Halal guidelines to include animal welfare
Region: Middle East
Date: April 2009
In an unprecedented move acknowledging the importance of animal welfare, WSPA has been invited by the International Halal Integrity Alliance (IHIA) to produce draft animal welfare guidelines.
These will be presented at the World Halal Forum in Malaysia next month as part of a future Global Halal Standard.
WSPA’s Middle East Programme Director, Trevor Wheeler, joined Darhim Hashim, the CEO of IHIA, in a closed door meeting with the Honourable Grand Sheikh of the Al Azhar Institute, Dr Mohamed Sayed Al Tentawy, in Cairo on 14 April.
Other attendees at the meeting were Sofia Parente, WSPA Farm Animals Programme Manager, and Ahmed Sherbiny, Chairman of the Egyptian Society for Animal Friends, a WSPA member society.
Further information >>
Public back prosecutor to achieve live export ban
Region: Latin America
Date: February 2009
When the Handle with Care coalition asked supporters to email words of encouragement to the Public Environmental Prosecutor of Belém, Brazil, acknowledging his ongoing efforts to prevent the cruelty of long distance transportation, over 33,000 did.
The prosecutor, Dr Benedito Wilson Sá, was the responsible for the suspension of live cattle exports from the port of Belém about a year ago. Back then, he successfully argued that live export seriously compromises animal welfare as well as damaging the local economy by exporting jobs and taxes.
He also pointed out the damage that corralling large numbers of animals together causes to environment, ultimately taking its toll on tourism. But Dr Sá’s call for a total ban on live cattle exports faced significant opposition from the powerful local live transport industry.
When the Handle with Care coalition asked supporters to show him that people across the world believed in his action, letters came from Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and USA as well as within Brazil.
A permanent ban is now in place.
Further information >>
Petition power: Handle with Care welcomed by EU
Region: Europe
Date: February 2009
This week European Union Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou stated that it is her aim to better protect the health and welfare of animals transported long distances by ensuring enforcement of EU legislation.
Speaking at the handover of 152,557 signatures – collected by the Handle with Care coalition – the Commissioner said she shares the view of the petitioners that the implementation of legislation on animal transport is a priority.
“I have asked my services to make progress on this issue as a priority so that the Commission is in a position to take a decision on this issue in the coming months,” said Ms Vassiliou at a press briefing in Brussels.
Further information and film >>
European Commission acknowledges need to handle with care
Region: Europe
Date: December 2008
The European Commission has formally and publicly responded to the Handle with Care coalition’s demands for better enforcement of EU legislation on animal transportation and a complete end to long distance transport.
In a letter, the Commission said it had received many e-mails and letters from animal welfare supporters and that it "shares your views concerning the need for better application of the animal transport legislation and is working intensively on the improvement of animal welfare during transport, dedicating considerable efforts to this issue."
The letter continued: "The Commission believes that the present time limits are not fully in line with scientific knowledge and are also inconsistent with the social legislation applicable to drivers, making the overall implementation of transport times difficult"
To read more of the scientific research behind Handle with Care’s campaign, please read our summary report >>
Handle with Care on the road in Croatia
Region: Europe
Date: October 2008
A demonstration, organised by Animal Friends Croatia on behalf of Handle with Care, took place in the Croatian capital Zagreb on 25 October 2008.
Although Croatia is not a member of the European Union, it has harmonised its livestock transportation with EU regulations and suffers many of the same flaws when it comes to enforcement.
The demonstration brought together over 120 participants and volunteers and received a good amount of media coverage in Croatia and Bosnia.
It will now be followed by meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture, in which Animal Friends Croatia will demand support for new regulations with short finite journey times.
Egypt hosts regional meeting on live animal transport
Region: Middle East
Date: October 2008
This month, a conference in Cairo explored the relationship between Islam, animal welfare, and the long distance transport of animals for slaughter. Discussions showed this cruel and unnecessary trade is increasingly under the spotlight.
