While she was washing a chicken breast under the tap, it went stringy and came apart in her hands. After she shared a photo of the meat to social media, commenters pointed out that it was likely “spaghetti chicken,” the meat of a fast-growing chicken.

Read more: I’m Taking The Government To Court Over Farmed Chickens – Here’s Why

The truth about ‘spaghetti chicken’

The majority of chicken meat in the US and UK comes from fast growing breeds. They have been dubbed “frankenchickens” by some, as they have been selectively bred to reach slaughter weight in six weeks. If a human baby grew as fast as these chickens do, the baby would be the size of an adult tiger at eight weeks. 

Meat from such chickens can sometimes become stringy, giving it a spaghetti-like appearance. This is because they may have struggled to breathe properly while alive, meaning their muscle tissues did not receive enough oxygen, causing the fibers to separate. Around four to five percent of chicken breast meat is identified as “spaghetti chicken” in the US.

Read more: Will Eating Chicken Really Save The Planet?

The rise of spaghetti chicken was described as an “industry woe” by the Wall Street Journal in 2019. According to the report, chicken companies in the US are spending around $200 million each year to divert breasts that have become stringy.

The cruelty of fast growing breeds

While the chicken industry sees the phenomenon as just a headache and extra cost, the rise of spaghetti chicken showcases a hidden aspect of chicken farming that’s widely regarded as cruel. 

Chickens suffer hugely on farms. Because of their size, they often experience serious injuries, broken bones, and lack of mobility. Some are so large that they cannot move to access food and water. 

“If you hear the term ‘spaghetti chicken’, think ‘painfully crippled chicken’, because these unfortunate birds are bred to grow so unnaturally large so quickly that their legs buckle beneath them and they can’t even stand up,” Elisa Allen, Vice President of Programmes, tells Plant Based News. “Anyone with a grain of compassion must swear off supporting such systemic cruelty.”

Read more: Think Free Range Eggs Are Ethical? Investigation Exposes Reality Of ‘Cage-Free’

The reason why fast growing breeds are so widely used is because they maximize profit for the industry, allowing it to produce as much chicken meat as possible. Chickens are by far the most abused land animals on the planet, and around 70 billion of them are farmed and killed each year. Buying and consuming them supports this industry, and abstaining from their meat is the only way to not contribute to this cruelty. “PETA encourages everyone to buy only vegan chicken, which comes without a side order of suffering,” says Allen.

The post The Grim Reality Of ‘Spaghetti Chicken’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

Read more: How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Everyday?

Sharks play a critical role in marine ecosystems, and their decline can have profound effects on the balance of marine habitats. They are also sentient beings capable of pain, fear, and suffering.

Various species of sharks are at risk, with some being caught for their fins, meat, oil, and other by-products. The extent of these practices shows that across the globe, shark populations are being diminished at rates that could threaten their survival.

Given that a significant percentage of sharks caught are already at conservation risk, it is crucial that sharks are offered more protections. Here, we detail what you need to know about sharks, and how they are treated throughout the world.  

Shark Species and their global distribution

The global distribution of shark species is vast, with subsets of species adapted to a range of marine environments. Here, we evaluate the regions predominantly inhabited by various shark species and the expansive spectrum of these species.

Predominant Shark Habitats

Sharks have colonised nearly all marine environments across the globe.

Among the most widely distributed species, the oceanic whitetip shark, can typically be found in open waters, swimming in deep blue tropical and subtropical seas.

Hammerhead sharks, known for their distinctive head shape, frequent coastal warm waters, often in schools during the daytime.

Bull sharks, on the other hand, are unique in their ability to thrive in both saltwater and freshwater, commonly seen in coastal areas, rivers and lakes.

The whale shark, the gentle giant of the shark world, prefers warm waters. While they often roam the open seas, they congregate seasonally near coastal regions to feed.

Diversity of Shark Species

There are over 500 identified species of shark. They range from the small dwarf lantern shark, seldom seen by humans, to the aforementioned whale shark, the largest fish in the ocean. 

Sharks are divided into eight orders, which help classify them based on common characteristics and evolutionary history. Here’s a brief overview of some of these orders:

• Carcharhiniformes: This order includes a majority of common shark species, such as the tiger shark and the bull shark.
• Squaliformes: These are deep-sea sharks, often with elongated bodies like the dogfishes.
• Lamniformes: In this order, we find the famous great white shark, and the basking shark, which is the second-largest fish in the ocean.

Each shark species plays a pivotal role in the marine environment, helping to maintain the health of the ocean’s ecosystems.

What sharks are endangered?

Of the approximately 500 species of shark, around 25 percent under threat, ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered. As apex predators, sharks play a vital role in the harmony of the ocean ecosystem. This is because they eat fish, creating a balance in the food chain. Their extinction can therefore lead to an increase in certain fish species, playing havoc on the health of our oceans. Critically endangered sharks include the daggernose shark, the ganges shark, the oceanic whitetip, and the scalloped hammerhead.

Threats to shark populations

Shark populations worldwide are under severe threat due to various human activities. Due to the fact they inhabit such a wide variety of ocean spaces, they are heavily impacted by many activities all over the world. Fishing, finning, and environmental changes are particularly detrimental, leading to a dramatic fall in numbers and raising the risk of extinction for many species.

Read more: Billions Of Animals Killed For Food End Up In The Bin, Says New Study

The problem of shark extinction is exacerbated by the fact that sharks are very slow in reproductive capabilities, meaning many are killed before they are able to have children. Their pregnancies can last for up to three years, they produce few offspring, and there are often large gaps between pregnancies.

Fishing and its impact

Sharks are actively fished out of the ocean due to the fact there’s a market for their meat and fins. 

Fishing is the biggest threat to sharks worldwide. According to a study published in Nature, shark populations fell by 71 percent between 1970 and 2018. 

Speaking about the findings, Professor Nick Dulvy, co-author of the study, said: “If we don’t do anything, it will be too late. It’s much worse than other animal populations we’ve been looking at. It’s an incredible rate of decline steeper than most elephant and rhino declines, and those animals are iconic in driving conservation efforts on land.”

As well as being sought out by fisheries, sharks are also victims to “bycatch,” which refers to unintended species being fished out of the ocean. It’s thought that around 50 million sharks are killed per year as a result of bycatch.

Sharks are often caught in fishing gear due to the fact that they feed on the fish being caught by humans. This means that they tend to be in the vicinity of fishing boats that use destructive practices like bottom trawling.

The practice of finning

Finning is the practice of removing a shark’s fins, often while the shark is still alive, and discarding the remainder of the animal at sea. This means that they suffer an agonizing death. 

Read more: ‘Wrong On So Many Levels’: Scotland Urged To Crack Down On Salmon Farming

The fins are primarily used for making shark fin soup, a luxury dish in some cultures.

The global shark finning trade contributes significantly to the decline of shark populations, as it incentivizes the targeting of sharks for their fins alone.

Although countries like Brazil have stepped forward to regulate the trade, illegal fishing operations persist due to the lucrative nature of shark fins on the black market.

International trade regulations aim to curtail this practice by dictating sustainable fishing practices; however, enforcement varies greatly between regions.

Why else are sharks caught?

It’s important to note that shark finning is not the only reason sharks are sought by fisheries. It’s been commonplace to blame certain cultures for sharks being killed, but sharks are actually sought out for a whole host of reasons.

The shark oil and cartilage market is worth around USD $1 billion per year. Shark meat is also sold throughout the world, often to customers who have no idea what they’re eating.

According to a report published in January 2024, the crackdown on shark finning in some countries has incentivized the fishing industry to find alternative means by which to sell sharks. Shark finning legislation therefore has not led to a decrease in mortality. According to the report’s author, legislation had likely led to an increase in the number of sharks dying.

Researchers said that sharks are often caught and sold as “mystery meat,” and they may be found in countries all over the world, including in the UK. Study co-author Laurenne Schiller, a marine conservation scientist, told The Times: “Sharks are part of a global supply chain. There are countries all over the world that are consuming shark meat and sometimes not even knowing it.”

