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Thursday, April 30, 2009

news: Bill to restore protections to american icon passes house natural resources committee

Washington, DC (April 29, 2009) – The Restoring Our American Mustangs Act (H.R. 1018) today passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee. Known as the ROAM Act, the bill was introduced by Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) earlier this year. It is intended to restore protections for America’s wild horses and burros that were stripped out of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act in recent years.

“Protection and management of the wild horses and burros on our public lands is an important federal responsibility - but it is clear that the federal government has not been adequately meeting that responsibility,” said Chairman Rahall (D-WV). “This legislation will remedy many of the critical lapses that are taking place under the 1971 Act by invoking a number of commonsense measures, including preventing the BLM from resorting to slaughter as a solution for management.”

Originally intended to prevent the sale of America’s wild horses and burros for commercial purposes, a key provision of the original 1971 Act was gutted when then Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) attached a midnight rider to an Omnibus spending bill in 2004 that instructed the Bureau of Land Management to sell horses “without limitation”. In reality, this meant that the captured animals were destined for livestock auctions where they would be purchased for slaughter.

“Ever since the Burns rider became law it’s been a game of constant vigilance for the American public and members of Congress. The simple and right thing to do is to restore this provision while revamping and improving the larger statute. Not only will the ROAM Act ensure that our mustangs and burros are once again protected from slaughter, but it seeks to reclaim land – some 19 million acres – taken away from these magnificent animals since the 1971 Act was signed into law,” said Chris Heyde, Deputy Director of Government and Legal Affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “The Animal Welfare Institute is immensely grateful to Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva for their leadership on this responsible legislation.”

At a time when there are nearly as many wild horses and burros in captivity as there are in the wild, the legislation has met with enthusiasm from the public and within the humane and wild horse advocacy community. Passage of the ROAM Act will mean that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which currently has primary authority for managing these animals, must focus on managing them as an integral part of the thriving natural ecological balance.

“It is imperative that we protect and preserve America's wild horses as a ‘living national treasure,’” said Subcommittee Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva. “The antiquated policies concerning these magnificent creatures must be change to reflect what Americans want for these horses today.”

The ROAM Act now moves to the full House of Representatives for consideration.

AWI Press Release

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:44 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

news: Senator Kerry introduces the Shark Conservation Act of 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 22, 2009) – Sharks may soon receive much-needed protection from finning, a practice by which their fins are cut off while the animal is still alive. Their mutilated bodies are then thrown back into the ocean, where they endure long, painful deaths from blood loss, suffocation or predation by other species. This cruel practice kills an estimated 73 million sharks each year, and was therefore outlawed in the U.S. in 2000. Enforcement of the law, however, has been hampered by loopholes.

Today, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) introduced the Shark Conservation Act of 2009, which will close these loopholes and strengthen the federal ban on shark finning. “Shark finning fueled by the foreign fin trade has led to serious population decline and disruption of our waters,” the Senator said. “We need much stronger solutions to end this illicit trade and current protections haven’t gotten the job done. We need to get serious.” The House version of the bill, introduced by Representative Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), was approved by the House of Representatives in March.

The bill requires that any fin aboard a vessel be naturally attached to the body of a shark, including fins that are transferred from one vessel to another. Enforcement officials have stated that this requirement is the only way to fully uphold a shark finning ban.

Since sharks are a top predator in the oceans, their removal damages the rest of the marine ecosystem. As animals who are slow to mature, with already small populations, sharks are extremely vulnerable to overfishing and exploitation. Unfortunately, millions of sharks are still targeted for their fins to meet the demand for shark fin soup, and millions more die annually as bycatch. Some species whose fins are highly prized include the spiny dogfish, as well as blue, hammerhead and whale sharks, which only reach sexual maturity at around 25 years of age.

“We are grateful to Senator Kerry for his leadership in seeking protection of sharks, and we look forward to the enactment of this vital law by Congress,” says Serda Ozbenian of the Animal Welfare Institute.

AWI Press Release

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:56 AM 0 comments

Monday, April 20, 2009

papervet: The Virtuous Bicycle: a delivery vehicle for improved farm animal welfare

Abstract journal:
The aim of this study was to investigate whether moderate physical activity and group size influence physical fitness, the level of social interactions in the home cage and rats' performance in the Elevated Plus Maze and a handling test. Forty-eight male Sprague Dawley rats were kept in groups of two, four or eight for seven weeks in cages adjusted to the group size. Home cage social interactions were studied during direct observations. Half of the number of rats from each cage were subjected to moderate exercise on a treadmill for five weeks. An exercise test was performed at the beginning and end of the experimental period, during which time lactate levels were analysed via blood sampling.

