Welcome to the Northern Animal Rights Coalition website!

NARC was set up to try and network between existing groups and individuals in the north of England. There used to be a lot of activity in the north – stalls, demonstrations, hunt sabs, etc. but this has declined in recent years. Now we would like to start up campaigns again around the northern counties and provide an easy way for people to get in touch with their local hunt sabs group, or people interested in doing demos at various targets, organising vegan promotion days or stalls and so on.

Our “Upcoming Events” page is regularly updated when we receive new information so keep an eye on that. Some things will also be posted on this main page so check it out often. If you have information about upcoming events or would like to start a campaign group, or just want info or advice, please contact us! If you would like to receive a newsletter or regular email updates, we’re sure we can sort those out for you.

Keep an eye on our “current targets” page as well. If you have any suggestions, send them this way!

Suggestions and comments greatly appreciated. Blue @ NARC

UPDATE.

Hey guys! Sorry it’s been a while since ouur last post. The Summer always seems to start like this. There’s been a lot going on with us, personally as well as campaign-wise, but we’re hoping to get people out to do more stalls, demo’s and maybe even some free-food events in the near future! We’re going to have a meeting at the end of September when people will be back in town for uni starting again and when other people are leaving the north, to try and get more people active, pass on advice and discuss tactics for the future.

This Summer:

As usual, there are a few action camps and gatherings that activists will be attending – the international animal rights gathering was held just last week in Oslo, Norway, the UK animal rights gathering will be held in Kent at the end of August, then there are the Earth First! gathering in Cumbria, also in August, climate camp in August (same week as UK AR gathering) and other international camps such as the Saving Iceland camp in Iceland in just over a week’s time.

As well as this, we’ve got people volunteering at sanctuaries and helping out with setting up different camps (on that note, if you would like to go to FRIEND animal sanctuary in Kent before the gathering to help set up, please contact us) and there are various animal rights meetings in different parts of the country for activists to attend and discuss campaigns, tactics, etc. The next northern one is being held in Liverpool on the 12th July and there’s the Hunt Sabs AGM on the 18th in London.

These will all be going up on the events page, so check that out for more details.

So I hope you’ll forgive us for not always being able to get online and keep fully up-to-date with what’s going on. We’ve been trying our best, but we’re a small number of people. As always, if you would like to get involved in animal rights campaigns in the north or have any comments or questions, please do contact us at narconline@hushmail.com because support is much needed and comments and suggestions are appreciated. You can also just leave us a comment on this page.

Thanks, Blue

“Zoo Visit” in Darlington

Forwarded from NEAR (sorry about short notice!) – complaints still count even after the event so please contact them!

The Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington is having a ‘zoo’ visit this Thursday (today) with animals including meercats, ducks, hedgehogs and “hopefully a parrot show”. Alrthough the Cornmill is privately owned, Darlington council is promoting the event (including on their website)

Could you please, please ring the council and ask to lodge a complaint against the event? They will try to brush it off as nothing to do with them but the fact is it’s on their website. Complain that it is promoting animal abuse in the form of performing animals even though circuses are banned on council land because they are cruel.

Ring Christine Kavanagh 01325 388470 and Richard Baker 01325 388665 (and anybody else you can possibly get through to)

Also ring the Cornmill on 01325 369111 and ask for Susan Young (general manager) and then complain to the promotions manager (she is the one responsible for booking the event and told a previous complainee that it is “informative for children”, though when questioned what children could possibly again from watching performing parrots and seeing wild animals stressed in a shopping centre, she failed to answer and terminated the call.

Please, please get phoning and tell everybody that you know!!

Thankyou, NEAR

Bobby Roberts demos

Hello

I’m trying to organise a demonstration against Bobby Roberts circus which is coming to Earson car boot sale fields, Monkseaton from the 21st to the 28th, 2009.

Bobby Roberts is known for its use of elephants, horses etc…

I know its slighlty short notice, but if anyone has any anti-circus campaign material or would be interested in helping out please contact me.

she_lives_in_a_time_of_her_own@hotmail.co.uk

Cheers,

Stacey

Can you give a home to a hen?

Forwarded message:

Dear all,

10,000 hens need re-homing from battery farm in Norfolk which is closing-down. If you are able to care for these animals as companion animals and not for food, have enough space for them to live out the rest of their lives in safety, being able to scratch, bathe and make nests, please contact littlehenrescue@googlemail.com.

Any not re-homed by 28 June will be slaughtered.

Please pass this message on.

