WSPA News Fall 2010

World Society for the Protection of Animals

WSPA NEWS FALL | WINTER 2010

CANADA’S FARM ANIMAL transport system in need of repair PROTECTING ANIMALS in the chaos of disaster HISTORY in Catalonia

THANK YOU How we raise farm animals has profound implications for animals and people, and WSPA is aiming to put animal welfare at the centre of Canadian agricultural policy.

A generous contribution from Canadians for the Ethical Treatment of Food Animals (CETFA) is funding a new WSPA report on how intensive farming practices impact the lives of Canadians and the animals involved. Expected at the end of 2011, it will provide policy recommendations to point the way towards more humane, sustainable ways of raising farm animals.

WSPA gives a heartfelt thanks to CETFA for making this work possible.

World Society for the Protection of Animals

CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE

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Editorial

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Headlines

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Making a world of difference

WSPA NEWS FALL

|

WINTER 2010

FEATURES

7

Canada’s farm animal transport system in need of repair

10 Protecting animals in the

chaos of disasters 15 Preparing for disaster REPORTS

17 Field notes from Bella Coola 18 History in Catalonia

Back cover image: In November 2008, the Limon area of Costa Rica suffered from severe rain and floods. Ten percent of the local animal population perished and 15,000 surviving animals (pets and farm animals) were still at risk. A WSPA rescue team helped the dog pictured.

Editor: Michelle Cliffe Contributors: Michelle Cliffe, Holly Hewitt, Josey Kitson, Michaela Miller, Silia Smith.

Designed and produced by: Serina Morris

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Printed by: DT&P Inc. WSPA Canada 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 960 Toronto, ON M4P 2Y3 T: 416 369 0044 TF:1 800 363 9772 F: 416 369 0147 E: wspa@wspa.ca wspa.ca Unless otherwise stated, all images are the copyright of WSPA. WSPA News is published twice yearly by the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

WSPA News is printed on 100% recycled paper from post-consumer waste.

WSPA is a registered Canadian charitable organization No. 12971 9076 RR0001 Š WSPA 2010

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EDITORIAL

FROM THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR

TRAGEDY IN PAKISTAN This past August, heavy monsoons caused the worst floods in Pakistan for 80 years. More than 14 million people have been affected and an estimated 1,600 lost their lives. WSPA’s Kund Park bear sanctuary is located in the epicentre of the flood area and was hit hard. It is with great sadness that I tell you, despite the heroic efforts of staff from our member society the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC), 20 of the sanctuary’s 23 beloved bears died.

A flood warning system was in place, but the dramatic rise in floodwaters – reaching 60 feet above river level – did not give the BRC team enough time to remove the bears from danger. They did all they could and stayed at the sanctuary for as long as possible before being forced to evacuate.

As soon as the floodwaters receded, the BRC team worked around the clock to search for the bears, but after several days had to face the devastating reality that 20 of their bears were dead.

Against all the odds, three lucky bears – Babu, Maylu and Sohrab – were found alive. They are now safe at our new sanctuary at Balkasar, which is nearly complete.

The damage to the Kund Park sanctuary is so severe that is seems unlikely that it can be rebuilt.

In beloved memory Al-one Al-three Al-five Bubly

Choti Dewa Jugno Karishma

Lailah Manthar Marvie Neelum

Prince Rania Roshni Rustum

Shardah Star Unnamed Zidi

The new Balkasar sanctuary will be the home of Babu, Maylu and Sohrab, and the remaining bears that still need to be rescued from a life of bear baiting events. Completing Balkasar is now more urgent than ever, and the team at BRC are working around the clock to achieve this.

The death of these much-loved bears has devastated all of us, and we know it will be equally upsetting for you. I hope it is of some comfort to know that it was WSPA supporters who allowed the final chapter of these bears’ lives to be safe from the violence and fear of bear baiting.

WSPA’s disaster team is working hard to bring aid to the surviving animals in Pakistan. To read more about our work in this country take a look at page 14.

