ADI Annual Review 2009

ISSN online 2043-9784

Campaigns, rescues, research, investigations and other activity for ADI, NAVS, and LDF in 2009

Š Lisa Mitchinson / Animal Defenders International

ANNUAL REVIEW

Animal Defenders International Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research National Anti-Vivisection Society

Overview

Front cover: Simba, one of the males from our pride of rescued Bolivian circus lions.

Animal Defenders International National Anti-Vivisection Society Lord Dowding Fund Millbank Tower, Millbank, LoNDoN, SW1P 4QP UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7630 3340 6100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1150, LoS ANGELES, CA 90048, USA. Tel. +1 (323) 935-2234 Apartado Postal 359888 BoGoTÁ, Colombia. www.ad-international.org www.navs.org.uk www.ldf.org.uk Board: Ms A. Brice Mr N. Brice Ms J. Creamer Ms P. Dibley (Chair) Mr T. Phillips Ms M. Windebank (Vice-Chair) Chief Executive: Jan Creamer Campaigns Director: Tim Phillips Auditors: Mathie, Neal, Dancer & Co. Bankers: The Unity Trust Bank Ltd Solicitors: Bindmans Keystone Law © 2010 Animal Defenders International.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced for commercial purposes by any means whatsoever without written permission.

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Annual Review 2009

Chief Executive’s Overview of 2009 2009 has seen intense activity on all fronts for ADI, NAVS and LDF. In a concerted effort, we lobbied collectively in one of the most important campaigns in our history – the introduction of new EU Lab Rules. Since the NAVS was founded in 1875, we have worked tirelessly to speak out against animal experimentation; January 2009 saw a bold continuation of that work, as we launched our ‘Vision for Europe’ in six languages, outlining our aspirations for the new Directive. Battling against staunch industry opposition, our efforts nevertheless saw the introduction of Thematic Review, the first coherent attempt to systematically replace animal experiments in any European legislation; and thanks to our Save The Primates campaign, the use of laboratory monkeys remained at the heart of discussions. We faced a battle defending even existing protection for animals, and the final compromise text is expected to be far from ideal: so we will continue pushing for improvements into 2010. After that, the EU Member States will be required to bring in national legislation to fall in line with the new Directive. We will be there.

While our work against animal testing goes back to our origins, our campaigns highlighting the use of animals in circuses coincide with the founding of ADI in 1990. Since then, our work has been groundbreaking, and 2009 saw ADI secure the world’s first national ban on the use of all animals in circuses, in Bolivia. Legislation is now also on the table in Peru, Brazil and Colombia, and as our campaign continues around the world, let’s hope similar milestones can be reached in the year ahead.

2009 also saw our Special Investigations Team penetrate deep into the circus and fur industries. Our video showing abuse to elephants in the Great British Circus triggered a great leap in our UK circus campaign, with 94% of the public backing a ban on wild animals in circuses in a 2010 government consultation. The evidence collected inside Finnish fur farms will form the basis of our new ‘Fur Stop’ campaign.

Meanwhile, our rescue operations have expanded significantly, and we continue to fund progressive research into alternative methods. So as we step into the second decade of the 21st Century, we can be proud of what we have achieved so far: 2009 has been a positive year for our campaigns – let’s make sure 2010 is even better.

Jan Creamer Chief Executive

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Who we are

J. Creamer / Animal Defenders International

ADI vet Dr. Mel Richardson vaccinates one of the Bolivian circus lions after their handover to ADI.

C. Dodkin / Animal Defenders International

Bacillusk, rescued from a European laboratory.

T. Phillips / Animal Defenders International

Keeping ADI campaigns on the agenda at the European Parliament

One of our research projects developing a method to examine neuro-toxicity using human cell cultures.

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Our group of organisations, Animal Defenders International, the National Anti-Vivisection Society, and the Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research, work together globally for the protection of animals.

We have offices in London UK, Los Angeles USA, and Bogota Colombia as well as representatives and partner organisations in many other countries.

We take a unique holistic, self-sufficient approach to achieving longterm protection for animals. We work at all levels, from start to finish of a campaign – from undercover investigations to scientific and economic research, publication of technical reports, through to public education, to drafting and securing legislative protection for animals.

Our animal rescue work is directly linked to campaigns, whether it be animals in entertainment, or those used in laboratories. The scientific and medical research that we fund through the Lord Dowding Fund dovetails perfectly with our campaigns to end animal experimentation.

Whilst others incorporate elements of these approaches we seek to draw together a start to finish strategy – a total campaigning approach. We use our own photographs, video and research, and produce publications in-house.

Our total production approach saves money and increases our outreach.

In the year under review, 2009, two different campaigns exemplified this approach. The first was the historic ban on animal circuses in Bolivia, which saw us go from undercover investigation to national ban, and then move to rescue animals freed by the ban. The second, our biggest campaign of recent years, was about the new EU regulations on animals experiments. This saw us use almost every element of our operational armoury in a year. Working in multiple languages with investigations, different levels of information, scientific research and briefings on nonanimal research, we rapidly responded to an evolving political situation, shaped the legislation with amendments, and even finished the year with a rescue of laboratory monkeys that tied several of the core issues together.

Both campaigns ran over several years – and continue into the new decade – again highlighting our determination to secure long term change.

Annual Review 2009

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T. Phillips / Animal Defenders International

L. Mitchinson / Animal Defenders International

Who we are What we do

Campaigns

Against Animal Experiments EU Lab Rules

Campaigns Director Tim Phillips interviewed in the European Parliament, Strasbourg, immediately after the vote on the new EU lab animal rules, May 2009.

2009 was the year of one of the most important campaigns ever for laboratory animals. This was the year that Europe decided new rules for animal experimentation – the fate of millions of laboratory animals was at stake. We rose to the challenge.

