Weekly Animal & Wildlife Welfare Report: Women empowering women in conservation, Sides of a Horn, Melissa Moore, Nick Bateman, Endangered Species Act, #SaveGazaAnimals, 5 Ways to help Horses!, Ag-Gag' Laws & Extinction looms for Ethiopian wolves

Olivia Mufute, African Wildlife Foundation’s Country Manager of Zimbabwe, is creating the foundation for a new and better future for Zimbabwe’s wildlife while at the same time championing women’s role in conservation. “Traditionally, women have played a key and active role in natural resources management, however, there is a domination of men in leadership positions,” says Mufute, who spent much of her early career in conservation overturning long-held gender norms. For the very first time, women will join a team of community scouts patrolling the Lower Zambezi Valley to mitigate poaching and human-wildlife conflict. The program, led by Mufute, is paving the way for rural women in Zimbabwe, and all of Africa, to have a seat at the conservation table. By promoting greater inclusion, representation, and participation of women in wildlife conservation, Mufute is building resilience in an often overlooked and vulnerable demographic. “Conservation has the potential to uplift and empower rural women in Zimbabwe,” says Mufute. Read about Mufute’s vision for conservation

'Sides of a Horn' draws attention to the human toll of wildlife crime

A new film highlights the plight of rhinos in Africa as it explores how two people from the same circumstances, community, and even the same family can end up on opposite sides of the war against poaching.

Sides of a Horn's promoters say the short is based on real events. They filmed in the townships and reserves where people feel acutely the tensions and predicaments related to wildlife crime, the poaching and trafficking which, as writer and director Toby Wosskow says, “tears apart communities and is driving a prehistoric species to the verge of extinction.”

It portrays a scenario in which some people may choose, in the face of poverty, illness, and lack of opportunity, to profit from the illegal wildlife trade, while others choose to protect Africa’s natural heritage even at a tremendous personal cost.

When Wosskow traveled in South Africa in 2016, he was captivated by the beauty of the country’s wildlife reserves. “One afternoon, I was walking through the bush with a game ranger, when we stumbled across a white rhino peacefully grazing. What struck me more than the animal’s vicious beauty was that this scene could have been taking place 50 million years ago or today. I was looking at a living, breathing time machine in a land that time forgot.”

The magic of the moment took on new significance when Wosskow learned the extent to which rhinos were under attack, “that this magnificent creature was being massacred to the brink of extinction.”

Once back in the U.S., he started researching and found that, while there was a fair amount of international media coverage about the multi-billion-dollar illegal wildlife trade, nobody was talking much about the community members living near rhinos, the rangers who protect them, or those who had experience with the poaching trade. As a filmmaker, he felt the responsibility to expose the impact of the illegal wildlife trade and humanize the men and women affected. By painting an unbiased portrait, he wanted to change old, static narratives.

On World Rhino Day (Sept. 22, 2017), Wosskow launched a crowdfunding campaign to make his film. Some 235 individuals from 16 different countries contributed, wanting to bring Wosskow’s vision to life. Wosskow returned to South Africa, and with the support of local South African producers The Televisionaries and YKMD Productions, began shooting scenes against the backdrop of a national park and its neighboring township. He did local castings and was able to hire only actors who spoke Zulu (some of the small roles featured local people who are non-actors). The resulting 17-minute film follows three characters — a ranger, a poacher, and a rhino — as their paths collide.

Wosskow signed on Sir Richard Branson as executive producer. He previewed the film a year to the day after the Kickstarter launch, with screenings in Los Angeles and 10,000 miles away in Johannesburg. “To be able to do our first private screening exactly one year later on the following World Rhino Day is such a beautiful, full-circle moment,” Wosskow said.

At the Los Angeles screening, Wosskow led a wildlife crime panel discussion sponsored by African Wildlife Foundation and including AWF CEO Kaddu Sebunya. A similar discussion occurred in Johannesburg, led by the South African producers. “The reason we made Sides of a Horn was to inspire a greater conversation among global citizens that can lead to positive change,” Wosskow said. “I am pleased to be able to announce that the conversation starts now.”