Marvie, pictured above at the Kund Sanctuary in 2009, is one of 20 bears who died in the recent Pakistan floods.

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WSPA NEWS

Silia Smith Regional Director, Canada

HEADLINES

WSPA first started helping dancing bears in India in 1995, when our research revealed there were around 1,000 bears being forced to ‘dance’ for entertainment.

Thanks to years of dedicated work, bear dancing has nearly been eradicated from India. It is now virtually unheard of in the urban areas and tourist sites where it was once prevalent, and a recent survey found there are only around 30 bears still forced to dance in rural communities. WSPA and our member society Wildlife Trust of India are still working to ensure that every last dancing bear is freed and that this cruel ‘entertainment’ ends forever.

© BAWA

LAST STEPS FOR India’s dancing bears

65,000 DOGS SAVED IN BALI

After an outbreak of rabies in Bali in 2008, the government ordered a cull of all roaming dogs in an attempt to control the epidemic. Despite local opposition and international pressure from 40,000 WSPA supporters, the authorities refused to switch to a mass vaccination program. Thousands of dogs were poisoned with strychnine, suffering tortuous convulsions and internal bleeding before dying. In December 2009, WSPA funded a vaccination campaign in one district, Gianyar, to prove that it was both possible and effective to control rabies through vaccination. Now, 42,500 dogs are immunized against rabies, and 65,000 have been saved from a cruel cull.

Gianyar is the only district where dog bites have reduced by as much as 50 per cent. Our success in Gianyar caused the government to review its approach, and WSPA will now be working in collaboration with them on a five-year project to make Bali rabies-free through vaccination.

Education first FOR INDIA WSPA’s education program, First Concepts in Animal Welfare (FCAW), operates in 16 countries and has expanded to India. For the first time ever, 16 teachers from eight schools in Delhi learned about how to integrate animal welfare into the curriculum. WSPA plans to extend the program to other schools.

WSPA NEWS goes digital We’ve taken WSPA News online, so now you can read it on the internet and from your mobile phone. The electronic version includes interactive features and videos. Visit www.wspa.ca/wspanews to subscribe. You can also text ALERTS to 97721 to subscribe to WSPA News and get updates on your mobile.

© Bryant Austin/www.studiocosmos.com

HEADLINES

WSPA UK FIGHTS “mega dairies” Change is spreading within the UK dairy farming industry – and not for the better. The existing system – mostly made up of small herds raised outdoors on small family farms – is under threat from intensive ‘mega-dairies’ with herds in the thousands. In the intensive system, antibiotics, stress, fear and aggression are routine, and cows spend their lives indoors with little – if any – access to grazing. WSPA UK recently helped to stop a proposed intensive facility that would have held approximately 3,000 cows. They are now actively working to stop another facility that would hold 8,100 cows. To follow this campaign visit: www.notinmycuppa.com

Australia gives WHALES A VOICE WSPA Australia and Optus, Australia’s second largest telecommunications company, have joined forces to raise awareness about whaling. Part of their innovative campaign captured the voices of thousands of Australians, which they combined to create an anti-whaling video. The video was presented at the 2010 International Whaling Conference. To see the inspiring video visit: www.givewhalesavoice.com.au

© iStockphoto

The Netherlands BANS MINK FUR A bill to ban the production of mink fur in the Netherlands, the second largest mink producer in Europe, has been approved by the Dutch Parliament. The Senate must still approve the bill, but it is likely to pass. The Netherlands has already banned the farming of chinchilla and fox.

UGANDA ADDS ANIMAL WELFARE to the school curriculum

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WSPA NEWS

© Matías Recart

© iStockphoto

After much collaboration with the National Curriculum Development Centre in Uganda, WSPA Africa has been successful in embedding animal welfare education officially into the school curriculum for primary classes six and seven. WSPA worked with the National Curriculum Development Centre to examine all of the areas in the curriculum where animal welfare could be incorporated. The children will learn about responsible pet ownership and the intrinsic value of animals.

