From fable to farmyard: what does children's literature tell us about animals?
Vegan parents are often faced with a dilemma when choosing children’s books. The classic stories are often rife with hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance, yet they reveal much about humanity’s relationship with animals, as Nina Copleston discusses.
Faroes to “review” the grind after record dolphin massacre - but will it amount to anything?
OPINION: The mass killing of 1,428 white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands as part of the grind - a scale of slaughter so great as to turn the stomachs of locals who have previously supported the ‘tradition’ - has prompted the Faroese prime minister to pledge a review of the hunt. But after years of increasing worldwide attention and condemnation, why has it taken so long and will it amount to anything?
Nearly all the world’s farming subsidies are “harmful” to people and the planet, says the UN
NEWS: 90 per cent of all the money given to farmers in taxpayer-funded government hand-outs every year is damaging to people’s health, the environment and drives inequality, according to a new report released by three UN agencies ahead of the UN Foods Systems Summit next week.
Potty training cows to reduce farming’s impact on the environment?! Whatever next…
BLOG: In a desperate attempt to make raising cows less damaging to the environment, scientists have come up with a ridiculous solution: teach cows to poo and wee in ‘toilets’. Why come up with a quick fix when the real answer is obvious?
Peter Singer to donate more than $300K to help factory farmed animals
Philosopher Peter Singer has been awarded $1 million as the winner of the 2021 Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture. As is fitting of both the ‘father of effective altruism’ and the author of the extremely influential book Animal Liberation, Singer plans to donate a third of the money to the most effective organisations working to end factory farming.
Humans and wild boar: a story of conflicts and contradictions
Several stories in recent weeks have emerged about wild boar. Together they paint a vivid picture of contradictions in everything from environmentalism to zoonotic diseases, as Claire Hamlett explains.
Is the Netherlands poised to force farmers to reduce animal numbers for the environment?
The news yesterday that Dutch politicians are discussing new laws to compel farmers to sell off animals or reduce herd sizes in an effort to address ecological concerns could be a first for any nation.
20 meat and dairy companies emit more carbon than Germany, Britain or France, says Friends of the Earth
Twenty meat and dairy producers are emitting more greenhouse gases than three of Europe’s largest economies - Germany, France or Britain - flying in the face of calls to greatly reduce the impact of the livestock sector on the environment.
What is pharmaceutical animal testing and how does it work in the UK?
Animals have been used in medical tests for hundreds of years, and the horrific experiments are common practice in the UK. Here, we break down what the law is, whether the tests work, and what the alternatives are.
Tougher pet theft laws don't address the main problem
Animal guardians in the UK have welcomed a new law that classes pet theft as a specific criminal offence, recognising the welfare of the animal as well as the emotional distress caused to their human family. But is it enough?
The bird and the border wall: award-winning photograph highlights the impact of politics on wildlife
PICTURE STORY: Alejandro Prieto’s winning entry into this year’s Bird Photographer of the Year competition - a roadrunner seemingly blocked by the wall built by the Trump administration on the Mexico-US border - is a poignant reminder of the effect we humans have on those with whom we share this planet.
‘Killing with kindness’: feeding garden birds could be very bad indeed, says a new study
Hanging feeders and bird tables are mainstays of the idyllic British garden, topped up by well-intentioned ‘bird lovers’. Who can blame us for believing that we’re helping our feathered wildlife by leaving some seeds and nuts out, particularly in the winter when food is scarce? According to a study out this month, we could be doing more harm than good, writes Andrew Gough.