Press Release

Federal lawmaker takes in puppy saved from grim future

WASHINGTON (March 30, 2011) —The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund commend Representative Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., for adopting a rescued puppy he has named “Sebastian.” The HSUS and Columbia Second Chance recently rescued Sebastian’s mother and littermates from a Missouri puppy mill after the facility shut down. The mother dog and her four young puppies were all found neglected and riddled with parasites and lice. Two of Sebastian’s littermates were so weak that they unfortunately passed away shortly after their rescue. The HSUS was able to make a match by showing Rep. Grimm a photo of tiny Sebastian after hearing of the congressman’s desire to adopt a puppy. Sebastian will meet Rep. Grimm for the first time on March 30thin his office. Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO, will be on hand to deliver Sebastian to his Congressional adopter.

“Rep. Grimm is setting a terrific example by taking in a puppy in need of a loving home,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. “Missouri, the puppy mill capital of the U.S., just passed stronger standards for the care of dogs by citizen initiative, encouraging some overwhelmed puppy mills to surrender dogs to the care of rescue groups. Sebastian’s story is a striking example of how the passage of strong animal protection laws is life-changing for individual animals. We’re proud of Rep. Grimm for making this compassionate choice.”

In addition to rescuing a dog in need of a home, Rep. Grimm is also leading federal policy efforts to protect dogs on Capitol Hill. On the first day of the 112th Congress, he introduced the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act (H.R. 198) to establish a program that allows veterans to address post-traumatic stress disorder through therapeutic dog training. The trained dogs are then given to physically disabled veterans to help them with their daily activities. His years as a Marine serving in Operation Desert Storm inspired Rep. Grimm’s concern for wounded veterans, but his compassion for animals drove him to add language encouraging the use of shelter dogs for the program. Rep. Grimm also is a cosponsor of the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act (H.R. 835), also known as the PUPS Act, a bill which would crack down on puppy mill abuses.

“I want to lead by example. That’s something I’ve always tried to do throughout my career in the Marine Corps, in the FBI, and as a Member of Congress,” said Rep. Grimm. “As a dog-lover who fully supports improving animal welfare, I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than by adopting a rescue dog. I thank The Humane Society of the United States for all their help in making this possible and I look forward to giving Sebastian a great new home.”

The PUPS Act, which is sponsored by Reps. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa., Sam Farr, D-Calif., Bill Young, R-Fla., and Lois Capps, D-Calif., will upgrade the federal law that covers abusive puppy mills in the United States. Puppy mills are large-scale, commercial breeding operations where dogs are commonly housed in overcrowded, filthy, and inhumane conditions. The legislation will close a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that currently allows these large, commercial breeders who sell puppies online or directly to the public to escape federal licensing and regulation, leveling the playing field for all high-volume commercial dog breeders.

The bill would also require that dogs used for breeding puppies for commercial sale be provided an opportunity for daily exercise outside their cages. Breeding dogs in puppy mills are typically forced to live their entire lives in small cages with no opportunity for exercise, little or no socialization and minimal human interaction.

Facilities that sell dogs wholesale through pet stores are already required to be licensed and inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act. However, puppy mills that sell directly to the public are exempt from any federal oversight whatsoever. Unregulated Internet sellers and other direct sales facilities sell hundreds of thousands of puppies a year to unsuspecting consumers. Due to improper care by these mills, these puppies are often sick, leaving outraged consumers with frail, sometimes dying puppies, high vet bills and broken hearts. Meanwhile, the breeding dogs at these facilities often spend their entire lives in constant confinement, suffering, and deprivation.

The legislation will require the following changes to the AWA:

• All dog breeders who sell more than 50 puppies per year directly to the public will be federally licensed and inspected.
• Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise outside of their cages for 60 minutes a day.
• The bill will not affect small-scale or hobby breeders who sell fewer than 50 dogs per year directly to the public.

Media contact: Jordan Crump, (301) 548-7793, jcrump@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Congressmen Elton Gallegly and Jim Moran take top awards; 144 other Members of Congress Recognized

(March 30, 2011) —The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, and its affiliate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, have announced the recipients of the congressional Humane Awards for 2010.

Top honors as 2010 Humane Legislators of the Year will go to:

• Congressman Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., for his leadership on a bill enacted in December 2010 to ban the creation and distribution of obscene animal torture ("crush") videos, as well as introduction of a bill to require federal agencies to buy pork, egg, and veal products only from those who raise animals without intensive confinement; and
• Congressman James Moran, D-Va., for his leadership on a bill also enacted in December 2010 to require accurate labeling of fur apparel regardless of dollar value, along with his work as Chairman of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee to protect wild horses and to allow the EPA to collect greenhouse gas emissions data from the largest factory farms, and his assistance on the crush video legislation.

