Progress in Politics: Laws for Animals

The organized animal protection movement has certainly paid attention to lobbying and lawmaking through the years, but the lion’s share of resources have been directed to direct animal care, such as rescue and sheltering. In the modern lobbying era—the last 25 years, where we’ve witnessed . . .
Winning the Fight for Animals in ’07

Last week, I wrote a letter to some HSUS supporters about some of our accomplishments for the year. In many respects, it’s been a remarkable year, and we’ve achieved many of our programmatic goals for the year. For those of you who relish the details, . . .
Animals in a New Light

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is the high holiday for Christians. We are told in the Gospels that he was born to a virgin mother and that he received gifts from three wise men. Also according to the accounts, Jesus was placed in . . .
Effective Philanthropy

There are a staggering 1.5 million charities in the United States. There are, perhaps, about 12,000 charities devoted to helping animals, most of them local groups performing animal sheltering or rescue work. Of all charitable giving in the United States, animals attract less than 1 . . .
Why Your Actions Matter

With so much misery that animals endure, it is sometimes difficult to see and to celebrate the change that is occurring. Yet the indicators of that change are all around us. And with every advance, we demonstrate the possibility of additional progress. We are finally . . .
Fighting Puppy Mills Full-Force

At The Humane Society of the United States, we are concentrating resources on some of the core problems that our nation confronts on animal protection—including factory farming, animal fighting, the fur trade, inhumane hunting practices, the exotic animal trade, and pet overpopulation and puppy mills. . . .
Talk Back: Puppy Pleas
Readers responded with a slew of comments to our investigation of Pets of Bel Air, which exposed the store’s deceitful tactics and reinforced the connection between pet stores and puppy mills. Among the commentary: The puppy mill/inhumane breeder issue is out there for all to . . .
Compass Charts A New Course

The movement to ban battery cages had its single biggest moment yesterday as Compass Group—the world’s largest food service provider, which services hospitals, corporations, universities, even the U.S. House of Representatives and Microsoft—announced that it would in time sell eggs only from cage-free sources. In . . .
Critical Reforms Move Forward

Congress has been in gridlock most of the year, with the Republicans and Democrats quarreling over the Iraq war, judicial nominations, spending bills, and just about everything else. But one issue that they can often agree upon is animal welfare. On Friday, the Senate approved . . .
You Asked: Puppy Protection

Today I would like to respond to a question from reader Linda Jordan, who is concerned about pet store puppy sales. Q. The HSUS does a great job! I would love to see a day when pet stores would be no longer allowed to sell . . .
Talk Back: Consequences
Michael Vick’s Dec. 10 sentencing produced a mixed reaction from readers. Among the comments we received: I’ll be the first to admit that I wanted Michael Vick to serve the maximum of 5 years. I also wish he could’ve been charged for each dog like . . .
Empty Excuses
Companies and people who are not doing right by animals resort to rationalizations to live with themselves and to convince the public that their conduct is socially acceptable. Every target of The Humane Society of the United States has a shtick—whether they are dogfighters, cockfighters, . . .