Social media and the internet have become a tool for those in the wildlife trading industry to facilitate the buying and selling of exotic animals, including parrots. BBC recently talked to Faiz Ahmed, who is in the business of importing and selling birds in Bangladesh, and Ahmed opened up about the ins and outs of the business, in particular the trade of the African grey.

Courtesy of Michelle Cheung

A 30 year old Southern Californian man was accused of smuggling 1,700 reptiles from Mexico and Hong Kong, without permits. The animals included baby crocodiles, Mexican beaded lizards, Yucatan and Mexican box turtles.

Jose Manuel Perez faces two counts of wildlife trafficking, nine counts of smuggling goods into the U.S., and one count of conspiracy after allegedly transporting the animals for a black-market business. Perez and others allegedly used social media to buy, sell and arrange delivery of reptiles in the U.S. between 2016 and 2022, advertising with photos and videos of the animals.

On February 17, 2022, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly passed a bill to ban the “convenient” killing of shelter animals across the state, marking an important first step towards the protection of impounded animals in NSW.

The Companion Animals Amendment (Rehoming Animals) Bill 2021 was introduced by Animal Justice Party member Emma Hurst, in response to the tragic shooting of 15 dogs (including 10 puppies) by Bourke Shire Council in August 2021. The dogs were killed despite rescue groups from a nearby local government area offering to rehome them, due to the council’s interpretation of the COVID-19 travel restrictions at the time. The news sparked public outcry across the nation and prompted investigations by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the NSW Ombudsman and the Office of Local Government. However, the council was eventually cleared of any legal wrongdoing, as there were no laws in place at the time to hold the council accountable.

Courtesy of Ruby Tam

On 9 February 2022, the Italian Parliament voted in favour of a Constitutional Bill which will grant constitutional protection to animals and the environment. It joins a handful of other countries (such as Switzerland, Germany, India, and Austria) to grant full rights to animals through the constitution.

Owners of a 3-year-old samoyed named Snowball have shared videos on Weibo of an anti-pandemic worker in the Guangdong Province beating Snowball to death with a bat while the they were undergoing hotel quarantine.

The owners also posted screenshots of their conversation with the 2 anti-pandemic workers in which she notified them of the dog’s presence before they came to disinfect her apartment. The owner also informed the workers that Snowball was not aggressive and would not bite.

Courtesy of Michelle Cheung

World Spay Day has been celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of February each year since 1995. In this month’s instalment of Tell Me More! we interview Dr. Michael Bradley from the Stanley Veterinary Centre to discuss the importance of spays and neuters of all species.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate passed a bill that ensures law enforcement officers' K-9 partners receive life-saving medical attention and transport if they are injured in the line of duty.

The bill, known as Nero's Law, was drafted in response to the April 2018 shooting that claimed the life of Yarmouth Police K-9 Sgt. Sean Gannon, a New Bedford native, and severely injured his K-9 partner, Nero. Despite its life-threatening injuries and the desperate need for immediate treatment, the emergency medical personnel were unable to transport it because of the state law ban.

Courtesy of Kelly Ma.

A Spanish court has imposed a sentence of 1.5 years imprisonment and €7.2 million fine for possession and marketing of a protected species on a smuggler attempting to traffic 65 kilogrammes of eel into Morocco. The Times UK reports that the quantum of the fine amounts to the value of the damage to the environment, as calculated by the regional agriculture ministry, and sets the world record for largest fine imposed for eel smuggling.

Courtesy of Audrey O’Young

In November 2020, the US National Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) enacted a rule removing protections contained in the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (“ESA”) for the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) by removing the species from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (“Rule”). The rule was overturned by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White in the judgment of Defenders of Wildlife v U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dated 10 February 2022, reinstating federal protection in 44 of the lower 48 states.

Courtesy of Audrey O’Young

Legislation banning the slaughter of hatched day-old chicks entered into force in Germany on 1 January 2022 Simultaneously, a ban on the killing of male chicks by crushing or gassing entered into force in France. The two political efforts are, as the German Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner said, a “significant step forward for animal welfare”, being the first countries in the world to impose such ban. Germany and France are calling on other members of the European Union to follow suit.

Courtesy of Andy Au