Dear Ms Mordaunt.
I am writing to you in your guise as Secretary of State for International Development.
We have just read that your annual budget is now greater than that of the UK Police Force. I am well aware that your purse is based on 0.7% of the UK's GNI, so, naturally, we have to see the increase in funding as the result of Britain's current economic success; maybe we should be grateful.
Your government role (of which I do not entirely approve) appears to be based on handing out Taxpayers money to foreign countries in the hope that we might eventually gain something from our generosity. At least that is what one presumes; I can't imagine it being otherwise.
Some good may come from this benefaction, but in many cases I doubt it (fleets of White Merc's for one's chums, or funding Ethiopian Girl Bands, come to mind).
I would like to suggest that there are stricter rules linked to the billions that are handed out under your control.
As is well known, England is the only country in the world where animals are treated half-decently. There are Poodle-Parlours on every High Street, and foie gras flavoured Michelin starred ready-meals are delivered to Tiddles or Tyson on a daily basis. We value and pamper our pets like no others.
So, how about linking animal treatment to hand-outs? Any country which wishes to continue receiving annual payments must first demonstrate that their welfare standards are almost up to those of England. No Bears in tiny cages, no Dogs sold for meat in markets, and no Davy Crockett hats made from skinned Cats. No animals should spend their entire lives chained to a wall, or fighting each other for the amusement of humans. No Donkeys should be whipped, Elephants made to perform, or Monkies forced to ride bikes.
I'm sure you could find volunteer inspectors who would report back to your office before any cheques were signed. This would be neither expensive, nor complicated.
No animal welfare = no filthy lucre. How about it?
Most sincerely, Cro (animal lover) x
I suppose it is no coincidence that countries with poor human rights records treat their animals the worst.
ReplyDeleteI really hate the poor treatment of animals. There is no need for it, and in most cases people mistreat animals that actually work for them; animals that one would imagine needed to be properly looked after.
DeleteA very worthy thought. I could add a few more qualifiers for receiving British tax-payers money.
ReplyDeleteall of which would no doubt fall on deaf ears?
I have nothing against giving help where needed, but (as elsewhere) there seems to be an awful lot of both waste, and pilfering. More checks are needed.
DeleteI understand that money goes to India where they have their own Space Programme.
ReplyDeleteI also believe they told the UK that they don't need their 'aid', but they refuse to stop.
DeleteEvery day I sign something against cruelty to animals, so thank you for echoing the despair I sometimes feel for such cruelty. May I also add so called wild life hunting in Africa, where the photos of beautiful lions and yes, even giraffes are killed for sport.
ReplyDeleteYes, I despair at photos of wealthy old men standing beside dead Giraffes or Lions. They should be ashamed of themselves.
DeleteAnd women. There was a female US hunter in the papers the other day in front of some dead animal in Africa.
DeleteYes I've seen her; quite young too.
DeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteBriony
x
Do you think they'd take any notice?
DeletePerhaps we should do it the Chinese way, 50/50 benefits, no aid given unless we benefit from it too.
ReplyDeleteI don't see anything wrong with asking for certain assurances. It could be about pollution, nuclear weapons, or even animal welfare.
DeleteConsidering we give aid to countries where women are still stoned to death for adultery I doubt they'd pay much attention to animal welfare!
ReplyDeleteThe same with the comment on hunting.
How about we address the major cause of wild animals being hunted. The requirement for ingredients for weird Chinese medicine.
Elephants are perfect example. Less than one hundred licenses are sold annually to hunt elephant across the whole of Africa. In most countries they are bulls that are going to be shit anyway as part of keeping bloodlines in breeding from becoming to linear and weakening. That way younger bulls get to breed too.
Poachers though kill 25,000 elephants per year. How about our aid is targeted at management of those species and eliminating poaching both physically and also by a worldwide campaign ofcondemnation of the users of the stolen body parts.
Oops shot lol not sh#t.
ReplyDeleteWe had an uncle who shot a Tiger in India. He was an army officer, and had been asked to shoot a man-killer. Once they kill a man, they will often kill again, so this was exceptional. Killing just for trophies, though, is sick.
DeleteAlright - petty by comparison - but I love our hares and hare coursing still goes on here - and I suspect one or two other surreptitious so called sports.
ReplyDeleteWe have Hares here, but no Rabbits. Various Dogs have caught them for me over the years, and I've eaten their gifts, but this was done through natural instinct, and not training.
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