November 2010 Volume 17th
Raffle winner, Anti-fur demo, Campaign to save Lake Urmia, Yupi campaign, Iceland starts whale meat exports, Dolphin massacre in Japan, Memorial University of Newfoundland stops using live animals, Biodiversity summit
The winning number for our raffle to help the animals in Hungary is the ticket # 15th
Congratulations to Jenny Steward!
The next raffle is in December 12th, 2010. If you want to buy your tickets, you can go to our website, pay $3.00 for each ticket, and then send me an e-mail confirming your payment by Paypal, to write you one or several tickets.
The basket of the next raffle for the animals is worth it over $200.00!
EVENTS:
CATCA has been a member of the International Anti Fur Coalition for some years, and we are very proud to organize one march in support of this important worldwide event.
Join us on November 26th at 11:30 AM behind the Art Gallery for a downtown march.
This event will last about two hours.
Later on, there will be two more demos organized
by our colleagues of the VADL: 1) 2pm-3pm Max Mara
demo 2756 at Granville St
2) 6pm Meeting at Commercial and 1st Ave. From there
people will walk to the home of a local fur store
owner for a legal home picket
For more info about these last two demos, please. contact the VADL at: vancouveranimaldefenseleague@live.ca
On behalf of The Campaign to Save Lake Urmia we would like to invite you to participate in a rally held on November 21st in front of The Vancouver Art Gallery from 2pm to 4pm.
Lake Urmia, one of the natural wonders of the world is located in Northwestern Iran, needs urgent saving plans, otherwise one of the most horrifying environmental disasters is about to happen in the Middle East. Registered as Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and listed as a wetland of international importance under the 1971 Ramsar Convention, the Lake Urmia holds one of the world’s richest bio-diversity.
During the last decade, however, Lake Urmia has shrunk significantly and its depth has fallen by almost 6 meters. Experts believe that the lack of efficient water management by the Iranian government and the drought that began in 1999 are the main reasons. Lake Urmia is the second saltiest lake in the world and holds 8 billion cubic metric tons of salt. According to experts, ecologists and Iranian officials, if the lake completely dries up, a vast amount of salt will be released into the atmosphere resulting in an ecological catastrophe not only in Azerbaijani cities of Iran but also, in neighboring countries such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iraq, and Armenia. It will force many people to abandon their villages and towns around the lake and a vast majority of the flora and fauna will be lost permanently.
International organizations, environmental groups and the Iranian government should act fast and take swift action to save the lake from completely drying up!
To JOIN to this campaign or to learn more information about Lake Urmia, please visit our website at www.SaveUrmia.com.
Bowl for the animals now every Tuesday!
HAVE FUN BOWLING AND EATING VEGGIE/VEGAN FOOD, WHILE
HELPING THE ANIMALS IN NEED!
Just get a group of 3 to 6+ friends, and come for a
bowling day/night of fun.
CATCA Fundraiser Package is $20.00 Per Person
It includes:
-2 games of bowling
-Bowling shoes (NOTE for vegans: just bring some non
slippery slippers or your own tennis shoes)
-A veggie/vegan burger with salad or French fries or
you can have a veggie/vegan wrap with salad or French
fries with a glass of pop, iced tea or beer.
-This price includes taxes and gratuities
YOU HAVE TO CALL ON AHEAD TO RESERVE A LANE! Say that you are going there for the CATCA FUNDRAISING, to get this special promotional price. Call (604) 580-2600 x 223 and ask for Su Brock
Xcalibur Bowling Centre
12350 Pattullo Place Surrey (Near the Scott Road
Skytrain)
Open from 11 AM to Midnight
(For this Fundraising Promotion you need to be there
before 9:00 PM)
**URGENT CAMPAIGN
Yupi Campaign. Now you can help collecting signatures in our petitions to save Yupi the polar bear at the Morelia zoo in Mexico. Just go to this link: http://catcahelpanimals.org/yupien.html and there is the petition in English ready to print. If you prefer to print it in Spanish you can find it here: http://catcahelpanimals.org/yupi.html Thank you!
Es urgente que se lo pases a tus amistades y familia. Necesitamos poner mucha presion en el zoologico. En nuestra pagina estan las instrucciones, correos electronicos y direccion a donde enviar cartas http://catcahelpanimals.org/yupi.html Gracias
**Seal ban (on the import trade of seal products) at the European Union
If you received this news from me last month, IGNORE THIS PART.
