News Archive - Page 125 of 145

For Maya, the Prefect has responded (largely) to our requests

For Maya, the Prefect has responded (largely) to our requests
02.01.2018
Lot-et-Garonne For Maya, the Prefect has responded (largely) to our requests
Wildlife

At the end of November, we invited the circus and their lawyer to look at another way out of this situation, by proposing to buy Maya from them, to save her in another way than by the legal one.

No response back from them except perhaps from legal threats. The circus does not obviously seek anything for the well-being of this elephant! We would have praised their generosity, but no, they seem to be ready to just let her die slowly.

We received in the wake of these proceedings, an “urgent summons” demanding the withdrawal of any communication defending Maya on our online media platforms, papers, etc., and for an apology from us!

At the same time, the Prefect of Lot-et-Garonne had received the advice from many international experts that we had recently put together, as well as the two letters from leading French institutions for veterinarians; and she has also heard public opinion expressed through our mobilizations at every moment (the gatherings, the signatures of the petition #JusticePourMaya, and more generally by your presence on social network sites that are on our side). The parallel action of these two components had probably played a major role in the Prefect’s decision to order a new veterinary inspection.

We had written to her to ask her to take into account certain aspects of this inspection, and by the answer she gave us, it seems that we have been heard!

Given the legal situation, it is unfortunately impossible for us to say more. Even if our frustration and our impatience to all of this is strong, and that Maya is not yet free, we see this as a great step forward!

Outrageous: a circus exhibits a baby tiger at the end of the school day

Outrageous: a circus exhibits a baby tiger at the end of the school day
29.12.2017
Herault
Outrageous: a circus exhibits a baby tiger at the end of the school day
Exploitation for shows

In Sète, at the beginning of last October, a circus exhibits at the end of a school day a baby tiger; a way to promote their circus show. It is very difficult for young children to resist a cute animal that is like a stuffed toy animal and it seems as harmless as a kitten … Should we really be outraged at this kind of practice? One Voice answers Yes and challenges the prefect of Herault! Explanations are needed.

The weaning period of a tiger, do you know?

In its natural habitat, a tigress hides her cubs for the first fifteen days until they are able to see and hear. It takes the newcomers a hundred days to reach the end of the weaning period. In no case should they be separated from their mothers. Unfortunately, in view of the photos circulating on social networks, the baby presented to the public at the end of school classes, was far from having reached this period of development. And even so, a young tiger is not an object of curiosity and has no place in a street!

Torn from his mother, the health of the baby is in fact questioned. Our concern is great, knowing that many births have been recorded without knowing the fate of new-born’s … We demand transparency from the circuses via a right of access to the register of entries and exits of these lions and tigers.

The Prefect of Herault challenged by One Voice

In addition to a copy of the register, we call on the Prefect of Herault to suspend the certificate of competency for this circus. This document is especially given to circus owners for « the breeding of animals of non-domestic species other than game ». It can be removed when the welfare of the animal in question is not assured. Impossible to affirm, knowing the needs of a baby tiger, and that the circuses must guarantee the good health of the animal.

Baby tigers: a marketing tool for circuses

Enticing children so that they push their parents to go to a show is a renowned marketing technique that the Circus owners master rather well!

After such an exhibition, how can you refuse your child an outing where they will be sure to see an animal as cute as a baby tiger? We will try to help you. Even if the comparison between a kitten and a baby tiger can be easily made, remember first that the latter does not purr but roars. Furthermore, a tiger born in captivity or not, remains and will remain a wild animal. From the first months of existence, the latter shows predatory behaviour.

A study was conducted on 12 tigers more than two years old born in captivity, then released into their natural habitat, most of them were able to hunt antelope. Their hunting instinct is intact even though all they had known was the captive life … Is it really necessary to maintain children’s perception of wild animals the same as soft toys or as their companions in everyday dogs or cats? We do not think so, especially when we know the living conditions of these poor animals … And this is certainly not the way children ought to be taught respect for wildlife.

