Bulletin of the Animal Cruelty Investigation Group January 2007
Rabbits bred for fur and meat, Portugal 2006
(Photographs : Animal/Ecostorm productions)
RABBITS EXPLOITED FOR FUR AND MEAT IN PORTUGAL
I work with a large team of colleagues many of whom also work for other campaigning groups at different times. Some colleagues also run their own investigation groups. A common theme though is the use throughout of the kind of lawful but hard-hitting investigation that was perfected by the Animal Cruelty Investigation Group some years ago. A classic example of such work was carried out last autumn to expose the cruel exploitation of rabbits for fur and meat in Portugal. This involved a team of investigators, including ACIG supporters, from the UK based Ecostorm investigation agency working with the Portuguese campaigning group Animal.
This courageous investigation proved that whatever cruelty we uncovered in our visit to the tourist Mecca that is the Algarve (ACIG News 33) far worse savagery lurks out of sight in the interior of the country, to the north.
Open and hidden filming techniques were used at a variety of sites to show the whole brutal process from artificial insemination to final slaughter. The rabbits are seen to be housed in poor, tiny and cramped caging. They are handled roughly and die in a shockingly brutal fashion. And this is all to produce fur for the fashion trade and a different choice of tender meat. The rabbit fur appears to circle the world as much of it is shipped through Spain to China for cheap processing. It is then returned to Portugal and other EU countries including Britain for use in clothing and trinkets.
I spoke to one of the investigators, a close colleague with whom I have worked for many years. He told me: “This was a very difficult investigation because the fur trade in Portugal is so secretive. We also had the problem of the language barrier but we were able to fix that by taking an interpreter with us. Animal gave us excellent support in Portugal. Sometimes we were able to film openly but we also had to use concealed cameras. Some of the savagery we saw was truly haunting. I hope that our film will be widely seen so that people will shun this whole brutal business.”
The campaigning DVD that Ecostorm and Animal have produced runs to some 7 minutes. It may be short but it is stunningly powerful and shows the full price that is paid by our fellow creatures for man’s greed and vanity. We have a pair of dwarf rabbits that needed a good home and we were happy to provide. I simply cannot comprehend how anyone could treat such harmless and delightful creatures with such callous cruelty. Copies of this DVD are available from the ACIG.
DOG BREEDING INVESTIGATION IN KENT
Back in the hot summer of 2006 we received a tip-off about a dog breeding establishment in Kent where it was alleged that the dogs were held in bad conditions with no staff on hand throughout the day to look after them. They were merely visited morning and late afternoon.
If there really was no-one about during the day this would on the face of it be an easy situation to check. I went down to take a look. After careful approach and observation I found out that there were people about throughout the day and the kennels were in better condition than many similar businesses. When I reported this back to my informant she was naturally most apologetic that she had sent us on what turned out to be a false mission but as I pointed out to her, I was pleased not to have found the dogs suffering in the sweltering heat. I have no problem at all about checking out suspicions and finding there to be nothing wrong. I would rather check out ten places and find them all to be reasonable than not be told of the one that turns out to be truly dreadful.
There are of course several reasons why animal welfare groups can be tipped off about places. Sometimes the conditions really are bad. Sometimes they are not as good as they might be and can be improved with a bit of advice and help. Sometimes they are fine and a person, perhaps an ex-employee, has fallen out with those who run the establishment and seeks to get them into trouble. Sadly the general public often live with the mistaken view that you only have to report a place “to the animal rights” for it to be fire-bombed into destruction! Animal welfare can be used for a bit of score settling at times. There is also the danger of which we are all too aware of investigators being lured into a trap. Some isolated farm is labeled as being a den of cruelty but when you check it out you find a decidedly unwelcoming reception committee lurking in the bushes. This is why when we agree to check a site we never say when or how we will do it. But we do it.
