Naturewatch target major opporunity to get Ukraine to end its shameful treatment of stray animals. Since its independence 20 years ago, Ukraine has ignored any relationship with the EU, preferring to avoid western standards of ethics and decency. With the support of Poland which holds the EU presidency until the end of 2011, the Ukrainian government is seeking visa-free travel within the EU and major trade concessions, but is offering nothing in return. Our message is simple: EU citizens will not allow you any of the concessions you are seeking until you comply with western standards of animal welfare.
Naturewatch produced a major and in-depth report for Members of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OiE). It contains damning evidence of the most terrible cruelty inflicted upon animals in Ukraine and urges the EU to tell Ukraine such treatment is abhorrent, illegal and must stop immediately.
November - Launch of campaign to raise awareness of the tragic reality of puppy farms in Great Britain. Campaign highlights the loopholes in current regulations that allows unscupulous, greedy and cruel breeders to use dogs as money-making machines and the action Naturewatch will be taking to help end puppy farms via tough new licensing laws and rigorous inspection rules.
October - Naturewatch supporters are asked to help us maintain and expand our World Animal Day project. Launched in 2003, this innovative and inspiring project unites the animal welfare movement around the globe and has gone from strength to strength each year. World Animal Day has attracted the help and support of 72 Ambassadors in 65 countries. In 2010, 730 events in 85 countries were registered with us.
September - Naturewatch sent UK MEPs a Briefing that urges them to resist any moves to postpone the 2013 deadline to ban animal testing of cosmetics. The Briefing outlines previous delays to banning animal testing of cosmetics and their ingredients, prompting one MEP to raise a question in the European Commission on our behalf.
June - Launch of the 12th edition Compassionate Shopping Guide. During the course of compiling the 12th edition there was no shortage of surprises, including dozens of new endorsements and some good news from Tesco! The 12th edition also highlights the effects consumer products have on the environment - the use of palm oil which endangers orangutans, and talc mining; to positives like eco-cleaning products and the companies doing their bit to protect the birds and the bees!
May - In Lithuania, our representative launches an initiative to see a national dog licensing system introduced to help encourage responsible pet ownership, encourage spaying and neutering which will effectively reduce the country's stray animal population.
In the UK, the General Election saw the highest number of new MPs entering parliament for decades. To introduce new MPs to the debate surrounding animals in scientific procedures and hi-tech humane alternatives, Naturewatch sent each new MP a Briefing "In your hands: the future of humane scientific research". The Briefing outlines practical things MPs can do to replace animals in research and quicken the pace of progress to humane science.
2009
November - With Christmas fast approaching when millions of people will be buying perfumes and toiletries for loved ones, we focus on encouraging the purchase of cruelty-free products and send out an essential Christmas shopping list for her, him and for the little ones.
October - Naturewatch sponsors World Animal Day. Participation in celebrating World Animal Day on 4th October has doubled year on year. In 2009, at least 80 countries covering all continents got involved! This initiative will eventually achieve our goal for the animals: to be successful in uniting the animal welfare movement throughout the world, embracing all animals and the unique concerns of each, in every country! Get involved visit
http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/
September - First mailing about the barbaric and horrific slaughter of homeless dogs in Ukraine. Ukraine is hosting the UEFA football championships in 2012 and, in order to present a "clean" image to foreign visitors, city officials want to abandon the humane neuter and release stray animal programme and, instead, conduct mass killings. Naturewatch managed to stop a planned mass slaughter a few years ago when Ukraine hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.
June - Over a third of all MPs sign EDM 545! 268 MPs sign Early Day Motion 545 urging the government to do more to promote hi-tech, non-animal research methods, making it the sixth most highly supported EDM in the 2009 parliamentary session, out of 2421 EDMs!
May - Naturewatch supporters help keep animal experiments high on the political agenda by expressing their opinion to their MP about the disgraceful lack of progress to reduce the use of animals. Supporters also ask their MP to sign EDM 545 calling on the government to demonstrate its support for measures that will encourage the use of non-animal alternatives in scientific procedures, and halt increases in the number of animals used.
