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News and Current Events
This section features articles from the press on a variety of legal issues relating to animals, including major legislative initiatives, court decisions and general items of interest from both national and international news sources. The articles are summarized and a link is provided to the source of the story for more complete information.
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Last updated 2/13/14
EC to consider additional laws on animal welfare
Global Meat, February 13, 2014
European Commission officials are already considering whether to propose additional livestock welfare laws or guidelines, over and above the Commission's May 2013 proposals for an animal welfare regulation that is now being considered by the European Parliament.
Denmark zoo considers putting down SECOND giraffe despite outrage over Marius
The Express, February 13, 2014
On Sunday 18-month-old Marius was shot in the head with a bolt gun in front of a crowd, many of which were children, at Copenhagen Zoo and then feed to lions. The animal was killed as it was unsuitable for breeding and now the country's Jyllands Park Zoo is considering killing a seven-year-old giraffe also called Marius.
W.Va. House considers Wild Animals Act
The Inner Mountain, February 12, 2014
The West Virginia House Natural Resource Committee has approved a bill prohibiting ownership of dangerous wild animals after ensuring it allows for snake handling religions.
Arizona Legislature creates tougher penalties in animal abuse cases
Verde Independent, February 12, 2014
A House panel agreed Tuesday to stiffen penalties for those who abuse pets -- but only after carving out what essentially amounts to special treatment -- and looser regulations -- for farmers and ranchers.
SD lawmakers look to make animal cruelty a felony
San Francisco Gate, February 11, 2014
A measure that would make animal cruelty a felony in South Dakota is getting its first hearing in the state legislature.
Idaho dairy industry touts bill to punish camera-toting animal activists; bill clears Senate panel
The Republic, February 11, 2014
Milk producers convinced Idaho state senators Tuesday to back a bill aiming to halt spying on their operations, a measure prompted by animal activists who captured cruelty at a southern Idaho dairy on film in July 2012.
Missouri's eggs in a lopsided fight against California law
The Missourian, February 10, 2014
Chris Koster, Missouri's attorney general and the Democratic Party's presumptive gubernatorial nominee in 2016, has sued the state of California in the interests of Missouri's egg industry. This is surely a wise move politically. The ethical considerations are a little dicier.
Cockfighting ring busted in Queens and Brooklyn
DNA info, February 10, 2014
About 3,000 birds were seized and nine people were arrested in a massive cockfighting ring complete with high-stakes bets in a Woodhaven arena that reached $10,000 each fight, according to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Iowa animal abusers could face harsher penalties
KMIT.com, February 9, 2014
State lawmakers in Iowa are working to crack down and increase punishments for animal abusers. Legislation is in the works in the Iowa House of Representatives to enforce harsher penalties for those who participate in animal cruelty.
Danish zoo kills healthy giraffe, feeds it to lions
CBS News, February 9, 2014
Saying it needed to prevent inbreeding, the Copenhagen Zoo killed a 2-year-old giraffe and fed its remains to lions as visitors watched, ignoring a petition signed by thousands and offers from other zoos and a private individual to save the animal.
Oklahoma politicians hope to outlaw gas chamber in animal euthanization
The Oklahoman, February 8, 2014
Two state legislators are co-authoring bills to abolish the use of carbon monoxide to euthanize animals in Oklahoma. Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Brian Renegar, D-McAlester, coincidentally introduced similar bills recently and agreed to serve as co-authors on each others' bills.
Animal census bill passes Alabama House, moves on to Senate
Times Daily, February 8, 2014
A House bill would require animal shelters in Alabama to keep and make public, each month, information about the number of animals they take in, adopt out and destroy.
UPDATE: Animal Cruelty Law
WJTV, February 7, 2014
Last week, in a special report, we told you about a bill that would strengthen Mississippi's animal cruelty law. It's a law that is currently the second worst in the nation. This week, the bill died in committee. Many of you turned to us looking for answers.
Michigan woman charged with animal cruelty for care of horses for the 4th time
WXYZ, February 7, 2014
Cohoctah Township, Michigan - Several horse rescue groups say they're tired of repeatedly having to rescue animals from the same woman's home. Now that they have been called to her house again, they are hoping she doesn't get them back.
Petition aims to ban puppy mill pet sales in Chicago
Ecorazzi, February 6, 2014
Puppy mills might have their days counted as Chicago joins the list of U.S. cities trying to ban the sale of animals raised by professional breeders.
Missoula Independent, February 6, 2014
In 2012, a Jefferson City dog breeder was convicted of 91 counts of animal cruelty after a law enforcement search of his property discovered malnourished malamutes crammed into feces-ridden kennels.
NYC Overrides Bloomberg's Veto, Creates Animal Abuse Registry
Ecorazzi, February 5, 2014
New York City took a huge step towards protecting animals this Tuesday by approving a city-wide registry for animal abusers.
48 percent fewer healthy pets being euthanized at Los Angeles animal shelters
Los Angeles Daily News, February 5, 2014
The killing of healthy dogs and cats at Los Angeles animal shelters has been cut nearly in half, thanks to efforts by animal-welfare advocates to help save them, officials announced Tuesday.
Palm Beach County, Florida changes Animal Control policy to try to reduce cat, dog euthanasia
Palm Beach Post, February 4, 2014
Palm Beach County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a policy change designed to eliminate the need to kill thousands of unwanted cats and dogs over the next decade.
Legislature trying again to unlabel "inherently dangerous" pit bulls
The Fredrick News Post, February 4, 2014
Two years have passed since an unfortunate ruling by the Maryland Court of Appeals designating pit bulls as "inherently dangerous" sent tremors through the community of pit-bull owners.
Sochi 2014: Stray dog cull sparks controversy
Toronto Star, February 3, 2014
The local chapter of the World Society for the Protection of Animals has joined animal rights and citizens' groups around the world in calling for an end to mass killings of stray dogs in Sochi, orchestrated by officials intent on "cleaning" up the city for the Olympics.
China ushers in New Year by pitting horses against each other
Hindustan Times, February 3, 2014
Hooves clash in mid-air, a stallion bites his opponent while delighted spectators cheer wildly – in southern China some ushered in the Year of the Horse by watching the animals fight.
MSU professor: Detroit must deal with thousands of stray animals
UPI.com, February 2, 2014
A Michigan State University researcher has estimated that 7,500 stray dogs and 18,000 cats are roaming the city of Detroit. MSU political science professor Laura Reese completed the research after receiving 75 responses from non-profit animal welfare agencies in the city, the Detroit News reported.
Judge rules seized animals can be adopted, euthanized
Leader Telegram, February 2, 2014
Animals being held at the Eau Claire County Humane Association as evidence in an animal cruelty case can be adopted or euthanized, a judge ruled Friday.
Laws attempt to make documenting animal cruelty at farms illegal
Digital Journal, February 1, 2014
For more than a decade, Mercy for Animals has investigated animal cruelty in meat production facilities. Proposed laws seek to make obtaining footage critical to the investigations illegal, and in some cases the laws would classify it as eco-terrorism.
Use of drugs in animal feed remains high
Digital Journal, February 1, 2014
A new analysis of U.S. government studies on animal feed uncovers a concerning and widespread use of antibiotics. Some of the antibiotics pose risks to human health.
Rules would limit new pet stores to sell only rescue animals
The Courant, January 31, 2014
A panel examining the sale of dogs and cats in Connecticut is proposing that new pet shops only be allowed to sell rescue animals. But the 11-member legislative task force is backing an exemption that would allow existing business to continue selling pets procured from breeders. The recommendation, announced Friday, could be used to craft legislation during the 2014 session of the General Assembly, which begins Wednesday.
Animal welfare advocates back ownership ban
Grand Island Independent, January 31, 2014
Animal welfare advocates spoke Friday in support of a Nebraska measure that would prohibit people convicted of neglecting an animal from owning any for up to five years.
India to end household product tests on animals
The Times of India, January 30, 2014
India is on the path to become only the second country after Israel to ban animal testing for household products.
Animal 'personhood': Muddled alternative to real protection
Environment 360, January 30, 2014
A new strategy of granting animals "personhood" under the law is being advanced by some in academia and the animal rights movement. But this approach fails to address the fundamental truth that all species have an equal right to their own existence.
Ape escape: the argument to keep chimpanzees out of cages
The Verge, January 29, 2014
Steven Wise has been waiting more than 30 years to give chimpanzees their day in court.
ALDF lawsuit against California animal testing facility gains support
Indybay.org, January 29, 2014
In January 2013, Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) filed a lawsuit, using the California state anti-cruelty code against an animal testing facility known as Santa Cruz Biotechnology that "harvests" blood from tens of thousands of animals.
Report: FDA allowed harmful antibiotics in farm animals
Wisconsin Gazette, January 28, 2014
The Food and Drug Administration allowed 30 potentially harmful antibiotics, including 18 rated as "high risk," to remain on the market as additives in farm animal feed and water, according to records obtained by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
São Paulo goes cruelty-free
Global Animal, January 28, 2014
São Paulo, Brazil passed a new law ending the use of animals in cosmetic testing within the state. The bill was approved in December by the Legislative Assembly, and last week the governor of São Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin, signed the bill into law.
DNR says wolf hunt targeted problem animals
Daily Tribune, January 27, 2014
Most of the wolves killed during the recent hunt in Michigan's Upper Peninsula probably belonged to packs that have caused problems for people, which partially fulfilled a primary objective of the season even though fewer animals were shot than expected, state wildlife biologists say.
Wild animal owners wait on court decision
The Press, January 27, 2014
Tending to his animal refuge in Stony Ridge keeps Ken Hetrick busy as he and other owners of wild animals await a court decision that will impact their menageries.
Where did all the exotic animals go?
Port Clinton News Herald, January 26, 2014
There has been an exodus of exotic animals out of Ohio in the past year, but no one can say with certainty how many of these potentially dangerous animals remain.
Wells man settles with USDA over animal violations
Mankato Free Press, January 26, 2014
A Wells man has settled a complaint brought against him by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act, resulting in the revocation of his federal animal dealer license.
Family animals surrendered on exotic pet amnesty day
NBC News, January 25, 2014
Pets are like family for many, but on Saturday, some chose to say goodbye to their animals. "I've had my snake for nine years, I'm going to miss her, but it's peace of mind knowing she's going to be taken care of," pet owner Albert Gonzalez said.
Alberta's wild horse "cull" angers animal advocates
thestar.com, January 25, 2014
They galloped along hillsides freely during the days of the wild west, but an Alberta program allowing the trapping of "feral" horses has animal protection groups kicking up a storm.
Animal rights group gets dog that killed 1-year-old boy; Nevada city ends court fight
Star Tribune, January 24, 2014
A legal battle over a dog that killed a Nevada toddler has ended with authorities turning over the mastiff-Rhodesian mix to an animal rights group, officials said.
Chicago Animal Control sued for withholding records
ALDF, January 24, 2014
Today, the national nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) for failure to produce crucial public records regarding the safety and well-being of hundreds of cats and dogs held at the shelter.
EC takes Italy to court over animal testing
ANSA.IT, January 23, 2014
The European Commission on Thursday took Italy to the European Court of Justice for not complying with a 2010 directive on animal testing.
Woman charged with animal cruelty after leaving alligator at O'Hare
Chicago Sun Times, January 22, 2014
A west suburban woman has been charged with reckless conduct and cruelty to animals for abandoning an alligator at O'Hare International Airport in November, police said Wednesday.
Government bans animal-tested cosmetics
Times of India, January 22, 2014
MUMBAI: Conceding to concerns raised by animal welfare organizations, the government banned the use of animals in testing of cosmetic products in the country.
Japanese fishermen kill at least 30 dolphins in controversial Taiji cove hunt
NBC News, January 21, 2014
TAIJI, Japan—Japanese fishermen drove a large group of dolphins into the shallows on Tuesday and, hiding from reporters and TV cameras behind a tarpaulin, killed at least 30 as the annual dolphin hunt that sparked protest in the West entered its final stages.
Kentucky debates use of "service monkeys" for disabled residents
RT.com, January 21, 2014
A Kentucky lawmaker is preparing to introduce a bill that would allow paralyzed residents to use service monkeys to assist with daily tasks at home.
Galloping to ban NYC horse-drawn carriages
AM New York, January 20, 2014
With so many urgent issues facing the city, why did Mayor Bill de Blasio make getting rid of New York's iconic horse-drawn carriages his first priority?
Investigation into muzzled husky, kitten shows "history of abuse"
CBC News, January 20, 2014
The preliminary investigation into the deaths of a husky and a kitten found muzzled and dead in a Calgary alley has revealed the animals had a history of traumatic physical injuries, according to the Calgary Humane Society.
New York Senator hears suggestions on animal protection laws
Epoch Times, January 19, 2014
At a public forum for animal rights advocates in New York on Friday, New York Senator Tony Avella needed little convincing that much is still needed to be done to protect animals from human cruelty.
Antibiotics in animals: In food safety, a noteworthy policy consensus
San Jose Mercury News, January 19, 2014
It's always a surprise -- and therefore newsworthy -- when opposing groups in Washington, D.C., find common ground and a policy moves forward at the national level.
Bipartisan "Dusty's Law" gains N.J. Senate approval to protect service animals
The Examiner, January 18, 2014
Assembly Republican Whip Scott Rumana's legislation known as "Dusty's Law" was approved in the New Jersey Senate on Thursday. The bill, A-4105, will establish criminal penalties for anyone interfering, killing, or maiming any service animal.
35 animals seized from squalid N. Texas property
San Francisco Chronicle, January 18, 2014
Shelly Meeks, assistant HSNT shelter manager, visits with one of the Great Danes on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. The dog was seized this week from a puppy mill in Parker County, Texas.
Animal advocates plan ballot initiative for no-kill rule in Colorado
The Gazette, January 17, 2014
DENVER - A group of animal advocates are proposing a ballot initiative for this fall that would prohibit shelters from euthanizing animals unless they were sick, suffering or dangerous.
Laws differ regarding emotional support animals
Gazettenet.com, January 17, 2014
A steady increase in the number of people who rely on emotional support animals adds to the confusion about service dogs and their place in public.
Lawmaker proposes animal abuse registry
Herald Review, January 16, 2014
People convicted of animal cruelty someday could find themselves on a list similar to one set up for convicted sex offenders. State Rep. Toni Berrios, D-Chicago, has introduced legislation creating a new registry designed to keep offenders away from animals.
Dead horses stir up burial issue
Des Moines Register, January 16, 2014
Tipton pet cemetery owner Steve Johnson gives about 35 horses each year the dignified burial their owners desperately want, his attorney says. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the expired horses are "solid waste" and has fined Johnson's Pet Memories $10,000 for not sending the animals to a landfill.
Jambbas Ranch license suspended
Fay Observer, January 15, 2014
Following numerous complaints from PETA and a lawsuit filed by PETA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), and local residents, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license of longtime animal abuser Jambbas Ranch Tours, Inc.
Lawmakers turn blind eye to animal cruelty at factory farms
All Voices, January 15, 2014
Every day, helpless animals at factory farms are abused and tortured. They are kicked, stabbed in the eyes, drugged, and confined in such cruel conditions, their bones crumble to the point where they can no longer support their own unnaturally bloated weight.
Owner of Colorado dog sled business charged with animal cruelty
CNN, January 14, 2014
The front page of the website for Krabloonik, a dog sled operation near Aspen, Colorado, shows healthy, happy-looking dogs pulling a sled through snow.
Tyson's new animal welfare policies: PR hogwash?