FOXES “SHOT BY THE COUNCIL”
Someone recently contacted us by e-mail after viewing our web site to report that foxes were being shot in a London wood by a gunman acting on behalf of a Council. I discussed the accusation with a colleague, an expert in the humane deterrence of foxes, and then contacted the Council. They assured me that they did not operate a policy of controlling foxes and that neither Council employee, nor anyone acting on behalf of the Council was shooting foxes. If true, that is great to hear! But just what is happening? A likely scenario is that foxes are being shot and when the gunman is challenged by a member of the public he offers the false excuse that he is “doing it for the Council”. Needless to say we will continue to watch the situation.
HUNTING
As always I have been doing a lot of work for the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) during the current hunting season and I am pleased to report to you here some of the highlights (or lowlights).
It is no surprise that the degree to which hunts obey the law depends on the attitude of the police force where they operate, our ability to get into the field to watch what they are doing, and perhaps most crucially whether or not the hunters know we are there!
We must never forget that before the Hunting Ban some 40,000 hunt supporters (in others words virtually 100% of those who hunt) vowed that they would simply ignore any anti-hunting legislation and were fully prepared to go to jail if necessary. This was a crude attempt to threaten MPs with the scenario that there would be such anarchy in our countryside and the police and prisons would be so overwhelmed that public order would collapse into chaos. These threats did not come from aliens; they came from the very people who are hunting now. Is it any wonder that we are suspicious when they now claim to be only hunting within the law?
It is fair to say that some of the draghunting I have witnessed has been virtually perfect. The drag has been laid and the hounds have been brought up and hunted it perfectly. When they overrun the line they are brought back to re-find it and the hunt proceeds with the riders galloping along behind. All the hunters are having fun and there is no animal suffering.
But it doesn’t always happen that way. Sadly I have seen and filmed both foxes and hares hunted; sometimes in much the same way as before the ban. Some of these cases are now being studied further with a view to legal action.
Of course these animal hunting types have a tradition of believing that laws are for others, not for them. In October 2006 the authorities conducted spot checks on horseboxes attending Fakenham Racecourse on the day of the first race meeting. More than three in four were committing offences including running with faulty brakes, faulty tyres, overloaded and on vegetable oil. Seven vehicles were ordered off the road immediately as they were deemed at such high risk. A police spokesman said that usual spot checks on lorries gave 45% being illegal in some way but on this occasion a shocking 83% had defects. One can but guess at how many were blazoned with pro-hunt stickers but what is certain is that by giving two fingers to the law they were risking the lives of other road users, their own lives and the lives of their horses. (report Eastern Daily Press 18/11/2006)
HUNTING IN THE MEDIA
There was a notorious article published in The Independent on Monday 20th November under the heading “Hunt followers ride roughshod over failing law.” The gist of this article is that most hunts are ignoring the law, are regularly killing wildlife illegally and the police are doing nothing to stop them. This was nothing more than a media extension of their pre-ban boast that 40,000 of them stood ready and willing to flout the law and go to prison as martyrs for their “cause”.
But words come easy, what of the facts? The fact is that whenever hunters are questioned as to their activities they come over all innocent and deny any wrong doing. To date the only Huntsman that has appeared in court charged with breaching the Hunting Act pleaded not guilty and did his best to escape the charges. As martyrs they are singularly timid.
But they sure can talk a good fight. In this article we learn from a Master of Fox Hounds in the West Country the following: “During the autumn, we pretend we’re on hound exercise; now the season’s begun properly, we say it’s drag hunting. But that’s total rubbish. It’s business as usual. We are killing almost as many foxes as ever. I would say we are now bagging 25 brace in a season, all of them illegally. Someone always carries a duster and some oil in their pocket, so we say we’re draghunting but I haven’t actually laid a trail for more than a year.”
Another Master of Fox Hounds from the east of England boasts: “We’ve had police watching us, and they’re pretty clueless about what’s going on, and have no desire to prosecute. If I see a loophole, I will gallop right through it. Some people really take the piss. You hear rumours of hunts whose eagles never leave a car; or where the eagles are actually cardboard cut-outs.”
