Latest news with #AnimalAid
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Shooting industry is destroying UK countryside with 'irreversible consequences'
A new report by Animal Aid and Chris Packham warns the shooting industry and the release of millions of pheasant and partridges each year is killing the countryside and "the time to act is now" The release of 40-60 million pheasant and partridges each year - bred to be shot for sport - is having a devastating impact on the British countryside and is threatening native wildlife, warns a new report. Beyond what welfare group Animal Aid say is 'terrible harm inflicted on the birds' who are raised on intensive factory farms, there are also serious repercussions for native wildlife leading to declines in their populations. It is is of particularly concern as the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. They also warn that gamekeepers also target animals deemed a threat to these birds – foxes, crows and even protected raptors – to create an artificial landscape for those paying to shoot innocent birds for sport. They have joined together with TV presenter Chris Packham who said the environmental fallout is profound – land and waterways polluted with lead shot, native plants depleted and the risk of avian flu spread. Chris Packham said: 'These birds are not native to the UK, and many of them are 'factory farmed' – bred to be shot. The sheer scale of these mass releases is truly astounding and should alarm anyone who cares about Britain's wildlife. "The UK is one of the most nature-depleted nations on the planet - we need to urgently preserve our biodiversity. If we don't, the consequences will be irreversible and dire.' The report, 'Killing our countryside' says every August, the weight of all the birds released exceeds that of all other wild birds in Britain as a result of one in 12 woodlands in England containing a pheasant release pen. Getting millions of birds ready for shooting requires what Animal Aid calls "an industrial system that is just as cruel and inhumane as the worst factory farms." They say their undercover investigations revealed egg-laying birds in cramped metal cages - many spending their whole productive lives trapped, while the birds suffer stress, feather loss and head wounds. In an attempt to eliminate the aggression between the birds caused by overcrowding, restraining devices (bits) are fitted on their beaks. It claims that factory farmed pheasants and partridges are ill prepared for life in the wild with two-thirds released dying of disease, starvation, run over or killed by predators. For those who survive, they are 'beaten' up into the sky on estates which can charge in excess of £3,000 a day. Britain is the only European country that offers the opportunity to kill such large numbers of released non-native game birds in a day. It also highlights how more than 7,000 tonnes of lead ammunition - billions of individual pellets - is fired into the environment which many wild birds mistake as grit. It is estimated that this poisons up to 400,000 wildfowl in the UK every winter but as many as several million birds are likely to ingest gunshot in the course of a year. There is serious and widespread concern about the severe impacts of highly contagious avian influenza after at least 78 bird species have tested positive in the UK, including 21 out of 25 regular breeding bird species. A 2022 Defra risk assessment concluded that infected released gamebirds posted a high to very high transmission risk to waterfowl, birds of prey, corvids, waders, gulls and wild pheasants and high to medium risk for owls and passerines (finches and sparrows). The most serious outbreak of bird flu last year was found in a group of pheasants in England, sparking criticism of the loose restrictions around their rearing. Narrating the film Chris Packham says: 'Astonishingly, in late summer, the biomass of pheasants and red-legged partridges in the countryside is greater than all other wild birds combined. These released birds play a substantial role in changing ecosystems – and their impacts on native wildlife can have wide and serious repercussions. 'Shooting estates have been responsible for thousands of tonnes of lead annually, discharged from guns, which has leached into land and waterways – studies have shown resulting lead levels found in some plants are dangerous to both people and animals." Many shooting estates have also been linked to the illegal killing of wildlife. In January 2021, the public tipped off the RSPB team about a live buzzard caged in Nottinghamshire. They released the bird and set up a covert surveillance camera. It caught gamekeeper John Orrey trapping two buzzards and beating them to death. Nottinghamshire magistrates fined him £1,000 and gave him 20 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for a year. Another tip led to the discovery of the worst raptor persecution case in England in terms of body count. Eleven buzzards and four red kites were found in a well on a Wiltshire pheasant shoot. Footage captured gamekeeper Archie Watson throwing a buzzard and other birds down the well, often preceded by the sound of gunshots. The RSPB says there is a clear link between raptor persecution and land managed for game bird shooting, with two-thirds of recorded bird crimes in 2021 taking place on land managed for or connected to the industry. Scientific studies reach the same conclusion. A landmark paper (Ewing et al, 2023) published in Biological Conservation revealed that the illegal killing of Hen Harriers associated with game bird management accounts for up to three-quarters of Hen Harrier annual mortality. Of all individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution-related offences between 2009 and 2023, 75% were connected to the game bird shooting industry says the RSPB. There are also concerns about pheasants outcompeting wild birds and also blamed for declines in adder numbers. Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: 'This report shows the shocking impact the shooting industry is having on the lives of gamebirds, wildlife and the environment. 'The government needs to end this cycle of cruelty and devastation – including banning cramped battery-style cages used to breed the tens of millions of non-native pheasants and partridges released into the British countryside every year, simply to be shot.' Iain Green, director of Animal Aid, said their new campaign 'draws together all these impacts, revealing the cost to nature for the sake of profit. The time to act is now.'. He added: "I live in the countryside and have seen first-hand the cruelty of the shooting industry - pheasants and partridges who have been raised in intensive farms released into the countryside to be shot simply for entertainment. What may be less obvious, is the damage that the release of tens of millions of captive bred pheasants into the countryside does to local wildlife and the environment. 'As well as the suffering of birds bred in factory conditions, this blood sport has hidden consequences, such as competition with local wildlife, land and waterways contaminated with lead shot, depletion of native plants, and the spread of avian flu. While most people oppose the recreational killing of pheasants and partridges, few are aware of the extensive harm it inflicts on our countryside. We are a nation who care deeply about nature and the natural world and I know most people, shocked by our report, will be asking how this is allowed? But Glynn Evans, head of game and wildlife management at the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, said: 'Claims about the impact of game bird releasing ignore the vital conservation work done by the shooting community, who manage millions of hectares to support biodiversity and protect vulnerable species. There are legal requirements for the owners and keepers of animals, including game birds, and there are specific government codes of practice for these species, while lawful predator control helps protect threatened ground-nesting birds.' 'Shooting contributes £3.3 billion to the UK economy and sustains rural jobs, while also supporting habitat restoration and the supply of healthy, sustainable game meat. Shooting providers and volunteers deliver £500 million of conservation work annually, equivalent to 26,000 full-time jobs and 14 million workdays. 'Attacks on shooting overlook its environmental and economic value to the countryside.'
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Celebre d'Allen: Grand National horse dies days after race
Celebre D'Allen, a 13-year-old horse, died after collapsing during the Grand National at Aintree Racecourse. The horse initially appeared to recover after being assessed by vets and was held overnight, but his condition worsened, and he could not be saved. Following the Race, jockey Micheal Nolan received a 10-day suspension after an enquiry found he continued riding Celebre d'Allen when the horse appeared to be losing ground. Aintree Racecourse and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) expressed sadness and stated they would analyse the Race and incident, including a post-mortem examination of the horse. Animal Aid criticised the Grand National Festival as "barbaric" following Celebre d'Allen's death, while the BHA highlighted safety improvements made to the Grand National in 2024, including reducing the number of runners.
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Animal rights groups respond to ‘heartbreaking' death of Celebre d'Allen at Grand National
Animal rights groups have criticised the Grand National and the British Horseracing Authority following the 'heartbreaking' and 'needless' death of Celebre d'Allen after racing at Aintree. The 13-year-old died days after he collapsed in the showpiece event on Saturday, with his trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White confirming on Tuesday that his condition had worsened overnight after initially responding well to treatment. An enquiry by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) ruled that Celebre d'Allen, one of 34 horses to line up at the Grand National, was ridden 'when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground' after the penultimate fence. The Celebre d'Allen's jockey, Michael Nolan, was suspended for 10 days. The BHA have taken steps to improve safety at the Grand National in recent years, including reducing the number of runners, and said they will analyse the race in detail to 'understand how all reasonable avoidable risk can be reduced in order to keep our horses and riders as safe as possible'. 'It is absolutely heartbreaking that after being ridden in the Grand National until he had 'no more to give', Celebre d'Allen has died,' said Nina Copleston-Hawkens of Animal Aid. 