World Society for the Protection of Animals
Main feature
Winter 2013 | Issue 17
HELP STOP BEAR BAITING FOR GOOD Rescuing bears from captivity Fighting back against rabies PLUS: See donkeys wearing your noseband protectors
Hello
Together, we are protecting animals Welcome to the winter 2013 issue of WSPA News, the magazine for supporters of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). WSPA’s campaigns to protect animals often rely on the power of thousands of WSPA supporters adding their voice in order to have the necessary impact. At the time of going to print, more than 16,000 supporters in the UK have signed our online action demanding that retailers of Kopi Luwak (civet coffee) only stock coffee that they know is made using cage-free civets – Harrods has already agreed. And 34,000 WSPA supporters across Europe have urged the Romanian Government to suspend the cull of all stray dogs after 14 days – a law that could lead to over half a million dogs being killed. You can find updates on this campaign on page 14. As well as speaking up for animals, so many of you also dig deep into your pockets to help them too. Following our Big Bear Raffle and rescue appeal, which raised over £255,000, five more bears have been given a home in the WSPA-
funded sanctuary in Romania. You can read more about their individual stories on page 4. Bears in Pakistan also need our urgent help. There are around 50 bears trapped in the horrific world of bear baiting – a blood sport which pits tethered and weakened bears against dogs trained to attack. This Christmas, your generous compassion for animals could help rescue more bears like Maori, now living peacefully at the WSPAfunded sanctuary in Pakistan. Read about WSPA’s Christmas appeal on page 8. As well as giving to our appeal, there are other ways to help animals in need this Christmas. You can buy your cards and gifts at WSPA’s Christmas shop – www.wspashop.org.uk – or register WSPA as the charity to benefit from your shopping at thousands of online stores at www.giveasyoulive.com/join/wspa. Those of you with a sewing machine can also make a gift to help protect working donkeys and horses from
Appeals update
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ue bears Raising funds to resc
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lucky winners Congratulations to the ffle 2013 – and of WSPA’s Big Bear Ra o bought or wh ne thank you to everyo e £255,855. rais lp he to ets sold raf fle tick re bears have Since our raf fle, five mo captivity in el been rescued from cru home at the w ne a Romania and given u can read Yo . ary ctu san WSPA-funded 4. their stories on page
injury, pain and infection by using our simple enclosed pattern to make a soft, durable noseband protector. Season’s greetings and heartfelt thanks to you all, for helping us move the world to protect animals.
Suzi Morris Director, WSPA UK
CONTENTS
03 Civet coffee – a bitter taste to swallow 04 Thanks to you... new lives of freedom 06 A day in the life of Sahib Raheem 08 URGENT APPEAL: Save bears from a life of horror
10 Helping to heal donkeys’ wounds 11 Your support helps donkeys in need 12 Saving dogs’ lives in Zanzibar 14 Moving the world to protect animals 16 Christmas Catalogue
Contact WSPA
WSPA would love to hear what you think of this issue of WSPA News. Please contact us with your views at: WSPA, 222 Grays Inn Road London, WC1X 8HB Telephone: 020 7239 0500 Fax: 020 7239 0654 Email: wspa@wspa.org.uk Website: www.wspa.org.uk
Editor: Katriona Meheran Printed by: Splash Printing Ltd Produced by: Mailbird Ltd Cover photo: © WSPA Unless otherwise stated all images are the copyright of WSPA. WSPA News is published by the UK office (registered charity 1081849) of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
Animals in the wild
Civet coffee – a bitter taste to swallow
Kopi Luwak coffee is brewed from coffee cherries that have been digested by civets – a wild, mongoose-like animal from Asia – and are collected by gathering their droppings. (Yes, really!) But in a drive to feed the growing international demand for this premium-priced, highly coveted coffee, the BBC and WSPA have found evidence that production has been stepped up by capturing wild civets and feeding them a diet often restricted to coffee cherries.
Trapped for trade
Wild civets are being poached, trapped in snares or hunted with dogs. Often injured in the process, they then are caged and transported to a wildlife market or a civet farm.
All images © Nicky Loh/Getty Images for WSPA
Shocking evidence, unearthed by the BBC and verified by WSPA, shows the huge suffering behind the world’s most expensive coffee. Suffering which is likely to leave a bitter taste in many people’s mouths.
Coffee plant: the coffee cherries are eaten by civets, partially digested and then excreted to produce the beans for Kopi Luwak
The civets that survive this trauma are then held in small and barren cages on a civet ‘farm’, making natural behaviour – climbing, nesting, living a solitary life – impossible. They can become malnourished and are prone to disease due to their restricted diet and poor living conditions. They often display signs of stress, pacing and even inflicting self-harm by gnawing at their own bodies.
Your voices are needed
WSPA believes that the majority of consumers and retailers are unaware of the immense suffering captive civets endure to produce this luxury coffee. There are a few iconic retailers in London, along with a few restaurants and coffee shops, that stock Kopi Luwak – or civet coffee as it is also known. And there is every chance the retailers themselves will be as surprised as consumers to learn the upsetting truth behind the production of this coffee.