ACTION

CURB THE CRUELTY:

Watch the video

Every year in Canada, more than 700 million farm animals are packed tightly onto trucks and shipped to auctions and slaughterhouses across the country. After these gruelling journeys, two to three million animals arrive at their destination dead, and eleven million others arrive sick and injured.

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hese and other harsh facts were revealed by a WSPA investigation and report entitled Curb the Cruelty: Canada’s farm animal transport system in need of repair. We scoured through hundreds of Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reports that inspectors use to assess whether the animal transport regulations are being followed. What we found was a grim snapshot of how farm animals are transported, how their health and welfare is inspected and how the regulations are being enforced.

The reports were filled with disturbing cases, yet many serious animal welfare problems were not reported as violations in inspectors’ reports, and WSPA did not find any evidence of penalties being issued for violations in the reports we reviewed.

We were shocked to learn that there is only one CFIA animal health inspector for every

© Corbis. Tous droits réservés.

Canada’s farm animal transport system in need of repair

two million animals. With so few inspectors, WSPA is left wondering how CFIA can properly enforce its own regulations and what it means for the welfare of the animals and the safety of Canada’s food supply.

The shocking findings in our report should come as no surprise, since our regulations allow some animals to be transported for more than two days without food, water and rest – in wind, snow, rain and scorching heat – before mercifully being taken off the trucks. It doesn’t have to be this way, and we’re pushing for change. WSPA has made clear recommendations for solutions and is asking the CFIA to lower transport times, update the regulations and improve enforcement.

ACTION You can help to prompt positive change – please speak out and ask your MP to push for an update to Canada’s animal transport regulations and better protection for farm animals. Send a letter directly from: www.wspa.ca/curbthecruelty WSPA NEWS

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REPORT In May, two disasters struck Guatemala within days of each other. The Pacaya volcano erupted, causing debris and ash to rain down in many cities, and Tropical Storm Agatha caused landslides and widespread flooding across the country. Thousands of people were evacuated to shelters, an astonishing 30% of the country’s animal died, and many surviving animals were covered in ash with no food and water. WSPA provided food and veterinary care for approximately 75% of the animals located in eight of the worst-affected communities.

GUATEMALA

HAITI After the devastating earthquake struck Haiti in January, WSPA and IFAW co-founded the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH), and 19 other international animal welfare organizations joined the coalition. Over $1 million has been given to help Haiti’s animals, and to date more than 30,000 animals have been helped.

PERU

Relief for animals in

disasters

around the globe For more than 40 years, WSPA has been protecting, rescuing and providing aid to animals that have been affected by disasters. This map is a snapshot of our work from January to August 2010.

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WSPA NEWS

In January, Peru’s government announced a 60-day state of emergency after several provinces suffered heavy rains causing flooding and landslides. WSPA and our member society Unidos por los Animales (UPA) worked in the affected areas to provide food and veterinary care to 530 companion animals and 4,684 farm animals.

REPORT

The biggest floods in 80 years claimed 1,600 lives and affected approximately 20 million Pakistanis. Hundreds of thousands of animals drowned, leaving countless others starving and suffering from injuries. WSPA partnered with veterinary students and staff from the University of Veterinary and Animal Science in Lahore to provide feed for thousands of animals in the Layyah District of Punjab.* *Accurate at time of writing, in August 2010.

PAKISTAN

MONGOLIA

Š UVAS

Severe weather killed over 8 million animals in Mongolia between January and March.

Since approximately one third of people are dependent on livestock, this gravely impacted the Mongolian people. WSPA provided fodder and milk powder, feeding thousands of animals in three hard-hit areas, helping herders and protecting many vulnerable animals.

NEPAL Heavy monsoons in August caused rivers to break their banks and flood large areas, meaning the loss of pasture, paddocks and many animals. Parasites, pneumonia, wounds and malnutrition caused suffering among the surviving animals. WSPA and our member society SAWM NEPAL provided aid in some of the most remote and vulnerable communities.

Visit our blog

FIJI

CHILE A massive 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile in February, causing a tsunami to hit the coastline. WSPA and our member societies CAPAC and PROANIMAL, in partnership with the Chilean Veterinary Association, treated injuries and distributed food in camps where many animals had been moved with their owners.