The two-day meeting, on ‘The Islamic Principles on Animal Transport and Slaughter’, was organised by the Egyptian Society of Animal Friends and supported by WSPA on behalf of the Handle with Care coalition.
It included presentations and workshops on slaughterhouses, the effects of transportation on animals, and international guidelines from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (whose own conference in Egypt followed this and touched on some of the same issues).
Transported animals take centre stage
The eminence of the speakers reflected how seriously the debate is being taken in the region.
They included three Sheikhs from the prestigious Al-Ahzar University, Prof Dr Nasser Farid Wasef, former Egypt Mufti (the country’s foremost scholarly office), the Jordanian Minister of Religious Affairs, and HRH Princess Alia Al Hussein.
The Jordanian princess said: "I am calling on Arab countries to implement legislation in line with the mercifulness of Islam. Islam advocates mercifulness to animals before and at the time of slaughter and condemns acts of cruelty."
Her comments echoed the fatwa issued by Dr Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, Grand Sheik of Al-Ahzar University, which stated that the cruelty of long distance transport and bad slaughter practices oppose the teachings of the Quran.
Good news for animals
At the end of the conference, delegates agreed that the teachings of the Quran and the internationally agreed OIE guidelines on transport and slaughter basically address the same issues. This is a solid foundation for the Handle with Care campaign to build on.
Participants also accepted the existence of alternatives to importing large numbers of animals. These options already serve the region: the Egyptian army, for example, prefer supplies of frozen meat due to its reliability.
WSPA’s Sofia Parente commented: "Many countries in the region already import frozen and chilled meat, for example from Australia, and we would like to see the transport of live animals progressively replaced with this trade.”
The suspension of the import of live animals from Syria due to animal disease was also cited as a reason why reliance on live animal imports was unwise.
Advocating for compassion
A final conference outcome came in the form of a recommendation from Al-Ahzar University, which – recognising the widespread cruelty to animals in many countries in the Islamic world – called for conditions for animals during transport, slaughter, and rearing to be brought in line with the original teachings of the Quran, which advocate compassion.
Summarising the conference, Ms Parente said: “WSPA is excited to see so many voices raised against the cruelty of long distance transport and bad slaughter practises and the growing recognition that there is an alternative."
Current campaign news: global focus on Australia and Brazil
Region: Global
Date: July 2008
The level of public support for the Handle with Care campaign has been demonstrated by the coalition’s recent international actions, focussing on the long distance transport of animals from Australia to the Middle East and from a port in Brazil to Lebanon.
Tens of thousands seek Brazilian port live export ban
In May we asked Handle with Care supporters and animal lovers to send e-mails to the Public Prosecutor of Pará State, encouraging him to keep fighting for a ban on live animal exports from one of Brazil’s busiest ports. Over 30,000 people responded.
Messages of support poured in from Brazil, Canada, USA, Netherlands, UK and Italy, proving that live exports from Pará State are of international concern. LAV, our Italian partner, was particularly successful in boosting awareness of the issue, placing footage of transported Brazilian cattle on national television.
The WSPA Brazil team, alongside local member society ASSCOMA, will shortly deliver the thousands of letters and e-mails, using media coverage of the handover to build further awareness.
Handle with Care coalition and supporters take Australian sheep protest global
Following the Brazilian action, two weeks of global focus on Australia have demonstrated international support for phasing out the horrific export of sheep to the Middle East.
This campaign is still in progress. Find out more about the transport conditions and join the action >>
Activity so far:
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Demonstrations were held in front of Australian embassies in the UK, Nepal and Hungary to raise awareness about the suffering of transported sheep; a final demonstration is planned in Ireland.
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A public action is underway until the end of July, urging people to write to or e-mail Australian embassies in the UK, Netherlands, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Italy and Spain to protest cruel and unnecessary transportation. Australians living abroad are asked to write to their local Australian embassy.
So far almost 10,000 people have sent an e-mail or letter in the USA alone. You can help make a difference by joining them!
