Heart 4 Animals

August 29, 2009

It’s Time To Shut Down The Chinese Fur Industry

It's Time to Shut Down the Chinese Fur Industry

Right now, in cramped, filthy cages on fur farms throughout China, millions of vulnerable animals await a painful death. It may come from strangulation by a wire noose or a knife slash across the throat.

We need your help to stop the carnage taking place on fur farms around the world, including the slaughter of nearly 2 million cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs each year in China. Donate Now The skin is then ripped off their broken and abused bodies and will be turned into fur-trimmed hats, jackets, gloves, and other items—items that you will find on the shelves of department stores this fall.

For the Chinese fur industry—one of the world’s largest suppliers of animal fur—this isn’t just about fur coats. The result of the suffering of animals in China may be creeping into consumers’ daily lives right now, often without their even knowing it. You can help us protect animals killed for their skin and stop the fur industry in its tracks by making a special gift today to support PETA’s unique and vital work to end animal abuse.

The ways that the suffering caused by the fur industry appear in the lives of otherwise compassionate consumers is insidious. It may come in the form of a toy purchased for a cat at a pet-supply store—a toy that could be made from the skin of another cat who was stolen, loaded in a crate onto a truck with thousands of other cats, forced to endure days of suffering while being transported to a slaughterhouse in northern China, and then cruelly beaten and skinned. But the label won’t tell you that.

Or those little fur tassels on a pair of gloves. Those might be the fur of a German shepherd or a chow chow, who was once loved and cherished—and then was one day kidnapped and sold at the local animal market. After days without water or food and after being beaten repeatedly, the dog was painfully killed and stripped of skin. Did the label mention that?

The fur industry is so desperate to push its cruel wares that it has even stooped to lying to unsuspecting consumers, intentionally mislabeling fur garments as fake—or as coming from rabbits or other animals when they’re actually from cats and dogs. The fact is that it takes expensive DNA tests to prove what kind of animal was killed to make each piece of fur trim, coat collar, glove lining, cat toy, or furry trinket. So as you can imagine, these tests are rarely, if ever, done.

PETA is leading the fight against the fur trade—both in China and worldwide—and we’re making significant progress. Through our thought-provoking campaigns and groundbreaking undercover investigations, we’re getting major designers and retailers like Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Liz Claiborne Inc., Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger to swear off using fur in their collections. But none of what we do is possible without your support. > Your gift today can help Peta’s efforts to shut down the bloody fur industry for good.

Source: People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals .

Save a life. Adopt a pet.

Pledge to adopt your next petSkyler was living in a shelter in Florida when Claudia saw his picture online. He was one of many dogs at the shelter, and his chance at finding a happy home may have seemed slim. Claudia drove more than three hours one way to meet him. She knew that shelter animals make great pets, and she wasn’t about to pass him by.

Every shelter dog and cat has a story to tell. As you read this, thousands of dogs and cats of all breeds, sizes, ages, and personalities are waiting for new homes, eager to start a new chapter in their lives.

When you are ready to add a new companion to your life, will you adopt a homeless pet? Take our Adoption Pledge today.

Between three and four million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in animal shelters across the nation. But if more families looking for a pet this year would adopt their new furry friend from a shelter, we could put an end to this tragedy. That’s why I am thrilled to tell you about The Humane Society of the United States’ Adopt campaign.

With the help of animal lovers like Claudia — and you — we can spread the word about the benefits of adoption and work to end the senseless euthanasia of homeless pets. Did you know that one in four shelter dogs are purebred? Or that most animals in shelters are victims of circumstance, there only because of “people problems” like divorce, foreclosure, and change in lifestyle?

Save a life! Take our pledge to adopt your next pet — you will be saving a life — then urge your friends, family, and loved ones to do the same.

Also, The HSUS is partnering with the Ad Council, Maddie’s Fund, and many other animal welfare groups to launch The Shelter Pet Project in late September. This three-year collaborative effort is an unprecedented media campaign urging pet lovers to make shelter adoption their first choice when bringing companion animals into their homes.

Skyler was fortunate to find a home with Claudia – but 50 percent of shelter pets are not as lucky. Somewhere in your town, a dog or cat sits in a cage waiting for a family that may never come. Help homeless animals find their forever homes by taking the first step: Pledge to adopt your next pet, and help us make a difference for all shelter pets.

Thank you for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
.

Good News For Animals

Whether PETA and our affiliates are convincing top fashion designers such as Alannah Hill to go fur-free or jumping to the rescue of a frightened rabbit, your support makes a difference in every bunny’s life every single day.

When a PETA employee spotted a domesticated bunny hopping down the middle of the street late one rainy night, she sprang into action. Even though she was decked out in high heels and a party dress, she followed the frightened fellow for half an hour through several gardens, shooing him out from under a car and scaling a gate before the bunny finally came to her. Now named Hollywood, the bunny lives with two PETA staffers in sunny California, where he enjoys nibbling on lettuce from the garden and hanging out with his “girlfriend,” a rescued bunny named Cleo.