Global Animal, January 14, 2014
Tyson Foods recently announced it's making significant animal welfare improvements, including phasing out one of the cruelest factory farming practices in existence.
"Dusty's Law" protecting service animals a step from reality in NJ
Cliff View Pilot, January 13, 2014
A long-awaited bill that would establish criminal penalties for killing, maiming or interfering with a service dog came closer to becoming "Dusty's Law" following final approval by the state Senate yesterday.
Victory for animal advocates: horse slaughter will not return to U.S. in 2014
The Examiner, January 13, 2014
Horses and their people will have much to celebrate during the year of the horse. On Monday, Jan. 13, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) announced that horse slaughter will not return to the United States in 2014.
Who are the animals in animal experiments?
Huff Post, January 12, 2014
I once attended a neuroscience conference featuring a talk about spinal cord injury. The presenter showed a brief video clip that haunts me still to this day.
Animal conflicts and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Mediate.com, January 12, 2014
During our series, esteemed leaders in law and dispute resolution Ms. Debra Hamilton of New York and Mr. Gary Norman of Maryland will discuss applying traditional as well as virtual Alternative Dispute Resolution tools in resolution of conflicts among people involving their animals.
Japanese whaling ship close to Australian waters, activists claim
The Guardian, January 11, 2014
A Japanese whaling ship has stopped just outside Australian waters, according to seafaring activists who said they were being chased by the vessel.
Italy to tighten animal testing laws
Aljazeera, January 11, 2014
Italy's parliament is preparing to ratify new legislation that will introduce stricter controls on animal testing and ban the breeding of animals for the purpose of testing.
Habitual animal offender lands in jail for contempt, owes city $35,291
News Sentinel, January 10, 2014
This week Hattie Moore was in court twice; now she is in the Allen County Jail. Since 2007 Moore has been in court for 17 different incidents on charges from Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control.
Debate over Dallas Safari Club auctioning black rhino hunting permit
CNN, January 10, 2014
The Dallas Safari Club auctioned off a black rhino hunting permit in Namibia for $350,000, according to the club's public relations firm.
Death of Vanderbilt research piglet upsets animal rights activists
The Tennessean, January 9, 2014
The 2012 death of a piglet being used in a pediatric research project at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has reignited scrutiny of the Nashville health institution by animal rights activists.
Editorial: Animal wrongs
The Gainesville Sun, January 9, 2014
If the University of Florida learns any lesson from its ongoing fight with animal-rights activists, it should be that ignoring them won't make questions about animal research go away.
PG tips chimps: The last of the tea-advertising apes
BBC News, January 8, 2014
The PG Tips chimps were loved by the public and helped make the tea brand one of the UK's most popular. But while the nation laughed, were the animals' lives being damaged?
Animal lovers want ban on horse-drawn carriages in Salt Lake City
KUTV.com, January 8, 2014
It was a packed house Wednesday night at the Salt Lake City Council meeting – the first of the New Year. Most of the people in attendance were there to tell the council that a ban on horse-drawn carriages is in order.
NYPD takes over after ASPCA closes enforcement unit
Officer.com, January 7, 2014
For all its 147 years, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been more than an advocacy group; it has served as the primary law enforcement agency for animal abuse and neglect in New York City.
State officials will ask South Dakota Legislature to approve compromise animal cruelty measure
The Republic, January 7, 2014
State officials will ask the South Dakota Legislature to approve an animal cruelty measure intended to satisfy animal welfare organizations and livestock producers.
2013 ranking of state animal protection laws released
HSUS, January 6, 2014
In the fifth annual "Humane State Ranking" report released by The Humane Society of the United States, California held onto first place while South Dakota has the weakest animal protection laws in the nation.
Animal abuse registries proposed in Pa., elsewhere
The Mercury, January 6, 2014
In Pennsylvania, the legislation, House Bill 265, would require convicted animal abusers to register with the county sheriff once a year for 15 years.
Colorado could be the first no-kill state
Examiner, January 5, 2014
Two attorneys from AnimalsVote.org have submitted a ballot proposal called the Colorado No-Kill Pet Animal Act, which could essentially make Colorado a no-kill state – the first in the nation.
State pays scofflaws for dogs killed by wolves while hunting other animals
The Cap Times, January 5, 2014
Wisconsin, the only state with a program that compensates the owners of dogs killed by wolves while hunting other animals, has paid tens of thousands of dollars during the past decade to individuals who have violated state hunting or firearms laws.
Congressmen question costs, mission of Wildlife Services agency
The Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2014
The USDA will investigate U.S. Wildlife Services after accusations of reckless predator control, abuse of animals and failure to account for costs.
Reporting of animal abuse is key
Imperial Valley Press, January 4, 2014
Animal control officials say it is critical for the public to assist authorities in stopping and preventing animal abuse through awareness and acting.
After lioness escapes from Tampa sanctuary, group wants exotic animals ban
Florida Today.com, January 3, 2014
On Friday morning, a seven-year-old lioness named Savannah escaped from its enclosure at the Survival Outreach Sanctuary. It dug under the fence of its cage and slipped onto the open grounds of the facility.
Hunter drones shot down by Illinois law
International Business Times, January 3, 2014
A new Illinois law has banned the use of drones to interfere with hunting and fishing activities, but the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group isn't feeling particularly grounded.
Illinois prepares for possibility of wolf population
NewsMax, January 2, 2013
The wolf was believed to be a lone male expelled by a pack in Wisconsin. The hunter who shot him in northwestern Illinois, allegedly keeping his skull as a trophy, was the first person in the state ever prosecuted for shooting a wolf under federal endangered species laws.
APHIS seeks comments on carcass management options
Feedstuffs, January 2, 2013
Animal Plant Health Inspection Service's Veterinary Services has reopened the comment period for a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to examine the potential environmental effects of animal carcass management options used throughout the United States.
UF faces complaint by group over treatment of research animals
The Gainesville Sun, January 1, 2013
An animal rights group critical of the University of Florida's treatment of lab research animals has filed a federal complaint alleging a "culture of negligence" toward its lab animals.
Profit from animal cruelty nothing more than "blood money"
Missoulian, January 1, 2013
These are dark days for animals. Rather than advancing toward a higher state of compassion and justice for other animal species, our humanity is in retreat. Witness competitive derbies where coyotes are killed for prizes.
China Strengthens Non-Animal Testing Stance on Cosmetics
One Green Planet, December 31, 2013
In November, it was announced that China would phase out mandatory animal testing on domestically produced cosmetic products. Now, China has strengthened their stance on the issue by putting a date on the new policy and getting it in writing.
Lost hooves, dead cattle before Merck halted Zilmax sales
GMA News, December 31, 2013
The U.S. beef industry's dependence on the muscle-building drug Zilmax began unraveling here, on a sweltering summer day, in the dusty cattle pens outside a Tyson Foods Inc. slaughterhouse in southeastern Washington State.
Ohio Prepares For New Exotic Animal Regulations
10TV, December 30, 2013
Exotic animal owners in Ohio have until Tuesday night to register their animals or face penalties that could include jail time. It's all part of a new Ohio law keeping tabs on potentially dangerous animals.
Antioch City in California looks at tougher animal control rules
Contra Costa Times, December 30, 2013
A revised ordinance, set to be formally approved early this month, keeps much of Antioch's criteria in place for licensing and care for animals; clarifies the penalties for violations and the appeals process; and expands the list of unlawful acts.
New law in North Carolina hopes to improve pet adoption rates
Mtairynews.com, December 29, 2013
The law, known innocuously as an effort to "recodify (the) animal shelter law," will "amend the existing law enacted to assist owners in recovering lost pets, relieve overcrowding at animal shelters, facilitate adoptions from animal shelters and to provide for improved enforcement of that law by making it part of the Animal Welfare Act…"
Virginia Bills target animal abusers, meth cleanup
Godanriver.com, December 29, 2013
State Sen. Bill Stanley, R-20th District, has pre-filed bills for the upcoming General Assembly session that would create a registry for animal abusers and make methamphetamine manufacturers responsible for cleaning up buildings used to make the drug.
Long Island animal shelter worker appears in court in dog dumping case
CBS New York, December 28, 2013
Bond has been set at $500 for a kennel attendant at a Long Island animal shelter who was accused of throwing a dog in a commercial dumpster.
One photographer's mission to change the way we look at animals
Salon, December 28, 2013
Most people don't see animals the way Jo-Anne McArthur does. Be they lab rats, meat for the slaughter or wild animals trained to perform tricks for an audience, they are, in her eyes, victims of our "common disregard for non-human animals."
U.S. Rep. John Dingell: Save the legislation that saves endangered animals
The Detroit Free Press, December 27, 2013
On Saturday, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This important law enacted some of the first comprehensive guidelines to protect animals from extinction, in an effort to protect the rich heritage found in creatures that roam our planet and the ecosystems they depend on to live.
Animal cruelty case has cost Connecticut town more than $32K
The Register Citizen, December 27, 2013
Where are Frederick Acker's dogs? And who's paying to house, feed and care for them? Those are some of the questions that linger while a Litchfield Superior Court judge decides whether to convict Acker, an animal activist who runs the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Connecticut, on any or all 63 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty brought against him last November following a raid at his Bethlehem animal rescue.
Extra levy urged for antibiotics used for animals in Canada
Calgary Herald, December 26, 2013
Farmers who feed antibiotics to their livestock and crops are undermining human health, according to researchers who propose charging new fees to discourage use of these medicines in agriculture.
Tighter welfare checks on livestock at EU slaughterhouses proposed
The Pig Site, December 26, 2013
Slaughterhouse staff could be forced to carry out more checks of livestock to ensure the animals are not conscious after stunning, according to new scientific studies carried out for the European Food Safety Authority
Feeding wildlife could bite you in wallet
Albuquerque Journal, December 25, 2013
Much of New Mexico has been in drought off and on for more than a decade, and significant relief in the near future is unlikely.
Friends of Animals sues agencies over snowy owls
Darien News, December 25, 2013
A Darien-based animal advocacy group, Friends of Animals, filed suit Monday against several federal agencies over the recently halted practice of shooting snowy owls near the runways of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Conservationists ask court to block competitive wolf hunt
Thompson Reuters, December 24, 2013
Conservation groups asked a federal judge on Monday to block an Idaho hunting competition targeting wolves and coyotes that is supported by many ranchers and sportsmen but that wildlife advocates have opposed as a "killing contest."
UN General Assembly proclaims 3 March as World Wildlife Day
UN News Centre, December 24, 2013
The United Nations is highlighting the intrinsic values and contributions of wild animals and plants, particularly endangered and protected species, by devoting 3 of March as "World Wildlife Day."
6 crimes against nature in factory farming
Op Ed News, December 23, 2013
If you are not aware of the horrors of factory farming, then you are not paying attention. Treating animals like heads of lettuce--"forget it's an animal" says one farmer magazine--has created institutionalized ruthlessness toward animals, workers and the environment at the same time it harms humans who eat the products.
Gap in the hot seat over horrifying animal rights video
San Francisco Bay Guardian, December 23, 2013
An investigation conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has revealed flat-out cruelty in the practice of harvesting angora fur. Now PETA is targeting Gap, a San Francisco-based clothing retailer, with a call for it to ban the sale of angora products altogether.
Protesters demand end to killer-whale shows at SeaWorld
Orlando Sentinel, December 22, 2013.
Several dozen animal-rights activists gathered outside the gates of SeaWorld on Sunday to demand that the theme park put an end to its trademark killer-whale shows.
Horrific toll on helpless creatures: 28,000 animals each year are killed by the UK Ministry of Defence
Mirror, December 22, 2013
Thousands of animals die in agony during secret Ministry of Defence tests which expose them to explosives and poisons, the Sunday People can reveal.
UCLA sued by rights group for not disclosing animal testing information
LAist, December 21, 2013
An animal rights group is suing UCLA to force the university to divulge information regarding animal testing.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN), an Ohio-based animal rights group, filed the lawsuit on Wednesday. The language in the lawsuit is explicit, with SAEN claiming that UCLA "turned monkeys into methamphetamine addicts."
Nevada state senator wants animal cruelty registry
ABC 7 News, December 21, 2013
Nevada state senator said he plans to pursue legislation creating a registry of people convicted of intentional animal cruelty to prevent them from owning pets.
New York community demands stricter animal protection laws
The Times, December 20, 2013
The panel comprised of Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica, a local veterinarian and local law enforcement representatives watch on at the Protect Our Pets forum Wednesday night as a member of the Human Society of the United States shows photos of animal abuse cases at Mohawk Valley Community College.
Sen. Hill aims to stop use of antibiotics on farm animals
Los Altos Patch, December 20, 2013
State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, announced Tuesday he will introduce legislation strengthening recently released federal guidelines to phase out the non-medical use of antibiotics in farm animals in California.
Harvard fined $24,000 for its care of monkeys
Boston Globe, December 19, 2013
Federal regulators have fined Harvard Medical School $24,036 for repeated animal welfare violations in its care of monkeys used in research, an unusual penalty for an academic institution.
LAPD makes rescuing animals a priority
The Herald Tribune, December 19, 2013
Los Angeles Police Department officers go beyond the call of duty to help save the lives of animals in need.
Ban in place: 2013 a big year for animal testing
Cosmetics Design, December 18, 2013
It has been a busy twelve months for the cosmetics industry, and in Europe it was a big year concerning animal testing, so Cosmetics Design takes a look at some of the developments.
EU Commission renews bid to ban food from cloned animals
World Bulletin, December 18, 2013
The European Commission on Wednesday again proposed a ban on food and products from cloned animals, two years after failing to block their use.
The nation's best & worst animal defenders
Global Animal, December 17, 2013
Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) released its 8th annual year-end report ranking State Animal Cruelty Laws. The research includes over 4,000 pages of statistics on animal welfare from all across the nation.
Are animal rights 'human' rights?
Huffington Post, December 17, 2013
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted 65 years ago last week. Might some of its provisions one day be extended to animals or at least "higher" animals like chimpanzees?
New horsemeat scare emerges as police learn animals used in lab experiments were illegally sold for consumption
National Post, December 16, 2013
Meat from dozens of horses that were used by a French pharmaceutical firm to develop serums against rabies and other diseases is believed to have reached the food chain in France and perhaps Britain.
Phoenix vote could ban animals from 'puppy mills'
Ktar.com, December 16, 2013
Phoenix could soon follow the lead of Los Angeles and San Diego by restricting sales at pet stores.
What is personhood?
Boston Herald, December 15, 2013
YEARS AGO at Christmastime, our kids outsmarted us by coming home from school with a petition signed by numerous classmates supporting their long-deflected request for a dog. What could we do? A little Schnauzer, Sophie, joined our family, and won a place in all our hearts.
Group targets UH with animal abuse complaint
Houston Chronicle, December 15, 2013
An animal rights group filed a federal complaint against the University of Houston on Friday regarding the treatment of research animals.
Why is the FDA curbing antibiotic use in animals?
CBS This Morning, December 14, 2013
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and CBS News contributor Dr. Holly Phillips joined "CBS This Morning: Saturday" to discuss the major medical stories of the week.
Brown County investigating alleged animal abuse caught on video at dairy farm
Sawyer County Record, December 14, 2013
The Brown County Sheriff's Department is looking into allegations of animal abuse at a dairy farm after an undercover video (related link below story: warning, graphic content) was released showing workers kicking fallen cows and dragging them with tractors.