One Voice’s fight: circuses without animals

Young tigers are unfortunately not the only victim of this circus: Jumbo, the hippo lives in an appalling condition. Its biological and physiological needs are not respected.

Let us refuse together to participate in animal abuse, exploited for the entertainment of humans. Continue to sign the petition so that there are no more animals exploited in circuses!

Faceless cruelty against dogs and cats: Do not let anything go!

Faceless cruelty against dogs and cats: Do not let anything go!
22.12.2017
France
Faceless cruelty against dogs and cats: Do not let anything go!
Domestic animals

Many dogs and cats are victims of acts of cruelty whose perpetrators remain unknown. The vigilance of Cell Zoe allows to identify these anonymous martyrs and to plead their case before the courts. Relentlessly, One Voice seizes every case, complains, and stands up against to this violence to stop it.

There are the victims whose executioners are clearly identified and accountable in court. There is also the long list of those, often anonymous, who have suffered the worst horrors in the hands of strangers. Cell Zoe fights for them as for the others. One Voice brings a complaint in every case.

Abuse and murder everywhere in France

Extreme acts of cruelty, in many forms, occur regularly throughout France. Some recent examples, Last July, in Loire Atlantique, a motorist found the body of a cat in a car park with terrible wounds. The autopsy revealed that the poor feline had been violently tortured (eyes and hair torn off, skull smashed) and strangled with a cable.

Wednesday, August 16th, in the Somme, a drowned dog was fished out. The animal was drowned with a large stone attached to the leash. The same day, in a pond in the same department, another dog is also found drowned, locked in a cage. Thursday, September 7th, in the Yvelines, a kitten about 1 month lay under a parked car with a swollen eye, burnt ear and head injury. It took several days to put him out of danger. On Monday, October 23rd, an 18-month-old cat returned home, blood-stained, shot with a .22 calibre rifle, which caused a double fracture of his mandible and cut off part of its tongue.

In this same municipality of Meurthe-et-Moselle, since the beginning of the year 2 other cats have also been victims, this time from poisoning. At the end of November in Isère, the bodies of five hunting dogs shot by firearms were found in the forest. Three of them had their tattooed ears sliced off, making identification difficult. In contrast, the other two were chipped and an investigation is underway to find the owners.

The Zoe cell is on the side of all the victims

Failing to always find the culprits, then the Zoe Cell mobilizes to denounce these almost ordinary ignominies. Without its action and its many interventions, many acts of cruelty would never be condemned, or would even go unnoticed.

For One Voice this is unacceptable and our association is systematically complaining in every case of which it is aware. Not to react would be to give the perpetrators of these crimes against cats and dogs the opportunity to re-offend … again against animals or even humans.

With us, do not let anything pass by! So that this barbarism does not rot society, support the campaign of the Link of the Zoe Cell and sign our petition so that all the violence is condemned, whomever the victim.

Fur: No Christmas Truce for the Mink of Montarlot

Fur: No Christmas Truce for the Mink of Montarlot
22.12.2017
Montarlot les Rioz
Fur: No Christmas Truce for the Mink of Montarlot
Fashion

Despite our intervention and many comments against this project, the mink farmer of Montarlot-Les-Rioz will be able to expand his mink breeding program from 2000 to 7,700 for the production of their fur.

In these farms, mink are confined in cramped cages, without access to water, while in nature these small semi-aquatic mammals spend most of their time in the water. During their short life of a few months, they are fed in these cages, then gassed (because the fur should not be soiled with blood), then skinned. To add to this horror that they suffer, it should also be added that the excrement from mink, their blood and their carcasses generate a real damaging effect to the environment.

We cannot accept that fur farms continue to grow on French soil, disregarding the dignity of mink and the gross mistreatment that they endure in such situations.

The decision of the prefecture goes against the collective awareness of other European countries. For example in the Netherlands the Supreme Court has upheld the law by banning fur production on its territory, for ethical reasons.

One Voice support Combactive, the association which leads this fight right from the start.

We are attacking the prefectural decree!

