WSPA NEWS - Spring/Summer 2013

WSPA NEWS SPRING | SUMMER 2013

Choose Cage-Free campaign takes flight Curtains close on bear dancing in India Making a world of difference for farm animals

When disasters strike, animals are often the forgotten victims.

Our disaster response team works around the clock to provide emergency veterinary treatment, food, water and shelter to the animal victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, drought and tsunami. We also work with communities through education to better plan for their animals in the event of a disaster.

Honor the animal lover in your life by funding our life-saving disaster management programs and help the teams respond immediately when a disaster strikes.

Help us respond faster in disaster at reallywildgifts.ca

WSPA NEWS World Society for the Protection of Animals

CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE

SPRING | SUMMER 2013

4 From the Executive Director 5 Headlines 8 Making a world of difference

for farm animals FEATURES

7 Ending bear dancing in India 10 On the ground for a Collars Not Cruelty vaccination program Sur le terrain – le programme de

vaccination Colliers sans cruauté 12 Choose Cage-Free Choisissez des œufs en liberté 14 Share your birthday with WSPA

Contributors: Suzie Dundas, Josey Kitson, Kirsty McFadden, Michaela Miller and Elizabeth Sharpe Designed and produced by: Serina Morris Printed by: DT&P Inc.

© WSPA / Mahmud

Editor: Elizabeth Sharpe

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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. Cover photo © i.c. productions

WSPA News is printed on 100% recycled paper from post-consumer waste with vegetable-based inks.

WSPA is a registered Canadian charitable organization No. 12971 9076 RR0001 © WSPA 2013

© i.c. productions

WSPA News is published twice yearly by the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

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EDITORIAL

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

IT STARTS WITH YOU The fate of animals rests in your hands. Through our attitudes and actions we have the power to impact the lives of millions of animals here and around the world. You are the solution to the problems and threats they face.

© WSPA / Mahmud

This is true for the dogs and cats that are a part of our communities to the animals we keep on farms; more animals are cared for by people than ever before. Even wild animals, not directly in our care are heavily affected by our behaviours. How we treat animals and the value we place on their welfare has a profound impact on our lives and the future of our planet.

That’s why animal suffering can’t be looked at alone. The world’s toughest challenges – food security, disaster recovery, infectious disease, climate change – can only be solved when the humane and compassionate treatment of animals is a critical part of the solution. Positive and lasting change for animals means a better world for all of us.

For example, through your donations WSPA is taking action to end the suffering of dogs by working with local governments in the developing world to implement rabies vaccination clinics – protecting dogs from being killed and entire communities from this deadly disease (page 10).

We are also helping farm animals by educating consumers about the real living conditions of hens in Canada and giving them the tools to support farmers who are doing it right (page 12). When a disaster strikes WSPA is there to protect the animals but through this work we are also protecting the health and livelihoods of the people affected (page 5).

People are the solution and we all have the power to make the world a better place for animals. Your support makes everything possible. I hope you enjoy this issue of WSPA News and thank you for your continued generosity and dedication to animal welfare.

Josey Kitson Executive Director, WSPA Canada

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WSPA NEWS

UPDATE: Stop sea turtle farming

WSPA’s latest achievements for animals by visiting wspa.ca

Imagine the cruelty of trapping hundreds, thousands of naturally solitary sea turtles together in filthy tanks. Conditions at the Cayman Turtle Farm make it impossible for turtles to express their natural behaviour and can lead to disease, injury and even cannibalism.

We think sea turtles deserve better and so do you! Nearly 200,000 of you have taken action. In January, your petitions were delivered to the Caymanian Government and Turtle Farm bosses. Because of you these endangered sea turtles have been given a voice but we can’t stop yet – not until sea turtle farming has ended.

Watch our video to find out more and see how you can help at stopseaturtlefarm.org.

Become a fan of WSPA or add us as one of your causes at wspa.ca/facebook

© Michelle de Villiers

Follow us for up-to-the-minute news at wspa.ca/twitter

See amazing moments that can only be captured on video at wspa.ca/youtube

Old bears, Prince Charles and Winnie, receiving the royal treatment As the harsh winter weather came to a close in the Romanian countryside, two old bears desperately in need of a new home were rescued by WSPA’s local partner Asociatia Milioane de Prieteni (AMP) and taken to the WSPA-funded Zarnesti bear sanctuary.

© AMP

Now Prince Charles and Winnie are receiving the royal treatment for bears and will spend the rest of their lives in the natural forested enclosures.

