Animal Friendly podcast

12/12/2023

It's all too true!!! 😂😼

08/12/2023

Every December the government makes a song and dance about awarding grants to all the animal welfare charity groups in Ireland. This year it was just under €6 million, which may sound like a lot, but is an absolute pittance when you consider the amount of work that these animal welfare experts undertake every day. To put it into perspective, the greyhound industry was recently awarded €19 million. This letter perfect describes the frustration and anger rightly felt by one typical group.

04/12/2023

Tis’ the season to be jolly careful about your environmental impact. Find out how with our roundup of sustainable Christmas ideas

03/12/2023

I love this! Cruelty Free International are doing which reveals an action every day that can help to create positive change for animals in laboratories. Let's all try for a (And the videos are so cute!! 💟💗)

02/12/2023

Great article by Agtivist Agency on the cruel and unnecessary practice that is live transport. So many Europeans are against this, and yet it continues. But the activists fighting it, like Ethical Farming Ireland and Eurogroup for Animals will never give up.

Unpublished data has revealed shocking new evidence about a secretive trade in farm animals, raising concerns about animal welfare and disease spread.

01/12/2023

Me at the end of the week.

30/11/2023

Operating on a turtle, amazing photos!


https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeVetsInternational/posts/pfbid02cmpFFwyLRaMfvvjotoRLQRVqtcxoanzCN9ojzw11U9477RazKejLbaoHzbryoJS8l

29/11/2023

Vegans, yummy! I mean, vegan FOOD, is what I mean... 😋

https://www.facebook.com/theHopefulHerbivore/posts/pfbid034X3aM2Tp2KL5sfqu8Eoj5JZdo42Kwe61b9paQW3JFycaJaSaEzHamL3z8HvpWAA5l

Yeah. Yeah. We'll hang back.

28/11/2023

This Giving Tuesday, please consider starting a monthly donation to an animal charity. Even €5 a month can make a difference when the charity know that it's coming in regularly. I make monthly donations to a few animal charities, including Akashinga who do astonishing work to restore and conserve wildlife. It was seeing Damien Mander in The Game Changers that turned me vegan - best decision of my life! - and this is my small thank you.

Vimbai is a ranger in Zimbabwe's armed female anti-poaching unit, Akashinga. They protect one of the biggest elephant populations in Africa.BBC News looks in...

28/11/2023

I didn't even know this happened, but you can bet I'll be sending an email expressing my opinion about it!
Read the full post to find out how you can help too.

27/11/2023

Absolutely love this podcast. Always educating me about wildlife, and in this episode, about my own locality!

(TA) and the wildlife and biodiversity it supports, are the topics of this weeks which has just landed! An excellent and fascinating episode with BirdWatch Irelands John Lusby, check it out at: https://inyournature.buzzsprout.com/1701709/14018067 or wherever you get your podcasts!

This episode was produced in partnership with Galway County Council and with the support of the National Parks and Wildlife Service under the National Biodiversity Action Plan (2017-2021).

Check out Galway Biodiversity StoryMaps (arcgis.com) for more information on some of Co. Galways 'most important and beautiful areas for biodiversity'.

Thanks to Offaly County Council, Laois County Council, Westmeath County Council and The Heritage Council for supporting this work.

26/11/2023

25/11/2023

Am so looking forward to the Uncharitable Movie when it's available to stream. It's based on Dan Pallotta's book so I'm watching his TED talk in the meantime and I'm shouting "Yess!!!" at the screen. I'm all in favour of people who work for (animal) charities being paid well; because I want them working to the best of their ability, not worrying about how to make the rent.

Activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta calls out the double standard that drives our broken relationship to charities. Too many nonprofits, he says, are rewarded for how little they spend -- not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charitie...

23/11/2023

"Many humans who visit the Peruvian rain forest are calmly watched by a jaguar or two. Most of them, however, don’t realize they’re under surveillance." https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-jaguar-is-made-for-the-age-of-humans?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-gb

A writer comes face-to-face with the cat deep in the Amazon jungle and left with a new understanding of its surprising resilience to poaching and habitat loss.

22/11/2023

Omg, I'm cracking up at Maeve Higgins talking to Tom Papa about the rats taking over New York (in Dec 2022) and all the pampered cats of the city not having a chance. That segment runs from 27:30 to 37:30 but it's worth listening to the whole interview. Maeve Higgins is a marvel 🤣 https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/breaking-bread/episode-134-maeve-higgins-gcBJSDh9Ot6/

01:05:19 - No one makes me laugh harder than Maeve Higgins. I brought her a sandwich and she brought me rat stories. Watch her new special A Very Special Wom…

21/11/2023

I've begun to study fundraising (and marketing) in order to learn how animal charities and advocates can raise more money and increase their impact. One thing is clear; familiarity with technology is crucial.

Vegan Hacktivists explores the results of their study about the movement’s use of technology, including challenges, opportunities, and...

20/11/2023

Hmm, maybe horses on planes isn't the best idea in the first place...

"We have a horse problem" - the jet was flying to Belgium when an equine passenger escaped its crate.

