International Animal Rescue News

500th dancing bear rescued in India
International Animal Rescue and Wildlife SOS have announced the rescue of the 500th dancing bear from the streets of India.

Volunteers in Goa raise funds to help the animals
Volunteer Jamie Alcock approached us with the view of arranging a fundraising event in the North Goan village of Mandrem.

IAR responds to a special cry for help
Gemma Keeley contacted IAR earlier this year, desperately seeking help to bring a rescued dog back to the UK from Turkey.

IAR welcomes absence of animal circuses in Malta
As a member of The Circus Animal Rights Coalition in Malta, International Animal Rescue has welcomed the fact that no animal circuses have been invited to perform in Malta during the festive season.

IAR rescues lots of lorises in Indonesia!
Volunteer Melati Grey’s last report from the International Animal Rescue centre described an influx of rescued lorises.

Volunteer gives a glowing account of her time spent with IAR in Indonesia
Volunteer Melati Grey has written a vivid account of her experiences while volunteering with International Animal Rescue in Bogor, Indonesia.

IAR partners with the Queen of Hearts in Goa
John and Charlie offer cruises on the Arabian Sea on the Queen of Hearts, a magnificent wooden sail boat, and have invited International Animal Rescue to team up with them to promote the cruises in return for a generous percentage of the ticket sales.

IAR in talks about Europe's 'forgotten animals'
Max Farrugia from International Animal Rescue in Malta recently attended a meeting in Brussels to discuss what can be done to help Europe's 'forgotten animals'.

IAR presses exotic pet trade issue in Brussels
International Animal Rescue representative Max Farrugia attended the fourth ENDCAP conference in Brussels from 9-11 November.

A win for greyhounds in Massachusetts
On 4 November the people of Massachusetts, USA voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Greyhound Protect Act. This legislation will phase out commercial dog racing in the state by 2010.

Help the Street Animals of Morocco (HSAM)
International Animal Rescue has twice assisted with the treatment of cats and dogs in Morocco by a group of local and foreign volunteers. The initiative was led by vet nurse Claire Sedgwick . She has produced a report describing their work.

Sainsbury's seal protest update
On 29 October we entered discussions with Sainsbury's officials and now await a favorable response to our demands for a statement of their intention to stop killings seals.

Seals protest outside Sainsbury’s demanding an end to shooting: POSTPONED
UPDATE: The protest has been postponed as a result of Sainsbury's willingness to meet and discuss how the seal killings can be avoided.

Happy ending for Peggy the pooch
We’re happy to report that Peggy the badly injured dog who was treated at the IAR clinic and then became a permanent resident at the centre, has found a new and loving home in the nearby village of Saligao.

IAR team rescues, rehabilitates and releases lorises in Indonesia
In recent weeks International Animal Rescue's team in Indonesia has come to the aid of several slow lorises desperately in need of help after being poached from the wild.

IAR backs campaign to end greyhound racing in Massachusetts
On 4 November voters in Massachusetts will get the opportunity to end the inherent cruelty of greyhound racing in the state.

Church Thanksgiving for animals on World Animal Day in aid of IAR
A special service on 5 October will bless a congregation of animals and support animal rescue projects around the world.

Bird guard operation in Malta is extended
"As a result of the massive number of birds shot in the past two weeks some of the group have volunteered to stay on and have taken extra unpaid leave from their jobs" the CABS president Heinz Schwarze explains.

IAR rescues trapped leopard in Indonesia
At the end of August, following an emergency call from the local forestry department, IAR's team in Indonesia rescued a Javan leopard that had been trapped in a snare for several days.

Rare black stork is shot down in Malta
Only days after the massacre in Malta of more than 100 endangered raptors, a rare black stork has been shot down.

More than 100 protected raptors meet their death in Malta
Hundreds of protected birds of prey have been shot down by Maltese hunters in spite of the presence of large numbers of police and numerous bird conservationists.

Police seize 75 protected birds in Malta
The Administrative Law Enforcement police in Malta have seized 75 protected wader and song birds from a greenhouse complex near Bahrija following a tip off.

Sponsored bike ride raises funds for IAR
A sponsored bike ride took place on 13 September in Norwich to raise money to help IAR's campaign to rescue and rehabilitate the dancing bears in India.

IAR takes part in bird protection camp in Malta
As in previous years, in mid-September IAR will take part in the monitoring of illegal birdshooting in Malta and the recording of bird migration data.

Volunteer gives glowing report of her time in Goa
Gal Marwitz from Israel has given a glowing account of the time she spent volunteering at IAR’s clinic and rescue centre in Goa.