Rats living in groups of four or eight performed better in the second exercise test, had more social interactions and showed more activity, open-arm entries and risk assessment in the Elevated Plus Maze test, compared to rats living in pairs. The trained rats had lower blood lactate levels in the second exercise test, lower bodyweight and plasma insulin levels and had a greater relative heart weight at the end of the study compared to control rats. In conclusion, rats kept in larger groups had more social interactions, a lower lactate response during exercise and showed less emotional reactivity. Moderate treadmill exercise resulted in the expected increase in the rats' physical fitness. The results show that both group size and physical activity are important factors for animal welfare.

full text from:

ufaw.org.uk

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:49 AM 0 comments

Sunday, April 12, 2009

papervet: Stocking density and stress induction affect production and stress parameters in broiler chickens

Abstract journal:
The objective of this paper is to analyse the effects of three different stocking densities on the production, stress and fear parameters of female broilers during a 46-day production period. Chickens were randomly distributed among nine floor pens in groups of 30 broilers with different space allowances for each treatment; namely eight, 20 and 30 chicks m−2. Chicken growth rate was monitored from day eleven to 46 and indicators of stress, including haematocrit, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and concentrations of plasma corticosterone, as well as tonic immobility, were measured on days 22 and 46.

On day 46, the incidence of foot and skin lesions was assessed, and stress was induced to analyse the response of broilers to each stocking density. High stocking densities cause acute stress in broilers; the effects of low and intermediate stocking densities, however, are not so evident, particularly in relation to tonic immobility and response to acute stress.

full text from:

ufaw.org.uk

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:55 AM 0 comments

Saturday, April 11, 2009

papervet: Effects of physical activity and group size on animal welfare in laboratory rats

ufaw.org.uk

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:55 AM 0 comments

Monday, March 23, 2009

news: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill - Remembering the Millions Who Died and the Ongoing Devastating Consequences

Washington, DC (March 23, 2009) – 20 years ago tomorrow, the single-hulled Exxon Valdez oil tanker collided with the Bligh Reef in Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the pristine and ecologically significant Prince William Sound. The massive spill – caused by human error and lack of oversight - ruined one of America’s most treasured natural areas and caused the deaths of millions of animals. Some species are still unrecovered today and the environment remains blanketed in oil. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) remembers the more than 3,000 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250,000 murres, 14 orcas, and countless fish, benthic invertebrates, and other species who died, oftentimes horrible deaths, because of the spill.

A 2009 status report from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council states, ”…Exxon Valdez oil persists in the environment and, in places, is nearly as toxic as it was the first few weeks after the spill”. Although two decades have passed, as much as 16,000 gallons of oil persists in the Sound's intertidal zones, continuing to poison wildlife.

Animals such as the harlequin duck have been slow to recover and show elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from continued exposure to oil. The persistence of subsurface oils is particularly problematic for species like sea otters who dig for clams, exposing buried oil in the process. Pacific herring and the pigeon guillemot populations have still not recovered. The small AT1 population of orcas will likely become extinct, marking the death of a priceless genetic lineage and a complex society that has inhabited the region for thousands of years.

The Oil Spill Pollution Act was unanimously passed by Congress in 1990 in response to public concern over the spill. The Act contains provisions to prevent similar catastrophes from recurring including a conversion of oil tankers to double-hulled, the establishment of spill contingency plans, and the creation of regional advisory councils to monitor the actions of the oil industry. Although we may now be better prepared to respond to further spills, human and mechanical errors are still huge risks that can never be eliminated. "It took the deaths of over a million creatures for improvements to be mandated on the oil companies" said Serda Ozbenian, AWI Research Assistant "let them not have died in vain."

AWI Press Release

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:44 AM 0 comments

Saturday, March 14, 2009

papervet: Condition-dependent female remating resistance generates sexual selection on male size in a ladybird beetle

Abstract article
Behavioural resistance to remating by females is common, but the causes and consequences of resistance are rarely explained. Prominent hypotheses include resistance as a means of avoiding costly and superfluous mating, or as a means of biasing mating towards high-quality males. In species in which males produce nutritious nuptial gifts, females may further modulate resistance according to their need for nutrition. We investigated these hypotheses in the ladybeetle Adalia bipunctata, in which females frequently display vigorous resistance before copulation and ingest a spermatophore after copulation. In two experiments, we manipulated female nutritional state, depriving or satiating females for a short (16 h) or long (96 h) interval before a remating trial. We found that food-deprived females resisted mating more frequently and for longer periods than satiated females and consequently remated less frequently.