I received the message (below) from a member of the Cabinet of Mr. Janez Potocnik at the European Commission, in response to my questions and concerns about the news that have been circulating in the last days in Canada and Europe.
(These are news from the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
and the Seals and Sealing Network/Fur Institute of
Canada).
http://www.firstperspective.ca/index.php/releases/787-seal-ban-challenge-receive
s-clarification-by-eu-court- and
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/21657_court_upholds_stall_on_eu_seal_product_ban/
This refers to the second order of the General Court of 19 October, where the applicants requested the interpretation of the order from 19 August.
Their request was dismissed.
Now, the Commission was today notified of a new Order, dated 25 October, by which the President of the General Court decided not to suspend the Seals Regulation for the duration of the court case. He also cancelled the temporary ex parte Order. In other words, the Court, after having heard all the parties, agreed with the views of the Commission (and Council and Parliament), and consequently the Seals Regulation is no longer suspended in respect of the applicants.
The main court case remains ongoing, but the legislation now applies fully and without restriction in the interim.
Applicants have still the possibility to appeal or request a variation of this Order.
In brief it means the ban is in place! Ericka Ceballos CATCA www.catcahelpanimals.org
** ICELANDIC FIRM RESTARTS WHALE MEAT EXPORTS
(Kyodo) An Icelandic whaling firm has shipped 500 to 600 tons of finback whale meat to Japan this year, after resuming full-fledged whale meat exportation, sources said Saturday.
Japan annually catches around 4,000 tons of mainly minke whale meat under its so-called research whaling program, and markets the meat domestically. However, stocks currently exceed the sluggish demand for whale meat. The shipment of finback meat, which has a high market value, is certain to affect overall prices.
Kristjan Loftsson, managing director of Hvalur, the largest whaling firm in Iceland, said in Reykjavik the finback whale meat exports to Japan are not intended to crowd minke whales out of the Japanese market. "We are confident this should be, could be good for both parties," he said.
With an eye on the Japanese market, the firm has caught 148 finback whales this year, whereas Japan has hunted only two during the past two years.
Hvalur exported 66.6 tons of finback whale meat to Japan on a trial basis in 2008.
**MASACRE AT THE COVE
All the dolphins driven into the Cove yesterday, all 52 Bottlenose dolphins and 7 Risso dolphins, were slaughtered in the last hour.
The Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians were able to video baby dolphins being thrown onto the gutting barge. Seventeen-year-old Elora West described the scene as “brutally horrific.”
No mercy, no survivors, no empathy, and no humanity – that’s the reality of the ongoing tragedy of the Cove.
Scott West is currently tailing the trucks carrying the corpses of the dolphins. He will be posting pictures and video later. We have had some people express criticism that Sea Shepherd is not cutting nets and releasing dolphins.
That is not why the Cove Guardians are there. They are there because for the first time ever, the fishermen of Taiji have been under our surveillance from the beginning of the killing season. This has never been done before. We are the eyes of the world, focused on Taiji.
It is not possible to cut the nets and to release the dolphins. Sea Shepherd did this in 2003 and released and freed 15 dolphins. Since then, security has been increased tremendously. It is not physically possible to cut these nets.
The group Blackfish tried this, cutting the nets in the harbor (not the Cove), and they failed.
Scott and Elora West and the Cove Guardians have a difficult and horrible task in Taiji. They cannot physically release the dolphins, but they are there to document the atrocities and report on the numbers slain. Any attempt to release a dolphin will simply result in the Cove Guardians' permanent removal from the situation.
It is not fair for people who are not there to pass judgment on those who are there.
What we must do is to stand our ground at Taiji and to keep the killers under surveillance. We must continue to express our outrage to the Japanese consulates and embassies around the world. We must not allow this horror to be unobserved or forgotten.
**The Memorial University of Newfoundland ended live animal use in a medical student laboratory. Every Canadian medical school now uses no animal education methods. Last month, the Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) announced an end to its pig lab in an e-mail to PCRM. The animal lab became the subject of controversy after the university learned of PCRM’s plans to file a legal complaint with the Canadian Council on Animal Care arguing that the school’s use of live pigs violated federal guidelines.
All medical schools in Canada now teach students with modern no animal educational methods, including human-patient simulators, such as those now in use at MUN. MUN’s move toward no animal methods comes hard on the heels of similar announcements from medical institutions across North America.
