Archive for April, 2017
Time for British Columbia to end its disgraceful assault on grizzly bears
It’s an image that millions of people who’ve watched it won’t soon forget: a majestic grizzly bear thrashing in confused agony as she tumbles down a hill, her blood smearing the snow, while the men who shot her cheer at the misery and suffering they’ve . . .
Trump should leave national monuments alone
It is unsettling that President Trump has called for a review of protected areas established by his predecessors under the Antiquities Act. Set-asides of the last, best places in the United States, both terrestrial and marine environments, has been a legacy for both Republican and . . .
Breaking news: Mexico adopts felony-level penalties for dogfighting
In a groundbreaking victory for countless dogs caught up in Mexico’s animal fighting trade, the nation’s Senate has put the final stamp of approval on a comprehensive law that bans all dogfighting in the country and establishes tough penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for anyone . . .
Breaking news: Los Angeles to ban use of all wild animals in circuses
The city council of the nation’s second largest city – and the capital of the entertainment industry – today unanimously voted to ban the exhibition of wild or exotic animals for entertainment, including circuses, other wild animal shows, displays in public areas such as on . . .
Cecil’s cousins under attack here in the U.S.
Imagine the terror. Without warning, a lion hears chaotic barking from a pack of dogs. The barking gets louder as the dogs close in on her. She runs in the opposite direction. The barking continues. Winded, she uses her extraordinary muscles and claws to climb . . .
Breaking news: Florida commissioners reject trophy hunt, spare bears for at least two years
In yet another dramatic turn in a long-running battle over contrasting views of proper wildlife management, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted by a 4-3 margin not to proceed with a black bear hunt in Florida. The especially good news is that the . . .
The HSUS calls on the United States to stand tall and provide enhanced protections for giraffes
What kind of person shoots a giraffe to obtain a trophy? How difficult is it to shoot the tallest animal in the world? Imagine seeing a creature this size crumple to the ground after a trophy hunter’s bullets tear through the beautiful, patterned fur markings . . .
Facebook killer may have had a history of animal abuse
The murder of Robert Godwin, Sr., with a shot to the face on Easter Sunday, jarred the nation. The perpetrator uploaded the encounter to Facebook for all to see, in an act that blended violence and vanity in the most macabre way. Steve Stephens opened . . .
American trophy hunters target our black bears
Yesterday, Florida’s largest newspaper, the Tampa Bay Times, rightly urged the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to forego a trophy hunt for black bears in the state, as it did last year after an outpouring of concern from residents. Connecticut is going through a . . .
Animal factories exact enormous toll on local communities, taxpayers, and animals
Last week, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals nullified a Bush-era regulation that gave something of a free pass to factory farms that pollute the air and water. The regulation wrongly exempted factory farms from any obligation to report releases of toxic air emissions, including . . .
Breaking news: Massive animal neglect case in Georgia
On Wednesday, the head of our Animal Crimes unit received an urgent call from authorities in Habersham County, in far northeast Georgia near the South Carolina border, about animals in possible distress at a property there. After receiving a barking complaint, Officer Wayne Higgins of . . .
Breaking news: Taiwan bans the trade in dog and cat meat
This week, our fight against the global dog meat trade got an enormous lift with Taiwan’s legislature amending its anti-cruelty law and banning the trade and the consumption of our best friends. Taiwan becomes the latest nation in the region to make an emphatic statement . . .