Photo of filmmaker and AWF Council Member Toby Wosskow directing actors on the set of Sides of a Horn

Unpacking the complexities of international wildlife crime. AWF’s Council Chair Bobbie Ceiley met Wosskow — who has since become a Council member himself — during his travels and introduced him to the team at AWF. Sides of a Horn, she says, “is a powerful and thought-provoking film that will shed more light on the subject, not only in terms of conservation but also about the communities living around wildlife resources and the real impact on the ground. AWF is committed to working with communities on holistic anti-poaching solutions including the development of alternative livelihoods.

Wosskow will be holding more Sides of a Horn screenings with his eye especially set on schools and communities around rhino habitat in South Africa (where most African rhinos are located). Following the screenings, he is planning an international online release on June 3, 2019 at www.rhinomovie.com to inspire a greater conversation among global citizens.

“The human death toll is rising and the rhino is facing extinction within the next decade,” he says. “One strength of the short film medium is the ability to tell vital, urgent stories, and this story is as urgent as they come.”

Woman Left Puppy to Die a Painful, Slow Death And Was ONLY Charged $327.35

Animal abuse is no small crime and should not be treated as one. When people commit heinous acts against innocent animals, there should be consequences. Too often, people abuse dogs and get off scot-free like the teacher who fed a live puppy to a snapping turtle and faced zero repercussions. Recently, a woman named Melissa Moore also received just a slap on the wrist for her cruel mistreatment of a puppy.

Moore left the poor creature to die a slow, agonizing death of starvation and was only fined $327.25 that she is being allowed to pay in installments of $35 per week. She had been evicted from her home and when someone arrived to clean the vacant apartment, they found the puppy dead on a pile of trash. There was raw meat on a kitchen counter far away from the puppy, although it is believed the raw meat was meant to give the apartment a foul odor because she was angry about her eviction.

In Defense of Animals attended Moore’s court trial and they believe she should have at least been fined $2,500 or had to spend six months in jail. They stated, “It is frustrating to see animal cruelty continue to get a slap on the wrist in Winona after the mishandling of the outrageous dog burning case just three years ago. We urge judges to use available animal cruelty penalties – laws are useless if they are not enforced.”

Three years ago, a man in Winona, Mississippi where Moore was also tied, torched his dog alive and was fined just $327.50. Clearly, the judges and courts of Winona are not taking animal cruelty seriously as they are handing out minor punishments equivalent to a citation for littering.

To fight this, In Defense of Animals in collaboration with the Winona Animal Advocacy Group “are holding workshops for officials and citizens across Mississippi with information on how to resolve recurring animal protection issues, including the revision and establishment of sound animal protection ordinances.” The issue isn’t only the laws in place, it is also whether or not judges are giving appropriate sentences.

Ben Kallos, has not yet signed on in support of Intro 1425, the Carriage Horse Heat Relief bill, and we need you to call him to urge him to do so! Please call Ben Kallos at his District Office at 212-860-1950, and make sure to say you live in the district.  It takes just a few minutes to call Council Member Kallos and urge him to help pass Intro 1425 before summer, to prevent more carriage horses from suffering during dangerous heatwaves.

New York City summers are hell for carriage horses who are forced to work  during high-humidity heatwaves when the heat index soars to 100 degrees or higher. NYCLASS wants to END this cruelty and with the help of the NYC Council and YOU we can, by passing newly introduced Intro 1425.

In an essential new bill introduced February 13th by City Councilmember Keith Powers, and 15 co-sponsors, the Carriage Horse Heat Relief Bill--Intro 1425 will broaden important protections for carriage horses during NYC's sweltering summers. Currently, carriage horses are worked until it reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but that's not good enough! This new bill critically takes into account humidity and stops horses from working once the heat index, or "real feel" is 90 degrees. With your help, we can make this common-sense policy a reality.

