Avian Flu, Swine Flu, SARS, COVID-19
"To prevent pandemics, let's not eat animals and their products anymore"
Introduction
Seven associations: Eyes on Animals, Vivre et Laisser Vivre, LUNA, L'Arche de Maddy, Le Sanctuaire La Garie, NALA85480 and Forests From Farms have taken the initiative to send a cogent letter (you'll find the letter also on video below) to the leaders of countries of the world and to global organisations asking them to take their responsibilities. In effect, in order to avoid future pandemics, obvious and ambitious measures are necessary: in the long term, the consumption of animals and their products must be stopped.
Tackling the health and social consequences of the COVID19 pandemic must not allow us to forget its origin. There is little doubt that the transmission to humans and the spread of the virus are rooted in the sale and consumption of animals.
It is not the first pandemic. The most important in contemporary history was in 1918 when more than 50 million men, women and children (almost the current population of France) died due to a form of swine flu which had crossed the species barrier to infect humans.
Other pandemics have been caused by strains of the avian influenza virus (Asian flu in 1957-1958) or a combination of several viruses from livestock (swine flu in 2009-2010). Since 1960, the frequency of pandemics from raising livestock has accelerated.
Other pandemics have been caused by strains of the avian influenza virus (Asian flu in 1957-1958) or a combination of several viruses from livestock (swine flu in 2009-2010). Since 1960, the frequency of pandemics from raising livestock has accelerated.
The constant increase in the size of herds leads to a concentration of animals on ever smaller areas where the biological balance is untenable, requiring massive use of antibiotics and the massive slaughtering of contaminated animals (just recently 1.2 million pigs were slaughtered because of African Swine Fever in China according to official figures,
but some sources speak of 200 million.)
but some sources speak of 200 million.)
Scientists have been warning us for a long time about an imminent avian influenza pandemic.
(https://www.who.int/dg/lee/speeches/2005/flupandemicgeneva/fr/ ).
If we don't change our habits, there is a good chance that there will be other pandemics.
(https://www.who.int/dg/lee/speeches/2005/flupandemicgeneva/fr/ ).
If we don't change our habits, there is a good chance that there will be other pandemics.
We are calling for fundamental change in the long term. The link is scientifically established between the emergence of new diseases capable of spreading rapidly between species, and the production of meat, milk and eggs which also leads to the destruction of crops intended for local consumption, the expropriation (even the assassination) of small
farmers, deforestation, the artificialisation of the soil, the appropriation of ecosystems for commercial purposes, the emission of greenhouse gases, the waste of water and fossil fuels, not to mention the brutal and cruel abuse inflicted on men and animals on these farms.
farmers, deforestation, the artificialisation of the soil, the appropriation of ecosystems for commercial purposes, the emission of greenhouse gases, the waste of water and fossil fuels, not to mention the brutal and cruel abuse inflicted on men and animals on these farms.
This observation is so obvious that more and more voices are saying that we have to move away from the industrial farming model.
For our part, we want to go further: we demand the end of the consumption of meat and all animal products for the sake of consistency and equality. In effect small-scale production of meat and animal products will not be enough to feed all human beings.
If we were to maintain a meat diet on a global scale, and even by developing organic or outdoor production methods, we would have to increase the current herds, which can only be fed by taking land from wilderness areas, causing the destruction of some species, while also
encouraging others to move to inhabited areas, which will facilitate contact with diseases previously contained by environmental and animal barriers. So many opportunities for these diseases to adapt and spread.
encouraging others to move to inhabited areas, which will facilitate contact with diseases previously contained by environmental and animal barriers. So many opportunities for these diseases to adapt and spread.
The chemistry of drugs and vaccines will work for a while, but will it always be effective and without side effects? And who will have access to it and at what cost?
The time seems to have come to move away from an animal-based diet. A reflection freed from legacies and dogmas must lead to the implementation of an ambitious policy to end the consumption of animals and their products in the long term.
From now on, it is urgent to support financially and humanly the development of alternative sources of proteins. It is unacceptable to continue sacrificing farmers and stockbreeders to the interests of sectors which speculate internationally in the short term on products of which the negative effects and the health risks they pose to all of humanity are known.
