OLD NEWS
Lawyers for animals in Switzerland
In democratic Switzerland, citizens will soon vote in a referendum whether lawyers should be established in each canton (region) to represent martyred and dead animals. This has already been the case in Zurich for 15 years and the number of numbers of cases examined and the sentences handed down are clearly higher than in the rest of Switzerland.
The Swiss organisation for the protection of Animals (PSA) collected over 148,000 signatures, more than the 100,000 needed to prompt a referendum to introduce a new law.
4 August, 2007 
Ban on seal products in the Netherlands
After Belgium, The Netherlands is now the second EU country to ban all
trade in seal products as of 17th July 2007. A huge step forward in fighting
the brutal annual slaughter of hundreds of thousands hooded and harp seals in Canada.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) reports in their press release that 'many MP’s from the Labour, Liberal and Socialistic Party have made a tremendous contribution towards the cause and maintained persistence in their efforts throughout this lengthy process.' No doubt the Dutch political Party for the Animals played a vital role as well.
There is a lot of support for an EU-wide ban on the trade of seal products derived from pure cruelty and destined for vanity-driven commercial gain. The UK is publicly pushing for such a ban.
Animals Count is calling on the government to follow Belgium and The Netherlands in announcing a country-wide ban on these products and to continue working towards an EU-wide ban.
Government committed to animal testing despite lack of evidence
A petition to No. 10 Downing street to get the government to commit to setting a timetable
on phasing out animal research in favour of non-animal alternatives resulted in
a disappointing response.
The Dr Hadwen Trust does not take 'no' for an answer and points out the evidence demonstrating lack of scientific justification for animal experimentation. The government's position is based on anecdotes instead of science, and an independent review is sorely needed.
Complete ban on cat and dog fur trade in the EU
Millions of cats and dogs are bred in China and other countries for
the cruel fur trade. They are kept in gruesome cages, suffering horrendously and
dying painfully.
On 19th June
European Parliament Members voted for a comprehensive ban on the import
or export of cat and dog fur and any products containing such fur.
EU countries should put penalties in place for anyone infringing the rules.
Dutch Party for the Animals victory!
On 7 March the Dutch Party for the Animals celebrated another major victory;
in Provincial elections they received 9 seats in 8 provinces (counties), which also entitles
them to one seat in the senate (upper house).
At provincial level licenses are granted, for example, to extend (intensive) farms or
to hunt wild animals, hence a representative of the Party for the Animals may be able to
block these.
One out of 75 seats in the senate is an important achievement as the senate's role is to
discuss bills proposed in parliament.
These results show there is a growing awareness in the Netherlands that we ought to treat
animals and the environment with more respect.
In November 2006 the world watched in awe as the Party for the Animals won two seats in Dutch national parliament.