Release Spring 2024

Release

Spring 2024

A NEWSLETTER FOR SUPPORTERS OF FREEDOM FOR ANIMALS

CONTENTS

BECAUSE OF YOU! New investigation at notorious zoo Page 1 Victory for animals in Nottinghamshire Page 3 Free the gentoo penguins campaign Page 4 Zoo Awareness Weekend was a huge success Page 6 Animal-free circus campaign continues Page 7

and neglect, the council have failed to take appropriate action, by closing down this zoo.

Throughout 2023, Freedom for Animals deployed an undercover investigator to gain access to the zoo as a volunteer, to gather behind the scenes evidence and uncover the true reality for the animals held captive there.

What investigators found was disturbing: • Serious overcrowding • Flooding of enclosures • Stereotypical behaviours • Sick, injured and dying animals • Poor husbandry

Cumbria Safari Zoo hit with new damning undercover investigation Your support has enabled a brand new investigation exposing the awful conditions that animals at this zoo are experiencing.

Freedom for Animals has been campaigning for the closure of Cumbria Safari Zoo - formally known as South Lakes Zoo - for many years.

Despite continued evidence of animal suffering

Release | Spring 2024 | www.freedomforanimals.org.uk

It is thanks to you, that we have been able to carry out this vital investigation. We hope that by taking this important step and sharing our devastating findings publicly, the council will be moved to take appropriate action - to finally close down the zoo and rehome the animals to appropriate sanctuaries.

TAKE ACTION! Join us today as a Freedom Champion to help ensure the fight for the closure of this zoo can continue. For too long this zoo has been allowed to neglect and exploit animals. But thanks to you we can be here to hold them accountable and make the council take action. (See back page).

Our initial investigation into the zoo took place in 2017, after a damning council report revealed the tragic deaths of 486 animals within a three-year period. This led to the zoo being dubbed ‘Britain’s Worst Zoo’ in the press.

Since then, there have been many visits to the zoo to record first hand how the animals are living. Not only by us, but by Born Free and many members of the public who have sent witness reports to us.

Yet regardless of this, the zoo has remained open to the public and been granted new licences.

That’s why we knew we had to take further action!

What the investigator said:

“

What I witnessed on this investigation will stay with me forever. So many animals are languishing there in devastating conditions, with some even losing their lives while I was undercover. We must make sure they are not forgotten, and that we continue to fight for the ones still trapped there.

”

While this footage from inside the zoo is terrible to see, it is a vital tool in the campaign to close down this zoo. We have since sent a full report to the council who have yet to act on our findings.

You can watch our shocking new videos into Cumbria Safari Zoo here: www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/news/southlakes-zoo-video For too long the zoo has been allowed to continue and the animals allowed to suffer. Enough is enough. We won’t give up on this campaign or on the animals held captive inside this awful zoo. Please help us to fight for their freedom by sharing their stories far and wide.

HOW YOU CAN HELP Sign our petition - Demand Westmorland and Furness Council close down this zoo. https://chng.it/N8q7WNC4YN Share these videos - Help to raise awareness and inspire others to take action for animals. www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/news/ south-lakes-zoo-video Join a local demonstration. Email us at office@freedomforanimals.org.uk for more information.

Donate to our appeal - Be part of the driving force that is calling for the closure of this zoo. www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/donate

Meerkats at the zoo. You can see how thin the meerkat is on the right. There was no visible food in his littered cage, and he had nowhere warm to hide in privacy.

Mona and Zippy, two elderly bears held captive in an unsuitable enclosure at Cumbria Safari zoo.

Sick kangaroo in a wheelbarrow with suspected lumpy jaw, a condition linked to poor husbandry and stress.

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Despite the terrible failings this zoo has had in the past with health and safety issues and the death of a keeper, the public are still allowed to feed the tigers.

NEW ZOO PLANS DENIED

Victory - Broxtowe zoo gets refused!

After all the hard work to stop these plans, the council took a resounding decision to say NO to building this new zoo in Nottinghamshire.

What an amazing result! With 9 votes against, and 2 for, from the local councillors, this is a huge victory. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

This zoo was planned to be built on greenbelt land which currently sees animals such as badgers, newts, otters, voles, bats and many more species living there. Removing animals from their homes to build a zoo is not conservation.