We also launch a new campaign in May: ‘Sponsor a Dog in Ukraine’ for the cost of a Mars Bar a week. This campaign soon proved itself to be hugely successful, enabling us to send additional funds to help the stray animals in Kyiv living at the SPA-SOS shelter.
March - The cruelty inflicted upon animals in China floods our newspapers, websites and television screens every day. Without the necessary laws in place, acts of extreme cruelty to animals in China will continue. Supporters are encouraged to write to the UK's Chinese Ambassador, Her Excellency Madame Fu Ying. Template letter and leaflet containing graphic images provided.
January - EDM 545 tabled on behalf of Naturewatch by Martin Horwood, MP for Cheltenham, highlights the steady rise in animals used in experiments over the past 10 years, and calls on the government to do more to promote non-animal methods such as tissue engineering, bio-chips, microdosing and computer modelling.
2008
November - Animal Experiments has been one of Naturewatch's key campaigning areas from the very beginning, due to the steadfast support it receives from supporters making it clear this is an issue of great concern. Always looking for new angles, we launch a campaign which includes a focus on the fact that the Home Office only charge one fee of £250 for a project licence, regardless of the number of animals used! A presentation is sent to all MPs in support of our Early Day Motion seeking a mandatory fee for each animal used to encourage experimenters to reduce the number of animals used, with the additional fee revenue going to the development of non-animal alternatives.
October – Naturewatch achieves groundbreaking meeting with Kyiv Mayor during which he agrees to issue instructions for the creation of a Humane Stray Control Programme in the city. The notorious “budka” (city-run holding location and killing factory for captured strays) had been our prime concern for more than 10 years due to the barbaric conditions in which the animals were kept. We finally see success following many meetings over many years. Our representative and leading animal advocate in Kyiv, Tamara Tarnawska, agreed to advise the Mayor on all issues relating to the humane care of stray animals including a rehoming programme.
June - Good News - we have gathered enough evidence to support the fact that badger crime is a thriving criminal activity. Bad News - the Home Office don't want to listen and have resisted all reports and acknowledgements about this issue! Campaign results (organised in conjunction with Crimestoppers) prove that badger crime is still a thriving criminal activity, with many badgers suffering long, agonising deaths at the hands of violent and barbaric badger baiters. Supporters get involved to help ‘Badger the Home Office’ for action to be taken.
March – Naturewatch launch new campaign ‘Spotlight on China’ to tackle animal cruelty in China and also build a separate website to focus on this issue. One of the most important campaigns we have ever undertaken to help animals. In China, cruelty to animals knows no boundaries and the most terrible acts of animal cruelty are committed on a daily basis by both the Chinese authorities and by individuals. Naturewatch Support: Vet Training Workshop - Animal Compassion Grows Amongst Chinese Students - Emergency Shelter Relocation – Animal Cruelty in China Petition.
February - Naturewatch send specialist western European vets to Kyiv, Ukraine, to follow up and develop the training of local vets that took place in November 2007.
January - Naturewatch launch the 11th edition of the Compassionate Shopping Guide. As in previous editions, the 11th edition puts the spotlight on animal testing of personal care and household products; it reports on the testing of batches of Botox on mice; points a finger at France where most of the testing in Europe is carried out by the country's leading cosmetic companies, for example, L'Oréal.
2007
November - Naturewatch funds visit of specialist western European vets to visit Kyiv, Ukraine, where they conduct an initial two-week training programme to train local vets in spaying and neutering techniques.
The city of Kyiv once again promises to introduce plans for a humane stray animal programme! Deputy Mayor of Kyiv, Irena Kilchytska, announces a £2.3 million budget to fund a four year programme to humanely tackle the city’s stray animal population. This result came after 12 months of discussions with the city authorities following Naturewatch UK being invited to become special advisors to Kyiv City regarding its stray dog problem. However, we won't hold our breath as there have been many promises in the past!
October - Naturewatch and Crimestoppers join forces to tackle the issue of badger baiting/digging in the Cynon Valley in South Wales. This joint campaign prompts a huge number of calls to Crimestoppers relating to badger crime for investigation by South Wales Police and the National Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit. The campaign raises the profile of crimes against badgers significantly. With the aid of the up-to-date intelligence, Wildlife Crime Officers successfully carried out operations against known perpetrators. This campaign was launched following a meeting with the Home Office earlier in the year when, Vernon Coaker, Under-Secretary of State requested Naturewatch gather evidence to prove that badger baiting is a thriving criminal activity.