This condition dependence of resistance supports the hypothesis that resistance functions to reduce superfluous and costly mating. Our finding that food-deprived females were more resistant suggests that mating imposes energetic costs, and that nuptial feeding does not offset these costs. In a third experiment, we investigated whether the extent of resistance depended on male size or whether resistance itself biased mating towards large males. The extent of female resistance was independent of male size, but resistance itself resulted in a mating bias towards large males. In summary, our results support the hypotheses that females resist mating simply because it is costly and superfluous, and that a side effect of resistance is sexual selection for large male size.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:00 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

papervet: From operant learning to cognitive enrichment in farm animal housing: bases and applicability

Abstract Journal:
This study has its basis in recent findings by our own and other laboratories and proposes a type of rewarded operant learning that seeks the detection of discriminatory cues as a cognitive enrichment in intensive husbandry systems. This type of cognitive enrichment has the ability to activate the intrinsically-rewarding mesolimbic brain axis when an animal acquires successful strategies to cope with environmental demands. It provides animals with the opportunity to develop positive affects through control of their environment and the anticipation of consummatory reward.

If true animal welfare is considered more than simply the absence of stress and harm, provoking better affective conditions may be a suitable way of increasing the well-being of intensively-housed animals. Recent research with elaborated operant learning equipment, under experimental and quasi-commercial conditions, revealed better health, reduced boredom and less maladaptive behaviour as potentially practical advantages. A number of the issues regarding the transfer of this suggested form of cognitive enrichment to large scale, commercial farming are discussed.

full text from:

ufaw.org.uk/

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:37 AM 0 comments

Sunday, February 15, 2009

papervet: ‘Freedom from hunger’ and preventing obesity: the animal welfare implications of reducing food quantity or quality

Abstract article
In animals, including humans, free access to high-quality (generally energy-dense) food can result in obesity, leading to physiological and health problems. Consequently, various captive animals, including laboratory and companion animals and certain farm animals, are often kept on a restricted diet. Quantitative restriction of food is associated with signs of hunger such as increases in feeding motivation, activity and redirected oral behaviours which may develop into stereotypies. An alternative approach to energy intake restriction is to provide more food, but of a reduced quality. Such alternative diets are usually high in fibre and have lower energy density. The benefits of these alternative diets for animals are controversial: some authors argue that they result in more normal feeding behaviour, promote satiety and so improve animal welfare; others argue that ‘metabolic hunger’ remains no matter how the restriction of energy intake and weight gain is achieved. We discuss the different arguments behind this controversy, focusing on two well-researched cases of food-restricted farmed livestock: pregnant sows and broiler breeders..

Disagreement between experts results from differences in assumptions about what determines and controls feeding behaviour and food intake, from the methodology of assessing animal hunger and from the weighting placed on ‘naturalness’ of behaviour as a determinant of welfare. Problems with commonly used behavioural and physiological measures of hunger are discussed. Future research into animal feeding preferences, in particular the relative weight placed on food quantity and quality, would be valuable, alongside more fundamental research into the changes in feeding physiology associated with alternative diets

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:00 AM 0 comments

Friday, February 13, 2009

papervet: Decision making in plant selection during the faecal-marking behaviour of wild wolves

Abstract article
The function of wolf, Canis lupus, faeces in chemical communication and the selection of raised and conspicuous substrates to increase their effectiveness as visual scent marks are well documented. Therefore, I hypothesized that faecal marks are not placed randomly on plants, and that wolves will select specific plants according to characteristics that enhance faeces as visual scent marks and ensure greater support and persistence of these marks over time. Analysis of the physical properties of plants marked by Iberian wolves showed that the choice of plants was clearly not random. The factors that determined selection were plant diameter, height and species. The mean height and diameter of faeces-marked plants were significantly greater than those of unmarked plants.

Furthermore, plant use in relation to size (diameter and height) and species did not depend on availability in the environment. Persistence time was independent of the substratum type, height and altitude, but did depend on the scat content, being longer when the scat contained bone than when it contained hair or undetermined matter. These results indicate that the physical appearance of the plant is important for the wolf when deciding where to deposit faecal marks. Thus, the use of standard species and sizes of plants maximizes visual localization of faecal marks deposited by intruder and resident wolves.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:59 AM 0 comments

Friday, December 12, 2008

papervet: Wolves outperform dogs in following human social cues

Abstract article
Domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, have been shown capable of finding hidden food by following pointing gestures made with different parts of the human body. However, previous studies have reported that hand-reared wolves, C. lupus, fail to locate hidden food in response to similar points in the absence of extensive training. The failure of wolves to perform this task has led to the proposal that the ability to understand others' intentions is a derived character in dogs, not present in the ancestral population (wolves).

