Archive for 2013
HSI Teams Provide Relief in the Philippines

As I write, the second of two Humane Society International teams is in the field in the Philippines, leading response to the needs of animals and people in the areas ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan. Humane Society International has been on the ground conducting street dog . . .
HSUS Undercover: Georgia Dog Lab Supplied by Random Source Dealer

At a press conference this morning, my colleagues and I released the results of the latest HSUS undercover investigation – in this case, laboratory experiments on dogs and other animals at Georgia Regents University in Augusta, Ga. The focus of our investigation was on the . . .
A Royal Pain

The relentless efforts of Rep. Steve King, R-IA, to incorporate a grossly overreaching amendment to the Farm Bill arrived at a significant juncture yesterday when Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack added his voice to the growing chorus of opponents. Calling it “troublesome,” Vilsack said that the . . .
Crack Job by Cracker Barrel Shareholders

When shareholders want to see movement inside a company they invest in, they sometimes submit shareholder resolutions. For years, animal welfare advocates and organizations like The HSUS have been doing just that, specifically when we want the company to improve its animal-care or animal-purchasing practices. . . .
Great News for Great Apes

Last night, the Senate gave final approval to a bill – backed by The HSUS and the National Institutes of Health – that will provide millions in federal funding to assist with the transfer of chimpanzees from laboratories to sanctuaries. Passing this legislation was essential . . .
Crushing the Ivory Tower

Elephant poaching is an epidemic. The stragglers are slaughtered, and so are entire family groups. Typically, their faces are hacked off, since that’s the easiest way to run off with the ivory. Poachers are killing upwards of 30,000 African elephants each year, and the future . . .
A Step Forward in China on Animal Testing

Humane Society International’s Be Cruelty-Free campaign, which aims to end animal testing for cosmetics worldwide, has had a run of key victories. The European Union, which had been inching toward an animal testing-free marketplace since 2004, finally implemented a complete marketing ban of animal-tested cosmetics . . .
Rattling the Parrot Cage

For thousands of years, parrots have been captured from the wild to be kept as pets. To millions of Americans who’ve never had a bird, it may seem little different than sharing a home with a dog or cat. But to the thousands of parrot . . .
Typhoon Yolanda Leaves Devastation in Philippines

Today, our thoughts, more than ever, extend outward. The devastation wrought by Typhoon Yolanda (also known as Typhoon Haiyan) in the Philippines, a longtime American protectorate and sovereign ally, is in the early stages of assessment, but it is massive and life-changing for perhaps millions . . .
A New Sheriff in Town

On many occasions, I have written about our collaboration with our nation’s law enforcement professionals in our efforts to stop animal cruelty and abuse. So I was delighted to see that this month’s edition of Deputy and Court Officer—the magazine of the National Sheriffs' Association—is . . .
Anthony Bourdain Adds Wrong Ingredients to Seal Hunt Mix in Canada

Earlier this week, I debated Canadian Senator David Wells on Canada’s most popular morning TV show about the nation’s commercial seal slaughter off Canada’s east coast. The debate was prompted by comments made days earlier by celebrity chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain, who criticized . . .
Fairy Tales in Michigan

We all remember what happened with weapons of mass destruction and the Iraq war. The U.S. government’s claims about the weapons never panned out, and the public felt duped about getting involved in a conflict that has cost the nation thousands of American lives and . . .