Don't support animal abuse? This mobile app helps you find 'cruelty-free' places to eat
Venture Beat, December 13, 2013
Many of us unknowingly support animal cruelty every day by eating factory raised meat.
South Buffalo woman in "puppy flipping" case barred from selling animals
Buffalo News, December 13, 2013
A 34-year-old South Buffalo woman who acquired dozens of puppies from Craigslist and then posed as their breeder to resell them – although some were far too young, sickly or infested with parasites – appears to be the first local case of a growing national problem known as "puppy flipping."
Activists target law aimed at livestock filming
ABC 10 News, December 12, 2013
Animal-welfare activists are saying Utah legislators enacted a law to prevent filming of agricultural operations to silence them. They say the misdemeanor offense is unconstitutional because it singles them out for punishment.
Judges deny chimpanzees "personhood"
The Herald Tribune, December 12, 2013
Three lawsuits filed last week that attempted to achieve "legal personhood" for four chimpanzees living in New York have been struck down.
FDA to curb antibiotic use in animals; urges pharmaceutical and food industries to collaborate
Medical Daily, December 11, 2013
Eat up, because your days of extra-large meat portions may soon be coming to an end. Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) begins implementation of a new plan intended to phase out the use of antibiotics for food and production purposes.
Tyson is watching you
Agriculture.com, December 11, 2013
Cattle producers in Iowa were told by Tyson that to supply that company the cattle feeder would have to submit to a third party audit of practices. Tyson says consumer groups are insisting on it.
DiGiorno dumps dairy farm after NBC shows company video of alleged abuse
NBC News, December 10, 2013
The nation's largest frozen pizza company says it will no longer accept milk from a Wisconsin dairy farm after NBC News showed the company undercover video shot by an animal rights group of workers on the farm kicking, beating and stabbing cows and dragging the animals with ropes.
An ape's day in court: Legal maneuver highlights animal rights
Staten Island Advance, December 10, 2013
If the U.S. Supreme Court can regard corporations as people, why shouldn't similar status be extended to apes? That seemed to be the claim of an animal-rights group when it went to court last week to arrange protective custody for a chimpanzee being held in a shed at a used-trailer lot in upstate New York.
Ban on killing cats, dogs for meat may become law in Pa.
Newsworks, December 9, 2013
Legislation now before the Pennsylvania Senate would make it illegal to slaughter dogs and cats for human consumption. Currently, private consumption of domestic animals is legal in Pennsylvania as long as the animal is humanely slaughtered.
Animals rights is focus of Ghosts in Our Machine
Huffington Post, December 9, 2013
The Ghosts in Our Machine is a powerful new feature documentary about animal rights, made accessible through the photos and personal journey of well-known international photographer Jo-Anne McArthur.
No more shark fin soup at CCP banquets
The Diplomat, December 8, 2013.
Communist Party officials in China will have to forego shark fin and bird's nest soup at official banquets, following a new directive from the Central Committee and State Council governing bodies.
New report reveals many zoo animals are "genetic disasters"
International Business Times, December 8, 2013
A study by conservation geneticist Dr. Paul O'Donoghue at the Aspinall Foundation found that the pedigrees of many zoo animals have become contaminated by hybridization with different but related species.
Las Vegas animal abuse registry rejected by D.A.
Las Vegas Sun, December 7, 2013
The proposed Las Vegas Animal Abuse Registry was rejected by the D.A.'s office on December 3rd, 2013. The registry has previously been considered on the state level but was then turned down with one of the reasons being lack of funding.
State has right to protect animals, people
Tulsa World, December 7, 2013
Oklahoma is facing a threat in Washington, D.C., that could strip our ability to regulate our agricultural products within our borders.
Saturday's letters: Don't kill animals during training
The Star Tribune, December 6, 2013
Florida Voices for Animals, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about animal cruelty issues, is disappointed to learn that a Florida National Guard medical company has been shooting, stabbing, dismembering and disemboweling live pigs and goats in a study funded by a Defense Department grant to the University of South Florida's Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation.
Animal testing is on its way out, study says
Salon, December 6, 2013
Last summer, the National Institutes of Health announced that it is phasing out experiments on chimpanzees. All but 50 of its 451 chimps will go to sanctuaries, and it won't breed the remainder.
Albuquerque Animal Clinic is First in U.S. to Accept Bitcoin
Albuquerque Business First, December 5, 2013
Vetco, a veterinary clinic in Albuquerque, is the first business of its kind in the U.S. to accepting bitcoin for its services. The clinic began using the virtual currency this week.
New York Lawsuit Seeks "Legal Personhood" for Chimpanzees
Reuters, December 3, 2013
A U.S. animal rights group on Monday filed what it said is the first lawsuit seeking to establish the "legal personhood" of chimpanzees. The non-profit Nonhuman Rights Project asked a New York state court to declare a 26-year-old chimp named Tommy "a cognitively complex autonomous legal person with the fundamental legal right not to be imprisoned."
USDA Fines Athens, Georgia Lab $26,000 for Animal Welfare Violations
Athens Banner-Herald, December 4, 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited TRS Labs 10 times between March 2012 and March 2013 for failure to provide adequate veterinary care and primary enclosures.
Farmers and Animals Have a New Ally in the Fight Against Factory Farms
Take Part, December 3, 2013
If you want to get to the bottom of tough farming issues like pollution, animal welfare, and legislation, ask an actual farmer. That philosophy is at the heart of the Humane Society of the United States' new strategy to help farmers who raise chickens, pigs, cattle, and other animals to transition out of intensive animal confinement operations, also known as factory farming.
UNR Sued Over Circus Animal Dispute, First Amendment
KRNV-DT Reno, December 4, 2013
Lawyers for the University of Nevada, Reno say they'll produce the security videotape animal rights activists claim will prove their First Amendment rights were violated when they were threatened with arrest while trying to photograph alleged mistreatment of circus elephants.
State-of-the-art animal care facility planned at JFK airport
The Horse, November 27, 2013.
By early 2015, horses and other animals will enjoy a new $32 million state-of-the-art facility at New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport.
South African sleddog group go to court
IOL News, November 27, 2013
Johannesburg - In a time of Nkandlas and Krejcirs and e-tolls, an unlikely battle was set to play out in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday afternoon between the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) and the SA Federation of Sleddog Sports (SAFSS).
James City, Virginia passes ordinance to regulate hybrid canines
The Virginia Gazette, November 26, 2013
A new ordinance regulating ownership of hybrid canines was passed Tuesday night by the county Board of Supervisors. It's effective immediately.
India must move on reforming animal welfare in research
SciDev.Net, November 26, 2013.
India has made history in developing policy frameworks to safeguard wild as well as laboratory animals used in education, research and risk assessment — many countries, including developed ones, have no such safeguards.
Student to transfer after animal abuse allegations at GRU
Aiken Standard, November 25, 2013
In the wake of an undercover investigation that revealed alleged animal cruelty at the Georgia Regents University dental school, an Aiken County resident has decided she will no longer study there and is taking action to make others aware of the issue.
Hollywood covers up plague of animal abuse, regulators
Breitbart.com, November 25, 2013
According to an in-depth and potentially game-changing expose' in The Hollywood Reporter, the credit you see at the end of movies and television shows that reassures with "No Animals Were Harmed," is nothing close to reliable.
New bill imposes harsher punishments on animal abusers
News 16, November 24, 2013
EUGENE, Ore. - A new bill goes into effect this week that will impose harsher punishments for animal abusers in Oregon. The bill increases punishment for animal neglect on several levels, a move local animal lovers hope will spur people into providing better care for their pets.
Animal rights activist who uncovered 'severe abuse' is cited for animal cruelty
The Daily Mail, November 24, 2013
An animal rights activist who worked undercover at a Colorado cattle company and filmed the 'severe abuse' of newborn calves has been cited for animal cruelty.
New animal cruelty task force established in Ohio
The Morning Journal, November 23, 2013
A new animal cruelty task force in Ohio is intended to help overburdened humane societies respond to calls of animal neglect and abuse.
Tyson foods drops pig farm over video of alleged animal abuse
The Stamford Advocate, November 22, 2013
Tyson Foods has dropped its contract with an Oklahoma hog farm after an animal rights group said it videotaped alleged abuse at the farm.
The list of states that ban exotic animals as pets could grow soon
Care2.com, November 22, 2013
A 2011 tragedy in Zanesville, Ohio, that resulted in 49 escaped exotic animals being killed by law enforcement officials after they were set free by their owner, brought problems with exotic animal ownership into the national spotlight. That unfortunate incident was only one of many involving escapes and deaths.
United Airlines refuses to pay veterinarian bill without NDA
NBC Bay Area, November 21, 2013
A pet owner says that her dog almost died in United Airlines' care during a cross-country move, and afterward, the airline refused to pay her veterinary bill unless she agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Responsible governments must stop animal testing
Daily Trojan, November 21, 2013
On Nov. 5, the China Food and Drug Administration issued a statement proposing that "non-special use" cosmetics will no longer allow animal testing, to go into effect June of next year. It's a small step, but one that speaks to a larger global movement of animal rights awareness.
Fish and Wildlife Service Declines to list Gunnison's Prairie Dog
Telluride Daily Planet, November 20, 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has declined to list the Gunnison's prairie dog, a hyper-social, ground-dwelling rodent that lives in underground burrows in the Four Corners region, as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Tyson Foods Dumps Pig Farm after NBC Shows Company Video of Alleged Abuse
NBC News Investigations, November 20, 2013
The nation's largest meat producer says it has terminated its contract with an Oklahoma farm after NBC News showed the company undercover video of workers on the farm kicking, hitting and throwing pigs and slamming piglets into the ground.
Former Animal Planet Host to Plead Guilty to Illegally Selling Exotic Lizards
L.A. Times, November 19, 2013
A former Animal Planet reptile expert is expected to plead guilty Tuesday to a federal charge that he illegally sold two endangered Iranian desert monitor lizards.
EC Bans Animal Use During Election Canvassing in Jaipur, India
Times of India, November 19, 2013
The election commission (EC) [of Jaipur, India] has banned the use of animals in election canvassing by political parties and the candidates. The move came after animal rights groups complained of candidates toiling animals like elephants, donkeys and horses while taking out rallies and processions.
Scientists Accidentally Kill World's Oldest Animal at Age 507
USA Today, November 15, 2013
The oldest animal ever known lived from 1499 until the day researchers cracked its shell open, killing it in the process.
UW Approves New Animal-Research Facility
Seattle Times, November 15, 2013
Amid calls by protesters for an end to animal research at the University of Washington, the Board of Regents agreed that the university needs to expand, not cut back, biomedical studies.
China moving to end some cosmetics testing on animals
The New York Times, November 14, 2013
"YES!" wrote Hou Xiaomu, an animal lover, on Weibo, about the news that China's food and drug authorities are moving toward ending the testing of cosmetics on animals.
Snyder urged to cancel wolf hunt
ABC 10 News, November 14, 2013
Michigan native Iggy Pop, a music legend and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has endorsed the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign to stop the planned wolf hunt set to start Friday.
ALDF eyes national animal abuser registry
The Horse, November 13, 2013
Horse rescue operations could soon have the option of consulting a nationwide animal abuser registry before adopting animals out, according to a representative of the California-based animal advocacy group Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF).
Edinburgh at top of animal experiment league
The Times, November 13, 2013
UK universities killed more than 1.3 million animals last year because they were being used in academic research, with Edinburgh University responsible for the most deaths, according to figures released yesterday.
Conditions improving at "Crosby Puppy Massacre"
ABC 13 News, November 12, 2013
Steps are being taken to reduce the number of animals dumped in what's been dubbed the 'Crosby Puppy Massacre.'
Mitzna: Israel's Agriculture Ministry lax on animal abuse
Jerusalem Post, November 12, 2013
The Agriculture Ministry is negligent in combating animal abuse, Knesset Education, Culture and Sport Committee chairman Amram Mitzna said Tuesday during a meeting on the issue.
Dealing in the misery of animals
The Maitland Mercury, November 11, 2013
Puppy farms in the Hunter, Australia are earning at least $250,000 a year tax free, according to the Society of Companion Animal Rescuers research. A typical farm has 130 breeding bitches that provide cash-in-hand sales throughout the year and most breeders are not declaring the income, SoCares vice-president David Atwell said.
Circus barred from bringing animals to Glendale; camel escape lingers
LA Times, November 10, 2013
There will be no animals at the Ramos Bros. Circus set to return to Glendale this week. City officials requested that the zebras, horses and other four-legged performers, except dogs and cats, be kept out of the show, in part because a camel escaped last November.
Peter Singer Advocates for Animal Rights
The Crimson, November 10, 2013
Moral philosopher and Princeton professor Peter Singer described what he called a "momentous revolution in thinking" regarding animal welfare during a talk in the Ames Courtroom at the Harvard Law School on Friday.
Wildcat sanctuary worker was alone in cage during cougar attack
CBS Atlanta, November 9, 2013
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has released the name of the woman who was fatally attacked by a cougar at a no-kill animal sanctuary. The Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Renee Radziwon, age 36, of Portland.
Millville commission renews feral cat colony ordinance
NJ.com, November 9, 2013
Registered cat colonies will continue in the city, after a renewal of the ordinance passed Monday with some caveats by the commissioners. The ordinance was first established in February 2012 as a humane way to control the growing population of feral cats throughout the city.
Jury convicts Minnesota breeder of animal cruelty
The Star Tribune, November 8, 2013
A Northfield dog breeder Friday was found guilty of animal cruelty in a case that involved the drowning of dogs and puppies.
Organic sellout: USDA guts organic rules to protect mega-farms
San Jose Mercury News, November 8, 2013
When most Americans think about organic meat or eggs, they picture animals on small farms, allowed to root in the soil, feel sun on their backs, and engage in their species-specific desires. What they don't picture is tens of thousands of hens crammed into massive sheds with no access to soil and extremely limited outdoor access.
Changing attitudes to animal testing
Neo Kosmos, November 7, 2013
Gone are the days that testing on animals was the fashion industry norm. Countless brands are making the conscious effort to cut ties with companies testing products on animals or using inhumane methods to collect fur.
National org aims for changes in animal testing at WVU
The DA online, November 7, 2013
West Virginia University is among hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States using animal testing to study the effects of diseases on humans.
Brazil lab which used dogs for drug testing shuts down
Google News, November 6, 2013
A Sao Paulo state laboratory, which was recently invaded by animal rights activists to free 200 dogs used for drug testing, shut down Wednesday, ending 10 years of research.
Pennsylvania animal-law pioneer remembered for both her passion and her compassion
Penn Live, November 6, 2013
A lot of people have different memories of Patti Bednarik. That's probably because she touched many lives in very different ways. She was a prominent attorney. An animal-law-reform pioneer. Someone with great compassion for everyone she met. A kid at heart.
CNN documentary exposes truth about SeaWorld's animal captivity practices
The Daily Cougar, November 5, 2013
CNN aired a documentary Oct. 24 called "Blackfish," directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. The film described the conditions in which orcas, commonly known as killer whales, live in at theme parks around the world, such as SeaWorld.
Kosher slaughterhouse's sales slump following animal cruelty expose
Haaretz, November 5, 2013
Rivals, supermarkets report that Soglowek Foods has suffered up to a 30 percent drop in meat sales after Channel 10 showed chickens being ill-treated at its factory.
Unbelievable cruelty: LIVE animals kept inside keyrings in China street trade
Daily Star, November 4, 2013
The seller is seen with a string of the so-called lucky charms that he sells to tourists for less than a pound.