In November 2008, the European Commission published its long-awaited proposal for a new Directive on animal testing, replacing Directive 86/609/EEC. After years working to influence the Commission proposals, we stepped up the pressure to secure the best deal for laboratory animals.

Our response to the Commission’s proposals and aspirations for the new Directive were launched in ‘Vision for Europe’, published in January 2009 in six languages. This included tougher measures to review and phase out the use of all primates in experiments; an end to animal testing in higher education and for household products; greater transparency; incentives to put replacement of animal tests at the heart of the Directive; a European centre networking the development of alternatives or to expand the role of ECVAM; regular thematic review of animal experimentation, to include all stakeholders.

As the new Directive went into the first of three Committees in the European Parliament we launched a comprehensive investigation of the international primate trade. We worked with sympathetic MEPs and provided detailed analysis of amendments and technical briefings on issues at every stage. We also attended the European Parliament with LDF grantholders – technical experts in replacement techniques, to brief decision makers.

But a huge pro-animal experimentation lobbying campaign (including primate use and trade interests) was also mobilised with our team often massively outnumbered at meetings. Amendments were tabled that would send animal experimentation regulation back to the dark ages, stripping animals of the little protection they had. It was a major battle merely to resist these dreadful changes.

When the Directive went to the full Plenary vote, our team had already been there all weekend, lobbying, distributing more information, and wrapping up at midnight with a special door-hanger on every MEPs door, urging them to vote for animals. Every MEP received a 30 page report on each of the 202 amendments that were before Plenary. As MEPs headed in to vote there was an ADI stand distributing information at the doors to the chamber.

When the new Directive was finally voted through it had been significantly weakened in several areas, but we had gained ground for animals in others. Disappointed, we could take heart that a complete dismantling of legislation had been averted and we had made some gains. These included a commitment to improve funding of alternatives; biannual thematic review of areas of experimentation with a view to setting targets for replacement; and a review of primate experiments.

Thematic review, a mechanism instigated by ADI was our biggest gain. The amended article would call for the review of specific areas of research every two years, to set targets for replacement. This would be the first coherent attempt to start to systematically replace animal experiments in any European legislation.

The Directive then moved to the Council of Ministers, where all Member States of the EU can also have their input.

We met with Council representatives in Brussels and visited several countries to meet officials, including France, Ireland, the UK, Finland and Sweden, and we staged major launches in Italy and Spain. We met nearly every expert involved in the revision of the Directive at the Council level.

During the course of this we gave oral evidence to the House of Lords EU Committee examining the new directive, with our team providing detailed and practical answers on a range of subjects.

We were pleased when many of the issues we had raised were featured in the Lords’ official report to Parliament which followed – it is hoped this also provides a solid foundation for when the UK drafts national legislation to implement the new Directive.

As the Directive moved into Trialogue – the discussions between the European Parliament,

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Main picture: Rabbit inside Huntingdon Life Sciences - our field officers exposed the suffering there.

© Animal Defenders International

Campaigns

© Animal Defenders International

MEP Jens Holm and Jan Creamer at the Save The Primates launch at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

© Animal Defenders International

A monkey recently imported from Vietnam to Huntingdon Life Sciences.

© Animal Defenders International

© Animal Defenders International

Helder Constantino is interviewed on the ADI stand at the European Parliament.

EU Lab Rules campaign postcards were distributed across Europe.

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Campaigns European Commission and Council of Ministers – we were again providing detailed briefings with technical information and legal analysis, often with only hours to respond to issues that had been raised.

Our efforts paid off and the Council agreed on a compromise text with the European Parliament which rolled back many of the worst amendments voted by the MEPs, including those on the restrictions to the use of primates, the authorisation process, and on severe and prolonged experiments.

The compromise remains a long way from our ideal, and is expected to be voted in Plenary in 2010. We will have a final push for improvements.

Next the EU Member States will need to bring in national legislation in line with the new Directive. We will be pressing national Governments to enact stronger legislation. There will be no time to rest, as the campaign that affects the lives of more laboratory animals than any other continues.

Save the Primates

Our team worked into the night to ensure that on the morning of the plenary vote on the EU lab rules every MEP arrived to find a multilingual reminder hanging on their doorhandle.

Our European campaign for laboratory monkeys had a profound impact in shaping the draft of the new Directive and in 2009 we stepped up the pressure.

A new Save the Primates campaign package was launched at the European Parliament with a press conference attended by MEPs. At the heart of the new campaign was a global undercover investigation of the laboratory primate trade which saw us in the rainforests of South America filming the monkey trappers, inside one of Europe’s biggest monkey suppliers in Vietnam, and inside Europe’s biggest primate testing facility – Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) in Cambridgeshire. The materials (produced in English, Spanish, French, Polish, Italian, and German) also featured our previous investigations of primate vivisection in Spain and the UK. The campaign highlights the suffering of laboratory primates, the environmental damage and the alternatives.

The new video was also screened in the Colombian Congress with special emphasis on the capture of wild owl monkeys for malaria experiments in that country.

We presented detailed complaints supported by video evidence about Nafovanny the Vietnamese monkey dealer and HLS to the UK Home Office.

During the Council of Ministers stage of the EU Directive on animal experiments, we launched the campaign in Spain and Italy, with AnimaNaturalis and Agire Ora, with well attended press conferences in Barcelona and Madrid. A special screening was also staged at the European Parliament for MEPs and rapporteurs as the Trialogue discussions began (see previous section).

The initial success of the campaign can be measured by rising public awareness of the subject and also the sections of the new Directive that offer primates more protection than previously.

World Lab Animal Day Inevitably the focus in 2009 was the new Directive on animal experiments being discussed in Europe and we distributed many leaflets and postcards relating to this, so that members of the public could write to their MP and MEPs. It was heartening to see that this day of commemoration, instigated by NAVS in 1979, continues to grow globally, drawing attention to the suffering of laboratory animals.

