Last month, OneKind received a report via our SnareWatch website from someone who had found eight snares set to catch animals within 50 yards of each other on a woodland path with the carcasses of four rabbits lying nearby. The aim of the website is to compile evidence of how snares and used and the… Read more
Where does Lush palm oil come from?
Lush is a fantastic supporter of OneKind’s work. They sell charity pots, tubs of rich ‘n creamy body lotion, the full price of which (minus VAT) is donated to local charities whose ethics align with those endorsed by Lush. Our participation in their charity pot initiative raises crucial money that goes directly towards funding our… Read more
Meet OneKind’s new director Bob Elliot
What a privilege to be asked to lead OneKind as the new Director. I am absolutely delighted and proud to have the opportunity to be able to build and develop the excellent work undertaken by former Director Harry Huyton and the team. Thank you to all those supporters, members and colleagues that have made me… Read more
5 key facts we’ve learned from the Scottish fish farm production survey 2017
Every year, the Scottish Government publishes the “Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey”. These reports shed light on things such as the number of active salmon farming sites, the number of fish entering sea-water salmon farms in Scotland, survival rates of salmon throughout the production cycle, and information on cleaner fish. Today the production survey for… Read more
Volunteer Blog – Meet Art for Animals artist Romain Pizzi
In celebration of Scotland’s magnificent wildlife, our annual Art for Animals exhibition is back, taking place later this month in Edinburgh. We have 14 artists who will showcase their creations, each having been motivated to carve, paint and sketch by the animals that make this spectacular country their home. The exhibition aims to inspire a… Read more
Not just salmon: 5 other animals impacted by salmon farming in Scotland
We have talked a lot about the impact that salmon farming has on salmon, but sadly it is not just farmed salmon that are negatively impacted by the salmon farming industry in Scotland. Here are five other animals that can be impacted by salmon farming in Scotland. Seals Scotland is home to grey, and common… Read more
5 awesome things our volunteers have done for OneKind this summer
We’ve had a really busy summer in terms of volunteer work at OneKind, both in the office and out and about with our growing volunteer groups. Our volunteers are vital in our work to end cruelty to Scotland’s animals, and they really help us get our message out there and build support for our campaigns…. Read more
Three facts about public opinion of fish welfare
Last week, results from a survey commissioned jointly by Eurogroup for Animals and Compassion in World Farming on the opinions of the UK and specifically the Scottish public on fish welfare, were released. Here are some of the key findings from the survey: 63% of the Scottish public, and 68% of the UK public, believe… Read more
Why I’m walking the Kiltwalk for #TeamOneKind
Hi everyone! I’m Sarah and I’m the Project Officer for OneKind, looking into fish welfare on salmon farms in Scotland. This Sunday 19th I am doing something different- taking part in the Dundee Kiltwalk, where I will be walking 25 miles to raise money for OneKind! So why have I decided to take on this… Read more
Lonely Scotland – A new guide to wildlife persecution in Scotland
Today OneKind has published Lonely Scotland – A guide to hunting, trapping and wildlife persecution in Scotland. You can order your copy here. The OneKind team are often asked about traps. Ramblers, mountain bikers, dog walkers and others enjoying the countryside come across a snare or a Fenn trap and will call us to find… Read more
Meet our volunteers – Ali and Mark from Dufftown
Our volunteers are the reason for a lot of OneKind’s successes. From signing petitions to helping raise awareness at our event stalls, our volunteer teams are always out supporting us – joining the fight to end animal cruelty in Scotland. We want to share our volunteer stories to highlight their passion for our cause and… Read more
Farmed salmon welfare in 2018: what we know so far
Scottish salmon farm mortality, escape, fish health inspectorate and sea lice data is now available for early 2018. We’ve been going through this data, and have found the following… Mortality is slightly higher compared to last year Overall, between January and March 2018, between 707,000[1] and 3 million fish[2] (3534 tonnes) died on salmon farms… Read more
New photos expose shocking welfare issues on Scottish salmon farms
Yesterday, the Ferret published photos of disease and sea lice-ridden, deformed and stunted farmed salmon. These photos were taken during Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) diagnostic inspections following instances of mass mortalities on fish farms. During these inspections FHI inspectors will sample between 3 and 10 salmon to perform post-mortems on, to determine the causes of… Read more
Pet shop reforms should inspire bigger thinking on welfare
It is widely agreed that the legislation regulating pet sales in the UK is out of date and overdue for reform. The Pet Animals Act dates from 1951, long before the internet was invented and long before the craze for owning more and more exotic animals took hold of the public. Hardly surprising, then, that… Read more
Our love of plastic is killing our wildlife