Orca, the tortured dog: the height of cruelty

Orca, the tortured dog: the height of cruelty
20.12.2017
Nord
Orca, the tortured dog: the height of cruelty
Domestic animals

Cruelty knows no bounds, as indicated by this new case handled by Zoe Cell. This young dog called Orca is a martyr. He was found abandoned in garbage and dying in the worst of suffering, its body was already in decomposition. One Voice brings a complaint to stop the disgrace.

The ordeal of a dog called Orca

On November 29^th, at Fourmies, in the North, a young dog of 2 years old was found in agony in a state of advanced decomposition. Lying in a hut among sacks of cement and garbage, Orca endured this awful suffering. His ragged skin, looked like cardboard, was falling apart and her flesh and tendons were alive. It was thought he was dead, but he was still breathing! Nothing could be done to save him, and the only way to shorten his suffering was to put him down. During their questioning, the owners tried to explain the facts, invoking three different versions! So, they pretended that their dog had scabies, they also argued that he was burned or was in a battle with another dog … Many questions remain unresolved. A certainty: November 12^th, twelve days before the intervention, Orca did not present any injuries, as evidenced by a photograph taken on that date (photo of One of the articles). What happened next? The Zoe Cell intends to have the last word of the story and One Voice files a complaint. In addition, the custody of another dog was taken away from the owners. Tyson, a four-month-old puppy, was placed in a quarantined shelter.

The Zoe cell is on alert

Thanks to its network of informants, the Zoe Cell remains constantly on the alert and intends to obtain exemplary judgments for all those guilty of acts of cruelty. On November 12^th, 2017 another owner was taken into custody. Suspected of clandestine breeding, the authorities have discovered in his home in Pantin (93) a dozen corpses of dogs! Around them were also Malinois living dogs and a caged fox. Of course, again, One Voice filed a complaint.

With One Voice and the Zoe Cell, say « No » to cruelty, please sign our petition so that all violence is condemned, regardless of the victim.

New scandal in Reunion Island: soon stray dogs to be killed with rifles!

New scandal in Reunion Island: soon stray dogs to be killed with rifles!
19.12.2017
New scandal in Reunion Island: soon stray dogs to be killed with rifles!
Domestic animals

On the Reunion Island, a new decree would soon allow the shooting on sight of stray dogs. A cruel and curious way to try to solve the problem of strays! Worse, such a decision could then reverberate in other French departments, turning into targets our companions’ dogs and cats. One Voice will do everything to prevent this nightmare.

Stray dogs, the new victims

After the authorization of the poisoning and trapping of stray cats, it is now the dogs that are in the sights of the authorities of the Reunion Island. This is what the CRAPA, a local association, alerted us to. In a statement on December 11^th, Andre Thien Ah Koon, president of the Southern Urban Community, announced that at his request, the prefect of the island was working on the creation of extermination officers, which should be operational during the first half of 2018. In other words, dogs can be killed by rifle shots!

The dog problem

At the root of this incredible decision were stray dog attacks on herds that have angered farmers. Because, on the island, many dogs are born as strays. A majority of so-called stray dogs actually have a family. Unsterilized, they multiply and form packs whose potential danger is proven. Yet massive slaughter is not the answer. Not only is this cruelty unacceptable from an ethical point of view, but they will not solve the problem. Worse, they will create others, opening the door to wild slaughter by individuals, but also the extension of such measures to stray cats … and not only on this island!

One ethical and effective solution against strays

For dogs already neglected or abandoned, the announced massacre is a double punishment. Instead of helping them, we will persecute them! Is this a way to consider managing strays? And especially when we know that scientific studies are not lacking in information, which proves the inefficiency of slaughter in the management of the overpopulation of dogs and cats? There is only one solution, one ethical and effective: sterilization, which must be made compulsory, and not only in Reunion Island! It’s time for us to be heard! It is also time to put an end to cruel pseudo-solutions, which are intended only to appease the anger of some in defiance of the suffering of these animals as an outlet. Stray dogs and cats need to be saved, not slaughtered!

One Voice has already written to the prefect. If the order is confirmed, we will sue him. We also plan to meet the French Minister for overseas departments.

