Third Quarter Blog Favorites

In July, The HSUS assisted authorities and other animal protection groups in the largest one-day series of dogfighting raids in U.S. history, with busts in Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas, Mississippi and Nebraska. The unprecedented intervention saved hundreds of dogs from the cruelties of this blood sport, dismantled multiple organized dogfighting operations, and made news across the nation—sending a major jolt through this organized criminal industry. And this milestone was, in the third quarter, the subject of my most popular blog post.

Other elements of our campaign to end dogfighting—Michael Vick’s outreach to inner city youth and our community-based intervention programs—were also high on the list of blog favorites.

The remainder of this quarter’s top ten list reflects The HSUS’s balance between celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—whether praising the U.S. House of Representatives for advancing a measure to protect wild horses, mourning the loss of Ted Kennedy, criticizing the American Veterinary Medical Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for short-sighted policies, rescuing more than 500 dogs from a Texas puppy mill, or celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day.

Here is the top 10 list:

1. Eight-State Dogfighting Raid Largest in U.S. History
2. Postscript to Tonight's 60 Minutes
3. Anti-Dogfighting Training Camp
4. House Passes Wild Horse and Burro Protections
5. AVMA Off Course From Veterinarian's Oath
6. Talk Back: Michael Vick's Next Play
7. Remembering Ted Kennedy: A Lion for Animals, As Well
8. This is What a Rescue Looks Like
9. Wild Wild West for Wolves?
10. Barking Orders: Your Dogs at Work Photo Captions