Plastic waste has reached epidemic levels. Our oceans are becoming filled with plastic, that is being dumped into the water killing our seals, whales, fish, sea birds, and many other sea animals. It’s also littering our beautiful beaches and making its way into the food chain. In fact, things have got so bad that it’s… Read more
Taking action for fish
I’m a Project Officer for OneKind, working on fish welfare in salmon aquaculture. I’ve been busy working behind the scenes researching this issue, but last week was especially busy! I presented OneKind’s findings on salmon welfare in the Scottish Parliament, then went to Brussels to meet with fish welfare experts and share the results of… Read more
Tayside beavers, victims of intolerance and an uncaring bureaucracy
One of the most special wildlife experiences I have enjoyed in Scotland was watching a young beaver kit and its mother swimming together in a big pool that had been created by the industrious family. It was dusk, and we had been taken to the spot by a local campsite owner who had recently started… Read more
Three facts that show overwhelming support for action on mountain hare culls
This week the League Against Cruel Sports Scotland and OneKind published the results of polling of attitudes towards mountain hare culling in Scotland. This follows the First Minister’s branding of footage of culling as “unacceptable” and committed to “exploring all available options to prevent the mass culling of mountain hares and one of those options… Read more
More to discuss as sanctuaries regulations make progress
The Scottish Government has published its analysis of the responses received to the recent consultation on proposals to regulate animal sanctuaries and rehoming centres in Scotland. The consultation received a total of 185 responses, of which 73% (135) were from members of the public. A further 34 responses (18.3%) were from animal welfare charities, animal… Read more
“It’s not rocket science, it’s a case of killing things”
It’s very rare for a gamekeeper to speak out about what’s really happening on Scotland’s shooting estates, but yesterday Chris Packham released a 15-minute interview of an anonymous man who had worked on grouse moors in the UK and, in Chris’ words, wanted to “come clean”. What he describes is predictable: an industry at war… Read more
Shocking new footage shows a stink pit on a grouse moor known for mountain hare culls
Warning – Disturbing scenes of wildlife persecution Footage released today from an investigation by OneKind and the League Against Cruel Sports Scotland yet again shows the grim reality of the war on wildlife that is being fought across Scotland’s grouse moors. This stink pit consists of rotting deer carcases and dead foxes hanging from trees…. Read more
The raven cull – what we know, what we don’t know, and what next
A cull of ravens in Perthshire has been approved by Scottish Natural Heritage across a large area of Perthshire, predominantly made up of grouse moors. For more on the background to the cull, and why it must be stopped, see this blog. Three weeks on from when Raptor Persecution broke the story, here’s an update… Read more
Where do the political parties stand on mountain hare culling?
In the past two weeks, over 9000 emails have been sent to MSPs across Scotland asking them to do everything in their power to stop the slaughter of mountain hares. If you haven’t already, you can take the action here. Here’s the lowdown on which MSPs have responded so far and what parties support an… Read more
The Raven Cull – An unkindness on the moors
Unscientific, unjustified and developed without consultation with conservation or animal welfare groups. This blog looks at why the license to cull 300 ravens in Perthshire must be withdrawn immediately. For a long time, I thought ravens were naturally upland birds. I associated their ethereal and atmospheric croaking with days in the mountains in Wales and… Read more
Let’s all #SayNoToPuppyDealers
OneKind is delighted to be part of a powerful new initiative launched today to tackle the illegal puppy trade in Scotland. The project is led by the Scottish SPCA in collaboration with the Scottish Government, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, RSPCA, Battersea, Dogs Trust, Trading Standards Scotland, Blue Cross, OneKind, BSAVA and the University of… Read more
Killing mountain hares is not conservation
One of the most interesting things about how proponents of hare killing on grouse moors responded to our exposé over Easter is how little talk there was of disease control. In 2007, when SNH commissioned a study of hare killing in Scotland, it was estimated that 50% of hare killing was justified primarily on the grounds… Read more
For the Foxes – reactions to our fox hunting march
On Saturday 24th March, around 800 people joined a march For The Foxes organised by OneKind, The League Against Cruel Sports and IFAW to call for a real fox hunting ban in Scotland. OneKind’s Campaigner Sarah Moyes gives us all the lowdown from the march. [View the story “For The Foxes” on Storify]
New report highlights welfare issues of fish on Scottish salmon farms
We were pleased to see the report by the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) committee was published today. This report follows their inquiry into the Scottish salmon farming industry and is written to inform the Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) committee in their inquiry into salmon farming. OneKind provided evidence to the ECCLR… Read more
March for the Foxes – One month to go!