It all sounds like public schoolboys having jolly japes trying to outsmart their masters. When exposed for the cowards they inherently are they stiffen their trembling lips and brag that they really are fearless criminals. I just hope that the police and the equine insurance companies are aware of these boasts. The latter because hunters hunting illegally of course have no insurance!
Now it is easy to fool our national media whose attention span for a story is notoriously limited but what of some real facts to read in print? Well I have filmed hour after hour of hunting this season for the LACS and not once has a hunt deliberately broken the law in front of my cameras. If they are hunting live quarry and I reach the scene with a camera they do their best to stop their hounds. I am delighted that they do. When I started in this business back in 1971 I could only have dreamed of being able to stop a hunt in their tracks merely by turning a camera on them. Of course they loathe my presence. I get abuse, threats, have been blocked in and had my car side-window smashed with a rock but such hostility comes with the job.
GAMEKEEPER PROSECUTION
We are in the business of making people aware of the true facts about cruelty to animals. Part of this work inevitably involves exposing the nature of those who delight in inflicting that cruelty. A classic example of this occurred in the court case at Ely Magistrates Court on October 5th 2006 in which renowned gamekeeper Richard Clarke was convicted of threatening behaviour and common assault against me. This followed an incident at Six Mile Bottom, near Newmarket, on January 6th 2006 when I was working for the LACS trying to film his shoot. The following transcript from my video taken for LACS makes clear the abuse, aggression and violence that I was subjected to:-
RICHARD CLARKE: It’s the f…… pervert look
RICHARD CLARKE: [He crosses the road and hits my camera with his stick] F… off! F… off!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Why?
RICHARD CLARKE: F… right off! F… off!
[He strikes me with a straight-arm push]
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Just leave me alone
RICHARD CLARKE: F… off!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Just you leave me alone
[He strikes me with another straight-arm push]
RICHARD CLARKE: F… off! If you want a f…… row you can have one. Now f… off
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: I’m stood on the road
RICHARD CLARKE: F… …..yea well f… off, we’ve got a policeman here and he’s coming to see you cos [He strikes me with another straight-arm push] get in your f…… motor and f… off!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Get off me
RICHARD CLARKE: Get in your f…… motor and f… off cos you’re going to regret you got up this morning [He tries to open my car door] now get in there and f… off!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: It’s locked
RICHARD CLARKE: [To his dog] Come on Angus off the road [RICHARD CLARKE to me] Now f… off!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: No
[RICHARD CLARKE blows his whistle to signal to the nearby guns the end of the drive]
RICHARD CLARKE: [To beater] Watch my dog will yer
Young beater: Angus! Angus!
[Young beater crosses the road and takes hold of Angus, a vehicle passes]
RICHARD CLARKE: [Takes his mobile phone from his pocket and calls to another beater stood across the road] What time did you phone that policeman?......What was the incident number…462?
Beater named John to MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Don’t take any pictures of me. I’ll put the camera up your arse
RICHARD CLARKE: [Approaches me with glove removed from his hand] Yea…go on…f… off mate cos nobody wants you [RICHARD CLARKE strikes me and knocks me back into the mirror on my car] F… off! F… off!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Just leave me…
RICHARD CLARKE: Now, you’re going to get f…… hurt if you don’t f… off
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Just you leave me alone
RICHARD CLARKE: Just you get out of the f…… way. Look, people don’t want you taking pictures of them
Beater named John: I don’t want you taking pictures
RICHARD CLARKE: [Pointing to my camera] Do you want me to steal that?
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: No
RICHARD CLARKE: Well, f… off then…alright? Get in your motor and f… off
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: No
RICHARD CLARKE: Just get in your motor and f… off
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: [Stepping back] I’m going to stay here
RICHARD CLARKE: [To colleagues] Where’s Clive?
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: You can get the police if you want to
RICHARD CLARKE: People don’t want you taking pictures of them
Beater named John: No. I don’t
Other beaters: No, we don’t
RICHARD CLARKE: Just get in your motor mate cos you’re going to do yourself a favour..
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Why?