Tropical Cyclone Tomas tore through Fiji in March, affecting 26,000 people and leaving a trail of destruction. Tavenui, the third largest island in Fiji, was among the hardest hit. WSPA helped to rebuild the infrastructure for the island’s animals, providing building materials, vaccine storage and veterinary care.

WSPA NEWS

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FEATURE

Watch the video

PROTECTING

ANIMALS in the chaos of disasters 2010 The first half of 2010 represented one of the most demanding periods in the four decades that WSPA has been responding to disasters.

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ur skilled and dedicated Disaster Response Team travelled to an unprecedented number of disaster-stricken countries around the globe, sometimes at great risk to the team and in treacherous conditions. WSPA provided much-needed food, medicines and veterinary care to treat the wounded, protect the vulnerable and prevent additional suffering. Wherever possible, we’ve also ensured that animals are better protected for the long-term by helping governments and individuals to develop disaster preparedness and risk reduction plans that include animals. The following pages are a brief snapshot of our efforts in Haiti, Mongolia, Chile and Pakistan – locations of some of the most severe disasters we’ve responded to this year.

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WSPA NEWS

HAITI The massive earthquake that devastated Haiti in January was a shocking beginning to the year, and it stunned people around the world as the full extent of the damage became glaringly clear. The vast recovery effort will be ongoing for years to come.

FEATURE PROVIDING VETERINARY SERVICES IN HAITI MEANT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. Like many developing countries, the welfare of Haiti’s animal population is critical since many Haitians rely on animals for their economic wellbeing. After the earthquake, the spread of disease from animal to human was also a very real threat. Most of Haiti’s animals had never seen a vet, and vaccines were scarce since lack of refrigeration destroyed any vaccines that had been previously available. Rabies, anthrax and pig cholera were just a few of the diseases poised to attack.

Providing veterinary services in Haiti meant the difference between life and death. The first few weeks after the quake were critical to recovery, and WSPA and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) joined forces to provide immediate aid. We created ARCH, the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, and within weeks 19 other animal welfare organizations joined us. ARCH harnessed our collective energy and expertise in a historic coalition that has set aside more than $1 million and sent a rotation of expert staff to help the animals of this struggling nation.

Priority number one was to refurbish a mobile veterinary clinic, generously donated by our member society the Antigua and Barbuda Humane Society, and set to

work immediately. A team of Haitian vets, given jobs in a time when they so desperately need them, now operates the clinic on behalf of ARCH. They travel into earthquake-stricken neighbourhoods to help heal the injured, administer vaccines and give vital advice on how to care for the animals in such turbulent times. So far, the mobile clinic has cared for more than 30,000 animals.

ARCH is also planning for the long-term, so that after we leave the animals are still protected. Through important government partnerships, we are re-building the country’s ability to provide veterinary care for its animals by re-constructing a veterinary lab, helping to once again establish the national vaccination program and incorporating animals into future disaster plans.

WSPA and the ARCH plan to be in Haiti until March 2011, or as long as it takes to complete the worthy job of providing relief to the country’s animals.

All Haiti photos are copyright WSPA/IFAW/Tomas Stargardter WSPA NEWS

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FEATURE

MONGOLIA A dzud overwhelmed Mongolia between January and March, brutally killing more than eight million animals and devastating the roughly one-third of Mongolians who are directly dependent on livestock for income and survival.

the run up to the spring. The desperation of the situation was also causing conflict between wildlife and the herders, since the large numbers of carcasses around their shelters were attracting wild animals.

Through WSPA funding, our member society MFPA helped to address these problems by feeding wildlife in the region.

A dzud is a complex, multi-faceted disaster caused by a drought over a summer followed by extreme cold and massive storms in winter. Drought over the summer meant livestock owners were unable to stockpile enough hay and fodder for the winter. Colder than usual temperatures – sometimes down to -48°C – and heavy snow and dust storms meant that the animals had limited access to pasture.