"Canada has completely ended live animal labs, which should send a clear signal to the handful of U.S. medical schools still clinging to these inhumane and educationally inferior procedures," says PCRM cardiologist John Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C. "It's time for the remaining seven U.S. schools to end animal use and embrace the future of medical education."
** A new era of living in harmony with Nature is born at the Nagoya Biodiversity Summit Nagoya, Japan October 2010.
Some 18,000 participants representing the 193 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and their partners closed the Nagoya Biodiversity Summit by adopting historic decisions that will permit the community of nations to meet the unprecedented challenges of the continued loss of biodiversity compounded by climate change. Governments agreed on a package of measures that will ensure that the ecosystems of the planet will continue to sustain human well-being into the future.
The meeting achieved its three inter-linked goals: adoption of a new ten year Strategic Plan to guide international and national efforts to save biodiversity through enhanced action to meet the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, a resource mobilization strategy that provides the way forward to a substantial increase to current levels of official development assistance in support of biodiversity; and a new international protocol on access to and sharing of the benefits from the use of the genetic resources of the planet.
*History will recall that it was here in Nagoya that a new era of living in harmony was born and new global alliance to protect life on earth was established. History will also recall that this would not have been possible without the outstanding leadership and commitment of the government and people of Japan,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention. “If Kyoto entered history as the city where the climate accord was born, Nagoya will be remembered as the city where the biodiversity accord was born.”
The President of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-10), the Minister of the Environment of Japan, Ryu Matsumoto, said, “The outcome of this meeting is the result of hard work, the willingness to compromise, and a concern for the future of our planet. With this strong outcome, we can begin the process of building a relationship of harmony with our world, into the future.”
The Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity or the “Aichi Target”, adopted by the meeting includes 20 headline targets, organized under five strategic goals that address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, reduce the pressures on biodiversity, safeguard biodiversity at all levels, enhance the benefits provided by biodiversity, and provide for capacity-building.
Among the targets, it is important to note that
Parties:
- Agreed to at least halve and where feasible bring
close to zero the rate of loss of natural habitats
including forests;
- Established a target of 17
**THE NAVS UNCOVERS FIGURES THAT SHOW THE UK IS THE BIGGEST USER OF PRIMATES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) has welcomed the recent publication by the European Commission of its Sixth Statistical Report on the numbers of animals used in EU laboratories in 2008, the purpose of which ultimately allows analysis of trends in animal experiments and a direct comparison of the efforts of individual Member States to replace animal testing.
On closer inspection however, it has become apparent that the UK can claim the dubious title of the biggest user of primates in Europe.
Jan Creamer, Chief Executive of the NAVS said: "On publication of animal testing results we carefully analyzed the data. Having researched the statistics we find it disgraceful that while the rest of Europe decreases its primate testing, the UK carries on regardless, and in some instances is even increasing species use."
In the UK, the use of primates has increased by 7.6% (from 3115 to 3354) between 2005 - 2008, while it has dropped overall in the rest of Europe by 8.4%, as other member states have decreased their use. The NAVS has analyzed the 2009 UK figures separately and established that 2815 primates were used so there has been a slight reduction. However, the use of marmosets and tamarins increased from 262 in 2008 to 498 in 2009, so almost double the previous year's figure. Curious
"These UK statistics are a national disgrace and shocking indictment of the animal testing industry in the UK," Jan said.
These statistics clearly show that the UK does not compare well with the rest of Europe and that our so-called "strict regulation" has not protected animals.
"Countries such as Belgium, Holland, Austria and even France, previously one of the worst offenders, have all dramatically decreased their use of primates, some by as much as 100 per cent, while the UK continues to buck the trend."
The figures show that it remains far too easy to kill animals in painful tests in the UK, including shocking abuse of non-human primates who have a capacity to suffer very similar to humans.
As part of its investigation, The National Anti-Vivisection Society also established that some of the EU statistics contained within the report did not add up, prior to discovering that the European Commission has now removed the report from the website while it attempts to remedy the situation.
For instance, the Commission declared that the use of New World monkeys had decreased by a huge 73%. However, the numbers actually indicated that their use had only dropped by 42% (from 1564 in 2005 to 904 in 2008).
According to the original Report, a jump from 677 animals in 2005 to 1261 animals in 2008 was a mere 46% increase, but it was in fact an 86% increase, therefore almost twice as much as stated.