In 2019, DNA tests found that spiny dogfish – an endangered shark that cannot legally be caught in UK waters – was being sold in chip shops around the UK.

Another study found that shark meat was present in dog and cat food, also without being identified on the label.

Environmental changes

Sharks are also facing threats from changes in their environment. Pollution, the climate crisis, and habitat destruction can disrupt the fragile ecosystems where sharks play crucial roles.

These environmental changes can directly affect the availability of prey species and breeding grounds, resulting in further pressure on shark populations.

It is essential to understand that the cumulative impact of these threats can bring numerous shark species to the brink of extinction if unaddressed.

How many sharks are killed per year?

As mentioned previously, one estimate states that 100 million sharks are killed per year. It’s worth noting that this oft-cited number is from a 2013 study, and the current amount could well be much higher. Industrial fishing is always expanding, and illegal fishing activities also often go undocumented.

Human and shark interactions

In discussing human and shark interactions, it’s important to examine the prevalence of shark attacks, media influences on public perception of sharks, and the impact of human activities related to sharks.

The role of media in perception of sharks

Our understanding of sharks is often shaped by the media. Sensational reporting can amplify public fear, portraying sharks as relentless predators. Perhaps the most well-known portrayal of sharks in popular culture came in the form of the 1975 film Jaws. The iconic movie documented a bloodthirsty great white shark that terrorized a seaside town, killing multiple people in gory and bloody scenes. Since the film’s release, there have been numerous films showing sharks in a similar bloodthirsty manner. This is despite the fact that sharks very rarely actively hunt humans.

The negative portrayal of sharks means that the fate suffered by them by the hands of humans can often go overlooked, with people not caring how these “scary predators” are treated.

But this perception can overshadow factual representations and neglect the rarity of shark attacks.

Despite what the media would have you believe, there are actually relatively few shark attacks on humans each year. The number of these are miniscule compared to the number of sharks killed by humans.

Shark attacks statistics

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), managed by the Florida Museum of Natural History, human encounters with sharks do occur but are relatively rare.

The data shows a yearly fluctuation in shark attack numbers across various regions including Australia, the USA (notably California and Florida), New Zealand, and the Bahamas.

For example, in 2020, there were recorded:

• Australia: 18 unprovoked shark attacks
• USA: 33 unprovoked shark attacks
• New Zealand: 1 unprovoked shark attack
• Bahamas: 2 unprovoked shark attacks

While a minority of these incidents result in fatalities, it is important to note that cases of unprovoked shark attacks leading to human deaths are exceedingly uncommon.

It’s thought that humans have a one in 3.7 million chance of being attacked by a shark. According to PETA, you are more likely to be killed by a champagne cork or fireworks.

The bottom line

Sharks have been on this earth for 400 million years (they were even here before dinosaurs), but humans are posing a huge threat to their continued existence. This is overwhelmingly due to demand for their meat and other byproducts, as well as demand for other fish meat.

While there are some initiatives in place to help protect sharks, these are increasingly proving themselves to be inadequate in the face of an out of control and often minimally regulated fishing industry. To protect sharks, the best thing that most humans can do is to stop eating fish, therefore minimizing their contribution to the destruction of our oceans and decimation of shark populations.

The post How Many Sharks Are Killed Per Year? appeared first on Plant Based News.

In the study, nearly two-thirds of meat-eaters found “food imagery” more appealing for “pork” products than pictures of pigs.

The AHDB is part of the UK Government Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). Earlier this year, campaigners accused the body of “misleading” consumers with its pro-meat adverts in supermarkets.

Meat-eaters don’t want to see who they’re eating

The AHDB says that “[v]olume growth in fresh red meat has been challenging for many years.” Indeed, the total number of pigs slaughtered for meat in the UK fell to 10 million in 2023, the lowest number since 2013.

In response, the AHDB led a study to find out “what shoppers are looking for on food packaging.”

The results reveal that most don’t want to see the animal who died for their meal. “Although some shoppers didn’t mind imagery of animals, most were put off by seeing animal imagery on pack,” the study notes.

It is unsurprising that meat-eaters prefer to ignore the animals they are putting in their mouths. Studies have shown the that disassociation is a common technique meat-eaters use to avoid feelings of guilt.

A spokesperson for the AHDB told Plant Based News (PBN): “Decisions to include food imagery is based on research and resulting evidence.”

Meat labels don’t tell the whole story

Faced with falling demand for animal products, the AHDB launched an advertising campaign this year geared towards getting younger people eating more meat and dairy.

Adfree Cities was one of several campaign groups to submit a complaint. Veronica Wignall, its co-director, said in a statement: “With cows grazing in sunlit green fields, birdsong and health messaging, the AHDB’s ‘Let’s Eat Balanced’ ads don’t tell the whole story.”

The new study used a similar “happy cow” on a food label. However, even this airbrushed version of animal agriculture proved too much for most meat-eaters.

One participant wrote that they “prefer seeing the dish that can be eaten rather than the animal.”

Cigarette-style labels for meat

In recent years, the meat industry has tried to stop plant-based meat companies using “meaty” labels.

Some believe that rather than censoring “vegan steak,” regulators should focus on the deception on meat packaging. For example, Chris Packham has suggested that more honest “cigarette-style” labelling of animal products would reduce meat consumption.

More like this:

• Meat Consumption Hits A Record Low In The UK
• Campaigners Call for An End To Meat Advertising In The UK
• Joey Carbstrong Releases New Documentary ‘Pignorant’ – How To Watch It

The post Meat-Eaters Prefer Not To See Animals On Meat Labels, Research Finds appeared first on Plant Based News.

On episode 10 of the 21st series of the show, Nick King and his sons Daniel and Ricky presented their Somerset-based business Goats Of The Gorge to the panel of angel investors. They brought a two-week-old baby goat with them, who was passed around and fed by the panel. King explained that the idea for the skincare came when his doctor recommended drinking goat’s milk for his osteoporosis condition. Goats Of The Gorge claims that their products are cruelty-free. 

Dragon’s Den is a popular British television programme, in which startup companies and aspiring entrepreneurs have an opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of experts and attempt to procure investment from them. 

One of the show’s longest-term stars and investors, Deborah Meaden, was the “dragon” who raised concerns about the company’s animals, and how ethical they could claim to be alongside their plans to grow and expand their manufacturing.

Deborah Meaden raises concerns

Meaden took the discussion in a new direction when she explained that she is plant-based. She initially said she was vegan, but then corrected herself as she is not “strict about her use of skincare products.” 

She told the family: “I don’t eat any animal product, whether dairy or animal, I’m not so strict on the skincare as long as it’s high welfare animals, so what sits behind this in terms of welfare?” They claimed that all their animals were “very well looked after,” and that they use milk from “show goats” which was otherwise going to be thrown away. Meaden was impressed by this, saying it was a “good answer.”

She decided not to invest, saying “I’m not that supportive of the dairy industry, or the goat industry. I would cause you a problem because right now you’re quite small scale and you can see the goats that you’re buying from. But, as you get bigger, I suspect you’re going to have to think about those things, and I’m going to be standing in your way saying ‘you can’t do that.’”   

Viewers criticize the company

Writing online, several people further questioned the “cruelty-free” claims. Cruelty-free is generally used to refer to products that aren’t tested on animals, and companies that use animal products in ingredients often promote themselves as cruelty-free.

“Hmm, not sure about cruelty-free. Where you use animal products, there’s cruelty”, was one comment.

Another said: “This is a dairy industry business so without a doubt it is not cruelty-free!”

A third commented: “No deal for goat’s milk beauty products! Thank goodness! Goat’s milk is for baby goats – not slathering on human skin!”

And a fourth said: “Talking about goat products such as goat milk and soap and bringing on a goat, is that ethical?”

The goat milk industry is inherently exploitative, and it’s also on the rise. Find out more about the ethical costs of goat farming here. 

