Reindeers are beautiful animals native to the Artic Tundra. They are used to the quiet of the wilderness, the open space and the cool temperatures that surround them. So why, in 2020, are they still being penned in small enclosures at garden centres, theme parks and adventure parks? Reindeer are not Christmas props and these… Read more
Language Matters: Guest blog by Charlie Moores, War on Wildlife Project
Campaigner and proud member of OneKind, Charlie Moores, explores why the words we use to describe wild animals is hugely important. Several years ago, a colleague and I started a podcast series for Lush called ‘Turning Point’. It had a very simple premise: “What was the one decision or conversation that changed your life forever”…. Read more
Charity urges people not to host private firework displays, due to animal welfare concerns
Leading animal welfare campaigning charity is urging members of the public not to host private fireworks displays in the absence of regulated public displays. Due to restrictions on public gatherings to curb COVID-19, charity OneKind is anticipating a surge in amateur firework displays on private properties. This seriously compromises the welfare of companion and farmed… Read more
The animal welfare terror lurking beneath Scotland’s waters
Below the waves in Scotland’s rocky coastlines, lurks a terrifying animal welfare nightmare. Beneath the waters, more than 38 million animals circle filthy, overcrowded underwater cages, where disease and death are rife. We need to take a stand against this eerie reality for Scotland’s salmon. We take a look at the horrifying animal welfare concerns… Read more
The intensive exploitation of animals may lead to the next global pandemic
On March 11th, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The world went into lockdown to try and control the virus and life as we knew it changed overnight. The leading theory is that COVID-19 originated from a wildlife market in China- that is, a market that sells wild animals, alongside other food… Read more
Charity calls for an end to breeding of flat-faced animals
Leading Scottish animal campaigns charity, OneKind, has called on the Scottish Government to put an end to the breeding of flat-faced dogs, cats and rabbits, such as French bulldogs, amongst other welfare calls, ahead of the 2021 Scottish elections. OneKind has published its manifesto outlining its recommendations to the incoming Scottish Parliament and Government to make Scotland a better place for animals. These include the… Read more
Shot beaver found ‘slumped by a ditch’
Warning: Graphic image of shot beaver contained in the article We were horrified to see the disturbing photograph of a shot beaver that had been left by a bank in Perthshire. This graphic image shows the grim reality of our licencing system in Scotland. Last year it was reported that 87 beavers, a fifth of the population, were shot under… Read more
The live export trade: why is it so cruel?
The live export trade is the commercial transport of farmed animals between countries. Usually these animals are exported to be slaughtered in Europe or North Africa, but male calves may also be exported to be “fattened up” in the destination country. The long-distance transport of live animals to Europe is a serious animal welfare problem…. Read more
Charity calls for an end to driven grouse shooting on the first day of the season
Leading Scottish animal welfare campaigns charity OneKind is calling for an end to driven grouse shooting on the Glorious Twelfth, the first day of the grouse shooting season. Large areas of upland Scotland are used for driven grouse shooting, with the land being managed to maximise the number of red grouse available for shooting. In… Read more
Charity urges Scottish Government to introduce legal protection for mountain hares without delay ahead of mountain hare shooting season
“Leading Scottish animal welfare campaigning charity, OneKind, is urging the Scottish Government to introduce legal protection for mountain hares without delay. The open season for mountain hare shooting begins today (1st August) and ordinarily runs until 28th February, a period during which around 26,000 mountain hares are killed by landowners to manage their land for red grouse shooting,… Read more
How can fox hunting continue after the fox hunting ban?
Did you know that fox hunting continues in Scotland despite the 2002 fox hunting ban? One of OneKind’s proudest moments was back in 2002 when we played a key role in persuading the Scottish Parliament to introduce a law which would ban fox hunting with hounds for sport. The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act… Read more
Deaths of diseased farmed salmon reach an all time high
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has reported a staggering ten million+ premature farmed salmon deaths in 2019. Not only are these mortality rates higher than any previous documented year (since 2002), but the mortality rates have also risen faster than salmon production over the years. High mortality rates indicate suffering, as deaths are rarely… Read more
A win for Scotland’s mountain hares! Our #HareCare campaign draws to a successful conclusion.
On June 17th, in a landmark decision, MSPs voted to recognise mountain hares as a protected species under the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill, and thus will put an end to the mass scale mountain hare killings! We’ve been campaigning tirelessly on our campaign to end mountain hare persecution since 2016,… Read more
A creative celebration of Scotland’s seals!
