Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Canada’s Seal Hunt: Cruel and Unnecessary

Our humanity is measured by how we care for the vulnerable among us. What is more vulnerable than a newborn seal pup, stranded helpless and alone on the ice? A baby seal can be legally killed once it molts its white fur, which usually begins at about 12 days of age. The small, unprotected newborn of any species should not be preyed upon, never mind bludgeoned with a club. Seals are routinely clubbed or shot and left to suffer on the ice, then dragged over the sides of boats with sharpened metal hooks. Few sealers are observed checking to see if a seal is still alive before they skin it.

The Canadian government claims that the hunt is market-driven and economically viable. The fact is that sealing is a very small enterprise, accounting for less than one percent of Newfoundland’s GDP and an average income of $1,000 per sealer per year. And significant amounts of money continue to be spent by Canada through hidden subsidies to promote the hunt abroad, as well as to develop new markets for seal products. The federal government has subsidized the commercial seal hunt in many ways over the years, from direct subsidies to sealers and their organizations, to tax exemptions and federally funded support services during the hunt, including Coast Guard ships and ice breakers. The market is driven … by Canada’s government itself.

The products of the hunt are an unnecessary luxury. Most of the harp seal carcasses (including the meat) are simply abandoned on the ice. This isn’t killing for food or survival, it’s killing for fashion. Despite years of research by the Canadian government trying to develop new seal products, the only economically valuable parts of the seal are the pelts of defenseless seal pups, a non-essential luxury product no one really needs. In many countries, this hunt would be completely illegal.

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Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Tell Iceland to Stop Hunting Whales

Despite an international ban on whaling adopted in 1986, Iceland has announced plans to hunt whales commercially for the first time in twenty years. Permits have been granted by Iceland’s Ministry of Fisheries for the hunting of 30 minke whales and nine endangered fin whales. Commercial whaling is an out-dated and unnecessary industry that should have ended a century ago with the use of whale oil lamps. The government of Iceland should be supporting its nation’s thriving and growing whale watching industry rather than sinking money and its political reputation into promoting the cruel hunting of whales.

Write a letter to Iceland’s Embassy urging Iceland to call off this hunt before it’s too late.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights animal+welfare action+alerts ifaw international+fund+for+animal+welfare whales hunting iceland whale+hunting meat whale+meat fin+whales minke+whales

Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Say No to Caribbean Whaling

Despite a worldwide outcry against the hunting of whales and a ban on whaling in place since 1986, some Eastern Caribbean nations are shockingly calling for commercial whaling to be launched in the region.

At a recent meeting of Caribbean Fisheries Ministers, St. Kitts and Nevis Fisheries Minister Cedric Liburd called on Caribbean nations to follow Japan’s lead and engage in commercial whaling. But he didn’t stop here. He went on to suggest that tourists to the region should be fed whale meat, and that this would benefit the region’s tourism industry.

Send a letter to Tourism Ministers throughout the Caribbean urging them to tell their nation’s leaders not take up commercial whaling. Tell them to support the region’s thriving and growing whale watching industry – an industry worth more than U.S. $22 million annually.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts ifaw international+fund+for+animal+welfare whales whale+hunting commercial+whaling

NOTE: For more information on the current situation in Borneo, see also:

* Animal Rescue: Indonesian Forest Fires Threaten Wildlife (IFAW)

* Orangutans flee Indonesia forest fires

* Orangutans Dying and Injured in Indonesian Wildfires

* Indonesia Forest Fires, Attacks Kill 1,000 Orangutans

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: ER Team, IFAW - fred [at] ifaw1.org
Date: Nov 9, 2006 2:39 PM
Subject: Wildfires Threaten Last Orangutans

Wildfires threaten last orangutans

I am writing to you from the dense forests along the Kapuas River in Central Kalimantan, where dozens of endangered orangutans have been driven from their dwindling jungle habitat in Borneo by months of land-clearing fires that have covered the region in a choking haze.

For the entire drive from Palangkaraya it felt as if we could have been on the moon; barren, dry and grey. Other than the city centers themselves there is no sight without burning or burnt jungle forest.

I’m here to work with the Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation-Indonesia (BOS) to rescue 43 orangutans which have been taken for medical treatment to centers in the Indonesian provinces of Central and West Kalimantan.

Most were beaten by humans after fleeing from the burning jungle to nearby plantations, but several are being treated for respiratory problems and burns. Many of these orangutans had already been rescued and rehabilitated and sent back into the wild by BOS just months ago, only to have to be saved again from the burning palm oil plantations which spread into their forest.

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Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Protect Your Rights To Speak Out for Animals

Congress is in the midst of passing legislation that would severely hamper the rights of animal welfare advocates to voice their opinions on animal protection issues throughout the country. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) S. 3880 / H.R. 4239 will set penalties (jail time and fines) for any action that can be linked to a loss of profit to any company classified as an “animal enterprise”. An “animal enterprise” would include anyone who produces or distributes animals or products from animals, animal entertainment - including rodeos, circuses, zoos or aquariums, research facilities, pet stores and even animal fighting. This means that legal activities such as peaceful protests, consumer boycotts, media campaigns legislative proposals, or even telling the public what happens in puppy mills, factory farms, or canned hunting facilities, could be classified as acts of terrorism.

