China Southern airline stops shipping primates after activists campaigns

In response to vigorous campaigning by animal rights organisations around the globe China Southern airlines has announced that it has stopped shipments of primates to laboratories worldwide.

The news came yesterday after senior cargo manager for China Southern Chen Qiuhua announced: “The airline will stop transporting live primates for laboratory experiments on all flights of China Southern, effective from 21^st March 2014.”

Prior to the announcement, China Southern was the only major commercial airline other than Air France that still shipped animals to vivisection laboratories in the EU and US.

The announcement was welcomed by animal activists around the world who had been campaigning for years to stop animal trafficking.

Mimi Bekhechi, associate director of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) UK said: “China Southern has listened to PETA and with its decision to end shipments worldwide of frightened monkeys to suffer and be killed in laboratories, recognised that cruelty doesn’t fly.”

Among the international campaigns included protests at airports and company offices in Bangkok, Chicago, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Taiwan, and Tokyo.

More than 100,000 emails and signed petitions were sent through PETA affiliate websites. The campaign was also supported by Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson – a frequent flyer with the airline – who urged China Southern that “until the airline stops shipping primates to laboratories, I will avoid flying with it and am also encouraging my friends, family members and fans to do the same”.

Now, Air France with the support of its partner Delta Airlines is the last remaining major commercial carrier that transports primates to laboratories and the main target of animal rights organisations who want to end this “barbarism” once and for all.

 Aastha Gill