Moving forward, a key part of our work will be to help the Mongolian government, and its people, to implement measures that can prevent such a devastating loss of life in the future.

The majority of the animals who perished in January were sheep and goats, along with large numbers of cattle, horses and some camels. By the end of February, livestock owners’ feed supplies and the Mongolian Government emergency feed supplies were exhausted, and there was no access to pasture for several weeks until the spring. This grave reality put millions more animals at risk of starvation and the death toll continued to rise.

The scale of the dzud was so massive that it was impossible for WSPA to solve it alone. WSPA joined forces with our Mongolian member societies, the Cambridge Mongolian Development Appeal (CAMDA) and the Mongolian Foundation for the Protection of Animals (MFPA), to help. WSPA provided the funds for CAMDA to purchase fodder and milk powder to help feed animals across three areas (known as soums). This enabled the herders and the local government to protect highly vulnerable animals, many of them pregnant in

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WSPA NEWS

A dzud is a complex, multi-faceted disaster caused by a drought over a summer followed by extreme cold and massive storms in winter.

FEATURE

CHILE An enormous earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale rocked Chile in the early morning on the 27th of February, affecting several regions in the central part of the country. The quake triggered a tsunami which then flooded coastal towns near the epicenter, worsening the situation and leaving widespread destruction and thousands of animals in need of help.

Although Chile is prepared for disasters, with a national agency specialized in disaster response, animals are not included in any of the plans. Given the country’s huge stray animal population, WSPA was especially concerned about their fate. And, because the earthquake and the tsunami destroyed more than 81,000 houses and severely damaged an additional 109,000, many pets

were also separated from their owners, meaning that a significant percentage of the total dog population in the disaster zones were roaming the streets.

WSPA targeted a response effort to deliver veterinary care in the worst affected areas. We coordinated with the Chilean Veterinary Association and our member societies Centro de Ayuda y Protección para el Animal de la Calle (CAPAC) and PROANIMAL to provide relief to companion animals and some farm animals, since agriculture and farming are important livelihoods for the poor communities there.

The veterinary team deployed by the Veterinary Association was made up of nine experienced professionals who volunteered to come to the aid of the animal victims, bringing their specialized knowledge on the care of small animals. WSPA helped transport and deliver food and supplies donated by citizens and collected by the member societies to the places where they were most needed.

Through this collaborative relief effort, the team was able to assist more than 3,639 companion animals and 1,308 farm animals.

WSPA NEWS

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FEATURE

PAKISTAN At the time this story was written, the sheer magnitude and numbers of people affected by the flooding in Pakistan was still dramatically unfolding with the situation becoming worse with each passing day.

The floods amplified the risk of water-borne disease and parasites, and agonizing ailments like foot rot were expected to be common as the animals stood in mud and water. Contamination of water, pasture and other food supplies also threatened the lives of many animals who survived the rising waters.

As soon as the impact of the flooding became evident, WSPA’s disaster response team worked around the clock to find a way to get aid to the country’s animals, despite the fact that the security situation in Pakistan was making it difficult for aid workers to operate safely.

Through a vital relationship with Vets Care Club (VCC), a group of veterinary students and staff from the University of Veterinary and Animal Science in Lahore, WSPA was able to begin providing some relief during this tragedy.

VCC delivered feed to animals in Punjab, where several villages were severely affected and whose socio-economic status was extremely fragile. And, a specialized, highly-trained WSPA response team was preparing to enter Islamabad and meet with key contacts to determine what more can be done for Pakistan’s animals.

In the months to come we will have more information and updates on the scope and impact of our work in Pakistan. © UVAS

© UVAS

© UVAS

Visit our blog

BETWEEN JANUARY AND AUGUST 2010, WSPA’S HEROIC DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF ANIMALS IN 12 DISASTER-RAVAGED COUNTRIES AND PROVIDED DIRECT AID IN EIGHT, HELPING 67,504 ANIMALS.

