Birds are sentient animals, they have feelings, and memories, they love, nurture and learn.

You hold it so delicately but you pay for someone else to not care.

“How can we then turn a blind eye when humans are exploiting Birds

not because they have to,

not because birds are a threat to the human race,

BUT

because they can and want to

because money is made? “

Do you not see the pain and suffering that has gone into making this simple sports equipment? Can it be that this is the only way?

What does a blood sport mean and what are morals and ethics?

Is ethical a positive word?

If something is ethical, it is good, not bad or wrong. Often, this is based on formal philosophy. Often, what is ethical is based on the rules of a group or profession, Being ethical means acting humanely towards others

What is the meaning of morals?

Standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong.

Examples of Morality…….

Have empathy. Don't steal. Tell the truth. Treat others as you want to be treated

A blood sport is a name given to practices such as hunting, wounding, animal fights, holding animals against their will, and using their body parts, which either cause bloodshed or result in the death of an animal for 'sport'

Those who take part in blood sports excuse their actions on a variety of counts. However, of all the justifications for supporting and participating in blood sports, civil liberties (meaning freedom of..) may be the most difficult to digest.

We as humans have no right to inflict cruelty upon each other and our treatment towards animals should be no different.

Suffering is suffering and killing an animal for sport is deliberate cruelty at its worst.

The welfare of all farmed animals is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 UK which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal.

The Act also contains a duty of care to animals - anyone responsible for an animal must take reasonable steps to make sure the animal's welfare needs are met.

Animal welfare laws in the UK

Animal cruelty includes:

causing unnecessary suffering to an animal

mutilation
Animal cruelty is when someone doesn't care for or deliberately hurts an animal. It can include anything from physical violence, to deliberate mental distress or neglect, for example stealing feathers, causing pain and suffering for a sport.

Did you know ducks are just like dogs

Let’s do some comparisons to help you understand the severity of the pain inflicted

What is feather plucking?

Plucking is the forcible removal of feathers that results in bleeding follicles and possibly other skin damage such as tears and bruising. The possibility that feathers are plucked cannot be excluded and it seems that at least minor suffering from pain and injuries is unavoidable under current commercial conditions. The process of catching, carrying and restraining the bird is the same whether feathers are gathered or plucked. Incorrect handling can include carrying the bird by the neck, legs or by one wing, restraining by sitting or standing on the neck of the bird and throwing or dropping the bird. Bloody feathers, skin injuries, posture changes (e.g. hanging wings), dead birds and broken or dislocated bones are welfare-outcome indicators which could be used to assess the welfare of geese submitted to feather collection.

It is recommended that only ripe feathers should be removed from live geese. A control system should be in place to ensure this is carried out in practice. The presence of skin tears and blood or tissue and the presence of non-ripe feathers in the collected feather material should be used to distinguish between plucking and gathering. The method to evaluate the maturity of the feathers should be validated and further developed. -

This will be impossible as mass production will cause many mistakes and missed regulations. However, we want to find this out for ourselves, as we live in a welfare-protected country and we are allowing cruelty to happen abroad by purchasing shuttlecocks and avoiding reality.

'Live plucking' occurs outside the moulting season and refers to manually pulling feathers that are still attached to the bird. This procedure is a major welfare concern as live plucking results in bleeding and tearing of skin, causing pain, discomfort and stress to the birds