Reps. Gallegly and Moran are co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, working to organize animal advocates in Congress to become a more powerful political force. They both have longstanding records as animal protection champions, including Rep. Gallegly’s winning enactment of animal fighting legislation in 2007 and the original crush video bill in 1999, Rep. Moran’s strong voice opposing horse slaughter and commercial trapping on National Wildlife Refuges, and the two jointly introducing legislation in 2003 to end bear baiting on federal lands.

“We commend Congressmen Gallegly and Moran for their tremendous skill, compassion and tenacity in advancing key animal protection laws,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. “They have been in the forefront of so many of the most pressing issues affecting animals, and we are enormously grateful for their extraordinary work.”

Every year, the Humane Society Legislative Fund compiles a federal Humane Scorecard to provide a snapshot of animal protection issues considered by the U.S. Congress and give animal advocates a tool to assess the performance of their Senators and Representatives. The scorecard tracks key votes as well as co-sponsorship of important pro-animal bills and support for adequate funding needed to enforce key animal welfare laws. For 2010, in addition to the top awards for Reps. Gallegly and Moran:

• Humane Champion awards will go to 20 legislators who took the lead on animal welfare legislation and also received a perfect score on the 2010 Humane Scorecard.
• Legislative Leader awards will go to 99 legislators for their leadership as prime sponsors of pro-animal legislation.
• Humane Advocate awards will go to 25 legislators who received a perfect score on the 2010 Humane Scorecard.

In total, 146 legislators – more than one-third of the Senate and one-quarter of the House (representing 38 states and two U. S. territories) – will receive awards for their work in 2010. To see the complete list of 2010 awardees, please click here.

“Time and again, we see animal protection issues bringing Members of Congress together and bridging partisan divides,” said HSLF President Michael Markarian. “We thank these leaders for their compassion and determination to ensure that our animal welfare laws reflect our basic values and attitudes shared by people across the country.”

Previous recipients of the Humane Legislator of the Year Award include Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., in 2009, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., in 2008, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., in 2007, Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., in 2006, and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., in 2005.

Media contact: Martin Montorfano, (301) 258-3152, mmontorfano@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Legislation would close loophole in current law exempting Internet puppy sales from all federal oversight

WASHINGTON (March 1, 2011) — The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund commend federal lawmakers for reintroducing legislation that will allow oversight of abusive puppy mills in the United States. Puppy mills are large-scale, commercial breeding operations where dogs are commonly housed in overcrowded, filthy, and inhumane conditions. The legislation will close a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that currently allows large, commercial breeders who sell puppies online or directly to the public to escape licensing and regulation.

H.R. 835 — known as the PUPS Act, for "Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act "— is sponsored by Reps. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa., Sam Farr, D-Calif., Bill Young, R-Fla., and Lois Capps, D-Calif.

The bill would also require that dogs used for breeding be provided daily exercise. Breeding dogs in puppy mills are typically forced to live their entire lives in small cages with no opportunity for exercise, little or no socialization and minimal human interactio.

"Dogs shouldn't be treated like a cash crop," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "The federal law regarding the care of dogs at commercial dog-breeding operations is grossly overdue for reform, and this legislation will correct some of the worst gaps and deficiencies in current law."

Facilities that breed dogs for commercial resale through pet stores are required to be licensed and inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act. However, puppy mills that sell directly to the public are exempt from any federal oversight whatsoever. Unregulated Internet sellers and other direct sales facilities sell thousands of puppies a year to unsuspecting consumers. Due to improper care by these breeders, these puppies are often sick, leaving outraged consumers with frail, sometimes dying puppies, high vet bills and broken hearts. Meanwhile, the breeding dogs at these facilities often spend their entire lives in constant confinement, suffering, and deprivation.

In 2010, the USDA Office of Inspector General released a report criticizing the department’s history of lax oversight of dog dealers under the Animal Welfare Act. The OIG reviewed inspections and enforcement actions taken against dealers from 2006 to 2008 and found that USDA inspectors failed to cite or properly document inhumane treatment and brought little to no enforcement actions against violators. This audit mirrors what The HSUS has been reporting for years, that USDA has historically allowed dog dealers to violate the law without fear of any kind of aggressive enforcement actions.

Last year, USDA announced that the administration was going to take a tougher stance on repeat offenders of the law by conducting more inspections and imposing higher fines. As recommended by the OIG, the agency has conveyed to Congress the need to bring producers selling directly to the public under the AWA and close what the agency acknowledged is "a massive loophole."

"I look forward to working with my colleagues and The Humane Society of the United States on this bill to make sure pet owners and dogs are protected in all states,” said Congressman Jim Gerlach. “This bill would not hinder the operation of reputable and responsible breeders. It is aimed at protecting dogs and making individuals motivated by profit rather than the fair and humane treatment of dogs accountable.”