Tiny turtles, lizards and fish are kept alive in the bags by crystallyzed oxygen and nutrients, which are claimed to last for two months.
Horse slaughterhouses could resume operations this week
Consumerist, November 4, 2013
After a federal judge gave the okay late last week for horse slaughter to start up again in the United States, slaughterhouses could resume operations as soon as well, right now. A U.S. District judge based in Albuquerque dismissed a lawsuit brought by animal welfare groups that didn't want horse slaughter to be legal in this country and also denied a permanent injunction that would've kept a company from reopening its slaughterhouse.
Dead horse, filthy animals in cruelty case
KRQE 13, November 3, 2013
An anonymous tip led the New Mexico Livestock Board to a disturbing cruelty case involving dozens of starving, filthy, even dead animals on a property in San Miguel County.
Malta government publishes draft bill banning animal circuses
The Malta Independent, November 3, 2013
Several hundreds of people who have been protesting against animal circuses will be breathing a tentative sigh of relief on Friday, with the government having published draft regulations to ban animals from circuses.
Wild science: Breakthroughs in animal health care may hold treatments for humans
NBC News, November 2, 2013
While human doctors and veterinarians are usually thought to keep to their own corners of the animal kingdom, more are seeing the same maladies in their patients – from breast cancers to addictions to eating disorders – causing the two disciplines to increasingly team up to crack medical mysteries.
Horsemeat lawsuit tossed out: Horsemeat coming to a dinner table near you soon?
The Examiner, November 2, 2013
A horsemeat lawsuit, which would have stopped the killing and slaughter of horses for human consumption, has been thrown out of court.
A Conversation with Simone Reyes on rescuing disabled companion animals
National Geographic, November 1, 2013
This month, while working on my black cat book, I've been reminded of "Homer" the blind black cat. If you recall, "Homer" was the inspiration behind the New York Times Best Selling book Homer's Odyssey. October is a rough month for black cats, in part because of cat lore and their historic association with witchcraft and Halloween.
Animals are unpredictable too
Science Alert, November 1, 2013
A Deakin University study has found for the first time that, just like humans, unpredictability is also a consistent behavioral trait in the animal world.
Third successful citizens' petition in EU calls for end to animal testing
Euractiv.com, October 31, 2013
A European Citizens' Initiative urging the European Commission to draft legislation against medical experimentation on animals reached the threshold of one million signatures, making it the third citizens' petition to meet the 1 November filing deadline.
Animal abuse revealed at kosher Israeli slaughterhouse
Haaretz, October 31, 2013
A severe pattern of animal abuse at the Soglowek Foods chicken slaughtering plant was exposed Tuesday evening on the Channel 10 investigative and consumer affairs program Kolbotek.
Humane Groups to Florida Lawmakers: Pass Greyhound Protection Law
Santa Rosa Gazette, October 30, 2013
A coalition of 16 animal protection organizations, led by GREY2K USA, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Humane Society of the United States, sent a letter to the Florida House and Senate Gaming Committees calling for passage of two greyhound protection measures.
What does it take to be a CAFO?
Agri View, October 30, 2013
CAFO is an acronym originally used by state and national government agencies. The term was subsequently adopted by media and the general population and is now rather loosely used to define any large livestock farm, says Michigan State University Extension educator Gerald May.
L'Oreal launches ambitious green plan, but stumbles on animal testing regulations
The New Zealand Herald, October 29, 2013
Global beauty juggernaut L'Oreal has unveiled an ambitious sustainability plan for the next 16 years, but ongoing animal testing issues have taken the burnish off the achievement.
Suspect in "Puppy Doe" case to be charged with animal abuse
NBC Connecticut, October 29, 2013
Police have made an arrest in connection with a brutal animal abuse case that has gained national attention. New Britain police said Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, of Poland, has been charged as a fugitive from justice.
Animal rights group alleges cruelty at Pipestone hog farm
Star Tribune, October 28, 2013
An animal rights group Tuesday is slated to release an undercover video it says depicts cruelty at a Pipestone hog farm, including slamming piglets to death on the floor.
Justice Department Obtains $167,500 in Discrimination Settlement with Reno, Nev., Apartment Complex
Department of Justice, October 27, 2013
The Justice Department announced today that the U.S. District Court of Nevada has approved a settlement in which the owners and operators of Rosewood Park Apartments, a 902 unit apartment complex in Reno, Nev., will pay $167,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging discrimination against persons with disabilities who use assistance animals.
Maryland bear hunt closes at 94 animals killed
Stardem.com, October 26, 2013
Maryland has closed its 2013 black bear hunting season with hunters reporting 94 bears killed in the western part of the state.
Ontario welcomes new rules to protect animals
TheStar.com, October 26, 2013
In what's being called a new era for animal protection in Ontario, Queen's Park is setting up a 911-style animal abuse hotline, new standards of care, and special inspections of zoos and aquariums.
FDA bids to regulate animal food, acting after a recall and deaths
The New York Times, October 25, 2013
The Food and Drug Administration proposed rules on Friday that would govern the production of pet food and farm animal feed for the first time.
AT LAST! Ban on ALL wild animals in UK circuses is passed
Express, October 24, 2013
There were fears that only big cats and elephants would be banned from travelling circuses after MPs' recommendations early this summer. But now there has been confirmation from Government ministers that a ban on the use of all wild animals in circuses in England will go ahead by the end of 2015.
Letter: Animal abuse must stop
Aspen Times, October 24, 2013
Animal abuse must stop. We are four seventh-grade students from Basalt Middle School.
Buffalo to receive updated animal code
Buffalo Bulletin, October 23, 2013
Buffalo, New York, may soon implement numerous updates and revisions to its animal code that could include stricter regulations regarding cruelty toward animals and penalties for pet owners failing to pick up their pets' feces.
Free at last – Simone Reyes witnesses laboratory dogs' first taste of freedom
Global Grind, October 23, 2013
Last weekend I got to exhale. As an animal rights activist this is no easy feat. We hold our breath a lot, praying and fighting for the best outcome but always prepared for the worst. Such is the life of an activist. However, some days we get a break. Some days, we even get to be present for a miracle.
LA City Council to vote on motion to prohibit use of elephant hooks at circuses
CBS, October 23, 2013
Los Angeles City Council Wednesday will vote on a motion calling for prohibition of elephant hooks.
The ankus or "bull hook" is a tool used by animal trainers at circuses to keep large elephants in line.
Air France defends transport of lab monkeys
Global Post, October 22, 2013
Air France defended its transport of live animals for laboratory testing, saying Tuesday it complies fully with international regulations governing the carriage of such animals.
Fraudulent service animal owners are abusing the system
The Stylus, October 22, 2013
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act's (ADA) website: "Service animals are defined as dogs (and sometimes miniature horses) that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities."
Feeding antibiotics to livestock is bad for humans, but Congress won't stop it
The Washington Post, October 22, 2013
The farm and pharmaceutical lobbies have blocked all meaningful efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics in raising livestock in America, a practice that poses major public health risks, a study released Tuesday found.
Canadian egg industry probing video of inhumane treatment at 2 Alberta farms
CBC News, October 21, 2013
The industry group charged with inspecting Canada's chicken farms says it is investigating a video released by an animal rights organization that shows inhumane conditions at two factory farms in Alberta and that the disturbing scenes in the hidden-camera footage do not reflect common practice in the industry.
No resolution to horse lawsuit
The Cranberry Eagle, October 21, 2013
A mediator failed to resolve a federal lawsuit between five horse owners and the Cabot-based animal rescue group that took possession of their animals, according to court papers.
Animals and the Golden Rule: Do you love your pet?
The Washington Times, October 20, 2013
According to popular evolutionary belief, the world of living things began with animals, not humans. We evolved, became arguably smarter, and then we came to control and unfortunately abuse animals.
The elephants' graveyard in Zimbabwe
DNA India, October 20, 2013
Poachers use cyanide to poison hundreds of animals for their tusks in a devastating new tactic in the illegal ivory trade.
Use humans, not animals, for research into treatments
The Guardian, October 19, 2013
The most successful tests for Parkinson's were pioneered in human trials.
Anti-poaching devices being implanted in all of Kenya's rhinos
Nature World News, October 19, 2013
Wildlife officials in Kenya are implanting microchips into the horn of every rhinoceros in the country in a bid to keep the dwindling population safe from the ever-increasing presence of poachers.
EU Court Stands Firm on Electronic Sheep Tags
Court House News, October 18, 2013
A German sheep herder must comply with EU tagging requirements aimed at protecting the world from foot and mouth disease, Europe's highest court ruled.
Ohio sheriff says animal cruelty should be a felony, current penalties aren't enough
WCPO 9, October 18, 2013
After a string of animal abuse cases in the Tri-State, the Butler County sheriff announced Wednesday he believes animal cruelty charges in Ohio should be a felony.
New plans submitted to breed beagles for scientific testing in UK
The Independent, October 17, 2013
A new breeding centre to supply beagles for animal testing could be set up in the UK, less than two years after a set of similar plans were rejected on the same site.
Target of animal rights protests kicks off animal research ethics forum
University of Wisconsin News, October 17, 2013
Any research that includes animals presents ethical questions, but they are questions Dario Ringach believes we rarely address together.
Editorial: Kansas animal act
Lawrence Journal World, October 16, 2013
This is not a ranking of which Kansas should be proud. According to a recent study by the Humane Society of the United States, Kansas ranks third — behind Missouri and Ohio — for having the highest number of dog breeders cited for egregious, repeated violations of the animal rights law.
Tougher animal ordinance passes in Madison County, IN
Wishtv.com, October 16, 2013
Six months after officials discovered hundreds of dead animals on a Madison County, Indiana farm, commissioners there have toughened animal ordinances.
Just ask the animals: Fishers with GPS sensors show animal movements
Science Daily, October 16, 2013
Many animals are adapting to human encroachment of their natural habitats. Carnivores in particular require territories of sufficient size and so are often forced to move between numerous small habitat patches.
Freeing black bears from bile farming
The Telegraph, October 15, 2013
"It was just like being in a horror film." That's how Jill Robinson describes her first visit to a bear bile farm in 1993.
Stricter animal cruelty laws to be reintroduced to the New York state legislature
The Cap Times, October 15, 2013
After several recent cases of animal abuse, many community members are asking why there aren't stricter animal cruelty laws.
Is Wisconsin too open to hunting with dogs?
The Cap Times, October 15, 2013
Patricia McConnell, an expert on animal behavior, is not against hunting and even raises lamb for food. But the University of Wisconsin-Madison zoologist and author is appalled by what she regards as blatant cruelty to animals sanctioned and abetted by the state.
Rabies is a constant concern in Michigan
UpNorthlive.com, October 14, 2013
Health officials are spreading the word on keeping your animals protected against rabies. So far this year, 35 cases or rabid bats were found in Michigan, including several in counties across northern Michigan.
How animals go from farm to fork in 24 hours
Phys.org, October 14, 2013
The world is eating more meat than ever before. But how much do we really know how the meat on our plate gets there?
Pet health regulations: Don't overburden shelters
Boston Globe, October 13, 2013
New state regulations governing the adoption of cats and dogs are well-intentioned: They seek to protect animals and owners alike by guaranteeing that every pet is in proper health.
Love cats, eat cows?
The Los Angeles Times, October 13, 2013
We Americans like to think of ourselves as animal lovers. But is this claim true? One way to answer this question is to follow the money.
Corporations have personhood. Why not dogs?
Huffington Post, October 12, 2013
For better or worse, corporations are considered to be people in certain ways. So why not dogs?
The little-told story of the massive WWII pet cull
BBC news, October 11, 2013
At the beginning of World War II, a government pamphlet led to a massive cull of British pets. As many as 750,000 British pets were killed in just one week.
Ending China's Requirement for Animal Testing of Cosmetics
Live Science, October 11, 2013
In China, cosmetics are big business. China is the fourth-largest cosmetics market in the world, worth an estimated $22 billion.
Army Major uses MPVM degree to serve animals and people
Davis Patch, October 10, 2013
Rick Tucker was a veterinary student at UC Davis when 9/11 happened. He knew then that he would join the Army at some point in the future.
'Dog cheats': Imposter service animals pose growing problems
Press Telegram, October 10, 2013
It's an easy law to break, and dog cheats do. By strapping a vest or backpack that says "service animal" to their pet, anyone can go in stores and restaurants where other dogs are banned, creating growing problems for the disabled community and business owners and leading to calls for better identifying the real deal.
80 animals rescued from North Carolina puppy mill
Star News Online, October 9, 2013
Nearly 80 animals were discovered in a Pender County puppy mill on N.C. 11 Monday, according to a Humane Society release. The Pender County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant and discovered large- and small-breed dogs and puppies, chickens, three calves, a horse and a goat.
Circus canceled as Chinese stress animal welfare
ABC News, October 9, 2013
A Chinese circus featuring animal performances was canceled after citizens called for a boycott and tipped off authorities, in what activists billed a victory for a growing animal welfare movement.
A new frontier in animal intelligence
Scientific American, October 8, 2013
Evidence that some animals are capable of "mental time travel," suggesting they have a deeper understanding of the world around them
Deadly Ohio dog virus now killing dogs in Michigan
Opposing Views, October 8, 2013
The alarming, deadly virus which was first reported in California earlier this year and then mysteriously appeared in Ohio is now killing dogs in Michigan.
NOTOX: Working towards an animal-testing-free future
Cordis, October 8, 2013
The testing of potentially toxic substances without the need for animals used to be an issue considered of unique interest to the animal rights lobby. Now it is a goal shared by many industry players, policy makers and consumers.
New regulations for animal shelters under consideration
The Boston Globe, October 7, 2013
A proposal to impose a host of new regulations on animal shelters and rescue organizations in Massachusetts has met stiff resistance, with many groups arguing that the restrictions will create more problems than they solve and carry financial burdens that could force some organizations out of business.
Girls crush puppy to death: video
Independent Online, October 7, 2013
The Philippines has approved a law increasing penalties for cruelty to animals, the presidential palace said on Monday amid a social media outcry over a video showing three girls crushing a puppy to death.
Animal Cruelty in the US [GRAPHIC VIDEO]
Las Vegas Guardian, October 6, 2013
Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has a new animal in their care by the name of Joseph. Found by authorities emaciated, dehydrated, and tied to a tree for nearly four years, Joseph was barely clinging to life.
Dog fighting, animal cruelty on the rise in Washington, DC; 4 cases in one week
Opposing Views, October 6, 2013
The nation's capital city, Washington, D.C., has been the site of four horrendous acts of animal cruelty in just one week, says Scott Giacoppo, Vice President of External Affairs for the Washington Humane Society.
Tiger mauls employee at G.W. Exotic Animal Park
HSUS, October 5, 2013
Cynthia Armstrong, Oklahoma state director of The Humane Society of the United States, released the following statement in response to a female employee at the G.W. Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Okla. being mauled by an adult tiger.
The link between animal cruelty and antisocial personality disorders
Inquirer.net, October 5, 2013
This week's viral video had many netizens in an uproar, myself included. The video showed three young women crushing a puppy to death with their feet.
October 4th is World Animal Day
World News Report, October 5, 2013
Rarely do our days transpire without interacting with an animal. As humans, we share this planet not only with animals, but also the habitats where they exist. October 4th marks another annual celebration of World Animal Day, a day where animal life in all its forms is celebrated.