This is why the health crisis caused by COVID19 highlights the full responsibility of governments in implementing not only a health policy, but also a food policy. The time has come to think about an agricultural policy where financial, legal, scientific and educational tools will be put at the service of a diet based on the production of vegetable
proteins intended for continental markets and fair trade, protected by treaties whose objectives will be the interests of farmers and populations. The retraining of animal farmers will be at the heart of such a policy, in particular with regard to taking over, or even canceling, debts contracted for development purposes and the "modernisation" of farms under pressure from supply chains.
proteins intended for continental markets and fair trade, protected by treaties whose objectives will be the interests of farmers and populations. The retraining of animal farmers will be at the heart of such a policy, in particular with regard to taking over, or even canceling, debts contracted for development purposes and the "modernisation" of farms under pressure from supply chains.
After this crisis, if business continues as before, we can rest assured that the next health crisis - due to an illness, climate change or an ecological disaster - is already nearly here.
The associations that wrote this letter have different objectives: animal protection, environmental protection, ecology, the fight against global warming etc. Written in French, the letter has been translated into English, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and German and it has been published on the website of one of the signatory associations:
http://www.nosamislesanimaux.com/lettre-covid19-pand % C3% A9mie.php
http://www.nosamislesanimaux.com/lettre-covid19-pand % C3% A9mie.php
To this letter was added a petition that anyone can sign so that governments can start a major reflection on the agriculture of tomorrow:
We hope that other associations will join us and sign the petition.
We want a future that respects the living: #SomethingBetterChange
Here once more the LINK to the petition: https://www.change.org/p/les-responsables-des-pays-grippe-aviaire-peste-porcine-sars-covid-19-la-viande-tue and the links to the other languages french, dutch , german, italian and spanish
Below you’ll find the letter ⤵️
OPEN LETTER TO HEADS OF STATES OF THE EU AND THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS
The 9th of June 2020
Dear Sir, Dear Madam,
All eyes are on you now?
We have entered a crisis. The COVID-19 crisis with already 409.108 deaths today in the world ..... worldometers.info/coronavirus/
We have entered a crisis. The COVID-19 crisis with already 409.108 deaths today in the world ..... worldometers.info/coronavirus/
It's a terrifying number, knowing that behind each figure hides a story: no longer being able to see a grandfather ... being alone after the death of a mother ... dying alone in the hospital or even at home without help ..... not being able to say goodbye to your loved one .... And we are only at the beginning.
Over the last couple of centuries millions of people have already died in pandemics whether it is from an Influenza virus, a Corona virus or another. It's been proven that most of these viruses are a mutation from viruses that come from animals, whether they are living in the wild or farmed. It has also been proven that there is a close link between these viruses and intensified farming production systems.
The worst in history, the 1918 flu pandemic that killed over 50 million people in 1918-1919, was a form of swine flu that crossed the species barrier to infect humans.
The Asian Flu in 1957-1958 with 1.1 million deaths was due to an avian influenza virus H2N2.
HIV from a virus originating in primates has cost the lives of 25 to 35 million people up to now.
During the 2009/2010 Swine Flu pandemic between 151,700–575,400 people died from a new strain of a H1N1 virus , a result from a previous triple reassortment of bird, swine, and human flu viruses further combined with a Eurasian pig flu virus.
SARS in 2002/2003 was a corona virus coming from Bats/Civets, Ebola came from wild animals, MERS, a corona virus coming from Bats and Camels and now the COVID-19 possibly coming from Pangolins. Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/history-of-pandemics-deadliest/?fbclid=IwAR3lMlA1MbN5Ry9ogxatOIuSzp5NrMpGmEDLP8lRWgSi1SUQjA0XCaPISj4
Already in 2005 the former Director-General of WHO, Dr LEE Jong-wook, said in a speech: "It is only a matter of time before an avian flu virus—most likely H5N1—acquires the ability to be transmitted from human to human, sparking the outbreak of human pandemic influenza. We don't know when this will happen. But we do know that it will happen."
