Equine
Exploring the rich, overlooked history of Black animal activism
I recently wrote about how all people, no matter their circumstances, have an inherent connection with animals. The composition of the animal protection movement, however, has not always reflected everyone’s voice. Recently our staff had the pleasure of hearing historian Paula Tarankow, who holds a . . .
Giving thanks with Helen the turkey
This year for Thanksgiving, I’m in Texas at our expansive animal sanctuary, Black Beauty Ranch. Founded in 1979, Black Beauty Ranch is home to nearly 650 rescued animals. Some came from slaughterhouses or research laboratories or cases of extreme neglect. Others came from roadside zoos or were . . .
As the House votes to stop soring of horses, it’s PAST time
On the House floor Monday night, the House of Representatives voted 304 to 111 to pass the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act into law. With just a few weeks remaining in the 117th Congress, getting a vote in the Senate will take some effort. . . .
How we work to save animals (part 1): Behind-the-scenes
If you follow our stories here on this blog or on our social platforms or email lists, you are probably familiar with the central calling that keeps us working day after day: to stand up and fight for all animals who are suffering. You’ve probably . . .
Victory in court for horses who need protection from cruel practice of ‘soring’
Some really good news from a federal courtroom on a fight we’ve long been waging for horses: Last Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the United States Department of Agriculture had unlawfully withdrawn a 2017 rule designed . . .
Animal-friendly ways to celebrate July 4 (Hint: It’s not fireworks)
Anyone with pets knows that our furry family members can become so frightened by exploding fireworks that they do anything to escape the noise, whether it’s hiding in the bathtub, or something more desperate (and dangerous), such as breaking through windows or door screens. At . . .
‘Aggressive’ horse from Assateague Island arrives at our sanctuary
Our sanctuary in Texas, Black Beauty Ranch, plays an extremely important and inspiring role for animals who have nowhere left to go. Take Chip, the horse who arrived at Black Beauty this week from Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland. He had to be removed . . .
The time for Congress to act on horse soring, horse slaughter bills is now
Update 6/23/22: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection voted today to advance two important horse protection bills, the SAFE and PAST Act. The Subcommittee voted in favor 22-0 for both bills and we look forward to further advancement to the Full Committee. . . .
Pushing the federal law to end cruel slaughter of horses to the finish line
It is a long way from the stable, paddock and winner’s circle at Churchill Downs to the dark, dank and bloody slaughterhouses in which tens of thousands of American horses meet their sad and pitiable end each year. Yet some former racehorses do make that . . .
Animal-friendly appropriations in Congress bring good news for all kinds of animals
Update 3/15/2022: President Biden signed the appropriations package into law. Humane advocates often look to the passage of animal-friendly legislation as the strongest measure of progress in our work at the federal level, and clearly, good laws are important. But a nation that cares for . . .
As President Biden addresses the state of the union, we continue to push for progress for animals
During his years in the Senate, now-President Joe Biden supported dozens of animal welfare measures, including legislation to require dolphin-safe labeling on tuna, stop canned hunts, annually prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to fund federal inspection and approval of meat at horse slaughterhouses (effectively . . .
Kentucky Derby winner’s disqualification highlights ongoing need for horse racing reform
The regulatory system in horse racing has been broken for years, and public confidence in the sport continues to wane. This week’s news that Medina Spirit is being stripped of his 2021 Kentucky Derby win is yet another blow. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on . . .
