found: 22.
02/28/2005 SCIENTIST: ANIMAL TESTS DON'T WORK!
A Newcastle scientist is spearheading a campaign to end medical research on animals. But Dr Jarrod Bailey is no animal rights activist and his argument is founded entirely on the belief that it simply does not work.As scientific director of Europeans for Medical Progress, Dr Bailey, 34, said "archaic" animal methods have either harmed humans or set research back by decades. The group say scientists are not making best use of new technology that would allow the same experiments to take place using human tissue rather than mice or apes.
02/27/2005 ANIMAL CRUELTY RAISES FEW HACKLES IN BOSNIA!
Sarajevo, Bosnia, - In Sarajevo Zoo a large brown bear sits in a cage that is barely larger the animal itself, flapping its paws helplessly against the iron bars every time a child runs past.Whether this gesture should be interpreted as a cry for help is open to question but the traumatized expression in its eyes certainly suggests it is in pain.The bear's dismal conditions draw little criticism from the stream of visitors to the zoo. In a country racked until relatively recently by savage ethnic warfare, few appear to have time or emotional energy to consider animal welfare. SOS Sarajevo is trying to target local youth as part of its campaign to change the tide of public opinion. Members give talks at elementary and secondary schools to raise awareness about the proper treatment of animals.But they have a long way to go. Humiliation of animals for public entertainment is routine in Bosnia. A television report last October, for example, told the story of a restaurant owner on Mount Vlasic who kept a caged bear to amuse his guests.
02/26/2005 GREECE SENT FUR, CARNIVAL WIGS TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS!
ATHENS, (Reuters) - A Greek church charity sent boxes of "inappropriate" aid to victims of the December tsunami in Sri Lanka, including fur coats and carnival wigs, Doctors of the World, the organisation that helped unload the shipment said on Friday. The aid, more than 600 tonnes, was collected in Greece by the Orthodox Church's charity organisation "Solidarity" and shipped to Sri Lanka using a cruise ship. The operation was coordinated by the Greek Foreign Ministry. "We had a staff of eight on the ship travelling to Sri Lanka. When they arrived and started opening boxes containing the aid they were shocked and angered," said Elli Xenou, Doctors of the World director of foreign missions. "There were boxes containing fur coats, carnival wigs and underwear thongs which were completely inappropriate," she told Reuters. The Foreign Ministry said it was investigating the issue, which caused outrage in Greek media. The ministry planned to issue a statement.
02/25/2005 SAVING THE CATS OF KATZERIN!
A rabied dog was discovered in Katzerin last week. The city counsel decided on mass killing of all the stray cats. A temporary order forbids Katzerin city counsel from killing the stray cats by poison, or any other mass killing.The Nazerat court accepted the urgent plea of the Cat Welfare Societyand forbade the poisoning untill the hearing on the matter in court.
02/24/2005 BILL TO BAN EATING CATS AND DOGS STIRS DEBATE!
HONOLULU - A state legislator is pushing a bill that would ban the slaughter of dogs and cats for food, drawing protests from members of some Asian ethnic groups who believe the measure is aimed at unfounded and racist stereotypes of their cultures. Animal rights groups pushed for the bill's introduction this month, even though joint investigations last year by the Hawaiian Humane Society and Animal Crimestoppers yielded no proof that anyone uses the pets as food.
02/23/2005 LEGISLATION WOULD BAN ANIMAL TRAPS!
PROVIDENCE, R.I. Legislation has been introduced at the General Assembly that would ban a type of animal trap in Rhode Island.Currently, the leghold, steel-jawed trap can be used in the state, with a permit from state environmental regulators. The animal rights group Defenders of Animals wants to ban the traps. The group says the traps maim pets and other animals, and could be dangerous to small children. The group says the traps have been banned in 90 countries. The bill was introduced by Representative Joseph Trillo, of Warwick, on Defenders of Animals' behalf.
02/22/2005 MINNIE DRIVER SLAMS HYPOCRITICAL SUPERMODELS!
