In what is being described as a historic move, the South Korean Democratic Party has introduced the "Special Act", a bill intended to eliminate the dog meat industry within the country. If passed, over a million dogs annually will be spared needless death for the dog meat industry, one that nearly 87.5% of Koreans do no support / consume. This bill is crucial in helping to end an industry internationally recognized as being cruel and needless to dogs.
The dog meat industry has long been viewed as abhorrent from the International community as dogs are often seen as pets / family, not food. Dogs in this industry are kept in poor conditions until it is their time to be executed. Typically, they are bred in these facilities, although it is not uncommon to see dogs with collars, pets who will never be returned to their owners. They are kept in small, wire cages with little access to food, water, or stimulation, and due to a lack of veterinary care, are often found with untreated illnesses. When it is their time for sla7ughter, they are painfully electrocuted to death. Witnessing other dogs being executed is emotionally & mentally turbulent for the remaining dogs and causes immense stress. The situation from start to finish is bad news for innocent dogs. The Special Act must pass. With overwhelming support from South Koreans & the International community alike, the only acceptable outcome is to see dog meat farming in the country come to an end. Farmers will be given guidance to transition, dogs will be spared horrifying death and a life of sadness prior to execution, and South Korea can say goodbye to an industry that is long overdue to end. There is simply no place in today's society for the consumption of dogs. It's time to end this industry once and for all. HAPPY VEG
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The Ontario Government is working to reverse a ban on penned hunting dens issued back in 1997. The law prohibited any new dog hunting dens, but grandfathered in those that were already operational, assuming they'd eventually shift their business, or retire. Now, the possibility of a reversal has animal welfare groups & citizens alike, speaking out in anger of this decision and the horrendous cruelty that will ensue.
There are so many things wrong with penned dog hunting. First of all, you're slapping a life sentence of violence on to these dogs who in search of human approval, will be tearing apart innocent animals for as long as they'll remember. Secondly, we're literally permitting living creatures to be viciously torn apart, and for what? Is this for the dog's benefit? Not at all. It's entirely for the entertainment and enjoyment of humans. We're going back in time if we allow this sort of animosity to once again take place. We are demonstrating a complete lack of compassion for another living creature by subjecting it to unimaginable terror and violence for our own entertainment. The general populous does not support sports that involve blatant cruelty and violence to animals. As a country, we have just passed a ban on cosmetics testing on animals that was widely supported, deeming it unnecessary and cruel. We cannot in the same breath be promoting a sport rooted in so much cruelty and violence against animals. Canada's people want better welfare standards. We don't support this style of violence and if Ontario reverses the ban, I suspect there will be outrage that leads to protests and demonstrations. Premier Doug Ford has an abysmal record on welfare issues and I suspect lobbying hunting organizations will continue to pressure him until he folds. Visit the link at the top of this post to the original story from Animal Justice Canada. There's opportunities to donate as well as signing a petition urging the government of Ontario to maintain the ban. We cannot quietly allow such violence against animals to occur. HAPPY VEGLast week, bill S.4099/A.2917 passed with New York legislators and will now head to Governor Kathy Hochul's desk for a final decision. The bill targets wildlife killing contests and would effectively ban them statewide, sparing hundreds to thousands of innocent, wild animals every year. These contests glorify brutality and disrupt the natural balance of a habitat, causing a ripple effect that disrupts everything around it. These horrific contests are a gross abuse of power, manipulation of the animal kingdom, and as I stated earlier, a glorification of animal brutality.