RICHARD CLARKE: Get yourself in that motor cos if you don’t I’m going to rip the door off and chuck you in
Beater named John: Don’t think I’m a f…… film star so don’t you take any pictures of me alright?
RICHARD CLARKE: He’s going to hit yer…cos if he don’t I f…… will. Now go!
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: [I take my car keys out of my pocket, and indicate that access to my car is blocked by the beater named John]
RICHARD CLARKE: Don’t f…… start wagging your finger…..cos if you don’t want that [RICHARD CLARKE indicates to my camera] stolen off you and the film ripped out of it…..
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: You move him [Beater named John] out of the way of that door
RICHARD CLARKE: Get out of the way John and then he can f… off. Go on mate [to me] cos you’re going to f…… run….end up in trouble
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Alright [I open my car door and go to get in]
Beater: Just give a shove and your car’ll end up on its roof very easily
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Sorry?
RICHARD CLARKE: [To me] Just get out of the way mate
Beater with foreign accent: Yea, go on
Beater: Do you hear that?
Beater with foreign accent: Seriously
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Sorry?
Beater with foreign accent: It would be a good idea if you leave, seriously
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Why?
Beater with foreign accent: It’s just a good idea. You’re antagonising people. There’s no need….
[I turn to get in my car and as I do so RICHARD CLARKE assaults me trying to wrench my camera and film away]
RICHARD CLARKE: Let’s just take the film out
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: Just you leave it alone
RICHARD CLARKE: Let’s just take the film [RICHARD CLARKE wrestles for the camera and the image freezes but the sound continues to record] Let’s just take the film. Are you going to get in the car then or are you going to f… off?
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: I’ll get in the car then [When I stoop to do so, turning my back to RICHARD CLARKE, he forces my head down violently]
RICHARD CLARKE: Come on….let’s have this [RICHARD CLARKE tries to steal my camera but fails]
MICHAEL HUSKISSON: I’ll get in the car
RICHARD CLARKE: People don’t want you to take their f…… ……[Camera turns off as RICHARD CLARKE wrestles violently for it]
I think we probably all get the idea that “sportsmen” shooting birds don’t like being filmed; if it is the public will see the inherent cruelty. The “F” word was used 16 times in the first 32 seconds after Richard Clarke arrived on the scene. Whilst I have censored it here it was obviously used in full and I think it is fair to say that when the unexpurgated tape was played in court no-one, not the Magistrates, the lawyers, the media nor anyone else was impressed. Richard Clarke was fined £250 and ordered to pay £360 costs. Needless to say I was still able to film some of the shooting.
I hope that the above episode makes clear that we are law-abiding and we are determined. We will get the film that we seek whatever the intimidation, threat or violence from our opponents.
PET INSURANCE ?
This is a preliminary search for evidence that I sincerely hope does not upset anyone. There is a suggestion that on occasion pet insurance can lead to operations being carried out on pets that may be unnecessary, may be counterproductive and may even lead to a great deal of pain and discomfort. The vet asks if you have insurance for your pet and if you have a whole new realm of surgical opportunities open up. As animal welfarists we of course would pay for the best treatment of our beloved pets, whether we have insurance or not, but I wonder whether you have heard of people having bad experiences in this area?
The only example I can give is from the area of human health, my own. Some years ago when I was unemployed I had the misfortune to visit a particular dentist. On seeing that I had a lot of fillings and learning that I was unemployed and as a consequence all dental treatment was free to me he wanted to change ALL my fillings. I let him do a couple that were old and perhaps did need changing but I declined the rest. The two fillings he replaced he changed so quickly that I was left in considerable pain and I had to visit another dentist to have them put right. The treatment was “free” to me (apart from the pain) but he was paid by the NHS, and handsomely too no doubt. When the customer is not paying the bill it may be easier to persuade them to have an operation for themselves or their pet.
Is it possible that some pets are suffering following unnecessary surgical operations simply because insurance companies are on hand to pick up the bill? Any experiences in this area, good or bad, would be greatly appreciated and would of course be kept in the strictest confidence.
