The Maschhoffs’ Post

❓Do you want businesses to prioritize animal welfare in their operations? During this proxy season, more than 40 shareholder resolutions have been or are planning to be filed to address animal safety at companies. Consumers and shareholders are more aware of the animal cruelty that goes on in animal factories, which is 99% of the animal foods on the market. Now it seems that consumers are realizing the power of their voice combined with their dollars, working through shareholder engagement to push for more humane practices. Animal-welfare resolutions have historically failed to get much backing. “Proposals, going back to 2015, have received average shareholder support of 11.3%, well below the 30.4% average for all proxy votes over the same time period,” mentioned Rob Du Boff, CFA, senior ESG analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. According to a recent Bloomberg article, a shareholder recommendation filed two years ago with Papa John’s International Inc. garnered among the highest backing of any animal-welfare resolution since 2015, at 41.8%. We are excited to see the growing concern among investors for animal welfare. At VegTech Invest, our publicly traded ETF focuses on ❌ removing animals from the supply chain for clean, cruelty-free foods. 🐄 According to YourStake, our investments are 4.04x more impactful at reducing animal suffering than diet alone. Impact investing can make a tremendous difference for the animals and we are happy to see the rising shareholder engagement surrounding animal welfare. Article link is in the comments. #shareholderengagement #animalwelfare #impactinvesting Josh Balk The Humane Society of the United States Heidi Welsh Sustainable Investments Institute

❓Do you want businesses to prioritize animal welfare in their operations? During this proxy season, more than 40 shareholder resolutions have been or are planning to be filed to address animal safety at companies. Consumers and shareholders are more aware of the animal cruelty that goes on in animal factories, which is 99% of the animal foods on the market. Now it seems that consumers are realizing the power of their voice combined with their dollars, working through shareholder engagement to push for more humane practices. Animal-welfare resolutions have historically failed to get much backing. “Proposals, going back to 2015, have received average shareholder support of 11.3%, well below the 30.4% average for all proxy votes over the same time period,” mentioned Rob Du Boff, CFA, senior ESG analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. According to a recent Bloomberg article, a shareholder recommendation filed two years ago with Papa John’s International Inc. garnered among the highest backing of any animal-welfare resolution since 2015, at 41.8%. We are excited to see the growing concern among investors for animal welfare. At VegTech Invest, our publicly traded ETF focuses on ❌ removing animals from the supply chain for clean, cruelty-free foods. 🐄 According to YourStake, our investments are 4.04x more impactful at reducing animal suffering than diet alone. Impact investing can make a tremendous difference for the animals and we are happy to see the rising shareholder engagement surrounding animal welfare. Article link is in the comments. #shareholderengagement #animalwelfare #impactinvesting Josh Balk The Humane Society of the United States Heidi Welsh Sustainable Investments Institute

Often times confusion accompanies new ideas, so we will be posting real examples of how SavingLife helps agencies of all sizes. Please share freely with your animal welfare network. Example 1 You work in an animal control facility and are often pushing the limits of your capacity. You have a fair number of rescue partners who can usually help keep your numbers manageable, but sometimes even they can’t keep up.  You have a process in place to make the transfer as efficient as possible, but your staff is still frustrated with the amount of time it takes to 1 - load the animals information into a social media platform, google sheet, spreadsheet or email to let your partners know what pets are available to transfer 2 - communicate back and forth with all of your rescue partners - one day it is email, then a text and then an IM 3 - handle the situations when more than one rescue partner wants the same dog/cat - usually the easy to adopt 4 - communicate with your partners leading up to the date of transfer once the list of what animals are going where has been determined. The SavingLife solution SAINT (Saving Animals In Need Together) is the only animal management system (AMS) that allows users from different organizations to work together in real time while still maintaining their required data privacy. Letting partner agencies know animals are ready to adopt and/or transfer is just a click away. Once you decide to let other SAINT agencies know about an animal, they will become visible right through the platform. Furthermore, communication also occurs in the platform itself, so there is no need to text, email, IM, etc.  All communication is kept in one place, regardless of which user is participating in the conversation.  As animals are confirmed for a given partner, simply make another “click” and no other agency see that animal anymore.  This will greatly reduce the number of questions from a group that didn’t see an email for 3 days and is now asking for a current list of pets.  All they have to do is look at SAINT.  It is updated in real time. Additionally, SAINT users can find new partners. A breed rescue may see a dog at another agency that is identified as transferable and they can open a conversation without having to do any research to find a contact name and number.  SAINT takes care of it.