Carriage horses forced to pull carriages when the heat index is above 90 is abuse and it should not be tolerated.

In New York City, we are all too familiar with horses being worked in extreme heat and humidity. NYCLASS has documented a horse suffering in respiratory distress this past summer when the real feel temperate and the heat index was far higher than 90 degrees.It happens all too often and now we have a chance to make it stop.

Last summer, the Health Department had to investigate issues where horses had breathing trouble from being out on the streets in the heat and sun during citywide heat advisories. And the science is simple – high humidity and high temperature are a dangerous combination for horses pulling carriages. Being out there on days where it feels like it’s 90 because of the humidity is just as detrimental to a horses’ health as days where it is a dry 90 degrees, if not worse.

Smaller cities already make use of the heat index for carriage horse protections. NYC should join these jurisdictions to provide much-needed relief for the horses.

Let’s make history for New York City carriage horses and change the law so that they no longer have to suffer in the worst humidity and heat every summer. Let's pass the Carriage Horse Heat Relief Bill--Intro 1425 before another summer is upon us! Please Call Council Member Ben Kallos at 212-860-1950 and ask him to sign on in support of Intro 1425, the Carriage Horse Heat Relief Bill! Click to help!

Watch the important film, Blinders here!

Extinction looms for Ethiopian wolves.

Already restricted to Ethiopia’s isolated highlands, Ethiopian wolves are facing increasing pressures as livestock overgrazing and agricultural expansion forces them to even higher altitudes, depleting their already limited range. With populations numbering less than 440, these rare wolves face a grim future without the intervention of AWF’s conservation programs that are designed to make the greatest impact for all of Ethiopia’s indigenous wildlife, including Africa’s only wolf. See how we’re saving the Ethiopian wolf

No food, medicines or money for city’s 500 street dogs

Every day the APA El Refugio dog shelter in Uruguay deals with careless, casual and heartless cruelty. As our video shows, almost every night people throw their unwanted pets over the shelter fence and run away. In 2018, 143 were dumped, 43 did not survive.

We support El Refugio, a lonely beacon of hope for street dogs and puppies in the city of Montevideo, but the situation is getting worse.

In January alone 42 puppies were tossed over the shelter fence like trash. 23 died.

With the support of animal lovers like you, we must save the puppies of Uruguay. Puppies like Toro, a survivor from a tossed-away litter of five. Toro is loving and gentle, but without our help he and hundreds of other puppies would die this year.

APA El Refugio is run by selfless, unpaid volunteers who are kindness personified. No puppy is turned away. 500 dogs now call the shelter home.

Incredibly, the shelter gets absolutely no help from authorities.

El Refugio is Montevideo’s only shelter and without it every one of the 500 dogs would die.

When you hear the word "safari," Africa may come first to mind. But India should, too! With 166 national parks and 515 wildlife sanctuaries, India provides nature lovers with a host of inspiring wildlife encounters.

And our Grand India Wildlife Adventure is the ultimate in all-encompassing safaris. With just 11 travelers guided by one of India’s top naturalist Expedition Leaders, you’re assured an intimate experience on our quest in search of India’s diverse wildlife.

Click Here to See Our Grand India Wildlife Adventure. The Bengal tiger tops the list of most coveted sightings, of course. But India is home to a veritable menagerie right out of The Jungle Book, including the Indian elephant, one-horned rhino, leopard, sloth bear and python. And there are plenty of less familiar species that are also fascinating. We’ll look for gaur, dhole, gharial, chital, sambar, barasingha, langurs and more. (Props to you if you already know some of these!)

Explore three premier wildlife reserves with contrasting habitats, from the dry mixed deciduous forests of central India to the moist floodplains and grasslands of the Brahmaputra River basin. Morning and afternoon safari drives in open 4x4 trucks provide a variety of perspectives.

Skipping the most heavily visited national parks at peak season, we include tiger-rich Bandhavgarh, plus Kanha and Kaziranga, which are more remote with far fewer tourists. Kanha also has some of India's best tiger viewing, while Kaziranga offers an excellent chance to see rhinos and wild elephants up close, plus scores of bird species.