More like this:

• You Can Now Buy Vegan Goats Cheese In UK Supermarkets
• Is ‘Dragons Den’ Star Deborah Meaden Vegan?
• Person Shouting ‘Help’ Was Actually A Dairy Goat Crying Out For Her Babies

The post Deborah Meaden Raises Concerns Over Goat Milk Skincare Range On Dragons Den appeared first on Plant Based News.

It’s no wonder, considering that cheese has a culinary history dating back over 7,000 years – beyond the beginning of the Bronze Age – and is famous for its variable and complex flavors and versatility (though its nutritional value is increasingly being called into question).

Vegans don’t eat cheese because it’s a direct product of animal exploitation. The dairy industry has been shown time and time again to inflict suffering on cows. It’s also known to be bad for the environment. But despite this, vegetarians still embrace it as more “ethical” than meat and even milk. One recent study dubbed this “the cheese paradox.”

When it comes to some cheeses, the cruelty extends even further than the exploitation of cows for their milk. Certain types, including the Italian hard cheese parmesan, are made according to strict, traditional production methods, which include specific animal ingredients.

Here’s exactly how parmesan is made, and why the popular hard cheese isn’t OK for a vegan – or even vegetarian – diet, plus some vegan alternatives.

How is parmesan made?

Parmesan, or Parmigiano-Reggiano, is a specialty hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, heavily salted and aged for at least 12 months to cultivate its unique flavor.

According to CLAL, an Italian dairy economic consulting firm, Parmigiano-Reggiano accounts for around 18 percent of all national milk production in Italy, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese needs 550 liters of milk to make a single wheel.

(For context, dairy milk produces an average of 1.39kg of CO2 equivalents per liter, so one wheel of authentic Parmesan is responsible for around 764.5kg of greenhouse gas emissions – the equivalent of 86 gallons of gasoline or 856 pounds of coal burned.)

There are other varieties of Italian-style hard cheese, but to be sold as parmesan, a cheese must be manufactured in one of a select few provinces – primarily Parma and Reggio Emilia, as well as parts of Bologna, Modena, and Mantua – using traditional cheesemaking methods.

This is known as “Protected Designation of Origin,” or PDO, and is designed to protect food and drinks with particularly strong links to the place in which they are made. As with Champagne, or even other cheeses like Gorgonzola and Camembert.

Why don’t vegans eat parmesan?

Vegans don’t eat parmesan because vegans don’t eat cheese at all, or animal-derived ingredients like rennet. Vegans generally also avoid all animal foods, including everything from the obvious (meat, dairy, and eggs) to the less obvious (honey).

Typically, veganism also extends beyond food to exclude leather, cosmetics, and other products that are linked to animal exploitation either through production or testing. (To whatever extent this is practical while living within the constraints of capitalism.)

As noted earlier, dairy production is often thought of as more ethical than the meat industry, but the realities of industrialized dairy farming arguably involve just as much cruelty, trauma, and death. (In fact, 20 percent of all beef comes from ex-dairy cows anyway.)

The life of a cow in the dairy industry typically includes repeated, forceful impregnation followed by immediate separation from offspring and confinement. Around 90 percent of dairy cows in the US are kept primarily in confined, indoor spaces. Then, as they get older, cows are frequently branded, dehorned, and have their tails docked without anesthesia.

At the end of their lives, cows are often transported long distances – in even more confined conditions – before finally being killed. Cows are often stunned with a bolt gun, but many are still conscious at the point they have their throats cut. 

As dairy cows typically only produce very high milk yields for an average of three years, they are normally killed at less than a fifth of their natural lifespan of 25 years. Approximately 9.3 million cows are used to produce milk for human consumption in the US alone.

Why parmesan isn’t even vegetarian

Parmesan must also be made using chymosin, or rennin, a protease which is found in rennet – the complex combination of enzymes produced by the stomachs of young ruminant mammals, like calves. In newborn animals, chymosin curdles the milk they ingest, allowing for better absorption of nutrients. In cheese-making, chymosin is introduced to create curds. Many people are unaware that the inclusion of rennet in parmesan means it cannot even be considered suitable for vegetarians.

While chymosin can technically be sourced from plants and fungi, the traditional production methods of Parmesan dictate that the ingredient is animal-derived. This variety is harvested from calves slaughtered for the veal industry, which is particularly controversial.

In the veal industry, the majority of calves are slaughtered between 16 and 18 weeks, with some killed before reaching one day and others as old as 24 weeks – still only around six months. In the UK and US, veal consumption itself has been steadily decreasing, but it remains popular in mainland Europe where the practice originated, within the dairy industry.

Chymosin is harvested from the fourth wall of the young animals’ stomachs and dried, then rehydrated in water and added to cheese as a liquid solution. While the cheese industry’s use of rennet is common knowledge for some, every day new people discover the reality of parmesan and take to the internet to express their dismay.

Last year, one user posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter: “Just found out parmesan cheese isn’t vegetarian. Don’t reach out,” while a TikTok user noted that she has been unknowingly eating it the whole time she’s been vegetarian.

Parmesan isn’t the only dairy cheese to still be manufactured with rennet, and authentic Manchego, Pecorino Romano, Ricotta, mozzarellas, and many more using it as an ingredient.

What about vegan cheese?

As more and more people find out about the reality of the meat and dairy industries, consumer demand for plant-based and cruelty-free dairy alternatives is on the rise. More than four out of 10 US households now drink plant milk, and vegan cheese sales are predicted to reach USD $7 billion by the year 2030 – up from USD $2.5 billion in 2020.

Vegan cheese has also never been more accessible, with many supermarkets introducing extensive and affordable private-label ranges. Meanwhile, new technology is also leading the way for a “third wave” of next-level vegan cheese, with companies embracing traditional cheesemaking methods and combining them with plant-based ingredients.

There are already plenty of plant-based alternatives to parmesan and Italian hard cheeses on the market, ranging from simple swaps – such as this nutritional yeast adaption from the Minimalist Baker – to Violife’s Parmesan-style Prosociano wedge.

I Am Nut OK – Vegan Oh, Grate!

Hackney’s I Am Nut OK is one of the UK’s top artisanal vegan cheese brands, and the hard cheese alternative “Vegan Oh, Grate!” is no exception. On its website, the company says: “We cannot legally describe this as a vegan Parmesan, so we’re not! It’s not Parmesan in any sense – but it is a delicious alternative [to] something else.”

Pimp My Salad Vegan Cashew Parmesan

The Pimp My Salad Parmesan-style sprinkles combine cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, kale, lemon, and Himalayan pink salt for a zingy, cheesy topping. It’s also nutritious, particularly when compared with coconut oil-based plant cheeses. Pimp My Salad products are available in the UK from shops like Holland & Barrett, Waitrose, and more.

Good Carma’s Flavour Fusion

Good Carma also combines nuts with nooch for its Flavour Fusion products, but uses almonds, giving them an additional boost of calcium. The range includes three distinct varieties: Original flavor, Chili flavor, and Garlic flavor.

Violife’s Prosociano

Since 2017, Violife has become one of the go-to vegan cheese brands, and its Prosociano wedge shows why. It even looks the part and can be grated over all manner of pasta and pizza dishes just like traditional Parmesan. It’s available online and in stores.

Green Vie Foods’ Parveggio

Green Vie’s vegan hard cheese Parveggio is also available in most major supermarkets, and the brand describes its product as having a “sharp, fruity, nutty taste that will add great [savoriness] to your pasta, salads, and risotto!”

Nurishh Gran Vegiano

Another coconut oil entry, Nurishh’s “rich and bold” Gran Vegiano is fortified with B12 and is packaged pre-grated. Nurishh is the first 100 percent plant-based range from the French multinational cheesemaker Bel Group.

Kinda Co Italian Style

This Italian-style cheese from Kinda Co contains just a handful of ingredients, namely almonds, nooch, salt, and onion powder. The company notes that the vegan cheese even browns in the oven, making it a perfect pair with parmigiana.

More like this:

• How To Make Vegan Cheese Using Sunflower Seeds
• Are Foods That ‘May Contain Milk’ Vegan?
• What Are The Best US States For Vegans?