The report from the THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is the company’s inaugural animal welfare study, which tracks commitments and progress in three key areas: cage-free eggs, gestation crate-free pork, and alignment with the “Better Chicken Commitment,” a set of standards that aims to improve the welfare of billions of chickens raised for meat. Whole Foods Market earned an “A+” grade for complete policies on all three animal welfare issues, and 100% cage-free, and 100% gestation crate-free implementation. Sprouts Farmers Market received an “A” grade, with two complete policies for egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs and a partial policy for broiler chickens. Sprouts has reached 100% compliance for cage-free and is reporting progress on its other policies. Ten other supermarkets that received a nod for complete cage-free policies: Albertsons Companies Food Lion, Key Food Stores Co-Operative Inc., Publix Super Markets, Safeway, Sam's Club, Stop & Shop, Target, Walmart, and Walmart Neighborhood Market. Five supermarkets that have not adopted public policies to address these farm animal welfare issues are Grocery Outlet, Piggly Wiggly Midwest, LLC, Save A Lot, Trader Joe's’s, and Winn-Dixie (all received an F grade on corporate animal welfare policies) Consumers will continue to put more pressures on their companies to change their practices in different areas including how they manage animal welfare as part of their overall product management cycle. Additional links and sources - Key Environmental Areas – https://lnkd.in/gmKExD7a  Scenario Planning -  https://lnkd.in/g2M6Rka4 GAP Analysis https://lnkd.in/e9waApw ESG reporting Standards? - https://lnkd.in/gnms3fy7   Blog – How to streamline the Close Consolidate and Reporting Cycle - https://lnkd.in/gCgD3Bux Data Management - https://lnkd.in/g8SvPfDx  #animalwelfare #animalcruelty #foodchain #ESG #Scope1 #scope2 #scope3 #supplychainmanagement

Huge milestone achieved! My first research article "Assessing the Current Landscape of Reptile Pet Ownership in Hong Kong: A Foundation for Improved Animal Welfare and Future Research Directions" is published in Animals (MDPI)! Massive thanks to my professors, friends, and family for their unwavering support! This wouldn't have been possible without you. This study explores reptile pet ownership & welfare in Hong Kong, highlighting the need for better owner education & collaboration. #reptilepets #animalwelfare #hongkong #research

""Dog Vs A Job" 🐶 ✍️ 💻 1. Responsibilities: Just like a job, owning a dog comes with its set of responsibilities. Both require you to show up, feed them regularly, and clean up after them. And just like a job, if you neglect either, you might end up in a messy situation! 💼 🐾 2. Feedback: With both a dog and a job, you often receive feedback, although it might be a bit different. Your boss might give you a performance review, while your dog might give you a "review" by either wagging its tail enthusiastically or giving you the cold shoulder if you forget to fill up their food bowl. 👔 🐕 3. Breaks: At work, you get designated break times to recharge. Similarly, when you take your dog for a walk, it's like hitting the "pause" button on your day. But beware – just like at work, if you take too long of a break, you might find some "accidents" waiting for you when you return! ⏸️ 🚶♂️ 4. Teamwork: In both scenarios, teamwork is crucial. At work, you collaborate with colleagues to achieve goals, and with a dog, you work together to train, play, and build a strong bond. Plus, just like at work, sometimes you need to "delegate" tasks, like asking your dog to fetch the newspaper (though success may vary!). 👥 🐶 5. Time management: Balancing your time between work commitments and spending quality time with your dog can be a challenge. Just like trying to meet deadlines, ensuring your dog gets enough exercise, attention, and love requires careful planning and organization. ⏰ 📅 6. Perks: While a job might offer benefits like healthcare or retirement plans, owning a dog comes with its own unique perks – endless cuddles, unwavering loyalty, and the constant reminder to live in the present moment. 🐾 ❤️ Overall, whether it's at work or with a furry companion, finding humour in the similarities can make both experiences a lot more enjoyable! 😄" P.S: This handsome boy is our loving Kenzo, a treasure at Lupasafe.... Han Veldwijk Willemijn van de Lagemaat Phil Edelin and I are massive fans of Mr Kenzo! ~Lenka Love Best Friends Animal Society, Animal Welfare Association, Animal Humane Society, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Animal Welfare Institute, World Organisation for Animal Health #lighthumour #workhumor #dogsoflinkedin #dogs #haveagreatday #lovelife #lovework #laughter #laughs #germanshepherd #loveanimals #animals #care

