How can we define pet animals, and which species make the ideal pets? It is difficult to ascertain where and when the term “pet” first originated as an umbrella term to refer to captive animals kept as companions instead of food sources or working animals; however there are various accepted…
Recently, I had the pleasure of spending a day with a group consisting of 14 Asian elephants in the Kulen elephant forestin Cambodia. This is a new retirement home for the Angkor Wat Elephants that spent their entire lives providing tourist rides around the temples. In Cambodia, wild elephants are in…
The conservation hype should not fool visitors to animal attractions. The Born Free Foundation criticized Longleat Safari Park in October 2018 for importing five southern Koalas from eastern Australia, half way around the world, to stock its new “Koala Creek”. Longleat has strongly denied that this was a money-making venture and…
Without being aware of it, our daily decisions and attitudes towards animals are heavily impacted by animal law. Three major drawbacks exist with animal legislation. One is that animals always come out worse because they’re treated as possessions; another is they don’t enjoy legal rights for themselves and finally prosecutions…
Estimates suggest that annually in the UK thousands of rescue dogs from Europe – predominantly Romania – are imported as rescue pets; is this process safe and equitable for the animals involved? There has been an increased trend of rescuing dogs and cats from foreign countries and transporting them into…
The scandal of starving horses is a forgotten one. I started a new job in 1975 as the Chief Inspector for the Bahamas Humane Society, located in Nassau. I didn’t know that I would soon be alone, in a derelict horse stable at the famous Hobby Horse Hall Racetrack, waiting for…
Another American huntress has caused worldwide outrage with her social media posts and brought attention to the subject of big game trophy hunting. One could say that they do this on purpose. Of course, that’s what they want. Social media is their best tool to get us angry and, strange as it may…
Why do we turn against those attempting to assist animals? Battery farms with battery chickens, cruelty to chickens and hens Pro-active charities such as PETA and the RSPCA address animal cruelty issues head-on and focus their resources and attention on them. Organisations and groups defending animal exploitation and cruelty issues…
Estimates suggest that every year, many thousands of rescue dogs from EU countries, with Romania being responsible for around one third of these importations efforts, are imported into the UK for adoption or rescue purposes – but is this appropriate and fair treatment of animals? People have seen an increasing…
Condor, a Bahamian Rescue Dog who kept me safe. In September 1975, I was sitting in a bungalow next to the Bahamas Humane Society compound at Nassau after a long flight from the UK. It was my first day as chief inspector. In these situations, when you find yourself exhausted and…