Tag: Cats

Striving to be animal welfare ambassadors – Chinese primary school asks the world to protect animals

Posted on by animaldialogue in animal welfare, Conservation, News, Uncategorized

Chengdu Jinyang Primary School invited Xi Li, an educator from the Animals Asia Foundation, to give an innovative and meaningful lesson to third-graders on animal welfare and humane care education.

According to Li, the five major areas of animal welfare (nutrition, health, environment, behavior, and emotional states) are the scientific standards for judging whether animals are happy. “Firstly, different animals have unique nutritional needs, but they all require a balanced nutrition like humans do. The canines of lions, tigers, and bears are often removed or cut off to reduce injury and mortality in trainers during various performances. Such procedures can cause a variety of dental diseases, affecting the animals’ food intake, which in turn may cause other illnesses. Organizations should provide animals with an environment that is suitable for their nature, instead of harming them deliberately for the entertainment of humans. We should let animals express their natural behaviors freely, as each individual has different behavioral needs.” Li said that a large number of wild animals are still being hunted, rare animals are sold as commodities, pets are abandoned or abused, and animals are required to please tourists in circuses throughout their lives.

The students of Jinyang Primary School make the following requests to students and parents around the world:

  1. Do not watch animal performances;
  2. Do not consume wild animals;
  3. Do not take photos or interact with wild animals within a short distance,
  4. Do not keep wild animals as pets;
  5. Do not ride elephants;
  6. Do not feed wild animals.

Let us all start protecting animals and become animal-welfare ambassadors.

All information comes from china.com

Translated by Sherry Yao

Edited by Andrea Jia and Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

The City of Shenzhen educates youth on appropriate ways to raise dogs in an urban environment

Posted on by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News, Uncategorized

As the typhoon Mangkhut tore through Shenzhen, many people are worried about stray dogs wandering the city’s streets. Discussions about how to reduce the number of stray dogs and how to help them effectively have become heated. On the afternoon of September 21st, the Civilized Dog Raising Lecture was held in the Shenzhen Nanshan Foreign Languages School.

The speakers and the students shared a meaningful experience before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Questions such as how to be a responsible dog owner and how to prevent the increase of stray animals were discussed. To answer these particular questions, the Civilized Dog Raising Lecture introduced ways to care for stray animals and appropriate standards of dog care which resonated well with the students.

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Organized by the Shenzhen Urban Management Bureau with various community organizations, the Civilized Dog Raising Lecture has the theme of “Civilized dog raising and a healthy lifestyle” and strives to promote responsible ownership of dogs. Starting from December 2017, the talks have been held in 20 schools and 30 districts such as Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, Longhua, and Longgang. Vivid and specific with methods that are easy to practice, the speeches are warmly welcomed by students and local dog owners.

Darren Wang, the speaker and the education ambassador of Hong Kong SPCA, began the lecture with comics to entice the students. He specifically focused on elements such as “animal cognition,” “the animals’ needs,” “mistakes in dogs’ upbringing,” and “raising dogs legally.” The students were thoroughly engaged. During the section, “identifying dog habits,” some students participated in the role-playing games and learned how to recognize the emotions of dogs. Using an educational video, Wang taught the students the significance of harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, respect, and looking after the animals’ true needs. Wang also discussed the stray animals that were suffering from the typhoon Mangkhut and addressed the owner’s important responsibility in reducing the number of stray dogs. Wang encouraged students to start taking small steps, such as not abandoning dogs and adopting dogs instead of buying and helping stray dogs.

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Both the students and teachers loved the humorous style of the lecture. The Vice Principal, Li Yiyang, enjoyed the lecture greatly. She also encouraged the students to respect and take care of the animals living around them.

This year, the Shenzhen Urban Management Bureau carried out a series of activities promoting responsible dog ownership from different aspects such as publicity, service, management, and law enforcement. Examples of activities are Year of the Dog Painting Contest, the Best Dog Owner Award, and the Owner Responsibility Neighborhood Outreach, etc.

