Archive for November, 2007
Bleatings from the Ag Lobby
Before The Humane Society of the United States helped to pass laws in Arizona, Florida and Oregon to ban some of the most inhumane confinement methods on factory farms, there were virtually no legal standards to provide even the most minimal protections for animals raised . . .
Talk Back: Common Cause
Readers responded to the blog about compassion for animals being a universal value and the new book by Mark Levin, an influential conservative, about his love for dogs and his concern for animal welfare. Thank you for positively reinforcing the interconnectedness of all… can’t wait . . .
Evidence Against Science’s Scare Tactics
One of the most frustrating industries to deal with in all animal protection is the animal research community. Although there are many scientists who care about animal welfare, demagogues abound within this fraternity, and they are the masters of Chicken Little scare tactics, as if . . .
Penned Prey
Last night, Randy Travis of Fox 5 in Atlanta aired part two of his investigation into so-called fox pens—enclosures where foxes and coyotes are released and torn apart by hounds. The animals cannot escape, and the odds are stacked heavily in favor of the pack . . .
Fenced-In Fox Hunting
Earlier this month, a Humane Society of the United States investigation revealed that the puppy mill industry in Virginia, and probably the entire nation, is much larger than any of us had thought. We found 1,000 commercial dog breeding operations in Virginia, and just 16 . . .
Starved for Space
I have been thinking a lot about space—not the virtually limitless area beyond our atmosphere where distance is measured in light years, but the very definite and measurable space in which we spend our lives on planet Earth. I spend a great deal of time . . .
Talking Turkey
Thanksgiving has always been a bittersweet holiday for me. I enjoy the idea of taking a respite from the frenetic pace of life and simply coming together as family or community, celebrating together and giving thanks for what we have. These occasions remind us of . . .
Talk Back: Words of Encouragement
Readers echoed the feelings expressed by Michele, who asked how to keep a positive attitude when animal suffering seems endless. Among their feedback: The question from Michele is so close to my heart. I feel these same emotions every day, some days are much worse . . .
Race to Replace
Change for animals will come about with an evolution in consciousness about animals and a recognition that we must respect their interests. But change will also come about with innovation—as we discard old ways that involved the exploitation of animals in favor of activities that . . .
Defiant Slaughter at Sea
In 1992, presidential candidate Ross Perot spoke of a giant sucking sound—referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement and how its adoption was going to take away American jobs. Well, the giant sucking sound today is coming from Japan and China, whose governments and . . .
Weight of Our Words
The lives of people and animals have always been bound together—in prehistory and in the time since the advent of agriculture and modern civilization. But for most of human history, the dominant worldview has been to subdue and to dominate nature, including the animals. Language . . .
Talk Back: Problem-Solving for Homeless Pets
Readers responded with a flood of feedback to last week’s blog about the apparent rift in the humane movement over the no kill issue. I’ll have more to say on the issue in a future blog, but I also wanted to hear from so many . . .
