Fw: (CN) ANIMALS ASIA PRESS RELEASE: SARS IN CHINA, 5-01-04

[Guest guest]

SARS IN CHINA - PRESS RELEASE ANIMALS ASIA FOUNDATION

5TH JANUARY 2004

 

Today's confirmed case of SARS in China, together with

the Government's action of closing down Guangdong's

wild animal markets should sound the alarm for the

second, and hopefully final, time on the urgent need to

ban China's live animal markets countrywide - once and

for all.

 

After documenting the wild animal markets for nearly 20

years, Animals Asia investigators returned to China's

notorious Zhengsha market in November 2003 and found in

excess of 60 wild, domestic and endangered species,

caged and pouring into the markets on the backs of

trucks - stressed, diseased, dying and dead.

 

Despite new Government regulations many of the animals

were clearly wild caught and were packed together in

close concentrations of numbers along with thousands of

reptiles, mammals, amphibians and birds.

 

Caged together in close proximity, the animals suffered

violent and barbaric methods of slaughter which then

allowed blood, gut contents, faeces and urine to

contaminate the surrounding area - and allowed viruses,

previously kept under control by the immune system, to

multiply and be excreted.

 

Media Director Annie Mather said: " Whilst it is clear

that many market traders have been selling animals

trapped in the wild and ignoring Government regulations

to sell 'farmed raised species', it should actually be

recognised that farming civet cats and other wild

animals does not lessen the risk of disease and that

they are potentially at risk of shedding viruses as any

animal caught in the wild. "

 

In 2003, a resolution proposed by the Animals Asia

Foundation and supported by Hong Kong Legislator and

Member of China's National People's Congress, Dr. David

Chu Yu Lin, and local animal welfare and conservation

groups in Hong Kong urged the Government to ban the

trading and consumption of wild animals and dogs and

cats, which was then submitted to Beijing's National

People's Congress by Dr. Chu.

 

Supporting the closure of China's wild animal markets,

Chen Run Shen, Secretary General of the Government's

China Wildlife Conservation Association in Beijing

said: " Whilst reform is the first step, in principle I

believe that all wild animal markets should be closed

in China. The wild animal trade has direct conflict

with the progression of a civilized society. It also

brings direct harm and damage to the animals

themselves. "

 

Following the Guangdong Government decision today to

close all markets and kill the civet cats, Animals Asia

Founder Jill Robinson MBE appealed to the authorities

to euthanise the animals in the most humane way

possible and to never again relax the new ban, as they

have done in the past. " We urge China to extend these

regulations country wide, to include companion animals

such as dogs and cats, and to take the lead in Asia

towards ending decades of cruelty and disease. "

 

 

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Ends.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Jill Robinson MBE - Founder & CEO, Animals Asia

Foundation, Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2719 3340 or Mobile: (852) 9095 8405 or

jrobinson

 

For stills & footage please contact Annie Mather -

Media Director, Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2521 0982 or Mobile: (852) 9425 7429 or

amather

 

--

Annie Mather

Media Director

Animals Asia Foundation

Hong Kong