Bridger horse abuser sentenced to 2 years in prison
Billings Gazette, October 4, 2013
Convicted horse abuser Teresa "Terry" Martin was sentenced to serve two years in prison Friday by Carbon County District Court Judge Blair Jones.
Ohio man again faces animal cruelty charges
Marietta Times, October 4, 2013
An Ohio man, who was on probation for animal cruelty convictions, has pleaded not guilty to new charges of animal cruelty and failure to dispose of dead animals after cow carcasses and the bodies of four horses were found on his property.
Lawsuit challenges Pawtucket's ban against pit bulls
Providence Journal, October 3, 2013
A pit bull owner and an animal-defense group have filed a lawsuit in Superior Court that challenges Pawtucket's ban against pit bulls.
Pets need foster homes after school bus hits Illinois animal shelter
WGN news, October 3, 2013
Some animals will have to find a new home after a school bus crashed into a shelter in north suburban Niles.
The bus slammed into the middle of Wright-Way Rescue shelter Wednesday afternoon.
Frozen chickens, escapee piglets: But why don't all animals get our sympathy?
The Globe and Mail, October 2, 2013
Some 1,181 chickens endured a grossly inhumane death, a judge has ruled in one of the 58 court battles against Maple Lodge Farms, Canada's largest independent poultry producer.
Improving the welfare of animals: Researchers develop computer-aided models to replace animal testing
Phys.Org, October 2, 2013
Every year, October 4 is all about the protection of animals. On World Animal Day, animal welfare organizations around the globe advocate the respectful treatment and welfare of animals.
Macon City Council approves mandatory spay/neuter ordinance
The Telegraph, October 1, 2013
Spaying or neutering dogs and cats will be mandatory in Macon, with some specific exceptions, under an ordinance City Council passed 8-5 Tuesday with two members absent.
How the government shutdown affects animals
Politico, October 1, 2013
Campers in national parks are to pull up stakes and leave, some veterans waiting to have disability benefits approved will have to cool their heels even longer, many routine food inspections will be suspended and panda-cams will go dark at the shuttered National Zoo.
Residents: Put gas chamber to sleep
The Wilson Times, October 1, 2013
Anna Stancil says even stray dogs and castoff cats deserve a peaceful death. The organizer of a petition drive to shut down the Wilson County Animal Shelter's gas chamber said euthanasia by carbon monoxide subjects animals to pain and terror in the moments before they die.
Dogonauts and Persian cats: Why send animals into space?
Phys.Org, September 30, 2013
If you believe news reports last week, Iran plans to launch a Persian cat into space in the next six months or so.
Disease outbreak in Europe prompts UAE to monitor livestock imports
The National, September 29, 2013
The UAE is to regulate the import of cattle, sheep and goats from countries with recorded cases of Schmallenberg virus, an emerging livestock disease.
Crime fighting rodents sniff out bad guys
Global Animal, September 29, 2013
The latest species to join forces with the Dutch police department may be an unconventional partnership, but they're being trained to sniff out an impressive variety of odors, including drugs and explosives.
Therapy animals comfort adults, children facing illness or injury
Fox News, September 28, 2013
Four-legged animals are helping to provide children and adults who are sick with a different kind of medicine. The animals are part of a program called Intermountain Therapy Animals, and their goal is to develop a human-animal bond that helps people heal.
UW board questions cost of planned animal-research lab
The Seattle Times, September 28, 2013
Faced at times with regulatory concerns about how it houses its laboratory animals, the University of Washington is working on plans to build an underground facility for its mice, rats and primates.
Owners of exotic animals can soon get Ohio permits
News Leader, September 27, 2013
Keeping bears, tigers, jaguars or other exotic animals in Ohio will soon require a new state-issued permit.
NJ legislators should override Gov. Christie's veto on bill banning pig gestation crates
New Jersey.com, September 27, 2013
Virginia may be for lovers, but New Jersey is definitely for animal lovers. Our great state has enacted important animal protection measures such as Patrick's Law (no relation), which increases penalties for extreme neglect of animals, a ban on horse slaughter, allowance for pet protective orders in domestic violence cases, and more.
Service dogs aid with comfort at Washington navy yard
Navy.mil, September 26, 2013
In the aftermath of the Washington Navy Yard (WNY) shootings Sept. 16, many organizations have stepped up to give comfort and support to personnel.
USDA working to move animals out of Las Vegas zoo so it can close down
RGJ.com, September 26, 2013
Animals living in a small Las Vegas zoo are expected to be moved to new homes after the owner of the park told federal inspectors he wanted to close the facility, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday.
Doctors group challenges research on dogs in Wayne State University lab
Detroit Free Press, September 25, 2013
A physicians group that opposes animal testing is again taking aim at research being done on dogs at Wayne State University, arguing in a petition to be filed today that animals were shown "a disturbing lack of care" with some being inadvertently burned or subject to rules that they be exercised only a week after chest surgery.
Owners appeal after Conn. court classifies horses as vicious animals
MSN News, September 24, 2013
Mr. Ed would have a lot to say on this matter. After a horse called Scuppy bit a boy in the face, a Connecticut court concluded that horses are a naturally vicious species and therefore Scuppy's owners should have restrained the horse (who had never bitten anyone before) to prevent the injury.
Small animals experience time in slow motion, new study suggests
GMA News, September 24, 2013
Imagine your world going in slow-motion, like some scenes in "The Matrix," only on a permanent basis - that's how smaller animals like insects and small birds see the world every day.
The dogs must be crazy
Boston Magazine, September 24, 2013
Can animals get OCD? A leading Massachusetts veterinarian says yes—and his work might hold the key to understanding human obsessive-compulsive disorders as well.
Barking up the wrong tree: Vet & pet industry groups betray animals
Huffington Post, September 23, 2013
The Animal Legal Defense Fund has just filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of one of the largest-ever jury verdicts in a case of a dog shot by a police officer.
Animal treatment scrutinized as circus comes to Tri-Cities
Tri-City Herald, September 22, 2013
Circuses have been the focus of criticism through the years from activists who claim performance animals are mistreated or abused.
Puppy prejudice: Are black animals less likely to be adopted?
Today.com, September 21, 2013
It is a common story animal welfare workers will share: Black pets are often the last left on the shelter floor and the first to be euthanized. The idea is so pervasive there's even a name for it — black dog syndrome.
Mother and daughter charged with animal cruelty after more than 80 dogs were rescued from their Miami-Dade home
NBC 6, September 20, 2013
A mother and daughter are facing several animal cruelty charges after more than 80 dogs found living in squalid conditions were removed from their home in southwest Miami-Dade County, officials said.
UK Minister of Defense kills 288 dogs in three years
The Sun, September 20, 2013
The Sun today calls on the MoD to review its policy towards retired military dogs after 288 were destroyed in just three years.
Australian Assembly poised to ban inhumane farm practices on animals
The Canberra Times, September 19, 2013
Keeping chickens in battery cages and pigs in sow stalls will attract fines under an Australia-first ban on factory farming to be passed by the ACT Assembly.
If you need to test your new robot, ask a dog
Scientific American, September 18, 2013
Dogs are uniquely sensitive to human social communicative cues. Their transformation from wolf into dog did not just change their coloration and turn their tails curly and their ears floppy.
West Hollywood bans commercial displays of exotic animals
L.A. Times, September 17, 2013
West Hollywood on Monday banned commercial displays and performances involving wild and exotic animals, including kangaroos, giraffes and bears.
Genomes of big cats revealed
BBC News, September 17, 2013
International scientists have mapped the genomes of the tiger, lion and snow leopard, in conservation efforts to protect endangered species.
Japan: US Marines "squashing endangered species"
BBC News, September 16, 2013
A report to defense officials in Okinawa highlights problems in the Yanbaru forest area, where a helipad has been constructed for aircraft including the Marine Corps' Ospreys, according to Kyodo news agency.
Shark fin officially off the menu in Hong Kong
Wanderlust Travel Magazine, September 16, 2013
In a move lauded by conservation groups, the Hong Kong government has announced it will stop serving shark fin at official functions.
Iowa View: Regulation of animal antibiotics needed
Des Moines Register, September 15, 2013
Sen. Tom Harkin's annual steak fry is today. Vice President Joe Biden is expected to attend, along with many other Democratic Party notables. But there's one group of uninvited guests that may hitch a ride to the party on a rib-eye steak: super bugs.
NY allows pet cemeteries to bury ashes of humans with animals
Vancouver Sun, September 14, 2013
New regulations will allow New York animal lovers to spend eternity with their pets. The Daily News reports that officials have finalized rules allowing pet cemeteries to accept the cremated remains of humans.
Merced, CA police policy of taking injured animals to shooting range comes under fire
CBS News, September 14, 2013
Animal lovers are questioning a policy where Merced Police officers take injured animals out to the police shooting range to kill them.
WSPA International: the cruelty behind the world's most expensive coffee
Yahoo Finance, September 13, 2013
"Behind the world's most expensive coffee are huge animal welfare issues," says the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA (http://www.wspa-international.org/)), and consumers, retailers and governments need to help end the cruel practices behind civet coffee production.
Dogs transported for meat-slaughter in Philippines, rescued in Manila
Opposing Views, September 12, 2013
Eleven dogs, most believed to be pets, were rescued by Manila police on their way to a slaughterhouse in the northern part of the country.
Bill banning lead ammunition passes Legislature
Sacramento Business Journal, September 11, 2013
A new law banning lead ammunition for hunting passed the state of California legislature on Tuesday.
Pa. gas industry: change endangered species laws
The Wall Street Journal, September 10, 2013
Major oil and natural gas industry groups in Pennsylvania are backing efforts to change the state's endangered and threatened species laws, despite objections from some sportsmen's and environmental groups.
Wildlife group pushes app to help sick, injured animals
Santa Cruz Sentinel, September 9, 2013
Who would you call to get help for an injured deer? A sick sea lion? A bird with a broken wing? If all goes well, soon there will be an app for that.
Alabama ending permits for rehab of wild animals
Montgomery Advertiser, September 9, 2013
Wildlife lovers are protesting a new state rule they say is a death sentence for helpless baby raccoons, skunks and other wild animals in Alabama.
South Africa's "ships of shame" under fire
Mail & Guardian, September 8, 2013
Amid allegations of animal cruelty, a ship carrying 3,500 head of cattle is expected to leave from East London this week bound for Mauritius.
High price of animal rescue
The Age, September 8, 2013
Protecting endangered species requires patience, lots of money and some tough decisions.
Ke$ha, Julianne Hough, others spreading word about KCAC animals
ABC 23 News, September 7, 2013
The Kern County Animal Control shelter is relocating at the end of September after sharing facilities with the Bakersfield Animal Control.
Ex-director of Georgia animal shelter charged with killing animals after being paid to save them
NBC News, September 6, 2013
The former director of a supposed "no-kill" animal shelter in Georgia was free on bond Thursday after a grand jury indicted her for allegedly charging owners not to euthanize their pets and then killing them anyway.
Satellite cameras saving endangered species
Cambridge Consultants, September 5, 2013
Remote cameras help combat poachers and allow mobile app users to track rare animals in the wild.
Army hospital ends training on ferrets
Military.com, September 4, 2013
The hospital has ceased using ferrets for pediatric intubation exercises after a long campaign by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The latest in scientific field equipment? Fido's nose
NPR, September 3, 2013
Dave Vesely is busy training his dog, Sharpy. She isn't learning to sit, or fetch or even herd sheep — Sharpy is learning to find the nests of Western Pond Turtles.
Pope adds to the pressure on Poland to reverse its ban on ritual slaughter
National Secular Society, September 3, 2013
The Pope has promised Jewish and Muslim leaders in Poland that he will do his best to overturn the ban on religious slaughter that was agreed by the Polish Constitutional Court in January. The Court ruled that ritual slaughter is incompatible with animal welfare regulations.
Murder of Yellowstone wolves threatens area renaissance
Bloomberg, September 2, 2013
The air in Yellowstone National Park is chilly at the crack of dawn, even in August. If you want to see a wolf, you get up early and shiver.
Japanese scientists see end to animal testing with artificial cornea
Reuters, September 1, 2013
Japanese scientists say they have developed an artificial cornea to replace live animals in the testing of new cosmetics
Feds study whale for list removal
Pueblo Chieftain, August 31, 2013
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has launched a review of whether it should take North Pacific humpback whales off the endangered species list.
Last Chance for Animals and Animal Equality expose the barbaric China dog meat trade
Yahoo Finance, August 30, 2013
Last Chance for Animals (LCA) and Animal Equality have joined forces to infiltrate the dog meat trade in China and expose the cruelty behind the slaughter of dogs for food.
Dog's emotional return to Navy lieutenant resonates online
ABC News, August 28, 2013
Dogs are considered man's best friend, and one dog seemed to prove that overwhelmingly in a heartfelt, emotional reaction to seeing her owner when he returned from a six-month overseas deployment with the U.S. Navy.
PA man gets 6-month jail term in research scheme
The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 28, 2013
A central Pennsylvania man was sentenced to six months in prison Monday for his role in a years-long scheme involving illegal dog trafficking for medical research.
India bans shark 'finning' in an effort to protect endangered species
The Globe and Mail, August 27, 2013
India has banned hunting sharks for only their fins in a move to protect endangered species from indiscriminate hunting for parts wanted abroad.
Over 360 dogs rescued in multi-state dog fighting raid
NBC News, August 26, 2013
Austin, Texas — Some 367 pit bulls, many scarred and emaciated, have been rescued and a dozen people across the southeastern United States have been charged with dog fighting in what animal advocacy groups called one of the largest such raids in U.S. history.
Incredible bond between a rescued pit bull turned therapy dog and a Sandy Hook girl
Daily Mail, August 26, 2013
A 9-year-old survivor of last year's tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut has found comfort in a place many people wouldn't expect: a stocky, 73-pound pit bull named Jeffrey.
Breed specific legislation: Obama supports Pit Bulls, but owns Portuguese Water Dogs
Opposing Views, August 25, 2013
With all due respect, we must wonder what suddenly made the President of the U.S. an expert on dog breeds, dog behavior, breed-specific legislation and a supporter of pit bulls.
68 dogs rescued after fire at Staten Island hoarder home
NBC News, August 24, 2013
Sixty-eight dogs have been rescued from a blaze in a New York City home. Fire officials say the fire in the two-story house in Staten Island was reported on Friday evening. It was extinguished in about a half hour.
Palo Alto: Ban on feeding wild or feral animals goes before parks commission
Mercury News, August 23, 2013
The smile on 9-year-old Abraham Barron's face was broad as a dozen pigeons crowded around him for a helping of birdseed Friday at the Duck Pond in the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve.
Lonely wolf? Wolves howl when they miss their friends
NBC News, August 22, 2013
Wolves are skilled and ferocious hunters, but when it comes to relationships, they're real softies. When a playmate or partner leaves the pack, the wolves that are left behind will howl and howl and howl.
As humans change landscape, brains of some animals change, too
NY Times, August 22, 2013
Evolutionary biologists have come to recognize humans as a tremendous evolutionary force. In hospitals, we drive the evolution of resistant bacteria by giving patients antibiotics. In the oceans, we drive the evolution of small-bodied fish by catching the big ones.
Long Beach Police Officer Shoots Pit Bull During Barricade
NBC Los Angeles, August 22, 2013
Police responded to the 1900 block of San Francisco Avenue "regarding an unwelcome subject at a residence with a dog," said Nancy Pratt, Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Farm-bill amendment gets to heart of how we treat animals
The Morning Star, August 21, 2013
In one of the early episodes of "Portlandia," the satirical show that makes fun of all things Portland, Ore., a couple dining out interviews the waitress about their potential chicken dinner.