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Protest letters from coalition members and approximately twenty WSPA member societies were sent to Australia’s prime minister and its embassies in the UK, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Colombia, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic, France, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Nepal, Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Egypt and Bahrain.
Media coverage of the campaign in Italy, Nepal, Hungary and Australia has demonstrated the global nature of the campaign to the Australian government.
A 15 minute interview with Italy’s La Repubblica TV by Roberto Bennati of LAV can be viewed here (starts 16 minutes in).
Worst Spanish company stopped from transporting horses
Region: Europe
Date: June 2008
The Spanish company with the worst record for breaking transport regulations is no longer transporting horses after authorisation for five of its vehicles was withdrawn and ten others were stopped and fined by the authorities.
The company was found to be transporting too many animals per vehicle, running trucks without single stalls and failing to make required rest stops. These conditions cause intense distress for transported horses, which then face slaughter at the journey’s end.
Further information >>
New, comprehensive text on long distance transport launched
Region: Europe
Date: May 2008
Long Distance Transport and Welfare of Farm Animals – the book that provides the scientific basis of the Handle with Care campaign – was launched at the 76th General Session of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in Paris.
The largest and most comprehensive academic reference text on the long distance transport of animals for slaughter was presented to almost 100 of the world’s Chief Veterinary Officers in a reception on 26 May 2008.
The reception was also attended by nearly 250 delegates of the general session, including the OIE Director General and Deputy Director General.
The following day, Peter Davies, Director General of coalition member WSPA, addressed the OIE general session and highlighted the Handle with Care coalition’s global transport campaign.
Download full book details and order form (PDF 207KB) >>
Transporters refuse to show footage of animal abuse
Region: Europe/United States
Date: May 2008
Handle with Care coalition member WSPA is disappointed that undercover footage showing the cruel truth of the long distance transport of live animals was banned from the recent Animal Transportation Association (AATA) conference. This is despite WSPA being a full member of the AATA and presenting factual and timely research.
WSPA submitted the footage – intended to educate conference goers to the true conditions for live animals on long journeys to slaughter – as part of its proposed exhibit to AATA three months prior to the event, held in Dresden from 18-21 May 2008.
However, WSPA staff only received notification a week before the conference that it had been reviewed and rejected by the Program Committee, the AATA-Elect and the President as they do not feel it is an accurate portrayal of the industry.
Further information >>
Acclaimed Islamic leader issues fatwa to stop animal suffering
Region: Middle East
Date: May 2008
Dr. Mohamed Sayed Tantawy, the Grand Sheikh of one of the most respected Islamic Universities in the world, the Al Ahzar University in Cairo, has issued an important legal opinion (fatwa) about the long distance transportation of animals and slaughter.
Further information >>
Handle with Care coalition appalled by Australia’s decision to reopen cruel export route
Region: Oceania
Date: May 2008
The Australian Government recently announced that it will resume the export of live cattle to Egypt. The trade was suspended two years ago after a successful exposure of the conditions upon arrival at the Egyptian slaughterhouses.
Further information >>
Handle with Care campaign makes progress in United States
Region: United States
Date: March 2008
A supermarket chain in Hawaii is reconsidering their pork buying policy after the Handle with Care campaign brought the live transportation of pigs to their attention.
Don Quijote supermarkets wrote to the Handle with Care Coalition to announce that they are considering banning pork from imported animals from their stores. The company also said they did not know the pork they sell came from transported animals before the campaign was launched in February 2008.
The Coalition is also exerting pressure on decision-makers at a national level. In July 2007, 85 pigs died from heat exhaustion en route from Canada to Hawaii, accounting for almost 13% of all animals on the journey. This shocking figure prompted the members and partners of the Handle with Care Coalition in North America to write a complaint to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian authorities.
Further information >>
Campaign launch sweeps across Europe, North America and South America
Region: Europe, North America and South America
Date: 13th February 2008
Handle with Care’s worldwide campaign launch continues to make the news headlines with media events around the globe.