And he was right.
Scientists have already been warning us for years that a pandemic can occur. And what do we do? We ignore it, we try to avoid it by killing billions of animals (poultry - for avian influenza, cows - for mad cow disease, pigs - for swine fever), and then we continue as before as if nothing has happened... instead of changing our eating habits.
We, the signatories of this petition, believe that the time has come to change our attitudes towards animals and to take drastic action. We have to end the idea that we can continue to eat animals, whether wild or domesticated. We don't need it to be happy and healthy. There is even conclusive evidence that overconsumption of meat is involved in many health problems and thus contributes to the increase in the cost to the social security budget of medical care.
Chinese authorities have decided to permanently ban the consumption or sale of wild animals. It's a good start. And you, what are you going to do? Today, you can no longer deny the obvious: that the consumption of animal products endangers the entire world population, even the increasing number of people who do not eat animal products anymore. It is clear that a virus does not discriminate and know borders and it is clear that our countries are far from being able to face a pandemic like this.
Chinese authorities have decided to permanently ban the consumption or sale of wild animals. It's a good start. And you, what are you going to do? Today, you can no longer deny the obvious: that the consumption of animal products endangers the entire world population, even the increasing number of people who do not eat animal products anymore. It is clear that a virus does not discriminate and know borders and it is clear that our countries are far from being able to face a pandemic like this.
Some even claim that if we didn't eat meat, or had eaten much less, there would have been no COVID-19. It may be simplistic reasoning but it seems to be the sad truth.
We join the authors of the letter published in La Liberation on March 30, 2020 signed by 19 people in the medical / animal welfare world https://www.liberation.fr/debats/2020/03/30/eviter-les-prochaines-crises-en-changeant-de-modele-alimentaire_1783572?fbclid=IwAR1M9ZRITrbOSdMQgtJF1YOux3Lc-C-hYVCl4mN4LCx2ZG87W9DOCQKf3zs
"Making the collective choice of a diet that no longer contains animal products would be a much less restrictive change than the one we are currently undergoing. The best precaution, to avoid the repetition of health and economic crises like the one we are going through, would therefore be to initiate a society-wide transition to plant food and redirect our agricultural resources to human food rather than livestock. Will we be up to the challenge?”
We are!
What do we want?
Instead of tolerating, even encouraging, the livestock industries, we should think in the long term, gradually eliminate the farming of all animals and financially supporting the development of alternative sources of protein. It is unacceptable to continue to pretend to farmers that they can put their hope in an industry with no future, when we know that diseases like avian flu and swine fever, and other viruses pose a real potential danger to human health.
We ask the European Commission, the European Parliament, the members of the European Council to stop turning a blind eye to unacceptable practices in farming and to change course. We would also like the European Union to express itself more precisely and clearly on the negative effects of the consumption of animal products, and to encourage the production of plant-based proteins and other alternatives to animal origin, not only for the good of human health, but also for animal welfare, for the environment, for the balance and better distribution of foodstuffs all over the world, and above all to fight against climate change.
Instead of tolerating, even encouraging, the livestock industries, we should think in the long term, gradually eliminate the farming of all animals and financially supporting the development of alternative sources of protein. It is unacceptable to continue to pretend to farmers that they can put their hope in an industry with no future, when we know that diseases like avian flu and swine fever, and other viruses pose a real potential danger to human health.
We ask the European Commission, the European Parliament, the members of the European Council to stop turning a blind eye to unacceptable practices in farming and to change course. We would also like the European Union to express itself more precisely and clearly on the negative effects of the consumption of animal products, and to encourage the production of plant-based proteins and other alternatives to animal origin, not only for the good of human health, but also for animal welfare, for the environment, for the balance and better distribution of foodstuffs all over the world, and above all to fight against climate change.
Yours sincerely,
the associations Eyes on Animals, Vivre et Laisser Vivre, LUNA, L'Arche de Maddy, Sanctuaire La Garie, Nala85480 and Forests From Farms and those who signed this petition