The post How Is Parmesan Made? The Grisly Truth Behind The Cheese appeared first on Plant Based News.

The Partij voor de Dieren (Animals Party) has suggested that swapping cages in the Artis for an open, green space. Amsterdam’s zoo has kept animals captive since 1838.

Head of the Animals Party, Anke Bakker, said in a statement: “The new Artis will be a beautiful city park that it is accessible to everyone.”

Swap zoo for cultural park

Amsterdam’s zoo keeps animals including giraffes, flamingos, and lions locked up for paying visitors to see. As city property, the zoo receives €4.3 million (USD $4.6 million) a year in municipal subsidies.

Zoos make money by keeping animals locked in cages, and they are hugely controversial among animal rights groups. Campaigners have long campaigned for an end to keeping animals in captivity.

Instead, the Animals Party proposes a “cultural park,” which would include education about nature and treasure hunts for children for “virtual predators.”

Party ask Amsterdam to consider animals

The Dutch Animals Party has a “planet-wide focus.” The party “does not put the short-term interests of man above all, but instead the entire planet and all her inhabitants.”

Earlier this month, Amsterdam became the first capital city in the European Union to endorse the Plant Based Treaty.

By signing its commitment to the plant-based transition, Amsterdam joined the likes of Edinburgh and Los Angeles in pledging to tackle the climate crisis.

More like this:

• Zoos Are Outdated And Immoral – The Cost Of Living Crisis Just Proved It
• History-Making Jane Goodall Act Could Put An End To Roadside Zoos In Canada
• SeaWorld’s First ‘Orca-Free’ Location To Keep 68,000 Marine Animals In Captivity

The post Amsterdam Zoo Should Become ‘Cultural Park For All,’ Animals Party Suggests appeared first on Plant Based News.

Who invented toothpaste?

Toothpaste has evolved over thousands of years. People who study such things think the Egyptians used some sort of paste to clean their teeth in 5,000 BC. This may have contained items like myrrh, oxen hooves, water, pumice, and eggshells.

The Greeks and Romans developed their own versions, with charcoal and salt a popular combination. In China, herbal ingredients such as ginseng, herbal mints, and salt were common.

From the nineteenth century, modern toothpaste began to develop. The first toothpaste in a jar came in the 1850s. Colgate started mass producing toothpaste in jars twenty years later. The brand then switched to tubes towards the end of the nineteenth century.

What is toothpaste made of?

Toothpaste is a paste or gel that helps keep teeth healthy. It removes dental plaque and food from the teeth and delivers active ingredients to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Commercial toothpastes contain many ingredients. The main ones are abrasives, fluorides, surfactants, humectants, and flavorings.

Abrasives

Abrasives are the number one ingredient in most toothpastes. They work to remove plaque and polish teeth. Common abrasives include calcium carbonate, silica, aluminum hydroxide, and phosphates.

Fluorides

A key ingredient in many toothpastes, fluorides help prevent tooth decay. Sodium fluoride is the most common fluoride compound in toothpaste.

Surfactants

Sodium lauryl sulfate appears in many commercial toothpaste formulas. It helps spread the toothpaste evenly across the teeth and to create foam.

Humectants

These include glycerin and sorbitol. Their role is to stop the toothpaste from drying out.

Flavors and thickeners

Sweeteners like saccharin improve the taste experience. Meanwhile, thickeners help maintain the toothpaste’s consistency. Examples include xanthan gum and cellulose gum.

Conditioning agents

Preservatives are added to maintain the shelf life and texture of the toothpaste. There are also some specialist agents in certain toothpastes. For example potassium nitrate helps with sensitivity.

Why is some toothpaste not vegan?

With so many ingredients, it is perhaps unsurprising that not all toothpaste is vegan. Whether or not a specific toothpaste is suitable for vegans depends on its exact ingredients and how it is produced.

Some toothpaste may contain animal-derived ingredients. The most common examples are glycerin and propolis. Moreover, some brands test their products on animals, which many see as unnecessary and cruel.

Glycerin

The most common reason for a toothpaste to not qualify as vegan is the inclusion of animal-based glycerin.

Sometime known as glycerine or glycerol, glycerin is a humectant. The viscous liquid can come from plant or animal sources. Generally, brands do no make this clear on ingredients list. Therefore, the only way to know for sure is to contact the manufacture or choose a brand that has been certified as vegan.

Propolis

Propolis is a resin-like material made by bees. Humans exploit bees to acquire it. Bee products are for bees not humans so, although propolis is often marketed as a natural alternative, it is not vegan.

Flavorings

Like with glycerin, a list of ingredients will usually not specify whether “flavorings” or “natural flavourings” have come from animals. You can either check with the manufacturer or choose a certifed vegan brand.

Animal Testing

Like with many other cosmetics, big brands test toothpaste on animals. This may involve testing individual ingredients or the finished product. Common tests include forcing animals to eat or inhale large amounts of chemicals. Other tests include dripping chemicals into animals’ eyes or rubbing them into animals’ shaved skin.

Which toothpaste brands are not vegan?

Common toothpaste brands such as Crest, Colgate, and Sensodyne are not vegan-friendly.

Some brands have released products with vegan ingredients. However, without vegan certification, these will likely still have been tested on animals. This is the case with Colgate, which released a “vegan” toothpaste in 2020. Colgate is not listed as a cruelty-free brand.

Due to the nature of the ingredients, unless a toothpaste is vegan certified, it might contain animal products. Moreover, unless it is specifically marked as cruelty free, it likely will have been tested on animals.

Can you buy vegan toothpaste?

Brushing your teeth may be second nature, but animal cruelty shouldn’t be. Thankfully, many vegan toothpaste brands exist.

In the UK, there are many brands of vegan, cruelty-free toothpastes. Kingfisher offers a range of cruelty-free vegan toothpastes made with natural ingredients. The Humble Co’s Natural Toothpaste is also vegan certified and free from animal testing. Ordo Complete Care is another vegan and cruelty-free choice. Natural brand Georganics combines vegan dental care with zero-waste packaging for its toothtablets.

In the US, Boka sells vegan toothpaste without animal testing. Tom’s of Maine is another vegan and cruelty-free brand. Hello’s fluoride toothpaste also ticks all the boxes for vegan and ethical toothpaste.

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The post Is Toothpaste Vegan? The Animal Ingredients You Might Be Putting In Your Mouth appeared first on Plant Based News.

Created and published by Japanese developer Pocket Pair, Palworld is a wildly popular “open world” game.

Players wake up on an island and must find shelter and food. Doing so can involve capturing “Pals,” animal-like creatures who populate the island.

“PETA has already heard from many Palworld fans who have no interest in eating Pals and want a vegan guide created for the game,” said Elisa Allen, PETA’s Vice President of Programmes, in a statement last month.

What is Palworld?

Palworld is a hugely popular survival game, which sold eight million copies within a week of release.

The concept is simple: players find themselves on an island and try to survive and thrive in their new surroundings.

For many players, this involves capturing Pals. Players can tame and put Pals to work in order to progress through the levels and improve their position.

Every Pal has unique skills. Players choose how to “use” them: some are suited to transportation, while others can mine or lumber. Similar to Pokémon, seasoned gamers try to “catch them all.”

As well as capturing and exploiting the digital beasts, players can also breed Pals together to create new Pals.

Palworld and veganism

Killing animals and eating them is clearly not compatible with vegan values.

Vegans avoid contributing to non-human animal exploitation, which means vegans won’t eat, wear, or in any way use products made with or from animals. Vegans also avoid using animals for work or entertainment. This is because vegans see animals as here with us, not for us.

Of course, Palworld is a video game world – not the real world. And Pals are fictional animal-like creatures – not real creatures. Video games portray a representation of animal cruelty, rather than animal cruelty itself. So, playing Palworld is not itself a non-vegan activity.

Vegan guide to Palworld

Even so, many vegan players feel uncomfortable using and abusing animals, even of the digital sort.

PETA’s calls for a vegan guide to Palworld were heard by Game Sandwich. Last month, the gaming website released a specialist game guide to help vegan players navigate the online world without harming their Pals.