Freedom for Animals campaign manager Laura Walton said after the result:

“

These plans were an attack on wildlife, not an attempt to conserve it. We are thrilled with this result.

This represents another step away from an archaic society that exploits animals for entertainment. I respect the councillors for seeing this project for what it is.

”

Over this past year we have worked tirelessly alongside our colleagues at Animal Rising and Born Free, the local community, and you, our supporters, to ensure that the developers’ plans to imprison more animals would not become a reality.

It remains to be seen what will happen next, but the developers have already claimed they are revising the application, ready to appeal this decision. If that happens, we will be ready to pick up this fight again.

Thank you to everyone who has given their time to object to the planning proposal, signed the petition, attended a demonstration or sent gifts to support our actions. This victory shows what can happen when good people come together.

Zoos represent a lifetime of misery for those forced to inhabit them and it is thanks to you that no new cages will be constructed and filled with sad animals who would have been part of a tourist attraction.

Your donations make these actions possible and provide vital funding for our investigations, social media campaigns and the production of campaign materials for protests. Thank you!

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Free the gentoo penguins Freedom for Animals’ new campaign to ‘Free the 15 penguins’ from Sea Life London Aquarium is going from strength to strength.

and are opening their eyes to how all animals suffer in aquariums, once they hear the stories of the individuals inside.

This really seems to have captured the hearts of so many people and the press.

All sea animals should be living free, in the wild and open oceans, not in the tiny tanks of an aquarium.

So far 1310 have signed onto the petition demanding that Sea Life release the penguins that they hold captive in a basement aquarium and send them to an appropriate sanctuary.

We made the national press with this campaign too. Plus, it appears that Sea Life has taken objection to the press using the word ‘captive’ to describe the penguins and have threatened the Express with legal action.

There have been many demonstrations outside the aquarium in London by local activists since the campaign launched. Many members of the public have since turned away from this cruelty

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This campaign could not have begun without our kind supporters and our amazing volunteers, who have been working so hard behind the scenes to help shape this campaign. Thank you.

TAKE ACTION! Please sign and share the petition: www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/actionsea-life-penguins

Note from our director Welcome to this spring edition of Release! As you can see, the team has been very busy already this year. And so too have our amazing supporters, who we are all very grateful for here at Freedom for Animals.

Just a few weeks ago we celebrated a major victory when Broxtowe Council refused planning permission for a new zoo in Trowell, Nottinghamshire.

This was the culmination of a campaign that started over a year ago. Our campaigns team worked closely with local animal rights groups, activists and local residents, to object to the proposal. I would like to thank everyone who joined us on this vital campaign. Britain does not need any new zoos or expansion of existing zoos.

We recently started a campaign on behalf of penguins captive in aquariums, focusing on 15 gentoo penguins being held in a

windowless basement room to ‘entertain’ visitors. Not only do we hope this campaign helps these birds, but all animals in aquariums once people hear how they are forced to live.

We have also once again exposed the poor conditions and neglect of animals at South Lake Zoo in Cumbria, following a new undercover investigation. I know you will agree that the videos we have released show that this zoo is continuing to fail animals and must be closed.

Zoo Awareness Weekend, at Easter, also saw so many people come together to protest outside zoos and aquariums. These protests all help to spread awareness and increase advocacy for animals who have had their right to freedom and choice taken away by being stuck in captivity.

Of course, we couldn’t do any of this without you – our fantastic supporters, so a huge thank you to you all. Have a great summer!

Director

Thank you for helping birds of prey Thanks to your kindness and generosity our matched funding challenge near the end of 2023 was a huge success.

We raised a massive £6,350 to be able to advance our work against bird of prey centres.

This is all thanks to a small group of dedicated donors who matched donations, and The Big Give Champions who enabled us to double gifts received during the challenge.

We are now ready to deploy investigators and start work on this new groundbreaking

investigation, into an inherently cruel industry that uses birds for nothing more than entertainment and profit.

Thank you for making this possible!

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ion in conjunct t this year ou d ie nd rr s weeke Protests ca Awarenes

with Zoo

Zoo Awareness Weekend 2024 This year’s Zoo Awareness Weekend was a huge success, with so many different demonstrations being held by grassroots activists throughout the UK and Ireland.