OneKind has a long history of defending Scotland’s seals from persecution. Just a few weeks ago, we were nearing the final steps of rolling out our campaign to ban seal shooting, when something unexpected happened. The Scottish Government launched amendments to the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill to remove the two main grounds… Read more
Scottish Government announces plans to explore the value of empathy training for offenders against animals
OneKind animal welfare charity has strongly welcomed Scottish Government plans to commission a research project into the value of empathy training for offenders against animals. Ahead of the debate on the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers)(Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon (17 June 2020), rural affairs minister Mairi Gougeon MSP has… Read more
OneKind hails new hare protection
OneKind hails new hare protection OneKind animal protection charity has today (17 June 2020) hailed the Scottish Government’s decision to accept an amendment bringing full protection for mountain hares in Scotland, and thus effectively ending the mass scale mountain hare killings, as “a triumph” for the Scottish Parliament’s hare champions and the willingness of a… Read more
Shocking footage shows pile of rotting animal carcasses set to lure animals into nearby traps
New footage passed through to leading animal welfare campaigns charity, OneKind, reveals snares set near a pile of rotting animal carcasses, apparently set by gamekeepers in Strathnairn, south of Inverness. In order to maximise the number of red grouse and pheasants available for recreational shooting, gamekeepers target foxes. To lure foxes into snares, gamekeepers often… Read more
The victims of Scotland’s driven grouse moors
Thousands of animals are killed in Scotland each year as part of a circle of destruction that surrounds driven grouse moors. The driven grouse industry aims to maintain artificially high densities of red grouse to be shot for ‘sport’. Therefore, gamekeepers routinely set cruel traps and snares to target any animals perceived to be a… Read more
OneKind uncovers fox hunting packs on Scotland’s public land
Late last year, it was brought to our attention that Forestry and Land Scotland, previously the Forestry Commission Scotland, was allowing foot packs onto its land to control foxes using dogs. In November we submitted a Freedom of Information request (FOI) to find out. The communications released under the FOI revealed that it is indeed… Read more
Financial support for pet owners
Blog by OneKind volunteer, Kirsty MacKinnon Many of us face financial difficulties at some point in our lives. The outbreak of COVID-19 has meant financial hardships for many people living across the world as hours are cut back and, in some cases, jobs are lost. On the other hand, key workers are facing strenuous shifts… Read more
UK Parliament debate animal sentience and farmed animal cages
We campaigned as part of coalition of animal welfare organisations backing a parliamentary petition which called on the Government to end the use of cages for UK farmed animals. Since animal welfare is a devolved matter, any UK government legislation would only affect animals in England, but the principle extends right across the UK. We have also… Read more
Cross-party support for strengthening Scotland’s animal welfare legislation
There was broad cross-party support for the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill when it was debated in parliament yesterday, which is great news for Scotland’s animals. This Bill currently working its way through parliament which, if it becomes an Act, will strengthen protections for animals by making changes to the Animal… Read more
Charity calls on the public to report snare sightings in Scotland
Leading animal welfare campaigns charity, OneKind, is calling on members of the public to report any snares they find while out walking in Scotland. OneKind has long campaigned for a ban on the use, sale and manufacture of the traps, and urges walkers to report snares or snaring incidents to its dedicated snare awareness website,… Read more
Charity welcomes Chris Packham as patron
Leading Scottish animal welfare campaigns charity, OneKind, announces wildlife TV presenter and conservationist, Chris Packham, as its patron. Chris Packham said: “Wildlife is routinely being persecuted in Scotland. Tens of thousands of wild animals are killed each year in Scotland’s countryside with cruel, outdated and indiscriminate traps. It’s time the Scottish Government puts an end… Read more
Licence changes: a step in the right direction but welfare still needs urgent review
Leading Scottish animal campaigns charity OneKind has described changes to wild bird licences announced today as a step in the right direction, but renewed its calls for a comprehensive review of the welfare issues surrounding the trapping and killing of wild birds and animals. Following a consultation in 2019, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has today… Read more
Are lobsters, crabs and octopuses sentient?