And for a real protection of our companions’ dogs and cats, please sign and spread this petition: Dogs and cats: our family.

The circus holding Maya is suing us!

The circus holding Maya is suing us!
18.12.2017
France
The circus holding Maya is suing us!
Exploitation for shows

The circus and its lawyer want to forbid us to speak or to act for Maya, their wish: to silence us. We will not leave Maya to her sad fate as a captive elephant. Nor will we abandon the fight for circuses without animals.

As far as the circus and its lawyer are concerned Maya is « in perfect health ». They demand that we remove the petition signed by more than 104,000 people to get #JusticeforMaya, as well as all articles, tweets and Facebook posts from our sites and pages. We could no longer use Maya’s photo, flyers, or panels talking about her or her photo. They refuse that we conduct demonstrations or gatherings for her.

In summary, the circus demands that we stop purely and simply to defend the animals, Maya in particular, and that we apologize to them publicly in the newspapers and on our website!

They want to be able to continue exploiting Maya, until death ensues and if possible far from sight!

Their choice of words would be very amusing if they did not concern Maya who suffers terribly. We create for them « an abnormal disturbance of enjoyment », that is to say, they exploit the image and life itself of their animals for their own gain, whatever their state and whatever the external signs of their anguish is, and if we try to defend them, Stop Now!

However, Maya has been performing for more than 40 years, shuffling from the arena to the trailer truck, suffering the bull hooks and the ankle chains. Maya is in pain.
They literally earn their living from this, and they dare to say that we are conducting a « smear campaign » against them, while they deny the most basic needs for this elephant!? She needs to end up in a sanctuary, and no, it’s not a « fanciful request » that we would not do lightly.

Her posture is distorted, her body is emaciated. Yes, Maya is dying before our eyes and yes we do defend her and we will continue to defend her and all the other captive animals of the entertainment industry, against her human owners who exhibit her and keep her in unworthy living conditions.

In the fight of One Voice for Maya, allies are with us: scientists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, media personalities, but above all: YOU!

We will go right to the end, the circus may reduce its animals to silence but their defenders will not let go!

International scandal concerning greyhounds

International scandal concerning greyhounds
14.12.2017
Paris
International scandal concerning greyhounds
Other campaign or multi-campaigns of One Voice

Greyhounds are fine, thin, muscular and fast dogs. For this reason they are exploited by humans, especially in Great Britain, for « racing sports » (greyhound racing, hare racing …). Many gambling events are organized around these animals, and constitute a very profitable industry for the organizers, breeders and trainers…

As if that were not enough, when greyhounds are no longer likely to be a source of profit by competing or breeding, they are sold to the highest bidder. British trainers say that their dogs are exported to countries that are friendly towards them.

It’s absolutely wrong! The reality is that these distinguished dogs are sold in China and Pakistan, where they are abused, turned into meat, and then eaten! The circle of horror is complete!

Kerry Elliman has rescued several hundred of these noble animals, scrawny and sick, on the verge of their last breath, she denounces these actions. « I’ve seen videos where the dogs are boiled alive. I saw a video the other day showing a meat cart with boiling water – the dogs still alive were in the water. We could hear them screaming. »

We can still identify dogs on the spot, since they often have tattooed ears.

This is an international scandal, on a large scale! An unspeakable massacre.

One Voice takes a stand alongside the British greyhound racing defence associations,

Against the breeding and training of greyhounds for racing, which is often very violent and trying;

Against hare coursing with greyhounds, as it is a violent and ruthless practice;

Against selling dogs to countries that do not respect animals! The British law on racing and animal exports must change, (failing to succeed in China).

A demonstration for the defence of greyhounds is organized in London on January 28th! To echo this, we will gather to raise the voice of greyhounds in Paris the same day, place des Vosges at 2.00 pm.

We invite you to sign the petition.

Decree wolves: a travesty of democracy?