All information and photos come from sznews.com

Translated by Dule

Edited by Andrea Jia & Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

 

 

Parental behaviors of Chinese mountain cats were recorded in the Sanjiangyuan area

Posted on by animaldialogue in Conservation, News, Uncategorized

For the first time, parental behaviors of the Chinese mountain cat were recorded in the Sanjiangyuan area.

Recently, the childcare activities of the endemic Chinese mountain cat, Felis bieti, were recorded for the first time in a site near Tongtian River, Chengduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

The Chinese mountain cat is the national second-class protected animal in China. It is also one of only two unique carnivores found solely in China, the other one being the giant panda. At present, the Chinese Mountain Cat is seen only in Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, and other regions. Due to the species’ elusive nature and limited range, records of their appearance have been minimal for many years. It was only 11 years ago in 2007 that the first photo of a Chinese mountain cat was captured in the wild. It is considered one of the most mysterious felids in the world.

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“From September 20, 2018, one of the infrared cameras deployed in the area of Chengduo County had been recording the breeding nest of a Chinese mountain cat, and it continuously captured the behavior of a Chinese mountain cat mother and two kittens.” Zhao Xiang, the program director of the ShanShui Conservation Center, said. “This survey recorded the activity of a Chinese mountain cat family. The two kittens were 2 to 3 months old, and their mother trained them to hunt preys and perform other skills everyday. Also, the footage was complete.”

The Chinese Mountain Cat is one of the top carnivores in the grassland. They mainly feed on rodents such as pikas and birds. The survey indicated that Chinese mountain cats prey on two plateau pikas every day. Therefore, protecting Chinese Mountain Cats is also very important for maintaining the integrity of the grassland ecosystem.

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“Because the Chinese mountain cat is only found in China, we need to play a more important role in its research and protection,” said Dr. Xiao Lingyun, a researcher at Peking University Nature Conservation and Social Development. He told reporters that currently, the academic community knows very little about their behavior, population status, and other information.

In the future, ShanShui Nature Conservation Center will further cooperate with county officials to conduct long-term evaluation surveys in the surrounding areas to determine the distribution of Chinese mountain cats in the region and threats to the population to implement targeted protection work.

All information and photos come from The China News: http://zdx.forestry.gov.cn/bhxh/640/20181015/000224143262767.html

Translator: Sherry Yao

First edits: Andrea Jia

Final edits: Riley Peng

@Animal Dialogue

Dog film launches a “Love Dog Action”

Posted on by animaldialogue in animal welfare, Interviews, News, Uncategorized

The cutest movie in the Year of the Dog, The Big Rescue, has teamed up with the China Small Animal Protection Association (CSAPA) to raise funds for the eradication of rabies in China. For each ticket sold, The Big Rescue will donate one yuan to the CSAPA, which will use the funds to feed and immunize stray animals.

The Big Rescue tells the story of a grand partnership formed between man and man’s best friend to rescue kidnapped pooches from a drug ring. Due to its animal protectionist theme, the movie had attracted the attention of CSAPA members since the pre-production stage.

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China Small Animal Protection Association was formally founded in 1992. Based in Beijing, the CSAPA organizes public education campaigns, outreach, and animal rescues. The CSAPA’s mission is to protect animals’ freedom from death, illness, and abuse and to improve the living standards of small animals.

Ms. Liang Ting, the film’s producer, director, and screenwriter, said that the purpose of the film is to “spread the idea of animal protectionism and animals’ equal right to live.”

Ms. Liang Ting added, “Although the public’s animal-loving sentiment is growing stronger, the number of stray animals is steadily rising, which may somewhat increase the risk of diseases in humans.”

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China has the second highest number of reported rabies cases in the world after India. Dr. Fu Zhenfang, a world-renowned rabies expert and the professor of pathology at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said in an interview, “The highest priority of rabies prevention is animal immunization. Animals should be vaccinated in both urban and rural areas.”

The Big Rescue and CSAPA will use the majority of the funds raised to administer rabies vaccines to stray animals in addition to purchasing food and medical supplies.