19/11/2023

Love the ISPCA Xmas cards - supporting good work and making me laugh, thanks ISPCA for everything you do!!

✨ 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 ✨

Send your best wishes to friends, family and all the animals in our care.

It’s almost time to start sending your best wishes for the Christmas season to friends and family. ISPCA Christmas cards feature some of the adorable animals’ generous supporters you have helped rescue in the past year. With each card you write, not only are you sending your best wishes to friends and relations, you're sending your love to the animals in our care. That’s because when you buy and send these gorgeous cards, you are helping to raise vital funds for the ISPCA. 💙

With twelve cards in each pack – two each of six different designs – there’s sure to be one to suit every animal lover. 🐾

Buy your 2023 ISPCA Christmas Cards here: https://shop.ispca.ie/collections/cards-calendars/products/copy-of-ispca-luxury-christmas-cards-12-cards-2023-edition

29/10/2023

This episode is based on personal experience - sadly. My cat, Goldie, went missing on Oct 1st and I've been looking for him ever since. This episode talks about the search, as well as rambling onto topics like labyrinths, Schrodinger's Cat and The Cat and the Moon by Yeats.
The search continues and I'll update if/when we ever find him.
I'm so grateful to cat rescue groups like Galway Cat Rescue and facebook groups like found cats only (Ireland) and Galway / Mayo Lost and Found Animals and others - all those wonderful people who reunite humans and animals every day - or find loving homes for all those wonderful cats who have no one looking for them.

Based on personal experience - sadly - this episode talks about the efforts made to try and find a lost cat; meandering around topics like the kindness o…

25/10/2023

“I use the metaphor of darkness… to depict the Big Question of whether or not this beautiful Amur leopard might disappear in the near future… Will it emerge from the darkness, or will the darkness swallow it up?”

The words of award-winning wildlife artist, Penny Wheatley, describing this stunning painting, which is just one of over fifty artworks that will be on display in her Cat Passion exhibition next month.

If you will be in or around London in mid November please, please come and see it. We would love to see you there!

Gallery Different, WT1 1DR, 14th-18th November from 10.30am to 5.30pm.

Penny has long been passionate about the conservation of big cats and all things WVI, and is very generously donating all proceeds from the sale of her works to WVI and Cheetah Conservation Fund.

We are incredibly grateful to our fabulous friends at The Big Cat Sanctuary and Paradise Wildlife Park for masterminding all the logistics. We love working with you and it is so inspiring to collaborate with like-minded people who share very similar goals. It’s all about the teamwork. 😊

Read more and view the full catalogue on our website: https://bit.ly/3Qjl0Cb

15/10/2023

We all know the huge relief that comes when a vet helps an animal in our care, maybe even saves their life. And we all know the gulp feeling when it comes to paying the bill, or looking at a future of regular medication. This eye-opening article highlights some of the enormous pressures facing vets so let's stay realistic about what they can do and what they can't - and try to know the difference.

Su***de rates among veterinarians are staggering. The crisis is dire – but there may be hope in sight.

24/09/2023

Considering how hard all the Irish animal charities work to help abused and homeless animals, as well as rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife, it's criminal that they only get 4 cent out of every €10 given to charity in Ireland. It's important to know this because people feel that we should prioritise people over animals when it comes to charity giving. I get that. But helping animals helps people too and maybe highlighting this information will encourage the government and others to give more to animal causes. https://www.animalfriendly.earth/blog/animals-get-4cent-of-every-eur10-given-to-charity-in-ireland/

Animal charities in Ireland only recieve a tiny fraction of the total amount given to charitable causes. More money to animal groups would benefit societ…

11/09/2023

Think you're getting good advice from your government regarding what to eat? Hmm, maybe think again...

Seth Godin talking on Intentional Fundraising podcast. The Influence of Food Industry over government guidelines. The harm animal agriculture is causing …

06/09/2023

Travis Patinaude of Stinkeye Photography uses his talents to highlight the plight of the Galgos in Spain. Used for hunting these dogs suffer injuries throughout the season and then face abandonment and death afterwards.
We talked about his extraordinary photographs; raising awareness and celebrating the beauty of these kind, gentle dogs.

In order to raise awareness of the plight of the Galgos in Spain, Travis Patinaude decided he had to try and fake being a photographer in order to get in…

20/08/2023

Vets helping vets to help animals!
One of the main problems with wildlife conservation is that the local vets might not have much specific wildlife medicine training. If there are only 70 Amur leopards in the wild, you don't get much practice treating them! That's where Wildlife Vets International come in. They are a group that share their knowledge with local conservation groups; whether it's teaching sedation and anaesthesia techniques or mitigating virus outbreaks or anything else that will help wild animals flourish. A fascinating group with a lot of expertise and enthusiasm. Wildlife Vets International Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction - SAVE

Vets helping vets to help animals. Traditional conservation groups working with endangered species can sometimes miss the fact that local vets might not …

04/07/2023

Just completed the survey to help with new design of the Irish passport, focusing on Ireland's flora and fauna. They show you a variety of lists of animals and you have to pick your top three in each. It's so hard because you want to pick all of them! But fascinating to see just how much wildlife we have here...

