Humane Society International
Culture No Defense for Cruelty

Through the years, I’ve heard many flimsy arguments from the apologists for animal abuse, and among the most persistent has been an appeal to cultural prerogative or tradition—in short, that the conduct in question is an expression of the “culture” of a particular nationality, community, . . .
Young Advocates Stand Up for Seals
The next generation of animal advocates is finding creative ways to make a difference for animals, including campaigning against one of the world’s worst spectacles of cruelty to wildlife — the Canadian seal slaughter.
2010 in Review: A Remarkable Year for Animals and The HSUS

The HSUS performs exceptionally on the big issues that affect the lives of animals, working in four big arenas: public policy, corporate reforms, education and awareness, and hands-on animal care. In several months, we’ll be releasing our annual report for 2010, and here are some of the accomplishments that we’ll highlight.
Reading Roundup: Six New Book Recommendations

There has been a remarkable surge in publishing about animals within the last decade. They range from the practical to the awe-inspiring, and I’d like to tell you today about just a few of the books that I’ve scanned or read recently. If you’re looking . . .
Standing Up for Street Dogs in Baghdad and Beyond

In the United States, persistent euthanasia in shelters is the problem we all struggle to end. In developing countries, it is a different kind of killing — wholesale culling of dogs. The most urgent case comes from Baghdad, where Iraqi authorities have shot or poisoned well over 50,000 canines in a campaign targeting the city’s estimated street dog population of 1.2 million.
Greetings from Peru: Teen Leaders Doing a Ton of Good

Two of the people I was so pleased to see and spend time with at this year’s HSUS Animal Care Expo were Daniella Granda and Fernando Moreno, the leaders of Grupo Caridad: Asociación Protectora de Animales, a humane organization based in Lima, Peru.
Proposed Whaling Compromise No Deal for Whales

The quarter-century-old moratorium on commercial whaling has been a highly successful international conservation measure. But this year we’ve had to face a stealth proposal from a working group of member nations of the International Whaling Commission, including the United States, to appease the whaling nations of Japan, Norway, and Iceland.
Rescue, Reform, Results: Our 2009 Annual Report

Today we posted on humanesociety.org our 2009 Annual Report. (If you’re an HSUS supporter, look for a copy in your mailbox at the end of the month.) I am posting, as today’s blog entry, my opening message for the report. You can look at the . . .
Report from the Seal Slaughter, Special Chance to Help

It’s a day I dread each year: the first blow or bullet landed against a baby seal off Canada's East Coast. It marks the beginning of the world’s largest, intentional slaughter of marine mammals. Our ProtectSeals team is there to document this open-air massacre, and . . .
This April Fools’, CCF Is the Joke

Imagine that I, while serving as president and CEO of The HSUS, owned a for-profit public relations company and that 92 cents of every dollar donated to The HSUS went to that very company or to me. I was paid by The HSUS, and then . . .
CITES Summary: Wildlife Win Some, Lose Some

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora meeting ended today, and the results were mixed, I am sorry to say. Still, I am pleased to report that we achieved new or improved protection for dozens of species affected by international trade.
Keys to Staying Connected

I get so many inquiries from people who want to know how they can help the cause of animal protection and get more involved in the work of The HSUS. I tell them that the first step is to stay informed and to get the right information flowing to the inbox.