October Spotlight: Behind-the-Scenes at Tracks Investigations
Tracks’ founder, Gemunu de Silva, reflects on our investigative work throughout the month of October.
It has been a busy month for Tracks in October, both in the field, undertaking research, and in the video editing suite. Projects were planned and undertaken in Europe, Africa, and Asia on how we use animals for food, companionship, and animal research.
Our project on the illegal puppy trade in the UK was released by Four Paws. “Tricks of the Trade: The Truth About the Illegal Puppy Trade in the UK” investigation and report reveals the clear evidence of the cruelty many puppies endure before reaching their new ‘forever’ home. It also exposes the many tricks of trade that unscrupulous breeders use to dupe unsuspecting families.
Great news that a further nail in the coffin of the blood farm industry has struck as Iceland has admitted that collecting blood from pregnant mares to obtain the hormone PMSG is in breach of the EU legislation. As of November 2023, the country commits to correcting this failure, bringing blood farms in Iceland one step closer to closure.
On a personal note, I have been spreading the news about the work of Tracks and how we shine a light on animal cruelty issues to a wide and diverse range of audiences.
First up I was invited to appear on the Sound of Photography radio show on Resonance FM – an arts and music station based in the UK to talk about the work of Tracks and the importance of documentary photography and animal photojournalism. Listen to the show here.
In mid-October, I gave a talk to Lush at a staff training day about the work of Tracks. Lush has supported Tracks since 2009, and this year we awarded their annual prize to support groups that they think make an impact!