There are a so many flaws surrounding the lack of logic behind these contests. First of all, these contests can inadvertently see non-target animals killed, like endangered wolves. Wolves share in upwards of 98% of the same DNA as coyotes, making them easily mistaken for coyotes during a contests that issues prizes for slaughtering mass amounts of coyotes. Secondly, studies have shown that coyotes rebound quickly and in some cases, more abundantly after these contests, completely striking down the "predator control" narrative. Essentially, much like trophy hunting, these contests are nothing more than an excuse to grab a gun and participate in some bloodshed. We must stop glorifying violence against animals. Issuing cash or prizes for the relentless slaughter of wildlife is disgusting and needs to be done away with. We are witnessing hundreds of thousands of species fighting for survival on our planet and yet we eagerly run out to shoot and kill hundreds more for "fun". We must remember that every species on our planet was at one time, abundant, until humanity came along and messed with everything. We've decimated the planet's wildlife and these contests are an example of our gross neglect and abuse of the animal kingdom. It's time to ban them! I believe Gov. Hochul will do the right thing and end these barbaric contests. I will hopefully update with positive news in the coming weeks. Peep the original story by visiting the link at the top of this post. HAPPY VEGIn a third and final vote, the amendments to Bill S-5 passed Senate and will now receive Royal Assent, cementing changes that will phase out cruel chemical toxicity testing on animals. The move will spare tens of thousands of animals every year from needlessly cruel and painful toxicity testing, before being discarded like trash. This is a monumental victory for animals in Canada!
Animal testing methods are outdated and have been repeatedly proven not to translate similar results to humans. When it comes to cosmetics, these are novelty products that we do not NEED, so our abuse of animals through toxicity testing is shameful. These tests cause so much pain and distress for animals who are born in cages and bred solely to be tested on, only to have results not correlate with human testing. With newer, advanced testing methods, animals will be spared the torture of cosmetics toxicity testing. This is great news for animals in Canada. I've said this before, but Canada has a long road ahead when it comes to animal welfare. Our country drags its feet when it comes to welfare issues so a victory of this magnitude should not be taken for granted! Learn more through the attached link at the top of this post to the original story from World Animal News. HAPPY VEGLegislation has been introduced in the United States to end mink fur farming within a year's time, and reimburse farmers to help them convert to other farming methods. Mink fur farming is undeniably cruel, but the pandemic exposed serious flaws in the industry as mink were susceptible to catching and spreading covid. Mink fur farms across the globe were shut down with millions of mink being euthanized to prevent transmission. Millions upon millions of dollars were lost during the pandemic, signaling that mink farming was not only cruel & dangerous for mink, but humans alike.
Going back to the pandemic, several country's around the world shut down their mink farms as a result of covid spreading through mink and transmitting to humans. Millions were euthanized to prevent transmission which was not only a loss of life, but a loss of millions of dollars in profits for the fur industry. As countries around the globe began banning mink farming, it became abundantly clear that the risks involved did not outweigh the profits made. Not only were we torturing animals for fur, but something like the pandemic could happen again and we'd be in the exact same spot with mink; euthanizing them by the millions to protect ourselves. Fur is gross. We do not need fur to survive, nor do we need to farm millions of animals in order to simply skin them and discard their bodies like trash. Fur farming is grotesque and in my opinion, even more despicable than factory farming. When you consider that mink are bred solely for fur, it's even more horrendous to consider that we discard them like garbage after we rip their fur from their bodies. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about fur or the fur industry and as more big name brands and countries around the world pledge to ban fur, the U.S. must recognize the importance of doing so as well. It's time for our planet to go fur-free. We must end this barbaric industry before millions of innocent animals are skinned or worse, euthanized in mass quantities to protect humanity. Frankly, we'd deserve the transmission after what we've done to animals. Let's get fur banned! HAPPY VEGAs the weather starts to shift towards summer vibes, roadside establishments throughout Ontario gear up for the season. These establishments thrive in Ontario because there are no laws regarding the ownership of exotic animals, leaving it to individual municipalities to tackle laws surrounding ownership of wild animals like tigers, lions, and cheetahs. These loopholes in welfare laws allow roadside establishments to pop up everywhere, poorly monitored and operating under the radar, allowing them to exploit wild animals for profits.