Thank you.

A great day in the toon against P&G

Activists in Newcastle

Saturday 16th May marked Global Boycott P&G Day #13! Armed with banners, placards, leaflets and a lot of knowledge of what goes on behind closed doors at P&G’s labs, activists were out in force on the streets of Newcastle today.

P&G admit that guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, rats and mice are among the animals used in their ‘product safety research’, as well as cats and dogs in pet food experiments. Uncaged’s investigations continue to reveal disturbing examples of P&G’s ongoing involvement in painful and lethal animal tests.

Money is the only language P&G understand. Ultimately, by boycotting P&G, you hold the key to saving the many thousands of animals who suffer and die every year in cruel and unnecessary tests conducted by this company.

Thanks to the campaigners who continue to boycott and expose cruelty all over the World. We hope the actions globally were as successful and positive as the ones in the north this afternoon. We had a lot of positive response from the public who were shocked that any company would still test cosmetics, toiletries, household products, etc. on animals. Others also asked for information on animal testing for pharmaceuticals (drugs) and were directed to the info provided by the Safer Medicines Campaign (formerly Europeans for Medical Progress).

All in all, a great day… and the Naturewatch “Compassionate Shopping Guides” are going down really well too. Next to come: our leaflet (a slightly condensed version with the basics in it… comments appreciated when we first give it out!)

Visual and eye-catching...

Busy run-up to Boycott P&G Day

This week has been really busy for campaigners in the north east.

From circus demos in Chester-le-street at the weekend, to stalls during the week, up to demos this weekend. Just a couple of weeks ago, we had fantastic news that Cruise, a shop we’ve campaigned against on and off over the years, have now signed a full fur-free policy. Having decided their original one only covered products they made themselves, they continued to sell fur-trimmed and full-length fur garments made by other brands. Now they’ve pledged to stop selling any garments using fur.

Then, just this morning we got some more great news that Barclays Global Investors have sold all their shares in Huntingdon Life Sciences. As the lab’s largest shareholder, this will have put more pressure on HLS once again and set an example to other companies. Our plan to have a day of Barclays demos has now changed into a day of research and planning for other events.

Over the week, especially during stalls, we’ve had an amazing response from the public and many leaflets have been given out to people – a lot are very interested in animal testing, a large proportion were students, and have taken leaflets about HLS, Proctor & Gamble (more on them in a minute) and information from the Safer Medicines Campaign group (formerly Europeans for Medical Progress). Compassionate Shopping Guides have been very popular too!

With Boycott P&G Day just 24 hours away, this is great. We should have a good turn-out to our demonstrations tomorrow in Newcastle and will hopefully see the same level of positivity from the public.

 

Campaigners at Bobby Roberts circus

Manchester Airport calls off its cull of rooks

Thanks to everyone who called in, signed the petition, wrote emails, etc.

MANCHESTER Airport has called off a bird cull in Dunham that was due to take place this week, after an outcry from nature lovers.

Airport bosses put up notices at the weekend saying they would carry out a cull of a flock of rooks on Thursday.

They claimed the work was necessary because a rookery on Dunham Massey Golf Club course, which is National Trust land, is on a flightpath to the airport.

Campaigners, who claimed the cull was not necessary, set up an on-line petition that was signed by nearly 200 people.

And on Monday the airport announced a u-turn and said it would consult with the community before taking any action.

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “During a recent assessment it became clear that birds nesting in the woodland area at Dunham Massey Golf Club were commuting between the rookery and our airfield. In order to reduce the risk of an aircraft bird strike and maintain public safety we held discussions with the National Trust to decide on a solution.

“Plans were in place to adjust the habitat of the rooks on April 30, in accordance with the general licence issued by Natural England but instead we will be continuing talks with the local community as to how best to proceed with reducing the risks.

“The airport already operates a bird hazard management plan which involves specific measures to reduce the presence of birds on the airfield, including the use of dispersal techniques and habitat management measures. In addition to the measures taken on the airport site, we make regular assessments of the bird population at a large number of sites within 13km of the airfield in accordance with regulatory requirements.”

Campaigner Teresa Graham, the secretary of the Friends of Denzell Gardens and Devisdale in neighbouring Bowdon, said she was delighted at the news – but wanted details of how the airport was going to consult with the community.

