Dr Jo Swabe 🌱

Senior Director of Public Affairs at @humaneworldeu; animal advocate, erstwhile sociologist & anthrozoologist. All opinions my own. Follow me now over at BSky!

[Humane World for Animals News @humaneworldnews]

🐋 Yesterday in Reykjavik, campaigners on behalf of @Avaaz @HSIGlobal @natturuvernd  @valaarna  @hvalavinir delivered a powerful message to Iceland’s President, Halla Tómasdóttir: 2.2 million citizens from Iceland & around the world call for an end to commercial whaling. 🙏 

Thank you, @HallaTomas, for hosting us and helping raise awareness about protecting these majestic creatures 💙

Next stop: Iceland's Prime Minister. Let’s make this call impossible to ignore!

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

Still toying with the idea of whether to join the growing permanent exodus from the cesspool formerly known as Twitter.

Already on Mastodon; just joined #BlueSky. If you want to follow, my handle is: @joswabe.bsky.social

[Humane World for Animals Europe @humaneworldeu]

🗣️ "Not taking action on fur farming is something that would be very injudicious, and, to be frank, it's a dying industry, it's an industry that's already in serious decline." – @joswabe, Senior Director of Public Affairs at HSI/Europe.

🦊 Europe stands at a pivotal moment regarding fur farming. With political pressure mounting and ethical concerns rising, the future of this industry is under intense scrutiny. A recent article on @Euractiv delves into these developments, highlighting the push to add American mink to the invasive species list and the detrimental effects of fur farms on animal welfare and biodiversity.

🔍 Discover why HSI/Europe advocates for ending this outdated practice. Read the full article 👉 https://t.co/j8YvgaRx5R

#HSIEurope
#FurFreeEurope #EndFurFarming #AnimalWelfare #FurFreeFuture

[Arie Trouwborst @Arie_Trouwborst]

The EU proposal to downlist wolves is premature and flawed, and should not be adopted, says the @IUCN Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe: https://t.co/Kj2FO5EV7W
(📷 S. Scholten)

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

Why on earth is an EP Intergroup on "sustainable livestock" needed?
Animal agricultural interests are already more than adequately represented in the @EP_Agriculture Committee... #JustSaying

[European Livestock Voice @LivestockVoice]

MEPs from different European regions and different political groups have come together to propose an 🇪🇺EP Intergroup on Sustainable Livestock.

MEP @BenoitCassart tells us why👇
https://t.co/69VV0QOLto

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

Reading @OliverVarhelyi's responses to the written questions posed after his hearing, I am no more convinced than I was when I wrote the OpEd below that his appointment would signal any great progress for #animalwelfare in the EU.
https://t.co/PKVaCyjpLS

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

In advance of Commissioner-Designate @OliverVarhelyi's hearing tomorrow, in this OpEd I ask whether the title of Commissioner for Health and #AnimalWelfare may prove to be an empty box?https://t.co/Ut1WY82Fi9

[Gerardo Fortuna @gerardofortuna]

UPDATE-The postponement of today’s decision on Várhelyi’s approval changes everything: MEP's go-ahead on the Hungarian is now directly tied to the fates of the Commission’s VPs, who will face questioning by MEPs tomorrow.
Here’s a 🧵 on the power dynamics at play.

[Fur Free Alliance @FurFreeAlliance]

Contrary to what the fur industry claims, new data shows that fur bans in Europe are not moving the practice to China.

Not only is fur farming inherently cruel to animals, it's also economically unviable #makefurhistory

[Humane World for Animals News @humaneworldnews]

🌍✨ Exciting news from Guatemala! Thirty-six wild mammals and birds have been released into the Peten jungle in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve. Many of these wild animals had been illegally removed from their habitat to be used as pets. After rehabilitation efforts with our partner ARCAS, these beautiful creatures are now free to thrive in their natural habitat!

Together, we can combat wildlife trafficking and ensure these animals remain where they belong.

Read More 👉 https://t.co/Oy5KRR8Mv7

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

@news_rapha @MichalWiezik A tepid performance to say the least…

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

@martinhojsik @POLITICOEurope Fairytales were indeed being told…

[Humane World for Animals Europe @humaneworldeu]

📢 Tomorrow, EU Commissioner-Designate @OliverVarhelyi faces a pivotal hearing in the @Europarl_EN — will his title as Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare bring real change for animals or remain just an empty label?

Dr. @joswabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, raises an important question in this @Euractiv article: "Will the title of Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare prove to be an empty box?" As of now, the @EU_Commission has fallen short on its commitments to fully revise EU animal welfare legislation, leaving critical issues unaddressed. For example, the promise to end caged confinement for farmed animals by the end of 2023 has yet to materialize, disappointing the 1.4 million citizens who signed the European Citizens' Initiative to #EndTheCageAge. 👉 https://t.co/JRyupA5qHv

We need real action, not just words, to support farmers in transitioning to more humane systems and to enforce consistent welfare standards for animals across all #EU member states.

The Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare must be clear-eyed, decisive, and ready to implement effective solutions for the welfare of millions of animals.

It’s time for the EU to make good on its promises. 🇪🇺

#HSIEurope #AnimalWelfare #EUFarmToFork #EUAnimalWelfare #FarmAnimals

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

In advance of Commissioner-Designate @OliverVarhelyi's hearing tomorrow, in this OpEd I ask whether the title of Commissioner for Health and #AnimalWelfare may prove to be an empty box?https://t.co/Ut1WY82Fi9

[Dr Jo Swabe 🌱 @joswabe]

🧵A very worthwhile #thread exposing the pernicious lobby of the #meat industry 🥩

[Romain Espinosa @EspinosaRomain]

📣We release today a new peer-reviewed study, in which we expose the unprecedented influence of the meat industry on science, public discourse & policy:

"The Dublin Declaration: Gain for the Meat Industry, Loss for Science"

After months of investigation, here is what we found🧵

[Camille Perrin @Perrin_Cam]

Disappointing reply by @CHansenEU to @annastrolenberg on the need to re-balance diets towards more plant protein. The #StrategicDialogue could not have been clearer on its call on the Commission to present an Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods - what's "vague" in the below?🤔

[Jan Dutkiewicz @jan_dutkiewicz]

I wrote about asparagopsis taxiformis, the livestock feed additive that the meat and dairy industries want you to believe will make cows carbon-neutral. But this red algae is little more than a greenwashed red herring in the food climate conversation.
https://t.co/e8yg77gS8h

[Damian Carrington @dpcarrington]

Hedgehogs ‘near threatened’ on @IUCNRedList after 30% decline over past decade

- The mammals were once common across Europe but urban development has pushed them towards extinction

Story by @horton_official
https://t.co/T1ZYCrh0yh

[Gerardo Fortuna @gerardofortuna]

While @CHansenEU's appointment as next agri-food Commissioner is virtually certain and his approval rating high, some were concerned about his replies to MEPs considered too 'farmer-centric' overlooking the other side of the food value chain.
Read more👇
https://t.co/2UYS2EDNOK

[David Garrahy @EuroCelt]

Certification was given for animal welfare improvements that weren't actually delivered for animals. Sad that animals continue to be treated as economic units and not sentient beings.

[Olga Kikou @olga_kikou]

Croatia: Nine arrested in probe into multi-million subsidy fraud in pig farming | European Public Prosecutor’s Office
Accused of defrauding over €9 million in EU subsidies and forging official documents to supposedly improve animal welfare in pig farming
https://t.co/7AaLNrT0eU