"Dog breeders have taken advantage of this Internet loophole to increase their profits at the expense of the health of thousands of dogs," said Congressman Sam Farr. "The result of breeders' ability to bypass regulations has led to widespread abuses of dogs that are crammed into small cages with no exercise or social contact. We have a responsibility to close this loophole, because it is simply unconscionable to allow this abuse to continue."

The legislation will close the loophole in the AWA that allows thousands of commercial breeders to go unregulated. It will require the following changes to the AWA:

• All dog breeders who sell more than 50 puppies per year directly to the public will be federally licensed and inspected.
• Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise for 60 minutes a day.
• The bill will not affect small breeders and hobby breeders who sell fewer than 50 dogs per year directly to the public, but is crafted to cover only large commercial breeding facilities.

Media contact: Katie Jarl, (301) 258-1483, kjarl@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

HSLF Praises President Obama for Signing Bill to Increase Protection for Sharks

WASHINGTON (Jan. 5, 2011) — The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and the Humane Society Legislative Fund applaud President Barack Obama for signing an important bipartisan bill that will increase protection for sharks from the cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning – cutting the fins off a shark and tossing the mutilated live animal back into the ocean to die.

The Shark Conservation Act – introduced by Reps. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, Eni Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. – requires that sharks be landed with their fins still naturally attached, the only sure way to enforce a ban on finning. H.R. 81 will strengthen the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000 that has been difficult to enforce, closing a loophole in that law that unintentionally allowed vessels to transport fins obtained illegally as long as the sharks were not finned aboard that vessel. Many fisheries target sharks for their valuable fins, which are sold for shark fin soup.

“Cutting off sharks’ fins and tossing their live bodies back into the sea is terribly cruel. It’s also a major factor in the severe decline of sharks worldwide and the associated devastating impact on other species in the ocean ecosystem,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. “Up to 73 million sharks are killed this way each year, just for shark fin soup. The Shark Conservation Act will make the U.S. ban on shark finning more enforceable and strengthen our hand in international negotiations. We thank President Obama for taking this important step forward in conservation and animal protection.”

Along with praising President Obama and the legislation’s prime sponsors, the groups extend their thanks to Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Ranking Republican Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, whose leadership on the Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation were instrumental in guiding the bill to Senate passage. The groups also thank House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and Subcommittee Ranking Member Henry Brown, R-S.C., who worked with Subcommittee Chairwoman Bordallo to bring the bill forward in the House, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who helped ensure timely approval of this legislation before Congress adjourned, and other Senate cosponsors of the bill including Sen. David Vitter, R-La.

In July 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration instituted regulations requiring that sharks be landed with their fins attached, but these regulations applied only to U.S. fisheries in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, not the Pacific. The Shark Conservation Act will bring the Pacific fisheries into line with the rest of the country’s fins-attached policy, and strengthen the U.S. position in international shark conservation efforts.

Facts:

• H.R. 81, introduced by Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, had the bipartisan support of 30 cosponsors and passed the House by voice vote with an amendment offered by Rep. Eni Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa, on March 2, 2009.
• S. 850, introduced by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., had the bipartisan support of 33 cosponsors.
• H.R. 81, with Senate amendments, passed the Senate by unanimous consent on December 20, 2010, and the House by voice vote on December 21, 2010, and was signed into law on January 4, 2011.
• Up to 73 million sharks are killed each year in targeted fisheries and as bycatch. Shark finning is a major cause of massive declines in shark populations around the world, since retaining only the fins allows fishing operations to kill many more sharks at a time (filling their onboard freezers with just the fins while dumping the bodies overboard).
• When sharks’ fins are cut off and their live bodies are thrown back into the water, the animals suffer a gruesome end, bleeding to death, suffocating because they can’t swim, or being eaten by other sharks.
• As top predators, sharks play an important role in maintaining ecosystem balance. The killing of large numbers of sharks already appears to be affecting other marine species and commercial fisheries. When shark stocks are depleted, their natural prey proliferate and can have a devastating impact on the species they feed on – for example, fewer sharks mean more skates and rays, who in turn have taken a large bite out of scallop and other shellfish populations.
• A national fins-attached policy will provide for improved conservation and management of steeply declining shark populations. It is often impossible to identify a shark species solely by looking at its fins, so landing sharks with fins attached is crucial for tracking which species are caught.
• The Senate amendments include an exemption for smooth dogfish sharks, which are typically caught along the East Coast primarily for their meat. The exemption will put the onus on that fishery to ensure that no fins from any other species are included in smooth dogfish landings.

Media contact: Jordan Crump, (301) 548-7793, jcrump@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.