Cruel captivity: civets kept on farms suffer terribly
Fighting back against this cruelty
WSPA is not trying to ban the sale of Kopi Luwak. Rather, we are urging key retailers around the world to prove that the product on their shelves is produced from the droppings of wild, cage-free civets. Please help WSPA call on retailers to use their power to protect civets from this cruel exploitation. WSPA’s campaign is: • demanding retailers take responsibility: to look at their supply chains and prove their products really are 100 per cent cage-free. • calling for cage-free certification: a world-wide certification and labelling scheme so that genuine cage-free civet coffee can easily be identified and bought by consumers. • urging for government action: for the governments of civet coffee-producing countries to end caged production and to support cage-free initiatives instead. • asking for your help: to only buy civet coffee that has not involved the captivity of wild civets and to keep away from civet coffee farms that are billed as tourist attractions.
Suppliers say no to civet coffee
WSPA has joined forces with the department store Harrods in the call for certification of cage-free Kopi Luwak, and Dutch coffee and tea retailer Simon Levelt has already stopped selling it. This sends out a really good message and is a real success for our campaign.
Bitter beans: roasted coffee beans from captive civets
Wild collection: the humane way to produce civet coffee
Make your voices heard
But now we need retailers and stockists in more countries to follow suit. WSPA supporters can help by signing up in support of our campaign to demand that the taste of Kopi Luwak coffee is not made bitter with the suffering of the civets farmed to produce it.
Help WSPA demand cage-free civet coffee. Please take action at http://bit.ly/civet5
High price: Kopi Luwak on sale at a civet ‘farm’ café WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 17
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Thanks to the generous compassion of WSPA supporters, more bears have been saved from captive misery and are now enjoying the freedom of the forests and pools at the WSPAfunded sanctuary in Romania. This summer, WSPA launched our Big Bear Raffle and rescue appeal asking for funds that could help give a life of freedom for the 20 or so bears still living in cruel and illegal captivity in Romania. And now – thanks to you – five more bears face a better future.
New lives for Gheorghe and Doru
Doru (which means ‘missing you’) was one of two bears in desperate need of rescue from a closed-down zoo, along with fellow captive bear Gheorghe (named after St George). Before their rescue, the pair had clearly lived a grim and cramped existence. Liviu Cioineag, the sanctuary manager from our Romanian partner, Millions of Friends Association (MFA), told WSPA News:
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deteriorating. Its far too small cages were rusting and the concrete floors were cracked and damp. WSPA and MFA were desperate to give the bears better lives, the lives they deserve. Investigations carried out by WSPA and MFA last year found five bears in desperate need of rescue from the harsh conditions of the dilapidated zoo. Last November, WSPA was able to rescue the three youngest bears – Tariku, Koda and Luca – and give them a new a life roaming the wide open spaces of the WSPA-funded woodland sanctuary. Since then we have been desperate to release the two remaining bears from their cramped concrete and metal prison.
Mounting a rescue operation
As soon as Liviu had secured the necessary paperwork for the bears’ release from the Romanian authorities, Liviu and his team drove 100 miles to mount a rescue operation. He wanted to share the story of their rescue with WSPA News:
“Both Gheorghe and Doru carry clear scars from their cruel confinement. Their long powerful claws have worn away to nothing due to their constant pacing backwards and forwards on the rough concrete floors of their small cages – a clear expression of mental distress – and their teeth are broken from chewing at the rusty bars in a futile, frustrated attempt to free themselves.”
“Gheorghe, a light coloured brown bear was to be taken first. We attached our transport crate to his decrepit cage. A chunk of meat was used to lure him, in the hope he would leave his cell and enter our awaiting crate easily, but he wasn’t convinced. He stretched out his giant body and his front paws to collect the reward, keeping his back paws firmly in his old cage. He looked like a getaway car in front of a bank, ready to pull back at a moment’s notice!
A lifetime of suffering
A very cautious bear
Gheorghe and Doru, who are believed to both be 17 years old, were held captive in Onesti Zoo for over a decade. Since its closure to the public five years ago the zoo had been slowly WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 17
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Thanks to you… new lives of freedom
Two hours later and after more bribes – even honey – Gheorghe still would not be moved. He just ate the food and retreated back into the harsh grey world that he had known for most of
e and Doru paced up and Cramped conditions: Gheorgh being rescued re befo es down their concrete cag
his life. If only we could explain to him, the wonderful new life that awaited him – if only he would get in the transport crate! After spending several hours trying to coax Gheorghe, we decided to shift our efforts to Doru in the cage next door. Despite the suspected arthritis in his back leg and hip and his badly damaged front paw – his worn-down claws point almost backwards – in less than 10 minutes, Doru was in the create, enjoying the tasty food used to entice him and ready to be loaded onto the awaiting truck that would take him to his new home.
One down, one to go
With one success we were now even more determined to convince Gheorghe to take his first steps to freedom. But two hours later and he still hadn’t budged. Nothing, not even the tastiest of treats would make him leave his cage. The day got hotter and we were worried about him overheating, so we gave him a cooling shower with a garden hose.
