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Archive - 2000
Appeal from Croatia
"According
to a law in Croatia, any cat or dog more than 300 meters beyond
town limits is considered strayed and therefore is allowed to be
killed. Cats and puppies are being killed and hung by the branches
of the trees in Medjimurje area in Croatia. However, throughout
the last year, there were numerous cases of puppies, dogs and cats
being intentionally shot by hunters.
WE WANT
TO CHANGE THIS LAW AND STOP IMMEDIATELY THIS UNHEARD-OF DEMONSTRATION
OF BARBARISM AND HATRED. YOUR VOICE MAY BE CRUCIAL - HELP US NOW!
"
From VoiceOver Archive - 2000
Archive - May
2001
Appeal from Badgerwatch (Ireland)
"Our
Department of Agriculture has recently given a commitment to farming
interests to intensify its badger-killing strategy in the coming
year. Thousands of more badgers are now being exterminated for their
UNPROVEN link to bovine TB (mycobacterium bovis) in cattle. September
1st, 2000 year marked the start of the latest cull in which an estimated
10,000 badgers will be slaughtered. 75 extra 'dedicated' staff are
to be appointed to do the job. To date, close on 30,000 animals
have been legally killed by the Department.
Ironically,
the licence for the use of a wire snare to trap the animal is sought
from The Wildlife Service whose responsibility includes badger protection!
This is deemed to be 'Research'. The actual snaring is itself a
particularly barbaric act. Snares are set at evening time and the
badgers caught in them during the night are shot next morning. Snaring
continues through the breeding season without respite for nursing
females. This situation has given rise to serious welfare problems
when orphaned badger cubs are left to die of starvation underground
or are killed when they come out looking for food. The illegal killing
of badgers on some farms sadly continues with the pumping of gallons
of slurry into their setts.
Badgers are
protected by the Wildlife Act (1976) and are listed as an Appendix
111 species of the Bern Convention. Never was an animal so protected
! But this seems to be a paper exercise. This pro-active culling
of badgers in 20% of Ireland that yields 50% of the current reactors
(cattle responding positive to the skin test) cannot be justified.
We suspect it cannot be regarded as a scientific experiment because
there appears to be no plans to contrast it with a no-kill policy
in designated areas of similar proportions.
What is urgently
needed is an improved cattle test, one that unlike our present test,
is 100% accurate. Also needed is some form of control on the very
high level of cattle movement within the country. Cattle movement
in Ireland is six times greater than our European counterparts.
There is no compulsory pre-movement testing at present. Instead
of taking an holistic view of the problem, our Government has gone
for the soft option of pursuing a vigorous anti-badger campaign."
From VoiceOver Archive - May 2001
Archive - December
2001
Crisis in Ukraine for Stray Animals
Appeal from Naturewatch
""At
this moment there are disgraceful acts of cruelty on the streets
in Ukraine. Ukraine, the largest country in Europe, employs vicious
treatment of stray dogs. Any poor dog abandoned in Ukraine is truly
unlucky. For it will be subject to brutal and evil acts. Eye-witness
reports of capture methods are gruesome. The animal catchers use
blowpipes or poisoned meat to immobilise the animal. Later, the
dogs are bludgeoned, or gassed, and skinned - many are still conscious.
Some dogs however are not skinned. They are thrown into the back
of the catchers van and transported to experiment facilities. The
dog catchers will make a bonus for these poor creatures. In Ukraine
there are no laws on animal experiments - acts that are banned in
most countries can be carried out here with impunity.
 The
Dog catchers will capture dogs and skin them - this happens every
day in towns & cities throughout Ukraine. Once captured the dogs
are left in steel cages. They are removed with "pincers". Brutally
yanked by their necks, the animals are dumped inside a metal box
where poisonous chemicals are poured in - death takes 20 minutes.
Others are clubbed over the head. Skinning then commences.
The pioneering
animal welfare society, Kiev SPA-SOS that has already achieved so
much in Ukraine, continues to receive disturbing reports. The latest
report concerns the use of stray dogs in experiments. It reveals
that a German weapons company in Kiev has been using strays to test
rubber bullets. Here is part of the text from the article: " Numerous
experiments with animals were conducted. During the experiments
adult dogs are fired at from six metres. The firing is made into
the groin area, elbow joint, heart, spleen and pancreas. The results
of the experiments were large haemorrhages and strong painful reactions."
We do not believe this is an isolated case - we believe there are
many western European companies conducting experiments, banned in
their own countries, on stray animals in Ukraine. It is disgraceful
that Ukraine, as a member of the Council of Europe, allows such
barbarity to continue. Often corrupt local government officials
prevent the adoption of animal protection laws as they profit from
the proceeds of the dog collection businesses. A draft national
animal protection law for Ukraine has already been prepared by the
Kiev SPA-SOS society and has been especially composed with the help
of Ukrainian lawyers, having regard for the circumstances of the
country. The launch for the proposed law was made at a press conference
in Kiev last September. Both Naturewatch and the RSPCA International
attended and supported the draft laws that were introduced to the
media by the British Ambassador. These laws will offer protection
to animals from wanton cruelty. They have the support of leading
Ukrainian deputies and other influential officials. Yet the authorities
have not taken any action so far to adopt these animal protection
measures. The disgraceful and barbaric cruelty that is witnessed
daily on the streets of Ukraine must be stopped. Corrupt officials
who personally profit from the sale of dog and cat fur must be removed
from office. The animal experiment companies must be made to comply
with Council of Europe laws that ban the use of stray animals for
experimentation. The president of Ukraine is Leonid Kuchma. If we
can influence him, the battle for the animals will be won. You can
help the animals by sending a VoiceOver e-mail protest to him. The
following letter outlines our concerns and demands. You just need
to add your name and address. You can of course compose your own
letter should you wish".
From VoiceOver Archive - December 2001
Archive - 2002
Spanish Dog Horror - Appeal from Greyhounds in Nood, Belgium
"The
Greyhounds begin their life in Ireland where they are raced on dog
tracks. When they are no longer successful or win money, they are
shipped off to Spain where they run on second class race tracks
and kept in horrific conditions. The Galgo Espagnol is used in Spain
for hare coursing where championships are also held. In both cases,
if these animals do not perform satisfactorily, they are cruelly
abused and subsequently tortured to death. Spain is one of the more
notorious places where they end up hanging in trees when they are
no longer useful.. In March 2002 pictures were published for the
first time of a mass grave in Chueca, Spain. Eye witness reports
collected at Chueca give clear testimony that this horrendous activity
is extensive and ongoing. The photos show great numbers of recently
slaughtered dogs along with older bones. Corpses in various stages
of decay prove that this practice has been going on in that particular
region over a long period. It is inexcusable that such barbarism
still continues to perpetrate itself in Spain today, a nation within
the European Union. Spain is clearly gaining a worldwide reputation
on the subject of its cruelty to galgos, and this appeal asks you
to use your given powers by sending a letter to José Maria Aznar,
President of España . Thank you for your support."
From VoiceOver Archive - 2002
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