By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
The mistreatment of animals is a matter of injustice, and so it’s only fitting that the U.S. Department of Justice stepped in to stop cruelty at Even Keel Exotics in Temperance, Michigan.
The DOJ’s recent resolution of a complaint against the facility’s owner, animal dealer Zachery Keeler, resulted in his surrender of nearly 150 animals and the revocation of his Animal Welfare Act license to buy, sell or trade animals regulated under the Act.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
This summer, the Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) released the 2023 Maryland Humane Scorecard. The scorecard grades legislators in the Maryland State House based on how they voted on key animal protection initiatives introduced during the 2023 session.
Modeled after our longtime federal Humane Scorecard, the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s state scorecards hold state legislators accountable to a range of humane interests—and have become increasingly influential with those who value the well-being of animals. As we work together to advance the animal protection agenda in your state, we need to first know where your lawmakers stand on the issues.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
The hurt and harm of animal testing can extend beyond what happens in laboratories, as a new scandal concerning one major animal testing company’s acquisition of monkeys shows.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
There’s new hope for ending the painful practice of horse soring: a long-awaited new administrative rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one that’s badly needed and long overdue.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Last week, Ohioans showed up at the polls to defend a core tenet of democracy that is vitally important to the animal protection movement: the ballot measure. On Issue 1—the proposal to raise the threshold for amending the Constitution of the State of Ohio from 50% to a 60% supermajority—the no vote prevailed by a 57% to 43% margin, with more than three million votes cast.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
After Hurricane Irma struck in 2017, we responded to the British Virgin Islands where the storm had caused terrible devastation. Many people were forced to evacuate the island, but it was difficult to find transport for their animals. So, after providing the dogs required veterinary care, we flew these dogs, as well as unowned dogs, to the U.S. where they could be reunited with their owners or placed for adoption in cases where reunification wasn’t possible.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Enzo was just a tiny puppy when he was lifted into a carrier and placed in one of our animal rescue vehicles last July. He was being taken away from Envigo’s massive dog breeding facility in Virginia where he was born. Until that moment, he was likely destined for a life in an animal testing laboratory. Instead, Enzo was spared from that life, one that would have been rife with fear, loneliness and pain—and today he is enjoying all the things that every dog deserves: running in the grass, lounging on the sofa and playing with friends.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Responsibility for animals’ welfare rests with us all, including the federal government. Our work spans a range of federal agencies, all of which can do something to support the prevention of animal cruelty and suffering. A whole-of-government approach is consistent with the growth of our movement and its influence, and it’s something that will enable us to confront animal cruelty more effectively in the future.