Rescuing Betty
Betty’s world was only six square metres in size when she was rescued by WSPA-partner, MFA, earlier this year. Around 25 years old, this elderly bear was being kept temporarily in a storage area of a zoo in south west Romania.
Careful handling: A tranquilised Gheorghe is loaded into his transit cage
© WSPA/Petrut Calinescu
© WSPA /Petrut Caline scu
Animals in the wild
Eventually, our vet decided to tranquilise Gheorghe with a dart, so he would fall asleep and could be gently heaved into the transport crate. But darting a fully grown bear isn’t easy and can be very dangerous. It was a tense time and everyone was silent. Finally our brave vet took his chance. As Gheorghe stood in the door of his dilapidated den, he was darted and 15 minutes later he was fast asleep.
Carried to freedom
With Gheorghe’s huge body weighing almost 50 stone, it took seven members of the MFA team to carry him to the transport crate and load him onto the truck where Doru waited patiently. After a two and a half hour journey by road, the pair would finally be in their new home.
New lives thanks to you
It was a long day but it was worth it, to see Gheorghe and Doru reunited with the three bears previously rescued from the zoo. Once held in cramped, cruel captivity, now they can spend their days exploring the meadows and woodland of the WSPAfunded sanctuary that is their new home.”
bear now resident at the sanctuary. It’s because of your kind donations that Betty can now live the life she deserves, free from cruel captivity – so thank you.
For years five bears – including Betty – had been kept in decrepit conditions in a run down zoo. With the encouragement of MFA, the zoo has recently been renovated to give the animals more space to move and a better standard of living. But the newly-built zoo enclosure, at 600 square feet, was still not big enough to meet legal and animal welfare standards for the five bears, so Betty was moved into a woefully small storage area at the back of the zoo. MFA’s vet acted quickly to take Betty to the WSPA-funded sanctuary. Once there she hesitated briefly – not familiar with the open spaces of freedom – but soon disappeared into the bushes after being greeted by Monica, another rescued
New friends: Betty is watched over by other bears as she explores her new surroundings WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 17
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A day in the life of… Sahib Raheem, Balkasar sanctuary manager
05:00
My day always starts early with an inspection of the sanctuary grounds. First I make sure the electric fence surrounding the sanctuary is working well. This fence is so important to the bears’ safety – if they broke through it, they wouldn’t survive long in the wild. The cruel mutilations and injuries and the mental trauma they endured through years of bear baiting (or bear ‘dancing’, for some of the bears), mean that they are unable to defend and feed themselves. Checking the perimeter fence also gives me a chance to see which bears are already up and about and to check that the food, left out by the team the night before, has been eaten. First up today are Sihu and Zilla – they are both playful bears and seem to be happiest when they are teasing each other. Their antics make me smile. Both were rescued just one year ago from different owners and now have bonded in their new-found freedom.
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06:00
Dedicated manager: Sahib Rah
My round is finished and it’s time for our team meeting. We talk and I assign tasks and make a plan for the day. There are four of us who work at the sanctuary. We are an enthusiastic bunch, all dedicated to the care of our beloved residents. There are currently 23 bears on our five-hectare site and we hope to rescue the remaining bears still used for baiting over the course of the next couple of years.
Fence check: Sahib is watched
eem
06:30
I visit Shama and Shabnam in our quarantine area, to see how they are doing. Shabnam is normally a playful bear, but recently she seemed off her food so we brought her in to check for any underlying problems. We’ve been giving her antibiotics and multivitamins and she is perking up nicely. Shama is here because she had a fight with Sohrab, another resident bear. Bears often play fight and although this tussle only resulted in Shama gaining a few superficial wounds, we didn’t want to take any chances over her healing.
by an inquisitive bear as he checks
the fence
© BRC
Sanctuary manager, Sahib Raheem, plays an important role in the care and rehabilitation of the bears. He shares a day in his life with WSPA News…
© BRC
The devoted team from WSPA’s partner in Pakistan, the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC), rescue bears from the cruel blood sport of bear baiting and take them to a new life at the WSPA-funded Balkasar sanctuary, far from the fear and violence that has previously shaped their lives.
Animals in the wild We fill up the water pools in the quarantine area to help the bears keep cool in the heat – the temperature will go up to 46ºC today and it’s very humid. It’s also feeding time again – dried fruit this time. We toss date palm, dried apricots and dried coconut towards the bears and they pick them up at their leisure and eat them contentedly.
Friendly bear: Rene – Sahib’s favourite bear
07:00
I go to visit my favourite bear, Rene – I love to watch her at play. Because she is so social, we have moved her into an area of the sanctuary where our newly-rescued bears come. She will help the bears get used to each other and to life at the sanctuary.
08:00
It’s bear breakfast time! Breakfast is one of their favourite meals because fresh and juicy melons are usually on the menu. As they start tucking in, we all smile at their enthusiastic enjoyment of their breakfast feast. Our bears eat 2,500 kg of fruit a year as well as dried fruit, cereal and meat.