Denmark
WSPA Denmark and Dyrenes Beskyttelse (the Danish SPA) generated excellent media coverage.
The campaign prompted the MP Kresten Touborg to call the Danish Minister of Justice Lene Espersen to a consultation in the European Committee in the Danish Parliament. As the responsible minister Lene Espersen will have to explain what the Danish Government intent to do, to try to stop the long journeys.
The Danish MEP, Dan Joergensen, reacted by writing a personal letter directly to Markos Kyprianou asking him to take immediate action to stop long distance transport.
You can read some of the other Danish news coverage here:
http://www.newsmarket.dk/
http://ekstrabladet.dk/
http://www.maskinbladet.dk/
http://www.dr.dk/
http://jp.dk/
http://www.urban.dk/
http://www.seoghoer.dk/
Italy
Italy’s leading animal welfare organisation LAV held a national campaign launch in Rome on the 12 February followed by local launches in the four main horse importing regions in Italy - Verona, Veneto, Puglia and Milan – on the 13 February.
The media coverage obtained was impressive, with features in some of the main daily newspapers, radio and national television news, as well as generating statements of support from the Italian MEP Cristiana Muscardi and several Italian MPs.
In a meeting of LAV with the Vice-Minister of Health (the Ministry responsible for enforcing the transport legislation in Italy) the day after the launch, the Vice-Minister personally sent a note to the Chief of Health Policies demanding stronger enforcement and boarder controls and a special period of control to be carried out at the national level in April. Training sessions with enforcement authorities in Puglia and other Italian regions are also being enacted as a result of the campaign launch.
You can see a few of the Italian news stories here:
http://www.repubblica.it/
http://www.ifgonline.it/
http://www.lastampa.it/
http://notizie.alice.it/
Spain
Spanish animal welfare organisation ANDA launched the campaign in Spain with two press conferences in Madrid and Barcelona.
As a result of the story running in the media in Galicia, the Regional Agriculture Authority of Galicia invited ANDA for a meeting to discuss the transport of horses.
The Authority is now going to investigate for themselves whether some companies are transporting the horses in illegal conditions, promising to withdraw the transport license of any offenders.
You can read two examples of the Spanish coverage here:
http://actualidad.terra.es/
http://www.elfaroverde.com/
Canada
A national press release was sent on the 11 February followed by a press conference in Alberta.
As a result of media coverage generated by WSPA Canada, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced that the Canadian Government is proposing changes that would ban the export of live animals if transportation conditions anywhere along the route failed to meet Canadian standards.
You can read some of the Canadian news coverage here:
http://www.country-guide.ca/
http://www.todaystrucking.com/
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
 USA
American Handle with Care Coalition members combined a press launch in Boston and Hawaii with newspaper adverts in Hawaii and Kansas City where participants in a meat industry workshop on transport were meeting.
As a result, the workshop of the meat industry association concluded they need to invest in new transport codes, which is a very encouraging development in the USA.
See some Hawaii TV news clips here:
http://www.khon2.com/
http://newsclipsetc.com/
And you can read one Hawaii newspaper’s editorial here:
http://starbulletin.com/
Brazil
The Brazilian launch of the global Handle with Care campaign was hosted by Brazilian celebrity, Betty Gofman, with a message of support uploaded to You Tube.
View our video with Betty Gofman >>
Meanwhile, as reported in November (see below), the live trade from Belém is still temporarily suspended by the Public Prosecutor of Pará due to public health and hygiene concerns, although live exports unfortunately still continue from other Brazilian ports.
See one of the Brazilian TV news clips here:
http://bandnewstv.com.br/
And you can read some of the Brazilian coverage here:
http://bichos.uol.com.br/
http://frenteambientalista.com.br/
http://www.jornalagora.com.br/
http://www.netsite.com.br/
Campaign launch rolls into London’s Trafalgar Square
Region: Europe
Date: 12th February 2008
 Handle with Care’s worldwide campaign launch rolled into London’s Trafalgar Square on 12 February aboard a classic red London bus.
