Haunting Animal Film New Release

Today whilst walking my dog I started to think about a film that changed my life forever ‘The Animal Film’. I only remember the beginning - old footage of an elephant being electrocuted - I was twelve years old, now I’m nearly 40 and it still haunts me. I think I blocked out the rest of the film, but it had a major impact on me as I never ate meat again.

Anyway… here’s the coincidence… I read my inbox today and found a message from PETA:

The iconic film of the eighties is back and DVD as from today. The Animals Film was groundbreaking in it’s day and inspired thousands of people to go veggie and get into animal rights. We’re giving away 3 copies – please spread the word!

For more info: PETA

Dog Missing For 16 days Found In Compost Heap

A couple convinced that their dog had been stolen, found her alive and well in a compost heap!

Tim and Judith Brown contacted police and placed posters offering a reward when Ruby the Border Terrier disappeared; they heard nothing until she was unearthed 16 days later, when a squeaking was heard from the compost heap.

Full story: County Times

Monkey Bites Tory

Andrew Rosindell MP for Romford and Conservative would-be minister for animal welfare needed a tetanus jab after receiving a bite from a monkey in Gibraltar. The Barbary ape was nursing her baby when Rosindell wandered to close, the monkey gave a warning by tugging his sleeve, and then about 10 seconds later she bit the MP.

Full story: The Mirror

Wildlife Group Increases Reward For Information On Injured Pelicans

Los Angeles Times:

A wildlife group has increased its reward for information about 11 pelicans found with intentionally broken wings on a stretch of Southern California’s Bolsa Chica State Beach…

Runners Go Ape

Bill Oddie fired the starting pistol for around 750 runners taking part in the 6th annual 7km Great Gorilla Run in London yesterday. It is hoped the event organised by the Gorilla Organisation will bring in £200,000 for the charity that protects endangered apes in central African rainforests.

Read more: The Telegraph

Battle Over Hemingway’s Cats

Associated Press:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture threatened to fine The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum $200 per day, per cat, if they didn’t rid the museum grounds of their resident six-toed cats. The cats all descended from ‘Snowball’ a moggie given to the writer Hemingway in 1935; they all carry the six-toe gene, but not all display the extra toe. To stop the cats from being removed or caged the museum had to fork out nearly $250,000 on lawyers fees and fencing to keep the animals enclosed on the one-acre site.

Milk Powder Causes Medical Problems For Zoo Animals

Tainted milk that has caused medical problems for babies in China has also affected zoo animals. The Sanlu-brand milk powder was fed to a number of animals including a 15 month old orangutan called Qimao who has been diagnosed with crystals in her urine.

Read more: Shanghai Daily

Revised Slaughter Rules Cautiously Welcomed

RSPCA:

The RSPCA has cautiously welcomed new proposals to overhaul current European Union (EU) rules on animal slaughter…

French Presidency Opposes Postponement Of 2012 Battery Cages Ban

Compassion in World Farming has welcomed the announcement by The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Wednesday 24 September 2008) that it rejects any postponement of the EU ban on battery cages. Michel Barnier, French Minister of Agriculture and current president of the Council, made the statement during a meeting of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare & Conservation of Animals in Brussels…

Press Release: Compassion In World Farming

Europe’s Amphibians May Halve In Number By 2050

Wildlife Extra:

Climate change, habitat destruction and disease may kill off more than half of Europe’s amphibians by 2050, according to scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)…