09:00
Next, the team clean out the quarantine areas. Cleanliness is very necessary for the health and hygiene of the recuperating bears. Thanks to funding from WSPA supporters, we have eight quarantine areas at Balkasar. They are used to treat the injuries of recently-rescued bears as well as any of our existing residents that develop an illness or injury in need of treatment.
ful bear Happy resident: Shama is a play 2011 who has lived at Balkasar since
11:00
Our veterinarian, Dr Nasir Saleem, pays us a visit. He comes to the sanctuary about once a week to observe the bears, check on their activity level, how well they are eating and the condition of their fur. Any bear that doesn’t seem to be as healthy and active as usual is checked for problems.
13:00
Lunch time. This is when the bears get chicken, corn or sugarcane. Sugarcane is a great favourite and we give it to the bears every other day as a treat. After eating and playing with the canes they jump into the water pool to cool off and excitedly play and splash water on each other. It’s great fun to watch.
15:00
17:00
I go through the register and make sure that all of the entries relating to site visitors and activities for the day have been fully recorded by the team. Keeping the bears safe is our priority and all visitors must be authorised. I’m on site 24 hours a day – my living quarters are within the sanctuary grounds. Soon, I’ll be having my evening meal and doing some work for my PhD which is being supervised by Dr Fakhar-iAbbas of BRC. Fakhar is an amazing inspiration to me and the team – you won’t find another person who has worked so tirelessly and passionately to save Pakistan’s bears from bear baiting. I also try to talk to my family most nights. I visit them once a month when my job permits but because we don’t see each other for long periods, I look forward to our phone chats and to hearing all about their days as well as sharing the latest stories of what the bears have been up to. The sanctuary is a wonderful place and I often spend my evenings reflecting on how lucky I am to spend time with the bears that WSPA supporters have generously helped to rescue and care for. I’m so grateful we have this passion in common, for without WSPA’s supporters, the bears would not have the wonderful life they all enjoy at the sanctuary.
For the next hour or so we’ll be doing some gardening. There is very poor vegetation in the Balkasar area as mostly only spiny plants grow naturally here. We are working hard to plant trees, bushes and shrubs on the sanctuary lands.
16:00
A lovely warm smell of baking tickles my nose. It’s time for the bears to have roti. Roti is a baked bread made of wheat flour that can be mixed with minced meat, lentils, cereals and other protein vitamin sources. They just love it and even respond excitedly to the smell of it being cooked in the clay tandoor oven – it makes them rush to the place where they’ll be served. As we toss the roti to the bears, they start tucking in and seem to relish their delicious meal. It’s one of my favourite moments of the day and makes me feel so privileged to do the work I do.
On the prowl: Shabnam roaming the grounds of Balkasar
You could help rescue more bears By giving a donation to WSPA you could help the team at BRC rescue more bears and give them a home in the Balkasar sanctuary.
Call 0845 0777 500 (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
Visit donate.wspa.org.uk/balkasar WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 17
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Saving bears from a life of horror For over a decade WSPA and our partner in Pakistan, the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC) have worked tirelessly to end bear baiting – a horrific blood sport in which dogs are trained to attack a tethered bear.
WSPA supporters have been central to this struggle, rescuing 69 bears and giving them a new home in the WSPA-funded sanctuary in Pakistan, as well as reducing bear baiting events to an all-time low. In fact, thanks to the dedication of BRC, run by the inspirational Dr Fakhar-i-Abbas there were only 22 fights last year – amazingly they managed to stop 75 per cent of planned events from taking place.
More bears in need
Although these achievements are fantastic there is more to be done to stop bear baiting. There are around 50 bears still suffering in this brutal blood sport and WSPA’s Christmas appeal aims to raise funds that could make it possible to rescue these bears. With your help WSPA and Fakhar’s team at BRC could provide new lives for these long-suffering bears and free them from years of captivity and violence. Bears like Maori, Daisy and Veera who were recently taken to the WSPA-funded sanctuary near Balkasar to start a new chapter of their lives.
Fighting for her life
During bear baiting fights, bears like Maori are tethered to a post so that they cannot run away. And then they are pitted against two dogs that have been trained to attack, setting upon her face, biting at her nose, ears and even her eyes. The marks on Maori’s muzzle speak volumes about the hardships of her former life. Each time she would have been saved from death only to be forced to fight again.
Captive conditions
Daisy was used extensively in baiting. At 20 stone, she is a healthy weight and her fur and overall appearance is in remarkably good condition despite her brutal past and simple diet of bread and milk. A diet like this can result in malnutrition which can cause blindness. BRC staff have seen this in some bears but luckily Daisy’s sight was not affected by her captivity. Every fight Daisy endured meant a new set of wounds – wounds that were never treated. With no medical care, her injuries did not heal and may have become infected making them even more agonising.
Sold into suffering
When Maori was a cub she was stolen from the wild. Snatched from her mother, who was probably killed, she was sold into a life of misery. In order to control her every move Maori’s sensitive muzzle was pierced with a nose-ring. And her teeth and claws may have been removed so she was unable to defend herself properly. All of this would have been done without anaesthetic. 8
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© BRC
Weighing over 22 stone, Maori, meaning “forever and ever” is the biggest bear of this group, but at nine-years-old she is also the youngest. Baited bears rarely live beyond the age of eight – less than half their life expectancy in the wild – so this grand old age is testament to her resilience and strength but also to how long she has suffered.