Mealworms for Animal Enrichment: Nourishing Minds and Bodies Exploring the Role of Mealworms in Promoting Mental Stimulation and Health in Pets In the world of pet care, the concept of animal enrichment has gained substantial recognition as a means to enhance the lives of our beloved animal companions. Enrichment involves providing stimulating and engaging experiences that cater to an animal's cognitive, physical, and social needs. One unexpected yet intriguing source of enrichment for pets, be they reptiles, birds, or small mammals, is the humble mealworm. Mealworms, the larvae of darkling beetles, are usually associated with the feeding habits of pets, primarily reptiles and birds. However, their value extends far beyond their nutritional content. This article delves into the uncharted territory of using mealworms as a tool for enriching the lives of our pets, emphasizing the profound effects they have on mental stimulation and overall well-being. https://lnkd.in/dbxfYX2f #Animalcare #Animalintelligence #Animalpsychology #Animalwellbeing #Cognitivestimulation #Insectenrichment #Mealwormenrichment #Mealwormsforpets #Petactivity #Petbehavior #Petcognitivedevelopment #Petenrichment #Petmentalstimulation #Petnutrition #Physicalhealth

PUBLIC WEBSITE LAUNCH! In August, Animal Law Reform South Africa published our comprehensive Report titled “Laying Down the Facts – the Animal Welfare Standards of the Companies Providing Your Favourite Foods” (“Initial Report”) to promote corporate accountability and highlight the need for reform in the chicken and egg industry. We are proud to announce the launch of our associate website (www.eggssouthafrica.org) which guides users through the essential components of the Initial Report including: • The foundational pillars and research areas, namely: o Animal Welfare; o Environment; o Food Safety and Health; o Social Issues and Rights; o Consumer Protection; and o Corporate and Business. • The ranking of 36 (three dozen) “Selected Stakeholders” of the Egg Supply Chain based on various criteria linked to animal welfare, transparency and co-operation; • Recommendations to ensure animal welfare and corporate accountability for those impacted by and playing a role in the egg industry, including in relation to animal welfare, transparency and co-operation; • And more! In the interest of transparency, we have made the various documents available on the website which were sent to and received from the Selected Stakeholders in accordance with the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA). We invite you to browse our website and learn more about the egg industry in South Africa as well as the companies who are providing your favourite foods. It is important that as a consumer, you are aware of what the companies are doing who you are supporting with your money. In that way, you may be empowered to make decisions which are kinder or more ethical to animals, people and the environment! www.eggssouthafrica.org

This is what the Pasado Sanctuary and advocacy is doing in Washington State. Washington State's legislative session is underway and we are working hard to support several bills aimed at improving laws for animals. Throughout this eight-week session, we will be working closely with legislators and other organizations, as well as driving grassroots advocacy, to ensure all voices are heard on behalf of animals. Just this week, members of the Pasado’s Safe Haven team were on the ground in Olympia testifying in a policy committee hearing and meeting with legislators. Below are just some of the new bills we are supporting this session: IMPROVING THE SYSTEM FOR VICTIMS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY  HB 1961 - Ranking Animal Cruelty in the First Degree: Protects animals, humans, and communities by adding animal cruelty in the first degree to the list of ranked felony offenses in Washington state. ADDRESSING LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY  HB 1153 - Prohibiting Octopus Farming: Prevents the environmentally destructive, unsustainable, and inhumane practices that come with octopus farming from coming to Washington state. Learn more. HB 1097 - Cosmetic Testing on Animals: Prohibits the sale of cosmetics in Washington state if any ingredient, or the final product itself, was subject to new animal testing. KEEPING PETS & PEOPLE TOGETHER HB 1012 - Improving the Response to Extreme Weather Events: Creates a grant program that would provide animal-friendly shelters and transportation when small and under-resourced communities are impacted by extreme weather and/or wildfires. SB 6064 - Improving Access to Pet-Friendly Housing: Addresses the lack of affordable pet-friendly housing in Washington, especially for lower income renters, by establishing reasonable limitations on pet rent, deposits, and other fees.