Kick animal testing out of the house Pressure on companies means that household product testing continues to decline, but it remains clear that we need legislation to eradicate the terrible suffering that this testing causes. In the UK and USA we continue to call for government action and provide consumers with information on humane products. For over a year prior to the UK General Election we were urging the political parties to end these tests, with the UK hopefully acting unilaterally prior to the type of Europe-wide ban achieved on cosmetics tests.

Our campaign on the new Directive on animal experiments also highlighted this issue.

Keep animals out of REACH We continue to monitor and press for the implementation of alternatives under the EU chemicals testing strategy.

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Annual Review 2009

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Main picture: Monkeys in a gang cage in the JO6 supplier building, where new deliveries of monkeys are placed, at Huntingdon Life Sciences.

© Animal Defenders International

Campaigns

© Animal Defenders International

Campaigns Director Tim Phillips checks three monkeys handed over to ADI by a major European laboratory.

© Animal Defenders International

Rescued lab monkey Baloo steps into the outdoor quarantine enclosure at Lakeview.

© Animal Defenders International

World Day for Laboratory Animals march, 2009.

The Report and DVD of our global Save The Primates undercover investigation.

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Campaigns

Stop Circus Suffering Our Stop Circus Suffering campaign continues to be taken up all over the world. Based on the huge body of evidence gathered through our undercover investigations and our scientific research this is one of the most effective animal protection campaigns ever undertaken. The huge victory of 2009 was the prohibition of animal circuses in Bolivia, but there were also significant moves towards a ban in the UK, Peru, Brazil, Colombia and Chile. On a Europe-wide level we submitted evidence to the European Commission in support of the Austrian ban on wild animal acts which had been challenged by the circus industry. The Commission upheld the ban.

Europe UK: Three years of prevarication since the Government commitment to ban wild animals in circuses led to the Great British Circus bringing three elephants from Germany to appear during the 2009 season.

An ADI investigation exposed horrific abuse of the elephants behind the scenes. In just a few days, a camera inside the elephant tent recorded a staggering level of casual violence, the trainer and groom hitting the animals with various weapons and cruelly twisting their tails. The circus had told MPs earlier in the year that there were “no chains in the elephant tent”, yet our video revealed how the elephants were chained every day, by two legs, for ten or more hours; but the circus workers concealed the chains when visitors were present. Observations also confirmed the long periods the animals were kept in their transporter.

During the investigation the circus was inspected by the local authorities and the RSPCA, showing how even such regular and savage violence and repeated chaining cannot be identified by an inspection system.

The investigation was featured extensively on television and in the press and we presented footage to all MPs, Defra and local authorities. Political deadlock was broken. The Minister at Defra, Jim Fitzpatrick, instigated a regulatory impact assessment to which we submitted extensive evidence. This was followed by a public consultation in December. Defra announced a 12 week consultation on the use of wild animals in circuses. In March 2010 the public response to this was an overwhelming 94% backing a ban on wild animal acts. We will have to see if the new coalition Government ends this archaic suffering or if they too will turn a blind eye to the cruelty.

New resources for the UK circus campaign included posters, leaflets, videos and postcards. We facilitated demonstrations and continued to raise the issue with local authorities. Following ADI presentations, Wandsworth Council banned the use of wild animals on council land and Tendring Council passed a motion stating that no animal circus will be allowed on council land, if there is reasonable doubt that the animals’ basic needs are being met.

Greece: A Government promise to put the Bill banning the use of animals in circuses to the vote fell from the agenda with the election of a new government in October. ADI and the Greek Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF) continue to press for a ban.

Ireland: Throughout 2009, ADI and Irish campaign partner ARAN held demonstrations in Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Wexford and Dublin handing out thousands of Stop Circus Suffering leaflets.

Italy: When the huge US Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus announced its tour of Italy, Spain and Germany we responded with a new campaign package in three languages. The campaign called on people to blow the whistle on circus cruelty with a new video, leaflet and poster. The new video featured former circus employee Tom Rider explaining what he witnessed and why he blew the whistle, accompanied by scenes from inside the circuses Tom had worked for, including Ringlings. The Italian campaign was launched in Milan to considerable media interest before following the circus to Spain.

L. Mitchinson / Animal Defenders International

Norway: ADI’s campaigning partner NOAH has kept pressure on the Norwegian government, where discussions are ongoing, to ban the use of certain species in circuses.

Portugal: Four years after the launch of Stop Circus Suffering Portugal with our dramatic investigation there, two Ministerial Decrees that effectively phase out the use of wild animals in circuses were passed. Decree 211/2009 banning the use of chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans from circuses came into effect In September. Decree 1226/2009, banning the keeping and breeding of CITES listed species including lions, tigers, bears, seals, elephants and others, took effect in October 2009.

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Main picture: Tilin the rescued Bolivian circus baboon is soon to be rehomed at the Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary in the UK.

© Animal Defenders International

Campaigns

Bambek and Daktari in the ADI quarantine facility, Bolivia.

© Animal Defenders International

The Great British Circus exposé story was featured in the Daily Express, 19 August 2009.

© Animal Defenders International

© L. Mitchinson / Animal Defenders International

Jan Creamer prepares for a BBC interview at Millbank Tower during the Stop Circus Suffering Great British Circus exposé.

Tilin in the circus beastwagon in Bolivia, before his rescue.

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Campaigns Spain: Following several ADI investigations of circuses in Spain and successes with local authorities, our Spanish circus whistleblower campaign met Ringlings Circus in Madrid and Seville. By now Ringlings had cancelled its tour of Germany and, whilst in Spain, cancelled the date in Valencia.

South America Bolivia: From our undercover investigation and launch three years earlier, Bolivia almost represents a casebook study of effective campaigning, with local awareness drives and local bans leading ultimately to the national prohibition secured in 2009.

