Archive for August, 2020
Sen. Mitch McConnell will introduce bill to reform horse racing
Days before the Kentucky Derby kicks off in his home state next week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced he will introduce a bill to reform horse racing. This is a promising development for the future of race horses in a sport that has . . .
Skeletal Weimaraner rescued from puppy mill begins her journey of hope with 30 other dogs
Wednesday was freedom day for Pearl, the Weimaraner rescued from a North Carolina puppy mill, whose emaciated condition after her rescue, with every rib in her body showing, shocked so many of you when we first featured her on this blog. Last week we shared . . .
Breaking news: Netherlands will close all mink fur farms by next year
The Netherlands, the first country to report a coronavirus outbreak on its mink fur farms, will close all such farms by March next year, two and a half years ahead of a previous deadline. The decision, reported today by the Dutch national news service NOS, . . .
HSUS, other groups sue feds for opening Alaska’s wildlife to cruel trophy hunting methods
In June, the federal government finalized a rule to appease trophy hunters by allowing some of the cruelest of killing methods on 20 million acres of Alaska’s national preserves. Today, the Humane Society of the United States, along with a coalition of conservation and animal . . .
U.S. proposes more changes to chip away at Endangered Species Act
The federal government has fired another volley in its assault on the Endangered Species Act, and this time it’s aimed at paving the way for corporations to take over lands that could, if conserved and restored, help in the recovery of imperiled American wildlife. Under . . .
HSI deploys to assist with rescue efforts in Beirut; HSUS transporting dogs, cats out of storm path in Gulf Coast
Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International rescue teams are now deploying to assist people and their pets in multiple disaster-affected areas, including Beirut, Lebanon, the site of a massive chemical explosion earlier this month, and parts of the United States that . . .
North Carolina puppy miller who headlined our Horrible Hundred report convicted of animal cruelty
In March, I shared with you this photo of a dog who was rescued from a puppy mill in Caldwell County, North Carolina, along with more than 30 others. This week, the breeder responsible for her condition pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was sentenced . . .
U.S. mink industry in free fall as demand for fur plummets
The U.S. mink industry is in rapid decline, with the drop beginning well before coronavirus outbreaks on mink fur farms here and overseas renewed concerns over this outmoded and cruel industry that’s responsible for so much animal suffering. Last year was the industry’s worst on . . .
USDA suspends license of roadside zoo where Joe Exotic abused tigers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended the license of the roadside zoo where self-styled “Tiger King” Joe Exotic bred, held captive and mistreated hundreds of tigers and other wild animals for two decades. Soon after news of the suspension—which is for a period of . . .
HSUS, HSI lawsuit forces U.S. to act to protect pangolins, world’s most trafficked mammals
Pangolins—the most trafficked mammals in the world—are one step closer to getting legal protections in the United States that could help reverse their slide toward extinction. In a settlement approved by a federal court today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to consider listing . . .
Breaking news: Coronavirus outbreak reported at two Utah mink fur farms
Mink on two fur farms in Utah have tested positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported today that “unusually large” numbers of animals had died at the two farms, which also reported positive cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, . . .
Former Petland manager pleads guilty to animal cruelty, faces jail time following HSUS investigation
The former manager of a now-closed Petland store in Fairfax County, Virginia, where our undercover investigation revealed a pile of dead rabbits in the freezer and a shocking lack of veterinary care, has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and three other charges of failing to . . .