India is making great strides in conservation, with tiger numbers and other endangered species on the rise. Our presence supports those efforts! Call an Adventure Specialist today to join us: 800­-543­-8917.

New York: End Puppy Mill Cruelty in the Empire State

New Yorkers have a unique opportunity to make a huge difference for pets across the state this year. State Senator Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal are sponsoring legislation (A.6298/S.4234) that would prohibit the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores across the state of New York.

New York has one of the country’s highest concentrations of dog retailers. At any given point, there are approximately 2,000 puppies for sale throughout the state. Pet shops often source their puppies from out-of-state, low-welfare, commercial breeding facilities (a.k.a. puppy mills), then offer them up to unsuspecting customers as healthy, high-quality puppies from responsible breeders. This practice is deceptive and leaves families to bear the costs associated with this cruel industry.

Puppies born in commercial breeding facilities are prone to health and emotional defects; conditions many consumers are unequipped to deal with after unknowingly buying a sick puppy from a seemingly sanitary pet store.

California and Maryland have already paved the way to help end puppy mill cruelty by passing statewide bans on the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. New York now has the chance to do the same.

Caruso - the impressive and friendly Siberian tiger at FELIDA | FOU... FOUR PAWS International

✖♦#SaveGazaAnimals♦✖ Sad and hopeless Hyena at the “Zoo of Sorrows"... FOUR PAWS International

PETA Prize for Animal-Free Wool Winners for the 2018 Biodesign Chal... PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)

Malnourished bears “ruthlessly exploited” at Vietnam tourist hotspot Animals Asia

Steel Traps Slam Shut on Coyotes' Limbs and Can Cut to the Bone—Act Now! Paragon Sports still sells fur, including from animal-abusing retailer Canada Goose, despite knowing that coyotes are trapped and cruelly killed for its fur-trimmed jackets. Tell the company to stop selling fur immediately. Email Paragon Sports Now.

ACT NOW: Horses' Legs Fractured During Races, Others Slaughtered for Food. Horses are pushed to their physical limits and made to run at breakneck speed in races, they're forced to pull heavy carriages through busy traffic in extreme weather conditions, and thousands are even shipped to foreign countries to be slaughtered for food. We've compiled multiple action alerts all on one page to make it easier than ever to help horses who are exploited around the world. 5 Ways to help Horses!

What Nick Bateman Saw Near PETA's Headquarters Will Shock You. Influencer and actor Nick Bateman joined PETA's team to help dogs living outdoors near our Virginia headquarters. What he saw was devastating. Watch on Rescue TV and at Official PETA TV!

Help PETA Oppose 'Ag-Gag' Laws. The meat and dairy industries want to silence whistleblowers who report animal abuse—and we need your help to push back. Help Pigs, Cows and all farm animals.

Take Action to Help Save Animals All Over the World Right From Your Phone. Be a part of the next victory for animals by taking action on urgent alerts using PETA's free iPhone app. Help win more victories!

Vital conservation programs that protect tigers, elephants, rhinos, and countless other species need your help. Many of these species are already on the edge of extinction and U.S. government programs that help conserve wildlife are under threat from the budget proposal released by the Administration this week.

Tell your members of Congress: We have a responsibility to hold the line and build on the gains we've made in the fight to save endangered wildlife.

Please join the New York City Bar Association's Animal Law Committee for Endangered Species Act Under the Trump Administration. 

When: March 28, 2019 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Where: New York City Bar Association

42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036

This panel, featuring Animal Legal Defense Fund Staff Attorney Daniel Waltz, will cover key regulatory and legislative changes to the Endangered Species Act under the Trump Administration including: new standards and rules, removal of species from protection, reduction of funding for certain initiatives, trophy hunting, and ivory trade. 

Don Lichterman

Sunset Corporation of America (SCA)

Sustainable Action Network (SAN)