An editorial in yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch called on Ohio lawmakers to crack down on the trade in dangerous exotic pets, referencing not only the problems in their own backyard but also the problems 1,000 miles away—as Burmese pythons, Nile monitor lizards, and other imported species interfere with Florida’s ecosystems.
Every month that goes by, we see more heinous and illegal killing of federally protected migratory birds. In February, two red-tailed hawks were gunned down in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. In March, a golden eagle was tortured in central Utah and the bird’s tail feathers were ripped out.
I hope you’ll have the opportunity to join HSLF this Sunday, May 2, at one of the many Party Animals events held around the country, rallying in support of H.R. 1326, the Great Ape Protection Act, to phase out invasive research on chimpanzees and retire the remaining federally owned chimps to sanctuaries. We’ll be speaking to animal advocates on a nationwide conference call, and will be joined by Rep.
If you didn’t get to attend The HSUS’ 24th annual Genesis Awards in Beverly Hills, you can watch it this weekend in the comfort of your own living room. The one-hour special will air on Animal Planet this Saturday, April 24, at noon ET/PT, and Sunday, April 25, at 1:00pm ET/PT.
The big news this week was the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a federal law barring the commercial sale of videos depicting extreme animal cruelty. The measure—originally introduced by Rep.
Since California’s overwhelming passage of Proposition 2 in 2008 underscored the clear sentiment of voters that all animals deserve humane treatment, including animals raised for food, state lawmakers in Sacramento have advanced a number of policy reforms to stop cruelty and abuse.
Congress is expected to recess this weekend, and lawmakers will be back in their districts for the next two weeks. It’s a good time to take stock of where animal protection issues stand in the 111th Congress and which bills are primed for action over the remaining few months.
Shark populations have been severely depleted worldwide, with declines of 99 percent in some areas due to ocean pollution, overfishing, and high demand for their fins. Proposals to restrict the trade in three species of hammerhead sharks are among the wildlife protection measures now being considered by 175 member nations at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which began last weekend in Qatar.
Whether an animal welfare law will be effective often turns on whether it gets adequately funded. And seeking that funding is vital, especially when there are strong competing budget pressures as there are now. Our fortunes are intertwined with those of animals, and proper enforcement not only helps these creatures but also helps to improve food safety, public health, disaster preparedness, and other social concerns.
Seven states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, and Oregon—have passed laws to phase out some of the most extreme types of confinement on industrial factory farms, where animals are basically immobilized in small crates and cages for their entire lives. The largest pork and veal producers in the country have pledged to phase out crates and move toward group housing of calves and breeding pigs.