September - In the UK we meet Tesco CSR personnel and Product Formulators to discuss the implementing of a Fixed Cut-Off Date policy for own brand personal care and household cleaning products.
In response to our EDM 1627 (Early Day Motion), Ian Pearson, Minister for Science and Innovations, announces a £1 million cash boost increasing the NC3Rs budget to £2.4 million for the research of 11 new 3Rs projects. In December 2007, the Government announces it would double its annual funding over the next few years. This is a wonderful achievement. For many years, Naturewatch campaigned for more funds to be granted to 3Rs research as the 3Rs rest at the heart of laboratory culture and underpins the industry’s rules and regulations. Against the majority view of other animal welfare organisations, Naturewatch warmly welcomed and endorsed the opening of the NC3Rs in 2004 and continued to support the valuable work it undertook, but was always concerned with the limited funding it was receiving. Eventually Naturewatch’s campaigning began to influence the Government, and we were delighted to see its perspective on the importance and value of the 3Rs finally improve.
NC3Rs – National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research.
3Rs – Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of animals in research projects.
In Ukraine following Naturewatch intervention, Kyiv Zoo is expelled from the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Since 1997, the Zoo continually promised improvements but these promises were empty. The animals continued to endure terrible conditions. Although Naturewatch had been in regular contact with EAZA regarding Kyiv Zoo’s failure to enact agreed improvements, it was following a disgraceful situation which occurred in June 2007 that we finally persuaded EAZA to expel Kyiv Zoo from the association.
In June 2007, former Zoo Director Mr Holovin used rubber bullets to chase a young bear into the cage of a mature bear which then viciously attacked it. The same director also put his hunting dog into the enclosure of a fox for “training” which resulted in the fox being attacked and killed.
In January 2008, Kyiv Zoo, under new directorship, began working towards regaining EAZA membership. In order to achieve this goal, Kyiv Zoo must reach an acceptable standard of care for all its animals. We understand that Kyiv Zoo is striving for EAZA membership by 2012 as Kyiv is a host city for the UEFA European Football Championship (Union of European Football Associations). We truly hope it will achieve that goal for the sake of the animals.
June - In the UK, Early Day Motion 1627: Replacement, Refinement and Reduction Testing Methods, tabled on behalf of Naturewatch by Martin Horwood, MP for Cheltenham, highlighting the minimal amount of funds the Government grants the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research and calling on the Government to start making a meaningful commitment by increasing its annual funding.
In June, we also met with the CTPA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Assocation) to discuss the 7th amendment to the Cosmetics Directive and its implication with specific reference to the phased ban on animal testing.
In Lithuania, four years have passed since our last appeal to benefit the country's animals. We report to supporters about the truly excellent work undertaken and wonderful achievements in that time. To name but a few: introduction of animal protection laws; central office and wildlife rehabilitation centre opened; purchase of wildlife rescue vehicle; campaigning on issues such as travelling circuses, hunting, keeping of exotic pets; humane education including the publication of a teacher's resource book for schoolchildren; refurbishment of education centre at zoo; new library at Lithuanian Veterinary Academy.
April - Naturewatch launches hard-hitting campaign to Members of Parliament, highlighting the disgraceful lack of progress in reducing animal experiments and seeking a complete overhaul of the entire system. Home Office, which is responsible for animal experiments, not up to the task - no strategy in place to tackle this issue - time for change, the system is not working!
February - Badger Baiting in Britain today. Every year, 10,000 badgers are dug out and forced to fight to the death with dogs - the most evil of animal crimes. We launch campaign to MPs with our proposed solutions, all of which are strongly backed by Police Wildlife Crime Officers and all recent government committee inquiries on wildlife crime.
February – Naturewatch instrumental in helping Marks & Spencer adopt a fixed cut-off date policy for their cosmetic and toiletry products. Leading high street retailer Marks and Spencer adopts the strict fixed cut-off date animal testing policy of 1st January 2006 for beauty products, the benchmark for cruelty-free cosmetics and toiletries.