Controlled: ropes were forced through Veera’s muzzle so her owners could control her
Urgent appeal When she was rescued, staff at the WSPA-funded sanctuary examined Daisy and treated her wounds. They also gave her the name Daisy which means “innocent” in recognition of the innocence of this long-suffering creature in such a cruel and brutal world as bear baiting.
Coping with their trauma
When 12 year old Veera first arrived at the sanctuary she kept to herself. She sat in the water pool inside the quarantine area and placed her paws on her ears, almost as if she were trying to block out the sounds of the world. Her name means “great and powerful”, and she must be strong to have survived for so long in the bear baiting ring. But just a few days later, Veera was mixing well with the other two bears – in fact, her new favourite activity is wrestling playfully with them. She has bonded particularly well with her new best friend Daisy, a very social bear and the two of them enjoy playing and relaxing in the water pool.
Ending bear baiting for good
Although Maori, Daisy and Veera can look forward to new lives, rescuing individual bears alone will not end bear baiting. It would be far too easy for the cycle to begin again and yet another bear be poached from the wild. Instead the BRC team spent time with the owners to help them understand the extreme pain and fear that the bears experienced. This is remote, rural Pakistan and many of the owners could not see another way to provide for their families. BRC was able to show them ways that they might earn a living without causing cruelty to animals and eventually they agreed to voluntarily surrender their bears and to never replace them – a commitment monitored by BRC staff.
Rescuing the bears
BRC has identified around 50 bears that still need to be rescued and given a new life at the WSPA-funded sanctuary. Bonnie, Jodi and many more will suffer every single day until they are rescued. A gift from you this Christmas could be the gift of safety and of freedom for one of these bears. It typically costs £300 to rescue a bear from bear baiting. Whether you are able to give £30 or £300, your donation could help a bear in desperate need. Together we can and will end the blood sport of bear baiting for good.
Help bears like Daisy, Maori and Veera Post your completed form to: WSPA, FREEPOST SCE6686, Melksham, SN12 6GZ Call 0845 0777 500 (9am-5pm, Monday – Friday) Visit donate.wspa.org.uk/balkasar
New life: Bhoori is another happy bear now enjoying life at the sanctuary
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Helping to heal donkeys’ wounds Life for people and animals in the desert areas of Palestine around Bethlehem is often harsh.
And in this dry and stony landscape, where not even the basics of food and water can be taken for granted, animal welfare has not always been a priority. But since 2010, WSPA has been helping to improve the lives of thousands of working donkeys in this part of the world. Dr Yousef, head vet at the Palestine Wildlife Society (PWLS) runs the
WSPA-funded mobile clinic, from which he provides veterinary advice and treats animals in desperate need. Over the years, he has treated the terrible wounds of many working donkeys, often caused by too heavy loads and ill-fitting harnesses and nosebands. Noseband lesions, caused by tight fitting metal chains, were a common injury. Noseband chains are popular with owners because of the long lasting, hardwearing strength of metal. Dr Yousef could see a simple solution to stop the chains rubbing and cutting into the donkeys’ flesh and he turned to WSPA for help – and we turned to you. WSPA supporters across the UK got busy with their scissors and needle and thread – and fabric noseband protectors started to arrive by the boxful.
Stitching and sewing for animals in need
Banding together: Thousands of colourful nosebands are now protecting the soft noses of donkeys in Palestine thanks to the efforts of WSPA supporters 10
WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 17
Now, thanks to the compassion and craft skills of WSPA UK supporters, thousands of donkeys in this part of the Middle East are injury-free and sporting brightly coloured noseband protectors of every print and hue under the sun. Leopard print, fluffy orange, rainbow coloured and even tapestry strips of soft, thick fabric were shipped to Palestine and fitted around donkeys’ noseband chains, providing immediate, much-needed protection from the harsh metal on their skin. Due to the poverty of the owners, they are unable to buy proper, fitted harnesses but using noseband protectors prevents the rough chains from tearing into the animals’ delicate flesh and so prevents the horrendous
lesions and the often resulting, sometimes life-threatening infections. And so a simple strip of thick, soft fabric, sewn into a tube in minutes, can result in a donkey’s life saved. WSPA supporters have been fantastic making more than 30,000 noseband protectors and it has become rare to see a donkey in the area that doesn’t wear a noseband protector. Such a simple idea has made a huge impact, improving the lives of hundreds of donkeys in the West Bank.
More noseband protectors are needed now
But the original noseband protectors are now wearing thin and replacements are needed. So once again, Dr Yousef and WSPA are asking WSPA supporters to get out their sewing machines and baskets and to make these wonderfully simple and yet so effective fabric protectors to save Palestine’s donkeys from pain and life-threatening infection. You really don’t need any sewing skills and with a sewing machine, you could whip a dozen up in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Get crafty this Christmas
Dr Yousef and his team are extending their work to help even more communities in Palestine and each hard working donkey needs several noseband protectors. Will you help these donkeys in need by making noseband protectors and sending them to WSPA? It could be a lovely way to spend time with family and friends over the holidays.