In addition, the use of animals in the category 'other carnivores' was said to have decreased by an astonishing 205%, which was a mathematically impossible statistic since the maximum possible percentage decrease was 100%. The actual decrease was in fact a more modest 67.25% (from 8711 animals in 2005 to 2853 animals in 2008).
"We found it deeply worrying that some of the other Commission figures on the use of living animals were so poor, considering the severity of the suffering caused to animals, and the importance of this kind of data to control animal use," Jan said.
"For the sake of all animals that are currently suffering within laboratories throughout Europe, we sincerely hope that the Commission is working hard to correct these inaccuracies, as this report directly holds individual EU Member States accountable for every single animal that they use, so its contents are of paramount importance."
The Home Office will have the next couple of years to transpose the new Directive 2010/63/EU on the use of animals in experiments. This provides the new Coalition Government with the ideal opportunity to fulfill their pre-election commitment to decrease the use of animals, and show a determination to replace animal use with advanced, non-animal techniques.
Article 54 of the Directive will oblige Member States to report annually to the Commission, as opposed to biannually, which will permit a more precise monitoring of the trends at a European level. In light of the lackadaisical approach to the statistics, the NAVS feel that this factor is clearly an improvement.
**MEXICO IS THE COUNTRY WITH MORE ENDANGERED
SPECIES
view story
Hi everybody!
Just wanted to let you know that "captivity of cetaceans" is one of a variety of issues being voted on by Canada's new online political party: http://www.onlineparty.ca/issue.php?ISSUEID=65
Please spread the word, join the discussion and vote for the "yes" side.
Thanks!
Annelise Sorg
Coalition For No Whales In Captivity
www.nowhalesincaptivity.org
VIDEOS
**Check this link of animal rescue:
http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/rescue-ink-experiences-etc
**Yes, it is horrible, but It is important to watch these kind of videos to know what people do to animals, to be able to speak about it, so one day it will stop!
I mean if they HAVE to kill animals, they should do it in a fast humane way, not like this. The problem with countries like China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Sumatra, Malaysia and Vietnam is that they show no compassion at all for ANY animal.
1) Cat and dog meat in China
http://shanghaiist.com/2010/10/07/san_hua_a_documentary_about_cat_mea.php
2) Video about the illegal export of leather from
varanus and pythons from Indonesia.
http://www.videoportal.sf.tv/video?id=56de5c9b-873f-48ed-861a-d86bffb416f3
No, they don't eat them, just use their skin. Just for your information, 400,000 Varanus are exported yearly only from Indonesia! From one single cargo there were found 50,000 pythons exported from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Indonesia is the country exporting more of these reptile skins!
Animals are just items that bring profit to them. NOT a gram of compassion. It is very frustrating.
3) Check this video:
http://thepersianhorse.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/surrender-is-not-part-of-our-vocabulary-stop-slaughter-now/#comment-163
(Unfortunately, I requested this person to post a petition online, but she hasn’t done it yet). Pls. pass it to everybody you know in the US!
PETITIONS:
**Help save a mother bear
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/urgent_-_please_help_save_mother_bear_in_petoskey_mi
"*Save the Critically Endangered Mexican Gray
Wolves" petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/231/471/784/
"*Stop the Yellowstone Bison Slaughter"
petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/713/901/667/.
"*Mare in Edgar County, Illinois beaten to a pulp
& left for dead" petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/justiceforbludgenedhorse/.
"*Ban horse drawn carriages in Cozumel, Mexico/ No
a las calesas en Cozumel petition"
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-cozumel/.
"*O.S.P.C.A. crimes and corruption petition"
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ospca-crimes-and-corruption/.
**Justice for dog stabbed in Macedonia
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stray_dog_stabbed_by_butcher_in_skopje
"** Campaign for CCTV in Slaughter Houses"
petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/help-stop-slaughter-house-cruelty/
**Pls. help the American wild horses
http://www.theamericanwildhorse.com/index.php
OTHER ACTIONS:
**A magazine is Vancouver is running their "essential gift guide" for 2010. On their list is a piggy bank, which is a real PIGGY bank, made from an actual dead, taxidermy piglet.
Please send a letter to the editor expressing your
thoughts (thanks Sherry Burnett for advising)
mail@vancouvermagazine.com
http://www.vanmag.com/Shopping/Holiday_Gift_Guide_2010
Help Gipsy the horse
http://www.cvfaf.org/GypsyHorse.html
Her name is Gypsy and she is a very sweet and loving
horse... She's not in the best of shape, but we hope
to get her well again. Donations will be gratefully
appreciated.