'To allow a horse of this age to be ridden in the most gruelling race in the country is disgraceful.' Animal Rising spokesperson Ben Newman commented: 'Celebre D'Allen, like every other victim of the Grand National, deserved a long and peaceful life. Instead he was raced to death by an industry driven by greed and profit. "The blame for his death lies not with any individual, but with the 'sport' of horse racing itself. Again and again, we see horses pushed far beyond their limits, to the point of injury, collapse, and death. ' Aintree Racecourse said: 'Celebre d'Allen was a much-loved member of Philip and Johnson's team and all of us at Aintree are deeply saddened by today's news. Those who look after British racing's equine athletes every day have a unique bond with their horses and provide the very best care imaginable. Our thoughts are with everyone connected with Celebre d'Allen.' The British Horseracing Authority said: 'All of us at the BHA are saddened to learn of the death of Celebre d'Allen following Saturday's Grand National. It has been clear to see since Saturday afternoon just how much the horse meant to his connections and we send our condolences to them. "As with all runners in the Grand National, Celebre d'Allen was provided with a thorough check by vets at the racecourse. This health check includes a trot up, physical examination of limbs to check for any heat, pain or swelling, and listening to the heart to check for any murmur or rhythm disturbance. "This marks the final step in an extensive process of checks to ensure a horse's suitability to race in the National, which also includes a review of veterinary records and assessment by a panel of experts to consider a horse's race record and suitability to race. As part of this process the horse would also have been examined by the trainer's own vet on the two occasions, a month apart. "Celebre d'Allen received treatment from the team of expert vets after pulling up and then collapsing towards the end of the race. Having been immediately attended to by the teams on site, he was given all the time he needed to respond to treatment on course before being transported back to the first-class veterinary facilities at the racecourse stables, where he remained overnight, continuing to receive care and attention. He subsequently travelled to a nearby stud which was connected to the horse's owners on Sunday, having shown improvement overnight. "The BHA and Aintree racecourse will analyse the race and this incident in detail, as is the case every year and with every fatal injury in any race. This will include the horse being sent for post-mortem. "The process of reviewing every fatality allows us to build on our existing data and help us understand how all reasonable avoidable risk can be reduced in order to keep our horses and riders as safe as possible. This process previously led to the changes that were made to the Grand National in 2024, including the reduction in the number of runners. Prior to Saturday's race there had been no fatal injuries in the previous nine races run over the Grand National course since the 2023 National. "The steps we have taken to improve safety over the years reflects the great respect we have for our horses, and our commitment to their safety." In total, 18 of the 34 horses riding the Grand National this year either pulled up, fell, or unseated their rider, with just 16 finishing. Another horse, Broadway Boy, owned by Nigel Twiston-Davies, suffered a hard fall at the 25th fence after leading by a length. Like Celebre d'Allen he was assessed by vets on the course before returning to the stables for further assessment. Willy Twiston-Davies - an assistant trainer and son of Nigel -
Telegraph
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Televising the Grand National is now the impossible job
On Sunday morning, the news filtered through that Grand National faller Broadway Boy was OK, and one imagines there were some enormous sighs of relief over at ITV Sport. Televising the Grand National has become sports broadcasting's impossible job but Ed Chamberlin and company gave it a damn good go this weekend. A large percentage of the event's viewership watches exactly one horse race a year and that poses a massive challenge because there is always a realistic prospect of an animal dying live on terrestrial TV in front of a family teatime audience. Animal Aid claims that 66 horses have been killed at the National meeting since 2000, and 16 in the showpiece race itself in that time. On the odds, then, the outsiders on the bookies' boards are more likely to die in the race than win it. Not a great vibe. Millions of homes will have had the same reaction when Broadway Boy hit the floor head-first at fence 25: that's a goner. A sickening fall, poor thing. How are you supposed to televise that? Stay tuned after the horsey death horror-show for pranks with Stephen Mulhern or switch over to Ice Age 2, kids. As it turned out, the animal survived, amazingly. Huge numbers of people were complaining on social media that ITV did not provide enough updates but what were Chamberlin and the producers meant to do? Until the information is available, what can they say? The race replay, skilfully negotiated by Oli Bell and Ruby Walsh, skipped out that fence to some people's disapproval but, again, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. M'colleague Charlie Brooks argued in these pages recently that the changes made to the National 'are rapidly eroding [its unique] appeal and will destroy the popularity of the race' because 'the fences have been neutered to the point they are more of a trip hazard than a challenge', although the obstacle that defeated Broadway Boy looked challenging enough to most casual viewers. One defers to the experts when they say that fings ain't what they used to be, so it was lucky for racing that the Mullins father-and-son story provided a much better narrative than yet another routine