Most bears take some time to adjust to the forest after a life of captivity but not Charles. He immediately headed for the pool and happily played and splashed in water for the first time in his life, before exploring his new enclosure and then taking another nap in his den. Visit wspa.ca/facebook to see photos of his release.

WSPA NEWS

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HEADLINES

READ ABOUT

HEADLINES

Disaster Relief Team deployed to help animals in India After an appeal for help from the Indian Government, WSPA sent an expert disaster response team to the Western state of Maharashtra, to help the animals affected by the worst drought there in 40 years.

WSPA is providing essential minerals and shelter to over 9,000 cattle suffering in the sweltering heat. Animals are so important to the lives of the people in this region that families are being separated to take care of them.

Twelve year old Gyaneshwar is now living alone in a WSPA shelter area alongside his animals while his parents watch over their home, family and goats two kilometres away.

Visit our Animals in Disasters blog available from wspa.ca to see how your support is helping the animals and people suffering in the worst drought in decades.

Joining forces to save dogs in China WSPA and the China Animal Disease Control Centre (CADC) have signed an exciting agreement to work together on a four-year project to save at least 500,000 dogs from being needlessly killed in response to rabies.

Through our global Collars Not Cruelty campaign, we have proven that vaccination is the only effective way to protect dogs and safeguard communities from rabies.

The first phase of this project will focus on setting up pilot dog vaccination programs in China to prove to authorities there that this solution works. With the CADC as partners, we can make real inroads to protecting animals’ lives in China.

THANK YOU From helping bears find a better life, to preventing the

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WSPA NEWS

Š Michelle de Villiers

suffering of animals and people caught in disasters, to protecting our precious ocean wildlife, your generosity has made a difference in the lives of thousands of animals. On behalf of all these animals, thank you!

FEATURE

Final curtains close on India’s cruellest dance © Dr. Brij Kishor Gupta

For 17 years your amazing support has helped us save India’s endangered sloth bears from the suffering of bear dancing and from being snatched out of the wild.

1992 2008

Your outrage about the treatment of bears inspired the launch of our Libearty campaign. One of its first successes was a ban on bear dancing in Greece and Turkey.

With WTI we brought the concept of animal welfare to rural areas – street theatre and games highlighted the cruelty of bear dancing and poaching. © WTI

1997 A WSPA-funded study found 1,200 bears dancing on India’s streets and showed that around 100 bear cubs were being taken from the wild every year to fuel the industry.

2009 Your generosity enabled us to work with the WTI to train 816 forestry staff and community volunteers in four Indian states in anti-poaching methods to stop the trade at its source.

2000 Needing somewhere safe to house rescued bears, we lobbied the Indian government for land to build a sanctuary. Thanks to your generosity we were able to design and fund it.

2010 We were delighted when our latest survey showed there were less than 15 bears still dancing in India.

2002 The sanctuary was ready for its first bears and was given to our local partner, Wildlife SOS, to manage.

Today it is the biggest sloth bear sanctuary in the world.

With your help, we drew the public’s attention to the cruelty of bear dancing with billboards in tourist areas and with our partner the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) we pressed the government to enforce laws aimed at protecting bears in the wild.

© WTI

2006 Your generosity helped us develop the alternative livelihoods program through which we persuaded more than 50 individuals to give up their bears in exchange for legal ways of earning a living.

© Dr. Brij Kishor Gupta

© Iris Souza

2004-2007

2012 The Indian government announced the National Bear Conservation and Welfare Action Plan to safeguard bears. The plan was largely funded by WSPA and our expertise helped create it.

2013 Nearly 400 bears rescued from lives of dancing are receiving care in sanctuaries.

None of this would have been possible without your support.

While we can all feel proud of what we accomplished for bears in India; our work to protect bears around the world continues. We still need your help.

Visit wspa.ca/bears to learn more.

WSPA NEWS

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© i.c. productions

REPORT

Life for North America’s egg-laying hens is far from easy. More than 300 million live crammed in tiny cages with almost no room to turn around or stretch their wings. But our Choose Cage-Free campaign in Canada and the US is empowering everyone to commit to cage-free eggs. With your support change is possible.

Learn more at choosecagefree.org

© Gideon Mendel

Canada / USA

DENMARK, SWEDEN, UK AND THE NETHERLANDS Your support of our Cows on Grass campaign is helping us lobby government and industry to halt the rapid expansion of indoor dairy farming in Denmark, Sweden, the UK and the Netherlands. Indoor dairy farms could condemn millions of cows to unnatural lives where they will never experience sunlight or be able to graze on grass.

