Talk Back: Polar Bear Peril
Several readers responded to the blog about polar bears and the dangers of a melting habitat and trophy hunters. Among the comments we received: Polar bears are facing enough problems from global warming and loss of habitat. Hunting them will just hasten their extinction. They . . .
Amazon Arguments Don’t Fly

The First Amendment protects speech. It does not protect criminal conduct. So you have to wonder why on earth Amazon.com, the retail giant, insists on trafficking in criminal materials in the name of “free speech.” © The HSUS Yesterday, the Humane Society amended its complaint . . .
Changing the World for Animals
I am obsessed with results. If you invest in a company, you expect to get a dividend or some other form of return. When you invest in an animal organization, like The HSUS, you should get a tangible result, too. In our case, it’s a . . .
Talk Back: Honoring Gretchen Wyler
Last week, The Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times paid homage to Gretchen Wyler, a Broadway actress turned animal advocate. In reaction to her passing, we also heard from readers: For 40 years, Gretchen’s intelligence and dedication released countless animals . . .
Struggle to Spare Horses

If you are one of our many online advocates who have taken action on horse slaughter, you will receive an email from me sometime today providing the latest news about our battle to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption. (If you have not . . .
“Monster Pig” Shows Horror of Canned Hunts

Last week, an 11-year-old boy from Alabama killed a hog reported to weigh 1,051 pounds. The boy, Jamison Stone, is finishing the sixth grade this year. He shot the pig eight times with a .50 caliber revolver, according to the boy’s account. Accompanied by his . . .
Talk Back: Love the Logo
The virtual applause has been streaming in since our new logo was unveiled. Below is a collection of reader praise for the illustration: I love the new logo. Well thought out, inspiring and meaningful. I also like the positive spin of the organization with protecting . . .
B Dealers a Class of their Own

In 1976, more than 210,000 dogs were used in animal research according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is charged with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (I blogged about the AWA yesterday). In 2005, the number reported by the USDA was under 67,000—about a . . .
Of Mice and Men

Earlier this year, the Congress amended the Animal Welfare Act to strengthen a section of law dealing with dogfighting, cockfighting and other forms of staged animal fighting. With these amendments, the law now bans any interstate or foreign commerce in fighting animals or cockfighting implements, . . .
Talk Back: Taking Issue with Ted
In the world of humane-minded advocates, there are reasons to agree and reasons to disagree. Here is one example—a few readers have expressed disappointment over the inclusion of Ted Williams in my blogroll. Julianne French writes: Wow, what a shock to see The HSUS endorse . . .
Fate of Whales Decided This Week

I really like to stay on the offense at The HSUS. I want to press ahead with new campaigns that keep our opponents on the defense—whether on horse slaughter, cockfighting, factory farming, canned hunts, puppy mills or the like—so that the industries responsible for these . . .
Remembering a Star for Animals

I arrived back from an overseas trip yesterday, and upon landing learned the news that my dear friend Gretchen Wyler had died. At The HSUS, we had known for some time that Gretchen was failing from the effects of metastatic breast cancer. We held to . . .