Latest news with #animalRights
Travel Daily News
6 days ago
- Travel Daily News
PETA: Tourists at risk of contracting MERS from cruel camel rides
PETA issues urgent travel advisory urging tourists to avoid camel contact in the Middle East amid MERS outbreak and documented animal cruelty. HONG KONG – Amid an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia, PETA is issuing an urgent travel advisory warning visitors to the region to avoid all contact with camels, including those who are forced to give rides to humans at tourist sites – for both their own safety and the animals' well-being. The move follows a warning from Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection that any camel-related activities in the Middle East – including riding them or consuming their flesh or milk – risks transmitting the potentially fatal disease, as camels are 'known reservoirs' of the virus. In addition to the danger posed to humans, PETA investigations have documented that camels used for rides and photo ops at tourist sites like the pyramids of Giza are violently and routinely beaten by their handlers. At Egypt's notorious Birqash Camel Market, a dead camel was tied by their feet to a truck and dragged through the streets and another was found dead in the middle of a road with their throat slashed open. When camels were no longer considered useful, they were often hauled to a slaughterhouse, where their throats were slit while they were still conscious. 'Cruelty and contagions run rampant at these shameful attractions, where camels are mercilessly beaten, worked until they drop, and violently killed in filthy slaughterhouses,' says PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker. 'PETA's urgent travel advisory is meant to protect both tourists and the camels who are exploited for rides from suffering and dying prematurely.' PETA points out that in addition to MERS, the majority of diseases that have caused epidemics or pandemics in recent years originated in animals before being transmitted to humans – including AIDS, avian flu, swine flu, SARS, Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19. PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that 'animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way'– opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE LA Mayor Karen Bass sparks outrage as elephants are shackled and secretly moved to one of America's 'worst' zoos
The Los Angeles Zoo has been accused of 'shattering its trust' with the public after secretly moving its last elephants across the country in the dead of night. Critics say LA Mayor Karen Bass chose to avoid scrutiny over the controversial decision to keep the animals confined by transferring them to Tulsa Zoo rather than retire them to a place where they could roam free. Despite protests, petitions and ongoing calls urging Bass to send them to a sanctuary in Cambodia, she made the final decision to send them to Oklahoma. Celebrities including Cher, Nicola Peltz Beckham and Kim Basinger had bombarded Bass pleading with her not to send the animals to Tulsa – which is ranked the 13th worst zoo in America out of 439 by LA is ranked second worst. Photos obtained by show an empty elephant exhibit at the LA Zoo on Tuesday, just one day after Asian elephants Billy, 40, and Tina, 59, were seen with shackles around their ankles in preparation for their departure. 'They knew what would happen if the public caught wind of what they were doing, so they meticulously planned the move in the wee hours of the morning,' one insider told 'They were afraid someone might get photos of the elephants in transport. This was all done in secrecy. 'Even the zoo staff was kept in the dark. In the wake of their move, calls for Bass to resign have mounted with countless people taking to social media to vent their disapproval. 'November 3, 2026, Election Day and the end of @mayorofla and her disregard for LA's animals,' was written in one Instagram message in response to a screenshot of a photo of Billy and Tina with the words written 'MAYOR BASS MOVED THEM at 1:30am.' Another comment condemning the mayor said, '@mayorofla @karenbassla You need to resign!!!!!!!' 'Prison is where she needs to be moved', appeared in another comment. The arduous pursuit to push for Billy and Tina's well-being was headed by In Defense of Animals (IDA), but their efforts were fruitless due to the zoo's lack of transparency. 'Moving them in such a shady, secretive manner is highly unethical and shows the LA Zoo's complete lack of humanity and decency for these beloved elephants who have spent the majority of their lives in misery,' said Courtney Scott, an elephant consultant for the IDA. 'Here they are sneaking them out in the middle night. What a contrast to how the Toronto Zoo handled the relocation of their three renaming elephants. 