NEW SUPPORTER CATEGORY AND NEXT ELECTION
A Conservative Government led by David Cameron MP has promised to allow Parliamentary time for the repeal of the Hunting Act. This would bring back hare coursing and all the other barbarisms visited upon our countryside that have to a greater or lesser extent been removed by the Hunting Act. We can counter this by working to exclude from Parliament those politicians, from whatever party, who support bloodsports.
Be in no doubt that the hunting fraternity are spending the time between now and the next election making their preparations for a massive campaign to restore animal hunting with dogs. They will be out lobbying and leafleting, but doubtless as in the last election, on the strict understanding that they do not promote their love of hunting! They are advised to dress normally and remove all hunting badges. It is an Alice in Wonderland campaign in which the prime, and indeed the sole reason for their existence is never mentioned. Conversely we are always pleased to make clear our determination to oppose cruelty and to only have humane hunting in our countryside.
Come the next election we will be in desperate need of supporters to help us to counter the bogus campaign from our opponents. Yes the ideal solution would be to have full-blown supporters who send us donations and are on our mailing list but much as we might try it doesn’t always happen. There are so many worthy causes all clamouring for the public purse that I can well understand compassionate people being so overwhelmed that they are not prepared to consider a comparatively new outfit such as ourselves (albeit that we have been in existence for some 17 years now which makes me feel very old!!).
So, with that in mind I am keen to know the names and addresses of people who could be considered sympathetic to our work, to whom we could mail for help when the next election is called. These are the kind of people who you have notified us about before, who we have sent Bulletins to, but who for whatever reason have not become formal supporters on our mailing list. If you could send me any such names and addresses it would be greatly appreciated. I guarantee not to pester them for support but only to mail them with our campaigning literature in the run in to the next election. It will be of great importance to animals and I am determined to do the best that I can.
GREAT BOOK FOR CHILDREN!! “Gertrude’s Brave Escape” by Julia Edge (a supporter)
This is a delightful children’s book written and illustrated by Julia Edge, a supporter for many years of both the ACIG and the AWIS. The dominant theme of this magical tale is about dog theft but there are subtle undertones as well. The relationship between human and dog is explored as are values within the canine race and the human race. For parents it is an excellent starting point for discussions with the younger reader. It is aimed at being read by children from 5 years upwards, but the illustrations are of such quality and interest that it could be read by parents to younger children. The book is hard-back; 64 pages; illustrated in full colour throughout; its ISBN is 0-9549726-0-0. Copies are available from Blue Lion, 48 Porchester Terrace, London W2 3TP. Tel.: 020 7723 1140. Or visit the web site at: www.bluelionpublishing.co.uk. The book costs £12.95 (plus £1.95 postage and packing) from which £3 is donated to animal welfare charities as listed on the web site.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
You are welcome to quote anything in our literature in your letters to the media or to politicians.
EQUIPMENT DONATIONS
Many thanks indeed for your generous response to my appeal in the last Bulletin. We now have an excellent cine film projector and should that fail I know where at least one more is held by a kind supporter. This has allowed us to view old films so that only those that are required are sent for transfer to video. Other items likely to become unwanted but that are extremely useful to us are old UK Ordnance Survey maps (by “old” I mean back to the First Series published around 1974). We have bought and been given quite a number but a full set would be a valuable resource for our investigation work. With satellite navigation systems and maps available over the Internet you may be considering discarding your old maps. If so, we would be delighted to receive them. Thank you.
RECRUIT NEW SUPPORTERS/SYMPATHISERS
Please send us the names and addresses of any potential supporters. I then write to these people, telling them who have given us their details and enclosing a copy of our latest News Bulletin and some of our other literature inviting them to support our work. You know that we do not pester people, nor bombard them with begging requests, but equally we need support and there are plenty of people out there who if they did but know of our work might well be impressed with the successes that we have been able to achieve.
FINANCES
New technological advances are coming on to the High Street all the time. With your continued help we will stay in the market for buying the very best equipment for our investigators.