Decree wolves: a travesty of democracy?
12.12.2017
France
Decree wolves: a travesty of democracy?
Wildlife

The draft decree fixing the number of wolves whose slaughter is authorized for the 2017-2018 season has been submitted to « public participation ». Despite explicit opposition from a large majority of French people, the decree came into force. One Voice is indignant and denounces this travesty of democracy.

98% of the 6,407 comments received in one month oppose the decree

Some do so briefly and to the point, such as « No to slaughter » or « Stop the slaughter ». Most contributors, on the other hand, express more complex ideas, imbued with disappointment. Thus, the pressure of the agricultural lobbies on the government is often evoked, as well as the status of the wolf, the competition from New Zealand, overgrazing or the uselessness of shooting.

Others are surprised that all orders of this kind are adopted systematically, without regard for public opinion, as if the decision had already been taken. They speak of a sham democracy.

The position of the Minister of Ecology denounced

Almost everyone is sorry that Nicolas Hulot was able to sign such cruel orders! Note that the defenders of the wolves are the only ones to propose constructive solutions and to open themselves to the dialogue with the shepherds, some of whom share their opinion. Most often, in the opposite camp, we are content to claim a world where « the place of the wolves would be in a circus » as recently said by ex-student from the French school of politics.

So? A mockery of democracy?

Once again, the respect that a majority of French people have for the wolf, his intelligence and his beauty, is coldly trampled underfoot in high places.

By delivering this animal to the revenge of the farmers and giving the hunters a predator that is precious to the balance of ecological, the government spares itself the trouble of reinventing a sector in crisis for many other reasons other than 300 wolves. The wolf is a protected species. He has become a real scapegoat. Slaughter will not solve any problem, it is only a political measure to appease the anger of a minority.

One Voice denounces this travesty of democracy and calls for a national referendum on the wolf issue.

Telethon: no to experiments on dogs, yes to innovation

Telethon: no to experiments on dogs, yes to innovation
07.12.2017
France
Telethon: no to experiments on dogs, yes to innovation
Animal testing

As with every year, the Telethon will help to collect millions of euros for research on rare diseases. Some of the money collected will be used to fund extremely painful experiments on dogs, without necessarily translating into any significant progress that is needed by patients. More innovative work must be done.

In the secrecy of the laboratories

The images broadcast by PETA in 2013, in a laboratory where experiments are shockingly funded by the AFM-Telethon. One of its representatives admits: « It is certain that if we show them our dogs with Myopathy (to the public) it may make them lose a lot of money. That’s the money from the Telethon. It’s used to do this research. « For dogs, which have been artificially provoked with this disease, it’s a living torture, similar to that of humans who suffer from it, with difficulty in moving, breathing and swallowing.

An aberrant justification of cruelty

The sacrifice of dogs could be a necessary evil to save sick children and adults. But what is done to these animals is far from justifiable! It is not a matter of killing dogs to save children, but of perpetuating obsolete experiments, far removed from the progress of science, which is, however, a source of hope for all patients! Thus, the AMP-Téléthon association supports and finances research on neuromuscular diseases and rare diseases, many of which resort to animal experimentation without respecting the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement laid down by the European Directive on animal experimentation, transposed into French law. The reliability of the animal model is indeed widely questioned. Moreover, alternatives that do not involve animals already exist for research on Steinert’s disease, Pompe disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, autoimmune myasthenia and limb girdle muscular dystrophy.

The intervention of One Voice

One Voice wrote to the President of the AMP-Telethon, developing its arguments both legal and scientific. Adding the unjust and unnecessary suffering of sick people and dogs cannot be compared to progress. This association could finance the development of modern and ethical tests, sparing animals and complying with regulatory objectives. This is the urgency to find the solutions that will overcome these terrible diseases.

Hell is paved with good intentions

In support of the Telethon, some initiatives generate more harm than good. Five Brittany municipalities (Plouguenast, Gausson, Langast, Plessala and Saint-Gouéno) joined forces to raise funds. On the program: deer hunting, fox hunting and mass balloon releases. In other words: terror and serious pollution for the planet … One Voice stands against these practices and calls for ethics in fundraising.