Cheers to all,
Earle, Coqui, and the CVFAF gang
COQUI MONTIEL A ONE-WOMAN DYNAMO
Dear Friends:
I have been an animal activist for more than 60 years and in all that time I have never met anyone like Coqui Montiel who operates the Eagle’s Nest Sanctuary in Argentina.
Last week when I spoke to her on Skype about Angelita, (who needs a spinal operation), she asked me if we had enough money in Pay Pal to pay for the operation. Regrettably, I had to tell her no. Today she sent me an e-mail from a cyber-café telling me she has decided to go without creature comforts because Angelita’s operation is more important. Coqui is without gas, electricity, and no Internet. Coqui tells me not to worry as the police will keep an eye on the shelter during the lightless nights, so we won't have to worry about break-ins, but how can I not worry. Coqui is willing to give up anything just to save the life of a dog that she rescued from certain death.
It is my hope that we can somehow, raise enough money to pay our outstanding food and vet bills, and to let Coqui know that she is someone special. My goal is to raise at least three to four thousand dollars. Please send this to all of your friends asking them if they can help.
Coqui is a grand person and deserves more help than she is getting now.
I thank you in advance and wish you well,
Sincerely,
Earle Bingley eheb@telus.net
http://www.cvfaf.org
**Help needed to assist with a feral cat
colony
http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/wanted-dedicated-animal-rights
**Help Brindi! This dog has been taken away and is been kept in isolation.
Write to:adamss@halifax.ca, Andrew.Younger@halifax.ca, ansteyw@halifax.ca, barkhoj@halifax.ca, Barry.Dalrymple@halifax.ca, beazlef@halifax.ca, Brad.Johns@halifax.ca , donovad@halifax.ca, englisd@halifax.ca, harveyb@halifax.ca, horncaj@halifax.ca, humd@halifax.ca, Jennifer.Watts@halifax.ca,Jerry.Blumenthal@halifax.ca, kaiserg@halifax.ca, karsteb@halifax.ca, kellyp@halifax.ca, Lorelei.Nicoll@halifax.ca, Macdonaa@halifax.ca, mcclusg@halifax.ca, mosherl@halifax.ca, outhitt@halifax.ca, persaud@halifax.ca, wilema@halifax.ca, walkerr@halifax.ca, Peter.Lund@halifax.ca, rankinr@halifax.ca, sloaned@halifax.ca, utecks@halifax.ca, utecks@halifax.ca, streats@halifax.ca, AND Cc to: management@metro.spcans.ca , mooreb@halifax.ca , david.hendsbee@halifax.ca, david@hendsbee.ns.ca , management@metro.spcans.ca, mooreb@halifax.ca , david.hendsbee@halifax.ca, david@hendsbee.ns.ca, bylawcomp@halifax.ca, mathesl@halifax.ca, yurievn@halifax.ca, management@metro.spcans.ca, mooreb@halifax.ca
I am writing to you as a Canadian citizen and taxpayer in a shock to learn that once again, you seized Brindi, the dog you already kept unlawfully on death row for two years from Francesca Rogier, rightful guardian. The way this recent seizure had been conducted by your 'services' is a violation of human rights and is now an international upset and outrage - it is against our Canadian Constitution and against to the right of ownership of a pet - and against Miss Rogier who compiled the conditions and kept Brindi on muzzle and leash.
Those rights are very importantant to all Canadians, and when something on the provincial level is trying to supersede a federal level, something is wrong. and illegal.
Why is this person and her pet dog singled out, to keep one of the most outdated by-laws in Canada up and forcing, instead of re-writing and updating these old by-laws of the City of Halifax? (Enforcing Animal Related Legislation HRM By-Law A-300 Respecting ).
This E-Newsletter has been brought to you by CATCA.
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us an e-mail to:
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Do you want to become a CATCA member? We do a voluntary job here in CATCA, but need your help to keep doing it.
Membership is just $10 dollars a year. How to become a member? Just go to our website and pay your membership fee via Paypal or send us a cheque. All the money goes to help the animals.
You can help to keep us doing this high level personal and active lobbying!
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WAD
Ericka Ceballos is the proud Canadian Ambassador of World Animal Day. Click on the WAD logo above to check for the events that we will hold to celebrate the animals in Canada.
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Ericka
PO Box 16021
617 Belmont Street
New Westminster
British Columbia
V3M 6W6
Canada
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