In June 2008, Congresswoman Ximena Flores tabled a Bill that would be secured later as Law 4040. However, as 2009 began nothing was certain despite strong support from the public and individuals in Congress. We stepped up the campaign with additional videos, reports, a postcard campaign for members of the public, and even door hangers urging members of Congress to vote. By April, the Bill was successfully through Committee and with a final push was soon approved by Congress – ADI and the Bolivian groups we worked with unfurled a banner of thanks in Congress.

Within months of the prohibition, the first animal circus was going animal-free and handing the animals, five lions and baboon, to ADI. This began a complex holding and rescue operation which faced considerable logistical difficulties but has so far seen the lions relocated and released into a wonderful ADI habitat at ARK2000.

Peru: At committee stage: The Bill to ban the use of animals in circuses was approved by the Agrarian and Andean Peoples Commissions but is still being discussed at Congress. Another reminder, like the UK and Brazil, that these campaigns are marathons where we need to maintain political pressure over what can be a considerable length of time. In Peru, we held a series of events to press for the final discussion on the Bill in the Plenary. Our team met with the President of the Congress and the heads of the Commissions. We staged a Stop Circus Suffering photography exhibition in the Congress, which showed heart-wrenching scenes from our South American investigations, and we launched a public petition requesting the Spokespersons of the Board of the Congress to get the Bill to ban animals in circuses on the agenda.

Colombia: The circus issue has been kept in the public eye with numerous events and information stands around the country, and was put before an audience of thousands at a concert by the popular band El Sie7e. A Bill to ban the use of animals in circuses was presented in 2009 with cross party support, and we have been lobbying to try and secure it.

Brazil: Brazil represents a huge battleground for the Stop Circus Suffering South America campaign. This was given fresh momentum with the ADI undercover investigation of Brazilian circuses, report and video launched at the end of 2008. We continued to utilise these resources as the Bill to ban animal circuses was examined by the Commissions and added additional Portuguese language briefings. Members of Congress attending the Commission hearings were greeted by our nearly life size inflatable elephant (Nellie – who then headed on to the Peruvian Congress!) and a new briefing outlining the key issues. The Bill was approved in the Commission of Education and in the Constitutional Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, and will next be debated in the Plenary of the Senate before it starts its further reading in the Senate. In 2010 we have already stepped up the campaign in the Brazilian Congress with a new video featuring a new investigation.

USA Our shocking Stop Circus Suffering USA video, leaflet, report and posters continue to make waves and we also remained hot on the trail of elephant abuser Mike Swain. During our undercover investigation, we caught Swain on video beating Krissy, a female elephant, with a bullhook, dragging her to the ground, and then kicking her in the face as he screamed at her. Another elephant, Queenie (Boo), cowered next to her. Swain was also filmed hitting his elephants with a golf club and giving them electric shocks.

In April 2009, the USDA said they would not be taking action because Swain said that he did not currently own any elephants, nor was he currently handling any. We didn’t let it go and by the end of the year had presented the USDA with evidence from 2009 of Swain working with Krissy in numerous locations across the US, including using a bullhook on her.

We gave presentations at the Summit for Elephants organised by the Performing Animal Welfare Society in California, where ADI Directors Jan Creamer and Tim Phillips were presented with an award for their leadership in the campaign to end circus suffering.

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Annual Review 2009

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Daktari, one of our rescued Bolivian lions in the ADI quarantine centre, prior to the move.

© Animal Defenders International

Campaigns

© Animal Defenders International

The Plenary of the Senate votes to ban animal circuses in Bolivia.

© Animal Defenders International

ADI South America Co-ordinator Juan Pablo Olmos lobbying at the Peruvian Congress.

L. Mitchinson / Animal Defenders International

Our undercover investigation of Bolivian circuses was pivotal in securing the ban.

Promotional materials for the Stop Circus Suffering photography exhibition in Peru.

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Campaigns

My Mate’s a Primate With such far reaching decisions being made in Europe on the use of laboratory primates, the Save the Primate anti-vivisection strand of My Mate’s a Primate was the focus for the year – see section on animal experiments.

Nevertheless, whilst this was the highest profile component, our My Mate’s a Primate campaign continued to raise important awareness on primate pets, bushmeat, and performing primates. We participated in a UK Parliamentary event with Wild Futures to press for a prohibition on keeping primates as pets under the Animal Welfare Act. In Colombia we began preparation for the release of Orlandito and three other capuchin monkeys rescued after being illegally snatched from the wild for the pet trade.

Animals in Entertainment

J. Creamer / Animal Defenders International

Baloo takes it all in during his first moments outside in the quarantine enclosure.

We continue to contact filmmakers, advertisers, and TV programme makers who use performing animals. During 2009, we contacted the makers of The Hangover and A Night at the Museum 2 which used a tiger and capuchin monkeys respectively, the producers of the play Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic Theatre in which a macaque monkey appeared alongside actor Kevin Spacey, and letters were sent to the producers; owners of the 02 and Greenwich Council concerning the live production of BenHur. The European Commission responded positively to our protests concerning the use of a macaque monkey in an EU anti-smoking campaign, saying " ... we have asked our contractor to replace the advert using a monkey with another creative concept for the next phase of the Help campaign." The advertising agency responsible claimed the animals were well cared for but provided a veterinary certificate for a different animal.

Our friend Raul Romeva MEP tabled a written European Parliamentary question: “The use of wild animals as ‘actors’ in television and film productions is inherently cruel […] If the vet is unable to tell the difference, how can he/she judge whether or not the monkey is showing signs of distress or ill health?” and asks the European Commission: “What is the Commission’s opinion on the exploitation of wild animals for human entertainment? Which directorate authorised the production of this advert using a macaque? Would the Commission sign an international pledge not to use wild animals in its information material in the future?” The Commission responded "Therefore, this particular advert will not be used in for the next phase of the Help 2.0 campaign to be launched in January 2010."