'The Toronto City Council approved their release to a sanctuary in Northern California called the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and the move was celebrated and documented in broad daylight by news crews for all the world to see. On April 7, the Tulsa Zoo opened its new elephant enclosure. But Dr. Chris Draper called the relocation to the Oklahoma zoo 'reckless' and 'irresponsible' based on his findings after visiting the new location Despite the protests from concerned Angelenos and wildlife organizations, LA Zoo remained steadfast in its decision to pay $44,000 to transport the animals to Tulsa. Director Denise Verret even shifted responsibility, commenting that the celebrities who have been vocal about the elephants' wellbeing, could 'easily raise enough money to cover the cost of retiring Billy and Tina to true elephant sanctuaries'. But contrary to the zoo's monetary concerns, both PAWS and the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee (TES) have made public offers to take in Billy and Tina for the remainder of their lives. And he co-founder of Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary and the non-profit organization Ecoflix, David Casselman, has publicly fought for years to relocate the elephants with offers to transport and provide them lifelong care, free of charge. But Casselman claims this had been met with indifference. And despite the proposal being presented at a recent city council budget hearing, Director Verret claims to have no knowledge of this proposition. 'Along with most Angelenos, I am devastated by the fact that Billy and Tina were allowed/forced to suffer for decades, only to be forced to go to an even less desirable Zoo environment. 'These decisions have always lacked scientific support, human decency, and bring further shame on the L.A. Zoo and the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums),' said Casselman. Verret chairs the AZA's board of directors. LA Zoo director Denise Verrett said moving Billy and Tina to the Tulsa Zoo would cost $44,000, but the celebrity supporters can 'easily raise enough money to cover the cost of retiring Billy and Tina to true elephant sanctuaries' LA Zoo says it needed to move Billy and Tina so they can take part in a Species Survival Plan. Tulsa was chosen because it already has five Asian elephants. . Billy was captured in Malaysia at age four and has spent the last 36 years in LA. Tina was also born wild and caught in 1967, when she was just a year old. After years of abuse and neglect in the circus, she was confiscated in 2009 by the US Department of Agriculture and sent to the San Diego Zoo before she arrived in LA in 2010. But the LA Zoo, Casselman explained, had already had 17 elephants die under their care, including Hannibal, who died when he was improperly medicated in preparation for transfer to another location. And early last year, Shaunzi, a 59-year-old female elephant, collapsed to the ground due to foot and leg degeneration. She could not get back up and died of heart failure and suffocation. World-renowned expert on the animal Dr. Chris Draper, who visited the Tulsa Zoo on May 10, testified in legal documents that it was 'reckless' and 'irresponsible' to send Billy and Tina there. He testified that the conditions at the newly expanded Elephant Experience and Preserve, where the giant beasts will live out their golden years, have a lack of proper terrain which is the animal's number one cause of injury, or adequate shade in an exceedingly hot climate and space. The conditions at the new enclosure were described by Draper as 'inhumane' for the two bulls Sneezy and Hank and three cows Sooky, Booper and Connie already living there. In the wake of their move, Mayor Bass has been called on to resign with countless people taking to social media to vent their disapproval Users have commented the election day date of November 3, 2026, in protest of her re-election following the secret removal of Billy and Tina 'All five of the elephants lack[ed] muscle tone and were not in optimal body condition, and one had a cracked nail,' Draper said in the letter. When explaining one yard's inadequacies, Draper said it was 'disturbingly small, even by zoo standards, with no opportunity for the elephants to get away from each other if they wanted to do so.' After the dead-of-night move, the LA Zoo released a statement saying: 'The decision to move the elephants to the Tulsa Zoo was made with the health and well-being of the individual elephants as the top priority. 'This option also ensured that Billy and Tina would be able to remain together,' the zoo added. Elephant experts worry that Billy who has lived alone for decades will have a challenging time interacting with other elephants, especially in close quarters. This is also the same argument that was made when the LA Zoo spent a whopping $42million on its Elephants of Asia Exhibit in 2010, claiming it would make the animals happier and healthier. But contrary to the zoo's positive claims, a superior court judge later found these claims to have no foundation. The elephants were not happier, healthier or thriving. Casselman who looked at the medical records of the California zoo's past elephants during a 2012 litigation said: 'If I can be blunt, I would summarize the medical records pertaining to the LA Zoo elephants as a repository for every horrible outcome you can imagine involving elephants in captivity. 