By Elephanatics
APR 2, 2020 — #IvoryFreeCanada Petition Update
Hello Kind Supporters,
We are urging people to consider helping their favorite elephant organization during this time of crisis. The economic fallout from this crisis is affecting everyone and everything. African and Asian sanctuaries and rescue organizations are not immune. It is a hard time for all, but animals tend to suffer the greatest consequences when times are tough.
Realizing even a LITTLE can help a LOT, and the psychological effect of feeling better by giving back, has huge positive implications for all concerned.
Pandemic 2020 – Even more reason to close the trade in wildlife
Please sign and share this important petition demanding the World Health Organisation permanently closes wildlife (wet) markets around the world, or cut and paste: https://www.change.org/p/world-health-organisation-who-is-responsible-for-the-covid-19-global-pandemic
As the news continues to update us on the ongoing crisis facing us all, it is time to focus on the positive steps taken to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We need to honour the health care professionals and front line workers subjecting themselves daily to a war that is invisible and deadly. It is with prudence and subjugation that we will win this battle. Listening to the experts and staying vigilant to the rules of social distancing and washing hands is mandatory. It is through difficult times a light we had been searching for, can suddenly appear. Positive outcomes and new opportunities arise to change the fabric of our society and cultural beliefs for the better. Change is necessary and immediate.
Countries such as China have taken action and shut down their wildlife trade. This is good news, for the most part. We can only hope this ban will stay in effect for the long term and that other countries will close their wildlife markets for the benefit of both humans and animals. The link between wet markets and illegal wildlife trade is synonymous with the trade in elephant ivory and is cohesive in effect.
To help the wet markets stay closed please sign this important petition.
The Coronavirus or COVID-19 epidemic has prompted China to permanently ban the trade of wild animals as food, but, unfortunately, not for medicinal use. Pangolins are suspected as a potential Coronavirus host but it has not yet been determined exactly what has caused COVID-19. The decision to ban the trade in wildlife, however, does not ban trade for fur, medicine or research.
“This creates potential loopholes for traffickers who may exploit the non-food exemptions to sell or trade live wildlife,” stated Wildlife Conservation Society. There is a large trade in wildlife that is not related to consumption. Traditional Chinese Medicine is controlled by the government and pangolin scales are used widely in this medicine, which leaves room for illegal activity to take place due to the loophole in the ban.
Daniel Challender, a researcher at the University of Oxford said: “The new decision made clear that there was going to be a clampdown on pangolin meat, but attempts to breed pangolins for medicinal purposes appear to be exempt.”
Professor Andrew Cunningham, Deputy Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London, states, “Live wild animal markets are ideal places for zoonotic virus emergence to occur. The highest priority for the protection of human health is, therefore, to ban markets and regulate any future wildlife trade.”
We are thankful to China for banning the trade of wild animals as food, but further restrictions are necessary to prevent illegal trade. Viruses will continue to emerge and devastate animal populations and humans if we don’t act quickly to eliminate further loopholes that continually perpetuate the problem.
We can do this – but more so – We HAVE to do this.
We ask that you please continue to sign and share both petitions and, if possible, donate. www.change.org/IvoryFreeCanada
www.change.org/p/world-health-organisation-who-is-responsible-for-the-covid-19-global-pandemic
#ThankYouForYourSupport #StaySafe
The Ivory-Free Canada Coalition