Hollywood beauty Minnie Driver has attacked supermodels who once campaigned against the fur trade but now appear on the catwalk wearing fur.The Phantom of the Opera actress is a committed vegetarian and would never wear fur, and the hypocritical nature of other supposedly committed celebrities angers her. Driver, 33, says, "What really gets me are all these supermodels who said they'd never wear fur and then did. To me, that's so incredibly shallow and there's just no excuse. You just think, 'How could they?'"She also slams fashion designer Stella McCartney, who claims to be anti-fur and ant-leather, but was recently spotted wearing leather boots.She adds, "It's difficult to know where to stand on the leather debate but I was surprised by Stella McCartney. It's hard to say that it's not hypocritical. I'll never wear fur. That's all I can say. It's like being a vegetarian. It's a life choice."
02/21/2005 FISHING BOATS 'KILL 2,000 DOLPHINS A YEAR'!
British and French fishing boats could be killing more than 2,000 dolphins a year, environmental scientists have warned.Campaigners renewed calls for a halt to pair-trawling for bass after a report highlighted the growing number of dolphins caught in nets in the English Channel. They fear that the species could become extinct in the Channel.The study by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) estimates that 9,700 common dolphins were living in the main fishing ground last winter. But pair-trawlers, which tow large nets between two boats, have been blamed for killing hundreds of them.
02/20/2005 AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK CATTLE ABANDONED, 500 DIE OF THIRST!
Sydney - Australian authorities took over a sprawling outback cattle property on Friday after its aboriginal owners abandoned it, leaving 500 cattle to die of thirst and a further 2,500 struggling to survive without water in searing heat in a drought-stricken land.Animal welfare officials said the cattle on Windidda Station in Western Australia state were living in hellish conditions in reported temperatures of about 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) and with only two of 13 water pumps working."It's an absolute tragedy. The conditions were appalling. It's the worst case of animal neglect we have seen," Kelly Oversby from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in Western Australia told Reuters on Friday. (Reuters)
02/19/2005 WHISTLEBLOWER CHARGES LOUISIANA CHIMP LAB WITH CRUELTY!
New Iberia, LA -- A 20-year animal research veteran has filed a lawsuit against the New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) -- the world s largest chimpanzee lab with over 6,000 chimps and monkeys -- asserting illegal retaliation from NIRC after she blew the whistle on alleged animal welfare and employee safety violations, In Defense of Animals (IDA) announced.The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Narriman Fakier by attorney L. Clayton Burgess (337-234-7573), asserts numerous violations of federal animal welfare laws as well as potential criminal animal cruelty. The suit alleges that NIRC fired Ms. Fakier for whistleblowing, thus depriving her of her free speech rights.
02/18/2005 JAGGER'S MODEL DAUGHTER OUTRAGES FUR LOBBY!
Sir Mick Jagger's daughter Elizabeth has outraged animal activists by wearing a dead fox on the catwalk. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have hit out at the 20-year-old beauty for modeling British designer Julien Macdonald's fur-dominated designs during the first day of London Fashion Week Sunday. A PETA spokesman says, "By wearing this fur she is endorsing hideous cruelty to animals. Elizabeth Jagger and Julien Macdonald have to realize there is no need for fur on the catwalk when there are so many synthetic materials which look and feel like fur. Foxes are sensitive and intelligent animals and that has been reflected in the fact that fox farming was banned in this country in 2004 and the cruel practice of fox hunting will be outlawed this week."
02/17/2005 LOPEZ'S CONTROVERSIAL FASHION COLLECTION!