We also opened fire on the use of animals in magic acts – animals can be severely confined back stage and crushed into the bottom of cages during illusions where they supposedly “disappear”. When the Fercos Brothers opened their Christmas season in Las Vegas with tigers, a lion and leopard we released footage from an undercover investigation of the circus when it toured Peru. Entitled “Animal Misery isn’t Magic” we urged people to boycott magic acts featuring animals.

Annual Review 2009

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Main picture: Toto continues to enjoy his freedom at Chimfunshi, Zambia where ADI continues to pay for his care.

© Animal Defenders International

Campaigns

© Animal Defenders International

Camba plays in the ADI quarantine unit whilst waiting for the move.

© Animal Defenders International

We tracked down Krissy the elephant and found her chained up at a fair in Texas.

© AnimaNaturalis

J. Korotoga / Animal Defenders International

The ADI team check progress on the construction of the ADI lion enclosure at the PAWS ARK2000 sanctuary in California.

Alexandra Cardenas at the Blow The Whistle launch, Seville.

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Special Investigations Department

Exposing animal cruelty Below: Great British Circus workers beat the elephants in scenes taken from the ADI undercover footage.

Our major campaigns are based on scientific, economic and statistical research and, very importantly, the first hand undercover evidence that we obtain inside the animal abuse industry.

Our Special Investigations Department is constantly co-ordinating operations across the globe with our field officers working under stressful and often dangerous situations to gather video, photographs, and information. These operations can be extremely time-consuming – our field officer was inside the Huntingdon Life Sciences primate unit for 18 months. It can also be fraught with frustration: we can never actually guarantee being able to gain access, let alone secure video footage. Nevertheless our determination ensures that we continue to lead the field in this kind of work and our evidence sends shock waves around the world.

During 2009, evidence from our undercover investigations played a vital role in informing the discussions of the new lab rules in the European Parliament; it was our investigation that led ultimately to the ban on animal circuses in Bolivia, and put on course the proposed bans in Peru and Colombia. In the UK, the horror we exposed at the Great British Circus forced the issue right back onto the political agenda. Here are some of the highlights from 2009:

Animal experiments The year began with us breaking the findings of an ambitious global investigation of the use of monkeys in laboratories. This saw our field officers trailing the trappers through the rainforests of South America as they tore owl monkeys from the trees and took them for malaria experiments. When we exposed the shocking and shambolic conditions inside lab monkey dealer Nafovanny, Vietnam we also exposed how meaningless the Home Office inspections of lab dealers supplying the UK were. Inside the biggest monkey laboratory in Europe, Huntingdon Life Sciences, we showed the terrible conditions in which the animals live and how they are restrained and experimented on. We resisted threats from HLS of legal action to stop the evidence being made public.

Circuses Bolivia showed the incredible impact of our investigations and campaigns. Our field officers did not rest on their laurels but were active in several countries, continuing to ratchet up the pressure on South America’s circus industry. In Chile we filmed the horrific abuse of tigers during a secret training session with Circo Hermanos Gasca. The terrified tigers were repeatedly beaten and had stage props hurled at them.

In the USA we were back on the trail of Mike Swain, proving to the USDA that he was still working with elephants.

The year began with the Great British Circus bringing three elephants from Germany to tour the UK. A camera inside the elephant tent recorded what was going on when the circus believed no one was watching, and a horrific pattern of violence emerged with a worker and the elephant trainer physically abusing the elephants with various weapons. The camera also showed how, earlier in the year, MPs had been misled when the circus told them there were “no chains in the elephant tent”. Our video showed that the elephants were chained, barely able to move, for ten hours or more every day. The investigation secured massive media coverage and within weeks the Government had announced the public consultation whether to ban wild animal circuses or not.

Fur Below: How we broke the Nafovanny story in the Sunday People

Working in teams field officers covered the length and breadth of Finland visiting over 80 farms – Finland was chosen because it the biggest fox fur producing country in the world. The good news is that many of these were no longer operating; we did, however, secure footage inside over 30 working farms in a four month period. What we exposed was the untold suffering of foxes and mink, crammed together in tiny cages housed in rotting dirty sheds, where cannibalism and mutilations due to fighting are commonplace.

The investigation was launched in early 2010 in Finland, the UK, Italy, and France.

Our Special Investigations Department prides itself on attention to detail and, using the latest technology, believes that everything is possible. As we write this our field officers are busy at work on several continents in order to expose animal cruelty wherever it rears its ugly head. In 2010, even more animal abusers are in our sights.

Annual Review 2009

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Main picture: A tiny cub looks up from the corner of its cage in a Finnish fur farm.

© Animal Defenders International

Special Investigations Department

© Animal Defenders International

UK: An animal technician walks past an immobilised monkey strapped into a restraint chair during an inhalation experiment.

© Animal Defenders International

Chile: Tigers being beaten in a scene from ADI’s Unnatural Acts investigation video.

© ADI / Oikeutta Eläimille

© Animal Defenders International

Vietnam: Monkeys caged at lab dealer Nafovanny.

Finland: A fur farm fox with an open wound on its face.

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Animal Rescues

Animal Rescues 2009 saw an expansion in our efforts to rescue and relocate animals. New rescues included laboratory monkeys, five circus lions, a baboon, and four monkeys rescued from the pet trade. But there was heartache too. We had a home lined up in the USA for Sujey, the elephant with a Colombian circus, but he died just as legal action to save him began.

Poor Maiza, the elderly lioness with the Bolivian circus, also died before she could taste freedom in California.

When we rescue these animals we face huge costs for relocation, as well as caring for the animals for life once placed at a sanctuary. The rescues of the laboratory monkeys, the Bolivian lions and Tilin the baboon have meant considerable investment in construction of facilities and will entail ongoing care costs. This means that our adoption scheme is increasingly important to ensure the welfare of these animals and future rescues.