This dangerous legislation has already passed the full Senate, and will be considered by the House of Representatives when they reconvene in November. Your voice is needed to help ensure that animal welfare advocates can continue to voice our concerns in a lawful and constitutionally protected way. Please urge your member of Congress to strongly oppose the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA).

Urge him or her to strongly oppose H.R. 4239. Let your representative know that this legislation seeks to squelch our first amendments rights of freedom of speech.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts IFAW AETA Animal+Enterprise+Terrorism+Act terrorism activism censorship free+speech freedom+of+speech

Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Tell Iceland to Stop Hunting Whales

Despite an international ban on whaling adopted in 1986, Iceland has announced plans to hunt whales commercially for the first time in twenty years. Permits have been granted by Iceland’s Ministry of Fisheries for the hunting of 30 minke whales and nine endangered fin whales. Commercial whaling is an out-dated and unnecessary industry that should have ended a century ago with the use of whale oil lamps. The government of Iceland should be supporting its nation’s thriving and growing whale watching industry rather than sinking money and its political reputation into promoting the cruel hunting of whales.

Write a letter to Iceland’s Embassy urging Iceland to call off this hunt before it’s too late.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights whaling whales Iceland action+alerts IFAW international+fund+for+animal+welfare

Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the “Think Twice - Don’t Buy Wildlife Souvenirs” campaign.

You can sign their “Pledge Not to Buy Wildlife Souvenirs” here, or download these posters, along with other campaign materials, here.

Or - better yet - add one of their nifty banners to your website.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Fred O’Regan, International Fund for Animal Welfare - fred [at] ifaw1.org
Date: Aug 27, 2006 12:06 PM
Subject: Katrina one year later

International Fund for Animal Welfare, August 25, 2006

Katrina one year later

This week marks the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As I look back on both the tragic event itself and the weeks that followed the disaster on the Gulf Coast of the United States, I am filled with both pride and resolve.

Pride. Approximately 15,000 animals were rescued by IFAW and other humane organizations under extremely challenging conditions. Despite its many tragedies, Katrina served as an example to all how far people will go to risk their lives for their animals. This was a wake-up call to government that pets cannot be treated like property.

And just a few weeks ago, the U.S. Senate passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, which requires local and state disaster plans to include provisions for household pets and service animals in the event of a major disaster or emergency. This bill will now go back to the House for consideration and you can urge Congress to show its support here.

Resolve. Despite these incredible successes, an estimated 250,000 pets were left on their own to fend for themselves in an abandoned city after Katrina hit. The hurricane exposed the gap between owners’ devotion to their pets and the inability of shelters and rescue officials to provide for them.

People must have a plan for evacuating a major disaster with their pets. Leaving them behind should not be an option.

Here are a few of the things IFAW is currently working on now to help make sure pets are not forgotten when the next disaster strikes:

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Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Write a Letter to Stop Whaling

For years, the Japanese government has ignored pleas from the international community to stop whaling. At the most recent International Whaling Commission, no real progress was made to stop the cruel annual slaughter by Japan of thousands of whales each year in the name of “science.” In fact, it was the first time the pro-whaling side has won a majority on a key issue since the IWC adopted the ban twenty years ago.

Tell President Bush to oppose Japan’s permanent membership on the UN Security Council until Japan complies with international laws for the protection of whales. Security council membership is important to Japan. This strong consequence may be the only thing that can stop the unnecessary and cruel harpooning of thousands of whales each year.

Take Action

Please send an email to the President and then follow up with a brief and polite phone call to simply say:

“My name is….. from….. and I want to thank President Bush for his efforts to oppose whaling. I urge him to oppose Japan’s seat on the U.N. Security Council until Japan complies with the international laws to protect whales.”

You can reach the White House at 1-202-456-1111.

Via the International Fund for Animal Welfare:

Stop Brutal Dog Culls in China

The International Fund for Animal Welfare condemns the indiscriminate mass culling of dogs, particularly dogs that have already been vaccinated against rabies. Rabies has been successfully controlled in many countries through promoting vaccination and improving public education about effective disease control and treatment. The inhumane killing of dogs, unacceptable in any society and culture, further compounds the problem. It glorifies violence, harms the feelings of animal lovers all over the world, creates conflicting relationships with dog owners and tarnishes China’s image as a peaceful and progressive country that promotes harmony between animals and people.

Killing dogs that have rightful owners is also a violation of the basic rights of a citizen in China. Although China does not have legislation that protects the welfare of animals, its Constitution calls for the protection of personal property, which includes companion animals rightfully owned.

Dog population control rests with municipal governments, most of which have no management system to regulate dog ownership and disease prevention. The Muding County dog killing campaign is not an isolated incident. These types of dog killing campaigns spring up in China frequently, often in reaction to rabies control failures by the local governments.

IFAW has contacted the Chuxiong Prefecture government office and was told the dog cull in Muding has been stopped. While Muding county may have stopped the cull reacting to the international outcry, Shandong Province is gearing up for a similar dog culling campaign, according to media reports.

Take Action: IFAW has successfully persuaded some municipalities in China from carrying out mass dog killing campaigns in the past. Please send a letter to the Chinese Ambassador in your own country urging China to immediately stop the inhumane dog culls, of which there have already been several this year. More importantly, please urge China to promulgate animal welfare legislation that prevents the cruel treatment of animals and which would stop any future inhumane dog culls.