​www.msn.com/en-ca/news/us/worker-attacked-by-tiger-at-florida-zoo-could-face-charges-officials-say/ar-AASivSQ?li=AAggNb9

A tiger was euthanized at a Florida zoo after a worker who stuck his arm in the enclosure was attacked. The officer who responded made several attempts to distract the tiger and also requested tranquilizer darts but they were unavailable. The officer was left with no other option but to shoot the tiger in order to save the worker from having his arm chewed to bits. While it seems the officer did everything he could to avoid euthanizing the tiger, it is the worker who now faces the possibility of charges after it was revealed that he had no authorization to be in the area of the animal's enclosure.

Animals in zoos are already tasked with living their entire lives behind bars. Their enclosures are rarely adequate in comparison to the landscapes these animals would roam when in the wild. Their entire existence is basically a prison sentence that allows humans to watch them from behind bars in the name of "education" or "entertainment". With all that these beautiful animals have given up to sit behind bars, the last thing they should have to endure is being euthanized because of the actions of humans who know better than to toy with the animals. There's no excuse for the death of this tiger and it's my strong opinion that the worker face charges as a result of the tiger's death.

As we know, tigers are an endangered species. The loss of even 1 tiger is monumental, whether it's a tiger in the wild or one behind bars. Every tiger lost is one step closer to extinction. If these animals are not safe in the wild AND not safe in the protection of humans, they have absolutely no hope for survival. This event is inexcusable and the worker deserves to be charged in the tiger's death. As always, I will update y'all on this story as more information becomes available.

​www.hsi.org/news-media/in-an-historic-vote-italy-to-ban-fur-farming-and-shut-down-all-mink-farms-within-six-months/

Italy has voted making it official; fur-farming is banned within the country. In a historic vote, Italy will see it's 10 remaining mink fur-farms shut down within six months with an immediate ban on the breeding of fur-bearing animals like mink, chinchillas, and foxes. Fur farmers are being given a grand total of 3 million euros to help them switch to more sustainable farming options in lieu of their farms being shut down. Italy will become the 16th country within the European Union to ban fur-farming.

The fur industry is on track to be nothing more than a stain in our history. We're seeing a rapid change in the views on fur and governments across the globe are hearing these voices and recognizing the needlessness of the fur industry. It seems as though every few days a story emerges about a large fashion brand or country around the world has come out and banned fur. It's only a matter of time before the industry completely fizzles out but we must remember; a ban on fur-farming is NOT a ban on fur entirely. It means that the country will no longer produce fur products but makes no mention of whether imports will also be banned. This is often the first step towards a full ban on fur but it's an unnecessary stepping stone that takes a hypocritical position on fur.

While it's amazing that Italy has made this decision to end their production of fur, the fight is not over. Canada continues to produce fur products despite Canadians statistically not being supportive of the industry. Our animal rights track record is abysmal at this point and we have a long way to go here for our country to be on track with our current views on the welfare of animals. There is absolutely no place in modern society for fur products any longer. It's almost embarrassing that as a country who projects a compassionate & progressive image, we have almost completely turned our backs on animals. 

We need a global ban on fur-farming. It's long overdue at this point. With that being said, congratulations Italy on ending your production of fur. 

​worldanimalnews.com/breaking-24-rhinos-have-been-killed-by-poachers-in-just-two-weeks-in-south-africa-sparking-global-outrage/

In only 2 weeks, 24 rhinos have been found dead by poachers in South Africa, sparking international outrage over the loss of such majestic and imperiled animals. Rhinos continue to face insurmountable perils to their survival in the wild and this story demonstrates the severity of illegal poaching in Africa. All of the rhinos were poached for their horns which continue to fetch copious amounts of money in the black market. At this rate, rhinos will go extinct within the next 20 years.