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WSPA NEWS

1

HAVE A PLAN

Hurricanes, earthquakes and floods are just a few of the many disasters that can strike in Canada, with devastating consequences. Having a plan for protecting your animals in these times can mean the difference between life and death. Here are a few basic tips:

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KEEP AN EMERGENCY KIT, WITH THESE ITEMS:

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PLAN FOR EVACUATION

prepared?

ACTION

Planning ahead, recording your plan and going over it with friends and family is the best first step. The federal, provincial and municipal governments have different responsibilities when disasters strike, and your city or province may not have disaster plans that include animals. So, be sure to check with your province and municipality when making your plan.

Water – enough water for your animal(s) for at least 72 hours (this can be as much as two litres per animal, per day) and a water bowl or container for them to drink from Food – enough non-perishable food for each animal for 72 hours, and a manual can opener if you’re packing canned food Ensure your animal(s) is up to date on vaccines, and pack prescription medications and medical records Plastic bags and absorbent towels Reflective collar and leash, muzzle Current photo in case your pet is lost Animal carrier, preferably one with wheels Warm blanket Animal first aid kit Name tags to identify your animal(s)

If you’re forced to evacuate, doing so with an animal can be challenging with no plan in place. Keep your emergency kit and animal carrier in an easy-to-access place, and try to pre-arrange a safe location for your pets to evacuate to. Some emergency shelters may accept animals, but be sure to check with your province and your municipality to see if animals are allowed in human emergency shelters. If you’re forced to leave your animals behind, do not tie them up.

Find the safest possible place and leave enough food and clean water for a minimum of 72 hours. Place a rescue alert sticker on your outside doors so rescuers know there’s an animal inside.

Are animals included in your province and municipality’s disaster plans? If not, write to your MPP and City Councillor, ask them to include animals in disaster plans and tell them how important this is to you.

WSPA NEWS

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FEATURE

When disaster strikes, are you

GIVE

Work for the animals Engaging your workplace in animal welfare through an employee or workplace giving program is a unique way to support WSPA, help animals and spread the word about why animals matter. It’s also a great way for staff members and employers to meet their charitable giving goals.

You can do this by asking your employer to add the World Society for the Protection of Animals as a charitable organization that can be supported through existing employee giving programs. Employees can choose to give monthly through a simple payroll deduction, or they can choose to give a specified amount periodically throughout the year.

If your workplace has a matching gift program, let your employer know whenever you give a gift to WSPA so they can match it. WSPA is a registered charity in Canada and will provide income tax receipts for donations.

If you would like more information about employee giving, please contact:

© Holly Hewitt

Kerstin Moller Major Gifts Manager

416 369 0044 x124 1 800 363 9772 moller@wspa.ca

Leave a lasting to animals

© Holly Hewitt

gift

As animal lovers we do everything we can for the animals that share our lives – and we worry about the ones that we can’t help.

WSPA is making vast strides, but there is still much to be done. Your legacy will help to ensure that animals are protected, wherever and whenever they need it most.

If you would like to make a lasting commitment to animals around the world, please consider making a legacy gift to WSPA. A gift in your will is a simple, thoughtful way to reflect your dedication to animals. Long-term contributions of this type play a crucial role in supporting all areas of our program work including the provision of emergency veterinary treatment and food for animals after natural disasters strike.

If you would like more information on legacy giving please contact:

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WSPA NEWS

Holly Hewitt Major Gifts Officer

416 369 0044 x119 1 800 363 9772 hewitt@wspa.ca

REPORT

IN ONE SHORT YEAR, 96 UNWANTED ANIMALS HAVE FOUND LOVING HOMES, AND 110 DOGS AND 68 CATS HAVE BEEN STERILIZED.

Field Notes from Bella Coola

By Josey Kitson

I

met Rita in May of this year at a WSPAfunded clinic, which was part of a project being run by our incredible member society, Big Heart Rescue. Rita is a resident, so touched by the project that she has become a volunteer, who was eager to tell me about her experiences.