© Pegasus
Your support helps donkeys in need
We want to share with you the stories of just a few of the animals that Zvika Tamuz, founder of Pegasus, has been able to help thanks to the kindness of WSPA supporters.
Saving Shalom
Ronen Ben Hayun, a reserve soldier in the Israeli army, spotted a thin and seriously dehydrated donkey in a state of distress whilst on foot patrol on the Egyptian-Gaza border. Ronen knew he couldn’t leave the pitiful creature to suffer a moment longer. He took off his helmet and poured water in it to create a makeshift drinking trough. The grateful donkey, later named
Shalom, drank and drank and Ronen filled the helmet with water again, this time holding it just out of Shalom’s reach in order to coax him to move. Ronen managed to get Shalom to the military base three kilometres away where he immediately called Zvika. Without Ronen’s quick-thinking and his compassion for the suffering donkey, Shalom would have surely died alone in the desert. Back at the Pegasus rescue shelter, Shalom is now thriving. He is filling out nicely and will soon be ready to be rehomed somewhere where he will never be thirsty again.
Spindles update
Supporters around the world could not help but fall in love with Spindles, a little donkey who featured in our Donkey Rescue appeal earlier this year. Spindles
Speedy recovery: Shalom looking fit and healthy after recovering from abandonment
was born at Pegasus after his mother was rescued from the desert. His birth came as a complete surprise to Zvika, so malnourished was his mother Michaela – and it was her malnourishment that had had dire consequences for the foal she carried in her womb. Spindles was given his nickname due to a deformity in his legs which meant that he could barely stand. Immediately Zvika and his team saw the seriousness of the condition, a donkey that couldn’t stand would not be able to survive. After many months of plaster casts and splint treatments Spindles legs are improving and he is able to move around freely, following his mum around and playing with the other donkeys. Spindles still needs care and observation as his condition may worsen but he can be sure of the love and dedication of Zvika and the team at Pegasus to give him every fighting chance at life.
Wobbly donkey: Spindles struggled to stand due to his malformed legs Above: Spindles and Michaela now WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 17
© Pegasus
Earlier this year, you generously donated to our appeal to help sick and injured donkeys and horses in Israel.
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As part of our Collars not Cruelty campaign and thanks to your support WSPA is supporting a mass dog vaccination project to eliminate rabies on the island of Zanzibar. Dogs around the world are killed in a desperate and misguided attempt to control rabies, a terrible killer disease, but it doesn’t work. Rabies continues to spread and claim the lives of dogs and people. Through our Collars not Cruelty campaign WSPA has proved, time and time again, that vaccinating dogs is the only way to stop the spread of this awful disease. Once dogs are vaccinated, they’re given a bright red collar – a lifesaving symbol to show the world they’ve been protected against rabies, and pose no threat to people.
Stopping rabies and culls
Dogs in Zanzibar were shot because of a fear of rabies. Though a well-aimed shot can kill a dog relatively quickly, those who don’t die immediately can be left painfully injured for hours, even days. And it did little to prevent the spread of the rabies and failed to stop the disease. People were being bitten by rabid dogs, and worse still people were dying. Rabies affects the nervous system, making it difficult to swallow and breathe, and often causes fever and hallucinations. It’s a slow and terrible way to die, for both people and dogs.
island. In the villages, owners bring their animals to a static clinic for treatment whilst a mobile clinic is used to reach rural communities. The WSPA-funded mobile clinic is run by a team of seven specially trained District Veterinary Officers (DVOs) – similar to a paramedic – who help to coordinate and plan community visits in their area. They regularly vaccinate and treat dogs and tell the community how they can protect themselves against rabies. WSPA News shares the stories of some of the dogs and their families that your support of WSPA’s Collars not Cruelty campaign has helped…
Helping well-loved dogs
Mohammed Hamisi arrived so early he had to wait for the team to arrive when he took his seven dogs to the static clinic in Stonetown, Zanzibar’s capital. Mohammed brought a friend to
© WSPA/Andrew Morgan
For the past five years WSPA has been in partnership with the Government of Zanzibar and this year has signed a two year project that aims to protect thousands of dogs against rabies.
Reaching the islands’ dogs
Through the use of static clinics, mobile field stations and house calls dogs are being vaccinated against rabies on the 12
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© WSPA/Andrew Morgan
Saving dogs’ lives in Zanzibar
Waiting patient: Just one of the dogs to be vaccinated by the field clinic team
© WSPA/Andrew Morgan
Busy owner: Farmer Haroub Kas sim receives a certificate to say that his 15 dogs have been vaccinated against rabies.
© WSPA/A ndrew Morgan
Animals in communities
Protecting dogs doesn’t stop here Hands on: The team quickly vaccinates a waiting patient
help him hold the other dogs so that he could focus on each individual animal as they were treated. Dogs in Zanzibar are not used to being handled. Even if the dogs are held for just a few seconds they can become very distressed and their yelping can agitate others. Although the dogs visibly didn’t like being restrained, Mohammed expertly and calmly rounded each one up and held them while they were quickly vaccinated against rabies. Mohammed told the team that he ensured his dogs were vaccinated against rabies because he would be heartbroken if they were infected and he wouldn’t be able to find other dogs he loves as much as the ones he has.