'Billy and Tina will die in pain at the Tulsa Zoo, in a hopelessly inadequate environment, but Mayor Bass could have changed the narrative and helped restore the City of Angels moniker which has somehow been lost along the way.' Tina was taken into a circus in 1969 at one year old and endured years of abuse before being confiscated by the US Department of Agriculture 'Indeed, the recent fires have tarnished many images in their wake. And this important story involving Billy and Tina is already being covered as international news. As such, it had the power to inject positivity and hope into LA and the world.' Controversy at the LA Zoo doesn't stop at Billy and Tina, it also stretches to Director Verret who is currently locked in a legal battle with the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), the non-profit organization that has supported the LA Zoo for over sixty years with its fundraising. In a sworn declaration, filed on May 1, GLAZA claimed Verret diverted over $365,000 so she and her staff could travel to places such as Buena Aires, the Canary Islands, Sydney Australia and a 'familiarization trip' to Botswana. An additional $1.7million was directed to outside organizations separately, despite the zoo needing improvements – including $449,000 to the AZA and other organizations where Verret sits on the Board of Directors. Other questionable spending noted includes $22,000 for a private party Verret held to celebrate her new position as Zoo Director and more than $27,500 of donor funds to improve her personal office and her assistant's office, including new patio furniture. 'It's quite evident that Verret's unilateral decision to ship off Billy and Tina to another zoo was motivated by her self-interests and her brand, the AZA,' said Julie Mancuso, founder of the political advocacy group Social Compassion in Legislation. 'Mayor Bass was wrong in assuming that just a mere handful of animal activists cared about the fate of Billy and Tina. 'To prove otherwise, I compiled a list of diverse voices in the community who equally wanted to see the elephants retire to a sanctuary,' said Mancuso who blasted out a public letter signed by Cher and many others to Mayor Bass. But it was too late. Unknown to everyone, the elephants were already in transit to Tulsa. 'Mayor Bass had this golden opportunity to set these elephants free at least and show her compassion for animals once and for all, but she failed miserably. 'She will be remembered as a heartless politician who sent Billy and Tina to their early graves,' said Shira Astrof, Founder and CEO of The Animal Rescue Mission.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bullfighting devotees in Mexico say recent bans harm a sacred tradition
María Teresa HernándezAssociated Press AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico — Mexican matador Diego Silveti performs a ritual ahead of each bullfight. In each hotel room where he dresses in the garment that may bring him glory or death, he sets up an altar where he leaves his wedding band and prays before heading to the arena. 'By leaving my ring behind, I'm telling God: Here's everything I am as a father, a husband, a son and a brother,' Silveti said. 'I commit to what I was born to be — a bullfighter.' He last encountered a bull in late April in Aguascalientes, a state in central Mexico where bullfighting is considered a cultural heritage. Weeks before, though, Mexico City lawmakers banned violent bullfighting in the nation's capital. While matadors there are still allowed to fight bulls, piercing their muscles with laces or running a sword through their body is prohibited under that ban. Animal rights advocates celebrated the ruling and Environment Secretary Julia Álvarez said the lawmakers made history. But matadors like Silveti, as well as fans and cattle breeders, contend this long-time Spanish tradition bears a profound significance that would be undermined if bulls can't be killed in the arena. 'What they propose goes against the essence and the rituals of bullfighting,' Silveti said. 'It's a veiled prohibition that opposes the ways in which it has been done since its origins.' The European conquerors of Mesoamerican territories in the 16th century brought along Catholicism and cultural practices that are now intertwined with Indigenous customs. Researcher and bullfighting fan Antonio Rivera lives in Yucatán, a southeastern state where bullfights reflect ancient Mayan traditions. 'In local celebrations, the roots of bullfighting are sacrificial rites,' Rivera said. 'Ancient cultures believed the gods requested sacrifices and blood fertilizes the earth.' Every year, the Yucatán peninsula celebrates about 2,000 events featuring bulls, he said. In 2021, Yucatán's Congress declared bullfighting part of its cultural heritage. It was a way to keep the ancestral memory alive, the official declaration said, and a way to honor its people's identity. 