The public could see the Coalition’s undercover footage of this cruel trade for themselves aboard the bus in a special cinema, while volunteers from CIWF, ILPH, RSPCA and WSPA collected petition signatures throughout the day. Celebrity supporters Jenny Seagrove and Andrew Sachs joined the crowds and gave interviews. Watch the video >>
The global campaign launch in London resulted in one of Britain’s most influential newspapers running the story as its front page lead the next day:
The Independent >>
See some of the other UK news coverage here:
BBC News 1 >>
BBC News 2>>
The Telegraph >>
The Mirror >>
The Guardian >>
The Farmers Guardian >>
MEATINFO.CO.UK >>
Australian court rules that live exports are cruel
Region: Oceania
Date: February 2008
In another major development for the campaign against live exports in Australia, a Perth Magistrates Court ruled in February that Australia’s live export industry is cruel.
Scientific evidence published by the Handle with Care Coalition shows that the transport of live animals for slaughter is cruel, and we are pleased that the courts officially agree.
Perth Magistrate Catherine Crawford was ruling on cruelty charges brought against the Directors of Emmanuel Exports Pty Ltd, the largest live sheep export company in Western Australia. Despite finding evidence of cruelty and suffering, Magistrate Crawford was forced to acquit the defendants on a technicality.
Every year Australia sends more than four million sheep to the Middle East to be slaughtered in this cruel and unnecessary trade. Australia already exports chilled and frozen meat to every country it exports live animals to, and it already has Halal-certified export abattoirs already supplying Halal meat to the Middle East.
Further information >>
Handle with Care global campaign launch starts in Australia and New Zealand
Region: Oceania
Date: 11th February 2008
 The global Handle with Care campaign, to end the long distance transport of animals, officially set sail on 11 February aboard a converted steamboat in the heart of Sydney. This marked the start of a rolling 48 hour series of campaign launches across the world.
Focusing on the appalling sheep export trade from Australia to the Middle East, the Australia and New Zealand campaign launches were a powerful display of coalition unity against this cruel practice.
The Handle with Care coalition is urging the new Labor Government in Australia to copy the New Zealand Government in effectively ending the live export of sheep to the Middle East, and replace it with a chilled meat trade from animals more humanely transported and slaughtered within Australia.
See some of the Australian news coverage:
ABC.NET.AU >>
THE.AUSTRALIAN.NEWS.COM >>
EN.EPOCHTIMES.COM >>
NEWS.COM.AU/DAILYTELEGRAPH >>
NEWS.COM.AU/ADELAIDENOW >>
See some of the New Zealand news coverage:
SCOOP.CO.NZ >>
TV3.CO.NZ >>
International organic movement highlights transport risks
Region: Global
Date: February 2008
"The transport of large numbers of animals in the modern global world over long distances cause an extreme risk of spread of infections like avian flu."
This is one of the key conclusions in a new report from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
Their report, the latest blow against the cruel and unnecessary trade in live animals, states "With the appearance of diseases like ‘Mad Cow Disease’, avian flu and health problems caused by bacteria like Salmonella and e.coli, there is clearly increasing public awareness of animal welfare, animal health and the advantages of organic livestock production."
Further information >>
European Commission confirms horse transport conditions are illegal
Region: Europe
Date: February 2008
In response to complaints from the Handle with Care Coalition, the European Commission has confirmed that the conditions in which many transporters truck horses from Spain to Italy for slaughter are illegal.
Horses should be transported in single stalls, but evidence collected by Animal Welfare investigators, Animal Angels, shows the law is ignored, or unsuitable mats and ropes are used in a token effort to separate large groups of horses. This can be seen in the Handle with Care footage of the Spain to Italy horse trade.