In the guide, Game Sandwich advises players how to gather materials, establish a base, and advance through the levels “with your morals intact.”

The guide tells vegan players to “make your way down the hill and over to some nearby berry bushes.” It also includes a list of “Vegan-approved Technologies you can use.”

PETA has since released a list of five updates it would like to see to improve the game for vegans. “Berries are great and all, but PETA now proposes that with just five updates, Palworld would be ready for a whole new audience,” the organization writes.

Pacts with Pals and vegan-friendly materials would make the game more inclusive, PETA says. It puts a question to the developer: “Can we count on you to turn Palworld into a game that compassionate players can really enjoy, or will you leave us to our sticks and berries?”

Video games reflect wider society

While some players may differentiate their desire to avoid harm to animals in real life with their actions in a video game, representations of reality can have a powerful psychological effect.

Researchers disagree over whether playing violent video games makes children more violent. However, it is less controversial to say that the type of content to which we are exposed has some influence on real-world behaviors.

Exposure to animal abuse in day-to-day life normalizes the suffering that humans inflict on animals for food, clothes, entertainment, and more. Video games, like all forms of media, help reinforce harmful power dynamics.

Last year, vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian showed off an early version of his animal rights video game in which players are tasked with liberating animals. He previously told Plant Based News: “With UNCAGE, I aim to instill compassion in players.”

Will the creators of Palworld heed PETA’s call and allow players to choose compassion?

More like this:

• Patrik Baboumian To Release Animal Rights Video Game
• Why Isn’t Horse Riding Vegan? Everything You Need To Know
• How To Watch ‘Christspiracy’: The Documentary Is Being Released Very Soon

The post Vegan Guide To ‘Palworld’ Released Following PETA Comments appeared first on Plant Based News.

The vessel – known as Al Kuwait – has 19,000 live cows onboard. This week, it docked in Cape Town harbour on its journey from Brazil to Iraq.

Live animal exports are widely seen as a cruel way to transport animals to slaughter. This year already a live export ship transporting 16,000 animals from Australia to Israel made headlines after remaining at sea for one month.

According to ProVeg South Africa, the stench in Cape Town on Monday was so severe that some companies let their staff go home for the day. The food awareness organization, called the live export ship “a foul, olfactory reminder of the realities of animal farming.”

Live export ship stinks out Cape Town

The ship had been at sea for eight days before docking in Cape Town.

The National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) investigated the conditions of the vessel and reportedly found a number of dead cows.

Those still living were tightly confined in filthy conditions, as is common for live animal exports. The animals were standing in feces. According to the NSPCA, the stench on board was “unimaginable.”

Although live animal exports have been banned in some countries, millions of animals still endure such journeys each year. The effects of live export include dehydration, stress, hunger, and overcrowding. It is common for animals die before they reach their destination.

A wake-up call about meat

For ProVeg South Africa, the episode is a reminder of “how far removed the average person is from the squalid meat-grinder of farm to table.”

Officials had initially suspected that sewage facilities leaks might be responsible for the stench. Soon, however, it became apparent that the smell was coming from the docked live export ship.

“The meat industry stinks top to bottom,” the organization said in a statement. “South Africans should view this as reminder of all the issues and maladies inherent in the farmed animal industry.”

More South Africans are waking up to the environmental and ethical impacts of meat production. Earlier this month, a report from ProVeg South Africa revealed that the country’s fast-food industry is becoming more plant-based.

“When it comes to the animal industry we need to wake up and smell the manure,” ProVeg South Africa added. “And this week in Cape Town many people have done just that.”

Animal agriculture stinks

Around the world, animal agriculture industries have devastating impacts on animals, people, and planet.

In North Carolina, giant open-air cesspools filled with millions of tons of pig feces and urine are responsible for serious health issues among residents. Farmers spray fields with pig manure mere meters from residents’ houses.

Elsewhere, smells and noises from mega-farms damage local residents’ quality of life.

The environmental impacts of animal farming are also well known. As the world approaches more “tipping points,” the urgency to act on an industry responsible for at least 16.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions becomes ever greater.

More like this:

• ‘Animals Are Not Things’: Brazil Bans Live Cattle Exports
• Live Export Ship Carrying 16,000 Animals Stranded At Sea For A Month
• New Film Exposes Human Impact Of North Carolina Pig Farming

The post Cape Town Residents Sent Home From Work Due To Smell From Live Export Ship appeared first on Plant Based News.

The UK’s deer population is considered high compared to recent levels – but not by historic standards.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will publish a strategy on deer populations this year. According to the Telegraph, this will include plans to serve deer meat in prisons “to protect woodlands” and “limit the nation’s carbon output.”

Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has already served deer meat in hospitals.

Deer meat in prisons?

The UK government is reportedly considering serving deer meat in prisons as a measure towards “net zero” targets.

Every year, around 350,000 deer are “culled” (killed). Most of these deaths take place on private estates, woodlands, and farmland.

Although some landowners defend the need to kill deers, many consider the practice cruel and unnecessary. Dawn Carr from PETA, an animal rights organization, previously told Plant Based News: “No animal – whether a gentle deer killed under the guise of a ‘cull’ or a pig or cow hung up and shot with a bolt gun – wants to die to be served up in a stew or as a sandwich filler.”

The UK’s nature crisis

There are now two million deers in the UK, according to the Deer Initiative. The organization claims that this total that has doubled since 1999. According to the British Deer Society, however, these claims are questionable. The BDS urges policymakers not to use numbers “in sensationalist ways.”

Indeed, Natural England, a government body, has called the UK “one of the most nature-depleted [countries] in the world.”

Research shows that wild mammal biomass has declined globally by 85 percent since the rise of humans. Now, wild mammals account for just four percent of total biomass, far below human (34 percent) and animals raised by humans (62 percent).

Feeding deer meat to prisoners may seem like a solution to manage an ecosystem. In reality, that it is under consideration is emblematic of a wider nature crisis facing the UK.

Plant-based food system

Prison populations in England and Wales have risen significantly in recent years. This poses a “capacity crisis,” according to the Prison Reform Trust, a charity.

Two more crises the UK faces relate to climate and biodiversity. Animal agriculture is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. It is also the key driver of land use change, resulting in loss of biodiversity.

Studies have shown that switching to a plant-based food system would free up abundant land to plant trees.

Yet the UK government has so far refused to consider this option. Its National Food Strategy, released in 2022, talked up “using ‘livestock’ to benefit the environment.” In contrast, Denmark laid the groundwork last year for a transition towards a plant-based food system.

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• Court Rules Child Discriminated Against After School Refuses Her Vegan Meals
• Vicars Discuss Veganism: ‘Why Should Christians Care About Animals?’

The post Prisoners Could Be Served Deer Meat In The UK appeared first on Plant Based News.

Does Mexico allow bullfighting?

On Sunday, January 28, Mexico City held its first bullfight since May 2022.

For almost two years, the practice – which is widely regarded as extremely cruel – had been on hold after a judge ordered an indefinite suspension in response to a lawsuit filed by animal rights activists. Last month, the country’s Supreme Court revoked the decision and allowed bullfighting to return.

Days later, a judge ordered a new suspension until February 7. A hearing was due to take place to address animal welfare concerns. This was quickly undone, however, and further corridas have taken place since.

Despite the return of bullfighting to the Mexican capital, legal battles continue. Animal rights activists have filed new suits. Meanwhile, Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in December 2023 that he would hold a referendum to settle the future of bullfighting. Without providing specific details, he suggested this could take place “even if the legal process is ongoing.”

Five of Mexico’s 31 states have already imposed bans. The most recent addition to the list was Sinaloa in 2022 following unanimous agreement in congress.

Mexican bullfighting is a colonial import

Mexico has more bullrings than any other country, besides Spain. It was Spanish colonizers who first imported bullfighting more than 500 years ago. The first bullfight in Mexico took place in August 1529, eight years after the Spanish, led by Hernán Cortés, conquered and colonized the Aztec Empire and other indigenous states.