Making a world of difference –

for farm animals

Thank you! Your generosity does so much to save the world’s farm animals from suffering. Here are just a few ways you are helping us make a world of difference.

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WSPA NEWS

A big thank you to our 500,000 supporters who backed the Pawprint campaign last year. This campaign targeted world leaders at the UN Earth Summit convincing them to put farm animal welfare on the agenda. Not only did we achieve this world first, they formally recognized that animals must be considered when finding solutions to the world’s most urgent issues.

BRAZIL

REPORT

INDIA

Our disaster teams act quickly to rescue farm animals in need. When terrible flooding affected Assam, India last year, nearly 60,000 animals (mostly cattle, pigs, and goats) were given feed and veterinary care. This not only helped to save the animals, but also the livelihoods of the people depending on them.

Follow our Animals in Disasters blog at: animalsindisasters.typepad.com/wspa

Farming case studies, showing how animalfriendly farming methods make good business sense, are critical to the credibility of our campaigns and advocacy work. The Lessos Livestock Breeding Network Dairies Limited (LELBREN), a co-operative of small-scale, pasture-based dairy farmers in Kenya, is helping raise productivity, improve livelihoods, increase food security and provide good health and welfare for their animals.

KENYA

INDONESIA

AUSTRALIA

Tens of thousands of beef cattle will be treated more humanely at abattoirs in Indonesia thanks to our new three-year project with the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association.

Elsewhere, your support of our humane slaughter projects, where local workers are taught how to improve the lives of animals in abattoirs, has meant that approximately half a billion animals in China and Brazil did not end their lives in pain.

Millions of Australian livestock are shipped live overseas every year; they endure horrific and unnecessary journeys. A chilled meat trade is the answer to ending this brutal treatment. So far nearly 200,000 Australians and many key politicians have backed our Humane Chain campaign calling for a halt to live exports. Check out the Chain’s progress at humanechain.org.au WSPA NEWS

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REPORT

On the ground

for a Collars Not Cruelty vaccination program

P

eople and dogs have a unique connection but in parts of the world where people die of rabies that connection is being tested. Fear of rabies causes the needless and cruel deaths of millions of dogs every year but with your support, WSPA’s Collars Not Cruelty campaign has been working to stop the killing. In collaboration with governments and local partners we set up mass dog vaccination clinics – the only scientifically proven way to stop the spread of rabies. We give each vaccinated dog a bright red collar and a spray with non-toxic paint so the communities know these dogs are safe, preventing them from being killed and protecting everyone from rabies. Around the world, you are helping people and dogs live in harmony.

Sur le terrain –

le programme de vaccination Colliers sans cruauté

La relation entre l’humain et le chien est unique. Or, dans les pays où les gens meurent de la rage, cette relation est mise à l’épreuve. La peur de la rage cause chaque année la mort cruelle et inutile de millions de chiens, mais avec votre appui, la campagne Colliers sans cruauté de la WSPA (Société Mondiale pour la protection des animaux) œuvre à faire cesser ce carnage. En collaboration avec les gouvernements et des partenaires locaux, nous avons établi des cliniques de vaccination canine massive, la seule méthode scientifiquement prouvée pour freiner la propagation de la rage. Dans des communautés partout au monde, vous aidez la WSPA à protéger les personnes autant que les chiens.

Already the Collars Not Cruelty campaign has saved more than 300,000 dogs with vaccination clinics in Bali.

Also, local teams have vaccinated tens of thousands of dogs across Northern Bangladesh.

Déjà, la campagne Colliers sans cruauté, a permis de sauver plus de 300 000 chiens grâce aux cliniques de vaccination à Bali. De plus, des équipes locales ont vacciné des dizaines de milliers de chiens dans le nord du Bangladesh.

Recently WSPA was in Tongi, in the greater Dhaka area of Bangladesh for a vaccination program. In a surprising twist we found the children of the community to be our greatest support network. Here are just some of the stories…

Récemment, la WSPA est allée à Tongi, dans la grande région de Dhaka, au Bangladesh, pour un programme de vaccination. Étonnamment, ce sont les enfants de la communauté qui ont formé notre plus grand réseau d’entraide. Voici quelques anecdotes…

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WSPA NEWS

Shaon

Shaon : Après avoir entendu parler de la vaccination canine massive, ce jeune de 11 ans nous a apporté deux chiots à vacciner. Il était heureux que la WSPA soit là pour les vacciner car il se souvenait des campagnes d’abattage. « Je détestais voir les chiens se faire empoisonner… si ça peut protéger les chiens et les personnes, c’est une très bonne idée », a-t-il déclaré.

