Archive for February, 2009
Talk Back: Leona’s Last Wish
Yesterday’s blog prompted a flood of comments from those of you who shared my disappointment about the decision allowing Leona Helmsley's trustees to set aside her declared interest in seeing the money used for the care and welfare of dogs, in favor of other causes . . .
Helmsley’s estate going to the dogs? Maybe not
She wanted her money to go toward dog protection work. There isn’t any doubt about it. Yesterday afternoon, waiting to board a flight out of Tennessee, I received the disconcerting news that a Surrogate’s Court judge in New York had ruled that the trustees of . . .
Fixing Pet Overpopulation
Yesterday we celebrated Spay Day, marking the 15th anniversary of this annual campaign founded by the Doris Day Animal League. More than 500 events were held yesterday and throughout February—both across the country (in all 50 states and the District of Columbia) and across the . . .
Tip of the Hat, Wag of the Finger
One of The HSUS’s most important functions is to spotlight decision-making—sound and unsound. We single out leadership on behalf of animals to show what’s right. And we highlight bad conduct to debunk flawed thinking and promote accountability. Two very different people deserve the attention for . . .
What Happens in Vegas Won’t Stay in Vegas
The HSUS organizes most of the animal protection movement’s marquee events. Right now we’re gearing up for our Genesis Awards in Los Angeles, we’ve just opened registration for the Taking Action for Animals conference in Washington, D.C. in July, and we’re working full-tilt to prepare . . .
Retiring the Rabbits
Yesterday we took a giant stride forward on the issue of animal testing, specifically skin irritancy testing on animals. For more than 60 years, testing for skin irritation has involved locking groups of rabbits into full-body restraints while cosmetics, pesticides, and other chemicals are applied . . .
Talk Back: Turmoil Over Travis
As the lurid and unsettling details of the chimpanzee attack on 55-year-old Charla Nash come to light, it is so obvious that we need better and more complete state and federal laws to stop the trade in wild animals as pets, specifically the larger animals . . .
Talk Back: Puppies, Patriots, Downturn and Dairy
More than ever, animals are in the news, and the items that I’ve written about on the blog are attracting your comments and observations. Many readers had much to say about our latest puppy mill raid, in North Carolina, where we saved nearly 300 dogs. . . .
Five Fatal Lessons From Chimp Attack
I feel like we at The HSUS are constantly reminding policy makers, animal-use industries, and regular people about mind-numbingly reckless behavior when it comes to our treatment of animals—whether it’s dragging sick or crippled “downer cows” into slaughterhouses for human consumption, dosing animals on factory . . .
Happy Cows in California?
Last year, thanks to an HSUS investigation that exposed the gross mistreatment of spent dairy cows too sick and injured to walk at a California slaughter plant, we were again reminded that California is not the land of happy cows, despite the multi-million dollar advertising . . .
The Animals’ Bailout
With the debate over the stimulus package dominating the news, it seems there’s no end to the discussion about the economic malaise in this country. A depression is never good for charities, since many people may choose to save rather than to give. And that’s . . .
Couriers of Compassion
We had a very special event on Capitol Hill last night. The HSUS honored U.S. Reps. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) for their efforts in uniting military families with the dogs who had befriended their fallen loved ones during deployments in Iraq. After . . .