On Saturday 24th March, animal lovers from across Scotland will be coming together in Edinburgh to march For the Foxes and call for a real fox hunting ban. Please join us. At the weekend, Ricky Gervais joined our calls for fox hunting to be banned when he spoke out and said this: We were thrilled… Read more
The intensive grouse moors of the Pentlands
This week we got the sad news that Fred the Golden Eagle has disappeared in suspicious circumstances in the Pentlands Regional Park. On the one hand this is just another raptor on an ever-growing list that have disappeared on intensive grouse moors. But on this occasion, it’s more than that. The Pentlands are a Regional… Read more
Five reasons why we are concerned about Scottish salmon farming
I’ve recently joined the OneKind team to work on a new project that will look at the welfare of salmon on Scottish fish farms. With the recent launch of the inquiry into the environmental impacts of salmon farming by the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) committee, we thought it would be a perfect time… Read more
Meet a Member – Erica Cochrane
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Scotland stands up for mountain hares – reactions to Countryfile
On Sunday 28 January, OneKind Director Harry Huyton was interviewed on BBC Countryfile, speaking out against mountain hare culls. We were overwhelmed by the support from viewers across the UK, who were outraged at the indiscriminate killing of hares on grouse moors. We’ve collated some highlights below – let us know if you think we… Read more
Three reflections on Countryfile’s mountain hare culls feature
I was pleased to be given the opportunity to make the case for protection of Scotland’s mountain hares on the BBC programme Countryfile yesterday. If you missed it, you can watch the episode on iPlayer here. Here are three reflections after watching the show and people’s reactions to it on social media (and the OneKind… Read more
Scotland’s electric shock collar ban
Today marks an important step forward for dog welfare in Scotland. The Scottish Government has announced that it will effectively ban the use of electric shock collars in the near future. No doubt this will be the media focus as the cruelty of these devices is plain to see for all, and there is overwhelming… Read more
Meet a Member – Elaine Mackie
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Three reasons to back an electric shock collar ban
In 2016 the Scottish Government consulted on whether to ban electric shock collars or not. We assumed that this would inevitably lead to a ban given the strength of the case against these devices and, critically, the fact that the Welsh Government had already gone down this route. OneKind worked hard to help make this… Read more
Mythbusting veganism in #Veganuary
This year, I’m taking on the Veganuary challenge, and trying veganism for a month, with the goal of adopting a more ethical diet permanently. I’ve been vegetarian for 13 years, so I had to ask myself, why haven’t I transitioned to veganism sooner? I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons, so forgoing dairy and other… Read more
Meet a Member – Kirsty Murdoch
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Why I’m taking the Veganuary challenge in 2018
I’ve been a vegetarian for 13 years, since I first started animal welfare activism as a teenager. And yet, despite the years I’ve spent volunteering for animal sanctuaries and donating to animal welfare organisations, and now working for OneKind, I haven’t made the switch to veganism. Why is that? For one, I’ve always thought it… Read more
Reactions to the ban on wild animals in travelling circuses in Scotland
OneKind Campaigner Sarah Moyes gives us the lowdown on the passing of the Bill to ban wild animals in travelling circuses in Scotland. [View the story “Scotland bans wild animals in travelling circuses” on Storify]
A decade of campaigning against wild animals in circuses
With the Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses Bill about to be passed by Holyrood, Libby Anderson, OneKind’s Policy Advisor, reflects on a decade of campaigning to end the use of wild animals in circuses. Having taken a leading role in campaigning for a ban on wild animal circuses in Scotland, I am delighted that today… Read more
Stop the Puppy Profiteers
Last week, we launched a new report Scotland’s Puppy Profiteers exposing the traffickers, dealers and breeders in Scotland who put profit before the welfare of our animals. If you’ve never bought a dog then you might be unfamiliar with the conditions that some of these poor animals are sold in. As someone who was brought up… Read more
Why I’m supporting OneKind this Christmas
My name is Allie, and I’m a OneKind member and volunteer. I wanted to share with readers why I have supported OneKind for more than three years now, and why I am certain that the funds I donate to OneKind are truly making an impact for Scotland’s animals. Like you, I have been passionate about animals… Read more
This Christmas, I’m donating to OneKind for Scotland’s wildlife
My name is Ellie, and I’m a OneKind volunteer. I’m wanted to share with readers why I support OneKind, and why I would encourage you to donate to them this Christmas. Like you, I’m passionate about animal welfare and want to see an end to animal cruelty in Scotland. But I also care deeply about our… Read more
Meet our Members: Emma-Jayne
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Is this how fox hunting will be banned in Scotland?