Little Meem: Meem is five years old and comes every day to see her favourite dog, Laila. Meem and other local children spread the word about the vaccinations and within a few minutes dozens of locals appeared with dogs, all waiting their turn to get the animals vaccinated.

Little Meem

La petite Meem : À cinq ans, Meem venait tous les jours voir son chien préféré, Laila. Quand Meem et d’autres enfants du coin sont allés annoncer la vaccination, en quelques minutes, les gens se sont mis à arriver par douzaines avec leurs chiens, pour attendre leur tour de les faire vacciner.

Sumon the dog whisperer: Ten year old Sumon has a natural touch with dogs and knew he could help the WSPA teams vaccinate as many dogs as possible. He led teams to at least three different puppy litters and helped to catch and vaccinate more than 20 dogs.

Sumon l’ami des chiens : Ce jeune homme de dix ans est un ami naturel des chiens. Il savait qu’il pouvait aider les équipes de la WSPA à vacciner autant de chiens que possible. Il nous a guidés vers au moins trois portées de chiots et a contribué à attraper plus de 20 chiens pour les faire vacciner.

Sumon

All Collars Not Cruelty photos are copyright © WSPA / Mahmud.

To support Collars Not Cruelty or to stay up-to-date on our progress visit wspa.ca/red-collar WSPA NEWS

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REPORT

Shaon: After hearing about the mass dog vaccination work, 11 year old Shaon brought two puppies to be vaccinated. He is glad WSPA is there to vaccinate the dogs and remembers dog culling in the past. “I hated seeing the dogs being poisoned…if this works to protect dogs and people it is a very good thing” he said.

FEATURE

Choose cage-free eggs

and give our feathered friends a better life Choisissez des œufs produits en liberté et offrez une vie meilleure à nos amis à plume We all know that hens deserve humane treatment and we want to do what we can to give our feathered friends a better life.

Simply by choosing to buy only cage-free eggs we can make a big difference.

T

On sait tous que les poules devraient être traitées décemment et on veut faire de notre mieux pour leur offrir une vie meilleure.

En choisissant simplement d’acheter des œufs produits en liberté, on peut faire toute une différence.

o make good egg buying easy, WSPA has launched the Choose Cage-Free campaign.

We want to educate consumers about the real living conditions of hens in cages and empower everyone to commit to cage-free eggs. With your support, we can ultimately improve the lives of millions of hens. Change is possible!

Pour faciliter l’achat des bons œufs, la WSPA a lancé la campagne « Choisissez des œufs en liberté ». Nous voulons éduquer le consommateur sur les conditions de vie réelles des poules en cage et inciter chacun à adopter les œufs produits en liberté. Avec votre appui, nous pouvons réussir à améliorer la vie de millions de poules. Le changement est possible!

Be sure to visit the campaign online at ChooseCageFree.org. There, you’ll find tools like an egg buying guide that breaks down all the different egg labels. You’ll also be able to read about cage-free farmers and businesses that are making a difference. You can join us and be a hero for hens.

Ne manquez pas de visiter notre campagne en ligne : ChooseCageFree.org. Vous y trouverez des outils comme un guide d’achat d’œufs, qui explique les diverses marques d’œufs. Vous en apprendrez aussi sur des agriculteurs et des gens d’affaires qui font une différence. Vous pouvez vous joindre à nous et devenir un Héros pour les poules.

Visit choosecagefree.org today, take our cage-free pledge and start making a difference!

Visitez choosecagefree.org aujourd’hui, signez notre engagement « en liberté » et commencez à faire une différence!

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WSPA NEWS

Steve et Lynn Easterbrook, à Richmond en C.-B., dirigent la Rabbit River, une ferme et un poste de classement d’œufs sans cage.

Il y a 20 ans, ces visionnaires créaient la première ferme d’œufs bio au Canada. Leurs 6000 poules vivent au naturel. Elles ont des nids, elles peuvent courir, picorer et prendre un bain de poussière.

Le matin, elles sortent picorer des insectes au soleil.

FEATURE

Rabbit River Farms in Richmond, B.C. is a cage-free egg farm and grading station owned by Steve and Lynn Easterbrook. Twenty years ago these farming visionaries started the first organic egg farm in Canada.