Jennifer Lopez has sparked outrage with the fur-dominated clothing collection she unveiled at her debut fashion show in New York. The superstar infuriated animal activists with her designs -- which include ivory mink coats and fur straps on evening dresses -- shown off at the prestigious final day of New York Fashion Week on Friday. Saga's marketing director Charlie Ross says, "Jennifer is a great lover of fur. Sweetface [part of Saga] is a luxury label and Jennifer wanted her furs ... her favorite piece is a bleached silver fox coat with strips of the fox stitched onto a chiffon back." An unnamed British editor comments, "I think it's bad enough that fur is so dominant in fashion this season. But when Jennifer Lopez endorses it she's telling the world that it's cool. If J-Lo thinks it's cool, then so will the millions of kids who idolize her."
02/16/2005 GERMANY'S MEDIA LEADERS PRAISE CONTROVERSIAL AMERICAN BOOK 'ETERNAL TREBLINKA'!
Each month a jury of 30 of Germany's leading scholars and media figures chooses the country's ten most important non-fiction books for Sachbücher des Monats. This month (February) it selected "Für die Tiere ist jeden Tag Treblinka" (ISBN 3861506491), the German edition of the groundbreaking book "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust" (ISBN1930051999) by American author Dr. Charles Patterson.
02/12/2005 LOUDLY AGAINST FUR!
Zagreb - In order to show suffering and horrors hidden behind raising animals for their fur, Animal Friends Croatia will hold the first anti-fur demo in Croatia!Noisy protest, which will be supported by organizations and individuals from abroad, will happen today, on Saturday, 12th February 2005 at 11 AM. Protest march armed with banners, whistles and drums will go along following route: Croatian National Theatre, Frankopanska Street, Ilica, Ban Jelačić Square, Ilica, Margaretska Street, Petar Preradović Square, Preradovićeva Street, Masarykova street, Croatian National Theatre.
02/11/2005 NIH to Investigate Animal Cruelty Charges Against Ohio StateUniversity!
WASHINGTON-The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has notified the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) that it will investigate charges by PCRM that Ohio State University has violated federal animal welfare regulations as part of its controversial Spinal Cord Injury Techniques Training Course.The investigation comes in response to PCRM's complaints that OSU ignored federal regulations requiring government-funded research institutions using animals to "minimize pain and distress" "minimize the number of animals used," and to "consider non-animal alternatives."Nicknamed "Cruelty 101," the OSU spinal injury techniques course requires students to surgically expose the spinal cords of mice and rats-a technique known as laminectomy-and drop weights on them to simulate human spinal cord injuries. Over the course of the three-week class, the 269 injured mice and rats are subjected to additional surgeries, invasive laboratory procedures, and physically demanding behavioral exercises before they are killed. The course is funded in part by NIH.The university states that the class teaches a 'standardized' methodology for inflicting spinal cord damage.
02/10/2005 LAB MONKETS 'SCREAM WITH FEAR' IN TESTS!
Secret documents describing how some monkeys can scream in misery, fear and anger during experiments were produced in the high court on 7 February as evidence that the laws intended to protect laboratory animals are being flouted.Excerpts from Cambridge University internal papers - one of several sites where primate research is carried out - give laboratory technicians and scientists advice on how to deal with problems during and after experiments. Presented in court by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), they describe occasions when primates are "screaming, trying to get out of the box, defecating", and state: "This is an angry animal." Scientists and technicians are advised in the documents to "punish" the bad habits of the monkeys, stating that these bad habits include the normal self-grooming.
02/07/2005 SHARPTON JOINS CALL FOR BOYCOTT OF KFC!
NEW YORK - The Rev. Al Sharpton (news - web sites) has joined PETA in calling for a boycott of fast-food chain KFC, in a new TV and radio campaign. Sharpton is urging the black community to join the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' boycott of the franchise, the animal protection group announced Thursday. "If KFC wants to take our money and use it to pay for sloppy practices that hurt animals, I say we send them a message that this is not going to happen," Sharpton says in the ad. Sharpton and PETA are seeking improvements to KFC's practices regarding the defeathering and debeaking of chickens, as well as a halt to using growth-promoting drugs. Last June, PETA recorded footage of alleged mistreatment of birds at a KFC supplier in West Virginia.
02/06/2005 WHALE MEAT STILL A DELICACY IN KOREA!
