You can hear Scotland for Animals Spokesman John Patrick talking to Kaye Adams about Crufts and our relationship with dogs.
Click here for show. From 9 onwards.
International Womens Day
On International Womens Day, remember our non-human sisters enslaved, sexually abused, murdered and torn from their mammies and their weans.
Your time will come.
CCTV campaign: Get ready
After intense campaigning by Scotland for Animals, the Scottish Government is finally to consult the public on legislative proposals covering abattoir CCTV.
We expect the consultation to be live very soon.
This has taken years of hard work which would not have been possible without you.
At the start of our campaign government claimed that the introduction of mandatory CCTV was not legally possible. Together, we have pushed forward to a position where we may now see it implemented.
Scotland for Animals has met with huge resistance from both politicians and industry regarding the issue. We expect this to continue, but with you by our side we will fight to ensure that the voices of animals are heard over those of self-interest.
We will soon be providing more information on how you can exercise your right to take part in this important event.
It’s vital that you take action with us when the time comes. Below is an example, sourced via Freedom Of Information requests by Scotland for Animals, of just one of many ‘incidents’ which occurred in Scottish abattoirs last year.
“[ID Number] on 17/10/17 at approximately 07:05 AM when I was checking the stunning of bovine animals. The kill number [ID Number] was placed in the stunning box by [Name] who holds a full certificate of competence and is the animal welfare officer.
Once the animal was in the stunning box and while [Name] was closing the gate, [Name] (General Manager), who is suspended from his Coc, operated the head restraint. At that moment the slaughterman was not ready to stun the animal due to he was closing the gate.
After the first shot, the animal showed clear signs of consciousness (rhythmical breading, corneal reflects, eye movements and muscle tone) so [Name] tried to apply a second shot but the animal was lying down in the stunning box and he could not reach it so he proceeded to open the stunning box to access the animal through the dry landing area and apply the second shot.
After this, the animal did not show any signs of recovery so he proceeded to hoist it. Once it was at the bleeding point, the animal started to show muscle tone so [Name] called [Name] who applied the third shot”
This is reality for animals.
For every one of them suffering in every slaughterhouse in Scotland, let’s ensure that their time has come.
UK death toll, January 2018
UK death toll
January 2018
109 million, 310 thousand+ animals
Cattle: 241 thousand+
Sheep: 1 million, 221 thousand+
Pigs: 948 thousand+
Poultry: 106 million, 900 thousand+
Action needed on live exports
As the Scottish Government announces that they will oppose a ban on live exports we can reveal that thousands of ‘livestock’ animals are transported from Scotland to the rest of the EU per year.
Via Freedom of Information requests Scotland for Animals has discovered that from 2016 to early February 2018 nearly twenty two and a half thousand animals were sent to countries outwith Great Britain for breeding, production/ fattening and slaughter.
The countries where these animals ended up are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates.
In addition nearly fifty three thousand were transported to Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
We are in touch with our friends at Kent Action Against Live Exports who campaign to end this trade and document the misery which it creates.
If you have not already done so please contact First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and demand that government drop their support of live exports.
Feel free to base your personalised message on the following:
FAO First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Dear Ms Sturgeon,
I am writing regarding your administration’s opposition to a ban on the live export of animals.
I am aware that Ministers have been provided with information and evidence highlighting major welfare concerns within the industry. I am therefore deeply disappointed that the Scottish Government has chosen to support this trade.
Please be aware that this decision will reflect badly on the Scottish Government. I am sure that this will also further highlight it’s apparent disinterest in welfare improvements for animals reared for production and slaughter.
I would advise you to reconsider the situation and support a ban on live exports before any further damage is inflicted on your reputation.
Yours sincerely,
Send to firstminister@gov.scot
You can also send by post to:
The First Minister
The Scottish Government
St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
Please also visit the Kent Action Against Live Exports site, kaale.org.uk, and give them your support.
Media covers meat from unstunned animals in food chain
Media running articles today about meat from unstunned slaughter entering the food chain.
Scotland for Animals exposed this issue in 2013.
Please make no mistake, the steady worsening of this situation isn’t just down to self-serving politicians. Blame also lies with animal welfare groups.
Some have not just turned a blind eye but, to their shame, enabled the non-stun industry by trying to silence critics of this method of slaughter implying that they’re motivated by racism.
See one of today’s articles here.
labour party consult on animal policies
The labour party today launched a consultation on proposed animal welfare policy.
We welcome the inclusion of issues on which Scotland for Animals has led campaigning such as the labelling of meat from animals slaughtered without stunning.
On the other hand we’ve heard it all before.
The document’s claim that “Labour is the party of animal welfare” is also in our view questionable.
SfA believe from experience that none of the parties represented in the UK and Scottish parliaments, nor the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies, are particularly interested in animal welfare.
Grassroots members and individual MPs, MSPs, AMs and MLAs excluded.
We would however encourage supporters to provide the party with their thoughts and suggestions. Let’s give them their due for putting this to the public.
If you’re submitting views please ensure that you clarify that improvements are reliant not only on legislative change but on proper enforcement.
Scottish government announces it will oppose a ban on live exports
The Scottish government has announced that it will oppose a ban on the live export of animals.
Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing has stated that Scotland will neither support, nor participate in, moves to end the practice.
The current administration have been on a charm offensive trying to con all of us into believing that they’re ‘leading the way’ on animal welfare. These chancers could not care less.
Scotland for Animals cautioned that the new found conscience at St. Andrews House was smoke and mirrors. They couldn’t keep the mask on for long.
live export of animals causes suffering and misery. The Scottish government might support this but the Scottish people won’t.
let them know that they do not speak for us on this issue and that they must support a ban.
Contact Nicola Sturgeon:
scottish.ministers@gov.scot
St. Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
UK death toll, December 2017
UK death toll
December 2017
84 million, 907 thousand+ animals slaughtered
208 thousand+ cattle
1 million, 382 thousand+ sheep
817 thousand+ pigs
82 million, 500 thousand+ poultry
Monthly death toll
Monthly death toll
November 2017
241 thousand cattle
1 million, 255 thousand sheep
984 thousand pigs
83 million 700 thousand poultry