Debates around bullfighting in Mexico are therefore complicated by colonial questions. While some see the practice as part of their cultural heritage, others associate bullfighting with the brutal colonization by the Spanish. Many simply despise the needless cruelty and the violence it encourages.

In any case, a survey from 2013 showed that three quarters of Mexicans are in favor of a ban on bullfighting in the country.

Where else is bullfighting legal?

Mexico is one of only eight countries where bullfighting still takes place. The others are Spain, Portugal, France, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. In Portugal, it is illegal to kill bulls in the arena but they are still tortured and slaughtered shortly after.

In Colombia, a bill to ban bullfighting is progressing slowly through the House of Representatives. The House passed one bill last year by 50 votes to 4, but needs to pass two more debates to succeed. Progress has stalled. Ahead of the first vote, polls showed some 85 percent of Colombians wanted a ban on bullfights.

Bullfighting is illegal in countries including Argentina, Cuba, and Italy. Some Spanish cities have also banned bullfighting. The first “anti-bullfighting city” was Tossa de Mar in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. The city passed a declaration in 1989 to outlaw the practice.

Is bullfighting an art?

Bullfighting is not a sport or a fight because only one participant willingly takes part. The numbers speak for themselves. Approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights every year. In contrast, around 500 matadors have been killed in three centuries.

Before the matador appears, the bull is subjected to stressful transport and forced into the arena. The bull is then further provoked with large colorful capes before picadors (men on horseback) pierce the bull’s neck with a barbed lance. Only at this point does the brave matador enter to start the “fight.”

Fans of bullfighting sometimes liken the practice to an art. However, it is more appropriate to call it a slaughter.

Ernest Hemingway famously said that “Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death.” As well as wrong – some artists do risk death while performing – this statement misses the point. Bullfighting is not a creative pursuit but a destructive one, a ritual slaughter of which torture and death are the only real product.

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The post Bullfighting Has Returned To Mexico City – But It Could Still Be Banned appeared first on Plant Based News.

In the UK, there have been 2730 racing-related horse deaths in the last 16.5 years. In fact, in 2022 alone, nearly 200 horses were killed as a direct result of racing. And these numbers don’t include the animals killed outside of racing – showjumping, hunting, in on-road collisions, and those who died due to other rider errors, accidents, and negligence. Horses are farmed, homed, bought, sold, and slaughtered like any other animal; as a product.

Even when everything goes according to a rider’s plan, horse riding inherently involves the exploitation of animals. Horses do not “need” to be ridden, and horseback riding of any kind exists solely to benefit the humans involved – whether that is for entertainment, profit, or fun.

With that in mind, can horse riding ever really be considered compatible with veganism?

Is horse riding vegan?

By definition, a vegan is someone who avoids all foods, products, and activities that involve animal exploitation, to whatever extent this is possible and practical. Veganism often looks different to different people, but folks generally agree that being vegan extends beyond a strict plant-based diet to include interrelated ethical issues such as animal testing, environmental destruction, and the use of animals for entertainment.

By the above definition, horse riding cannot be considered vegan. But many people still type this question into search engines every year, and debate it online. There are self-described vegan jockeys, and you can even get plant-based horse accessories like saddles and reins. Horse riders remain adamant that they love their horses, and that riding is a core part of that.

Part of the problem, arguably, is that horses are frequently painted as willing participants in thrilling but otherwise harmless sports and activities that occasionally result in a tragic death. But the reality of horse riding – and racing, in particular – is quite different.

Let’s dive into the history of humanity’s relationship with horses and why modern equestrian pursuits like horse riding – even for leisure – are inherently exploitative.

How long have humans worked with horses?

Humans began riding horses at least 5,000 years ago. It’s likely that the domestication of horses began as a means of survival, as with the initial domestication of dogs, and that the animals were used for hunting and covering longer distances more quickly than on foot.

The Mongolian Wild Horse, or Takhi, is now arguably the only truly wild horse remaining in the world, with the majority of so-called “wild” horses actually ferals – meaning that they are formerly domesticated or the descendants of domesticated animals left to run free. (For example, semi-wild herds of horses can be found in the UK’s New Forest and on Exmoor.)

In much the same way that the domestication of dogs forever changed canine history – or how all modern “cattle” but the Indian bison are also either domesticated or feral – the human domestication and breeding of horses has altered the species irrevocably.

The first steps towards horse domestication led to their widespread use throughout Eurasia as transportation, in warfare, and for agricultural tasks such as plowing. As recently as the 1980s working horses could still be found in the UK, but today they are almost entirely used for recreation, entertainment, and in competitive sports like racing.

Horse welfare, injuries, and deaths

The act of horse riding

The majority of the cruelty experienced by horses is perpetuated by the equestrian industry, including breeding, training, and racing for profit. But some argue that “breaking” a horse at all (getting them used to rider and accessories) is inherently cruel.

In fact, many of the behaviors previously viewed as undesirable by riders – such as tail swishing and flattened ears – may actually be an outward sign of musculoskeletal pain or discomfort from carrying a person. (Younger horses, in particular, are ridden as young as three, which can cause long-term and chronic damage to their still-growing bodies.)

Overall, horses have not evolved to carry humans; they have evolved to roam and live their own lives, and horseback riding is something that has been put upon them. Initially out of necessity for human survival, and now primarily for entertainment and financial gain.

For the most part, modern riders are entirely dependent on the “tack,” or accessories, required to be able to ride a horse at all. But the use of a “bit” – the piece of equipment that interacts with a horse’s mouth and gives the rider control of the head – can cause bruises, lesions, and sores as well as chronic breathing and swallowing issues in horses.

Whips are also commonplace, albeit typically a modernized, foam-padded version. But at best, whipping a horse with a less aggressive instrument still causes discomfort, and at worst it causes wounds. Spurs have also changed a great deal, but horses still receive cuts and marks from their use, particularly from overzealous riders during competitive riding.

Horses are extremely sensitive animals, and in contrast to the industry’s stance, science backs the argument that they feel very real pain from whipping, spurs, and use of a bit. After all, these are systems designed to exert control by inflicting discomfort.

Living conditions

Horses are naturally social animals, and a typical, healthy horse would very rarely choose to live alone. Like other cows and other herbivorous hoofed mammals, horses can form strong, long-lasting friendships. They also like to run and play and prefer to move around and graze all day long. (Hoof trimming is required specifically due to this lack of movement.)

In the racing industry, in particular, horses can spend up to 22 hours per day confined to a stall. This causes distress which manifests in abnormal behaviors comparable to those seen in factory-farmed cattle and other animals. For example, walking in circles, weaving, and “wind-sucking” – biting an object and sucking in air – the latter of which can cause colic.

More generally, many parts of the equestrian industry rely on the transportation of horses, sometimes over extremely long distances. Even horses who are accustomed to riding in a trailer experience some degree of stress and this has been directly linked to health issues such as injury, respiratory disease, and gastrointestinal disease.

In addition to the ethical issues surrounding what are fairly standard living conditions for horses, there are outlying issues of abuse and negligence. Hard data on this subject can be elusive, but World Horse Welfare estimates that upwards of 6,000 UK horses are at risk of neglect and suffering nationwide.

Health and horse breeding

In addition to the health issues that develop from living conditions and neglect, world-class race and showjumping horses may experience vulnerabilities and illness from inbreeding. Thoroughbred horses have been bred for the extremely specific purpose of competing in sports, which may result in poorer overall health and otherwise avoidable injuries.

According to a report by Animal Aid, three times as many horses are being produced than 40 years ago, with a decreasing proportion (around 35 percent) of that population sufficiently healthy to actually participate in racing. This pursuit of an “ideal” Thoroughbred has resulted in the “over-production of a swift but physically weak” horse.

Animal Aid also notes that up to 75 percent of all race horses suffer from bleeding lungs, while 93 percent of horses in training experience gastric ulcers. The latter condition gets progressively worse during training and improves when (and if) a horse reaches retirement.