Korea consumes 150 tons of whale meat annually, 80 percent of which is consumed in Ulsan, the city said Wednesday. Ulsan City released a report on the distribution of whale meat ahead of the 57th Annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) Conference to be held there in May. It says half of the 50 whale meat restaurants nationwide are in Ulsan. Ten are located in Busan, another 10 in North Gyeongsang Province and five in Seoul.The amount of whale meat consumed daily in those restaurants is estimated at 500 kg, around 10 kg per restaurant, totaling more than 150,000 kg annually. However, whale catches have continuously decreased over the recent three years, down from 84 in 2002, 64 in 2003, to 57 in 2004. Some 80 percent of whales are caught by accident in fishing nets in East Sea. In waters in Ulsan, an average of five whales are caught every year, mainly between April and June.
02/04/2005 USA: ELEPHANT TRAMPLES CIRCUS WORKER TO DEATH!
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - An elephant being loaded onto a truck trampled a circus animal trainer to death at Memorial Coliseum, police said. Three handlers were loading the elephant Monday as crews packed up from this weekend's Shrine Circus, officials said. Two of the workers left the trailer and one man stayed behind to lock the trailer door. A coliseum employee later saw the man lying inside a semitrailer with the elephants and alerted other handlers, said Victor Hopkins, spokesman for the Allen County Sheriff's Department. The man was taken to a hospital and died a few hours later. Police said they did not know how many times the elephant stepped on the man, whose name was not released. The elephants were calm when the other handlers returned to check on the man.
02/03/2005 ANIMALS 'SKINNED ALIVE FOR FUR'!
Animals being raised in China's Hebei province to supply fur for clothing are being skinned alive, a Swiss animal protection group said. The group (PSA) said it had six hours of video film and 550 photographs taken by local activists showing foxes, wild dogs or martens being clubbed or thrown to the ground to knock them unconscious, thereby avoiding damage to their pelts.Most of the animals are just stunned and often recover consciousness while they are being skinned, leaving them in agony for up to ten minutes before they die, PSA said in a statement."This inconceivable horror exceeds anything we knew so far on the way animals are killed in the west," it added.Many cheap furs on sale in Europe, or used as linings for hoods and collars, come from China, according to the group. More than 1.5 million foxes, and about as many martens, mink, rabbits, dogs and cats are raised in China every year for their fur, according to PSA.The animal protection group asked the Swiss government last year to ban imports of dog and cat fur from China.
02/02/2005 300 ANIMALS' MOVE TO ASIA WORRIES ADVOCATES!
Nairobi, Kenya - Animal welfare groups have condemned plans by the Kenyan government to send 300 wild animals, including rhinos, cheetahs and lions, to Thailand, where they are to be placed in zoos and safari parks.Kenyan officials portray the transfer as part of an effort to increase tourism to Kenya and ultimately to help the country's animal population. Kenyan tourism has been on the rise over the last year, and Asia is viewed as an important source of new visitors.But animal rights groups last week said the plan to relocate threatened species would probably backfire and end up damaging Kenya's reputation as a responsible steward of its animal population. "This is shocking," said Daphne Sheldrick, who runs a popular elephant orphanage in Nairobi, which cares for abandoned elephants and then returns them to the wild. "There's no words to describe it. It will have an adverse effect on tourism."
02/01/2005 BIRDS ON THE DECLINE!
By the end of this century, 10% of all bird species are set to disappear and with them the services they provide such as cleaning up carcasses and spreading seeds, US researchers said recently. A careful study of extinction rates so far, conservation measures under way and climate and environmental change shows that at least 1,200 species of birds will be gone by 2100. And that is a conservative estimate, the team at Stanford University in California said. "Even though only 1.3% of bird species have gone extinct since 1500, the global number of individual birds is estimated to have experienced a 20% to 25% reduction during the same period," they wrote in their report, published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences. This can have severe consequence for people.
The number of news found: 22.
