Archive for May, 2018
Training police officers to identify animal cruelty crimes
When the George County, Mississippi, sheriff’s office recently received a report of a property that could be housing a dogfighting operation, they knew exactly what to do. Deputy Lisa Finlay, who had just completed a course with the Humane Society of the United States’ Law . . .
Wyoming has put its iconic grizzlies in the crosshairs of trophy hunters
American trophy hunters, so apt to go abroad in search of the next trophy head, need look no further than Wyoming for one this coming fall. Last week, the state’s Game and Fish Commission approved a trophy hunting season that could result in the killing . . .
Global animal health organization says pigs should be housed in groups
The World Organization for Animal Health, an international body that sets standards for animal health in international trade, says that sows should be housed in groups because they are social animals. The recommendation is significant because it strikes a blow against the use of gestation . . .
Breaking news: USDA tosses plan to allow third-party animal welfare inspections
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has abandoned a disastrous proposal to outsource inspections of puppy mills, roadside zoos and research laboratories to third-party inspectors. If implemented, the proposal would have essentially allowed these industries to police themselves and severely undermined protections for millions of animals. . . .
New Hampshire fight reveals American Kennel Club as a champion of puppy mills, not dogs
It is a cruel irony when an organization that touts itself as a champion of dogs works behind closed doors to oppose a wide range of animal welfare bills, including those advanced to crack down on cruel puppy mills. But that is exactly what the . . .
Let’s make this the year we end horse soring by passing the PAST Act
Congress first tried to end soring — the intentional infliction of pain on the legs and hooves of Tennessee walking horses and related breeds to create the exaggerated, artificial show gait known as the “big lick”” — nearly half a century ago, with the passage . . .
Vermont bans coyote killing contests, grisly spectacles of animal cruelty
Vermont, like many other U.S. states, has played host for many years to coyote killing contests — gruesome events where contestants vie to win prizes for killing the most, or the heaviest, animals. But in late 2017, when advertisements for the “1st Annual Weston Rod . . .
Trump administration wants to reinstate cruel hunting practices in Alaska, like killing hibernating bears, shooting wolf pups in dens
The Trump administration is trying to bring back some of the worst and most appalling hunting practices for wolves, grizzly bears and other wildlife on 20 million acres of federal public lands in Alaska. A rule proposed today by the Department of the Interior would . . .
Ellen DeGeneres, Cameron Diaz and other celebrities call for an end to Indonesian dog meat trade
Indonesia’s dog meat trade is rife with brutality. Most of its animal victims are stolen pets and street dogs, and they usually endure death by bludgeoning and blowtorching. This week, more than 90 celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres, Cameron Diaz, Pierce Brosnan, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, . . .
Breaking news: House kills Farm Bill and King Amendment – for now
I have some encouraging news to report: the U.S. House of Representatives this afternoon defeated the Farm Bill with the King amendment by a vote of 198 to 213. Rep. Steve King’s amendment could eliminate hundreds, if not thousands, of state and local laws protecting . . .
Bobcats get a reprieve in Ohio and a win in Indiana
Bobcat advocates have two victories to celebrate this week. On Tuesday, the Indiana Natural Resources Commission voted to withdraw a contentious proposal to open a trophy hunting and trapping season on the state’s only native wild cat, for the first time in nearly 50 years. . . .
Alert: Help us stop the Farm Bill and the outrageous King Amendment
Imagine a country where states are forced to legalize dog, cat and horse meat. Where states could no longer set anti-cruelty and public health standards for meat and eggs sold to their residents. Where laws preventing puppy mill abuse and the trade in shark fins . . .