On top of cub petting, roadside establishments often lack proper veterinary care and the animals on the property are kept in small crates with poor access to a proper diet / water. What's worse is that when cubs become too large to handle, they are shipped off to other exploitative industries where they will continue to be at the mercy of humans who exploit them for profits. They spend their entire lives being passed around by humans, no regards given to their well-being or instinctual needs. Roadside establishments are hell for animals and it's time for Ontario to step up and create laws surrounding exotic animal ownership. When you look at an accredited zoo like the Toronto Zoo for example, this is a property that is well maintained. Animals on the property have their needs considered when setting up enclosures, have access to appropriate food / water, and have emergency veterinary care if needed. Accredited zoos won't use animals for shows or performances and will advocate for conservation. Roadside zoos are the complete opposite of this. They utilize animals for entertainment at their own expense and don't properly care for them. These establishments should never be allowed to operate considering the complex needs of big cats and other wild animals. Ontario needs legislation surrounding exotic animal ownership. Leaving it to individual municipalities is not working and these establishments are thriving. I implore any of you in Ontario to be mindful of where you take your friends / families this summer. Steer clear of any roadside / pop-up zoos that promote handling of innocent cubs. Watch for small enclosures or photo ops with animals. By visiting these establishments, you're perpetuating the cruelty and supporting animal abuse. Visiting the zoo should be educational in intent, not entertainment. Roadside zoos are hell for animals and Ontario needs to step up! Learn more through the link at the top of this post. HAPPY VEGCanada has introduced legislature through the Budget Implementation Act that would ban cosmetics testing on animals and would also ban the sale of cosmetics that relied on animal testing and target misleading information regarding animal testing on products. This is an important and necessary step in Canada's animal welfare as our country tends to fall behind other countries on our planet when it comes to animal welfare. Despite welfare issues ranking high on Canadian's list of importance, it simply has not translated to results in the Canadian government.
I've said this multiple times before, but cosmetics are novelty products. We are torturing animals for things we don't even actually need for our existence. These are not medicines that could cure disease, these are lipsticks, mascaras, lotions, and other beauty products. Animals are tortured and several studies indicate that animal tests do not always translate to human results, meaning we're torturing them for absolutely no reason outside of the fact that we can. Animals should not be bred only to be subjected to painful, repeated tests for the beauty industry. These are not necessities and what we're doing to animals is shameful to say the least. You want a new cream? YOU figure out if it causes a rash. Want a new lipstick? Try it at your own risk and if you suffer a little reaction, don't use it again! It's rather simple. We want beauty products? We should be the ones subjected to the tests. If anyone out there actually believes that if a bunny doesn't have a reaction to a new cream, that you won't either, you're incredibly mistaken. Humans and rabbits / cats / rats are not the same, newsflash! We're literally torturing animals for testing that isn't even going to accurately determine human results. It's time for Canada to step up and join the several other countries on our planet that have banned cosmetics testing. Head to the link at the top of this post for the story from Humane Society International. The time to end our barbaric cruelty to animals for the cosmetics industry is now! HAPPY VEGA month and a half or so ago, the world's loneliest orca, Kiska, died at Marineland, Ontario, after years of advocating to release her from her concrete prison. Now, less than two months later, a beluga whale and bottlenose dolphin have also died at the amusement park, sending shockwaves throughout the community and prompting calls from animal welfare advocates to investigate the park and the care provided. One innocent mammal dying is concerning, but 3 is alarming and suggests that the park is in no condition to house these creatures adequately.
One whale dying is concerning, but now we've got a beluga and dolphin who have also now passed away at the park. Marineland has skirted responsibility over and over again, facing multiple lawsuits over its lifetime. Most recently, the park was sued for utilizing dolphins for entertainment, a charge they adamantly denied. Despite a ban on cetacean captivity that passed in 2019, cetaceans that were already captive were grandfathered in, allowing places like Marineland to continue to generate profits off of the obvious suffering of their cetaceans. Now, with 3 innocent creatures dead in less than 3 months, it's time to investigate Marineland for welfare issues / cruelty. There should have never been a grandfathering in of captive cetaceans / porpoises to begin with. If we're putting out a ban on new captivity, that suggests that we do not agree with it in its entirety, so why would we have left innocent porpoises / cetaceans to continue to live in concrete prisons? It's ridiculous that we pandered to these amusement parks instead of making that ban on cetacean captivity effective immediately, freeing the park's captive residents. Marineland needs to be shut down. It's obvious they cannot care for their cetaceans adequately. How many innocent, captive whales / dolphins have to die before we get the message? Our inactivity is complicity in situations like this, investigate Marineland and free the remaining captive dolphins / whales before they too face an untimely death.
