Historic milestone : The first dolphin sanctuary in Europe where dolphins, from captivity will not be performing in a chlorine pool anymore but swimming in the salty sea

 

The world view toward keeping dolphins in aquaria for entertainment purposes is shifting.

 Sao Paolo Dolphin Refuge is the first dolphin sanctuary in Europe. It is located in an enclosed stretch of sea near Tarante, in southern Italy. The sanctuary was founded by the Italian organization Jonian Dolphin Conservation, especially for dolphins that can no longer stay in a dolphinarium and cannot return to the wild. Often these animals need permanent care. This sanctuary was developed with a team of partners, including World Animal Protection and cetacean experts.

"This final permit is a historic milestone. For the first time in Europe, there will be a marine sanctuary where dolphins from captivity can live in a more natural environment, without interaction with tourists and with their welfare first," says Sanne Kuijpers, campaign manager Wild Animals. "These kinds of projects are an essential part of solving the serious welfare problems in captive cetaceans. No more concrete basins, but the rhythm of the sea. A place where they can be dolphins again, instead of entertainers. It brings us one step closer to a future where the orcas and dolphins that now live in captivity will be the last."

What is a marine dolphin sanctuary?

These are spacious enclosures in a fenced-off piece of sea, where dolphins that now live in captivity can live. The welfare of the dolphins is paramount and the dolphins can show more natural behavior. Not performing in a chlorine pool for a screaming audience, but swimming around and diving in the salty sea, where they belong. No new dolphins are bred for a life in captivity.

The dolphins are provided with a more natural and challenging habitat, while receiving the care and guidance they need after years of living in a confined environment.

The urgency of reception places

The popularity of dolphinariums is declining. Visitor numbers are falling, legislation is changing and parks are closing. In the past five years, several parks in France and Belgium, for example, have closed or are threatened with closure. This is a good development, because wild animals are not supposed to do shows in chlorine baths. But the dolphins that are born in captivity often cannot go back into the wild. The only option is often a move to another park, where breeding and performing and tricks continue. That is why World Animal Protection www.worldanimalprotection.nl has been working on the development of shelters for marine mammals for years.

In addition to the reception in Italy, reception places are being developed in Canada and Greece, among others. 

Worldwide more than 60 million donkeys and mules: The Donkey Sanctuary UK with 100 rescued donkeys and mules

 

https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/what-we-do/where-we-work/asia

Despite temperatures climbing steadily towards 30°C, it’s all systems go at our Town Barton Farm, which is nestled on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in Devon.

The farm is currently in the grips of a heatwave that has affe100 donkeys cted vast swathes of the country. However, with more than 100 donkeys and mules to care for, the team at Town Barton can’t afford to rest.

Instead, clever thinking and innovation has helped the grooms keep the long-eared residents of Town Barton cool and comfortable.

Groom Aby Colemon-Chalet says: “We have seen that some of our donkeys have really been struggling with the humidity, more so than others. If they were living in their native Africa, the heat would be a lot drier.”

Aside from the lethargy-inducing heat, flying pests have been a prevalent issue at Town Barton, especially for a pair of donkeys who react badly to their bites.

One of these donkeys, 25-year-old Peter, is prone to scabbing on his legs when he is bitten.

To help prevent his legs from becoming sore, the Town Barton team have adopted a novel trick that has seen success at Paccombe Farm in Devon and our European sanctuaries.

Peter now wears snazzy leggings on all four legs, which reduces the amount of fly bites. 

They also help the team localise treatment and prevention on any areas of his legs that are uncovered.

Beating the heat

With the pests handled, the team at Town Barton have explored fresh methods to tackle the main culprit affecting the farm’s donkeys – the heat.

It is a constant source of discomfort, and with this most recent drought threatening to span into next week, the grooms are experimenting with ways to keep their animals cool.

Aby says: “We have set up a shallow pool at Top Barn and fill it with water every day. When it becomes very hot, the mules will stand in the water to cool down.

We also use the pool for enrichment. We have infused the water with tea and herbs – and even the occasional ginger snap, which they love! Sometimes, we use just plain salt to flavour the water, as it helps with hydration while offering a different taste.”

Most recently, the team at Town Barton implemented an elevated sprinkler system in the yard. Though not sophisticated – the sprinklers are securely tied up high with baler twine – it has proved effective!

“At first, we placed the sprinklers on the floor and attached them to a hosepipe,” Aby adds. “We noticed that the donkeys seemed confused at why water was coming up from the floor, so they didn’t approach the sprinklers.

“One of our grooms then tied up the sprinklers to simulate rain which, as they live in England, the donkeys are more used to! With some food placed under the sprinklers, it didn’t take long for them to approach and enjoy the water.

“Us grooms have also stood under them when we get too hot, so we’re all enjoying them!”

The donkeys at Town Barton are at their happiest when the sun finally makes way for nighttime.  

Under the moon, they are given freedom to roam the paddocks and graze in the cool winds that blow across the farm. 

“While the donkeys have access to three barns that are connected in the day, it actually benefits them more to graze at night,” Aby says. “The heat is less, but there are also less sugars in the grass. 

“I do think these donkeys are lucky to be here when we face extreme weather like this. We have a really good team at Town Barton, and we are doing our best to ensure that they remain comfortable.  