23/06/2023

Birdwatch Ireland are calling on people to sign a petition ahead of an important vote on June 30th - to extend the protection of a huge MPA (marine protected area) to include its seafloor. "If the seafloor is effectively protected, it will help safeguard the food chain for all species; from seabirds to other threatened species including Blue Whales, Leatherback Turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and Basking Sharks."
It's really easy to add your voice to this call for nature.

North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Seamount (NACES) MPA Protecting a seabird haven – from seafloor to sea surface!

22/06/2023

Wonderful short film showing the release of vultures back to the wild in Nepal - after years of dedicated work it's finally safe for them to be free again. Some lovely shots of these magnificent birds. Well done Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction - SAVE

Celebration of the release of the last vultures from the breeding centre in Nepal

13/06/2023

Bee Cool!
Twelfth episode is now up and I'm delighted to say that Dave Goulson is every bit as knowledgeable and entertaining as he seems in his books. We talked about why insects matter and why we need to stop poisoning them already!
Ya gotta listen to it, honey, it's the bees knees!

Dave Goulson has spent his life getting up close and personal with bees, and many other insects along the way. We chat about the various threats to inse…

10/04/2023

https://www.animalfriendly.earth/blog/the-new-model-is-here-and-its-vegan/

Vegan is the future, and vegan business is booming.

08/04/2023

Loving this live feed of a Barn Owl nest!

Welcome to BirdWatch Ireland’s Barn Owl cottage nest live stream! This camera shows a Barn Owl nest in the roof space of an abandoned cottage in Duhallow, no...

29/03/2023

Birding is cool, good to know!

Rappers, creatives, and fashion brands are all going birdwatching.

29/03/2023

"A well-known animal lover who kept dogs, pigs, bats, ferrets and more at his farm in Kent, O’Grady also presented the award-winning show For The Love Of Dogs. Last year he was joined by the queen consort in a special one-off episode to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, an organisation for which he was an ambassador. He was also a patron of Orangutan Appeal UK and won an RSPCA Animal Hero award for his “outstanding contribution to animal welfare”.
Bless you Paul O'Grady, RIP true animal hero.

Husband announces ‘unexpected but peaceful’ death of personality who was known for his drag persona Lily Savage

28/03/2023

Almost 28,000 calves have been transported from Ireland in the first months of 2023, 69% more than the same period in 2022.

The Netherlands and Spain are the largest importers of Irish baby cows this year, with most of the animals destined for veal production. The increase in exports to the Netherlands is up by 94%, and exports to Spain are up by 18%.

In March 2022, Eyes on Animals, Ethical Farming Ireland and Anja Hazekamp followed baby cows no older than four weeks being transported in trucks to the port of Rosslare in Ireland.

The trucks then boarded a ferry from Stena Line for an 18-hours journey to Cherbourg in France. From there the trucks went to the Netherlands. The animal welfare organizations said the young calves were on the road for a total of 50 hours.

“At that time, they were only given milk once. That is disastrous for young animals who are completely dependent on milk and have an immune system that has not yet developed" -Eyes on Animals

In the Netherlands, the young calves are fattened up. Once they are fat calves they are killed and their meat is sold as veal. They are killed between 7-12 months old.

The Dutch minister of Agriculture said in 2022 that he was shocked and promised to commit to banning long transports of calves. But in 2023 even more calves have been transported from Ireland to the Netherlands.

“Our inspections over the past few years have shown that this route from Ireland systematically violates EU rules on rest periods and feed. The result: many sick and weakened calves. It is not without reason that the use of antibiotics in veal farming is still high" -Eyes on Animals

26/03/2023

The Spanish company Nueva Pescanova has invested €65 million to build the world's first commercial octopus farm in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. As the first demand of the Plant Based Treaty states, we should not be building new slaughterhouses or animal farms, but relinquishing animal...

23/03/2023

Completely brilliant, and strangely moving.
Warning, you will be singing it for hours after listening.

23/03/2023

So much to report on at the moment... lets start with some of the good news from Nepal - a meeting of partners, final releases and the first tagging of Slender-bills https://save-vultures.org/news/

21/03/2023

‼️THERE IS SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAPPENING IN IRELAND - RIGHT NOW‼️
_______________

Animal Welfare in Ireland is at a critical point. Dog Pounds and animal rescues are overflowing with unwanted dogs to the point where there are no more available kennels in some pounds and dogs are kept in small cages.

People are abandoning their dogs, surrendering them to the pounds, or leaving them to suffer and fend for themselves in deplorable conditions. The welfare and neglect of cats and horses is even worse.

Animal Rescue organisations are exhausted and simply heartbroken trying to salvage this mess. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO MORE. The suffering is painful not only for the animals but for those who are trying to fight a losing battle to save these poor victims - unwanted and discarded like rubbish.

PLEASE JOIN A PEACEFUL PROTEST - Saturday March 25th, 2023 - to voice your concern about the untenable state of animal welfare in Ireland. See details in the attached poster.