Network For Animals Logo
Network For Animals Logo
  • Home
  • How we take action
  • News
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • How we take action
  • News
  • About
  • Contact
Donate now
  • How we take action
  • Testimonials
  • News
  • About
  • Contact
  • Donate
Menu
  • How we take action
  • Testimonials
  • News
  • About
  • Contact
  • Donate

CITES Rubber Stamps Animal Cruelty

  • March 31, 2017
  • News
  • South Africa

 

Every year, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) rubber stamps the trade in thousands of live animals from Africa, but corruption and a complete disregard for the well-being of these animals means that most will suffer mistreatment and many will experience unimaginable cruelty during their capture and transport.

[box]

Click here to read NFA’s report “Rubber Stamping Animal Cruelty: Why CITES needs reform”

[/box]

“CITES is charged with ensuring the international trade in wildlife is soundly regulated and sustainable, but bribery, a lack of enforcement and a reluctance to tackle the issue of animal welfare means that CITES is failing miserably in its task,” said David Barritt, Network for Animals’ chief campaigner.

“The CITES permit system is fundamentally flawed because it is easy to fake an export certificate or obtain one by bribery. CITES does not check the paperwork which means that in practice, the trade in wild animals is out of control.”

A Network for Animals study of the trade in wildlife – whether legal or illegal – revealed that it is cruel to animals and is leading to biodiversity loss, species loss, the introduction of invasive species and the spread of disease, said Barritt.

For example, over 60 per cent of pathogens responsible for human diseases – like rabies, Ebola and Avian Flu – are of animal origin and the majority of these pathogens come from wildlife. The transport and trade of unhealthy and stressed animals across international borders poses severe risks for human health and yet CITES has no rules for inspecting these animals in place; the responsibility for inspection and quarantine falls on the parties themselves. In some countries, certain animals (like cows, rodents or primates) are subject to strict inspection protocols, but others (like reptiles, amphibians and fish) are not subject to quarantine, even though they might carry dangerous pathogens.

rhino-1170133

Researchers have also documented how up to 100 per cent of birds in Senegal and Indonesia; up to 85 per cent of ornamental fish in India and Hawaii; and up to 50 per cent of chameleons captured in Madagascar die before they are exported. Traded animals suffer and die because few people who capture animals are proficient in their proper handling and care. Many die by crushing, asphyxiation, starvation, temperature shock, disease, injury and stress.

“The CITES quota system does not account for the extremely high mortalities that characterise the trade in wildlife, even though this obviously has an impact on the sustainability of a population or species” said Barritt.

[box]

Research documents how CITES has failed

[/box]

The upcoming CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP), to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa in September and October, is supposed to be a forum for resolving problems like these but Barritt says virtually all governments will prepare their positions beforehand and will hide behind the secrecy involved in voting.

“It will be business as usual and profit put before animal welfare” said Barritt, expressing concern that the CITES CoP is taking place at a time when the survival of many of the world’s most iconic species, including elephants, cheetahs, rhinos, pangolins and tigers, hangs in the balance.

“More than ever before the world needs an effective and efficient CITES to regulate the trade that is pushing these, and countless other animals, to the brink of extinction” he said, “but the Convention needs urgent reform and must begin to tackle the cruelty and death that characterises the trade in wildlife, both legal and illegal.”

For further information please contact
David Barritt, Campaign director
(27) (0)82 603 3981
davidbarritt@gmail.com

By supporting our work, you are reaching out with caring hands to stop animal abuse

Please donate now
Stay up to date

Stay up to date

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp

Dolphin Shows Done And Dusted In New South Wales

After decades of exploitation, captive dolphins will no longer be commercially bred or imported into the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). Condemnation of

6 March 2021

GOOD NEWS out of Africa! Pawcasso has SURVIVED being baked alive!

https://youtu.be/KDa2V2GlIPA There’s good news about Pawcasso, the South African street dog left to bake and die in the harsh African sun. Pawcasso had a bad

5 March 2021
Donations in ACTION in February

Your Donations in ACTION in February 2021

During the month of love, you said “I do” to showing animals across the globe how big your heart is! Because of your support, we

3 March 2021

Humbug From Hugs Finds His Forever Home

Good news! One of the rescued Dartmoor Dozen ponies has found a forever home. Humbug, who was abandoned with his companions in a barren field

3 March 2021

Help us fight cruelty to animals around the world

Click here to donate

Network for Animals

Network for Animals is a non-government, international animal welfare organisation crusading for animals around the world.

© Network for Animals
Privacy policy

Campaigns

Cats In Crisis Disaster Relief Dogs In Distress Elephants Hunting with Hounds Organized Horse Fighting Seal Hunt Worldwide Donkey Crisis

Stay up to date

Receive our regular emails about our campaigns for animals around the world.

Sign up

Stay up to date with our campaigns

Contact us

+1 727 599 8148
+44 (0)20 8471 7666
info@networkforanimals.org

Facebook-f
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
Linkedin

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

I agree