HAPPY VEGwww.ctvnews.ca/canada/jann-arden-petitions-ottawa-to-ban-live-horse-exports-for-slaughter-1.6281248 The Liberal Party of Canada made banning the live export of horses part of their campaign. Despite this, our country continues to ship thousands of horses every year from where they're bred in Alberta, across the globe to where they're slaughtered for meat in Japan. Multiple campaigns have been initiated in order to pressure the Liberal government to hold true to their promises, and put an end to the cruel, live export of horses. I do not own this photo. Photo taken from CTV News. ca Live exports are currently a hot issue across the globe right now with New Zealand having recently banned the practice altogether. These journeys are perilous for animals who are treated as products as opposed to living creatures who often feel fear / distress in these situations. In the case of horses, they're crammed in to wooden crates and left on the tarmac sometimes for hours, sensitive to noise and surrounded by plane engines revving up. Once loaded on to the plane, they travel for in upwards of 24 hours or more, unable to eat, drink, or sleep. All of this cruelty to horses and for such a miniscule contribution to our GDP, we should be ashamed. Throughout history, horses have played a crucial role in society and our continued development. Here we are now in 2023, shipping them off to be slaughtered for meat, despite a majority of Canadians supporting a ban on live horse exports and a general disdain for horse meat / slaughter. Although you can still find horse meat on menus throughout Quebec, the general populous does not consume horse and supports a ban on the export of horses for consumption. Canada has a piss poor track record on animal welfare, but we have an opportunity to do the right thing by banning live horse exports and the Liberal Government must stick to their campaign promises. Learn more about live horse exports and some of the campaigns to end this practice by visiting the attached links at the top of this post. We must hold the Liberal Government accountable. HAPPY VEGAn undercover investigation found over 350 items carved from ivory from 20 different stores across Florida, signaling a thriving ivory market despite a ban on any new import of ivory. During the investigation, store owners were unable to provide the necessary documentation for their ivory, indicating that they either did not know or understand the laws surrounding ivory sales, or intended to recuperate some of the money spent on purchasing these products for sale. Despite a ban on importing new ivory, it's obvious that the ivory market is thriving in Florida and elephants will continue to plunge towards extinction.
Since the 1960's, African savannah elephants have dwindled by 60% while bush elephants have plunged by almost 80%. Elephants face plenty of perils to their survival including habitat loss, fragmentation, difficulties finding food / water, conflicts with villages resulting in injury or death, trophy hunting, and illegal poaching for their ivory. Elephants killed for their ivory suffer excruciating deaths, having their tusks hacked from their faces, sometimes while the elephants are still alive. This blatant disregard for elephant survival and a sick yearning for monetary rewards continue to fuel the ivory trade. Despite bans across the globe, the illegal market continues to thrive and we must do more to counter this before it's too late. It's obvious that Florida has a thriving market and doesn't do enough to prevent imports or crack down on ivory being sold throughout the state. Florida is contributing to the elephants' extinction and if they do not enact a ban on ivory altogether, elephants will continue to suffer. The possibility of elephant extinction is real. Our too little, too late approach to conservation isn't working. When it comes to the possibility of a species going extinct, especially when it is almost entirely traced back to humanity, we have an obligation to do as much as we can to prevent that outcome. We need bans on trophy hunting of elephants and we need investigations in to Florida's retailers to crack down on illegal ivory sales. If the market is still there, abolish the market entirely and ban ANY ivory sales, even those supposedly from ivory grandfathered in after the nationwide ban was implemented. We are directly responsible for the decimation of elephants. We're eradicating pangolins for their scales, giraffes for their bones or heads for trophies, tigers for their bones / blood for "medicines', etc., nothing on this planet is safe from our continued yearning for more. At this rate, we'll be the only specie sleft on this planet outside of factory farmed animals and those confined behind bars at zoos. It's not too late to change this. We must do everything we can to prevent extinction and in Florida, that starts with tackling illegal ivory entering from ports and cracking down on retailers in the state. Learn more by clicking the link at the top of this post to the original story from World Animal News. HAPPY VEG |
Stay educated and remain involved in animal welfare. Together, we can all make a difference!
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