Abandoned dogs roam Detroit in packs as humans dwindle
Bloomberg, August 20, 2013
As many as 50,000 stray dogs roam the streets and vacant homes of bankrupt Detroit, replacing residents, menacing humans who remain and overwhelming the city's ability to find them homes or peaceful deaths.
Of bears and berries: return of wolves aids grizzly bears in Yellowstone
Environmental Research Web, August 20, 2013
A new study suggests that the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is beginning to bring back a key part of the diet of grizzly bears that has been missing for much of the past century – berries that help bears put on fat before going into hibernation.
Ohio Congressman urges help for zoo's rhino effort
Idaho Statesman, August 19, 2013
A congressman paid a visit Monday to the last two U.S. members of the critically endangered Sumatran rhino species as he urged more cooperation in efforts to save them.
Good News: Huge victories achieved against GMOs, big pharma, animal cruelty
Natural News, August 18, 2013
This past week saw a flurry of news where big corporations like Merck and Monsanto were handed groundbreaking defeats thanks to consumer activism.
Shareholders to Tyson: Be nice to pigs, or else...
Daily Finance, August 17, 2013
The conditions in which some pigs destined for Tyson Foods live out their brief existences are tantamount to torture, and a group of shareholders has had enough.
Crowded quarters for animals, humans at Washington Humane Society
Washington Post, August 16, 2013
Charlie Brown, a 9-month-old terrier-pit bull mix with one eye, lives in the mailroom. Peachy, a 3-year-old blond terrier-pit bull mix, shares a manager's office. Cats' crates are stacked in the hallway.
Animal advocates declare victory in federal foie gras false advertising suit
ALDF, August 15, 2013
In a groundbreaking end to its false advertising lawsuit against New York-based Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the national nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is celebrating the company's decision to stop advertising its products as "humane."
A watershed moment for Hollywood's animal-rights movement?
The Atlantic, August 14, 2013
Films such as Blackfish, Finding Dory, and Planet of the Apes are taking a stand against live animals in entertainment as the federal government gets involved.
A Fiery Passion for Animals
The Center for Consumer Freedom, August 13, 2013
From a Molotov cocktail attack on a police cruiser to vandalism at a gourmet taco restaurant, animal liberation terrorists are still active across North America.
Russia sets tougher penalties for trafficking endangered animals
Phys.org, August 12, 2013
Russia's State Duma has approved legislative amendments that mean tougher punishments for poaching and trafficking of rare species will come into force. The draft law was submitted by President Putin in March 2013 following a meeting with WWF Russia CEO, Dr. Igor Chestin in August 2012.
Endangered Species Thrive On US Military Ranges
Associated Press, August 11, 2013
The sign leaves no doubt about the risk in entering the steep seaside hills that North America's rarest bird calls home: "Danger. Boom. Explosives. Unexploded Ordnance and Laser Range in Use. Keep Out."
'Do I look like a militant animal activist to you?'
The Telegraph, August 10, 2013
"This is not all about politics," says Gavin Grant crossly. "It's not all about PR. It's all about that…" And he points to a photograph, put up on a wall at the headquarters of the RSPCA, of a wounded black dog. The dog has had a swastika carved into its head with a knife.
Judge orders bond posted in horse slaughter case
Ag Week, August 9, 2013
A federal magistrate on Thursday ordered animal rights groups that won a temporary ban on domestic horse slaughter to post a bond of nearly $500,000 as they continue their legal fight.
Woman sues vet for $1 million over 'cruelty' report for denying dog $10,000 surgery
NY Daily News, August 8, 2013
Pet ownership sometimes carries a hefty price tag. Tustin, Calif., resident Karen Kelly is filing a $1 million lawsuit against a veterinary office that she says reported her for animal cruelty after she could not come up with $10,000 to pay for surgery for her dog.
Animal Cruelty Charge 'Likely' in Dog Death Case
Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2013
County authorities in Washington State say they've been inundated with angry emails and calls from people upset that a man who allegedly killed a dog with a homemade explosive device wasn't charged with animal cruelty.
Instagram under fire for allowing thousands of live animals including cats, puppies and snakes to be sold through website and app
Daily Mail, August 6, 2013
Animal-rights campaigners have criticized Instagram for allowing users to sell unwanted pets and exotic animals online. Some people even use the photo-sharing website to sell animals for slaughter as sacrifices at religious rituals.
The world's first cruelty-free hamburger
The Guardian, August 5, 2013
Eighty years ago, Winston Churchill looked forward to the day when "we shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium".
Animal rights activists protest against UA College of Medicine studies using mice
Daily Wildcat, August 4, 2013
Armed with picket signs and megaphones, a group of animal rights activists gathered outside of the UA College of Medicine's Phoenix campus on July 24 to protest the opening of a research lab.
FBI probes pheasant farm incident
UT San Diego, August 3, 2013
The FBI is investigating after an animal rights group took responsibility for cutting open fencing and releasing birds from a Southern California pheasant farm.
Horse slaughter rules expected to go before judge after complaints from animal welfare groups
Huffington Post, August 2, 2013
Federal officials failed to consider environmental hazards when it issued permits to two companies set to begin the first legal horse slaughters in the U.S. since 2006, attorneys for groups opposing slaughter said Friday.
Why states must protect those who uncover animal abuse
Live Science, August 1, 2013
As our society makes continuing progress on animal welfare — exposing cruelty and creating social, corporate and public-policy standards — there's an inevitable backlash from industries that want to continue to do things the way they always have.
New Jersey woman faces up to 18 months in prison for throwing pit bull in trash as outpouring of support wins the dog national fame
Daily Mail, July 31, 2013
A New Jersey woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges that she threw her emaciated pit bull puppy down a garbage shoot and left it for dead.
New Zealand pets out to protest animal testing
Yahoo News, July 30, 2013
Hundreds of protesters, accompanied by dozens of dogs and one large rabbit, have rallied in Wellington against animal testing of formerly "legal highs."
Woman torches dog to death; caught bragging on Facebook
PR News, July 29, 2013
St. Louis' Mayor Slay Animal Cruelty Task Force has made a felony arrest in one of the most notorious animal abuse cases in history.
A closer look at "nonhuman personhood" and animal welfare
New York Times, July 28, 2013
Is it ethical to draw a line between animals we see as deserving "personhood" and those we see more as features of a landscape or the source of food on a plate? Is a dolphin more deserving of special consideration for its care than a pig?
Protections still needed for wolves
UT San Diego, July 27, 2013
In June, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list despite wolves occupying only about 5 percent of their historic range.
Woman arrested for abandoning 30 dogs, including some that died
UPI.com, Chicago, July 26, 2013
Authorities said a California woman was charged with 30 counts of animal cruelty for failing to take care of her dogs, including some that died.
New York governor signs law banning shark fin sales
New York Times, July 26, 2013
Following the lead of several other states, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill on Friday banning the possession, sale and — presumably — the ingestion of shark fins, signaling the death knell for a traditional Chinatown delicacy: shark fin soup.
Poland's Jews petition court to strike down ban on kosher slaughter
Haaretz, July 25, 2013
Poland's Jewish community of plans to petition the country's constitutional court in an effort to strike down the legislature's decision to forbid kosher slaughter, Poland's Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich said Wednesday, after meeting with Polish Religious Affairs Minister Michal Boni.
W.Va. racing panel considers animal cruelty policy
San Francisco Chronicle, July 24, 2013
The West Virginia Racing Commission plans to seek public input on a proposed animal cruelty policy that clarifies its authority to punish racing permit holders if there is proven abuse.
Macy's must end its support of animal cruelty
Op Ed News, July 23, 2013
Rodeos are animal cruelty, pure and simple. Rodeos take docile animals and try to make them seem aggressive.
Ohio sends horses to Canada for slaughter
The Columbus Dispatch, July 23, 2013
Several times a week, trucks pulling long trailers filled with horses leave Ohio destined for Canada. The animals, sometimes 30 or more in trailers typically used to transport cattle, are taken north of the border for slaughter and processing into meat for human consumption.
Animal rights activists sue Utah over 'ag-gag' law
Desert News, July 22, 2013
Animal rights activists, including a Salt Lake woman who faced a criminal charge under Utah's so-called "ag gag" law, filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the statute as unconstitutional.
Watchdog group finds HSUS spent just 33 percent of money raised for Sandy relief
PR News, July 22, 2013
HumaneWatch.org, a project of the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), is calling for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to spend the remaining donations it received for Hurricane Sandy relief to finish its job in the storm-ravaged area.
Md. woman charged with animal cruelty after leaving dog inside car to go shopping
Washington Post, July 21, 2013
A Harford County woman has been charged with animal cruelty after authorities say she left her dog in an overheated car while she went shopping. The sheriff's office says Daphne Luckhardt was arrested after deputies were called Friday afternoon to the parking lot of the Kohl's department store in Forest Hill.
Animal rights group asks Louisiana high court not to hear tiger truck stop case
The Times Picayune, July 20, 2013
The Animal Legal Defense Fund has asked the Louisiana Supreme Court to let stand two lower court rulings that the owner of Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete cannot have a license to keep a tiger.
Chicago woman accused of drowning 4 newborn puppies
NBC Chicago, July 19, 2013
A Chicago woman is accused of throwing her boyfriend's newborn puppies in a pond, killing them, police said.
China edges closer to ending animal testing for cosmetics
Cosmetics Business, July 18, 2013
Be Cruelty-Free, the world's largest campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics, has launched in China to promote the cause to brands and consumers there.
Only 1 in 3 Americans support stripping wolf protections
Common Dreams, July 17, 2013
A new national poll finds that 70 percent of voters believe wolves are a vital part of America's wilderness and natural heritage and only 1 in 3 support the Obama administration's proposal to strip Endangered Species Act protection from wolves in the lower 48 states.
Whaling case will not damage relations with Japan, says attorney general
The Guardian, July 16, 2013
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, says the Australia-Japan relationship will survive a bruising legal confrontation currently wrapping up in The Hague over whaling in the Antarctic.
Indian tigers "killed off with pesticides"
The Telegraph, July 15, 2013
They have called for a ban on the chemical Carbofuran, which is used as a cheap pesticide by local potato farmers. Tribal poachers are laying traps for tigers by leaving recently killed animal carcasses filled with the chemical on their territories.
Pet custody disputes a growing problem in Australia
Courier Mail, July 15, 2013
And many mistakenly think the Family Court can help resolve pet custody disputes. The trend has emerged in research by law firm Slater and Gordon.
Should chimpanzees have legal rights?
Boston Globe, July 14, 2013
In the next few months, an animal advocacy group called the Nonhuman Rights Project plans to file a case on behalf of its first animal client. It has already chosen the plaintiff, a captive chimp, on whose behalf it plans to file a writ of habeas corpus and ask a state court judge to grant the chimp's liberty.
New York assemblyman introduces a new bill for the animals
Springville Journal, July 13, 2013
New York Assemblyman David DiPietro recently introduced Assembly Bill 7363, which would create an animal abuse registry and prevent those convicted of animal abuses from possessing, adopting, owning, purchasing or exercising control over any animal.
As rhino poaching surges, South Africa proposes legalized trade in precious horns
Scientific American, July 12, 2013
The South African government released two important and shocking news items last week. The first announcement revealed that 461 rhinos had been poached in the country to date as of July 3—more than were killed in all of 2011. Poachers target the animals for their horns, which are valued in China and Vietnam for their purported (but nonexistent) medicinal qualities.
Iowa court: Killing dog with bat not torture
USA Today, July 11, 2013
An Iowa Court of Appeals ruling tossing out the conviction of a man who beat a puppy to death likely will prompt public outrage, make such cases harder to prosecute in the future and launch work toward new legislation to close a loophole that made the decision possible, officials said Wednesday.
New Zealand party pill vote outrages animal activists
Yahoo News, July 10, 2013
A Green Party bid to insert a clause in the Psychoactive Substances Bill that would have ruled out animal testing for the "legal highs" was voted down 61-51 on Tuesday night.
Meat groups sue USDA over meat-labeling rule
Yahoo News, July 10, 2013
Requiring meat labels to have more details about a product's origins is too costly and serves no public health or safety benefit, industry groups said Tuesday in announcing a lawsuit against U.S. Department of Agriculture over new labeling rules.
Kenya seizes more smuggled ivory destined for Malaysia
Reuters, July 9, 2013
Kenyan officials have impounded another large consignment of smuggled elephant ivory barely a week after intercepting a similar haul, highlighting the rise of poaching in Africa
New Zealand intervenes in whaling case
Sydney Morning Herald, July 8, 2013
New Zealand has rejected Japan's claim to be legally whaling in the Antarctic as an attempt to reduce the global whaling treaty to an industry cartel.
PETA finds itself on receiving end of others' anger
New York Times, July 7, 2013
PETA, considered by many to be the highest-profile animal rights group in the country, kills an average of about 2,000 dogs and cats each year at its animal shelter here.
ASPCA uses USDA photos in fight over puppy mills
Business Week, July 6, 2013
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is bolstering its campaign against puppy mills by showing photos of sick puppies and harsh kennel conditions taken by the federal agency that licenses commercial breeders.
Pennsylvania cruelty costs bill pleases animal shelters
Lancaster Online, July 5, 2013
Animal protection organizations are cheering passage of a bill in the state Legislature that allows shelters to seek reimbursement for the costs of caring for animals seized in cruelty investigations.
Rodeo horse's death ignites furor
Fox Sports, July 4, 2013
According to Philly.com, an animal-rights group called Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) wants to press charges against the owner of the rodeo, saying a Cowtown Rodeo official shocked the horse with a prod as a way of getting it to buck more violently, making for a better show.
Japan blasts Australia over whaling ban campaign
Yahoo News, July 3, 2013
THE HAGUE (AFP) - Japan accused Australia Tuesday of seeking to impose its policy of zero tolerance on whaling in the Antarctic, and told the highest UN court that its own whaling activities were legitimate.
Horrifying video is just the tip of the iceberg of cops killing dogs
Business Insider, July 2, 2013
A horrific video of police shooting a Rottweiler named Max after arresting his owner over the weekend is all too familiar. Without doing anything to try to calm the dog, a Hawthorne, Calif. police officer shot him dead after he started barking at the officers.
Obama to launch major initiative to curb wildlife trafficking
The Guardian, July 1, 2013
Barack Obama launched a new initiative against wildlife trafficking on Monday, using his executive authority to take action against an illegal trade that is fueling rebel wars and now threatens the survival of elephants and rhinoceroses.
Nitro Able to 'Rest in Peace' with Signing of New Law
Fox 8 Cleveland, July 1, 2013
On Sunday, Governor John Kasich signed Nitro's law, making animal abuse a fifth-degree felony for kennels that mistreat animals.
India bans cruel animal testing for cosmetics, activists elated
The Times of India, June 30, 2013
The Bureau of Indian Standards has on Saturday approved the removal of any mention of animal tests from the country's cosmetics standard. The use of modern non-animal alternative tests also becomes mandatory, replacing invasive tests on animals.
Six-Year Ban on Horse Slaughter to End as U.S. Approves Plant
Business Week, June 29, 2013
A New Mexico company is slated to be the first to slaughter horses for human consumption in the U.S. since 2007 after federal authorities agreed to issue a permit required for its operation.