The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, is a professed “opponent of fox hunting”. Indeed, under her leadership the SNP at Westminster put themselves between the Conservative government and the Hunting Act, foiling their attempts to weaken the ban in England and Wales by bringing it in line with the fundamentally flawed ban in… Read more
Animal sentience – why it’s important and where next
The vote in Westminster last week to reject the proposed amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill that would have effectively transposed Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) has been met with furore. Some of this has been misguided. It’s clearly nonsense to claim that MPs decided that animals… Read more
Meet a Member – Rebecca Jones
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Challenging the Cull Culture
Alongside courses in veterinary nursing and bookkeeping, students at one College in Thurso can also learn the theory and practice needed to shoot seals. This is, of course, shocking, and quite rightly it has received media attention [1] this week after the issue was highlighted by the Seal Protection Action Group, a Brighton based campaign… Read more
Meet our Members: Marian Hussenbux
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Mountain hare hunting cannot be ignored
Today’s call from ten leading Scottish wildlife charities for a moratorium on mountain hare culls is warmly welcome. As our report showed, culls continue in spite of repeated calls from the Scottish Government to stop. The voluntary approach is simply not working, and unless action is taken it will leave the Scottish Government looking powerless…. Read more
Meet our Members: Gary Crompton
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Say No to Greyhound Racing at Wallyford
Businessman Howard Wallace first put forward his plans to build a greyhound stadium in 2001 and it was approved by East Lothian Council four years later. At the time Mr Wallace also had plans to build houses on the site but was told that could not go ahead until work on the stadium began. So… Read more
The circus debate: let’s get back to basics
Every summer, right up to 2011, a traditional travelling circus would make a two-month tour of southern and central Scotland. Bobby Roberts’ Super Circus always brought with it their aged, arthritic elephant Anne, taken from the wild in Sri Lanka and used for entertainment for over half a century. By 2011, she had no elephant… Read more
Why we need tougher sentencing and prevention programmes for animal cruelty
Pippa the cat was two years old. She lost her life one night in 2015, when her owner restrained, punched and slapped her, then bit her head and face before inflicting fatal injuries by slamming her against a wall. The whole incident was recorded by the owner’s terrified partner, and in due course it appeared… Read more
Meet a Member | Elaine Whitlaw
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
Mountain hare killing scrutinised in the Scottish Parliament
Today I went to the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee to give evidence on our petition for greater protection for the mountain hare. Here’s my short video update: It was a great privilege to hand in the petition and represent the 11,000 or so of you who signed it. It was also extremely worthwhile. It… Read more
Are the Scottish Government turning over a new leaf on animal protection?
