Critter News

Iranian Monkey into Space

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:50:00 +0000

Reportedly, the monkey returned safely from its flight into space. Of course, this was reported by the Iranian State media so who knows what is true.

Horror in Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:02:00 +0000

African elephants being poached in unprecedented numbers. They are disappearing from the continent as the poachers become increasingly militarized.

Full story here at the New York Times.

Portuguese Anti-Bullfighting City Forced to Host Bullfight

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:55:00 +0000

As a Portuguese-American, I find this just revolting.

For the whole story, go to Portugal News On-Line.

Prótoiro, the Portuguese Federation of Bullfighting Associations, placed an injunction again Viana do Castelo Town Hall this month after their refusal to allow the event to go ahead on municipal land.

Speaking to Lusa News Agency, Prótoiro President, Diogo Costa Monteiro said that the court “decided that the right to exercise a cultural right was being infringed” and therefore “allowed for the bullfighting ring to be set up.”

The event had also already been authorised last week by the Cultural Events Authority.

For Prótoiro, this ruling “has put an end to the illegal decisions made by town halls in what concerns bull fighting.”

Bullfighting to Appear on Spanish TV Again

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 21:30:00 +0000

From the Telegraph...

State-financed broadcaster RTVE said it would screen a bullfight from the city of Valladolid on September 5, overturning a ban imposed under the previous socialist government.

In 2006, guidelines prohibited the showing of live bullfights because the "violent images" were unsuitable to be broadcast between 6 and 8 pm, during hours when children were most likely to be watching.

The policy change comes under the new conservative Popular Party government of Mariano Rajoy which is widely seen as opposed to all attempts to curtail the national fiesta in Spain.

The move immediately provoked anger from animal rights activists, who felt they were making headway against the spectacle after Catalonia banned bullfighting within its region last year on animal welfare grounds.

"It is clearly a backward step for the welfare of animals in this country," said Silvia Barquero, spokesman for the animal defence lobby group

Mexican Town Opposes Bullfighting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:08:00 +0000

From Latino Fox News......

Mexico's first "anti-bullfighting" town has signed a petition calling on the United Nations to approve a universal declaration on animal welfare.

More than 220 organizations, headed by the World Society for the Protection of Animals, are collecting signatures worldwide to petition the United Nations to adopt the proposed Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.

Teocelo, a town of 15,000 inhabitants, last month became the first Mexican municipality to ban bullfighting and other events that involve animal mistreatment or cruelty.

The town on Thursday was honored by the London-based WSPA, one of the organizations most involved in efforts to abolish bullfighting worldwide

Canada's Marineland Under Scrutiny for Poor Animal Care

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:04:00 +0000

Allegations are that sea animals are not being well-cared for at this Niagara Falls resort.

Spaniards Are Giving Up their Horses Due to Economic Conditions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 22:40:00 +0000

.....and they are ending up in slaughterhouses or are being abandoned.

Buenos Aires Zoo Not Doing Well

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:58:00 +0000

Unexpected article on the aging zoo in Buenos Aires. Sounds like it needs some dire help.

Economic Troubles in Portugal Lead to More Abandoned Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 23:00:00 +0000

From the Portugal News Online.....sad stuff.

Thousands of pets are being abandoned across Portugal, either being dumped at the gates of charitable associations or simply taken far from home and left behind, as owners struggle to make ends meet due to the continuing financial crisis.

Figures released by the National Veterinary Authority, Direção Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, show that in the Lisbon area alone, a total of 5,629 stray cats and dogs were caught last year, up from the 4,442 caught in 2010. Data for this year is not yet available, but signs are that this problem is not only continuing but also on the increase, everywhere, especially in the Portuguese capital.

Adding to the problem is the fact that Lisbon's municipal kennel is not collecting stray animals and is currently closed for refurbishment work but has no date for reopening, Lisbon's urban environment councillor, José Sá Fernandes told Expresso newspaper this week.

Animal associations around the capital are also struggling to make ends meet and pay the expenses of looking after other people's unwanted animals as the number of paid members has fallen, along with the number of animal adoptions.

World Wildlife Fund Removes King Juan Carlos for Elephant Hunting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:58:00 +0000

Good for them! What a hypocrite! It's not like Spain has enough problems now, it has to have an idiot king.

From EcoRazzi.....

King Juan Carlos may be the King of Spain, but he is no longer the honorary president of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Spain due to his hunting and killing of elephants in Botswana, Treehugger reports.

Horse Deaths at Calgary Stampede

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:43:00 +0000

From Reuters.....

