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Born Free Foundation decries Dutch court ruling
Image Morgan
Morgan at Loro Parque, Tenerife.
Decision to transfer orca whale to an aquatic circus in Tenerife ruled as lawful

Retrieved in poor health from the coast of the Netherlands in June 2010, Morgan the orca whale was housed in Dolfinarium Harderwijk for one-and-a-half years “to recuperate”.

The Dutch Minister for Agriculture then granted permission for her to be transferred to Loro Parque in Tenerife in November 2011.

This decision was yesterday ruled lawful by a Dutch court, despite support from experts to justify her rehabilitation and release back to the wild.

President of the Born Free Foundation, Will Travers OBE, said:

“The decision flies in the face of natural justice, which would surely conclude that, having been returned to a degree of health, Morgan should, as the terms of her capture permit stated, be returned to the wild. Instead she seems condemned to a life of deprivation, confinement and intimidation, far from her ocean home.”

Morgan is currently held in a purpose-built tank, and forced to perform tricks in front of an audience every day, with very little focus on education, Born Free says.

She has suffered from injury as a result of hostile tank companions, and her captivity has resulted in abnormal behaviours, causing her to damage her teeth and rostrum.

However, the recent legal proceedings did not take into account Morgan's current state of health, reviewing only the situation from 2011, when she was transferred.

Born Free, among other organisations, has repeatedly raised concerns about Morgan's welfare. Mr Travers said:

“The Born Free Foundation will continue to support the Free Morgan Foundation in its endeavours to free Morgan from her captivity in Tenerife and to find her an alternative to her current life of exploitation. There is a very real possibility that her current living conditions threaten her survival and Born Free will continue to do all we can to save her before it is too late.”

 

Image courtesy of www.freemorgan.org.

 

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.