Africa's wildlife are under constant threat of extinction and most of their perils can be traced back to humans. Habitat loss, fragmentation, clime change related food / water shortages, human conflicts, trophy hunting, and illegal poaching are putting several species at risk of possible extinction. Humanity has turned its back on some of the most beloved and recognized specie son our planet by putting our own ambitions ahead of the well-being / survival of a species. Our salacious need for more comes at the expense of every other living creature around us. This story is proof that despite all of our efforts to curb illegal poaching and bring attention to this plight, that it continues to ravage wildlife.

Rhinos, giraffes, elephants, lions, tigers, etc., these species are on track to face possible extinction, this is a fact. My only hope is that more funding goes towards anti-poaching initiatives because it is necessary to prevent the needless slaughter of innocent and often endangered species.

​Head to the link attached at the top of this story for the original story from World Animal News.

​bc.ctvnews.ca/bowling-with-birds-tormenting-birds-cited-in-b-c-animal-cruelty-sentence-against-food-companies-1.5710355

2 poultry farms in Fraser Valley were convicted of animal cruelty after an investigation in 2018 lead to cruelty charges. Sofina Foods & Elite Farm Services were dealt $300, 000 in fines after videos emerged of blatant cruelty involving the treatment of chickens. The senior vice-president of both farms issued an apology, recognizing the lack of quality standards customers would expect in this case but both farms individually have yet to speak out regarding the conviction.

When you look at these situations, it's shocking, but we would be naïve to believe that this only happens when documented. Abuse to farm animals is rampant within this industry and I believe it can be attributed to a desensitizing of those who work in this industry. Even if I wasn't a vegetarian, I don't think I could bring myself to work in a place where animals were being slaughtered by the tens of thousands every day. People who work in these industries have desensitized themselves to the suffering and agony they are surrounded with. That is not to say that because of this, all employees are prone to abusing animals, but I believe it makes it easier to do so when you are already desensitized to their suffering. This happens on all farms, it's not limited to poultry. I've reported on abuse to cattle, pigs, turkeys, etc., i's happening throughout the industry as a whole.

​Look at ag-gag laws for example. These laws are designed to prevent people from exposing the abuse happening on factory farms. People are actually fighting for their right to continue to abuse animals, that's ultimately what this law boils down to. Their only motive is to protect their business and avoid fines / convictions when the welfare of their animals should be their top priority. Without these investigations, animal abuse would never be documented and standards would never be improved. It is only because of the diligent work of activists that these companies are being exposed and forced to improve their operations. 

At the end of the day, if you're continuing to eat meat, there's no guarantee about how that animal was treated prior to being killed. It may be acceptable to you that they are killed, but I can't believe that anyone would continue to support a farm that was documented kicking, punching, torturing, or abusing the animals prior to their death. It's time for a sweeping welfare improvement within this industry. More funds allocated to auditing these facilities frequently to ensure compliance. More cruelty charges / convictions and stricter punishments are necessary to put a stop to the needless cruelty these poor animals endure.

We must continue the fight for better treatment of farm animals. They are unwillingly killed for us to consume so at the very least, their lives should be uncomplicated and dealt with compassion until they are forcefully slaughtered. 

​toronto.citynews.ca/2021/12/13/marineland-criminal-charges/

Marineland is facing criminal charges after a tip led police to the park in October of 2020. The park is being charged with utilizing dolphins and whales for entertainment purposes, a practice that was banned by the federal government in 2019. The park adamantly denies the charges and claims that the complaint stems from an "educational presentation" that is not against the law and will be in court to fight the charges in February of next year.

When you read the story, Marineland comes off as a child who got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Nothing but excuses for every single problem that has been brought to light including poorly maintained water filtration for their cetaceans, unexplained whale deaths, and now the use of cetaceans in performances. In almost every case, they're trying to explain their way out of a bad situation and perhaps until now, they've been able to do so. Only time will tell whether they will be found guilty, but there's a much bigger picture here in my opinion; why didn't we just ban ALL captivity as opposed to allowing these places to hold on to the cetaceans they already had? Isn't this kind of sending out the wrong message about whether we truly care about cetaceans in captivity?

