We received a letter of thanks from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) for us promoting their extremely worthwhile charitable cause through the site – and more importantly they sent us an update on how the money you have donated has helped their animal charity work.
WSPA 2007 Progress Update
A first for the whaling campaign
Earlier in 2007, following pressure from WSPA, Tony Blair became the first head of state ever to make a statement on the cruelty of whaling at the International Whaling Commission.
WSPA score victory against poor zoo conditions
As a result of campaigning by WSPA and other member societies the Canadian government has committed to strengthening zoo regulations, improving inspection programs and toughening Ontario’s animal cruelty law, which hasn’t been significantly revised in 88 years.
Bear baiting in Pakistan
The WSPA have employed teams to work with the Pakistani authorities and their member society, the Wildlife Society of Pakistan, to seek out and stop bear baiting activities in Sindh and Punjab provinces. They have stopped 112 out of 153 bear baiting events in 2007. They have also persuaded 235 out of 243 landlords to stop holding bear baiting events at their fairs and festivals. As an alternative attraction they have created a mobile unit designed to entertain local people and spread the word against bear baiting.
Progress in the call to ban bullfighting
It has been an active year in the anti-bullfighting campaign: WSPA and seven member societies attended an International Anti-Bullfighting Summit in Portugal, and many of WSPA’s member societies took part in a hugely successful anti-bullfighting demonstration in Barcelona in summer, which attracted over 5,000 supporters.
The WSPA have great plans for 2008, and will be focusing heavily on Long-distance transport and factory farming, both of which involve animal cruelty on a huge scale. Factory farming is simply the biggest single source of cruelty to animals in the world. Every year 61 billion farm animals are reared for meat, eggs and milk.
Plans for 2008
New campaign for 2008: Long distance transport
WSPA has completed an 18-month scientific investigation into the suffering of farm animals being transported long distances. This will be published by an academic publisher in May and forms the basis for the international Long Distance Transport campaign launching internationally in February 2008.
Exporting good ideas: model farms come to Brazil and China
We have started to train China’s first ever team of welfare experts to improve conditions in slaughterhouses, and we have signed agreements with academics and other partners in China and Brazil who will work with WSPA to promote humane and sustainable model farming alternatives.