Circus Rescue: The Bolivian Pride and Tilin the baboon Following the historic ban on the use of animals in circuses in Bolivia, the first Bolivian circus became animal free by handing five lions and a Hamadryas baboon into the care of ADI. This instigated a complex rescue operation which entailed the construction of facilities in Bolivia, the USA and UK, as well as the considerable paperwork required to move these animals. Our first task was to have the animals assessed by an ADI vet, we then had to build quarantine facilities in Bolivia to contain the animals. We had hoped to build a large facility that could regularly take animals, however, restrictions on construction and movement of the animals prevented this. These are dangerous animals requiring specialist care, so our priority was ensuring safe and effective containment in Bolivia. However, the small quarantine unit still represented more space than the lions had previously experienced.

Whilst we awaited export permits, and the new enclosure at PAWS was built, the lions were given environmental enrichment, and were well-fed and provided with veterinary care. We employed security for both public and animal safety – unbelievably, during construction people threw stones at the lions to make them look up for photographs.

Our friends at the Performing Animal Welfare Society agreed to take the lions, with ADI committing to pay all construction costs for the enclosure and to fund the full care costs of the lions for life. The new ADI enclosure features individual dens, an enclosed area for feeding and care and a large outdoor enclosure with trees and shrubs. As we go to print the lions are roaming free in a wonderful ADI enclosure in California and we are preparing to move Tilin to Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary in the UK, where we plan to establish him with some baboon friends.

Laboratory monkeys At the end of an historic year when we had fought so hard to secure protection across Europe for laboratory monkeys, it was fitting that we negotiated the release of three macaque monkeys into our care from a major European laboratory.

Working at a breathless pace, we secured a home at the wonderful Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary in Berkshire. Here, with the assistance of ADI staff, the building of new enclosures got underway in order to bring our little monkeys to safety. The monkeys were handed over to us at the airport on a cold and frosty December morning. SMI Sweden refused us access to see how the animals were living, however they are to be commended for handing these animals over. Sadly, more laboratories cannot do the same. Upon arrival at Lakeview the monkeys leapt into their enclosure and explored their new surroundings with excitement and vigour. UK quarantine laws mean they will not be released into their main enclosure until the summer of 2010, but have a quarantine pen that includes two outdoor enclosures.

Orlandito Developments to release Orlandito, the capuchin monkey, and friends into the wild in Colombia have continued with the purchase and use of an acclimatization cage which will allow the monkeys to adapt to their surroundings in preparation for their release. Tracking collars will also be used for a short period before they drop off, allowing the monkeys to finally be free in the wild in 2010.

Caesar and Sarah; and farewell Tarzan As 2009 ended we bid farewell to Tarzan our beloved tiger, who passed away due to old age. Saved from a circus in Portugal with Sarah and Caesar the lions, he enjoyed three precious years of freedom in the African bush thanks to the kindness and generosity of ADI supporters. His time with us was short, but he was one of the lucky few to leave the circus, we remember him fondly and wish to thank those who supported his care over the years. Thanks to supporter donations, Sarah and Caesar continue to enjoy life surrounded by the natural sights and sounds of the African bush.

Toto Toto the chimpanzee continues to enjoy life at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia, with an growing family of rescued baby chimpanzees. This year he celebrates seven years of freedom. We continue to support Toto each year through our adoption scheme – a testament to our lifetime commitment to the animals we rescue.

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Annual Review 2009

ADIlNAVSlLDF

Main picture: Your support helps to build a new life for animals like Camba, pictured here inside the ADI quarantine facility in Bolivia awaiting her move to a new life in the USA.

© Animal Defenders International

Animal Rescues

© Animal Defenders International

Tarzan, enjoying his freedom in the African bush.

© Animal Defenders International

Our group of capuchin monkeys rescued from the pet trade in Colombia were prepared for release.

© Animal Defenders International

L. Mitchinson / Animal Defenders International

The ex laboratory monkeys are unloaded at Heathrow airport on their way to the sanctuary.

Caesar at the ADI Big Cat Rescue Centre.

Annual Review 2009

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Lord Dowding Fund

Research without animals Each LDF funded project has added to the body of science in their respective fields, demonstrating that animals are not needed to conduct research that is scientifically robust and beneficial to humans. These projects, and the scientists behind them, are a vital step in the journey to achieve completely animal-free research.

Animal-free model for cataract replacement testing Dr. Michael Wormstone’s laboratory at the University of East Anglia has created “a fully human in vitro capsular bag system that relates well to clinical observations and permits the testing of novel intraocular lenses in the future.” Prior to this, novel lenses were tested in rabbits, because their lens is a similar size to that of a human.

The intra-ocular lens (IOL) is used to replace a patient’s own cloudy lens, which is removed during cataract surgery.

The patient’s own ocular bag remains in place and holds the new synthetic lens. Unfortunately, about 25% of cases result in secondary blindness due to the colonisation of the back of the capsule, which was previously cell free, by cells which usually line the lens-holding capsule. This condition is known as Posterior Capsule Opacification (PCO).

Dr. Wormstone used donated human ocular bags in his research. These bags, containing an IOL, were maintained in a tissue culture dish, pinned down and inverted so that they were cultured with the anterior face down. This provided better physical interaction between IOL and the capsule and was more reflective of the human in vivo situation.

The optimum level of human serum was assessed in order to maximise cell growth on the lens. These conditions were then used to test IOLs in the fully human ocular bag system, to determine how lens shape influenced the growth of new cells on the capsule.

The research concluded that the presence of IOLs slowed cell growth, with IOL design affecting the rate of cell growth.

Capsules without an IOL showed cells at the earliest point in the research, followed by those with a round edged IOL and finally the square edged IOLs. IOLs also reduced the degree of wrinkling of the capsule.

Tissue culture model for cartilage regeneration This exciting project has continued to characterise novel tissue constructs and to calibrate the output from the therapeutic ultrasound device. This work is the preparation for the exciting final stage, which we will soon report on, when the effects of the clinical levels of ultrasound on the cartilage model will be established.

