Look To The Stars News: World Society for the Protection of Animals

Animals Matter To Simon Cowell

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:00:00 -0000

Simon Cowell has pledged support for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and its campaign to get international recognition of animal welfare.

WSPA is hoping more people will follow Simon’s lead and start telling governments why animals matter to them.

Simon – who needs no introduction, since he achieved world domination with X Factor and the Idol and Got Talent franchises – has turned his attention back to his lifelong love of animals and has chosen to lend his considerable weight to the campaign.

Simon explains: “The World Society for Protection of Animals struck a chord with me, as it’s a global charity that recognizes the needs of animals around the world. When I was growing up, we had pets, and I was taught early on that you have to respect animals. I don’t have pets now, simply because I travel too much to take on the responsibility. But owning pets has had an immensely positive impact on my life and I think animals deserve our protection.”

The media mogul recently pledged his support for the charity’s Universal Declaration for Animal Welfare campaign and is now asking the public to do the same.

Simon adds: “Right now, there are no international laws to protect animals and the World Society for the Protection of Animals is working to change that. They are calling on governments across the world to embrace a common agreement called the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare. This would recognize that animals can suffer and feel pain and need proper protection.”

Finding time in his hectic filming schedule during the last couple of weeks of the X Factor, Simon sat down and told WSPA why animals matter to him, in their new campaign video, which you can see online at www.wspa.org.uk.

Suzi Morris, Director of WSPA UK said: “WSPA is delighted to have Simon Cowell’s support for this important campaign – you can see how passionate he is about animals and animal welfare when you watch his video. He will inspire a whole new audience to think about how animals are treated around the world and that is invaluable.”

Simon is keen for other people to follow his lead and sign up to campaign: "All you have to do is add your name to the Declaration – I’m encouraging people to sign it and send it to a friend as well.

“The Universal Declaration will mean so much; it would help governments appreciate the important role that animals play in our lives and in the environment we live in, and so inspire better legislation to protect animals around the world. So please, go to www.animalsmatter.org and add your own message of support today.”

The Universal Declaration for Animal Welfare campaign has a diverse range of high profile supporters such as Leona Lewis, Dominic Brunt, Mark Charnock, Miranda Richardson, Kristin Davis and Christina Applegate.

Leona Lewis Backs WSPA In Animal Campaign

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Top international singer Leona Lewis is backing the World Society for the Protection of Animals in a new campaign video.

Leona pledged her support for the charity’s Universal Declaration for Animal Welfare campaign at a video and photo shoot at the Sony Music studios in Kensington. She was joined by her family dog Misty for the photo shoot.

Speaking about her support for WSPA, Leona said: “I wanted to get involved with the World Society for the Protection of Animals because I think they are doing great campaigns. I’ve always been a huge advocate for any charities that are trying to help animals, because they are trying to change laws to protect animals – which I think is amazing.”

“I support the World Society for the Protection of Animals – WSPA – because they are trying to end some of the most appalling acts of animal cruelty in the world.”

She summed up her belief in the UDAW campaign: "One reason animals are so vulnerable to cruelty is because there is no universal agreement between nations that animals can suffer and feel pain… The campaign for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare could be the beginning of the end for animal cruelty across the world.

“It’s up to us to give these animals a voice, and put a stop to cruelty and neglect, right now.”

Leona calls on her supporters to join her in backing the Animals Matter campaign. Go to wspa.org.uk/leonalewis to join in and pledge your support.

Animals Matter To Brian May

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Queen guitarist Brian May is supporting an animal welfare petition and asking his fans to do the same.

The rocker’s official blog recently featured a post calling attention to the World Society for the Protection of Animals' (WSPA) Animals Matter To Me campaign.

“Animals Matter To Me represents the biggest ever global animal welfare initiative, linking the entire animal welfare movement with ONE STRATEGIC GOAL: global recognition that animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain and suffering,” reads the blog. “PLEASE sign this petition. The scale of suffering for animals in the world today is unprecedented: Around 60 billion farm animals are used each year globally to produce meat, milk and eggs. The majority are raised in industrial farming systems where their welfare needs are not met. Globally, there are some 600 million dogs, and a similar number of cats, of which an estimated 80% are stray or unwanted. The illegal and often inhumane trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is a soaring black market worth $10 billion a year, exceeded only by arms and drug smuggling. Millions of wild animals are killed, captured or traded inhumanely in this shady business. An estimated 80% of power input on farms in developing countries is supplied by draught animals, however the resources made available are often woefully inadequate, leading to significant welfare issues. Animals are also affected on a huge scale by natural disasters, though seldom considered.”

The petition has so far been signed by 1,987,176 people.

Eliska Sursova: Saving stolen animals in Southern Africa

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:12:17 -0000

Written by Charles Alleckman

In the midst of a rumored break-up with boyfriend and Australian footballer Chris Knights, 19-year-old model-esque actress Eliska Sursova appears to be holding down the fort the way all Hollywood’s finest activists do – by going to Namibia to save the elephants of course.

Taking some time off from her busy schedule and after wraping up filming on her first Public Service Announcment for Greenpeace alongside actor Milo Ventimiglia, Eliska travelled to southern Africa with fifteen members of a non-profit organization to protest the poaching of exotic animals in the Republic of Namibia and spoke out against the exotic animal trade, all while helping to build much needed water holds for African elephants.

“Africa is home to some of the world’s most beautiful creatures and their biggest predator is man. We steal them, abuse them, kill them… all for the benefit of entertainment and luxury,” says the actress whose busy activist schedule sees her campaigning for animal welfare and environmental organizations like World Society for the Protection of Animals, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide and PETA.

Spending an extended 39 days (from the planned 28) in Namibia, the Hollywood phenomenon assisted multiple welfare societies in their quest to shut down the exotic animal black market, a trade in which tigers, bears, birds and reptiles are trapped and sold illegally to international customers. “These animals don’t belong in bedrooms or in cages in your yard. It’s their natural instinct to run, hunt, interact and reproduce.”

On her return home to New York City this week, the exhausted actress recalled moments where she felt immense failure. “Anyone that decides to do this kind of thing needs to be mentally prepared to find or witness things that will haunt them for the rest of their life. You feel such a desire to beat the bad guys that you don’t tend to think about that side of things until you’re there and it’s all around you. It does make you more determined to end the suffering, but you spend most of the night crying into someone else’s lap.”

Eliska admits that, despite her sizzling movie-star career, “there is nothing in this world that will feel as good as helping to make a difference. There are issues, issue after issue and it’s up to us, every day regular people to figure it out. To know that because of you, there are some animals still roaming Africa instead of sitting alone in a cage… I can’t even describe that feeling.”

Look To The Stars News: World Society for the Protection of Animals

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