The Scottish Government’s track record on animal protection since the Holyrood elections two years ago has been mixed at best. It started with confusion when the new Government was formed and animal welfare appeared to be omitted from the list of Ministerial responsibilities. It took a Parliamentary Question to establish where responsibilities lay. Since then,… Read more
5 things you might not know about CCTV and slaughterhouses
Do you know what’s happening behind the closed doors of Scotland’s abattoirs? Because we certainly don’t. However, we do know that there are some serious problems. That’s why we launched our CCTV Slaughterhouse campaign calling on the Scottish Government to introduce mandatory CCTV monitoring in all Scottish abattoirs, covering all key areas, that is accessible… Read more
Meet our members | Charlotte Workman
Members are at the heart of OneKind Scotland – without your support, we couldn’t be the strong voice for Scotland’s animals that we are today. We want to share our members’ stories, and highlight their passion and commitment to animal welfare, so we’ll be putting the spotlight on a different member each fortnight. Today, meet… Read more
5 reasons why we shouldn’t be celebrating Edinburgh Zoo’s new panda.
It’s been almost seven years since giant pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian arrived at Edinburgh Zoo on a 10-year loan from China. Since then, the possibility of a panda cub being born at the Zoo has been one of the biggest news stories in the country with every step of each failed pregnancy attempt… Read more
Scotland must follow suit and introduce mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has today announced plans to make CCTV mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England along with other measures that he hopes will “cement UK’s position as a global leader on animal welfare”. This follows shocking revelations of cruelty in slaughterhouses in England following several investigations by Animal Aid. Harry Huyton, OneKind Director,… Read more
Would you feel any different if one of these hares was called Cecil?
Recently, OneKind published our report on mountain hare persecution in Scotland. These indigenous animals are much loved by many, celebrated in myth and literature, and are an important part of the upland ecosystem. However, they are also shot for sport. During our investigation into mountain hare persecution, we discovered that several of the companies which… Read more
Mountain hare persecution in Scotland – reactions to our report
Campaigner Sarah Moyes gives the low-down on the publication of OneKind’s mountain hare report, the reaction, and what you can do to help. [View the story “Mountain hare persecution in Scotland” on Storify]
Are these admissions that mountain hare shooting is wrong?
On Monday we launched our report, Mountain Hare Persecution in Scotland, and exposed the scale of persecution and, in particular, commercial hunting of this iconic native species. Our report lists in an annex 25 companies that offer recreational mountain hare killing services and we pulled out three for special mention. Once this was apparent to… Read more
Mountain hare persecution – how you can help
Tomorrow the open season on mountain hares begins once again. Our report, mountain hare persecution in Scotland, exposes the full extent of persecution, the reasons behind it, and puts forward a number of recommendations to the Scottish Government. We believe that the situation merits urgent action, including: A moratorium on culling and hunting mountain hare… Read more
Why we’re backing Hen Harrier Day
This year, OneKind is getting behind Hen Harrier Day. We will be at the Highland Hen Harrier Day on the 6th August in Boat of Garten, where our Director, Harry Huyton, will be giving a talk about our campaigning on this topic, and we’re promoting events across the country to our members. We’re not bird… Read more
Reactions to the weakening of the tail-docking ban
OneKind Campaigner Sarah Moyes gives the lowdown on the tail-docking vote, the reaction and what’s next. [View the story “Reactions to the tail-docking vote” on Storify]
Five misleading arguments being used to justify weakening Scotland’s tail-docking ban
Last week, MSPs on the Environment Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) Committee concluded their debate over the Scottish Government’s proposal to introduce an exemption to the tail-docking ban for ‘working dogs’. There was a majority vote in support of the proposal, with SNP and Conservative MSPs voting in favour and Scottish Green and Labour… Read more
Stink Pits Stink
This week, the Scottish Parliament will debate the use of stink pits in a motion put forward by Christine Grahame MSP. The Stink Pits Stink debate will be a chance for MSPs to discuss these pits which are used across the country as a fundamental part of predator control on shooting estates. If you’ve never… Read more
Dirleton Dog Show 2017
OneKind recently went along to the Dirleton Dog show where we got to meet lots and lots of lovely dogs and their humans. Here are pictures of all the fun dog show winners, including OneKind’s office dog, Millie, who came 4th in the prettiest girl round! Well done to everyone who everyone who took part…. Read more
How is animal welfare treated in in the #GE2017 manifestos?
Theresa May’s declaration of support for fox hunting and her commitment to a vote on the repeal of the Hunting Act in England and Wales has been one of the most talked about issues in the election campaign so far. Buzzfeed report that the bizarre move by the Prime Minster was even in the top… Read more
Should you be allowed to mutilate your dog for your hobby?
