FOUR PAWS’ Post

Our Dog Cat Meat Trade 🐕🐈🍖 Campaign Highlights in 2023 While all of our successes ⭐ last year stand for themselves as smaller and larger wins, seeing them all combined will give you a better picture of everything that has happened in the past 12 months in the fight against the dog and cat meat trade (DCMT)! Before we send you off to the full report, here are some of the highlights: ✅ 2 MILLION people worldwide have signed our petition to end the DCMT in Southeast Asia ✅ 16,000 Vietnamese citizens ran over 2 million kilometres in total as part of a virtual run against the DCMT. ✅ 18,000 people from the UK and USA wrote to their ambassador in Vietnam pleading for their support to stop the suffering of dogs and cats. ✅ In May, FOUR PAWS became the first international animal welfare organisation to join the One Health Partnership for Zoonoses Control in Vietnam. ✅ In Indonesia, following continued lobbying by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition, of which FOUR PAWS is a member, 26 more cities and regencies issued directives banning the DCMT. ✅ FOUR PAWS’ two-year collaboration with Hoi An People’s Committee to phase out the DCMT from the city was completed. ✅ In December, FOUR PAWS closed one of the last remaining dog meat restaurants in Hoi An. Think that all sounds good? Well then check out the full report with more wins and information about our fight against the DCMT here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dwxRsz2V #ProtectingMillions #Dog #Cat

Karen O’Malley, Programme Manager for Ending the Dog and Cat Meat Trade at FOUR PAWS International, a DMFI member group, said: “Across Asia, an estimated 30 million cats and dogs are stolen from their homes or the streets, transported long distances in awful conditions, then brutally slaughtered for their meat, every single year. Now is the time for this cruel trade to be brought to an end, for the health and welfare of both animals and humans. We are hopeful that Indonesia, along a number of their Southeast Asian neighbours, will follow South Korea in introducing a nationwide ban.’ Facts The dog meat trade is now banned in more than 50 cities, regencies and provinces across Indonesia. In July 2023, Indonesia’s notorious Tomohon “Extreme” Market in North Sulawesi province introduced a ban on dog and cat slaughter and meat trade sales, following negotiations with DMFI members Humane Society International and Animal Friends Manado Indonesia. In addition to the 50 locations in Indonesia, across Asia the trade in and slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs is also banned or otherwise ended in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea (coming into force 2027) and two major cities in mainland China. Dog Meat Free Indonesia is a coalition of national and international animal protection organizations comprising Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Animal Friends Jogja, Humane Society International, Animals Asia and FOUR PAWS. The coalition exposes the brutality of the trades and campaigns for a ban on the grounds of animal cruelty and risks to public health.n

First EU trade agreement with Animal welfare conditions. The EU - New Zealand trade agreement includes an unprecedented condition: the beef quota is reserved for grass-fed animals, explicitly excluding feedlots. And this condition is motivated by both animal welfare and sustainability reasons. #animalwelfare #eutrade # #newzealandbusiness

#AfricanUnion Bans Donkey Skin Trade: A Victory for Animal Welfare. Animal welfare advocates celebrate as the African Union implements a ban on the #donkey skin trade, a move aimed at safeguarding the continent's dwindling donkey population. Marianne Steele, Chief Executive of The Donkey Sanctuary, hails the ban as a significant milestone for donkey welfare in #Africa. The ban aims to protect the continent's 33 million donkeys and the communities reliant on them from #theft, #trafficking, and #slaughter. The donkey skin trade, fueled by #China's demand for ejiao, a traditional medicine ingredient, has led to the slaughter of approximately 5.9 million donkeys annually. African nations, alongside countries like #Brazil, have been major suppliers of these skins. Advocates hope this ban will spur global action to recognize and protect donkeys worldwide. Beyond safeguarding donkey populations, it aims to highlight the intrinsic value of these intelligent creatures and their significance to #communities. The illicit donkey trafficking industry is marked by cruelty, with animals subjected to brutal conditions before slaughter. The ban not only protects donkeys but also supports #ruralcommunities, particularly women and girls, who rely on these animals for their livelihoods. The African Union's decision marks a significant step forward in animal welfare and underscores the importance of global #cooperation to combat exploitation and protect vulnerable species. 

Today, the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. The deal sets a precedent in trade policy as it’s the first time the EU ratifies a trade agreement which conditions market access on the respect of animal welfare-related standards. This #animalwelfare condition shows that with the right political willingness, the #EU can take into account animal welfare concerns in its #trade policy. As the latest #Eurobarometer showed, this is well supported by EU citizens. This FTA should give the right impetus to repeat animal welfare conditions in other trade agreements, especially where a beef quota is negotiated. Why would a feedlot in #Mercosur countries be #sustainable, but not in New Zealand? Omitting such a condition when renegotiating the EU-Mercosur FTA would certainly be incoherent. More via Eurogroup for Animals.

Over 3 million sheep 🐑 are exported every single year from the EU to non-EU countries! 🚚 Sheep are the most transported mammals out of the EU and suffer in unbearable ways on long, exhaustive journeys by road and sea. They do not deserve this‼️ Animals transported from the EU to third countries are often embarked on ships 🚢 that don’t even meet the European minimum legal requirements for animal welfare. Not only do they suffer on the long land journeys to the ports, but are then faced with extremely lengthy, torturous voyages across the sea. Furthermore, there are no time limits legally, meaning these animals suffer like this for days, weeks and even months. During hot months they are boiled alive on deck. The conditions are so terrible that thousands of animals do not make it to the destination. 💔 The ones that survive the torture are met only with cruel slaughter, where their necks are cut 🔪 and left to bleed out while fully conscious. Immediate measures and a change in the law are necessary to protect these poor animals! The Commission announced to publish a proposal for a new transport law for late this year. But has since been silent on whether this cruel trade will come to a standstill. Be their voice 📢 and tell the President of the European Commission directly that this is not acceptable and that we are waiting for them to #StopTheTrucks and #DoBetterForAnimals ➡️ https://lnkd.in/guFAcQDB #EU #EuropeanCommission #AnimalWelfare

🚨 Important announcement for pet owners! 🐾 On September 1, 2023, Sweden will remove the exception rules for importing animals from Ukraine. 🇺🇦🇸🇪 Starting from this date, the previous exception for dogs, cats, and ferrets coming with their owners who have fled Ukraine will no longer apply. Sweden will return to the regular rules for accepting pets from Ukraine, even for those who are refugees. 🐕🐈🐾 📢 Let's spread the word to our fellow pet owners and animal welfare advocates! Sharing this update can help ensure the well-being of beloved pets and create awareness about the changes in animal import regulations between Sweden and Ukraine. Here’s the link with more information https://lnkd.in/deiuZZ3E #AnimalLovers #PetOwners #AnimalWelfare #SwedenUkrainePets #ImportRegulations #HelpInChange #SpreadAwareness

https://lnkd.in/gcwe3jdB Australia has made history banning the live maritime export of sheep. Animals subjected to these journeys are cramped in sweltering conditions with no access to food, medication for illness, or water. This practice is undeniably cruel to animals. Will the EU be next? Learn more at the blog! #animalwelfare #animalrights #liveexports #animalcruelty #australia