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Record number of MEPs demand an EU Commissioner for animal welfare

GAIA informs

12 January 2022

This morning 118 members of the European Parliament tabled an oral question, promoted by Niels Fuglsang MEP (S&D, Denmark), in support of the appointment of an EU Commissioner explicitly in charge of animal welfare.
Turkey farms in Flanders: dire poverty

GAIA informs

22 December 2021

GAIA reveals once again the sordid state of Flemish turkey farms with a brand-new video footage, shot in November 2021. The footage shows thousands of turkeys crowded together, severely weakened, crippled, injured and dying; and even corpses in an advanced state of decomposition.
The Constitutional Court upholds the ban on slaughter without stunning in Flanders and Wallonia

30 September 2021

Following a lengthy legal battle, in December, the CJEU clearly concluded, in response to the preliminary questions by the Belgian Constitutional Court, that the ban on unstunned slaughter is not contrary to European law and that the Flemish ban strikes a fair balance between the right to religious freedom and animal welfare. With this ruling, the Belgian Constitutional Court also confirms the legality of the ban in Flanders and Wallonia.
Much higher fines and tougher prison sentences for animal abusers in Flanders (Belgium)

Achievement

25 August 2021

'With such a substantial increase in the penalties for animal cruelty, Flanders is significantly making up for lost time': GAIA’s President Michel Vandenbosch welcomed the Flemish government's decision at the initiative of the Minister of Animal Welfare, Ben Weyts, who announced the measures. GAIA has also insisted on this. Minister Weyts announced much stricter punishments for citizens and companies who mistreat or neglect animals. Animal abusers can be imprisoned for up to 5 years or even 10 years in case of repeat offenders. 'The Minister of Animal Welfare could hardly send an even stronger signal to the judicial authorities and to society as a whole that animal abuse must not be taken lightly', emphasises Michel Vandenbosch.
NEW CAMPAIGN // Deformities, parasites, and high mortality rates: the murky depths of the Scottish salmon industry revealed in new undercover investigation

GAIA informs

23 March 2021

Between September and November 2020, a large-scale research[1] project involving drones and frogmen was conducted, commissioned by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) in cooperation with GAIA, at 22 Scottish salmon farms rearing salmon in sea cages on a massive scale. The research reveals an enormous amount of animal suffering: salmon with deformities, diseases, missing eyes, seaweed growing from large open wounds, pieces of flesh and skin eaten away by sea lice, etc.
GAIA launches worldwide scientific first: environmental impact study on cultivated meat

09 March 2021

What is the environmental impact of 1 kilogram of cultivated meat in a commercial production scenario? That question is central to the new study by CE Delft, commissioned by GAIA and The Good Food Institute (GFI). When cultivated meat is produced with renewable energy, the environmental impact is reduced by about 93% compared to beef, by 53% compared to pork and by 29% compared to poultry. “The results are clear,” says Hermes Sanctorum, cultivated meat consultant for GAIA. “If you want to do good for the environment, then you should eat as much plant-based food as possible. If you still want to eat meat, it is best to eat cultivated meat made with green energy: good for the animals and good for the environment. ”
Number of animal tests in Flanders fell in 2019...

05 February 2021

...but this is not due to the policy of the Animal Welfare Minister
Judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union: Flemish ban on unstunned slaughter upheld

17 December 2020

The Court of Justice of the European Union issued their judgment regarding the Flemish ban on unstunned slaughter: the European regulation on the killing of animals (1099/2009) allows member states to impose a ban on unstunned slaughter. The Flemish ban on unstunned slaughter does not violate European law nor the freedom of religion.
New campaign to ban live cooking of lobsters

GAIA action

20 October 2020

In a new campaign GAIA calls the three regional animal welfare ministers to ban the live cooking and cutting in half of lobsters. “We want lobsters, at the very least, to be stunned before killing so that they do not have to experience pain,” says GAIA chairman Michel Vandenbosch.
Opinion Attorney General ritual slaughter: "We are disillusioned and even perplexed"

GAIA informs

10 September 2020

Today, 10 September 2020, Attorney General Hogan’s Opinion was delivered in the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Michel Vandenbosch and Anthony Godfroid, GAIA’s lawyer, were present. In his Opinion, the Attorney General advises to prohibit stunned slaughter of animals on the conditions that (1) slaughter is carried out in accordance with religious rites and (2) slaughter takes place at an European slaughterhouse.
GAIA WANTS ADIDAS TO STOP SELLING CRUEL KANGAROO LEATHER SHOES:

01 September 2020

With its new campaign #kangaroosnotshoes, GAIA asks sportswear manufacturer Adidas to stop selling shoes made from kangaroo leather. To achieve this, GAIA is collaborating with The Center for a Humane Economy, Kangaroos Alive and FAADA. The kangaroo hunt is incredibly cruel. "Brands that use kangaroo leather are therefore complicit in a large-scale and vicious massacre," says GAIA president Michel Vandenbosch.
“It’s hip to snip” and “Balls must be gone before getting it on”

GAIA action

06 July 2020

88% of house cats in Belgium are sterilised. This is shown by an Ipsos survey carried out for GAIA[1]. “Encouraging figures”, says GAIA director Ann De Greef. “But we mustn’t forget that despite the legal obligation, in Flanders about 160,775 cats still haven’t been sterilised/castrated, in Brussels 302.441 and in Wallonia 1,321,116.
“It’s hip to snip” and “Balls must be gone before getting it on”

GAIA informs

25 June 2020

88% of house cats in Belgium are sterilised. This is shown by an Ipsos survey carried out for GAIA[1]. “Encouraging figures”, says GAIA director Ann De Greef. “But we mustn’t forget that despite the legal obligation, in Flanders about 160,775 cats still haven’t been sterilised/castrated, according to the survey, in Brussels 302.441 and in Wallonia 1.321.116.
GAIA’S LARGE-FORMAT POSTERS ALONGSIDE FLEMISH ROADS ADVOCATE FOR A BAN ON CAGE SYSTEMS FOR LAYING HENS

GAIA action

19 May 2020

Since yesterday, the 18th of May, large-format posters were put up alongside Flemish roads. The slogan “En wanneer mogen zij uit hun kot?” (And when will the lockdown end for them?) aims to remind Ben Weyts (N-VA), the Flemish Minister of Animal Welfare, of his promise to impose a ban on cages for laying hens.
GAIA calls upon the WHO to intervene and urge countries worldwide to take drastic measures against wet markets, and trade in bushmeat and wild caught animals.

GAIA informs

25 March 2020

GAIA’s position is clear: it is, besides an analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on human health and the economy, needed to identify the deeper underlying cause of COVID-19 and tackle it. GAIA finds that the World Health Organisation (WHO), as soon as the tidal wave of contamination dies down, must intervene and urge involved countries worldwide to take drastic measures against wet markets, trade in bushmeat and wild caught animals and live cattle transports to third countries (these live transports may spread animal diseases too).
Paprika and e5 mode join Fur Free Retailers

Achievement

05 March 2020

The list of brands and shops that go Fur Free grows longer and longer. e5 mode and Paprika are recent additions to the list. “Consumers are no longer willing to support the suffering of animals,” says GAIA Director Ann De Greef. “Clothing brands are clearly aware of this and ready to take the step to go Fur Free."
Belgian supermarkets cease the sale of kangaroo meat

Achievement

20 January 2020

Following a week of targeted activity, GAIA successfully convinced Carrefour Belgium, Makro, Cora, Match and eventually Spar (Colruyt Group) to discontinue the sale of kangaroo meat. “We commend the decisions taken by these supermarket chains. By removing kangaroo meat from their shelves, Carrefour Belgium, Cora, Makro, Match and Spar send an important signal to both the government and consumers: there is no room for kangaroo meat in our supermarkets, declares Ann De Greef, GAIA Director. The time has come for parliamentarians to address the unacceptable kangaroo meat sale and demand that the federal minister of Economic Affairs, Nathalie Muylle (CD&V), bans Belgian imports of kangaroo meat.
Forest fires in Australia: several supermarkets stop the sale of kangaroo meat

Achievement

15 January 2020

Last year, GAIA launched its ‘Save the kangaroos’ campaign. By sharing shocking images and hard facts, the animal rights organisation has already managed to convince several major supermarkets – including Delhaize – to remove kangaroo meat from their shelves. ‘The current forest fires break our hearts’, says GAIA Director, Ann De Greef. ‘Despite everything that’s happened, kangaroos continue to be hunted in Australia. Over the past few days, we’ve done everything in our power to convince the rest of the supermarkets to stop selling kangaroo meat. And it’s paid off. Yesterday, Carrefour Belgium decided to discontinue its sale of kangaroo meat.’ A few days later Cora and Makro followed their decision.
TURKEY WELFARE FORGOTTEN BY THE LEGISLATOR

GAIA action

20 December 2019

In October 2019, GAIA field researchers examined the situation at three turkey farms in West Flanders. What they found were distressing situations in an unregulated sector: thousands of turkeys crammed into tight spaces, severely weakened, dying and injured animals, covered in all manner of wounds, turkeys with severely damaged feathers, animals with dead skin on their backs and flanks, carcasses in an advanced state of decomposition, poultry house floors covered with faeces, turkeys smeared with faeces, etc.
GAIA NEWS WINTER 2019

GAIA informs

05 December 2019

Update on the achievements of GAIA during the periode of september - december 2019.

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