You have seen after many years of ACIG successes that we have a proven ability to win for animals. For anyone considering remembering the vital investigation work of the ACIG in their will, to enable us to continue to achieve, I respectfully suggest using the following form of bequest:
“I bequeath unto the Animal Cruelty Investigation Group of P.O. Box 8, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 0JL, the sum of ............................. free of tax and I direct that the receipt of an authorised officer of the group shall be a good and sufficient discharge of such legacy.”
I should make clear here that as yet neither the ACIG nor its sister group, the Animal Welfare Information Service, is a charity. We have given a lot of thought to, and taken advice on, making one or other, or perhaps both, of these groups a charity but as yet we have not done so. Whilst many animal rescue centres are charities most of the large campaigning animal welfare groups are not. Like them we are at present unwilling to restrict our campaigning activities which would be the inevitable result of taking on charitable status. This is all the more true now that the struggle for our goals is more intensive and political than ever. A down side is that we lose out on numerous benefits, including tax, but the plus is that we can make more effective use of the money we do receive. Should the situation change and we create a charitable side to our work I will of course quickly inform all supporters. Please do not allow your solicitor to discourage you from leaving your money to whomsoever you wish, whether they are a charity or not.
IN MEMORIAM
Tragically, some people working for animals have suffered appallingly at the hands of the abusers. Several have paid the ultimate price. They will never be forgotten. The memory of their sacrifice should inspire us all to do much more for the cause that we know to be just. ALL who give their lives for animals are remembered but we do particularly recall the following whose lives were taken by our opponents:-
James Piper, RSPCA Inspector : Died in 1838 after sustaining severe injuries tackling cockfighters at Hanworth, Middlesex.
William Sweet, LACS member : Murdered 6/1/1976 after altercation with man shooting birds. Assailant was jailed for life but has long been released.
Fernando Pereira, Greenpeace photographer : Murdered 10/7/1985 by the French Secret Service when the vessel “Rainbow Warrior” was sunk by two explosions, Auckland Harbour, New Zealand.
Michael Hill, Hunt Saboteur : Killed 9/2/1991 protesting against hare hunting at the Cheshire Beagles.
Thomas Worby, Hunt Saboteur : Killed 3/4/1993 protesting against fox hunting at the Cambridgeshire Foxhounds.
Jill Phipps, Animal Rights Activist : Killed 1/2/1995 protesting against live exports of farm animals, Coventry Airport.
As I end this Bulletin my closing thoughts are to reflect on how in some ways so much has changed in recent years and yet in others so little is different. I have been working against animal cruelty for over 35 years. I have just watched a hare fleeing before a pack of dogs. That in essence is the cruelty that we all oppose. It is the tormenting of the innocent and the helpless; the abuse of power; bullying. When I started if I had tried to intervene to save the life of the hare, as the young hunt saboteur that I was, I would have been subjected to violence. If I had tried to photograph the scene to demonstrate the inherent cruelty to others I would have been mocked by the hunters, and they would have tried to block my view. Now in 2007 they try to stop their own hounds. They still try to block my view to prevent me filming but they are not laughing now. Cursing and swearing over my presence but not laughing. I guess it is progress of a sort but I still want to relieve the hare of the burden of having to run for her life to amuse others. And as the work by colleagues in Portugal proves for all the barbarism that is still on public view in the hunting field a far greater measure of cruelty lurks out of sight elsewhere. It is our job to work to expose the suffering and wherever possible to gather the evidence to launch a prosecution of those responsible. We have always said that we have two primary goals. The first is to enforce existing laws to protect animal welfare. The second is to work with the media and Politicians to push forward the boundaries of humane legislation to secure even greater protection for animals. We never said it would be easy. It never was, isn’t now, and it won’t be in the future. But with your continued support we will never give up. Thank you. Our next Bulletin will be written in July. Mike Huskisson January 2007
Animal Cruelty Investigation Group, PO Box 8, HALESWORTH, Suffolk. IP19 0JL
Tel.: 01986-782280
E-mail: mike@acigawis.freeserve.co.uk Web site: www.acigawis.freeserve.co.uk