Cecil’s cousins under attack here in the U.S.
Imagine the terror. Without warning, a lion hears chaotic barking from a pack of dogs. The barking gets louder as the dogs close in on her. She runs in the opposite direction. The barking continues. Winded, she uses her extraordinary muscles and claws to climb . . .
Breaking news: Florida commissioners reject trophy hunt, spare bears for at least two years
In yet another dramatic turn in a long-running battle over contrasting views of proper wildlife management, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted by a 4-3 margin not to proceed with a black bear hunt in Florida. The especially good news is that the . . .
The HSUS calls on the United States to stand tall and provide enhanced protections for giraffes
What kind of person shoots a giraffe to obtain a trophy? How difficult is it to shoot the tallest animal in the world? Imagine seeing a creature this size crumple to the ground after a trophy hunter’s bullets tear through the beautiful, patterned fur markings . . .
Facebook killer may have had a history of animal abuse
The murder of Robert Godwin, Sr., with a shot to the face on Easter Sunday, jarred the nation. The perpetrator uploaded the encounter to Facebook for all to see, in an act that blended violence and vanity in the most macabre way. Steve Stephens opened . . .
American trophy hunters target our black bears
Yesterday, Florida’s largest newspaper, the Tampa Bay Times, rightly urged the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to forego a trophy hunt for black bears in the state, as it did last year after an outpouring of concern from residents. Connecticut is going through a . . .
Animal factories exact enormous toll on local communities, taxpayers, and animals
Last week, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals nullified a Bush-era regulation that gave something of a free pass to factory farms that pollute the air and water. The regulation wrongly exempted factory farms from any obligation to report releases of toxic air emissions, including . . .
Breaking news: Massive animal neglect case in Georgia
On Wednesday, the head of our Animal Crimes unit received an urgent call from authorities in Habersham County, in far northeast Georgia near the South Carolina border, about animals in possible distress at a property there. After receiving a barking complaint, Officer Wayne Higgins of . . .
Breaking news: Taiwan bans the trade in dog and cat meat
This week, our fight against the global dog meat trade got an enormous lift with Taiwan’s legislature amending its anti-cruelty law and banning the trade and the consumption of our best friends. Taiwan becomes the latest nation in the region to make an emphatic statement . . .
Sheriffs stand strong against animal cruelty, and so do we
Yesterday, we hosted John Thompson, the deputy executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, at our national headquarters and bestowed upon him a Humane Leadership Award for helping bring humane sensibilities into the consciousness of the nation. Thompson is straight out of central casting as . . .
Cuomo signs budget to provide $5 million for NY shelters
Yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a 2017-18 state budget that includes a little-noticed item—one that until this year never found its way into fine print in the state’s spending plan. It’s a $5 million funding source, designated as the Companion Animal Capital Fund, . . .
Oklahoma’s “prosperity districts” are not OK
Last November, Oklahoma voters crushed a State Question 777, a proposed constitutional amendment in Oklahoma to create a “right to farm” — a measure to deregulate agriculture in the state on a go-forward basis. Despite a multi-million dollar campaign to pass it, more than 60 . . .
10,000 dog adoptions, through HSUS pet stores conversion program
This week, the HSUS Puppy-Friendly Pet Stores conversion program surpassed a milestone: participating pet stores have adopted out more than 10,000 shelter and rescue dogs since we started the effort. After launching this campaign in 2013, we’ve worked with 20 pet stores across the country . . .