“The donkeys are getting used to the heat as well. We have been grooming out their winter coats and have been given them plenty of ice licks. 

“What’s great is we can all be here for them. In January, when the storms hit, some of our staff couldn’t drive to the farm because of floods. 

“This time, everyone is on site to help make them comfortable.” 

End the donkey skin trade

At least 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered for their skins every year.

The collagen from their skin produces ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine. China’s domestic donkey population has collapsed, so, the ejiao industry has shifted to a global trade network to source its donkey skin to continue meeting demand. With such intense demand, skin traders look for a supply at any cost.

From source to slaughter, the donkeys who get caught up in this trade suffer at every stage. Donkeys die in often unregulated, inhumane, and unsanitary conditions, and large numbers perish on their way to slaughterhouses. 

Communities who depend on their donkeys to help provide them with a livelihood wake up to find their donkeys stolen, slaughtered, and skinned during the night. Families are losing donkeys that mean so much to them. Lives and opportunities are destroyed.

The transportation of untreated skins and improper disposal of donkey carcasses risk triggering the spread of infectious diseases and damaging local ecosystems. The Donkey Sanctuary has evidence that criminals are exploiting the skin trade and are smuggling and selling illegal products alongside donkey skins.

https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/what-we-do/end-the-donkey-skin-trade

Animal welfare 'Eyes On Animals' 34 degrees in the shade at a Dutch slaughterhouse pigs in a truck in total panic gasping for fresh air

 

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Panic in a sweltering truck. We are standing under a large canopy at a Dutch pig slaughterhouse. Outside, it is about 34 degrees in the shade. Legally, transport is still permitted at this temperature. A truck with pigs drives onto the premises. In the truck, I see pigs in total panic. They are literally trying to get out of the truck, but have nowhere to go. One of the pigs has injuries to her face. She may have fought her way to the side of the truck. Desperately, she sticks her nose through the opening of the truck, looking for fresh air. Many other pigs are doing the same. A pig tries to escape the scorching heat in a livestock truck. I try to stay calm, because no pig benefits from my anger or sadness. But the driver sees that I am worried. ' I can open the roof ,' he says, as he opens the window of his cab.   ' Yes ,' I reply. ' Go ahead and open everything. ' Together with my colleague Lara, I retrieve a large fan and we place it in front of the compartments with the most heat stress. Almost immediately, we see the pigs calm down a little. I am so glad that these fans were purchased on our advice. I am installing large fans that were purchased on our advice – the overheated pigs are sticking their noses out to catch as much wind as possible. In the meantime, I call the owner of the slaughterhouse and ask him to give the truck priority during unloading. He gets to work on it immediately. Not much later, the truck drives to the unloading platform. Good cooperation makes a difference for the animals. At moments like these, I realize how special and important our cooperation with the sector is. The owner of the slaughterhouse takes our request seriously immediately. The drivers are also friendly and helpful. I sincerely believe that most of them want to do the right thing. I am also enormously grateful for the many steps we have taken together with the sector. About ten years ago, slaughterhouses had hardly any facilities to protect animals from heat stress. Trucks stood waiting in the full sun. By now, virtually all slaughterhouses have canopies that provide shade, misting systems, and large fans. That makes a huge difference for countless animals on every hot day. At the same time, I am overcome by a sense of despondency. Long waiting times remain a recurring annual problem . For years, we have been calling attention to the long waiting times at slaughterhouses within the sector, the NVWA, and also through the media. They cause a great deal of animal suffering and are, moreover, in violation of the law. This year, the problem seems bigger than ever. Because transport above 35 degrees is prohibited, many animals are brought to the slaughterhouse early in the day, before this maximum temperature is reached. But not all these animals can be unloaded at the same time: there are insufficient unloading platforms and the holding pens are not large enough. The consequence: animals have to wait even longer in sweltering trucks. More than 15 trucks, loaded with pigs, are waiting their turn. The slaughterhouse has promised to contact us during the next heatwave. We want fewer trucks to arrive per hour so that waiting times decrease, for more portable fans to be purchased, and for an animal welfare officer to be permanently present on hot days to monitor the welfare of waiting pigs. Perseverance pays off: stricter rules from 2027. Together with the Dutch Animal Protection Society, we have fought for years for a reduction in the maximum transport temperature – we wrote many reports, published images, and alerted politicians. With success. From 2027, animals may no longer be transported at temperatures above 30 degrees, whereas the limit is currently 35 degrees. EenVandaag devoted extensive coverage to this and made use of our inspection footage. Of course, 30°C is still far too hot for pigs. But we are certain that this measure will prevent a great deal of suffering. It shows that perseverance pays off. We need to have a long-term perspective for structural changes. That is why we are continuing. With our heat stress inspections, the many conversations with the sector and the NVWA about the long waiting times, and by providing direct assistance at moments like these, when we can really make a difference for pigs in need. Jack and Lara from Eyes on Animals check on the waiting pigs during the extreme heat. It is thanks to your support that we can be with these animals, their suffering does not go unnoticed, and we can achieve lasting improvements. On behalf of all colleagues at Eyes on Animals: thank you very much for your support. Madelaine Looije , Inspector, Eyes on Animals

With warm wishes to you all,

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