Beyond individual animal health, horse breeding is its own industry with its own ethical issues and considerations. Breeding stallions are kept isolated for up to 20 years and are typically viewed as offspring-producing machines, while breeding mares are subjected to the same endless cycle of pregnancy that all intensively farmed female animals experience.

Deaths

Countless horses are injured each year taking part in equestrian activities from showjumping to hunting, with anything the industry deems a “catastrophic” injury leading to euthanasia. But racing is overwhelmingly the leading cause of injury, death, and destruction for UK horses.

While the industry says it is doing all it can to reduce the number of fatalities that happen every year, the number of horse racing deaths is increasing – approximately 50 racehorses died in just the first four months of 2023 – while an unknown additional number are killed in training or behind the scenes because they failed to perform adequately.

Jump racing is notably much more hazardous for horses than races on flat ground, and a study carried out by the University of Melbourne in 2006 reported the risk of injury and death for a horse competing in a jump race as 18.9 times higher than a horse competing in a flat race. But overall, horse deaths are simply commonplace throughout all types of racing.

The majority of the animals killed while racing experience a broken back, neck, leg, or pelvis, a heart attack, or burst blood vessels from being pushed to maximum exertion. It’s been argued that one factor in increasing deaths is unsafe racing conditions, but another is the dwindling health and stamina of the Thoroughbred horses which monopolize racing.

Outside of professional sports, riding horses on UK roads can be a high-risk affair too, and a total of 68 horses were killed and 125 riders were injured in 2022 while riding on paved roads.

Supporting horse protection

Just 3.5 percent of Brits ride horses, and public perception is changing rapidly.

A study carried out by YouGov on behalf of World Horse Welfare revealed that at least 60 percent of people believed there should be more safety and welfare measures in place for all equine sports, with 40 percent stating that their support depended on improvements.

Furthermore, a significant 20 percent of those surveyed believed that horses should no longer be involved in sport under any circumstances. Last year also saw unprecedented media coverage of protests at the Grand National, which attempted to prevent further deaths and came just moments before the third horse of the event was killed on the track.

If you love horses and want to be around them, visiting or volunteering at an animal sanctuary is one of the best things you can do. There are a variety of sanctuaries that home large farm and working animals, including horses, such as the vegan-run Horse and Farm Animal Sanctuary in Wales, Pear Tree Farm in Somerset, and Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk.

You can check out Animal Aid’s Sanctuary Not Cruelty campaign here.

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• As France Debates The Future Of Horse Meat, Here’s Your Need-To-Know

The post Why Isn’t Horse Riding Vegan? Everything You Need To Know appeared first on Plant Based News.

The feature-length investigative documentary – named Pignorant – tracks Carbstrong on a “life-risking mission to uncover the truth behind bacon.” Directed by Carbstrong and Tarion Partridge, a fellow activist and filmmaker, the film is available to watch now.

The product of a three-year-long undercover investigation, Pignorant allows viewers to experience first hand what life is like for farmed pigs in the UK.

Carbstrong told Plant Based News (PBN): “Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t the only one who was kept in the dark about the main killing method for pigs. As my film reveals, this ‘ignorance’ is by design.”

Pignorant will open people’s eyes

In recent years, Carbstrong has released several high-profile investigations into cruelty on animal farms. In 2023, he released the first ever footage of pigs being gassed with carbon dioxide in a UK slaughterhouse.

Now, with Pignorant, he is giving viewers never-before-seen access to the UK pig farming industry. Through expert and whistle blower testimonials, the documentary exposes the UK’s cruel treatment of pigs and the lengths industry figures will go to conceal it.

“I knew in my heart, that no matter the risk, my mission was to infiltrate and expose what happens to UK pigs inside these gas chambers,” Carbstrong added. “I set out to uncover the deeply ingrained corruption and heartbreaking abuse that lies at the heart of UK pig farming, determined to go into the darkness to bring the truth out to the public eye.”

Joey Carbstrong’s vegan filmmaking

Carbstrong is a respected animal advocate with a large online following. As well as revealing the truth about UK pig farming, the film shines a light on the undercover operations that Carbstrong and other activists undertake to expose animal cruelty industries.

Pigs are close to Carbstrong’s heart. “When I first heard about the method in which pigs are slaughtered in major countries around the world, I was genuinely shocked. My activism and campaigning efforts quickly became focused around bringing light to this reality.”

Carbstrong’s undercover cameras also captured “shocking” conditions on a UK turkey farm in the run-up to Christmas last year. The footage prompted Red Tractor to suspend the farm.

“After years of investigative work and film making, we hope Pignorant ignites a fire of change and empowers the public, in the UK and internationally, to take a stand,” Carbstrong said. “The film’s aim is to create awareness and spark change, and I hope that the public joins us in our mission to demand justice for pigs.”

Where to watch Pignorant

Hotly anticipated, Carbstrong’s ground-breaking documentary is available to stream now on Amazon Prime. It is also coming soon to other platforms.

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• What Is ‘Christspiracy’? Inside The Film Everyone’s Talking About

The post Joey Carbstrong Releases New Documentary ‘Pignorant’ – How To Watch It appeared first on Plant Based News.

A recent investigation has shone light on the hidden world of duck factory farming in the UK. 

Vegan organization Animal Justice Project released “brutal” footage depicting “depopulation” of ducks at Yorkshire’s Byram Park Farm. The farm supplies Gressingham Foods, which is the largest duck producer in the country. 

Depopulation in this context refers to ducks being caught for slaughter. Birds on farms are caught en masse at breakneck speed, which severely compromises their welfare. A “catching company” is often used to do this, and this farm employed a firm called Keyo, which is said to be the largest “poultry handling” organization in the UK. Workers were seen swinging ducks by their necks, strangling them, throwing them to scare others, and even using them as weapons to strike other birds. Around 10,000 ducks were caught in two hours.

Elsewhere on the farm, ducks suffered from severe injuries, ammonia burns, eye infections, blindness, and there was a high rate of feather loss among the birds.

The problem with duck farming

Much of the UK population may not associate ducks with factory farms as they do pigs or chickens, as the majority of our contact with them is seeing them in the wild in ponds. But around 11 million ducks are farmed for food in the country each year. 

The majority of these animals are kept intensively in large sheds, similar to those housing broiler chickens, but duck farming carries its own specific welfare costs. 

Ducks need access to water for their mental and physical health, which they are denied on factory farms. They become stressed without the ability to bathe, and they also suffer from eye infections and blocked sinuses. They often desperately try to bathe with their small water drinkers, leading the barns to become damp and humid. 

“This industry largely goes under the radar. It is a very small industry compared to others like broiler farming,” Animal Justice Project campaigns manager Ayrton Cooper told Plant Based News (PBN). “But this also brings a positive element – it can be affected more through impactful investigations and campaigning.”

Duck factory farming exposed

Animal Justice Project has been campaigning against duck farming for years, and it’s conducted multiple investigations in farms across the UK. According to Cooper, the exposés have “hit the duck industry hard” due to the widespread cruelty they uncovered.

The organization has described noises on the farms they visited (some of which were Red Tractor approved) as “overwhelming,” with cries of young ducklings “drowning out” the churns of feeders and other machinery. 

“Ducklings often call to their mums for comfort and have a distress call for when they are lost and scared,” Animal Justice Project states on its website. “The overpowering calls were those of distress. They had no mothers to comfort them, so their distress continued to heighten.”

In 2020, the organization exposed live shackling of ducks at a Gressingham Foods abattoir. Footage revealed that they were left for long periods while waiting to be killed, with one hanging for 14 minutes. 

Animal Justice Project is campaigning against Gressingham Foods, which has an annual turnover of a turnover of £157 million and a 650-strong workforce. “We urge supermarkets to sever all ties with Gressingham Foods, emphasizing the crucial need for a transformative shift in the products they offer to customers,” said Cooper. “This shift should steer away from supporting animal agriculture and, instead, embrace the path of plant-based farming—a move toward a more compassionate and sustainable future.”