“We played Santa for all the critters,” she recalls with a grin. She was referring to Christmas 2009, when many people were struggling to provide for members of their family, including their animals. Big Heart sent approximately 800 pounds of pet food, which Rita and community volunteers Ellie Archer and Krista Gunderson helped to distribute.

Until last year, she and the other residents of Bella Coola had little access to veterinary care – the closest vet is seven hours away,

BELLA COOLA, A PICTURESQUE FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITY NESTLED INLAND FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA’S RAIN COAST, IS HOME TO RITA SVISDAHL, HER FAMILY, AND THEIR TWO DOGS PIPPY AND SHADOW.

a long trip that is just not financially possible for many residents. In 2009, WSPA provided the funds for Big Heart Rescue to begin helping Bella Coola’s animals, and in turn helping their families. Big Heart’s volunteers rolled out a plan to advise the community on how to manage the dog population and ensure that all of the animals had access to veterinary care.

Pippy being treated by Dr. Ben and Yvonne (tech) under the watchful eye of Rita

According to Rita there have been big changes in the community since Big Heart arrived. She has noticed two very important things: there are less dogs packing – Rita thinks it has a lot to do with the dog food Big Heart has provided – and there is a heightened awareness about responsible pet ownership. In her words “people are starting to care”.

In one short year, 96 unwanted animals have found loving homes, and 110 dogs and 68 cats have been sterilized.

Josey Kitson oversees WSPA Canada’s First Nations Dogs Project. She travelled to Bella Coola in May 2010 to see this model project in action and take part in an animal health clinic that WSPA funded.

WSPA NEWS

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in Catalonia

Years of hard work and campaigning by WSPA and our Spanish member societies Asociacion Defensa Derechos Animal (ADDA) and PROU have made history in Spain. Our voices, together with thousands of supporters from around the world, have been heard by the Catalonian Parliament. On July 28, they voted to update the country’s animal protection laws and ban bullfighting in Catalonia.

O

ur supporters rallied around this campaign, and WSPA collected the signatures of more than 85,000 people – all of whom share this victory. Comedian Ricky Gervais lent his support to WSPA by appealing to his fans, and 25,000 of them added their signatures. In the last 24 hours of our campaign, an additional 25,000 signatures were collected

by WSPA Canada, and on the 26th of July WSPA representatives met with Ernest Benach, President of Catalonia’s parliament, to highlight how many people around the world were calling for a ban.

Spain has a long history and tradition of bullfighting, and ending bullfighting in a Spanish region is a landmark achievement.

Catalonia has sent a strong message that bullfighting is a cruel event that should no longer be part of its culture.

The Catalonian ban is part of an emerging trend, as more and more local authorities from around the world are outlawing bullfighting. Within Spain, the Canary Islands have already banned bullfighting, as have cities in Ecuador, Venezuela, France, Portugal and Colombia.

The ban in Catalonia sets an example for other Spanish regions to follow – relegating the cruelty of bullfighting to history.

© ADDA

FEATURE

HISTORY

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WSPA NEWS

Catalonia is an autonomous region within Spain, and its capital city is Barcelona. Catalonia and the Canary Islands are the only two regions in Spain to have banned bullfighting.

Support WSPA The work described in this magazine would not be possible without the financial support of individuals and organizations who are passionate about animals. Please join us as we strive to create a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty ends.

Donate to WSPA today. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more.

Visit

www.wspa.ca/donate

Text RESCUE Call 1

to make an online donation

to 30333 to donate $5 from your mobile phone

800 363 9772 to donate by phone

Connect with WSPA WSPA Canada 90 Eglinton Avenue East • Toronto, ON M4P 2Y3 • Telephone 416 369 0044 or Toll-free 1 800 363 9772 wspa@wspa.ca • www.wspa.ca Canadian charitable registration #12971 9076 RR0001 WSPA NEWS

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War breaks out. A natural disaster occurs. Man against man. Man against nature.

Who knows why? No answers, only questions. And there are people. Little girls, boys, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters all trying to pull their lives back together.

And there are the animals. Who takes care of the animals?

WE TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS. World Society for the Protection of Animals

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