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/WSPA

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 .

Did you think the rodeo, circus, horse racing and bull fight were fun ? Not the animals used for these kinds of “entertainment”.  Learn more about these events by clicking on the links below:

> Yeehaw! Kelly Clarkson Drops Out of Calgary Stampede > Rodeo 1 > Rodeo 2 > Calgary Stampede Protest > Article on Rodeo Stampede

> Circus > Horse racing

> Bullfighting Facts > Bullfight > Dancing Bears

It is sad that Man is exploiting defence-less animals for their own selfish entertainment while these animals suffer.  If you’ve a heart, say a loud “No” to these events and discourage others from supporting these events. Write to your local news, local authorities, take part in your local animal rights organizations. Tell others about it: feature them on Twitter, Facebook, Spacebook, message boards etc.

Brutal seal hunt begins again

During the past few weeks, the ProtectSeals team has been up on the ice floes of Canada to document the annual commercial harp seal slaughter, which began late last month. Tens of thousands of innocent pups have already been killed. Read more>>

You can help put an end this needless cruelty! View our list of top actions you can take to help seals>>

Campaign launched to protect bears in BC Coastal First Nations, conservationists, and HSI Canada have joined forces in a historic campaign to protect the bears of the Great Bear Rainforest as a trophy hunt opened last week in British Columbia. Read more>>

Good news for street dogs in Bhutan HSI’s two-month spay/neuter and vaccination pilot program in Thimphu, Bhutan succeeded in its goal of reaching 1,200 street dogs. Learn about the Bhutanese government’s path to humane animal control and street dog welfare. Read more>>

Source: Humane Society International .

1. Did you know that sport hunting of grizzly bears is allowed in BC’s Great Bear Rainforest?  Now First Nations people, conservationists and animal protection organizations are joining forces to speak out against this travesty.

It is appalling to think that even grizzly bears—who are protected from hunting in the U.S.—are routinely killed in the Great Bear Rainforest. Notably, of the 430 grizzly bears killed in BC in 2007, 87 percent were killed by trophy hunters. Black bears are also at risk. The BC Coast has one of greatest diversity of black bears subspecies in North America, ranging from the spirit bear…to the Haida black bear, the largest on the BC Coast.

Join up and speak out against the bear hunt: Send a message to the BC government to show your opposition to the hunt!

2. Vegan at heart but not quite in practice?  Check out the great new site, Vegan at Heart:

[Vegan at Heart] is for idealists and animal-lovers and treehuggers and health nuts and everybody in-between who wants to incorporate more compassionate, healthy, sustainable habits into their daily lives but who need a little more info, a little moral support, or just a little friendly kick in the pants…Non-vegans have a positive impact on the world every single time they make a healthy vegan choice. Learn more here.

3. Watch this report from ABC on a nine-month undercover investigation by the HSUS into the horrible abuse of chimpanzees in a research laboratory.  Learn more about the study at the HSUS page here... and send it to your friends.

Remember, it’s easy to get almost everything without relying on products derived from animal testing!  Local stores like Capers and Whole Foods only sell cruelty-free cosmetics and cleaning supplies, and even the Safeway name-brand doesn’t utilize animal testing!  Check out a partial list of cruelty-free products here: http://search.caringconsumer.com/

4. Master of Shark’s Fin? If you’re anything like us,  you know that the only one who should have shark fins are the sharks themselves.  And yet, the Jade Seafood Restaurant touts their head chef as the “Master of Shark’s Fin” and has a massive section of their menu devoted to it!  Contact the Jade Seafood Restaurant today and let them know that you and your friends will not be customers as long as they continue to support the cruel shark-finning industry!

Telephone: (604) 249-0082
Email: info@jaderestaurant.ca

5. Read this heartwarming story about rescued foie gras ducks at Farm Sanctuary!

Source: Liberation BC .

Dancing Bears

WSPA funded research suggests approximately 150 bears in India are currently living out their days dragged from village to village ‘dancing’ for audiences.

This number has dropped from 400 in recent years, but the remaining bears are enduring a lifetime of physical and mental distress. Illegally poached as cubs, even their most basic needs, such as adequate nutrition, are not met.

Each young bear will suffer the piercing of their nose or palate. A rope is passed through the raw wound. Tugging on it remains an effective means of control throughout the bear’s life.

Years of conditioning allows owners to make adult bears ‘dance’ on command > MORE …

Source: World Society for the Protection of Animals .

Help stop the suffering of the dancing bears of India

Donate specifically to this vital project
to save these bears

Click here to watch Movie of “The Last Dance” with introduction by Jane Goodall, which chronicles the efforts of Wildlife SOS to rescue the Dancing Bears of India

Source: Humane Society International

Jordan World Circus

Jordan World Circus is coming to British Columbia, Canada to perform in over a dozen cities between July 16 and July 31. We’ve confirmed that there will be elephants and bears in some, and possibly all, of these shows. Jordan World Circus is notorious for their bad behavior. They have been cited nearly two dozen times for mistreatment of animals and for endangering the public. Sick and injured animals are often forced to perform despite their condition, uncooperative animals have been observed to be beaten with rods and in at least 3 occasions, elephants have attacked their trainers during a performance while giving rides to children! For more info, visit http://www.circuses.com/fact-jordan.asp

> Write to your Mayor

> Write to your Newspaper

Source: Liberation BC .

Hi ! Thanks for reading. It’s been a busy week but animals have always been on my mind. I was just walking my dog when I realised how unconditionally loving it is — a pure hearted creature unrestrained in its love and concern for those who care for him.

I just want to vindicate a “Thank You” note from one of the responders to my request for volunteers on her observation of how self-less dogs are, and protective of their care-givers, and yet, despite how potentially loving these animals are, how some humans treat them in return.

I received the following appeals from some animal welfare organizations. Please help however you can:

Disaster response continues in China and Myanmar

HSI has not given up on animals in these disaster-stricken countries. We are supporting local groups on the ground in China and our response team is preparing to enter Myanmar this weekend.

Support HSI’s International Disaster Fund and help our relief efforts for animal victims of disasters around the world.

> Read Jill’s Blog