Public Policy (Legal/Legislative)
Botswana sells 60 elephants for trophy hunts at first auction since it ended ban
Botswana today auctioned off the lives of 60 of its elephants, giving trophy hunters around the world a license to kill these gentle giants for fun. This was the first elephant auction held since the country lifted a five-year ban on such hunts last year; . . .
Another Petland will have to stop selling puppies and kittens after Illinois city passes anti-puppy-mill ordinance
A Petland in Naperville, Illinois, will have to stop selling puppies and kittens after the city council passed an ordinance Tuesday ending such sales in pet stores. This makes Naperville the 341st locality in the United States to pass such a measure. There were Petland . . .
State of the animals under the Trump administration: a year of highs and lows
This past year has been a mixed one for animals under President Donald Trump. On the one hand we’ve seen federal agencies take steps to improve the fortunes of animals used in testing and the wild horses and burros on our public ranges, and also . . .
New York Senate committee votes to end puppy mill sales in pet stores; Bill resulted partly from an HSUS investigation
A New York Senate committee voted unanimously today to advance a bill that would end the sales of puppies, kittens and rabbits in pet stores across the state. The bill is a direct result of national and local pressure, including the widespread outrage generated by . . .
Communities scrutinize Petland’s practices, pass ordinances following HSUS investigations
In September last year, an HSUS undercover investigation of a Petland store in Frisco, Texas, a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, revealed frail and ailing puppies, including some dogs too sick to eat and suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. Also among the gruesome . . .
U.S. House members hear compelling testimony on bills to protect horses from drugging, slaughter
Members of the U.S. House signaled their interest in protecting American horses by holding hearings on two important bills this week: one to stop the dangerous practice of drugging racehorses to enhance their performance on the tracks or disguise pain, and another to keep American . . .
BREAKING NEWS: Key House committee votes to reverse Trump administration’s harmful changes to Endangered Species Act
Last year, the Trump administration finalized regulations that gutted the Endangered Species Act, making it harder to grant and maintain federal protections for species that are fighting for survival. Today, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee voted to reverse those dangerous changes by approving the . . .
BREAKING NEWS: Dept. of Transportation moves to end breed discrimination on airlines
The Department of Transportation today announced its plan to issue new regulations that would prohibit airlines from banning certain breeds of service dogs. This represents a much-needed move toward ending discriminatory policies by individual airlines that cause unnecessary and cruel hardships for customers with disabilities . . .
As racehorse death toll continues to climb, Congress moves to salvage the ‘sport of kings’
Horses dying at the racetracks with alarming frequency is a sadly familiar scenario of late, but even by that measure the body count over the past week is nothing short of astonishing. Since Friday alone, three horses have been euthanized at Santa Anita Park in . . .
Twenty-five years after their return, Yellowstone wolves face new challenges
It is exactly 25 years this month since 14 wolves from Canada were brought to Yellowstone National Park, an area that had not seen a single wolf in 70 years because of trophy hunting and trapping. Almost immediately, the animals began reshaping the landscape, regenerating . . .
New building makes room for more chimpanzees to retire at Project Chimps
I arrived at Project Chimps yesterday just as dinner was being served to its residents: 79 retired research chimpanzees who now call this verdant, 236-acre sanctuary nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia their home. The building we were in is a brand-new, state-of-the-art . . .
Breaking news: Court rules California’s foie gras ban will stand
A federal judge has just shut down the latest challenge to California’s foie gras ban, in an important ruling that reaffirms the right of states to enact legislation that protects animals in agriculture. Today’s district court ruling is the latest in a long-running saga that . . .
