Guest guest Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 South China Morning Post http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ81EDQ3ME.html Tuesday, May 9, 2006 Animal advocate decries 7-year delay on law by MARY ANN BENITEZ A top adviser on animal welfare has hit out at the seven-year delay in amending animal protection laws. Anthony James, chairman of the Animal Welfare Advisory Group, said the body had been pressing for a revision of the Protection of Animals Ordinance since 1999, when the government asked for its comments to update the law. " After that initial enlightened action, the revision [of the law] was buried and has been continually buried since then, " said Dr James, who is also director of the Chinese University's Laboratory Animal Services Centre. He said members of the advisory group had been frustrated by the government's " consistent stonewalling " of their efforts to have the law amended. The ordinance, which empowers officers to prosecute offenders who cause unnecessary suffering to animals, was last amended in 1979. Last month, the government proposed that the maximum fine be increased from $5,000 to $100,000 and the maximum jail sentence from six months to a year. But Dr James said the proposal did not go far enough, and urged the administration to carry out a more comprehensive review to enable the law to keep up with the times. " It does not take much of an internet search to show that most advanced jurisdictions have revised their animal welfare ordinances in recent times, " he said. Some countries have revised their laws several times in line with the society's expectations and as people had become more sophisticated and educated on animal welfare, Dr James said. " A good Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance is not a `feel good' ordinance but a genuine weapon in protecting us all - animals and humans. " Dr James said sentences handed down so far did not reflect the gravity of the offence. " Penalties in Hong Kong for animal cruelty are too low and the lawmakers, police and magistrates are not in tune with the way other similar jurisdictions are treating animal welfare as a serious crime. " Government figures show that from 2003-05, two people were jailed for less than a month while nine were fined less than $4,000. Dr James said people should remember that animals suffer and experience pain " in a manner similar to humans " . This concept was espoused in Hong Kong's code of practice on the care and use of animals for experimental purposes, and in animal welfare legislation in most developed countries. Dr James said Hong Kong's handling of animal well-being would face international scrutiny when the city hosts the equestrian events for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 It is a matter of concern that India, which has some of the most comprehensive animal protection laws, has ridiculously low punishments for those breaking these laws. Only the Wildlife Protection Act has what could be considered deterrent punishment. Fines under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act are a laughable maximum of Rs.50 for first offenders. Efforts by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and the determined efforts of Mrs. Maneka Gandhi for over 20 years to have the fine amount revised have been totally unsuccessful. The many advances in protection for animals used in research brought in from 1996 to 2000, when Mrs. Gandhi was the Minister of Animal Welfare, are being slowly whittled away by the Government under the pressure of vested interests including the pharmceutical industry. Once again, with the exception of two animal welfare persons, the entire membership of the Committee for the Purpose of Control & Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) consists of people from the the Ministry of Health who are animal users themselves and bureaucrats. Even a representative of the AWBI has been ommitted even though it is the AWBI who is supposed to recommend the formation of the CPCSEA to the Government of India. S. Chinny Krishna Blue Cross of India Dr John Wedderburn [john] Tuesday, May 09, 2006 5:42 PM aapn (CN-HKG) Animal Cruelty Law South China Morning Post http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ81EDQ3ME.html Tuesday, May 9, 2006 Animal advocate decries 7-year delay on law by MARY ANN BENITEZ A top adviser on animal welfare has hit out at the seven-year delay in amending animal protection laws. Anthony James, chairman of the Animal Welfare Advisory Group, said the body had been pressing for a revision of the Protection of Animals Ordinance since 1999, when the government asked for its comments to update the law. " After that initial enlightened action, the revision [of the law] was buried and has been continually buried since then, " said Dr James, who is also director of the Chinese University's Laboratory Animal Services Centre. He said members of the advisory group had been frustrated by the government's " consistent stonewalling " of their efforts to have the law amended. The ordinance, which empowers officers to prosecute offenders who cause unnecessary suffering to animals, was last amended in 1979. Last month, the government proposed that the maximum fine be increased from $5,000 to $100,000 and the maximum jail sentence from six months to a year. But Dr James said the proposal did not go far enough, and urged the administration to carry out a more comprehensive review to enable the law to keep up with the times. " It does not take much of an internet search to show that most advanced jurisdictions have revised their animal welfare ordinances in recent times, " he said. Some countries have revised their laws several times in line with the society's expectations and as people had become more sophisticated and educated on animal welfare, Dr James said. " A good Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance is not a `feel good' ordinance but a genuine weapon in protecting us all - animals and humans. " Dr James said sentences handed down so far did not reflect the gravity of the offence. " Penalties in Hong Kong for animal cruelty are too low and the lawmakers, police and magistrates are not in tune with the way other similar jurisdictions are treating animal welfare as a serious crime. " Government figures show that from 2003-05, two people were jailed for less than a month while nine were fined less than $4,000. Dr James said people should remember that animals suffer and experience pain " in a manner similar to humans " . This concept was espoused in Hong Kong's code of practice on the care and use of animals for experimental purposes, and in animal welfare legislation in most developed countries. Dr James said Hong Kong's handling of animal well-being would face international scrutiny when the city hosts the equestrian events for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at: aapn Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at aapn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Dear All, Dr. Krisha's mail is right! I have much knowledge about expirements in different institute. To get the membership from CPCSEA, I tried all best possible ways but could not even nominated on any committee. In my city where I live in there is big syrum institute where Venom is injected to horses & made them run. After some days the Horse's blood taken out to make the Anti-Venom. I visited many times there but no response from CPCSEA now. Regards, Nilesh PAWS > It is a matter of concern that India, which has some of the most > comprehensive animal protection laws, has ridiculously low > punishments for those breaking these laws. > > Only the Wildlife Protection Act has what could be considered > deterrent punishment. Fines under the Prevention of Cruelty to > Animals Act are a laughable maximum of Rs.50 for first offenders. > > Efforts by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and the determined > efforts of Mrs. Maneka Gandhi for over 20 years to have the fine amount > revised have been totally unsuccessful. > > The many advances in protection for animals used in research brought in > from 1996 to 2000, when Mrs. Gandhi was the Minister of Animal Welfare, > are being slowly whittled away by the Government under the pressure of > vested interests including the pharmceutical industry. Once again, > with the exception of two animal welfare persons, the entire membership of > the > Committee for the Purpose of Control & Supervision of Experiments on > Animals > (CPCSEA) consists of people from the the Ministry of Health who are animal > users > themselves and bureaucrats. Even a representative of the AWBI has been > ommitted > even though it is the AWBI who is supposed to recommend the formation of > the > CPCSEA > to the Government of India. > > S. Chinny Krishna > Blue Cross of India > > > Dr John Wedderburn [john] > Tuesday, May 09, 2006 5:42 PM > aapn > (CN-HKG) Animal Cruelty Law > > > South China Morning Post > http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ81EDQ3ME.html > Tuesday, May 9, 2006 > > Animal advocate decries 7-year delay on law > by MARY ANN BENITEZ > > A top adviser on animal welfare has hit out at the seven-year delay > in amending animal protection laws. > Anthony James, chairman of the Animal Welfare Advisory Group, said > the body had been pressing for a revision of the Protection of > Animals Ordinance since 1999, when the government asked for its > comments to update the law. > > > " After that initial enlightened action, the revision [of the law] was > buried and has been continually buried since then, " said Dr James, > who is also director of the Chinese University's Laboratory Animal > Services Centre. > > He said members of the advisory group had been frustrated by the > government's " consistent stonewalling " of their efforts to have the > law amended. > > The ordinance, which empowers officers to prosecute offenders who > cause unnecessary suffering to animals, was last amended in 1979. > > Last month, the government proposed that the maximum fine be > increased from $5,000 to $100,000 and the maximum jail sentence from > six months to a year. But Dr James said the proposal did not go far > enough, and urged the administration to carry out a more > comprehensive review to enable the law to keep up with the times. > > " It does not take much of an internet search to show that most > advanced jurisdictions have revised their animal welfare ordinances > in recent times, " he said. > > Some countries have revised their laws several times in line with the > society's expectations and as people had become more sophisticated > and educated on animal welfare, Dr James said. " A good Prevention of > Cruelty to Animals Ordinance is not a `feel good' ordinance but a > genuine weapon in protecting us all - animals and humans. " > > Dr James said sentences handed down so far did not reflect the > gravity of the offence. " Penalties in Hong Kong for animal cruelty > are too low and the lawmakers, police and magistrates are not in tune > with the way other similar jurisdictions are treating animal welfare > as a serious crime. " > > Government figures show that from 2003-05, two people were jailed for > less than a month while nine were fined less than $4,000. > > Dr James said people should remember that animals suffer and > experience pain " in a manner similar to humans " . This concept was > espoused in Hong Kong's code of practice on the care and use of > animals for experimental purposes, and in animal welfare legislation > in most developed countries. > > Dr James said Hong Kong's handling of animal well-being would face > international scrutiny when the city hosts the equestrian events for > the Beijing Olympics in 2008. > > > > > > For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature > on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at: > aapn > Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at > aapn > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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