Archive for August, 2014
More Tricks From Horse Soring Crowd as the Spotlight Shines on the Celebration
As the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration culminates this weekend, there is controversy and cover-up again marring the biggest event in the walking horse show world. For decades the walking horse show industry has tried to hide the intentional injuring of horses’ feet and . . .
A Whale of a Reaction to Blackfish and SeaWorld
For those of us who were involved in laying the groundwork for the vigorous debate now underway about the ethics of captivity, the dramatic erosion of public support for SeaWorld and other aquaria seeking to capture and display marine mammals is nothing short of stunning.
Slugfest Over Michigan Wolves Continues – So Much at Stake With November Votes
Progress for animals isn’t easy – it never has been. There’s no glide path when you confront entrenched interests and the politicians often so ready to do their bidding. There are still so many people in society who think that animals are just there for the . . .
Dog Days of Summer – Fall, Winter and Spring
It’s National Dog Day, and there are countless reasons to celebrate the remarkable relationship so many of us have with our canine friends. My beagle rescue Lily joined me for today’s video blog, but, as you’ll see, she was drowsy and decided to let me carry . . .
False Claims About Wolves, Frightful Cruelty to Wildlife in Michigan
An Upper Peninsula farmer, John Koski – operating in the far western portion of Michigan – has played an outsize role in the debate over whether the state’s small population of wolves should be hunted. Koski’s farm was the site of more than 60 percent of . . .
The Price of Progress – How Our Victories Breed Enemies
Precisely because The HSUS is so effective, we are the target of disinformation campaigns from our political adversaries. The king of disinformation is Rick Berman, the guy “60 Minutes” dubbed “Dr. Evil” for his work attacking public interest groups on behalf of anonymous corporations. . . .
Nestlé to Overhaul Farm Animal Treatment Across the Globe
The world’s largest food company has spoken: cruelty on factory farms has got to go. Nestlé is the single-biggest maker of food across the globe, with dozens of widely known brands such as Dreyer's, Lean Cuisine and Butterfinger. Today, the company announced an industry-leading animal . . .
Fighting Factory Farming – With Every Tool We Have
We are in a pitched battle against factory farming – a battle to transform agriculture and the way consumers think about and consume food. Animal agriculture has become thoroughly industrialized, with animals forced to live in windowless, overcrowded, stinking, ammonia-laden buildings. Photo: The HSUS Our . . .
Trumped Up Charges Against Wolves, Dirty Dealings With Voters
When lawmakers take an oath to “faithfully discharge the duties” of their office, they shouldn’t play games with the voters who put them there in the first place. Michigan lawmakers are trying to keep voters from weighing in on the fate of their state's small, . . .
Tip of the Hat for Big Cat Habitat
As I’ve mentioned before, The HSUS and its affiliates are collectively the largest provider of hands-on care for animals. Last week I was on the ground at one our facilities – in Texas – for the opening of the Big Cat Habitat at the Cleveland . . .
United States Moves to End Puppy Mill Imports
As a result of an announcement today from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, other nations will no longer be able to raise tens of thousands of dogs in puppy mills and flood the U.S. market with them. After delaying final action for years, the USDA . . .
Turtle Diaries, Tortoise Travails
In true Hollywood style, the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie has produced plenty of hype about turtles and tortoises. But unlike the reptilian heroes Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello, real-life turtles and tortoises move at a slower pace and are less aggressive. . . .
