Latest news with #WorldAnimalProtection
CBS News
05-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Push in Congress seeks to overturn California farm animal welfare law
A push is underway among some members of Congress that could overturn a measure approved by California voters aimed at improving the treatment of farm animals. At issue: Proposition 12, which mandated minimum cage sizes for animals raised for meat. California voters passed the proposition in 2018 by a margin of 2 to 1. It said that pork sold in the state must come from pigs that had at least enough space to turn around. A recent survey from the nonprofit World Animal Protection found that 80% of consumers felt concerned when they learned about the treatment of factory-farmed pigs. An estimated two-thirds of factory farms house sows in gestation crates with barely enough space to move back and forth. They aren't able to turn around, surrounded by metal bars where they're artificially inseminated and standing over their own waste. Under Prop 12, meat from these conditions is banned from being sold in California. Now, two new federal bills could allow meat from crated animals to be sold here again as long as they're raised elsewhere. Lawmakers that represent the highest pig-producing states are pushing for the law. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) sent CBS News Bay Area a statement, saying, "Midwest farmers and ranchers who produce our nation's food supply should not be hamstrung by coastal activist agendas that dictate production standards from hundreds of miles away." Some pig farmers, including Brent Hershey in Pennsylvania, already changed his operations to comply with California's rules. "As that all evolved, I started to see that we can't defend this," said Hershey. Now he's left wondering where his business stands because he says he's made the change and spent capital to satisfy those markets. "We would say that that's very disruptive," said Hershey. At a farm in the Sonoma County community of Windsor, the sows and boars have much more than room to turn around. They have sunshine and mud. "I figure these animals are giving us so much, we might as well give them as good a life as they can," said farmer Jeffrey Kent. He's been raising pigs for as long as he can remember. For the approximately 100 pigs on his farm, it's a life of free range. "It creates a much more natural life and creates a much happier pig which in the end creates a much better product," said Kent, "To be honest, I don't think I really compete with (factory farmers) at all because the customers that I have aren't interested in buying that kind of meat." Kent says that when you get to spend some time with his pigs, you see that they all have different personalities and are really quite smart. He referred to a new litter of pigs and how their mother treats them. "She talks to them. You can hear the storing back and forth. It's pretty great to see the community and the mothering instincts that they have," said Kent. Of course, those babies will eventually end up slaughtered when Kent deems the time is right. During their time growing up at his farm, though, they're guaranteed the simple things in life: fresh air, mud, and a little room to roam. CBS News Bay Area reached out to the National Pork Producers Council, the American Farm Bureau, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association. They have all opposed Prop. 12 they all support the newly proposed laws, but no one wanted to go on camera to discuss it. Senator Adam Schiff (D-California) strongly supports Prop 12, saying in a statement, "Any attempt to overturn it will face strong opposition. Congress should continue to respect the decision of California voters — as it would the voters in any state — and I will push back on any efforts to undermine their voices."
Fashion Value Chain
05-06-2025
- Fashion Value Chain
Responsible Human Behaviour Needed to Protect Animals, says World Animal Protection on World Environment Day
On World Environment Day this year, World Animal Protection takes serious note of a recent incident whereby an Indian tourist was mauled by a captive tiger he was walking in Tiger Kingdom zoo in Phuket in Thailand. Expectedly, this unfortunate incident has raised questions on the nature and desirability of these actions that bring people in proximity to potentially dangerous wild animals like tigers and elephants in captive situations. Reports indicate the tourist survived, but the whole popular spectacle of coming close to wild animals in captivity in Thailand and other venues, raises grave concerns on the nature of human animal relations this World Environment Day. Elephants in Haathi Gaon in Jaipur : Shubhobroto Ghosh World Animal Protection has consistently raised the issue of abuse of wildlife entertainment worldwide. This includes displays like tiger selfies in Thailand, elephant rides in Amer Fort in Jaipur in Rajasthan in India and dolphin shows at SeaWorld in several venues in the United States of America. World Animal Protection has conducted investigations on captive tigers in Thailand, captive elephants in Thailand, India and Indonesia and captive dolphins in USA, Netherlands and Thailand. These researches show that the welfare of these captive animals is severely compromised in these wildlife entertainment venues, and especially so in situations where they are compelled to come into proximity with humans. Close contact between wild animals and humans can cause undue stress to animals and additionally risk injury and spread of diseases(zoonoses) between humans and animals. After coronavirus, these interactions are risky and antithetical to harmonious man animal relationships. Tiger in Rohtak Zoo in Haryana: Shubhobroto Ghosh 'The recent incident of tiger mauling an Indian tourist in Thailand makes us reinforce the necessity of responsible choices in tourism,' says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection in India. 'Spectacles like tiger selfies and elephant rides in Amer Fort represent a travesty of nature that is inimical to animal welfare and environmental preservation. Wild animals like tigers and elephants should be cherished where they belong, in the wild and not exploited in captivity to serve vested interests of humans.' To raise awareness on ethical wildlife tourism, World Animal Protection encourages tour companies to desist from offering captive wildlife entertainment as part of their itineraries. There are more than two hundred companies that have taken the wildlife friendly pledge of World Animal Protection worldwide. The latest company to become wildlife friendly in India is Her Expeditions, a travel company promoting women's travel. Her Expeditions has now decided to highlight the cause of animal welfare alongside those of women as part of their company policy. World Animal Protection is also highlighting wild animal abuse persistently in the media and Bearing environmental preservation in mind, World Animal Protection also raises awareness on the harmful effects of factory farming and excessive meat consumption that leads to destruction of habitat for wildlife. Growing concern for the environment and awareness on the welfare of animals are intertwined in the modern world. Tackling wildlife in entertainment and changing our diet can make the world a more habitable place, that, as the astronomer Carl Sagan stated to be a pale blue dot, 'the only home we have ever known.'