'When I see a bull, I feel an immense devotion,' Rivera said. 'It's a mirror of myself. It's like looking at a living museum containing all the rituals from our collective memory.' Instead of soccer balls, Silveti grew up playing with 'muletas' and 'capotes' — the brightly colored capes matadors use to channel the bull's charge. His father was one of Mexico's most beloved and renowned bullfighters. Until his death in 2003, fans called him 'King David' and many remember him fondly when his son is in the ring. 'No one asked us where we wanted to be born,' Silveti said. 'The love towards the bull and the feast of bullfighting has been my life and my ancestors' life.' His grandfather and his father before him were also matadors. Silveti emphasizes that his sons — now ages 6 and 2 — will decide their profession, but he would proudly support them if they followed in his footsteps. Neither the boys nor his wife watch him at the bullring, but Silveti conveys his passion in other ways. His family often visit ranches where bulls are breed. Occasionally, with his sons in his arms, Silveti bullfights baby cows. 'My youngest loves it,' the matador said. 'When he watches a bullfight, he plays with a napkin or a cloth and says 'Olé!' How is that possible?' 'The King' was no longer alive when Silveti became a professional bullfighter in Spain in 2011, but he senses his father's presence constantly. 'I feel his spirit in my soul,' Silveti said. 'On certain days, when I'm alone and focused, I try to speak to him and follow his example.' As a child, Silveti never watched his father at the ring. He stayed home with his mother and brothers. With no social media at hand to monitor live updates, they asked God to protect him. Many matadors, like Silveti, pray ahead of each bullfight. At the Aguascalientes plaza, the Rev. Ricardo Cuéllar blesses them. 'My job is to attend the religious needs of the bullfighting family,' Cuéllar said. 'Not only matadors, but also aficionados, those selling food at the arena and the bullfighters' assistants.' According to Tauromaquia Mexicana, Mexico's biggest bullfighting organization, more than 20,000 jobs depend on this tradition. One of the organizations opposed to violent bullfighting, Cultura sin Tortura, was pleased by the Mexico City measure and said it would continue its efforts elsewhere. Another half a dozen Mexican states have also imposed bans. 'We will keep advocating for the prohibition, given that no animal must be seen as entertainment,' the group said on social media. Cattle breeders, meanwhile, say they view bulls not as sources of income but as fascinating creatures they spend years caring for. Manuel Sescosse, who owns a ranch, said that breeding this specific type of bull is as thrilling as bullfighting. 'They must look good at the arena,' Sescosse said. 'Offensive but noble. They must charge and simultaneously spark a sensitivity driving the crowds to deep emotion.' The perfect bull for a fight is 4 or 5 years old and weighs between 900-1,200 pounds. According to Sescosse, each rainy season a bull is mated with 30 cows and their offspring are carefully monitored. Most receive a name. All are fed exclusively with grass and large areas are secured for them to exercise and grow strong. At the proper age, only a handful will be selected for bullfighting. 'You watch them since they are born and become calves and grow,' Sescosse said. 'That affection grows when they turn out good for a bullfight, leave a mark and are revered.' Not everyone attending bullfights is drawn to the sacred aspect, but some do find deeper purpose. Daniel Salinas says matadors follow strict norms to demonstrate their appreciation toward the bull's life, even as they end it. 'We celebrate death deriving from a rite in which a human being confronts a wild animal," he said. At Aguascalientes, when his second bull died, Silveti caressed him and respectfully closed his eyes before stepping out of the arena. 'I'm aware the bull is offering me everything he has and I'm also willing to present him with my life,' Silveti said. 'I've been gored 13 times and I've taken those hits willingly because I do this for a bigger purpose.' It rarely happens, but when a bull has a unique, artistic connection with its matador, his life is spared. Instead of a sword, he gets a 'banderilla' (a dart-like stick). Then he returns to his ranch and breeds a progeny that fans will revere. Following Silveti's performance in Aguascalientes, Spanish matador Alejandro Talavante faced one of those bulls. Centinela — pitch-black hide, four years old, 1,140 pounds — won the fans' hearts as Talavante's passes made him spin and dance. The matador aimed to kill more than once, but the crowd pleaded for him not to. And in the end, the judge indulged. Centinela gave a final, vigorous run and vanished through the tunnel while thousands cheered. It was a day of glory for him as well.