The website opposing the bird cull claimed the loss of the rook flock would be “devastating and the damage is irreversible”.

http://www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/4325340.Protestors_halt_airport_s_rook_cull_in_Dunham

Action Alert!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1112183_outcry_at_airport_bird_cull

On April 30th at 6am Manchester Airport will be sending 5 Men, armed with guns with the intention to kill all the birds in the Dunham Massey Rookery.

The Rooks have been living in these nests forever.

The Airport’s intention is to try and prevent bird strikes, which of course is essential as obviously humans safety is paramount, but killing these rooks will not solve the problem at the airport.

The birds have been observed for many years and have been living permanently in this rookery, circling this area (not the airport ) where they have everything they need and an abundance of food!

The airport needs to address its safety issues on site i.e. using appropriate deterrents and eliminating rubbish (a regular food source for migrating birds in winter) .

They are a huge part of the cycle of life at Dunham Massey, it will be a devastating loss and the damage is irreversible.

If you feel strongly that this should be stopped and want to contact Mr. R D Taylor ( the airfield operations manager ) please call: (+44) 07958 877258

Please sign this petition, your thoughts and every signature will help.

Thank you.

North West Hunt Saboteurs Association

Victory!

The fashion chain Cruise today gave a statement saying that they will no longer sell any fur in any of their stores, whether it is their own products or other brands which they stock.

The statement comes just ahead of a day of action which had been planned for next week, so assuming all Cruise stores are now fur free, the day of action on Saturday 2 May will not now take place. Protests were due to take place in at least 10 towns and cities across the UK and others were being planned, so well done to those activists who took the time to plan a demo.

There is no other national fashion chain we are aware of that still sells fur, so instead we urge all anti fur campaigners to turn it into a general anti-fur day/weekend of action and hold protests at shops selling fur on or near to Saturday 2 May. If possible let us know in advance and we will help publicise the demos, and send us reports and photos afterwards. If you need leafets/posters etc, let us know and we can send you some.

Statement from Cruise

“Dear CAFT

The Board of Directors’ at Cruise some time ago took the decision to no longer use fur in own bought products.

Having reviewed our policy further, the Board has taken the decision that from today Cruise no longer wishes to stock fur products form its branded suppliers.

Our current spring / summer range contains NO fur products.

We have no fur or fur products in our A/W 2009 range.“

cruise | head office: 180 ingram st glasgow g1 1dn
E: press@cruiseclothing.co.uk
www.cruiseclothing.co.uk

You can write to Cruise at the above email address to congratulate them on their compassionate decision, butwe also urge you to check your local Cruise store to ensure that all their branches adhere to their fur-free policy.

Thanks, CAFT & NARC

One for sorrow, two for joy … why we must protect magpies

If you see a single magpie this week, consider yourself the lucky one. Because the Songbird Survival Trust has called all bird lovers to arms. They want a magpie cull and they are not just asking farmers or gamekeepers to lock and load; they want everyone with a garden to use their legal right to kill these birds now, in their breeding season, leaving their chicks to starve in the nest. Well, as a lifelong and passionate birder, I’m not going to be signing up for the slaughter.

The trust’s reasoning comes down to the same old misinformed chestnut – that evil magpies are causing the decline in smaller songbirds. It’s kneejerk ornithological racism, ignorant and counterproductive. It’s true that some magpies prey on the nests of smaller birds during the breeding season, but this is for perhaps three or four months of the year and only affects young birds that are easily replaced. The magpies never kill the more valuable breeding adults (unlike cats, which do so 365 days a year). No predator would thrive by dramatically reducing its own food supply; indeed, in areas where there are more magpies, there are typically more smaller species too. So how could the trust get it so wrong? I can only assume that this fringe group is still clinging to outdated views built on a foundation of medieval superstition.

Magpies have long been Britain’s most hated bird. They are big, brightly marked and bark like Bren guns. Despite their brash appearance, they are a native species, but an in-your-face one, with a wealth of folklore to subconsciously seed such hateful reactions. Many people still tip their hats to a lonesome specimen and say, “Hello Mr Magpie, how is your wife today?”, in a bid to appease the harbinger of misfortune.

The truth is that no scapegoats are required to explain the horrific reduction of songbird numbers. It all our fault. We have levelled and poisoned the landscape in our drive for cheap food and when the refugees fled to the cities we decked and concreted over our gardens to park our cars and save cutting the lawn. So rather than killing anything I’m going to continue to support creative conservation and fill up my bird feeders, and when I see a magpie I’ll smile.

By Chris Packham, The Guardian, Monday 20th April

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/apr/20/magpies-protect-cull-songbird-survival

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6115155.ece