New cancer research model This project set out to detail the mechanism by which tumours in the body metastasise and cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). This work will be vital in stopping the estimated 25% of cancers which cross the BBB, causing the patients prognosis to worsen.

The project finished with the researchers concluding that Transwell© filters can be used to construct different cell culture models (mono- co- and tri-culture) and, when compared to two other systems, it is the most effective modelling system as it closely mimics the in vivo situation.

The researchers conclude that “Preliminary cancer cell invasion studies have been carried out using the monoculture Transwell © model.” And that the model “has the potential to be used in cancer invasion studies once a reliable quantification method has been identified by extending these studies”.

Neuroimaging LDF previously funded the maintenance of the fMRI scanner at Aston University from 2004-2009. This promoted research and led to published papers in areas such as human vision, neurodevelopment, cognition and pain processing. The new LDF grant will fund actual scanning hours in the centre for the next 5 years. The proposed studies will cover areas including epilepsy and cognitive function, allowing pre-surgical assessment and diagnosis, and increasing the understanding of structural and functional networks; logical reasoning; structural connectivity and the possible neurological effects of liver transplantation. other LDF funded projects include ● Replacing animals in education

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Annual Review 2009

●

A survey of the use of animals in higher education in the EU ADIlNAVSlLDF

An MEG scanner being used in a neurology study.

Lord Dowding Fund

© T. Phillips / Lord Dowding Fund

Professor Mike Coleman examines cells during his neurotoxicity studies.

© T. Phillips / Lord Dowding Fund

A piece of lens cultured in human serum, cell growth visible in purple.

© Lord Dowding Fund

T. Phillips / Lord Dowding Fund

Jan Creamer being interviewed at Aston University for The One Show.

Preparing cell cultures.

Annual Review 2009

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ADI World © Animal Defenders International

Activity around the world Recent years have seen our operations expand and our activity spread across the world. Here is a selection of the recent activity co-ordinated from our offices in London, Los Angeles and Bogota, and our representatives based in Brasil, Peru and Bolivia. We are also steadily increasing our animal rescue projects, this means there is a rising number of animals around the world benefiting from our work, and ADI is committed to caring for these animals for the rest of their lives.

Office

Campaign

Rescue

Investigation

our devastating exposé in 200 being abused at the Great Brit British Government instigatin consultation on a ban on anim

2

Research without animals

UK Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden

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Annual Review 2009

The ADI pride of lions rescued from the circus in Bolivia, now free to roam in a Californian sanctuary where we continue to fund their care. one of our most ambitious rescues to date, on the back of one of our biggest victories – the Bolivian circus ban.

2

North America USA

3

South America

our legal team was active in Mexico working to ensure that Benny the elephant, illegally imported from the USA, was not returned to the circus.

Bolivia Brasil Chile Colombia Peru 4

Central America Mexico

5

Africa South Africa Zambia

6

Asia Israel Hong Kong Vietnam

4

© Animal Defenders International

Europe

© Animal Defenders International

1

Achieving landmark legislation in Bolivia and with similar bills on the table across South America, ADI are making groundbreaking progress for animals in the continent.

The rescues have begun following the ban with the pride of lions and the Hamadryas baboon.

ADIlNAVSlLDF

© ADI / Oikeutta Eläimille

ADI World

our Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research (LDF) supports ambitious and exciting medical and scientific research projects that do not involve animals.

Visiting 30 fur farms in just four months, our field officers exposed some of the most horrific cases of animal neglect and abuse ever caught on camera.

09 of the elephants tish Circus led to the g a public mal circuses.

1

6

over recent years our biggest and most complex, multi-lingual campaign has been to shape the new European Union rules on animal experimentation. our team has repeatedly lobbied and staged events at the European Parliament as well as working in different European countries to influence change. our undercover investigation of Huntingdon Life Sciences in the UK (below) was vital for showing MEPs and regulators the reality of animal experimentation.

© Animal Defenders International

Exposed: We trailed the laboratory monkey trappers into the forest and screened the evidence in the Colombian Congress.

3 5

In 2009 we met the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus tour across Spain and Italy with a brand new whistleblower campaign.

ADIlNAVSlLDF

© Animal Defenders International

© Animal Defenders International

Toto the rescued chimpanzee has found a happy home in the world-renowned Chimfunshi Wildlife orphanage, Zambia.

Caged and alone, a Nafovanny monkey awaits its fate.

our lions Caesar & Sarah, along with Tarzan who recently passed away, have spent the last three years residing peacefully in the South African sun at the ADI Rescue Centre.

Annual Review 2009

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Main picture: Your support enables animals like Baloo to live their lives in peace.

Supporters, Fundraising & Finances

Income and Expenditure for the ADI group based in London.

Income: £2,075,938

Legacies (80.5%) Donations (12.75%) Fundraising & Merchandise (2.5%) Grants received (1.25%) Income From Investments (2.%) Interest & Other Income (1%)

Expenditure: £1,792,947

Legal & Professional (1%)

© J. Creamer / Animal Defenders International

Bank Charges, Taxation, Depreciation, Irrecoverable VAT, Interest (7%) General Office Running Costs (includes rent & rates, fuel & light, telephone, computer/network maintenance, equipment, insurance, finance staff costs)

(7.25%) Campaigns (includes Investigations, Public Awareness, Advertising, Rescues, Publications)

(70%)

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Annual Review 2009

LDF Research Grants (14%) Cost of Merchandise (includes purchase of merchandise, despatch costs, catalogue printing) (0.75%)

ADIlNAVSlLDF

A selection of our publications.

Supporters, Fundraising & Finances Supporters As always we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our kind and generous supporters who make all of the work in this report possible. Public support is the lifeblood of our organisation and so involvement in our campaigns, donations and fundraising is vital to success of our work. During 2009, we called on our supporters numerous times to help with campaigns; writing letters, sending postcards and emails to members of parliament, companies, or newspapers; fundraising; street collections and leafleting. You have made your voice heard when it mattered most.