Hundreds of sick animals found at South Dade, Florida slaughter farm
Miami Herald, June 28, 2013
Five hundred animals — including a miniature horse, ram, ewe, rabbits and kittens — many of them sick, malnourished and living alongside dead pen-mates, were found when rescuers raided an illegal slaughter farm in South Miami-Dade on Friday.
Agency says Pacific great white shark not in danger of extinction
Los Angeles Times, June 28, 2013
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the northeastern Pacific Ocean population of great white sharks does not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Is animal testing necessary?
The Information Daily, June 27, 2013
A new organization, in the United Kingdom, Animals in Science, has been established to replace the Animal Procedures Committee. Animals in Science offer the government impartial advice on the handling and treatment of animals in research. They will also advise animal welfare groups and animal research communities themselves.
CU Boulder may end animal experimentation
Denver Business Journal, June 26, 2013
The University of Colorado will decide whether to use computer simulations as an alternative to live animals for classroom science experiments on its Boulder campus later this month.
More airlines ban shark fin cargo
CNN, June 25, 2013
Three more Asia-Pacific based airlines have announced plans to ban shark's fin cargo from their flights. Fiji's national carrier and South Korea's Asiana and Korean Air are the latest to promise to halt shipments of shark fin and shark-related products from unsustainable and unverified sources.
Australian court case against Japanese whaling to begin Wednesday in The Hague
Japan Today, June 24, 2013
Australia expects the International Court of Justice will outlaw Japanese whaling in the Antarctic before the next whale hunting season begins in January. Australia's case against Japan will begin in the United Nations court in The Hague on Wednesday.
"Ag-gag" bills hurt animals and people
Sun Sentinel, June 23, 2013
While it was wonderful to read about those who care for animals making such an effort in the wake of the tragedies in Oklahoma, we must remember domestic animals are only one part of a much larger problem.
New York State Senate passes legislation for animal abuse registry for offenders
Examiner News, June 22, 2013
On Tuesday in Albany, Senator Greg Ball announced the New York State Senate passed S2305A requiring animal abusers who have violated the State's Buster Law register their name and address with the criminal justice services.
Food giants accused of "cruel and sickening" experiments in animal testing scandal
The Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2013
Rabbits, piglets and mice are being killed when heavily pregnant, injected with deadly bacteria and bled to death by food firms testing fashionable superfoods, it has emerged.
Italy faces European Court of Justice over animal testing
Ansa.it, June 20, 2013
Italy risks referral to the European Court of Justice if it does not provide proof it is complying with EU directives on animal testing, the European Commission said on Thursday.
World court to hold hearings on whaling case
Japan Times, June 19, 2013
The International Court of Justice plans public hearings with Japanese and Australian officials from June 26 through July 16 in a case over Japan's whaling in the Antarctic Ocean.
Economics of trophy hunting in Africa are overrated and overstated
PR News Wire, June 18, 2013
A new report released today analyzes literature on the economics of trophy hunting and reveals that African countries and rural communities derive very little benefit from trophy hunting revenue.
Iceland's fin whales are endangered. Stop this bloody cull
The Guardian Post, June 17, 2013
Last night, Hvalur 8 and 9, two whaling vessels owned by millionaire entrepreneur Kristjan Loftsson, left Reykjavik harbour in Iceland, bound on a north-westerly course for the open Atlantic.
Israeli ministers prefer foie gras to animal rights
Haaretz, June 16, 2013
Animal-rights activists incensed by efforts of two ministers to alter a bill that would categorically ban the import of foie gras, claiming the changes ministers are suggesting would make the bill meaningless.
New Mexico AG Gary King's bogus story about animal cruelty task force abuses will sink his third try for governor
Alamogordo News, June 15, 2013
New Mexico Attorney General Gary King will say just about anything to save his long-shot campaign for governor. King, a Democrat, concocted an unbelievable story and then last month submitted it to a federal judge in hopes of extricating himself from a civil lawsuit that could strangle his political career.
Rewriting rules on chimps
The Los Angeles Times, June 14, 2013
In the more than two decades since the U.S. government declared chimpanzees in the wild to be an endangered species, not much has improved for those great apes.
"My 6 y.o. was crying, 'Mommy, mommy, he shot the kitty'"
America Blog, June 13, 2013
The Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has now called for the firing of a police officer who shot five kittens to death after a mother had simply called Animal Control to remove the five feral animals who were living outside her home.
Federal agency mum on months-long probe of alleged animal cruelty
Fox News, June 12, 2013
Eight months after an employee of the federal Wildlife Services agency allegedly posted photos online depicting animal cruelty, the little-known government agency will not say whether the worker or any others have been fired or even disciplined.
Fish and Wildlife Services proposes endangered listing for chimpanzees
Washington Post, June 11, 2013
They can be bought and sold online for personal use like a pair of new sneakers. They can be leased to medical labs, where they are poked, prodded and injected for a range of medical research projects.
Rodeo bans "professional" slr cameras — a swipe at animal-rights crowd?
Petapixel.com, June 10, 2013
We're getting more and more accustomed to authorities telling us if and how we can photograph something, so the camera ban enacted for the recent Reno Rodeo isn't all that surprising.
What's different with this one is the intended target of the ban, which animal-rights activists claim is intended to prevent them from exposing abuses.
Israeli bill would ban foie gras imports and sales
The Jerusalem Post, June 9, 2013
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved the launch of a bill on Sunday that would prohibit the trade of liver originating from ducks or geese that have undergone forced-fattening processes.
Gray wolf to lose U.S. endangered species status
The Japan Times, June 8, 2013
The government moved Friday to end endangered species protections for gray wolves in the lower 48 states, contending that the population of the apex predator has recovered from decades of hunting that drove it to virtual extinction.
Wild horse group pushes for bait traps in roundups
The San Francisco Chronicle, June 7, 2013
Some — but not all — wild horse advocates want the federal government to use pens near water sources instead of helicopters to gather wild horses in southern Wyoming this summer.
Kenya overhauls wildlife laws following rise in elephant and rhino deaths
The Guardian, June 7, 2013
Kenya's Cabinet has approved a complete overhaul of the country's national wildlife legislation by approving the Wildlife Bill and Policy, in one of the swiftest responses to the recent reports of escalating poaching of elephants and rhinos.
Youngest lobbyist claims victory in Connecticut
CT News Junkie, June 6, 2013
Jack Kealey was the youngest lobbyist Wednesday night at the state Capitol as the clock struck midnight. Kealey, a 10-year-old from Bethany, stood behind the velvet ropes and asked Senators to support his bill. The bill is an issue Kealey feels strongly about.
Phoenix plan would fight animal hoarding, cruelty
Phoenix Republic, June 5, 2013
The half-dozen horses were so starved and dehydrated they could hardly stand. Every rib could be counted, and their hip and pelvic bones jutted from beneath their dull coats.
Puppy left for dead, Florida bill aims to crack down on animal cruelty
ABC 27, June 4, 2013
County deputies are trying to figure out who left a puppy on the side of the road after being shot in both of his legs. Florida lawmakers just passed a bill this past legislative session aiming to crack down on this.
Italian scientists fight back on animal testing
Nature.com, June 3, 2013
About 300 researchers and students from around Italy demonstrated in Milan on 1 June to increase awareness of the need for lab animals in biomedical research. The protest was a reply to what the researchers call a "witch-hunt" led by animal-rights activists.
Texas cruelty laws may not protect George the duck
My San Antonio, June 2, 2013
I was off last week, but read in the newspaper on Friday about George, the River Walk duck that was killed by two unknown individuals. What a senseless tragedy. I felt sick to my stomach and very sorry for George who was obviously a friendly duck who learned to trust strangers, only to be abused and killed by those he thought he could trust.
Japan's research group promotes whale meat consumption
Xinhua, June 2, 2013
The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), a Japanese nonprofit organization for scientific whaling, started a campaign to promote whale meat consumption in the country to fund itself, reported local media Sunday.
Conn. animal rights groups see legislative success
San Francisco Chronicle, June 1, 2013
Animal rights groups, emboldened by what they see as improved political skills, may be nearing success on numerous measures in the waning days of the Connecticut legislature intended to shield domestic and wild animals from neglect and abuse.
Exotic animal owners in Ohio appeal restrictions
ABC News, June 1, 2013
Some owners of exotic animals say a new Ohio law is onerous and infringes on their constitutional rights, and they've asked a federal appeals court to strike it down.
Washington University stops using cats in medical training
St. Louis Post, May 31, 2013
Washington University has stopped using cats in pediatric life support training at its medical school following years of complaints from the animal rights group PETA.
Does controversial decision pit California condors against wind turbines?
Scientific American, May 30, 2013
Talk about a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. The U.S. needs to generate more renewable energy if we hope to stave off the effects of climate change. At the same time, critically endangered California condors, which today number 417 birds after the last 22 members of their species were put in a captive breeding program in 1987—need more room to fly and breed as well as more chances to not die.
U.S. sued over policy on killing endangered wildlife
L.A. Times, May 30, 2013
Environmental groups are taking the Justice Department to court over a policy that prohibits prosecuting individuals who kill endangered wildlife unless it can be proved that they knew they were targeting a protected animal.
Gov. Sandoval signs bill banning dog breed discrimination
Reno Gazette Journal, May 29, 2013
Nevada animal lovers have much to celebrate today as Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law Assembly Bill 110, which prevents local governments from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that deems a dog dangerous or vicious based solely on the breed of the dog.
North Carolina Chamber of Commerce says 'ag-gag' bill isn't an 'ag-gag' bill
The Raw Story, May 29, 2013
The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce claims animal rights activists are misrepresenting a bill regarding the filming of animal cruelty at factory farms.
BBQ warning: Feds find feces, cockroaches, flies littering hog processing plants
Washington Examiner, May 28, 2013
Federal food inspectors at many of the nation's swine slaughterhouses fail to do their job and let repeat offenders continue to produce potentially contaminated meat without punishment, raising a "higher risk of providing pork for human consumption that should not enter the food supply," according to a new Agriculture Department audit.
Drones are changing the face of conservation
The Guardian, May 28, 2013
The use of "eye in the sky" drones has become a cost-effective way for conservationists to track suspected illegal activity
Hope for whaling verdict before next hunt
Brisbane Times, May 28, 2013
Australian authorities are optimistic they will win their international court case against Japan over whaling before the next annual hunting season begins.
Both Houses in Ireland pass animal health and welfare bill
The Pig Site, May 27, 2013
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, has announced that that the Animal Health & Welfare Bill has now been passed by both houses of the Oireachtas and will be sent to the President for signing in the coming days.
Animal rights group cries foul over UW request to block public records access
The Cap News, May 26, 2013
Animal research at the UW-Madison has long been a touchy subject — and one that some university officials certainly wish would disappear altogether.
Patrick the pit bull gets his day in N.J. court
New Jersey News Room, May 25, 2013
The dog who was found starving and left in a trash chute in 2011 will see his case going to court in July. Patrick, a pit bull who was found the day before St. Patrick's Day two years ago, weighed 19 pounds and was near death when he was rescued.
National Defence says it can't help move Toronto elephants until fall
Globe and Mail, May 24, 2013
The Canadian Department of National Defence says it's still in talks to help move the Toronto Zoo's three resident elephants to California, but says the animals will have to stay put until the fall.
Tornado: Vets use Facebook to rehome lost pets
Sky News, May 23, 2013
Facebook sites have been set up to help reunite people with dozens of pets that went missing after a tornado tore through Moore in Oklahoma.
How undercover animal-rights activists are winning the "Ag Gag" war
Phoenix New Times, May 23, 2013
Cody Carlson had no way of preparing for this moment. He was a Manhattan kid, days removed from working as an analyst for a business-intelligence firm, where he scrutinized corporations and their executives. Now he was standing in a bleak barn at New York's largest dairy farm.
House Bill 90 clears Ohio House, establishes harsher penalties for animal cruelty
Vinton Daily May 22, 2013
State Rep. Ryan Smith (R-Bidwell) announced Wednesday that the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 90, which establishes harsher penalties for owners, managers or employees of kennels and rescue shelters who commit animal cruelty. The bill is commonly referred to as "Nitro's Law."
"Leave animals out" of party pills testing in New Zealand
Yahoo News, May 21, 2013
Over 60,000 people have voiced their objection to the proposed testing of party pills on animals, say animal advocates SAFE, The New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS) and the Royal New Zealand SPCA.
Animal-rights worker arrested for taping rodeo
Seattle Times, May 20, 2013
A member of an Illinois-based animal-rights group has been arrested after refusing to stop videotaping at an annual Eastern Oregon rodeo where horses are roped by the legs in an event the state Legislature is considering outlawing.
PETA's incredibly lifelike cgi ape begs you never to use real ones in ads again
Adweek, May 20, 2013
PETA's new ad manages an uncanny trick. It frames a harrowing problem, and at the same time literally embodies the solution.
40 years later: Why the Endangered Species Act still matters
CBS News, May 19, 2013
Forty years ago today, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law. The legislation was created to protect threatened species from extinction, and, unlike some laws that have gone on the books, decades later it's still very relevant.
Ag gag laws sputtering
Reason.com, May 18, 2013
Laws meant to crack down on farm whistleblowers, commonly referred to as "ag gag" laws, have been drawing fire around the country from various quarters—from animal rights activists to free speech advocates.
Eight countries submit action plans to combat illegal trade in elephant ivory – UN
UN News Centre, May 17, 2013
Eight countries identified as being the most affected by the illegal trade in elephant ivory have submitted national action plans to the United Nations-backed treaty for the conservation of endangered species containing measures to combat the scourge.
Agency to consider listing for Alaska lake seals
Associated Press, May 16, 2013
The National Marine Fisheries Service announced Thursday it will consider listing a population of harbor seals that live in a freshwater Alaska lake as a threatened or endangered species, a decision that could affect the massive Pebble Mine development project.
New Jersey Senate approves Lesniak bill to address animal cruelty
NJ Today, May 15, 2013
The state Senate approved a bill on Monday sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak that would prohibit the use of "gestation crates" for pigs.
Nye County, Nevada: Please deny permit to notorious chimpanzee abuser, says PETA
Webwire, May 14, 2013
PETA is urging the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission (RPC) to vote on May 15 to deny notorious animal abuser Mike Casey a permit to keep four chimpanzees and a monkey in Pahrump.
Tennessee sponsors vow to revise, bring back vetoed 'Ag Gag' bill
Knox News, May 13, 2013
Sponsors of livestock surveillance legislation known as the "Ag Gag" bill say they will let stand Gov. Bill Haslam's veto and instead seek passage of a revised version next year.
Five face prosecution in multi-million 'free-range' egg scam in E.U.
Dutch News, May 13, 2013
Five people face prosecution in connection with a fraud involving millions of battery eggs which were sold to consumers as free-range, RTL news reports on Monday.
Rare Mexican wolf cubs born in NY
New York Post, May 12, 2013
Under an ambitious, federally funded program — the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan — the newborns will be raised in the hope they can prevent the extinction of one of North America's rarest mammals, which currently number only 300 in captivity and about 75 in the wild.
Massacred elephants, found frogs and other links from the brink
Scientific American, May 11, 2013
Elephants, turtles, grizzly bears and some of the world's rarest frogs are among the endangered species in the news this week.
Back from the brink: Houston Zoo raising, releasing endangered species
FoxNews, May 10, 2013
The Attwater's prairie chicken, the Houston toad and five species of sea turtles are being rehabilitated to be released into the wild in coming weeks, according to Peter Riger, the zoo's vice president of conservation and science.
