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Judge throws out Whales 'Slavery' suit
Animal Rights activists express disappointment

A US District Judge has thrown out a case brought by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) activists on behalf of five whales at SeaWorld they allege are enslaved. The suit demanded the immediate release of five whales (Tilikum, Katina, Kasatka, Ulises and Corky) kept in SeaWorld parks in Orlando, Florida and San Diego, California. PETA hoped that the whales would be released into a coastal sanctuary, conceding that releasing the whales into open ocean would not be consistent with their welfare.

However, US District Judge Jeffrey Miller took less than an hour to dismiss the legal grounds on which the suit had been brought and throw out the case. His Honour Judge Miller rejected PETA's argument that the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution, which prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude, mandated the release of the whales.

"The only reasonable interpretation of the 13th amendment's plain language is that it applies to persons and not to non-persons such as orcas," says the text of the Judge's ruling. "Both historic and contemporary sources reveal that the term 'slavery' and 'involuntary servitude' refer only to persons."

SeaWorld spokesman David Koontz welcomed the dismissal, arguing that the speed with which the court came to its decision underlined "the absurdity of PETA's baseless lawsuit." Speaking to Agence France-Presse, he said that "SeaWorld remains the standard for zoological stewardship of marine animals and we reject any challenge to the conditions and quality of care for these remarkable animals."

PETA spokesman David Perle, however, maintained that the group would continue its activities until "the inevitable day when all animals will be free from enslavement for human amusement. Today's decision does not change the fact that the orcas who once lived naturally wild and free, are today kept as slaves by SeaWorld."

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.