Every year, we call on our supporters to speak up for animals by taking action on this important event; to share the truth behind the cages and raise public awareness over zoos’ busiest time of year - Easter Weekend.

We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken action this Zoo Awareness Weekend, by attending events in person, signing our petitions, sharing our investigation videos or donating to our appeals.

It is up to us to show the public the truth of captivity, and the grim reality zoos are so desperate to hide. We must continue to fight for animal freedom. Together we are stronger, and we could not carry on the vital work we do without your generous support.

Impactful demonstrations were held at London Sea Life, London Zoo, Newcastle, Knowsley Safari Park, Belfast, Brighton Sea life and Cumbria Safari Zoo (where our recent investigation was carried out to expose the neglect of animals held captive there). Activists talked to the public about the cruelty of zoos and aquariums, and many people signed our petitions at the events!

DID YOU KNOW? You can order free campaign materials from our shop. So if you are holding an information stall or attending a protest, you can grab some leaflets and posters on our website: www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/shop

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Appeal: Support our work and help end the use of animals for entertainment!

Animals are not props for human entertainment and we are here, with you, to end this cruel industry.

No animal deserves to be locked in a cage, to be separated from their family, to be viewed and killed as “stock” or because of overcrowding, or to simply exist for human entertainment.

But there is a ray of hope for them, and that is you!

So, every time a person turns away from a zoo because they read a leaflet or talked to a protester outside, you can be sure that you played the biggest part of that.

And every time we are contacted by a whistleblower and able to answer their calls and tell their stories, you can be sure of your dedicated involvement in that.

You also help with vital investigation work that shows the reality for these animals.

Grab some merchandise today Our Freedom for Animalsthemed merchandise not only helps us to raise funds for animals in captivity but are a fun way to spread the message of freedom and compassion even further.

Take a look at our BRAND NEW eco-friendly range of clothing on Teemill! www.freedom-for-animals.teemill.com Or check out the merch range in our shop: www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/shop

All animals suffer in captivity. Please help them today.

Each and every animal is relying on us to help them - there is no one else. You are their ray of hope.

Please if you are able to, donate today so we can continue to be here for all animals. You can use the form provided or visit the website below: www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/donate Until all are free!

Animal-free circus campaign grows with new report To mark the 5th anniversary of the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019 in England, and to keep up the pressure, Freedom for Animals has carried out new research and investigations into circuses that still exploit animals.

Thanks to you, we will be releasing a new report on animal circuses very soon.

So watch this space!

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YES I want to become a Freedom Champion Become a Freedom Champion for animals, by setting up a monthly donation today.

Set up a hassle-free, monthly direct debit on our website: www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/freedomchampion Or set up a standing order using the form provided.

Our Freedom Champions are at the forefront of everything we do and help us to make plans in advance and be much more effective for animals.

By setting up a monthly gift, of any amount of your choosing, you can become a Freedom Champion. You will fuel vital work all year round to help vulnerable and suffering animals.

Will you join us as a Freedom Champion today? £5 a month could equip grassroots groups with materials to demonstrate outside of a zoo, turning customers away from cruelty £10 a month will power our work with whistleblowers, uncovering the hidden truth of animal suffering £20 a month could help fund an undercover investigation to expose the horrors of captivity and enable us to seek justice for animals Your monthly gift will drive behind-the-scenes actions to help animals.

When you join us today you will receive our new Freedom Champion sign-up pack: • • • •

A welcome letter Our new funky Freedom Champion pin badge 15% off all of our merchandise Our supporter newsletter Release, twice a year

So please, visit www.freedomforanimals.org. uk/freedomchampion and join us as a Freedom Champion, or complete the standing order form included.

For too long animals have been exploited by people and companies who have stripped them of their rights and used them for whatever purpose they wish.

Together we can fight back and use our passion and determination to make a difference.

Until all are free!

Need to get in touch about anything else? Our new address is 83 Ducie Street, Manchester, M1 2JQ. Or you can call us on 0845 330 3911, email office@freedomforanimals.org.uk You can update how you receive communications from us by visiting our website or emailing us at office@freedomforanimals.org.uk 8 | Release | Spring 2024