Wildlife traders sent to prison in Indonesia
Following a joint raid earlier this year by the Forestry Department, International Animal Rescue and the Institute of Animal Advocacy (LASA), two traders in Jatinegara market, Jakarta, Indonesia were arrested.

Update on IAR’s work in Indonesia
As well as macaques and slow lorises, our team in Indonesia has ended the suffering of a number of endangered Javan gibbons living in misery in a centre known as Cikananga.

Goa vets examine hawksbill sea turtle
In June the vets at the International Animal Rescue centre in Goa had an unusual patient in the form of a giant Hawksbill sea turtle.

IAR speaks out against the Great British Circus scandal
International Animal Rescue is urging people to stay away from the Great British Circus during its visit to Tonbridge because it uses a variety of animals in its acts, including lions, tigers, camels and zebras.

Live music event at the home of Rudyard Kipling will raise funds for the dancing bears in India
CANCELLED. On 2 & 3 August Bateman’s in Burwash, East Sussex - former home of The Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling - is the venue for a live show starring Deana Martin, daughter of the legendary Dean Martin.

Malta - Rare song birds seized from illegal trapper
A bird trapper in Malta has been caught red-handed illegally trapping three rare species of song bird.

IAR celebrates relocation of one thousand Uist hedgehogs
The Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR) coalition, of which IAR is a founding member, is celebrating the relocation of more than 1,000 hedgehogs from the Uists and their release into new territories on the mainland.

Bill Bailey and pets support protest against dog killing in Kerala
Bill Bailey, comedian, actor and musician and valued patron of International Animal Rescue, supported the charity’s campaign against dog killing in Kerala on 2 May by joining a peaceful protest outside the Indian High Commission in London.

IAR welcomes ban on spring hunting in Malta
International Animal Rescue has warmly welcomed the decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to ban spring hunting in Malta. This is an interim measure, preventing the government from opening the 2008 hunting and trapping season for turtle dove and quail.

German group to run spring bird protection camp with IAR Malta
As in autumn last year, the bird guards from the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) will be operating in Malta again this spring to monitor and record spring migration and document offences against bird protection legislation.

Evidence of violent pro-hunting protest planned in Malta
At a press conference at the police headquarters Assistant Commissioner Josie Brincat said that hunters on the island were being contacted by SMS message and urged to take part in a violent protest at Ta’ Qali National Park.

EC court hearing on bird hunting in Malta held behind closed doors
The court case against Malta over spring bird hunting was held behind closed doors at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg this week.

IAR animal hospital takes in first spring casualties
At the beginning of April the International Animal Rescue bird hospital in Malta took in its first spring casualties - an injured harrier and two hedgehogs.

Investigation of Europe’s largest reptile fair
IAR teamed up with the Animal Protection Agency to carry out a joint investigation of Terraristika - the largest and most notorious reptile fair in Europe, which took place on 15 March 2008.

Maltese hunters detained after sea chase
The men in a speedboat were spotted by members of the Maritime Squadron’s Rapid Deployment Team who were on a routine patrol to combat illegal hunting.

Two endangered bear cubs rescued from poachers in India
The cubs, who may have been destined for the trade in bear paw soup, were found to be severely traumatised and dehydrated when they were rescued.

Dramatic win for Conservative Party in Malta promises an end to hunting
The election which was won by only 1200 votes will undoubtedly have an impact on one of the biggest environmental issues in the country - hunting.

IAR Goa centre thanks UK couple for their generous support
IAR’s founder and chairman in Goa John Hicks has paid a special tribute of thanks to supporters Ken and Ann Stevens from the UK. The couple from Plymouth visit the Goa rescue centre each year to help out and also raise significant sums of money for it.

IAR Malta comes to the aid of injured swan
On 17 February, the Administrative Law Enforcement police contacted International Animal Rescue Malta to help with the rescue of a swan in need of medical attention.

IAR welcomes EU action against bird shooting in Malta
IAR has welcomed the decision by the European Commission to take Malta to the European Court of Justice over the spring hunting and trapping of wild birds.

Endangered Gibbons get a helping hand in the New Year
IAR is one of three animal welfare groups to have partnered in the relocation of five Sumatran Agile gibbons and eight siamangs in Indonesia.

White bellied sea eagle flies free
IAR has returned a white bellied sea eagle to the wild in Indonesia 18 months after the bird was confiscated from fishermen.

Latest report from IAR Malta: Illegal hunting and smuggling
At the end of December Maltese police arrested two hunters at the Salina salt pans on the coast road leading to the north of the island which is a nature reserve and a protected area.