GO VEGAN, SAYS UK GOVERNMENT - 31 May 2007
It would help tackle the problem of climate change if people ate less meat, according to a UK Government agency. A leaked email to a vegetarian campaign group from an Environment Agency official expresses sympathy with the environmental benefits of a vegan diet, which bans dairy products and fish. The agency also says the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is considering recommending eating less meat as one of the "key environmental behaviour changes" needed to save the planet. It says that this change would have to be introduced "gently" because of "the risk of alienating the public". more...
FACTORY FARMING "PART AND PARCEL" OF POVERTY - REPORT - 31 May 2007
A new report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) says that far from benefiting those suffering from poverty and hunger factory farming is actually part and parcel of the poverty problem. The report "Industrial Animal Agriculture-Part of the Poverty Problem" demonstrates that the cruel and hidden costs of factory farming (also known as industrial agriculture) results in lost livelihoods for people living in developing countries who depend on local farming for their survival. The WSPA believes the majority of industrial animal farming practices not only cause immense pain and suffering to the animals involved but are one of the causes of poverty and hunger in developing countries. more...
CANADIAN RODEO BANS CRUEL EVENTS AFTER CALF DEATH - 24 May 2007
The Cloverdale Rodeo in British Columbia is eliminating some traditional events following the death of a young calf at the annual cowboy show over the weekend. The calf was euthanized after being injured during a tie-down roping event. A spokeswoman for the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association said the association as a result has decided against holding tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling and wild cow milking events at future rodeos. more...
LIFE-LONG VEGETARIANISM REDUCES RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER - STUDY - 24 May 2007
According to new research presented at Digestive Disease Week® 2007 a vegetarian diet may have a significant impact on the gastrointestinal (GI) system, affecting the risk for certain diseases, including colorectal cancer. more...
TIGERS DEVOUR LIVE COW IN CHINESE ZOO SHOW - 24 May 2007
A video showing hungry tigers eating a cow alive has shocked animal rights groups. The clip was taken at a zoo in China where visitors are encouraged to feed the animals. Special vending flaps are fitted to tourist buses and people pay £2.60 to 'deliver' a chicken and £100 for a cow. The 'barbaric practice' has been criticised by the World Society for the Protection of Animals. more...
MOCK MEATS MORE APPEALING - 17 May 2007
A warm spring evening in American suburbia, not long before dusk. Green lawns, well-kept houses, SUVs parked in driveways. From a backyard gas grill comes the enticing, smoky aroma of food cooking. Atop the fire: a mixed grill - all manner of carnivorous delights. Look closer, though. Those burgers, ribs, hot dogs and shish kebabs are in reality "burgers," "ribs" and "shish kebabs." Or, more accurately, "veggie burgers," "riblets," "Smart Dogs" and "meatless skewers" - painstaking imitations of the real thing, made of 100 percent non-animal materials like seitan, tempeh and other downright meatlike vegetable proteins. more...
OBESITY PLAGUES KIWI CATS AND DOGS - 17 May 2007
It's not only humans at risk from a rising tide of obesity. Auckland vet Alex Melrose says Kiwi cats and dogs are getting far too fat. Dr Melrose says Australian studies show one in three cats and dogs are overweight or obese and fears the situation is similar here. "Many Kiwis simply can't see they are harming their pets with too much food and too little exercise," he says. "If they knew the extent of the harm, they would be horrified." more...
CALCIUM IN DAIRY PRODUCTS MAY CAUSE BRAIN DAMAGE - 16 May 2007
Calcium in dairy products may cause brain damage, research has shown. The mineral - found in milk - can narrow blood vessels in the brain, causing dementia in the elderly, scientists believe. And vitamin D, which helps the body use bone-building calcium, may make it worse. more...
LEADING UK PET SHOP TO STOP SELLING LIVE ANIMALS - 14 May 2007
The United Kingdom's second biggest pet retailer has decided to stop selling thousands of live animals, from rabbits to cats and parakeets, amid complaints from welfare campaigners. more...
BOTTLED WATER HAS HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL COST - REPORT - 14 May 2007
Bottled water, the world's fastest growing beverage, carries a heavy environmental cost, adding plastic to landfills and putting pressure on natural springs, according to a new report by the US Worldwatch Institute. "Bottled water is really expensive, in terms of environmental costs and economically," said report author, Ling Li. more...
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