Each year, millions of individual rabbits just like Hollywood are killed for fur coats, collar and cuff trim, glove lining, and even stuffed animals and baby clothing. Like other animals raised and killed on fur farms, rabbits—who are extremely clean by nature—are kept in tiny, filthy cages, surrounded by their own waste. They spend their entire miserable lives standing on the thin wires of their cage, never having a chance to dig, jump, or play. A recent PETA exposé of rabbit fur farms shows rabbits as they scream like human babies while they are stunned with a handheld electrical device and their throats are cut while they are still conscious.

As a result of PETA’s efforts, other top designers and nearly every retailer, including Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Vivienne Westwood, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, J.Crew, and Forever 21, have also responded to consumer demand and refused to sell rabbit fur.

As a PETA member, you are the driving force that helps us rescue animals like Hollywood and spare millions of other gentle rabbits from being killed and turned into fashion accessories.

On behalf of the animals you are helping, thank you for your kind support.

Kind regards,
Ingrid Newkirk

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President .

August 24, 2009

Taiwan Typhoon Mission: IFAW Rushes to Rescue Shelter Dogs

Filed under: All — Tags: , — Compassion @ 6:51 pm

Save the dogs in Taiwan after the disastrous typhoon @ http://www.cli.gs/nsGMzb.

Give more — without stressing your wallet

The Humane Society of the United States offers several ways you can give to the animals without feeling a bite on your wallet.

Vehicle Donation

Vehicle Donation

One of the easiest ways to pump much needed dollars into our animal protection programs is to donate your vehicle to us. Turn your used car, van, truck, RV, motorcycle, boat or even airplane into a charitable contribution. It’s fast, it’s easy, and you’ll enjoy the tax deduction.

Buying and Selling Onlinr

Buying and Selling Online

You can help animals by selling — or shopping — on eBay Giving Works. Sellers can designate The HSUS as the beneficiary for 10% up to 100% of the sale price. Just about anything, from jewelry to tires, can be bought and sold. Find out more about selling your stuff, or take a look at what’s up for auction today that will benefit The HSUS and help animals.

Electronics Recyclying

Electronics Recycling

Help the planet, help the animals. When you recycle your old cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, and other electronics through My Bone Yard, the value of your item gets donated to The HSUS. It’s simple, safe, and My Bone Yard will even pay for shipping. Visit hsus.myboneyard.com to get started.

Email and Instant Messaging

Email and Instant Messaging

Make a difference for animals simply by sending email and instant messages. Through Microsoft’s i’m™ Initiative, each time you send a message using Windows Live™ Messenger or Windows Live Hotmail®, Microsoft shares a portion of the program’s advertising revenue with The HSUS. Sign up is easy – just choose The HSUS as your cause.

Wedding Registry

Wedding Registry

Getting married? By creating a wedding registry at WeddingChannel.com, your guests can purchase gifts with a portion of the sales price benefiting The Humane Society of the United States. Or, in lieu of gifts, you can request that your guests make secure, online, tax-deductible donations to The HSUS to help the animals.

World Points Donation

World Points Donation

If you’re an HSUS cardholder — or any other Bank of America World Points cardholder — you can donate your World Points to The HSUS. Points redeemed help support our work to confront cruelty and celebrate animals. Simply click here and choose your donation amount.

.Source: Humane Society of The United States

August 22, 2009

Undercover bear baiting footage reveals corruption

Filed under: Bears, Cruelty to Animals, Facts surrounding Animals, News about Animals — Compassion @ 6:39 pm

Disturbing footage taken in July by WSPA member society the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC) has proven that bear baiting events are taking place in Punjab and resulted in the investigation of wildlife officials for corruption.

For two years, the Punjab Department of Wildlife and Parks has denied that bear baiting takes place in the region, refusing to accept BRC’s continuous undercover investigations into this illegal activity.

The department’s complaints and denials have been in danger of undermining work to protect bears. “In the past years the Punjab Wildlife and Park authority have frequently ignored information we forwarded on bear baiting and thus our request to stop these events were sometimes not very successful,” explains Dr Fakhar-i-Abbas, Executive Director of BRC.

Despite this, since January 2008 the organisation has been able to prevent 135 of 172 known bear baiting events, protecting both bears and dogs.

But while their holistic strategy (including education, alternative livelihood programmes and working with local mosques) means bear baiting is on the wane, BRC realised they needed definitive proof that this remains an urgent animal welfare problem in Punjab.

Indisputable evidence

This undercover image was taken in Sahiwal, Punjab, in July 2009.

BRC’s focus is on preventing these violent encounters. This time they attended a baiting undercover to gather indisputable proof that this blood sport – which makes landowning hosts wealthy – continues.

The images and footage taken on 17 July 2009 clearly show dogs being encouraged to attack tethered bears. The audience are likely to have placed bets, despite animal cruelty being forbidden in the Islamic faith.