Cision Canada
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
Landmark Bill Re-Introduced in Ontario to Protect Captive Wildlife and Regulate Zoos
TORONTO, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Two Ontario MPPs have taken a groundbreaking step towards improving animal welfare and public safety with the introduction of the Captive Wildlife Protection Act, 2025. World Animal Protection, a global leader in animal welfare, joined MPPs Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa-Vanier, Karen McCrimmon, MPP for Kanata-Carleton, and Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo to announce the bill today. The Act aims to address the lack of provincial oversight for captive wildlife, which currently allows anyone to collect wild animals like lions and tigers and operate as a zoo, resulting in the proliferation of dangerous and cruel "roadside zoos". These attractions often keep wild animals in substandard conditions, risking public safety and causing animal suffering. Ontario is the weakest jurisdiction when it comes to regulating the keeping of wild animals, and so it's no surprise then that Ontario is home to the highest number of these dangerous facilities across Canada. No licence or permit is needed to keep non-native wild animals in a zoo, leaving municipalities to manage with ineffective and inconsistent bylaws. Shockingly— anyone can own a zoo in Ontario. Furthermore, Ontario is also the weakest jurisdiction for not having public safety standards or strong enough, adequately enforced animal welfare standards. The proposed bill introduces mandatory licensing for zoos, along with annual inspections to enforce high standards of care and safety. It also prohibits the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes, such as petting sessions, photo opportunities and performances that compromise their welfare. Facilities will be required to meet clear licensing requirements, including proof of financial resources and emergency preparedness plans. The bill covers well-known locations and tourist attractions, all the way down to backyard operations. Under this bill, attractions like Marineland —an entertainment park that keeps marine and terrestrial animals captive, with a deeply concerning record of animal welfare practices and a string of animal deaths—would almost entirely cease to exist. It represents a major shift towards protecting vulnerable animals and creating safer communities across Ontario. Quotes "Ontario has a troubling history of unregulated facilities keeping wild animals in unsafe and inhumane conditions. The Captive Wildlife Protection Act is a critical step to protect animals and safeguard our communities." – Colin Saravanamuttoo, Executive Director, World Animal Protection "Keeping exotic wild animals in inadequate conditions is not only harmful to the animals but also dangerous for the public. Owning and caring for wild animals should be restricted to qualified individuals and organizations who are subject to proper government oversight. It is long past time for Ontario to implement a regulatory framework for the keeping of wild animals in order to ensure the well-being of the animals and keep the public safe." – Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa-Vanier "We owe our communities the safety and peace of mind that comes with properly regulated zoos. That means safety for guests, for employees, and for animals. The humane treatment of these exotic animals is not a burden, but the bare minimum for a safe and ethical industry in Ontario." – Karen McCrimmon, MPP for Kanata-Carleton "The safety and well-being of both animals and people depend on these regulations. This act sends a clear message: substandard conditions and neglect have no place in Ontario. As wildlife advocates, we are committed to being a leader in wildlife conservation and education. Your Toronto Zoo strongly supports these steps to protect animals and communities alike." – Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo Quick Facts Ontario has approximately 30 roadside zoos—more than any other province in Canada—operating without provincial license and much regulation. 88% of Ontarians support provincial licensing and oversight of zoos. Nearly half of Ontario's municipalities have no bylaws governing the keeping of wild animals, leaving communities vulnerable to safety risks. Roadside zoos often house wild animals in substandard conditions, leading to psychological distress and safety risks for animals and visitors. There is no centralized registry in Ontario tracking where exotic animals are kept or how many exist in captivity, leaving communities vulnerable to unreported escapes and safety incidents. The Captive Wildlife Protection Act 2025, brings Ontario in line with regulations in other provinces for the treatment of captive animals, setting a precedent for better welfare protections. This legislation is supported by leading animal welfare organizations, municipalities and cross-party members of the Ontario Legislature. About World Animal Protection World Animal Protection is an international animal welfare charity with 75 years of experience advocating for the humane treatment of animals worldwide. In Canada, the organization works to protect wild and farm