Writing to Handle with Care, the European Commission confirmed that “Partitions must be strong enough to contain horses in separate stalls. They must be of rigid construction since they have to support the weight of the animals… to avoid injury or suffering. Consequently… partitions created with rubber mats, chains or ropes do not appear to be able to ensure that the aims of the Regulation are achieved.”
Representatives of the Handle with Care Coalition are now meeting with the European Commission in February to discuss stronger enforcement of the law.
New Zealand government tightens ban on live exports
Region: Oceania
Date: January 2008
The New Zealand government effectively tightened its ban on live animal exports for slaughter at the end of the year, with its new Customs Exports Prohibition (Livestock and Slaughter) Order 2007.
In recent years, New Zealand has not exported live animals for slaughter, and the government was consulting on a possible formal ban (expected to be reported in March 2008). Instead, at the end of last year, the new Exports Prohibition Order came into effect.
Although not a blanket ban, the order explicitly prohibits all exports of livestock for slaughter unless approval is obtained on a specific case-by-case basis direct from the Director General of Agriculture and Forestry.
The explicit legal ban follows the views of that New Zealand Veterinary Association that the most humane solution is for animals to be slaughtered as close to the farm as possible.
Further information >>
Pig transport evidence sent to federal authorities
Region: North America
Date: January 2007
Investigators working for the Handle with Care Coalition in Canada, California and Hawaii have sent evidence of animal cruelty to federal authorities for further investigation.
Based on film footage gathered by Handle with Care, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been asked to investigate a livestock transport company in California for possible violation of the Twenty-Eight Hour Law when transporting pigs from Canada to Hawaii. This law requires that farmed animals be unloaded every 28 hours during transportation and given feed, water and rest.
Conditions at the main slaughterhouse in Hawaii have also been reported to the USDA, and details on the cruel trade have been submitted to the Canadian Government.
Police swoop on UK horse meat horror farm
Region: Europe
Date: January 2007
Vets from Handle with Care Coalition member organisations the RSPCA and the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) accompanied police during a raid on a British farm where horses were kept in appalling cruelty.
In Britain, the export of live horses for meat is banned, but this horse meat was to be sold to mainland Europe for food. Inspectors discovered 32 dead horses, ponies and donkeys at the horror farm, described as one of Britain's worst ever cases of animal cruelty.
A total of 111 horses, ponies and donkeys have now been moved to safety, and are being cared for by the ILPH, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, and the RSPCA.
Further information >>
Middle Eastcall for alternatives to live transport
Region: Middle East
Date: December 2007
An informal network of twenty-five charities in the Middle East and North Africa have called on governments in the region to work towards alternatives to the cruel and unnecessary long distance transport of live animals for slaughter.
Meeting at a conference on animal welfare in Cairo, Egypt, delegates also called on Islamic bodies to promote Islamic teachings on concern and care for animals.
Further information >>
German police stop live pig transport
Region: Europe
Date: December 2007
German police have stopped a second truck of pigs in its tracks for violating the permitted transport times and for overloading.
In the summer, another truck was stopped by the police after other drivers reported seeing blood spilling from the vehicle.
Further information >>
Prosecutor suspends Brazil cattle exports
Region: South America
Date: November 2007
The Public Environmental Prosecutor in Para State, Northern Brazil, took legal action in August to temporarily suspend the live export of cattle from the port of Belem, because of environmental concerns and the foul smell hanging over the tourist area of the city.
Cruel and unnecessary live cattle exports go via ship from Belem for slaughter in Lebanon and Venezuela. In November, representatives of the Handle with Care Coalition met with the Public Prosecutor, Benedito Wilson Sá, to offer help and support with the forthcoming legal hearings.
Brazilian cows drown in Venezuela
Region: South America
Date: November 2007
On 5 November 2007, the DM Spiridon – a Lebanese live transport ship – partially sank in the port of Cabello, Venezuela, while waiting to unload Brazilian cattle.
1,750 cows valued at $1.2 million drowned as the ship took in water. Days later the decomposing remains of cattle contaminated beaches and coastline of the Triste Gulf.
Further information >> |