Even BRC, with their wealth of experience, were shocked at how young one bear appears to be.

Attempting to remove bears during or immediately after a baiting event is dangerous – those with an interest in the profits may be armed. Police were present at this particular event as spectators, failing to enforce animal protection law.

Instead, BRC is in contact with the bears’ owners and will explore options for alternative livelihoods with them, in hopes of removing the animals. This tactic works: in the last 18 months alone owners have been convinced to allow 19 bears to retire from the horror of baiting.

Those bears now reside in the Kund Park sanctuary, funded by WSPA supporters and praised by Pakistan’s Minister of Environment during a visit in March.

Removing an obstacle to bear welfare

The footage was reported in Pakistan’s Daily Times; this should help mitigate any damage to anti-bear baiting work caused by the Department of Wildlife and Parks’ denials.

Importantly, this evidence has resulted in the authorities withdrawing complaints against BRC and suspending the relevant officers and managers. The province’s anti-corruption council is now reviewing the case.

WSPA’s Dr Jan Schmidt-Burbach, Wildlife Veterinary Programmes Manager, said: “The latest developments illustrate the efficiency of BRC’s undercover monitoring work, unmasking a case of corruption on district level. It can be hoped that the relevant wildlife authorities will now cooperate with greater dedication to rule out this cruel practice.”

Pakistan is the only nation where bear baiting is known to persist. With your support, WSPA and BRC aim to eradicate it, and the associated dog abuse, by 2012.
SOURCE : World Society for the protection of Animals .

August 17, 2009

Former ‘King of Pork’ Discovers the Horrible Truth Behind Factory Farming

After viewing undercover footage of factory farm conditions, which showed that animals were packed into tiny metal crates in which they couldn’t even turn around, comedian and former spokesperson for the New Zealand Pork Industry Mike King recently spoke out against the atrocious conditions that pigs on factory farms in New Zealand must endure. > more .

August 14, 2009

How Do You Say, ‘Animal Testing,’ in Japanese?

Filed under: Cosmetics, Cruelty to Animals, Facts surrounding Animals, Fashion brands — Tags: — Compassion @ 5:51 pm

How Do You Say, ‘Animal Testing,’ in Japanese? ‘Shiseido’ > http://www.cli.gs/Z77Wmu .

> Animal Testing for cosmetics, shampoo .

> Stop the Construction of Primate Testing Facilities in Malaysia!

Stop Urban Dogfighting At Its Source

…sharing the following message with you:

End Dogfighting Email Inset - Slideshow 08-04-09

The Humane Society of the United States has been working to stamp out dogfighting for decades.

In the last few years, we’ve stepped up the pace of action like never before. We’ve helped to write almost every state and federal law that exists on the subject, and we have been involved in hundreds of raids. The headlines are about to grow larger again now that Michael Vick has pledged to be part of the solution and not part of the problem, and to pass on a message to boys and young men in urban communities: Don’t do as he did.

Today, I want to recap where we are in our campaign to rid our society of dogfighting once and for all — and introduce you to our innovative End Dogfighting program targeting street fighting at its source.

The story that’s unfolding in the U.S. isn’t about one football player admitting he was wrong and now joining the quest to eradicate the practice. It’s about hundreds of thousands of dogs who are in harm’s way. It’s about the people who grow up to view dogfighting as acceptable. It’s about the men and women of The HSUS who work full-time to stop the agonies dogs suffer in fighting pits. It’s about public officials who have responded to our call to make dogfighting a felony everywhere. Thanks to your actions and support, we’ve made historic inroads, especially since the Vick case came to light:

  • We successfully pushed for laws toughening penalties for dogfighting nationally and in individual states, making dogfighting a felony in all 50 states.
  • We established — and we’re now expanding – community-based programs in the U.S. to give boys and young men the kind of guidance they need to avoid being drawn into this bloody underground. You can find the End Dogfighting team on the streets of Chicago, Atlanta, and — soon — Los Angeles. I encourage you to watch our slideshow introducing you to these programs.
  • We teamed up with law enforcement from coast to coast to bring organized animal fighters to justice — tackling more than 200 cases of animal fighting in just the past year. Not a day passes when our experts aren’t on a mission to raid fighting rings and rescue the animals from lives of suffering. Our tip line went national and paid out more than 50 rewards of up to $5,000 for every tip that led to an arrest.

One more thing: There is so much that tears at our hearts in this bloody realm of dogfighting. But we must look forward and reach these kids before they step into the quicksand of street fighting. When we see the positive effects of our program, it is magical. A few of these moments are captured in our slideshow. None of us wanted to imagine that fate that awaited so many of these dogs. But then our experts and community organizers stepped in and ushered in a dramatically different outcome.

If you care about ending dogfighting, this is the program to get us there.

Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
.

August 13, 2009

Nia Long Would Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur

Check out the full-page photograph of Nia Long here .

Newer Posts »

Powered by WordPress