animals through evidence-based solutions that benefit both animals and people. We have been assessing the conditions of zoos in Canada and advocating for stronger regulations for three decades. We have been members of the Ontario government's animal welfare advisory table to provide input on animal welfare regulations and standards, to further improve the lives of animals across the province. About the Toronto Zoo At your Toronto Zoo, we envision a world where people, animals and wild species thrive. Our mission is to connect people, animals, conservation science and traditional knowledge to fight extinction. The reality for many species is simple: Out of sight, out of mind and off the planet. Climate change and biodiversity loss are accelerating at an alarming rate, and we know we can make a difference. Over the last 50 years, we have hosted over 60 million guests, creating memories that last a lifetime while educating them about the realities facing our planet, and what they can do to help. Our Zoo is a zoo for all, a place for people from all walks of life to join us in our mission to create meaningful and lasting change, and to become Guardians of Wild.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
World's Largest Meat Producer Gains Access to U.S. Capital Markets While Avoiding Millions in Taxes
New report by World Animal Protection exposes how JBS, the major supplier to brands including KFC, McDonald's, and Walmart, has created a web of offshore companies to avoid paying corporate taxes to the U.S. and other jurisdictions Last week, the SEC greenlit JBS' request to list on the New York Stock Exchange using one of these offshore companies, located in a known tax haven, as its holding company NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New research conducted exclusively on behalf of World Animal Protection, as well as a separate report by the Netherlands based Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), reveals a calculated, aggressive and unethical tax avoidance scheme by Brazilian meat giant, JBS (B3 S.A.: JBS SA). According to the SOMO report, between 2019-2022, JBS is estimated to have avoided paying between $221 and $442 million in corporate taxes to the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and other countries. The tax avoidance scheme involves a web of subsidiary companies registered in low-tax or no-tax jurisdictions like Luxembourg and Malta. While JBS goes to inordinate lengths to pay as little tax as possible to the U.S. and other countries in which it operates, shifting greater financial burden onto the very consumers it is profiting from, the company also recently gained access to U.S. equity markets and investors. On April 23, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved JBS' request to move its primary stock exchange listing from Brazil's main B3 stock exchange to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). As part of the listing proposal, JBS has created a new holding company, JBS N.V., which will be the entity listed on the NYSE. The entity is registered in the Netherlands, ranked 7th in the Tax Justice Network's Corporate Tax Haven Index. The World Animal Protection and SOMO report looked at JBS' Luxembourg-based subsidiary companies, which own many of JBS' most profitable operations in key markets like the U.S., Australia, Canada, Europe, and Mexico. As of 2022, only one of JBS' 17 Luxembourg-based subsidiary companies reported having any employees, while the other 16 companies reported having none. The creation of artificial structures including intercompany loans and intercompany dividends allows taxable profit to be shifted from the U.S. and other areas of operation to Luxembourg and other tax haven jurisdictions, where those profits are taxed at very low rates (if at all). During the period 2019-2022 researched in the reports by World Animal Protection and SOMO, these Luxembourg-based subsidiary companies recorded approximately $2.8 billion in pre-tax profits, largely consisting of the intercompany dividends and interest payments owed by the profitable operations in other countries. Because of the favorable tax treatment of this kind of income within Luxembourg's tax regime, these same companies only paid net corporate income tax of $0.5 million for that same 2019-2022 period. Meanwhile, almost $11 billion in intercompany dividends flowed through JBS' group of Luxembourg subsidiary companies during this period. At the end of 2022, JBS' Luxembourg-based subsidiary companies had intercompany loan balances in excess of $21.7 billion. As the world's largest meat producer, JBS owns brands including Pilgrim's Pride, Just Bare and Swift, which are widely sold at U.S. grocery stores like Walmart, Safeway, H.E.B., Weis, Kroger, Albertson's, Giant, and on Amazon. Currently, JBS slaughters a staggering 8 million lambs, 27 million cows, 53 million pigs and 5 billion chickens per year. The company is infamous for its inhumane and sometimes illegal factory farming and deforestation practices, which led to a 50% increase in JBS' emissions in recent years. The tax avoidance scheme should be especially concerning to American consumers, as the U.S. market accounts for over half of JBS' revenue. The SEC approval for JBS to list on the