Instead of honoring what should be a core commitment to conservation, South Africa’s DEA is planning to attempt to legalize trade in rhino horn. This is suspiciously timed with the announcement that China will allow trade in farmed rhino horn, and is a blatant prioritization of profit over the interests of rhinos.
Not only is it ethically unjustifiable, using live animals to teach human medicine is simply an irresponsible, substandard practice. When nearly all other programs use human-relevant training methods, it’s time to step into the 21st century and move beyond the crude practice of using animals.
A new plan by a U.S. federal agency puts as many as 1,000 wild horses in California at risk, by removing legal protections from slaughter and now allowing the horses to be sold “without limitation.” These wild horses deserve better than being forcibly removed from their home, only to be slaughtered and eaten.
On October 29th, the Government of China revealed that it allows commercial trade in tiger bone and rhino horn from farmed animals for use in traditional Chinese medicine research and clinical treatments. This is a brazen and regressive position which drastically undermines international efforts for tiger and rhino conservation.
On the first anniversary of the passing of Croatia’s Animal Protection Act, Animal Friends Croatia reflects on the progress that’s been made for animals in the country. The varied results of the act in different areas demonstrates that successfully implementing animal protection laws depends on effort and commitment from local and regional communities.
There is an undeniable link between animal cruelty and family violence. This one-of-a-kind partnership will be an opportunity to educate juvenile and family court judges in the United States on addressing and recognizing animal cruelty in order to help children, families, and pets who have experienced violence.
The European Parliament has called for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics by 2023. Animal testing for cosmetics has been banned in the EU since 2013, but remains legal in 80% of countries worldwide. A November 16th Geneva conference will bring experts together to strategize for a global ban.
In Malaysia, cruelty cases towards dogs and cats are on the rise, despite the passing of the 2017 Animal Welfare Act, due in large part to a lack of enforcement. Even in shocking cases of deliberate cruelty, many abusers are not charged with a crime.
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, China, Thailand and the Philippines, some of the world’s worst countries for elephant poaching and illegal trade in ivory, have been allowed to exit a key international initiative set up to curb the mass slaughter of elephants.
PFPO reports on an important meeting with the Hellenic Police, where speakers emphasized the importance of law enforcement in bringing an end to animal cruelty in Greece.
The fourth conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) in London this week has seen high-level participation from governments, NGOs, and the private sector, focusing the attention of the international community on commitments to tackle IWT as a form of serious organised crime.
Most people who buy a reptile get more than they bargained for when they realize how time-consuming and expensive it is to try to replicate the animal’s wild environment. As a result, most reptiles die within a year in captivity, while others are neglected or discarded.