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 dogfighting felon Michael Vick to work speaking to at-risk youth in urban communities drew a great deal of reader interest—three of the top 10 blogs. The biggest dogfighting raid of the year, which covered 20 locations in 8 states and resulted in the confiscation of nearly 500 dogs, was the second most popular blog—demonstrating that dogfighting was not only on my mind and in the news, but also on your minds, too.
You were obviously interested in our other major campaigns—our effort to get the Obama Administration to close a loophole on the slaughtering of downer cows, the campaign against Petland and its sale of puppy mill dogs, the raids we conducted with law enforcement on puppy mills throughout the nation, and the efforts to ban the trade in primates, especially after a woman in Connecticut was disfigured by a pet chimp.
I wrote about countless other topics on the blog, including the U.S. v. Stevens case before the U.S. Supreme Court, the launch of The Shelter Pet Project, our joining forces with the Broward SPCA Wildlife Care Center, our undercover investigations at a chimpanzee laboratory in Louisiana and a baby calf veal slaughter plant in Vermont, the AVMA’s too-close dealings with agribusiness, and enactment of 121 new laws at the state level, including measures to ban tail-docking of dairy cows in California and to phase-out confinement practices on factory farms in Maine and Michigan. But the items below are the ones that attracted the greatest and broadest readership.
Top blogs:
- What’s Next for Michael Vick?
- Eight-State Dogfighting Raid Largest in U.S. History
- Postscript to Tonight's 60 Minutes
- Case Finally Closed on "Downers" Loophole
- Five Fatal Lessons From Chimp Attack
- 50 Things You Can Do for Animals and The HSUS
- When Will Petland Get It?
- Weekend Blow in Puppy Mill Battle
- More Thoughts on Michael Vick
- Second Chances for President Obama, His Pup
In 2010, I hope you’ll continue to read the blog, but also keep in mind the sixth most popular blog of the year—“50 Things You can Do for Animals and The HSUS.”