Youngsters get involved
When Sahale and Hamid, two young boys took their dogs to a mobile clinic to be vaccinated it was soon clear that they were not confident when it came to restraining their nervous dogs and seemed relieved when another member of the community helped them. After a brief struggle Sahale’s sandy coloured dog Macho Maameni, meaning four eyes, and Hamid’s four-yearold dog, Jike, were both vaccinated successfully and the boys taught about the seriousness of rabies and how important the vaccinations are.
Thanks to the generosity of WSPA supporters and the dedication of the veterinary team in Zanzibar 6,000 dogs have already been vaccinated against rabies. But WSPA still needs your help to convince other governments to stop cruelly and needlessly killing dogs – and instead adopt programmes of mass dog vaccination. WSPA’s Collars not Cruelty appeal is asking for you to help us ensure that we protect dogs like Macho Maameni and Jike. Will you give a donation that could help vaccinate dogs and buy them a red collar to show they’re protected against rabies? While any dog faces the terrible death, of a cull or from rabies, WSPA won’t stop. And We hope you won’t either, because there are still so many places where dogs face the horror of mass culls.
Help protect more dogs You could help save them. It only costs £1.88 to vaccinate a dog and give him a red collar – a tiny price to pay for a dog’s life. Please give a donation to WSPA today:
Call 0845 0777 500 (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri) Visit donate.wspa.org.uk/red
A crateful of puppies
Saidi quietly cycled into the gathering where the dog vaccinations were taking place. Nestled peacefully in the crate on the back of his bike were three exquisite puppies. The puppies were only four months old and had not yet been named by their owner who had bought the dogs to protect his property, livestock and crops. Saidi was pleased about the vaccination project as it was important to keep his dogs protected against rabies and ensure the best possible care of them. He partially lifted each one out of the crate and held it while they were vaccinated before gently lowering them back into their nest, barely disturbed. None of them made a sound and before you knew it Saidi had ridden off. Haroub Kassim arrived at the clinic with 15 excitable dogs of all ages and sizes. As he arrived all the dogs waiting got caught up in the commotion and temporarily the small clearing was overwhelmed with the sound of barking, but amazingly none of the animals fought or scrapped and instead simply investigated each other. Several other members from the community helped the team to hold the dogs and in the blink of an eye all 15 of his dogs were vaccinated against rabies. It was no mean feat for Haroub to bring them so it is obviously important to him that the dogs were vaccinated.
Good practice: All of these dogs have been vaccinated and are kept under control by their owners
© WSPA/Andrew Morgan
Helping dogs of all ages
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Campaigns
Moving the world to protect animals
WSPA’s campaigns seek to influence the decisions and actions of those with the power to improve the welfare of animals.
© WSPA/Heather Locke
Our campaigns are a crucial and effective part of how WSPA – with your help – is able to protect animals around the world from cruelty and suffering. The volume of WSPA’s voice for animals is directly related to the volume of people who speak out in support of our campaigns and the online nature of our actions mean that thousands of you are able to add your voice at great speed and little or no cost. Here are just some of WSPA’s campaigns supported by you in 2013:
Saving the lives of Romania’s dogs
Thank you to every one of the 8,859 UK-based supporters who have already taken urgent action to save Romania’s stray dogs. In September, the Constitutional Court of Romania passed a law threatening the lives of the
country’s estimated 550,000 stray and roaming dogs – dogs that may have a home or a carer but are kept outside. This law allows for stray and roaming dogs to be rounded up, detained in shelters and then killed if they were not
claimed or adopted within a pitifully short 14-day window. With such a high volume of dogs, severe overcrowding at shelters is inevitable, with all its associated problems of hygiene, stress and fighting amongst the anxious dogs. WSPA has already received reports of dogs being poisoned or shot and estimates that at the time of going to print, hundreds of dogs may have lost their lives. WSPA and other organisations are desperately trying to convince the Romanian Government to suspend this law immediately. And we need your help. Please sign our action urging them to manage their stray and roaming dog population in a way that doesn’t result in the loss of thousands of dogs’ lives. You can take action now at http://bit.ly/cull5
© Christopher Ratcliffe/WSPA
Six months left to fund the wildlife police
WSPA and our UK supporters have been working hard to persuade London’s governing bodies to step up and provide long-term funding for the Metropolitan Police’s Wildlife Crime Unit (WCU). WSPA stepped in to provide emergency stopgap funding for the WCU in January 2012, but our 14
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funding comes to an end in April 2014. This means that the clock is ticking on statutory bodies to make a firm commitment to funding and publicly recognise wildlife crime as an important policing issue. On Wednesday 09 October, the London Assembly voted unanimously
in favour of a motion calling on the Mayor of London to secure long-term funding for the WCU. The motion also called for regular publicity to grow public awareness of the role and achievements of the WCU. In Westminster, 126 MPs have now signed an Early Day Motion (a petition just for MPs) in support of wildlife crime funding across the UK, and in September WSPA handed in over 2,500 of your messages, showing your support for the WCU, to the Metropolitan Police’s Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley. London’s political authorities are writing their budgets for 2014 right now. So we need your support in calling on them to include full funding for the WCU. You can contact your MP, or if you live in London your local Assembly Member, and ask them to make sure wildlife crime is given the backing it deserves. You will also be able to take part in WSPA’s own coordinated online actions throughout the winter so please visit our website to make sure you receive updates on how you can help.