More like this:

• Live Export Ship Carrying 16,000 Animals Stranded At Sea For A Month
• Farmed Hens Killed In Huge Texas Barn Fire
• Sharks Are Being Killed For Food And ‘Sold In UK Chip Shops’

The post Duck Factory Farming Exposed In New Investigation appeared first on Plant Based News.

Daryl Booth, founder of Sarx, the Christian animal charity behind the videos, told Plant Based News (PBN) that “connecting mainstream Christian culture and animals can sometimes feel like fitting a square peg in a round hole.” The “Vegan Vicars” series aims to address that disconnect and open Christian eyes to the foundations of veganism already in scripture.

Through the interviews, the series explores humanity’s attitude to animals. The vegan vicars discuss passages from the Bible that have helped them on their journey to veganism. Animals are created by God and are therefore due “reverence and respect,” says The Revd Terry Martin. “I think God would weep if He were to go to a factory farm.”

“Whilst the vast majority of Christians love animals and have a passionate concern for their wellbeing, animals are rarely thought of as a faith issue to be addressed in our churches,” Booth told PBN. “This unique video series aims to bridge this gap between faith and animals. The vegan vicars we interviewed from across the UK show how a growing number of Christian leaders have strong faith-based reasons for embracing veganism.”

“A creature cannot praise God from your plate”

Compassion is a recurring theme that the vicars bring up. The word’s Latin root means to “suffer with.” Vegans empathize with suffering animals and try to speak up to protect them from harm. “Christian animal concern goes back a very, very long way,” The Revd Dr Jan Goodair notes in the opening episode.

Dr Goodair discusses animal suffering in relation to the Christian concept of stewardship. Christians believe that humanity has a duty to look after the world and all of its life forms. “I don’t see how we can convince ourselves that intensive farming is in any sense responsible stewardship,” she says.

Booth told PBN that Sarx is trying to make Christians “recognize animal issues as prime faith issues“. Christians should not “walk by whilst millions of God’s creatures suffering in the hellish conditions of factory farms.”

The Revd Canon Dr Paul Overend agrees. “Are we as human beings being compassionate?” he asks. “Are we expressing God’s love, God’s care for His creation?”. The rise of factory farming and ever more intensive agricultural practices have increased the suffering of animals. They have also taken us further away from God, the vicars explain.

“Our fellow creatures were made to praise God,” says The Revd John Ryder. “A creature cannot praise God from your plate.”

Compassion for fellow human beings

It is not only animals suffering directly in farms that we should feel compassion for. The vegan vicars discuss the impacts of animal agriculture on the natural world. Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 16.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. They also emphasize how the meat industry impacts the poorest people on the planet.

Indeed, the climate crisis disproportionately impacts the poorest communities in the world. As such, animal farming is a major cause of environmental racism. “We could, without animal agriculture, free up land the equivalent of the land mass of Africa,” says The Revd Edward Owen. “We would need less than 25 percent of that to feed the whole population of the world.”

The vicars also lament the suffering of slaughterhouse workers. In the UK, most slaughterhouse workers are migrants and work in terrible conditions in extremely difficult jobs. “Even if we can’t evolve our consciences around animals, at the very least we should have a conscience about our fellow human beings,” says The Revd Jae Chandler. Slaughterhouse workers are “suffering mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, as a result of our obsession with eating meat.”

Why do more people not see all this suffering? Meat industry propaganda is a key part of the story. “All the money that’s spent on adverts having us believe that lambs skip joyfully to the slaughterhouse is just a massive lie,” says the Revd Terry Martin.

Should Christians go vegan?

The series presents many compelling reasons why Christians should consider transitioning towards a vegan lifestyle.

Booth told PBN: “Living and eating without recourse to harming animals is a principle quality of God’s original intentions for humanity.” He points to Genesis 1:27, in which God makes humanity in His own image. “In the very next verse, humanity is granted dominion,” Booth says. Then, “a peaceable diet is prescribed in 1:29.” In the passage, God proclaims: “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”

Furthermore, Booth encourages Christians to pay careful attention to other passages in the Bible. “Jesus points to the birds and tells they are all embraced within the love of God (Matthew 10:29-31) and uses the metaphor of a mother hen to illustrate the love of God (Luke 13:34). If Jesus has such a high regard for such animals, God surely must grieve the appalling suffering animals endure within our food systems.”

As more people wake up to the harms of animal agriculture, Christianity must align itself with these true values the Bible teaches, the vicars suggest. Some of the Church’s official messaging on social justice “disenfranchizes a whole number of people who are trying to find a spiritual framework for their lives,” the Revd Canon Dr Paul Overend warns.

On a personal level, the vicars point to newfound “inner peace” after going vegan, alongside health and environmental benefits. Since going vegan, “I am walking the walk and not just talking the talk about God’s care for creation,” says the Revd Dr Jan Goodair.

More like this:

• ‘Christspiracy’: The New Documentary From The Co-Creator Of ‘Cowspiracy’
• Vegan Firefighter Loses Bid To Protect Vegans From Discrimination
• What Is Veganism? And How Is It Different To A Plant-Based Diet?

The post Vicars Discuss Veganism: ‘Why Should Christians Care About Animals?’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

Having completed the journey to the Red Sea, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said the MV Bahijah ship had been ordered to return to Australia due to a “worsening security situation.” The vessel has since been stranded at an Australian port in the country’s sweltering summer heatwave.

Live animal export is widely seen as a cruel practice that inflicts unnecessary suffering on animals. In recent years, New Zealand and Brazil have banned live exports.

Despite campaigners’ efforts, the Australian government has not changed its tune. Even before finding a solution for the stranded 16,000 sheeps and cows, the Agriculture Minister has allowed an even larger shipment of around 60,000 animals to set sail for Jordan.

Sheeps and cows stranded at sea

The animals have been on the ship since January 5. Animal welfare specialists have described the appalling conditions the animals will be experiencing, with temperatures are as high as 40C. Moreover, the young animals, confined to overcrowded conditions, are still growing, making the space increasingly cramped.

Suzanne Fowler, Chief Science Officer at the RSPCA Australia, told CNN that “we couldn’t be more gravely concerned.” She added: “The stress of the animals is only going to yield in the coming days and that sense of fatigue where they can’t cope anymore, will only worsen.” She also warned of the disease risk that confinement and the high temperatures create. “A lot of these diseases you won’t see until it’s too late,” she added.

After making the journey to the Red Sea, officials instructed the vessel to turn back and dock in Western Australia. Since returning, the government has been unwilling to let the animals disembark due to “biosecurity risks.” Ministers are also reportedly blocking the re-export of the animals.

John Hassell, president of the Western Australian Farmers Federation, had little sympathy for the suffering animals. He suggested they should be re-exported so long as “the animals are in good nick,” according to ITV.

End live export

Exporting live animals is now recognized as a cruel practice by countries around the world. Yet, millions of animals still endure journeys of thousands of miles each year. The effects of live export include dehydration, stress, hunger, and overcrowding. As a result, many animals die before they reach their destination.

In 2022, Australia’s Labor party stated that, if it were to win that year’s federal election, it would put an end to the country’s live sheep export industry. It won a majority for the first time since 2007. Two years later, the country is closer to following in New Zealand’s footsteps and ending live export. The government reaffirmed its commitment last year.

However, progress has been slow. Following a review by an independent panel, it was confirmed that the phase out “will not take place during this current term of the Australian Parliament.” The government stated that this delay would “provide time for individuals and businesses to prepare for a transition away from live sheep exports by sea.”

While policymakers dither, animals suffer. Undeterred by the month-long suffering of 16,000 sheeps and cows, new shipments are continuing.

*While the English language typically refers to multiple sheeps as “sheep,” we choose to use “sheeps” to emphasize their individuality

More like this:

• Farmed Hens Killed In Huge Texas Barn Fire
• Agricultural Students Expelled Following ‘Disturbing’ Sheep Attack
• Australia’s New Farm Trespass Law A ‘Smokescreen’ To Criminalize Animal Activists

The post Live Export Ship Carrying 16,000 Animals Stranded At Sea For A Month appeared first on Plant Based News.