New York Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Cher Wants a Better Home for L.A.'s Elephants. Not Tulsa.
For years, animal-rights advocates have pushed for the elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo to be moved to an animal sanctuary. But in Southern California, even the elephants have celebrity backers. One in particular, Billy, has gotten some extra love from Cher. 'Billy doesn't deserve this,' the singer said in an interview on Thursday. She says the 40-year-old pachyderm, who has been at the zoo since 1989, 'has had a terrible life' in a restrictive enclosure, with minimal shade and hard ground that could damage his feet. In recent months, the legal, political and zoological drama playing out over the fate of the zoo's Asian elephants has escalated. After two aging members of the herd had to be euthanized, zoo officials announced in April that Billy and the only other surviving elephant, Tina, who is 59, would soon be relocated. But instead of the sanctuary that Cher and other advocates wanted, officials said the elephants would be moved to another zoo in Tulsa, Okla., where they could join a larger herd. That has led to protests, a lawsuit, tense city meetings, anger at the zoo director and a legal declaration submitted by the pop icon on the elephants' behalf. The battle comes at a time when lawsuits from animal-rights advocates and the shrinking number of available animals have led more zoos to close their elephant enclosures. The Bronx Zoo has faced growing legal pressure to move its last two elephants to a sanctuary, and in 2023 the Oakland Zoo sent one of its elephants to a sanctuary in Tennessee after it was unable to find it a compatible companion. Billy and Tina's case was in Los Angeles County Superior Court this week, where a judge denied a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed by John Kelly, a longtime Los Angeles resident seeking to stop the relocation to Tulsa. The judge's action allows zoo officials to move forward unless the City Council decides to intervene. On Friday, the Nonhuman Rights Project filed a separate lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court to stop the move. Visited by nearly 1.8 million people a year, the zoo is owned by the City of Los Angeles and has been Billy's home since he arrived in California as a 4-year-old from Malaysia. Tina joined him in 2010 from San Diego. Their herd also included Jewel, who was 61 when she died in 2023, and Shaunzi, who died last year at 53. Zoo officials have said that the elephants were declining for reasons unrelated to their enclosure, and that they were euthanized because of age-related health problems. To keep their accreditation, zoos must maintain a herd larger than two, so that the animals can properly socialize with other elephants. Los Angeles officials said there weren't enough Asian elephants available to acquire more, so they decided to move Billy and Tina to another zoo instead. Five Asian elephants live on a 17-acre complex at the Tulsa Zoo, and they share a 36,650-square-foot barn — a space much larger than the one Billy and Tina have now. But animal-rights advocates say they are concerned about Billy and Tina being able to adapt, and the trip there being unhealthy or traumatizing. 'Billy and Tina may not be any better off at the Tulsa Zoo than they are at the L.A. Zoo,' said Chris Draper, an expert in animal behavior and management, in a declaration filed with the lawsuit by animal-rights advocates last week. Dr. Draper is on the accreditation committee for the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. The L.A. Zoo, which said in a statement this week that its elephants and other animals 'receive the best care possible,' referred questions about the legal battle to the city attorney's office, which declined to comment. The zoo's director, Denise Verret, has said that the decision to move the elephants was made in consultation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits zoos across the country. She is the current chair of the association's board of directors. The decision has prompted criticism from some city officials, and concerns about conflict of interest. At a budget hearing last week, Bob Blumenfield, a city councilor, asked Ms. Verret if she could promise that the elephants would not be moved until council members had a chance to study the move. She did not agree. 