Archive for 2009
Because of You

We are a powerful, mainstream force because of you. And as the year turns in a few hours, it is the right time for me to say “thank you.”
Abusing More than Animals

Yesterday “The New York Times” published a story by Henry Fountain, reporting from Texas, about how mega-dairies there generate hundreds of millions of pounds of waste—150 pounds of manure and urine per cow per day—that “can upset neighbors and pollute the atmosphere.” The noxious gasses produced by the massive manure pits may do more than rankle the neighbors and keep them inside, though. It may also make them sick.
2009 Blog Favorites
Yesterday, I identified the top 10 animal stories of the decade. Today, I leave the subjectivity aside, and report to you on the top 10 blogs of the year, as measured by click-throughs on our website. As you can see, my controversial decision to put convicted . . .
Top 10 Animal Stories of the Last Decade

The run up to any new year provides an opportunity for a look back. But now that we are turning into 2010, it’s an opportunity to conduct a longer-term review of the major events and trends of the last decade (though one might argue the end . . .
2009 Bookshelf Favorites (Plus a Few for the New Year)

I’ve always thought that to be a well-rounded animal advocate it’s important to spend time reading books. Because human-animal questions touch on so many different disciplines—politics, law, culture, history, sociology, and so many different fields of science—it is important not to limit study to just . . .
Survivor Stories: Starved Mustang Now Shines

Thistle was one of nearly 200 emaciated mustangs we helped to rescue in rural Nebraska earlier this year, found in dire straits among dozens of horses who had already starved to death.
2009 Report Card for Obama Administration

I summarize the major actions of the Obama Administration in a Report Card, providing a summary of both the actions helpful and inimical to animal protection. For the year to date, we give the Administration a B minus on its activities.
Doing Well by Doing Good

People will see your character in the company you keep, the words you say, and the causes you serve.
Animal U: Join Us at Humane Society University

This year, our educational affiliate, Humane Society University, became the first higher education institution exclusively devoted to providing academic curriculum in animal protection studies.
Time to Get the Lead Out of Ammunition

There’s just no excuse for the discharge of any lead ammunition in our day and age.
Talk Back: Ending Euthanasia of Homeless Pets
Last week, I posted, in a series of three blogs, a Q&A between me and Robin Starr, CEO of the Richmond SPCA and an innovator in the sheltering field who is working hard to eliminate the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals. I mentioned the . . .
Survivor Stories: A Spared Seal Pup

This survivor was discovered by our Protect Seals team off the eastern coast of Canada. He was a small, scared seal pup who had survived only by cowering in an ice cave.