We don’t think so, but that’s exactly what the Scottish Government is proposing. In 2007 Scotland took a big step forward and banned all tail docking in dogs, but now they want to reintroduce it for some dogs. They are calling it “tail shortening for working dogs”, but let’s be clear what they mean: Puppies… Read more
Facebook rules let animal abuse slip through the net
Scrolling through your news feed on Facebook is something that we all do multiple times a day, but did you know that Facebook’s lack of a robust policy on animal abuse means that horrifying images and videos can make their way onto your timeline? The Guardian revealed today that Facebook’s policies on issues such as… Read more
Animal welfare announcements: glass three-quarters full
It has been a long time coming, but today is the day that the Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Bill starts its progress through the Scottish Parliament. In around a year, we hope, our law will state: “A person who is a circus operator commits an offence if the person causes or permits a… Read more
The Scottish legal system is failing our wildlife
Last week, RSPB Scotland released a shocking video. It shows a hen harrier flushed from her nest and shot in mid-air. The perpetrator then seeks to hide any evidence of the crime. This is as strong as evidence ever can be in the case of wildlife crimes, which usually take place in remote areas and… Read more
A fox, a cat, a badger – 3 recent snaring cases that alone justify a ban
It’s peak snaring season in the British countryside. Snares are used throughout the country, mostly to target foxes to protect gamebirds. This includes pheasants that are bred in large pens and then released to be shot, and grouse, which are wild but are protected diligently by gamekeepers so that they can be shot for ‘sport’…. Read more
Let’s see some real commitments to animals this election
The Scottish public care deeply about animal issues. Last year in the run op to the Holyrood elections OneKind and our partners in the More for Scotland’s Animals coalition commissioned a YouGov Poll to test public support for progress on animal welfare issues in Scotland. YouGov asked 1,000 adults in Scotland the extent to which… Read more
New investigation exposes horrifying cruelty suffered by Scotland’s farm animals
Breaches in farm animal welfare in Scotland have long been a serious issue in abattoirs across the country. Following an investigation by The Ferret and Bureau of Investigate Journalism, the shocking reality of the issue has been laid out in black and white, leaving Scotland’s slaughterhouses with nowhere to hide and some serious explaining to… Read more
Scotland Bill to ban wild animal circuses comes close
Scotland could be a wild-animal-circus-free zone by next summer. OneKind understands that the Scottish Government Bill to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses will be lodged before the Scottish Parliament rises for the summer recess. The legislation will not only be an important statement of Scotland’s modern attitudes to animals, it will… Read more
OneKind talks fox hunting and snares at the SNP conference
Sarah Moyes, Onekind’s new campaigner, blogs on her experience representing OneKind at the SNP conference last week. Last week, I headed north for my first party political conference at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. The SNP conference is the largest party conference in Scotland, and came just days after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced… Read more
Snaring mountain hares ends because of ‘unnecessary suffering’
For years, OneKind has argued that snaring mountain hares should be banned. Both because of the suffering it causes and the impact it could be having on the declining population of this native species. This week, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have finally confirmed that they will no longer be issuing licenses for snaring mountain hares,… Read more
Scotland has a hare coursing problem. Here’s how to stop it.
Hare coursing is an illegal bloodsport that involves chasing and killing hares with dogs. These dogs are usually ‘sight’ hounds, i.e. dogs that hunt by sight rather than smell such as lurchers and greyhounds. Hare coursers will drive around the countryside and on spotting a hare they will stop and release one, two or occasionally… Read more
It’s time for a Snare-Free Scotland
Last week, we were alerted to another poor fox that had been caught in a snare. The snare had snapped at the stake but got stuck around its middle. The fox managed to run off with the snare still trapped around him, but then went and got caught in another snare. Until snares are banned,… Read more
Watch out for mountain hare culls
For those that want their estates free of mountain hares this year, there are only six weeks left. On the 1st of March the closed season starts, giving these poor animals respite from persecution during their breeding season. At our #HareCare rally at the Scottish Parliament in November, the Cabinet Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, said… Read more
Scotland’s first industrial puppy farm rejected
Last week, protestors gathered outside East Ayrshire Council HQ as the local authority met to discuss proposals for what would have been Scotland’s first industrial puppy farm. It’s no surprise that these plans were met with overwhelming opposition when they were revealed in back in December. OneKind was just one of the animal welfare charities… Read more
Three reasons why fox hunting will be banned in Scotland for good
Boxing Day is one of the big events in the hunt calendar. Today fox hunts across Scotland will once again set out to kill foxes in spite of the so-called ban that was introduced fourteen years ago. For years, OneKind and others have been calling for the law to be updated so that the ban… Read more
OneKind calls for a ban on third-party sales of dogs in Scotland
The import of puppies from puppy farms in Ireland and elsewhere is a major concern with determined, unscrupulous individuals trafficking thousands of dogs to Scotland alone. The illegal puppy trade is a blight on animal welfare in Scotland, and we believe this issue must be tackled immediately. There is also a sizeable trade in puppies… Read more
These are Scotland’s Badger Culls, but they’re 10 times bigger.