Here we show that wolves, given the right rearing environment and daily interaction with humans, can use momentary distal human pointing cues to find food without training, whereas dogs tested outdoors and dogs at an animal shelter do not follow the same human points. In line with past studies, pet dogs tested indoors were successful in following these points. We also show that the reported failure of wolves in some past studies may be due to differences in the testing environment. Our findings indicate that domestication is not a prerequisite for human-like social cognition in canids, and show the need for additional research on the role of rearing conditions and environmental factors in the development of higher-level cognitive abilities.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:40 AM 0 comments

Sunday, July 06, 2008

save animal: A meeting of minds on the welfare of beef cattle

A meeting of minds on the welfare of beef cattle

Cattle roaming the range are the iconic image of the American West, but a recent video of abusive animal handling at a California slaughterhouse has increased public scrutiny of the lives and deaths of beef and dairy cattle. The Beef Cattle Institute, which Kansas State University founded in August 2007, had planned the International Symposium on Beef Cattle Welfare as its kickoff event long before the headlines. The AVMA became a meeting sponsor because its Animal Welfare Committee recognized a paucity of forums for rational discussion of beef cattle welfare.

The May 28-30 symposium attracted hundreds of participants—including veterinarians, producers, and academics—to examine the welfare of beef cattle relevant to weaning, castration, dehorning, transport, feedlots, slaughter, and other situations.

The presymposium sessions featured a cattle handling demonstration and producers' roundtable. The meeting's keynote speakers described the beef cattle industry in Europe and New Zealand (see sidebar). Other speakers addressed welfare challenges for the U.S. beef cattle industry, welfare guidelines and legislation in this country, methods of assessing pain and distress in cattle, and approaches to welfare concerns.

Dr. Ken Odde, head of the K-State animal science department, said during his opening remarks, "I think this conference is particularly timely because animal welfare is clearly not just an important issue but, I believe, a growing issue in animal agriculture."

An overview
Temple Grandin, PhD, an associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University, spoke about how cattle handling at slaughterhouses has improved during the 35 years that she has been redesigning plants and training workers. She added that the slaughterhouse in Chino, Calif., represents maybe 10 percent of the industry.

Dr. Grandin said living conditions in feedlots were better in the '70s, though. Welfare issues in today's feedlots include mud, shade, and handling. Some of the issues on the ranch relate to handling, neglect, and procedures such as dehorning.

"If I brought my out-of-town guests—my Christmas guests, Thanksgiving guests, or wedding guests—and showed them everything we're doing, are you going to be proud of it or are you going to be squirming?" Dr. Grandin asked. "That's how we need to be looking at everything."

Yet, a recent national survey by Oklahoma State University found that the welfare of farm animals ranks low on a list of social issues, said Jayson Lusk, PhD, of the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics. His article, "A survey to determine public opinion about the ethics and governance of farm animal welfare," will appear in a forthcoming issue of the JAVMA. Survey respondents said the well-being of farm animals is less important than poverty, health care, food safety, the environment, the financial well-being of farmers, and food prices.

Mike Siemens, PhD, leader of animal welfare for Cargill Meat Solutions, contended that U.S. consumers can afford to demand changes in production practices because they spend a small percentage of their income on food. Major fast-food chains, facing additional pressure from activist groups, now audit the practices of meat suppliers.

The issue of animal welfare is all about emotion, argued Steven L. Kopperud, senior vice president of the governmental relations firm Policy Directions Inc. Nevertheless, the American public is fond of farmers as well as animals, so farmers can counter welfare legislation that they deem undesirable by putting a face on the issues.

Guidelines and legislation
As for voluntary measures, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association has developed care and handling guidelines as part of the Beef Quality Assurance program. Dr. Bob Smith, an Oklahoma feedlot practitioner who helped develop the guidelines, said the NCBA has distributed almost 200,000 copies. The NCBA also distributed a guide on cattle transport in 2006 and a DVD on auction markets in 2007.

Dr. Gail C. Golab, director of the AVMA Animal Welfare Division, said the willingness and ability of producers to adopt voluntary welfare guidelines or policies depend on the resulting efficiency, cost, and market demand in addition to the effects on the animals. In some cases, a voluntary framework may become the starting point for a regulatory framework.

"It's extremely important, even though most of the policies that we use in this country in food animal production are going to be voluntary for animal welfare, that considerable amount of attention be paid to those policies," Dr. Golab said. "And the reason is because when legislators are looking for solutions for problems, they will tend to take those solutions that already exist."

Dr. Golab said a rigorous process for developing welfare policy includes the following steps: identifying and defining the issue and establishing policy objectives, exploring options to achieve the objectives, designing an implementation strategy, allocating resources, assessing outcomes, and revising the policy as necessary. She said stakeholder engagement throughout the process is critical.