Lobsters are crammed together in barren restaurant tanks while they await their slaughter- likely being boiled alive. Crabs are pre-packaged in clingfilm, slowly suffocating and completely immobilised. Local authorities are powerless to take action as these animals have no legal protection covering their welfare needs. But do these animals, and other decapod crustaceans and cephalopods,… Read more
OneKind welcomes just one recommendation in the Werritty report
Leading Scottish animal welfare campaigns charity OneKind has welcomed one of the recommendations in the newly-published Werritty Group report that users of traps should be legally required to undertake training, including refresher courses, and attach individual operator identification numbers to their traps. The report makes a number of recommendations for improving the sustainability of grouse moors in… Read more
Our 2019 highlights
We can’t quite believe that we’re coming to the end of 2019! With a feature on Channel 4 news, demonstrations, a BBC article quoting our response to Scottish Parliament’s fireworks plans, and the proposal of stronger penalties for animal cruelty to name just a few, it has been a busy year for OneKind! Here’s a selection… Read more
5 reasons to leave salmon off your plate this Christmas
(Sea lice infested salmon) Below the waves in some of Scotland’s most beautiful coastlines, there’s a serious welfare problem playing out on Scotland’s salmon farms. Scotland’s farmed salmon suffer terribly, so here’s five reasons why you should take a stand against this cruelty and leave salmon off your plate this Christmas. High mortality rates Mortality rates on… Read more
OneKind’s guide to traps and snares
We recently launched our campaign to put an end to the killing of wildlife on driven grouse moors and elsewhere in Scotland and you can sign our petition calling for an end to these wildlife killings here. While the public are likely aware of the large-scale shooting of target grouse and mountain hares in the… Read more
The scary truth of Scotland’s caged animals
This Halloween we have a terrifying truth for trick or treaters… Did you know that millions of egg-laying hens and pigs are cruelly confined in cages across Scotland? Millions of laying hens in Scotland will spend their entire lives confined in so-called ‘enrichment’ cages while breeding sows will spend at least a month in a… Read more
OneKind welcomes the Scottish Government’s consideration of tighter regulations for firework displays
Animal Welfare Charity welcomes the Scottish Government’s consideration of tighter regulations for firework displays. Leading animal welfare campaigning charity welcomes the Scottish Government’s actions to promote the safe and appropriate use of fireworks in Scotland, highlighting animal welfare as a top concern. Today the Scottish Government announced its publication of its Action Plan to promote… Read more
End the wildlife killings on Scotland’s grouse moors
The management of driven grouse moors is killing Scotland’s wildlife. We want this to end and so we’ve created a petition to the Scottish Parliament, asking them to conduct a full review of the animal welfare impacts of the use of traps and snares on grouse moors and elsewhere in Scotland. Background information We created… Read more
OneKind welcomes the proposed significant improvements to animal welfare and wildlife legislation
Leading Scottish animal welfare campaigns charity, OneKind, supports the increased penalties for animal welfare offences, proposed under new legislation announced today, and calls for new programmes to change offenders’ behaviour to be made available. The Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill proposes, amongst other improvements, an increase in the maximum prison… Read more
Animal Welfare Commission begins to take shape
OneKind is delighted to welcome today’s announcement of the Chair of Scotland’s first ever independent Animal Welfare Commission. The Commission, which will focus on protecting wild and companion animals while also providing scientific and ethical advice to government will be chaired by Professor Cathy Dwyer, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Scotland’s Rural College…. Read more
Join our #BanTheCages demo in Edinburgh!
(Image: Viva) We’d love for you to join us at our Edinburgh city centre demonstration to raise awareness of the suffering of farmed chickens and hens in cages. Where ‘The Iron Duke of Wellington’ statue, 2 Princes St (opposite the Balmoral Hotel), in Edinburgh! What OneKind is holding a public demo to raise awareness of… Read more
Animal welfare successes at the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species
Guest blog from Ilaria De Silvestre, Eurogroup For Animals’ Wildlife Programme Leader. OneKind is a member of Eurogroup for Animals. Eurogroup for Animals attended the 18th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Geneva last month. The conference focused on revising the trade rules for dozens of… Read more
Our highlights from the Revive grouse moor reform conference
On Saturday the 3rd of August, OneKind came together with other like-minded individuals and organisations to explore how radical reform of grouse moors can change the face of Scotland. A first of its kind, the Revive Coalition conference in Perth brought together speakers from various organisations, MSP’s and members of the public to share their… Read more
Calls for greater regulation to end driven grouse shooting
Leading Scottish animal welfare charity OneKind has renewed its calls for an end to driven grouse shooting on the Glorious Twelfth, the first day of the grouse shooting season. Large areas of upland Scotland are used for driven grouse shooting with the land being managed to maximise the number of red grouse available for… Read more
130,000 Wild Animals Licensed to be Killed in Scotland
Scotland’s public body for natural heritage, Scottish Natural Heritage, has published a list of the worryingly broad range of species and shockingly high number of 130,000 wild animals it has licensed to be killed within the last five years. Species Licensed to be Killed The official figures, released on account of a FOI request by… Read more
Charity renews calls for end to mountain hare culls on first day of the open season
Leading Scottish animal welfare charity, OneKind, has today renewed its calls for urgent action from the Scottish Government to prevent the mass killing of Scotland’s mountain hares. The open season on mountain hares begins today (1st August) and runs until 28 February, during which tens of thousands of mountain hares will be killed by gamekeepers… Read more