NYSE came despite World Animal Protection and dozens of other organizations delayed the SEC's decision for nearly two years by exposing material gaps in the information the company provided to investors and forcing JBS to continually disclose the risks in its supply chain, including deforestation in biodiversity hotspots, animal suffering, and zoonotic disease. In the U.S., in the past year alone, JBS has been fined $8 million for child labor violations related to relying on migrant children to do dangerous work in their slaughterhouses, $100 million for conspiring with rivals to underpay American chicken farmers, and $83 million for conspiring with rivals to curb beef supply in the U.S. in order to artificially inflate prices. In 2020 the holding company of JBS' controlling shareholder Batista family was fined $256 million by the SEC in relation to a conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Tim Vasudeva, Head of Private and Public Sector Finance at World Animal Protection, said: "Instead of contributing its fair and reasonable share of tax to the countries where it is most profitable, multinationals like JBS use expensive lawyers and consultants to take advantage of tax loopholes and pass the buck to the everyday taxpayers who make them profitable in the first place. Beyond holding JBS accountable for its blatant tax avoidance, the U.S. government – and American consumers -- also need to understand that JBS is a company that has been continually convicted and fined over many years for exploiting child labor, bribery, antitrust violations and illegal deforestation." Vincent Kiezebrink, Senior Researcher at The Centre for Research on Multinationals (SOMO), said: "JBS is exploiting the global financial system with surgical precision, using complex offshore structures to avoid taxes. It also poses a risk to investors, whom the company has not informed of its tax avoidance practices, and the potential costs should EU or US regulators take action. Allowing JBS access to US capital markets will only strengthen the monopolistic position it's acquired there. It's time for financial institutions to stop looking the other way. Tax authorities should ensure JBS pays its fair share in tax." About World Animal ProtectionWorld Animal Protection is a global organization working to end animal exploitation. We expose cruel systems, promote animal-friendly alternatives, and influence policy change. For 75 years, we've been rewriting the story for animals. Working across almost 50 countries with offices in 12, we prioritize animals in farming and wild animals exploited for use in entertainment, as pets, and in fashion. About SOMO The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), an Amsterdam-based research organisation, investigates multinationals. Independent, factual, and critical, SOMO has a clear goal—a fair and sustainable world in which public interests outweigh corporate interests. SOMO conducts action-oriented research to expose the impact of multinationals and unprecedented power and reveal the underlying structures underpinning them. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE World Animal Protection Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fibre2Fashion
16-05-2025
- General
- Fibre2Fashion
Australian Fashion Week bans fur, exotic skins & feathers on catwalk
The Australian Fashion Council has officially banned the use of fur, wild-animal skins, and wild feathers from Australian Fashion Week (AFW) catwalks. Effective immediately, the new policy ensures that the 2025 edition of AFW will be entirely free from wildlife exploitation. Australian Fashion Week has banned fur, wild-animal skins, and feathers from its catwalks, making the 2025 edition wildlife-free. The policy, developed with Collective Fashion Justice and World Animal Protection, marks a major win for ethical fashion. The decision reflects growing public demand for cruelty-free, sustainable alternatives. The policy is developed in collaboration with Collective Fashion Justice and World Animal Protection. With this policy, crocodiles, foxes, and exotic birds will be protected, ensuring they are no longer used in fashion displays at this event. This decision reflects the growing public demand for ethical and sustainable fashion. It is a victory driven by thousands of compassionate Australians who believe fashion should never come at the cost of animal lives, according to World Animal Protection. This move builds on similar wildlife-free commitments achieved at Melbourne Fashion Week, Melbourne Fashion Festival, and international runways in Berlin and Copenhagen. 'This latest announcement is a reminder that the fashion industry can be a positive force or wildlife, and change the lives of crocodiles, ostriches, minks and more. We are seeing a domino effect of fashion events around Australia and the world rejecting exotic skins, feathers and fur. With this new wildlife friendly policy, Australian Fashion Week have joined the growing list of runways that are embracing innovative alternatives to cruelty,' said Suzanne Milthorpe, head of campaigns at World Animal Protection Australia. Animal rights organisations, including PETA, have long campaigned for this change. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