Last year 1467 animals were killed in organised culls. 1467 wild animals, native to our country that have become scape goats for a bigger problem. They stand accused of spreading a disease that threatens commercial interests, and they are paying for this with their lives. I am of course referring to England’s badger culls, but… Read more
The Bonomy Review – What is it and where next?
Fox hunting was meant to have been banned in Scotland back in 2002. In reality, loopholes in the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 have meant that little has changed. OneKind has long called for these to be addressed, and we’re delighted that a major step towards this has finally been taken. This week… Read more
This post-mortem demonstrates why Scotland must ban fox hunting for real
This is the first time a carcass has been recovered from a fox hunt and post-mortemed since hunting was ‘banned’ in Scotland back in 2002. Here is what it concluded: “The shot gun pellets appear to have missed the vital organs so in my opinion the shot was not instantly fatal and death will have… Read more
New data reveals urgent need to protect mountain hare
With just one week to go until our rally and mass lobby of the Scottish Parliament to end mountain hare culling, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association has rung the alarm bell about the level of culling carried out to protect forestry. Mountain hare are protected by a closed season that runs from 1 March until the… Read more
Hare culls rally & mass lobby – One Week to Go!
On Thursday the 17th of September at midday, OneKind supporters will be rallying in front of the Scottish Parliament to call for an end to the mountain hare culls. Please join us! Most people we talk to are shocked to learn that Scotland’s mountain hares are culled in the first place. Everyone has heard of… Read more
New animal welfare measures fail Scotland’s dogs
Let’s start with some good news. Animal welfare is on the Scottish Government’s agenda and already two very positive initiatives have been kicked off. By 2018 wild animals in circuses will be banned, putting Scotland ahead of the UK on this important ethical issue and, we hope, demonstrating to other European countries that this can… Read more
More for Scotland’s Animals at Holyrood
Last week the More for Scotland’s Animals coalition put on an event in the Scottish Parliament sponsored by Christine Grahame MSP to look at how we can make progress on animal welfare in Scotland over the next five years. This follows our campaign earlier this year in which we challenged all candidates to commit to… Read more
Freeing a fox suffering in a snare was compassion – not a crime
We encourage anyone who finds a snare to report it to our website www.SnareWatch.org. SnareWatch aims to build the evidence base behind snaring and the impact it has on animals across the UK, and to date we have had hundreds of reports of incidents. About six months ago a relatively unusual report was submitted. A… Read more
OneKind celebrates Scotland’s commitment to ban wild animals in circuses
In its new proposed programme for Government 2016/17, the Scottish Parliament has pledged to introduce a Bill this session to end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Scotland. This follows decades of campaigning and lobbying for a ban by OneKind and the Born Free Foundation. Libby Anderson, our policy adviser who has… Read more
USA says no to Scottish salmon linked to seal killing
Seal killing has long been a serious animal welfare issue in Scotland, but it’s now threatening to become an economic and reputational issue too. The USA has introduced a ruling to ban imports with lower marine mammal protection standards than their own. It says that to export to the US, nations must implement a regulatory… Read more
The landscape-scale cruelty behind the ‘glorious’ 12th
From the Lammermuirs in the Borders to the Highlands, to the moors of Caithness and Sutherland; much of Scotland is managed to varying degrees for driven grouse shooting, the demands of which are the root cause of much cruelty to Scotland’s wildlife. Driven grouse shooting involves beaters driving red grouse towards a line of waiting… Read more
