Even though 2013 is just a few days old, I want to take a moment to consider your 10 favourite blog posts of 2012.
Key issues emerge from the blogs that received most of your attention last year. For example, concern for the international dimension of animal welfare was high, in particular, long distance transportation. Legislative victories for farm animals were also popular. Blogs on the links between world hunger and factory farming were also popular; and you wanted to know more about how to feed the world’s growing population.
1. The most read blog of the year was The Tragedy of the Gracia del Mar. The Gracia del Mar, which left Brazil for Egypt with 5,600 cattle on board, sailed into storms which caused misery and death for the animals.
2. Keeping with the issue of long distance transportation of animals, the second most read blog was the Shame of Ipswich. The live export of sheep and calves from the UK to the European mainland is at an all time low but one or two companies persist with this cruel and unnecessary trade. Our campaign continues to see it finished off forever.
Lyn White, Animals Australia
3. Again, transportation was an important subject in my interview with good friend and leading animal advocate, Lyn White from Animals Australia. I know many of you were inspired from learning about Lyn and her work.
4. And now for something completely different! The California ban on paté de foie gras caught your attention. We agree. Something considered a delicacy is nothing more than animal cruelty.
5. The plight of farm animals in Egypt and Turkey caught on tape in a new film raised a great deal of concern. Horrific reports of the ill treatment of sheep and cattle showed the need for the recommendations on welfare during transport and slaughter of the World Organisation for Animal Health need to be implemented immediately.
Philip & Duke
6. Animal sentience and intelligence captured your interest in Do Animals Think? From our highly popular video of dancing cows to my personal reflection of our newly adopted rescued pup, Duke, I made the case that animals feel and think. Something I know we all agree with!
7. The terrific news that Battery Cages Banned in the European Union made for an excellent beginning to 2012.
Food Sense – a common sense approach to feeding the world
8. You paid close attention to how we will feed the world with Food Sense. I reported on our annual lecture in memory of Compassion’s founder, Peter Roberts MBE, which argued for ‘Food Sense’. We need a common-sense approach that puts people first, reduces food waste and is based on farming like tomorrow matters. That way, we can cut out cruelty, senseless wastage and ensure everyone is fed properly; something we are currently failing miserably to do.
9. How to feed a hungry world? was a question that many of you wanted to know the answer to. Compassion partnered with The Tubney Charitable Trust and World Society for the Protection of Animals to commission a study which found food security is put at risk by intensive livestock farming and high meat consumption.
10. Again, food issues were important to you. The Bitter Taste of Cheap Food was our tenth most read blog in 2012. One of the leading farmers involved in the campaign against the proposed-but-failed 8,000 cow mega-dairy in Nocton, Lincolnshire, was dairy farmer, Neil Darwent. I reproduced, with his kind permission, an article by him that challenged our presumptions about cheap milk.
My blog, A Compassionate World, is how I like to keep in touch personally with you and our many supporters. Here, I bring you up to date with latest developments, incidents and news, good and bad, as well as updates on all-important progress on animal welfare.
Together, we can end all cruel factory farming practices and promote viable alternative methods to feeding people.
Please share A Compassionate World with your family, friends and colleagues.
Thank you for joining me. I look forward to us working together in 2013!