All information and photos come from ifeng.com

Translated by Andrea Jia and edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

Fuxi Animal Hospital brings free veterinary clinics to the community

Posted on by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News, Uncategorized

On July 13, 2018, in order to promote scientific methods of raising pets and preventing animal diseases, Fuxi Animal Hospital and the Judean Community Neighborhood Committee hosted free medical consultation sessions for animals at the South Gate of the Judehuayuan Community in Tianhe District, Guangzhou.

The theme is “Harmonious Community, Civilized Science, and Pets,” which enables the community residents to learn how to scientifically raise their pets. At the same time, the event provides support services for community stray animals, and collaborate with the local community to create a safe and comfortable living environment for both the residents and their pets.

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On the same day, seven senior physicians from the Fuxi Animal Hospital set up a general medical examination desk for providing free full-body physical examinations to animals. The items examined included: body weight, body temperature, body condition, level of consciousness, behavior, body posture, ear examination, eye examination, nose, mucosal color, cavity, teeth, skin coat, palpation of the abdomen, limbs, joints, auscultation of the heart and lungs, etc.

In addition, the event taught the residents general pet knowledge and how to take care of young and old sick animals, handled dog certification for community residents, and popularized vaccines, deworming, and zoonosis.

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In recent years, as the number of pet families increased, the number of stray pets also increased. To foster a harmonious community, Fuxi Animal Hospital actively provides support services for stray animals. It implemented a half-priced stray animal sterilization program, as well as a half-priced stray animal disease diagnosis and treatment plan.

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Fuxi Animal Hospital said that it intends the free clinic activities to advocate for a more civilized way of raising pets, to build a harmonious community environment, and to provide care and love for stray animals. It hopes that these activities will help the residents better understand their pets, and improve the emotional exchange and communication between residents and their pets.

All information and photos come from gogochina.cn (click to view source).

Translated by Sherry Yao and edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

1,500 Stray Animals Rescued in 3 Years by Stray Animals Protection Center in Jingzhou

Posted on by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News, Uncategorized

On the shores of the Long Lake in Jingzhou, the base of Stray Animals Protection Center is built in an inconspicuous enclosed area. Nearly 200 animals are sheltered here, either being cured or under recovery. Among them are around 160 dogs and 20 cats. According to Qin Li, the founder of this center, most of the animals here were run over by cars with broken bones. Others were abandoned after infected with diseases or bred in disorder.

While only 3 staff members officially manage daily affairs in the base, many citizens volunteer here, including white collars, old ladies, and elementary students.pic 2

Babysitting these little patients is not a simple task for the volunteers. They have to do everything—cleaning and disinfecting the doghouse, vaccinating, sterilizing. feeding, etc.—except tasks that could only be completed by vets.

The fee for treatment and recovery is inevitably high. Donations from dog-lovers and volunteer help pay for the center’s daily expenditures. 71-year-old Fanglan Feng is one of the center’s funders. Every month she donates 1800 yuan out of her pension to help rescue stray animals. Now there have been over 100 funders like Feng.

Qin Li publicly publish the expenses for every rescued animal on online platforms such as Weibo and WeChat. The volunteers in her WeChat group help her search for stray animals that need to be rescued. They call Li “Mother Du,” a name inspired by her pet dog Dudu, who has acccompanied her for 16 years.pic 4

On a summer night in 2015, Li was taking a walk when she found a bleeding dog. She spent more than 1000 yuan to save the dog and took care of him for 3 months. This experience inspired her desire to help rescue stray animals. She then gathered many dog-lovers to establish a volunteer coalition, and raised money to build the center.

Last May, Li’s volunteer coalition rescued 800 pet cats who were previously stolen and sold illegally in June 2016. Most of these cats eventually found their new homes through the subsequent adoption activities.pic 3.jpg

Not long ago, Jingzhou Stray Animals Protection Center was authorized by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It has become the second authorized stray animals protection organization in the whole province.

In 3 years, Qin Li and the volunteers in the center have rescued over 1500 animals. Li calls for the public to care for homeless dogs and cats and respect each small animal. Every single act of kindness helps advance a city’s culture.

Info and photos from hbtv: http://news.hbtv.com.cn/p/1318287.html

Translated by Victor Du, edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue