Chinese man jailed for 13 years for eating tigers and making wine from their blood

A businessman from Guangxi and his accomplices oversaw the killing of three tigers in three separate deals, state media says

theguardian.com, Wednesday 31 December 2014 03.57 GMT

A Chinese man has been jailed for 13 years for buying and eating endangered tigers and making wine made out of their blood, state media reported.

The man, identified as a wealthy businessmen with the surname Xu, organised three trips to the southern province of Guangdong last year to buy the tigers, which he then transported to his home region of Guangxi, Xinhua news agency said late on Tuesday.

Xu and his accomplices witnessed the killing of three tigers in three deals with the sellers, one of which was killed by an electric shock, the report said.

Xu and his friends ate the tiger meat and he was reported to have said: “If anyone asks, say it is beef, horse or big cat meat,” Xinhua reported.

He was arrested after one of his deals was recorded by someone nearby who reported it to the police.

The report did not say where the tigers came from, only that they were suspected of being smuggled into the country.

Continued ...

Further evidence crabs and other crustaceans feel pain

Scientists have found further evidence that crustaceans feel pain.

A study has revealed that the shore crab, a close relative of the species we use for food, responds to electric shocks and then goes on to avoid them.

Previous research has shown that prawns and hermit crabs also react to painful situations.

The scientists say the findings suggest the food and aquaculture industry should rethink how it treats these animals.

The work is published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Professor Bob Elwood, from Queen's University Belfast, told the BBC's Science in Action programme: "I don't know what goes on in a crab's mind.... but what I can say is the whole behaviour goes beyond a straightforward reflex response and it fits all the criteria of pain."

Shell shocked

Pain is a subjective experience and studying it in animals - especially invertebrates such as crabs - is not easy.

The researchers placed the crabs in an arena and studied how the responded to electric shocks

But Prof Elwood designed an experiment to assess how crustaceans respond to potentially painful situations.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21044077

Video shows Reno Rodeo horses being shocked

RENO - A national animal rights group has released video footage that it says shows Reno Rodeo horses getting shocked just before they leave chutes for competition in violation of the rodeo's policy.

Representatives of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, or SHARK, say the video shows someone clandestinely giving electric shocks to horses as they're released at the rodeo that was staged June 14-23.

"Literally, these animals have to be tortured to get them to perform, and that is animal cruelty pure and simple," group spokesman Stuart Chaifetz said.

After watching the video, rodeo spokesman Steve Schroeder acknowledged to the Reno Gazette-Journal that bucking horses were shocked.

"It is true, that guy is shocking horses, and we're not OK with that," he said.

Cowboys were found to be "messing" with overhead cameras the rodeo installed after SHARK released similar video in 2011, Schroeder added, and the man who administered the shocks worked "really hard to stay out of camera view."

Schroeder wouldn't identify the man, but said he no longer would be allowed at the rodeo.

He said he expects the man and the contractor to face fines.

The man was identified as working for the livestock contractor Big Bend/Flying Five Rodeo Co.

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach the company's owners were unsuccessful Sunday.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association allows electric shocks, but the Reno Rodeo doesn't want them, Schroeder said. The PRCA position on shocks - or "hot shots" - trumps the Reno Rodeo's policy when an animal won't leave a stall.

Even so, Schroeder said, that situation was seen in only two of SHARK's video clips. In seven other clips, "the horses were not in a situation where a shock would've been called for," he said.

SHARK's video also showed two running calves that were roped around the neck and flipped over on their backs. One calf's rear leg was injured and the animal is seen hobbling out of the arena. The other calf's neck appeared to break as the contestant continues to tie its legs, and the animal was loaded into a pickup for removal.

Schroeder said the two injuries in calf-roping competition were un­fortunate incidents that sometimes happen at rodeos.

SHARK maintains the video clips show "jerk downs," which the PRCA has prohibited for the 2012 season. A jerk down occurs "if a contestant jerks a calf over backwards in tie-down roping," according to PRCA's website.

Schroeder said the Reno Rodeo wants better enforcement with dis­qualifications and fines large enough to dissuade jerk downs in serious cases.

"We want the public to know it's not acceptable. It's a sport but we're not here to hurt the animals," he said.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/video-shows-reno-rodeo-horses-being-shocked-161046925.html