Their 6,000 hens have the freedom to live like hens should. They have nests and space to run, forage and dust bathe. Each morning the hens are let out into the sunshine to peck around for tasty bugs.

© i.c. productions

Rencontrez un producteur d’oeufs pondus en liberté et comment il redynamise l’agriculture d’autrefois

© i.c. productions

© i.c. productions

Meet a farmer who is putting the chicken before the egg

Case for cage-free in an egg shell

Quelques notions sur les œufs en liberté

Cages don’t allow hens to behave naturally but choosing cage-free eggs can help.

En cage, une poule ne peut vivre selon sa nature.

En achetant des œufs en liberté, c’est leur liberté que vous choisissez.

• 95% of hens in Canada live in tiny cages, in a space the size of a page of WSPA News • Little room to move causes stress, frustration and injuries • Cage-free means better hen welfare – and more wholesome eggs for you

• 95% des poules canadiennes vivent dans des cage grandes comme une infolettre • Ce confinement les stresse, les frustre et les blesse • Une poule hors cage est en meilleure santé et produit donc de meilleurs œufs

WSPA NEWS

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Honour someone special or remember a beloved animal by making a tribute or memorial gift.

This is a meaningful way to make your loved one a part of a long-term, positive change for animals. Your gift will help create a future that is bright and full of hope for animals, in Canada and around the world.

The recipient of your tribute or memorial gift will receive a beautiful card in the mail informing them you have made a special gift to help animals in their honour. The cards can also be sent in recognition of a special occasion such as a birthday, wedding, anniversary, baptism, graduation, in lieu of holiday gifts or in sympathy.

© Dennis Brussaard / WSPA

GIVE

Tribute and memorial gifts

Create your tribute card online at wspa.ca/tribute. For more information about tribute and memorial gifts, call 1-800-363-9772.

Let us be a part of your child’s next birthday party Noah has ALWAYS LOVED animals, and when he turned six he chose to have an Echoage birthday. When asked why he chose WSPA, Noah’s said “Because animals are sometimes in danger. They need help with food and stuff, like medicine. They can’t do it, so we need to.”

In addition to a fantastic birthday filled with cupcakes and animal puppets, Noah’s birthday raised $232.50 for animal welfare.

Thanks Noah and the McPherson family!

To find out more, visit: echoage.com/charities/wspa-canada

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WSPA NEWS

ECHOage and WSPA have teamed up to offer a new and exciting way to celebrate your child’s birthday! The birthday boy or girl gets to choose any birthday gifts they want AND make a donation to WSPA. Instead of your party guests giving lots of little presents, their money will go to WSPA and towards purchasing a meaningful gift for your child.

Give to WSPA

and help make more good news stories for animals.

The work described in this magazine would not be possible without the financial support of individuals who, like you, are passionate about animals. Strengthen your support for WSPA today and help stop the needless suffering of animals around the world.

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

Visit

www.wspa.ca/donate

Call 1

to make an online donation

800 363 9772 to donate by phone

Connect with WSPA WSPA Canada 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 960 • 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

A day fighting wildlife crime in London © Christopher Ratcliffe / WSPA

We are battling the world’s illegal trade in wild animals.

Your support is helping us fight this battle in London – a hub of international illegal wildlife trade – through the Metropolitan Police Service’s Wildlife Crime Unit.

Detective Constable Louise Morris shares a day in her life…

6:45 am I’ve been working with the Unit less than a year so my job still feels new. But for the last seven years, I worked on wildlife issues as well as carrying out my other policing duties.

10:00 am This morning I’ve handled many calls from the public who want information regarding wildlife in general or who are wishing to report alleged wildlife crime in their area.

I am assisting my colleague with an investigation concerning the disturbance of a badger den on a private estate. An individual is due to arrive at the police station to be questioned.

2:00 pm

© ENV

12:00 pm

Now back at the Wildlife Crime Unit Office and our Sergeant requests we meet to discuss the team’s progress. Last week we executed a search warrant at the Traditional Asian Medicine shop and we need to update him.

4:00 pm

© Christopher Rat

A few weeks ago we executed a warrant at a Furrier in North London and the paperwork requires updates. We found and seized a number of prohibited tortoise and turtle shells.

These animals are heavily protected under international law and this unit is working hard to combat the illegal trade.

cliffe / WSPA

3:00 pm

It’s the end of the shift for me and time to head off home.

To read more about what your support is doing to protect wildlife visit wspa.ca

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