Recent revisions to the AVMA policy on cattle castration and dehorning resulted from this approach to policy development. The policy recognizes the procedures as important for safety and animal management, but it recommends employing techniques that reduce pain—or viable alternatives.

In terms of a regulatory framework for animal welfare, little federal legislation applies to livestock. Donald C. Lay Jr., PhD, research leader for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Livestock Behavior Research Unit, described the federal laws that restrict livestock travel time and require humane slaughter. The USDA also provides information and conducts studies on animal welfare. Dr. Lay's unit has studied the transportation of beef calves to identify indicators of stress, for example.

Assessing pain and distress
Assessing stress in cattle has proved to be challenging. Janice C. Swanson, PhD, director of animal welfare at Michigan State University, spoke about measuring relevant behavioral responses in cattle. These include postures, locomotion, vocalizations, temperament changes, limping, facial expressions, and elimination.

Dr. Swanson described a study of dehorning that measured less ear flicking by cattle that received analgesia. Other studies have measured behavioral responses to weaning, castration, branding, restraint, and isolation.

Physiologic measurements, such as measurements of cortisol concentrations, are another method for assessing stress in cattle. Dr. Kevin Stafford, a professor at the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre at New Zealand's Massey University, spoke about cortisol responses in cattle to dehorning and castration. For dehorning, administration of a local anesthetic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug eliminated the cortisol response for nine hours. For castration, local anesthetic eliminated the cortisol response—although surgical castration required administration of an anesthetic and an NSAID.

Recognizing compromised cattle, which are at risk of becoming nonambulatory, also can be difficult. Suzanne Millman, PhD, an associate professor of animal welfare at Iowa State University, said sickness behavior may be an adaptive response that spares energy for healing. Recognizing compromised cattle involves looking at the animals' body condition score, activity, and feeding behavior.

Approaches to welfare concerns
Veterinarians, producers, and academics are looking at new and old approaches to cattle husbandry even as they refine methods for evaluating the animals' responses.

Frank Mitloehner, PhD, an associate professor of animal science at the University of California-Davis, has been studying heat stress in cattle in feedlots. His research compared providing shade for cattle with misting or sprinkling water on the animals when the air temperature exceeded 90 F. Cattle fared best in the shade, partly because shade reduced ground temperature as well as air temperature.

While a number of speakers discussed analgesia for painful procedures in cattle, Dr. Emily R. Smith, who evaluates animal drugs at the Food and Drug Administration, noted that the FDA has not approved any analgesic drugs for use in food animals. She referred attendees to information from the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank in "Extralabel use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in cattle," a FARAD Digest in the March 1, 2008, issue of the JAVMA.

One reason that the FDA has not approved any analgesic drugs for food animals is a lack of validated methods for pain assessment. Dr. Hans Coetzee, an assistant professor at the K-State veterinary college, presented preliminary data relating plasma analgesic drug concentrations to mitigation of the plasma cortisol response in cattle after castration. He has received a USDA grant to expand his work.

Dr. Jan K. Shearer, University of Florida dairy extension veterinarian, spoke about situations in which euthanasia is the responsible way to relieve animal suffering. Dr. Shearer said veterinarians should encourage timely euthanasia and make certain that farm workers receive training in appropriate euthanasia techniques.

Closing remarks
The symposium's last speaker—Mhairi Sutherland, PhD, an assistant professor in the Texas Tech University animal science department—addressed cattle welfare in relation to sustainability. She said beef cattle can be a sustainable source of food because they can live off land unsuitable for crops. Improvements in animal welfare must not compromise food safety, Dr. Sutherland emphasized.

Dr. Dan Thomson, director of the Beef Cattle Institute and symposium moderator, closed the meeting with a brief summary of the wide-ranging discussion. In his remarks, he also referenced the abusive practices at the Chino slaughterhouse.

"We need to condemn those who are doing wrong—and realize that, when it comes to ensuring animal welfare, it's the right thing to do," Dr. Thomson said.

Dr. Ralph Richardson, dean of the K-State veterinary college, noted separately from the meeting that the Beef Cattle Institute chose welfare as the topic of the kickoff symposium because of ongoing societal needs. He said the institute encompasses issues of production, health, and welfare from cow-calf operations to the ranch to the feedlot.

"It addresses concerns from farm to fork," Dr. Richardson said.

_KATIE BURNS

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 2:31 AM 0 comments

Friday, May 09, 2008

news: Sawit percepat orang utan punah

Sawit percepat orang utan punah

JAKARTA - Meluasnya perubahan fungsi hutan di Kalimantan Tengah menjadi perkebunan kelapa sawit merusak habitat orang utan (pongo pygmaeus) di sana. Akibatnya, satwa itu diprediksi punah dalam dua hingga tiga tahun ke depan.

Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) menyatakan, kepunahan orang utan terjadi lebih cepat daripada prediksi sebelumnya. "Pembabatan hutan untuk perkebunan kelapa sawit harus distop karena orang utan kehilangan habitat dan sumber makanannya," kata Direktur Eksekutif COP Hardi Baktiantoro saat melakukan aksi di Bundaran HI, Jakarta, kemarin (8/5).

Aksi teatrikal COP tmenampilkan sepuluh "orang utan" yang dibalut perban. Diputar pula video dokumenter berjudul "Sawit Berdarah" yang menunjukkan betapa memilukannya penderitaan orang utan di kawasan perkebunan kelapa sawit.

Hardi mengatakan, berubahnya hutan menjadi perkebunan kelapa sawit di Kalteng menyebabkan orang utan dilupakan statusnya sebagai hewan yang dilindungi. "Orang utan lalu hanya bisa makan tunas-tunas kelapa sawit dan sejak itu orang utan menjadi hama yang harus dibunuh," sesal Hardi.

Berdasarkan hasil investigasi COP di provinsi yang memiliki populasi orang utan terbesar itu, 242 perusahaan perkebunan sawit rata-rata masih membabat hutan dengan mengorbankan orang utan. Perusahaan itu termasuk mereka yang tergabung dalam Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, seperti Wilmar serta IOI dan Agro Group dari Malaysia.

Di sejumlah wilayah konsesi yang disiapkan untuk perkebunan sawit itu, COP menemukan adanya kuburan masal orang utan. "Bahkan, ada orang utan yang disantap oleh pekerja setempat," kata Novi Hardianto, koordinator program untuk permasalahan hutan.

Para ahli di Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) menyatakan, populasi orang utan di dunia pada 2004 mencapai 54.567 individu. Dengan laju kepunahan sembilan persen per tahun, diperkirakan orang utan "baru" punah pada 2015. "Namun, khusus Kalteng, kepunahan bisa terjadi dalam dua hingga tiga tahun ke depan," kata Novi.

_jawapos

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:22 AM 0 comments

Thursday, May 08, 2008

news: 'Orang Utan' tumplek di bundaran HI

'Orang Utan' Tumplek di Bundaran HI

JAKARTA - Pagi ini para pendemo mulai berdatangan di Bundaran Hotel Indonesia. Dua kelompok massa telah datang dan langsung melakukan orasi di tempat favorit unjuk rasa itu.

Berdasarkan informasi dari AKP Sukardi ke TMC, Kamis (8/5/2008), sekira 75 orang dari Ahmadiyah sudah berada di HI, selanjutnya disusul dengan kedatangan sekira 10 orang yang tergabung Centre for Orangutan Protection langsung melakukan unjuk rasa. Menurut Sukardi, 10 orang dari Centre for Orangutan Protection menuntut pemerintah menghentikan perusahaan perkebunan kelapa sawit yang merusak ekosistem orang utan.

Dalam menjalankan aksinya ini para pengunjuk rasa dari Centre for Orangutan Protection menggunakan baju orang utan. Hal ini membuat arus lalin di Bundaran Hotel Indonesia menjadi padat karena dengan aksinya ini banyak pengendara yang melintas mengurangi laju kendaraanya.(ahm)

_okezone.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:34 AM 0 comments

Monday, April 28, 2008

save animal: Course On Animal Welfare for veterinary surgeons and others

University of Cambridge with contributions from other experts 14th-26th September 2008

This Course is structured to cover the curriculum for the RCVS Certificate in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law. The Modules will also be of interest to those who are not veterinary surgeons. These and other details can also be found at http://www.vet.cam.ac.uk/default.html. It is expected that part of the RCVS will be examined in 2008 by the University of Cambridge. For details, contact Professor Broom – dmb16@cam.ac.uk.

A combination of lectures, videos and discussions will be used for instruction. Candidates for the Certificate will be expected to cover the required reading material. The Course will be taught by Professor D.M. Broom and others in the Centre for Animal Welfare and Anthrozoology in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Professor D.B. Morton and colleagues in the Department of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Ethics in the University of Birmingham and invited lecturers, in particular Mr. M. Radford from the Department of Law in the University of Aberdeen.
Read more ...

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 2:09 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

save animal: Beyonce dihadiahi PETA bulu binatang

Beyonce dihadiahi PETA bulu binatang

LOS ANGELES - Beyonce Knowles mendapat apresiasi positif dari PETA, sebuah organisasi perlindungan hewan di Amerika. Saat pernikahannya, Beyonce dihadiahi bulu binatang palsu.