Campaigns
© Michelle de Villiers
Turtles are still suffering at the Cayman Turtle Farm
Back in July WSPA Wildlife Advisor Dr Neil D’Cruze and Chief Executive Mike Baker met with members of the Caymanian Government to outline our concerns at the continued levels of
suffering experienced by sea turtles at the Cayman Turtle Farm. As the Farm is Government-owned, these Ministers have the power to call for it to transition from a meat production facility into a
rehabilitation and release centre for the endangered green sea turtles. WSPA is disappointed at the lack of action taken since these meetings, to address our concerns. In fact a recent research paper published in the Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Ethics showed that the turtles at the Cayman Turtle Farm are still kept in terrible conditions. But you can help change this. We want to show the Caymanian Government that people around the world are against such cruelty. 185,000 of you have already put your name to our online petition and we are desperate to make it 200,000. Please go online and take action to help WSPA end sea turtle farming: www.stopseaturtlefarm.org/getinvolved
Spanish Parliament votes to protect bullfighting Despite huge international opposition, WSPA was disappointed that the Spanish Congress voted on 2 October to protect the cruel blood sport of bullfighting, defending it as their ‘cultural heritage’. Over 15,000 WSPA supporters in the UK contributed to a global petition against this decision, which totaled 256,600 signatures from 135 countries worldwide. The UK signatures were handed into the Spanish Embassy on Wednesday 04 September, and
a week later WSPA joined fellow animal welfare charities to deliver the global petition to the Spanish Parliament in Madrid. WSPA is now working with these partners to call on the Spanish Senate to reject this proposed law – a law that would allow bulls to be brutally stabbed in a cruel spectacle all in the in the name of entertainment. At the time of going to print we are unsure of the Senate’s vote but we’ll keep readers updated on the outcome.
Welsh factory dairy farm plans approved
WSPA and our supporters have been fighting hard against plans to build a 1,000-cow industrial dairy farm in Wales. We are saddened to tell readers of the Welsh Government’s decision to approve the plans to build the farm, despite significant public opposition. In 2012, pressure from members of the public, including WSPA supporters, led to the Welsh Government examining plans to build the dairy farm in the village of Leighton. A public inquiry was called to look into the application,
due to the massive impact the decision could have on the future of dairy farming in Wales. WSPA fought the plans alongside concerned local resident group CALFe as well as the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural Wales (CPRE), and played a crucial part in the inquiry by giving evidence against the plans. Simon Pope, WSPA UK campaigns and communications director said: “WSPA is dismayed that expert planning
advice has now been ignored. The Planning Inspector recommended the application be rejected as the economic benefits do not outweigh the unacceptable harm to tourism, the environment and the animals effected. He also took into account the concerns raised by local residents on the impact on their quality of life. Sadly the Welsh Government feels that the possibility of up to ten new jobs is of greater importance.” The importance of this decision should not be underestimated. It could potentially change Welsh farming and the countryside forever by opening the flood-gates for other dairy farms of this type and scale. This news is a significant blow to dairy cows but the fight is not over. WSPA will continue to send a clear message to decision makers: we want our cows to be kept on grass. We know that our supporters agree with us and will call upon you when we next need you to take action.
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Shopping this Christmas to help animals WSPA’s 2013 Christmas catalogue is filled with beautiful animal-themed gifts to help you find your perfect presents this Christmas. And also includes a full selection of cards for you to send to your loved ones. What’s more, everything that you buy helps protect animals from cruelty and suffering.
10 cards £4.99 30 cards £13.47 (saving £1.50)
Wipe Your Paws Coir Mat £12.99
In the Snow Mug and Spoon £7.99
How to order
Post If you have WSPA’s Christmas Catalogue and wish to order by post, please send your order form and payment to: WSPA Christmas Catalogue, Carriage House, Forde Close, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4EY Online wspashop.org.uk (for a wider full selection of cards, wrapping WSPA Weekly paper and gifts) Planner Email wspa@cbfulfilment.co.uk £4.99 Call 0844 324 8556 (8am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9am-10pm Sat & Sun) Order your WSPA Christmas Catalogue items before Monday 16 December 2013 to receive your gifts by Christmas Eve.* And don’t forget Royal Mail’s last post dates: 18 December 2013 for 2nd class post and 20 December 2013 for 1st class.
* We usually deliver within seven working days but orders can take longer at busy times. All orders received by 16 December 2013 should be received by Christmas Eve subject to stock availability.
Elmar teddy £49.99
Bear and Cub Figurine £45.00