Shocking statistics recently released by DEFRA revealed that 1,241,460 ready-to-hatch pheasant eggs were imported from Poland into the UK between 1st May 2018 and 30th April 2019. 48,170 pheasant eggs were imported from Poland in 2015, making an increase of 2400% in just four years.
In May, we visited a pheasant farm located in the Polish village of Klon, which supplies the UK shooting industry with Bazanty pheasants. Over a thousand raised wire cages make up the breeding site, with each one holding one male and eight female pheasants. The farm boasts of producing 50,000 eggs per week between March and July.
Each bird is fitted with a cruel and intrusive plastic 'mask' over their beak in an attempt to lessen injuries sustained by pecking at each other due to the extreme stress of confinement. These ‘masks’ were fitted by piercing the nasal septum, which is an illegal practice in the UK. The females are fitted with 'saddles', a piece of cloth designed to keep the birds productive as they have their back feathers ripped out by repetitive mating by the male in their cage. The flooring of each cage is just wire mesh, causing injuries to the birds' feet as their feet won't touch the ground for months on end.
At present, Eurotunnel, DFDS Seaways and Brittany Ferries are all transporting factory farmed gamebird eggs into the UK, where they will be hatched and shot.
Our spokesperson, Lee Moon said; "The shooting industry has grown significantly over the last few years, with a rise in gamebird imports largely fuelling this growth. Around 43 million pheasants are released into the British countryside each year and half of these start off life in factory farms in Europe. No environmental risk assessment is carried out as releasing such huge numbers of non-native gamebirds had led to an increase in predators of species such as curlew which the shooting industry falsely champions itself as protecting. All this suffering is simply to provide live targets for wealthy shooters to blast out of the sky. We're calling on Eurotunnel, DFDS Seaways and Brittany Ferries to all cease transporting gamebirds into the UK and in so doing end the lifeline that they are providing this cruel industry."
Hunt Saboteurs Association News release 13th August 2019
Over one hundred hunt saboteurs marked the start of the grouse shooting season, the so called Glorious 12th, by descending on grouse moors in the Peak |district and Lancashire and shutting down shoots, saving hundreds of lives.
They started the day at Snailsden Moor in the Northern Peak district where the shoot were stopped before they'd even started. Bemused shooters looked on as a wave of sabs spread across the moor towards them. The shoot returned to their vehicles and tried to sneak back onto the moor but sabs were monitoring their ever move and they stayed huddled in their shooting lodge. As lunchtime arrived they drifted off, clearly done for the day.
Another shoot had already been located on Emmott Moor in Lancashire so sabs headed North and arrived just in time to stop their afternoon drive and end their days killing.
Another shoot in the Western Peak District appeared to not go out at all due to sabs waiting outside their accommodation.
Lee Moon, spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association stated; “The tide of public opinion is clearly turning against grouse shooting as people become more and more sickened by it's cruelty, environmental destruction and sheer extravagance in this age of austerity. Politicians and talking heads are calling for its ban but until that time hunt saboteurs will remain on the frontline ensuring that shooters must always look over their shoulders, never sure when we'll arrive".
Out of solidarity with vegan and animal rights activists, Vegfest have kindly offered 100 free tickets to our supporters, to attend this year's VegfestUK London free of charge on the Sunday Oct 27th 2019.
Each entry ticket allows an additional guest per ticket and includes access to all areas of the event, including the 350 stalls, talks, cookery demos, panels and live music sessions at the event on the Sunday. One of the new features of this event is the Vegan Climate Change Summit on the Sunday, which focuses on climate change. Other features include the Animal Rights & Activism room, a talks room dedicated to Movement Building, alongside a Wildlife Summit.
Follow the link and don't forget to come and say hello to us on the Hunt Saboteurs Association Stall!
