DEWHURST DISAPPEARS!

Dewhurst, the largest chain of butchers in Britain, went bankrupt recently. A fall in meat consumption is one of the reasons for their demise!

EXPORT OF VEAL CALVES RESUMES Animal rights campaigners had succeeded in stopping the export of calves to Europe for some years. Sadly this trade has now resumed and animal rights activists are once again demonstrating at Dover where the calves are sent off. These male calves are a direct result of the dairy industry - the male calves are no use to the milk trade. They are either killed or exported.

GO VEGAN! BOVINE BILE All new born babies are given vitamin K. One of the ingredients of vitamin K is bovine bile. The NHS has withdrawn a vegetarian alternative. Despite writing to the NHS and to Patricia Hewitt, the Minister for Health, we have had no success. This means that all babies will be given bovine bile - a grave situation for Hindus, Jains, vegetarians and vegans. We need a good lawyer to take on the NHS. It is a human rights issue! Any takers?

TONY BANKS The animals lost a great friend in Tony Banks who passed away earlier this year. Tony Banks was instrumental in pushing through the hunting ban and also challenged Mayor Ken Livingston’s policy of annihilating pigeons in Trafalgar Square. Tony Banks will always be remembered by the animal rights movement.

HIGH MEAT INTAKE BY PREGNANT WOMEN NOT ADVISABLE Researchers at the universities of Edinburgh and Southampton found that the more meat the mother eats, the higher the levels of stress hormone cortisol in the child. Cortisol increases blood pressure and blood sugar levels and suppresses the immune system.

HORMONES IN BEEF LINKED TO CANCER According to John Verrall of the Veterinary Products Committee, beef from cattle that are injected with growth hormones could cause breast and other cancers. It can bring forward puberty in girls and increase the risk of genital abnormalities in boys. The EU currently bans the use of growth or sex hormones to fatten cattle but there are fears that the ban is not being implemented.

YIV SUPPORTS ANIMAL SANCTUARY IN VADODRA, INDIA. Meenaben Amin has dedicated her life to caring for animals. She looks after sick and lame animals and takes in unwanted pets. To see her nursing sick cows or monkeys is an amazing sight. We sent £1,450 to enable her to build an operation theatre with all modern facilities to operate on sick and injured animals. She is supported by a dedicated group of trustees led by Ashwinbhai Fofaria. Special thanks to Dr. Niruben Mehta, Nipulbhai Dadia, Nitin Mehta (Northwood) and Anubhai Shah for their generous donation for this project.