The debate between cowboy tradition and animal rights at the Calgary Stampede was reignited late Thursday when three horses were killed and a fourth seriously injured during a chuckwagon race at the huge annual rodeo and exhibition of Western Canadian culture

South Korea to Become 4th Nation to Hunt Whales

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 21:42:00 +0000

This announcement is considered a major blow to the campaign to end global whaling. It sucks big time.

Humboldt Penguins in Chile Face Extinction

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 23:20:00 +0000

From the Huffington Post....

Invading rats with bodies up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) long have begun eating eggs and chicks, and some experts fear that unless the rats are eradicated, they could tip the Humboldt penguin toward extinction.

Four Paws Urges an End to Pamplona Bull Run

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:25:00 +0000

Unfortunately, though, it brings in the tourists.

Orphaned Baby Bear Possible Endangered by Early Release into Wild

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:01:00 +0000

Canadian authorities want to release an orphaned baby bear into the wild at 6 months when mother bears usually push their children out at 18 months. Animal right groups are very angry and fear the baby might die by itself.

I can't blame the activists. This decision makes little sense to me.

The Link Between Animal Welfare and Human Welfare

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 23:47:00 +0000

This is an interesting opinion piece about the link between animal welfare and human welfare in nations. From the Huffington Post....

Warning! Sad Story Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:19:00 +0000

This is such a sad story. A beagle rescued from a laboratory in Spain and brought to the Los Angeles has run off and his humans are trying to find him. :-(

Horse Slaughterhouse Proposed in New Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:20:00 +0000

This article reaffirms my belief that it's more humane to slaughter horses in the US than to ship them for slaughter to Canada or Mexico. I don't like it either way, but one is better than the other for sure.

Fur Stores in Vancouver Canada Vandalized

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:55:00 +0000

Four fur stories in the Vancouver, Canada, area were vandalized by animal rights activists who sprayed red paint on the windows and doors. The four stores were Capilano Furs, Speiser Furs, Snowflake Canada and Pappas Furs. Credit is being taken by ALF.

Read the full story here at the Vancouver Sun.

Could California's Ban on Foie Gras Have a Domino Effect in the US?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:07:00 +0000

Pro-foie gras chefs seem to think so. Here's hoping that they are right!

Read about it here.

China to Accept Non-Animal Testing Methods for Cosmetic Ingredients

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:56:00 +0000

From CosmeticsDesign.com.....good news! Click on the link for the full story.

PETA has been successful in pressing Chinese officials to adopt non animal testing methods as it announces the country is in the final stages of approving the use of its very first non-animal test method for cosmetic ingredients.

German Artist Wants to Kill Puppies to Protest Dog Killings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:53:00 +0000

I had to read this twice before it sunk in. I wonder if he was just threatening to do this for the publicity. Bizarre.

An unidentified German actor has been stopped by Berlin’s administrative court, following his announcement that he planned to strangle two puppies with cable wires on stage to protest against the slaughter of sled dogs in Alaska and hunting dogs in Spain, with their death being accompanied by a funeral march music and loud gong. The performance, entitled “Death as Metamorphosis,” was to take place at a Berlin Theater in the Spandau District.

Bob Barker Funds Space for HIV-Infected Chimps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:05:00 +0000

As I've often said, Bob Barker is a good man. From The Washington Post...Retired game-show host and animal rights advocate Bob Barker is opening a new area for five HIV-infected chimpanzees at a sanctuary in northwestern Louisiana. The former host of “The Price Is Right” donated $380,000 to create space at the Chimp Haven near Shreveport.

SAEN Files Complaints Against University of Washington Again

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:40:00 +0000

From the normantranscript.com.... An animal-rights group that watchdogs research facilities across the country has filed a federal complaint against the University of Washington, citing multiple incidents in which animals were injured, escaped from their cages or were found dead. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates the care of research animals, will look into the complaint, said agency spokesman David Sacks. It’s too early to say whether any of the incidents violate the Animal Welfare Act, the yardstick for triggering enforcement action, he added.

Swedish King Wants to Cull Country's Wolf Population

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:08:00 +0000

Unfortunately, he's also one of the presidents of the World Wildlife Fund whose Swedish chapter supports the maintenance of the wolf population. D'oh! From Wildlife Extra.....

Wolves kill elk - But King Gustaf wants to kill the elk so he wants to get rid of wolves And why does he want to do that? Because every year the good king runs an elk hunt in Sweden, along with his son Prince Carl Philip. Despite the fact that some 100,000 elk are shot every autumn in Sweden out of an estimated population of 3-400,000, King Gustaf believes that the presence of 200 wolves might spoil his annual hunt, so has been advocating the culling of as many wolves as possible. Yet to hunt the elk, he himself uses hunting dogs.