Nama Beyonce tercantum paling atas di daftar PETA, yaitu sebagai "target" utama. Sebab, Beyonce merupakan selebritis yang paling sering menggunakan mantel dari bahan bulu binatang.

Suatu hari, seorang wanita anggota PETA memenangkan sebuah lelang dan berkesempatan makan siang bersama istri Jay-Z itu. Tak mau kehilangan kesempatan, wanita itu lantas menunjukkan sebuah rekaman video yang berisi sengsaranya binatang akibat bulunya dijadikan industri fashion kepada Beyonce.

Tak disangka ternyata usaha tersebut berhasil. Beyonce kini tak lagi menggunakan mantel dari bahan bulu binatang.

"Dari kami, PETA, kami berharap Beyonce akan lebih bahagia hidup bersama suamimu. Mohon hadiah ini (bulu binatang palsu) diterima dengan pengharapan yang baik. Kalian akan menjadi pasangan yang bebas dari bulu binatang," tulis Presiden PETA Lisa Lange di hadiah tersebut, seperti dilansir IMDB, Selasa (15/4/2008).

Di kesempatan dan tempat berbeda, Lisa mengatakan, selebritis pastinya tahu bagaimana cara menghindari PETA yaitu meninggalkan kebiasaan menggunakan pakaian dari bahan bulu binatang.

"Waktu juga akan menunjukkan apakah Beyonce benar-benar bebas dari bulu binatang. Namun, kami mengindikasikan dia akan benar-benar menjadi ?dreamgirl'," tandas Lisa.

(Lusi Catur Mahgriefie - Okezone)

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:40 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

save animal: Cinta hewan peliharaan, Paris Hilton berurusan dengan polisi

Cinta hewan peliharaan, Paris Hilton berurusan dengan polisi

Sepertinya si pembuat sensasi, Paris Hilton tidak cocok untuk tampil di acara talk show. Gara-gara mengatakan punya 17 ekor anjing peliharaan dalam satu acara talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Senin, 11/2-2008 lalu. Paris harus berhadapan dengan polisi hewan peliharaan, karena di Los Angeles ada hukum yang melarang orang memelihara lebih dari 17 ekor hewan.

Sebelumnya, dalam acara talk show lainnya, David Letterman Show, Paris Hilton pernah menangis saat tampil. Saat itu, Hilton mengaku tidak kuat menjawab pertanyaan yang mencecar pengalamannya tinggal di penjara gara-gara mengemudi di bawah pengaruh alkohol.

Hilton muncul di acara DeGeneres Show untuk mempromosikan film terbarunya, The Hottie and the Nottie. Bukannya fokus pada film, pembicaraan melebar ke soal hewan peliharaan Hilton.

"Ya, saya punya banyak anjing, 17 ekor," katanya.

Hilton mengaku punya banyak anjing karena hewan tersebut sering melahirkan.

"Saya sangat sayang menyerahkan anjing-anjing itu, karena saya merasa jika memberikannya, saya jahat sekali. Kasihan anjing-anjing itu," tuturnya.

DeGeneres terus mengejar dengan menanyakan mengapa Hilton tidak memandulkan anjing betina saja. Selebriti yang berusia 27 tahun pada 17 Februari itu mengaku telah melakukannya. Namun, DeGeneres menyatakan tidak mungkin jika sudah dimandulkan, anjingnya masih bisa hamil.

"Oke, saya memang membiarkan dua ekor tidak mandul," ungkap Hilton.

Namun, aktivis pencinta binatang tak sependapat dengan perasaan sayang Hilton itu. Tepat di hari Valentine, 14/2-2008, departemen kesejahteraan hewan Los Angeles mendatangi Hilton begitu menerima laporan keberatan atas "kesenangan" penyanyi Stars are Blind tersebut.

Peraturan Los Angeles jelas menegaskan bahwa mereka yang tak memiliki izin mengembangbiakkan anjing hanya diperbolehkan mempunyai tidak lebih dari tiga anjing di setiap rumah.

Namun, ketika para petugas tiba di kediaman Hilton, tidak ditemukan seekor hewan pun. Saat itu, rumah Hilton memang tengah direnovasi. Hilton maupun hewan-hewan peliharaannya yang tidak hanya anjing, tapi juga kambing, kinkajou (sejenis sigung), dan seekor musang- itu tidak berada di tempat. Hewan-hewan tersebut tengah berada di tempat penitipan hewan.

Petugas akhirnya meninggalkan surat peringatan kepada staf di rumah Hilton untuk meminta keterangan.

"Kunjungan berikutnya segera dilakukan," tegas salah seorang petugas.