'What I can promise you is that I am always going to make decisions that are for the best interest of the animals at the zoo, including the elephants,' Ms. Verret said. For now, it is unclear when the move to Tulsa will happen. Zoo officials said a date had not been determined. On Friday morning, Tina appeared to be receiving some sort of treatment inside the zoo's 16,600-square-foot barn. Outside, Billy paced around the 6.56-acre elephant enclosure, at one point stepping in his own feces. For several minutes, he bobbed his head up and down, which could be interpreted as a sign of a happy elephant. But Cher, who is a co-founder of the animal advocacy group Free the Wild, says that when an elephant does that, 'they're having a breakdown.' The singer acknowledged that she had never visited Billy or his companions at the zoo, but she said in an interview that she had viewed videos of their condition. 'Billy and Tina have served their time in confinement,' she said. 'They deserve the chance to live out their lives in peace and dignity.'
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
PETA call for Broncos to ban famous icon and change name to Brisbane Boomerangs in nod to Aboriginal ties
He is the four-legged secret weapon of the Broncos, but animal rights group 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) is calling for Buck the Broncos mascot to be retired. Since 2010 Buck has been a fan favourite, with pundits cheering and celebrating him every time he gallops onto the field with trainer and rider Natalie Siiankoski. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. And again this weekend as Brisbane attempts to stampede towards this year's NRL premiership Buck will take to Suncorp Stadium, despite PETA's calls for him to be axed. On Thursday, PETA penned an open letter to the Broncos calling for his immediate removal stating it is simply wrong to put the horse through 'the stress of being a mascot'. Buck has been a regular at Brisbane home games for almost two decades. 'Fans will be cheering wildly as the Brisbane Broncos take on the Dragons for the round 11 clash at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, and there's no reason to subject Buck, the horse, to the stress of being a mascot,' a statement from PETA read. 'No matter how much effort and training is put into 'breaking' a horse, they're prey animals with a strong fight-or-flight instinct, and it's nearly impossible to desensitise their instincts. 'Too often, even horses trained to the standard of 'military precision,' become spooked and run, injuring themselves and others when startled by loud noises, like pyrotechnics and fireworks, as well as sudden movements.' 'PETA is asking the Brisbane Broncos to retire Buck and move away from imagery such as bucking broncos, which glorifies rodeos.' However, the Broncos didn't take long to shut down PETA's calls, telling that retiring Buck will not happen anytime soon. 'Buck is an iconic, much-loved and much cared for member of the Broncos family and has been for a very long time,' the Broncos said in a statement to 'We have no plans to retire Buck, and our game day staff will continue, as we always have, to work with his rider Nat and the stadium to ensure the highest level of safety, for both Buck and our fans in stadia.' If it is up to PETA, the axing of Buck is not the only change the Broncos will make, with the non-profit organisation urging the NRL club to also change its name and badge to stop glorifying rodeos while also giving a nod to their indigenous roots. 'The team could even adopt the name the 'Brisbane Boomerangs' after the impressive Aboriginal weapon — a nod to the team's fostering of Indigenous talent and commitment to equality. 'Removing 'real' Buck from the field is the best 'conversion' the Broncos could make. 'Unlike real horses, the human inside the inanimate Buck costume can consent to running around a field in front of screaming fans, and no one is sitting on their back. Aside from the odd dry cleaning, Buck, the costumed character doesn't need anywhere near the level of care a real horse does.'
