Public Policy (Legal/Legislative)
Trumped Up Charges Against Wolves, Dirty Dealings With Voters
When lawmakers take an oath to “faithfully discharge the duties” of their office, they shouldn’t play games with the voters who put them there in the first place. Michigan lawmakers are trying to keep voters from weighing in on the fate of their state's small, . . .
Acting Like Hammer Heads When It Comes to Sharks
This week, Shark Week returned to Discovery Channel as it has every summer since 1988. Shark Week’s programs tend to portray the shark as aggressive predators, mainly to titillate viewers – though not nearly as sensationally as the 1970s movie Jaws, which did deep and . . .
No Ivory Auctions at Christie’s
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation today to forbid his state from participating in the international trade in elephant ivory and rhino horns. This is the first law in the country to prohibit any imports or intrastate sale of such items, and it comes . . .
‘Right to Farm’ or Right to Funnel Illegal Money Into Missouri Campaign?
Today, the Missouri Farmers Union sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture calling for a formal investigation into the potentially illegal use of federal pork check-off funds for a last-minute lobbying blitz in favor of Missouri’s Amendment 1, an overreaching and radical “right . . .
Updates on Urgent Battles for Animals
Today, some updates on important issues in our orbit. Ag-gag legislation Our investigations like this one at a California slaughter plant have unearthed shocking animal abuse. Photo: The HSUS Last night, former HSUS undercover investigator Cody Carlson and I appeared on PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton . . .
Every Field of Humane Work – Everywhere
*An earlier version of this post incorrectly said that nearly 50 counties and cities have laws against puppy mills. This version has been corrected. Nearly 50 counties and cities have outlawed the sale of puppies in pet stores. Given that it’s our 60th year, and . . .
An Exclusive Video Interview with Charla Nash
Yesterday, I wrote about my visit to Capitol Hill with Charla Nash, the courageous woman who five years ago suffered an unthinkable mauling by a pet chimp. She came to Washington, D.C. at my request to lobby in support of the Captive Primate Safety Act, . . .
Will Congress Heed Charla Nash’s Message?
Today, I shared the podium on Capitol Hill with the brave Charla Nash who, five years ago, suffered one of the most extensive and life-changing animal attacks in American history. After being called to help calm her boss’s adult male pet chimpanzee Travis at home, Nash . . .
A Bill for the One Percent – of Sport and Trophy Hunters
Just a few days ago, it was the 50th anniversary of the landmark Civil Rights Act. The act was the goal of the 1963 March on Washington and a year later it was muscled through Congress by President Lyndon Johnson and several key Democrats and . . .
Declining Populations of Elephants and Polar Bears in Sights of Trophy Hunters
Yesterday, CNN published a column from me about the confusing message sent by the U.S. government in taking action to fight the elephant ivory trade but still allowing trophy hunters to bring in ivory tusks from a number of African countries. The good news is, . . .
Horses Need Your Help in Climbing Steep (Capitol) Hill
Dutch, a Tennessee walking horse, was subjected to soring. Photo: The HSUS Thanks to The HSUS and some individuals who care deeply about horses, Dutch is safe today, protected by people looking out for him. But his story is not only a tale of woe, but . . .
Federal Court Ruling on ‘Crush Videos’ Just the Latest to Affirm Value of Animal Protection Legislation
It's still a crime to sell videos showing appalling forms of animal cruelty, after a federal appeals court upheld a federal anti-cruelty law Friday. This is just the latest in a string of federal court decisions, upholding the authority of Congress and the states to take . . .