The fact is, these dolphins / whales should have been released / sent to sanctuaries immediately as the law to ban their captivity came in to effect. We wouldn't be in the position of trying to hold Marineland accountable had they already sent their cetaceans to sanctuaries / freedom. Marineland can argue until they're blue in the face about how well their animals are treated but the fact is, dolphins and whales in the wild have the entire ocean to swim through as opposed to the concrete bathtubs they are forced to live in while captive. That's cruel in itself, regardless of how they're treated or whether they're being used for education / entertainment. They don't belong there and children should be learning about them through educational videos / books; not by watching them swim in bathtubs in person. It's wrong.

Marineland will likely fight the charges and be let off. The fact is, our laws are confusing to say the least and don't properly address cetacean captivity. The only solution to these problems is to remove the grandfather clause and force these parks to release their animals in favour of electronic educational videos / performances. It's 2021, we don't need some of the smartest creatures on our planet confined to concrete prisons for educational purposes. 

​I'll update this story once more information becomes available.

​news.sky.com/story/ban-on-trophy-hunting-imports-from-endangered-animals-to-be-introduced-in-uk-12491433

The UK is set to ban trophy hunting imports from endangered animals which includes those that are bred specifically to be hunted. The law is set to be one of the strictest in the world as it would include threatened & near-threatened animals as well, essentially protecting over 7, 000 species from being imported. This is part of a much larger animal welfare initiative that the UK intends to put forth with some of the world's most strict welfare laws to be put in place. 

There's something especially sickening about hunting trophies. What kind of sick individual not only finds great enjoyment in ending the life of a majestic animal like an elephant, but also wants to bring it's body parts back as some kind of sick reward? It's honestly so twisted all the way around. There's honestly no excuse as to why any country on this planet continues to allow hunting trophies from endangered species. How can we be fighting to protect these animals from extinction while simultaneously promoting their slaughter for fun? It's ridiculous and irresponsible of humanity to continue to allow the slaughter of animals that are already facing challenges to their survival. 

My hope is that with the UK making such a strong statement through banning hunting trophy imports, other countries across the globe will recognize the importance of banning hunting trophy imports. We cannot address the extinction of endangered species if we continue to allow rich, disturbed people to continue their onslaught of animals for fun. Go to a movie or the casino or something if you want to have fun and stop shooting & killing animals that are already in danger. We need a ban on trophy hunting imports from endangered animals across the board if we are truly going to send the message that trophy hunting is a despicable sport that has no place in our society any longer. 

​worldanimalnews.com/26000-reward-offered-for-information-resulting-in-the-conviction-of-those-responsible-for-the-fatal-poisoning-of-eight-gray-wolves-in-oregon/

Authorities & Advocacy groups alike are searching for information leading to a conviction regarding the deliberate poisoning of 8 grey wolves in the state of Oregon. There is now a combined reward of $26, 000 in hopes of catching whomever was responsible for the poisonings. Not only are these sorts of poisonings dangerous to the intended targets, they can also inadvertently affect companion animals, children, and non-target individuals as well making this an especially dangerous crime. 

The rhetoric around wolves is part of the problem. Politicians siding with livestock farmers who label wolves as difficult or menacing supports a false narrative about wolves. If they can instill fear in us, they can get away with what they're doing to wolves. Without strong advocation for the survival of wolves coming from the top, there is no hope for their future. Our relationship with wolves is skewered, we lack compassion and empathy for their struggles and the important role they play in healthy ecosystems. We've seen what happens when predatory animals disappear; decimated habitats, over-population of prey animals, and needless culling. We create the cycle in which killing is the only answer - from start to finish.

The only way gray wolves will survive is if they are once again listed under the endangered species act. President Biden must initiate the process because if this year of being delisted is any indication of what's in store for gray wolves, they're going to be extinct in the United States. Outside of the welfare and conservation aspect of things, I can only assume it's costly to list and delist animals from the ESA so why are we going in circles? Keep gray wolves listed as long as possible until we can figure out a way to coexist that doesn't result in gray wolves being constantly slaughtered.

​President Biden must relist gray wolves.