-- rileks.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 12:43 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

save animal: Pencinta anjing kecam kebijakan taman seks

Pencinta anjing kecam kebijakan taman seks

AMSTERDAM - Sebagian besar pencinta anjing di Belanda kini merasa resah. Pasalnya, mulai September mendatang mereka dilarang melepas anjing-anjing mereka di taman Vondelpark, salah satu taman paling ramai di Amsterdam.

Larangan tersebut diberlakukan Dewan Kota guna memberikan keleluasaan bagi para pengunjung untuk melampiaskan nafsu berahi secara terbuka di area taman.

"Sangat menjijikkan melarang anjing-anjing berlarian di taman, sedangkan mereka yang bercinta di alam terbuka dibiarkan saja. Ini aturan paling aneh. Ini tidak adil," tutur sejumlah pencinta anjing di Amsterdam.

Juru Bicara Dewan Kota Alderman Paul van Grieken membantah bahwa larangan itu tidak memihak pada pemilik anjing. Dia mengatakan, anjing-anjing yang dibiarkan berlarian di taman membuat para pengunjung tidak nyaman.

"Di samping itu, masih ada aturan bagi mereka yang ingin bercinta di taman, yakni hanya boleh melakukan pada malam hari dan tidak dekat dengan area bermain," jelas Alderman.

Menurut pemerintah Amsterdam, Vondelpark setiap tahunnya dikunjungi tak kurang dari 10 juta orang. Dari jumlah tersebut sebagian adalah lansia dan anak-anak.

-- okezone.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:27 PM 0 comments

Monday, February 11, 2008

save animal: Pamela Anderson peduli hewan

Pamela Anderson peduli hewan

Paris, Mantan bintang Baywatch, si seksi Pamela Anderson ternyata juga peduli terhadap kesejahteraan hewan. Ia mengikuti langkah dari bintang Prancis yang juga seksi, Brigitte Bardot. Mereka berkampanye untuk melindungi bayi anjing laut di Paris.

Anderson tidak semata-mata berada di Paris demi hewan lucu itu. Rencananya, aktris berusia 40 ini akan tampil dalam sebuah pertunjukan striptease di kabaret yang bernama Crazy Horse.

Sebagai lagu pengiringnya, akan dimainkan lagu Harley Davidson yang ditulis oleh Serge Gainsbourg dan dinyanyikan oleh Bardot pada akhir 1960-an.

Mantan istri Tommy Lee ini mengatakan dirinya akan menyampaikan surat yang dibuat Bardot. Surat tersebut rencananya akan disampaikan kepada duta besar Kanada di Prancis. Isinya adalah imbauan untuk mengehentikan perburuan anjing laut di wilayah Arktik.

"Hal ini sangat memuakkan bagi saya sebagai warga negara Kanada sekaligus sebagai penduduk dunia", katanya. Selain kepeduliannya terhadap anjing laut, Anderson juga telah mengajak para desainer fesyen serta para konsumen untuk ikut bergabung dengannya.

Ia hendak memboikot penggunaan bulu hewan dan produk-produk anjing laut sebagai bahan baku dunia fesyen. Selama ini Kanada menyatakan bahwa bahan-bahan tersebut merupakan sumber jual-beli tradisional yang bisa membantu menyeimbangkan ekosistem.

"Perburuan ini sebetulnya sudah tidak dilakukan selama 20 tahun dan telah dinyatakan bahwa hal ini sama sekali tidak bertujuan untuk menghormati budaya lokal maupun untuk mengawetkan stok cod. Namun telah terbuka sebuah pasar baru yang menjual bulu-bulu hewan di Rusia dan China," ungkap Anderson.

Setelah itu, Anderson memutarkan video yang menunjukkan para pemburu berteriak sebelum melemparkan tombak ke arah anjing laut dan menyeret hewan yang sudah berdarah-darah tersebut di atas es. Sementara ini terdengar isak tangis wanita dalam video tersebut.

Sedangkan Bardot yang kini telah menjadi nenek-nenek berusia 73 menyemangati Anderson. "kau adalah Valentine-ku," katanya dari rumahnya yang berlokasi di St Tropez, melalui speakerphone.

Pertunjukan Crazy Horse Pamela Anderson di atas motor Harley Davidson rencananya dilakukan selama dua malam, namun dikurangi menjadi satu malam saja. [Reuters/L1]

-- inilah.com

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:26 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 11, 2008

save animal: Terus bergolak

TERUS BERGOLAK: Seekor kuda mati dan kereta yang ditariknya hancur berantakan akibat ledakan bom bunuh diri di depan gedung pengadilan tinggi di Lahore, Pakistan, kemarin (jawapos; 10/1).

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posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:06 AM 0 comments