Our rescues, non-animal research projects, undercover investigations, awareness campaigns, and securing legislation to protect animals – none of this is possible without the kindness of our supporters.

Our supporters have been magnificent helping us navigate difficult economic times with innovative ways to help us from sponsored events like rallies and benefit gigs, to participating in our new ADI animal rescue street collections, to shopping online enabling additional income for the organisation: We are so very grateful.

We have made every effort to keep you informed of our ongoing campaign developments through an improved communication service including mailings, our magazine, our websites and our new monthly e-newsletters. We will continue to monitor and improve our service to you to ensure you feel very much a part of our team.

Thank you so very much for your continued support.

Finances The majority of our work is funded by the legacies we receive from supporters who have passed on, which emphasises how important it is for those who care about animals to make a bequest in their Will. On the back cover we thank those who left bequests in 2009. Their generosity, kindness and forethought sustained almost all of the activities and achievements in this report. We take very seriously our obligations to turn these contributions into a lasting legacy for animals and to ensure that this is a better world for future generations of animals.

Donations in response to our appeals, fundraising including street collections and sponsored events, and merchandising also remain extremely important to us.

It was a very important year in terms of campaigns and investigations. Huge commitments to campaigns on the new EU lab rules and for national legislation in several countries were pursued. We were therefore pleased to see an increase in the percentage spent on campaigns offset by a reduction in office running costs.

In 2009 our USA office was given a major boost with a substantial donation from TV personality Bob Barker. This has been allocated to a range of campaigns and investigations including the relocation of our rescued circus lions from Bolivia to California and the construction of the lions’ new habitat. With our US operation becoming self-sufficient it will significantly increase the amount of work we can undertake globally to protect animals.

We believe that the level of activity and success in this Annual Report is confirmation of our increasingly efficient work for animals. We hope that you will agree that it would be difficult to find an organisation that achieves so much from the donations that it receives. Our commitment to our supporters is to work to maximise every donation we receive.

Please help our work to end animal abuse and suffering around the world Please complete this form in BLOCK CAPITALS, using a ball point pen, and return by post to:

Animal Defenders International, Millbank Tower, Millbank, LoNDoN, SW1P 4QP, UK. Name:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Address: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode:.....................................................

We are sometimes asked by similar organisations if they may write to our supporters. We would allow this only if the organisation is reputable. This allows us to raise funds for our work, if you DO NOT wish your name to be included, please tick here ■

Please accept my donation of ■ £100 ■ £50 ■ £25* ■ £15 £ .....................other * A donation of £25 or more guarantees a year’s subscription to our magazine and other mailings

■ Please accept my Cheque/Postal Order. (Payable to ADI) or please debit my: ■ Visa ■ Mastercard ■ Switch/Maestro, Issue Number ■■■■ Card number

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Roll of Honour

© Animal Defenders International

The majority of our work is funded by legacies from those who kindly remember the animals in their Will. The undercover investigations, the research, the reports, videos, legal cases, rescues and publicity events all owe their existence to legacies.

We are very grateful to receive legacies and ‘in memoriam’ donation for loved ones. So please don’t forget us if you are making your Will. Without this forethought and commitment Simba (front cover) would not have been given the new opportunity to leave the circus, destined for a new life of freedom; the Bolivian ban on the use of animals in circuses would not have been achieved; suffering behind the scenes in UK circus would not have been uncovered; the European launches of our Save the Primate campaigns would not have been possible and the undercover investigation at Huntingdon Life Sciences and the European laboratory primate supply would not have been exposed.

These supporters left a genuine legacy for animals. As always it is with mixed feelings that we are grateful for these vital funds to continue our work because the animals have lost a valued friend. If you would like more information on leaving a legacy to ADI, NAVS or the LDF please contact us on info@adinternational.org, or 020 7630 3340 or at the address below.

These are the friends who remembered the animals in 2009:

ADI’s rescued circus tiger, Tarzan, sadly passed away at the end of 2009 after spending almost three years living peacefully at the ADI Rescue Centre in South Africa. Tarzan, who won the affection of all who knew him, will be sadly missed

ADI MISSIoN: To educate, create awareness, and promote the interest of humanity in the cause of justice, and the suppression of all forms of cruelty to animals; wherever possible, to alleviate suffering, and to conserve and protect animals and their environment.

NAVS MISSIoN: To raise the conscience of humanity to the iniquity of painful experiments on animals; to raise awareness that millions of animals suffer and die in cruel, unscientific, and futile experiments, which are unreliable, unethical, and unnecessary.

LDF MISSIoN: To support and fund better methods of scientific and medical research for testing products and curing disease, which replace the use of animals; to research and publish information to demonstrate that animal experiments are unnecessary and harmful.

We are opposed to violence or intimidation whether directed at humans or other animals.

E Ashworth C Beech K Bell M Cainey D Cuckow P Downes J Ellis T Forbes J Gadsdon R Gardiner C Goodley A Gravestock R Green I Gunn P Hall E Hayes J Hine G Holloway A Hughes P Hunt D Johnstone D Kerwin L Knowles M La Haye

E Lange A Lockyer V Maddison A Miller B Millot D Moffett T Pickstock J Pipkin G Preedy B Reeve D Riley I Roach E Sage J Simcox G Smart R Smith F South L Speed D Taylor M Thomas C Whiddett A Williams K Williams W Wilson

Animal Defenders International National Anti-Vivisection Society Lord Dowding Fund Millbank Tower, Millbank, LoNDoN, SW1P 4QP, UK Tel. +44 (0)20 7630 3340 6100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1150, LoS ANGELES, CA 90048, USA. Tel. +1 (323) 935-2234 Apartado Postal 359888 BoGoTÁ, Colombia. www.ad-international.org www.navs.org.uk www.ldf.org.uk