win for the Closutton superpower. ITV's coverage on Saturday began with Brough Scott setting the scene and saying, don't worry about what it once was, celebrate it for what it is today. And the commentary of the race itself remains as it always has been: a complete nightmare. Could be Peter O'Sullevan, could be Richard Hoiles: speaking very fast, doing a brilliant job, but you are always at a loss as to where your one actually is. In terms of the event, broadcasting it has never been harder. On the one hand, animal rights people are not going to be satisfied while the race or indeed the sport exists at all. People of this persuasion do not want to hear about safer fences or having Chamberlin, Alice Plunkett and Mick Fitzgerald explain over and over that the horses get water, cooling fans and regular vet checks. It is striking how quickly racing has pivoted from essentially putting its collective fingers in its ears and saying variations of 'you townies don't understand our ways so shut up and leave us alone', to now contorting itself into all sorts of uncomfortable shapes to convince the once-a-year viewer that the animals are treated like kings so the occasional unpleasantness is fair game. This is sometimes taken to the point of absurdity, as with Fitzgerald saying on Saturday: 'If you are a human then you get triaged when you go to hospital and have to wait in line, no such worries for these horses, they get immediate treatment right away.' And they can get an NHS dentist appointment as well, the lucky buggers. The biggest cringe of the meeting was definitely owner Susannah Ricci's interview with Matt Chapman on Thursday. Her record on the day: Gaelic Warrior won, Lossiemouth won, Willy De Houelle dead. Well, you win some you lose some, right Suze? Chapman: 'I know you did lose a horse today but it has been some day.' Ricci: 'Yes, these are the days that dreams are made of, very privileged to have two such amazing horses.' ITV producer: *clutches head in hands*
The Guardian
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Animal rights groups hit out at Grand National after Broadway Boy's ‘horrific' fall
Animal rights organisations have criticised the Grand National after a horse that was leading the race suffered a grim fall, while a second collapsed shortly after the competition. Broadway Boy, a seven-year-old horse ridden by Tom Bellamy, took what was described by spectators as a 'sickening fall' at the 25th jump, appearing to land on his head and not moving immediately afterwards. The horse, owned by David Proos, was assessed on the course and later walked on to a veterinary ambulance to be assessed at his stable. Bellamy appeared to fall clear of his horse and was later taken to hospital for assessment. Celebre D'Allen, a 100-1 runner aged 13, collapsed during the race and was later walked on to a veterinary ambulance to be taken for assessment. His rider, Micheál Nolan, faced a stewards' inquiry for not pulling the horse, one of the older competitors, from the race at an earlier stage. With final odds of 66-1, Broadway Boy was one of the youngest competitors in the race and had been described as a contender when on good form. Kandoo Kid and Perceval Legallois also fell, while Duffle Coat unseated his rider. The race winner, Nick Rockett, was cooled down with water after finishing the race two and a half lengths ahead of I Am Maximus, the favourite. Last year, after a number of new measures to improve safety for the horses and their riders – including reducing the field from 40 to 34 competitors and softening the fences – there were no Grand National fatalities. On the opening day of the 2025 festival, racer Willy De Houelle suffered a fatal fall in the second race, with the jockey Rachael Blackmore taken away from Aintree in an ambulance. Ben Newman of the animal rights charity, Animal Rising, said: 'On Thursday, Willy de Houelle became the Grand National's 66th victim since 2000 – a staggering toll that exposes the industry's values of profit over welfare. Today, numerous falls and clashes have resulted in two lives hanging in the balance. These horses deserve better. 'ITV's cowardly refusal to replay the 25th fence where Broadway Boy fell, while commentators gushed over racing's welfare standards, shows the depths to which the industry will sink to save itself. When the public sees the grim reality and suffering within horse racing, they rightfully recoil.' The organisation Animal Aid said it was 'disgusted and appalled that Broadway Boy suffered a horrific fall in the Grand National race, and that the racing industry – rather than give the public an update on his wellbeing – had the gall to spout empty rhetoric about the 'welfare' of race horses.' The statement added: 'The lack of information provided about the welfare of these horses is despicable and demonstrates the sheer lack of care the industry has towards these horses. This is 'welfare-washing' at its most insidious.' Spectators posted on social media criticising the event as 'shameful' and 'disgusting'. They also hit out at the official broadcaster, ITV, for how slow it was to provide information in the aftermath of what appeared to be the death of a horse on live television, though the picture cut away immediately after the fall. One person described it as 'one of the most unsettling things I've ever seen', while another said they were 'sat breaking my heart over that fall from Broadway Boy'. Viewers were updated half an hour after the race's finish, with ITV racing presenter Ed Chamberlin revealing that both horses were being assessed by vets.