North Carolina first lady backs bill targeting animal cruelty
Seattle Post, May 9, 2013
Taking on her first major issue as North Carolina's first lady, Ann McCrory appeared in the House gallery Thursday to publicly back a bill she and other supporters say will prevent animal cruelty by large dog breeders.
Yellowstone wolf-killer is baiting animals with dead sheep
The Missoulian, May 9, 2013
A big game outfitter who shot and killed a collared wolf from Yellowstone National Park is intentionally luring the animals by leaving dead sheep carcasses in a pile, leaders of a wolf advocacy group said.
How drones will fight poachers to save endangered species
Popular Science, May 8, 2013
Here is a complicated problem: Endangered elephants live in isolated nature preserves under the watch of woefully underfunded governments. Poachers can easily break in, hunt the animals in the dark using night-vision goggles, and then sell them to buyers in Southeast Asia.
Big agribusiness is tricking you into buying cruelly raised eggs
Think Progress, May 7, 2013
Everyone has seen labels on the eggs they buy in grocery stores like "organic" or "free-range." What most people don't know is that these loosely defined labels are often fig leaves that cover for the brutal abuse of animals.
New York mayoral hopefuls express support for animal rights
New York Times, May 6, 2013
The mayoral candidates participating in a forum on Monday on animal rights all did their best, in various ways, to prove themselves animal lovers. But when it came to over-the-top stories of devotion, none of them outdid John A. Catsimatidis.
Protections for wolverines draw states' opposition
Washington Examiner, May 6, 2013
State officials in the Northern Rockies on Monday lined up against a federal proposal to give new protections to the carnivorous wolverine, as climate change threatens to melt the species' snowy mountain strongholds.
Vermont considers animal cruelty registry bill
WCAX.com, May 5, 2013
Vermont lawmakers are considering creating an animal cruelty database. The proposal is part of a bill making its way through the Vermont Statehouse that would require people convicted of animal abuse to register in a statewide database, much like a sex offender registry.
Australia halts cattle exports to Egypt over "cruelty"
BBC News, May 4, 2013
Australia is suspending the export of live cattle to Egypt after video emerged showing extreme cruelty to animals in Egyptian abattoirs.
Fishermen want humpback whales off endangered list
Seattle Times, May 3, 2013
A group of Hawaii fishermen is asking the federal government to remove northern Pacific humpback whales from the endangered species list, saying the population has steadily grown since the international community banned commercial whaling nearly 50 years ago.
Pennsylvania legislator wants to limit sharing of agriculture photos
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 2, 2013
State Sen. Michael Brubaker's bill, which has not been drafted, would allow farm employees to take pictures on the job but would forbid sharing them with "anyone or any outlet" except law enforcement, said Colleen Greer, the senator's spokeswoman.
Chicago animal rights activists want protections enforced for downtown carriage horses
CBS, May 1, 2013
They are big and strong and they work hard: the horses that pull the carriages downtown. Do you know the city has a number of laws aimed at protecting them?
Thousands sign anti-animal test petition in New Zealand
Yahoo News, April 30, 2013
The government has yet to decide whether its new testing regime for psychoactive substances will include animal testing, after Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne last year ruled out using the controversial LD50 animal test.
Animal-death profiteering state lawmaker suggests animal rights activists are like rapists
Think Progress, April 29, 2013
A Tennessee lawmaker sponsoring a new bill shutting down animal cruelty investigations suggested animal rights activists were engaging in "tape and rape" tactics, and were "intent on using animals the same way human-traffickers use 17 year old women."
Woman facing misdemeanor for video recording Utah slaughterhouse
Salt Lake Tribune, April 29, 2013
Amy Meyer was horrified by what she saw at a Draper slaughterhouse, but she didn't plan on becoming the first person charged with violating the state's "ag gag" law.
Florida animal cruelty bill heads to governor's desk
Columbia County Observer, April 28, 2013
People convicted of animal abuse in Florida will face more charges and likely tougher penalties if a new Animal Cruelty Bill is signed into law.
U.S. lawmaker proposes new criteria for choosing NSF grants
Science Insider, April 28, 2013
The new chair of the House of Representatives science committee has drafted a bill that, in effect, would replace peer review at the National Science Foundation (NSF) with a set of funding criteria chosen by Congress.
Cruelty to farm animals demands exposure
The Washington Post, April 27, 2013
So gut-wrenching are the images — cows being shocked, turkeys being stomped, horses being burned with chemicals, piglets kicked like soccer balls — that the videos recorded by animal rights organizations at factory farms are almost impossible to watch.
No more protection for gray wolves in Lower 48?
NBC News, April 26, 2013
Federal wildlife officials have drafted plans to lift protections for gray wolves across the Lower 48 states, a move that could end a decades-long recovery effort that has restored the animals but only in parts of their historic range.
Indiana legislators pull plug at last minute on so-called Ag Gag Bill
Evansville Courier and Press, April 26, 2013
A bill to make it a crime to secretly shoot photos or video on private property with the goal of harming a business owner died Friday when the leader of the House pulled it from consideration in the middle of a contentious debate.
Hunter allowed to import rhino trophy into U.S. for first time in 33 Years
Scientific American, April 25, 2013
For the first time in more than 30 years an American hunter has been allowed to import a trophy from a black rhino he shot in Africa back into the country.
Animal welfare groups face off against Hollywood's abusive go-to elephant provider
WebWire, April 24, 2013
Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT), a Hollywood provider of elephants for television and movies, has a long and well-documented history of violating the law.
Baboons killed in "pointless" Australian study
World News Australia, April 23, 2013
Animal activists say the "pointless" killing of eight baboons used in a Sydney study highlights the need to end animal experimentation.
PETA buys shares in SeaWorld
Biz Journals, April 22, 2013
The Norfolk, Va.-based animal rights organization announced it purchased shares in SeaWorld to push policy changes at the parks, including the release of SeaWorld's animals.
EU ban on trade in seal fur set to be overturned
The Independent, April 21, 2013
A Europe-wide ban on the trade of seal fur and products is expected to be overturned this week, in a move that will reignite one of the world's most contentious wildlife issues.
Animals may get legal counsel in Connecticut
The Boston Globe, April 20, 2013
Although animal cruelty laws have been on the books for over a century in some states, only recently has the idea of legal representation for animals started to be taken seriously.
California chef agrees to stop serving foie gras after threat
Los Angeles Times, April 19, 2013
One of two Orange County restaurants threatened with legal action by animal rights activists has decided to stop serving foie gras.
California bill to thwart animal investigations killed
ABC News, April 18, 2013
After weeks of opposition from animal welfare advocates, labor groups and First Amendment experts, a California assembly member withdrew a bill that would limit undercover abuse investigations before it could advance past its first step.
Update: Tennessee animal cruelty bill barely clears House hurdle, heads to governor
Nashville Public Radio, April 17, 2013
A proposal that would force activists to immediately give police their footage of livestock abuse is a signature away from becoming state law.
Rights group appeals dismissal of federal animal rights "terrorism" challenge
Common Dreams, April 17, 2013
Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) appealed the dismissal by a federal judge of a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) without addressing the central First Amendment question in the case.
Michigan lawmakers propose animal abuse registry
Associated Press, April 16, 2013
People convicted of animal abuse would be required to register with local law enforcement and prohibited from adopting animals under legislation recently introduced in the Michigan House.
UK government to ban use of wild animals in travelling circuses from 2015
The Independent, April 15, 2013
The use of wild animals in travelling circuses will be outlawed in two years' time under plans to be announced tomorrow by the Government.
Flaws seen in protection of animals on the set
NY Times, April 14, 2013
On a film set, even the bugs bite by the book. And the book is voluminous, 131 pages of guidelines imposed by the American Humane Association on film and television productions, all seeking those coveted words of approval: "No animal was harmed."
Tennessee bill would hinder investigations of cruelty to animals
Knoxville News, April 13, 2013
A bill before the state Legislature this week looks at first glance to be a measure that would combat animal cruelty. It is not.
Prosecutor says Indiana barn where starving animals found on 100-plus carcasses 'unprecedented'
The Washington Post, April 12, 2013
A prosecutor said Friday that an Indiana barn where investigators found starving animals living on top of more than 100 rotting carcasses was the worst case of animal cruelty he has seen, while one of the owners maintains that the conditions have been exaggerated.
Fair or foul? Pigeon shoots ruffle feathers in Pennsylvania
NPR, April 11, 2013
Animal-rights activists are hoping for change in Pennsylvania, where they're fighting to end a tradition: live pigeon shoots. At the events, shooters compete to hit birds that are launched into the air.
North Dakota animal cruelty bill goes to conference committee
Bismarck Tribune, April 11, 2013.
The prime sponsor of a bill that would increase penalties for animal cruelty successfully had the legislation sent to a conference committee in the Senate on Wednesday.
NC legislators sneak in "ag gag" bill as Butterball employee pleads guilty to animal cruelty
PR Watch, April 10, 2013.
A three-week investigation at a Butterball turkey farm in North Carolina by an animal welfare activist with a hidden camera documented workers beating birds with metal bars, stomping and kicking them, and throwing them violently into metal cages by their necks.
India deploys drones to save rhinos in Assam state
BBC News, April 9, 2013
India has deployed aerial drones over Kaziranga National Park in Assam state in a bid to protect endangered one-horned rhinos from poachers.
Pit bull law fails; still "inherently dangerous"
Baltimore Magazine, April 9, 2013
The Maryland General Assembly failed to address a state court ruling designating pit bulls as "inherently dangerous" on the final day of this year's session.
Emergency cash sent to Cyprus to save animals threatened by starvation during financial crisis
Yahoo News, April 8, 2013
The International Fund for Animal has sent desperately needed emergency funds to Cyprus to help feed animals facing starvation because of the current financial crisis.
Texas Supreme Court strikes down "sentimental value" for dogs
David H. Grimm, April 7, 2013
Dogs will remain firmly entrenched as property in Texas, according to an opinion handed down today by the state's supreme court.
Taping of farm cruelty is becoming the crime
NY Times, April 6, 2013
On one covert video, farm workers illegally burn the ankles of Tennessee walking horses with chemicals. Another captures workers in Wyoming punching and kicking pigs and flinging piglets into the air.
China slaughters birds as flu deaths mount
Sky News, April 5, 2013
A mass culling of birds at a poultry market is ordered after confirmation of another death from the new H7N9 virus.
Wildlife trafficking penalties to soar in Japan
The Japan Times, April 4, 2013
The Environment Ministry plans to raise the maximum fine for trafficking of endangered species by companies to ¥100 million from the current ¥1 million, ministry officials said Wednesday.
Japan whale "research" a flashpoint in global dispute
Bangkok Post, April 3, 2013
Japan says the work that goes on at the Institute of Cetacean Research is crucial for studying whale populations; critics counter it is a way to get around an international ban on commercial whaling.
Ex-official, convicted of animal cruelty last year, to challenge Morristown, New Jersey mayor's ticket
NJ.com, April 2, 2013.
A former town official who was convicted on animal cruelty charges last year will challenge the Democratic council ticket led by Mayor Tim Dougherty in the June primary.
Don't stifle food watchdogs
Yale Daily News, April 1, 2013.
New laws that aim to end the undercover documentation of cruelty to animals in factory farms are currently pending in six states, and are already on the books in over a dozen more.
Australian drone will range freely over farms to keep tabs on animal welfare
The Age, March 31, 2013
An animal welfare group is about to become the first in Australia to deploy surveillance drones to hunt for evidence of animal abuse on private property.
Oklahoma governor signs horse slaughter legislation
MSN, March 30, 2013
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said the new law will help to ensure that horses are slaughtered humanely for export to countries where selling their meat for human consumption is legal.
CITES meeting is South Africa's next step in setting up rhino horn trade
Business Day, March 29, 2013
If South Africa decides trade in rhino horn has a chance of saving the species from extinction, it could apply to the next full Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting, in 2016, to be allowed to sell the horn, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said this week.
Animal rights groups sue FDA over egg labeling concerns
Orlando Sentinel, 2013
Animal rights advocates on Thursday sued U.S. regulators to correct what they say is misleading labeling on cartons of eggs that come from caged hens.
UK Dangerous Dogs Act - how can it be toughened up?
The Week, March 28, 2013
There are calls for an urgent overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act after it emerged the owner of the four "out-of-control" animals who savaged Manchester teenager Jade Anderson to death on Tuesday is unlikely to be prosecuted.
Livestock abuse: The peril of 'ag-gag' bills
Los Angeles Time, March 28, 2013
California Assembly bill 343 sounds like a tough new measure to crack down on abuse of animals at meatpacking plants and the like. It's not.
Court dismisses USDA foie gras lawsuit
San Francisco Gate, March 27, 2013
Remember May, when the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), claiming that foie gras is a diseased product unfit for human consumption?
ALDF grant will help Oregon's district attorneys to prosecute animal-cruelty cases
The Oregonian, March 26, 2013
Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson has secured a grant that will help all the state's 36 elected district attorneys to prosecute animal crimes.
Bill would ban the sale of animals at swap meets in Nevada
ABC 13 News, March 26, 2013
No more selling puppies, kittens, bunnies or any live animals at swap meets -- that's what animal welfare groups want from state lawmakers, and they're using a Contact 13 investigation to show legislators why they want the ban.
Hogwash: Big Ag's ban on caging pregnant pigs is just for show
Mother Jones, March 26, 2013
Among all the various dodgy aspects of factory-style meat production, the use of tight cages to confine pregnant female pigs surely ranks among the most awful.
Lawmakers want gray wolf off endangered list
The Hill, March 25, 2013.
More than 70 lawmakers are asking the Obama administration to take the gray wolf off the endangered species list.
How state ag-gag laws could stop animal-cruelty whistleblowers
The Atlantic, March 24, 2013.
Across the nation, the agriculture lobby is pushing legislators to pass bills that would hobble undercover investigations that help prevent abuse.
Pit bull owners left in limbo over liability
Washington Post, March 23, 2013
Pit bulls are banned as pets in much of Europe and in some localities across the United States, including Prince George's County, on account of their involvement in a disproportionate number of lethal attacks on people.
Pacific fisher gets temporary legal protections
U-T San Diego, March 22, 2013
A judge says a rare, forest-dwelling carnivore related to the wolverine should have California endangered species protections while regulators decide the creature's long-term legal status.
Horse shooting highlights slaughter debate
U.S. News, March 22, 2013
An Internet video that shows a meat company employee swearing at animal activists before shooting a horse in the head highlights the increasing emotional intensity of the national debate over whether a New Mexico plant should be allowed to resume domestic horse slaughter.
Judge tosses challenge to law on animal protests
ABC News, March 21, 2013
A lawsuit challenging a federal law that animal rights activists say makes them afraid to participate in public protests has been thrown out by a judge who said the activists have not shown that the law has a chilling effect on their First Amendment rights.
Anti-whalers return to Australia claiming victory over Japan
Japan Today, March 20, 2013
The Sea Shepherd anti-whaling fleet docked in Australia Wednesday claiming victory over Japan, as Canberra indicated fugitive founder Paul Watson would not face arrest if he came ashore.
Retailers agree to settle FTC charges they marketed real fur products as fake fur
FTC.gov, March 19, 2013
Three clothing retailers have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they misled consumers by marketing that products contained "faux fur," when in fact, the products contained real fur.
U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear gold dredging/endangered species case
Mineweb.com, March 19, 2013
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider a 9th Circuit ruling giving the Endangered Species Act precedent over mining law in regulating gold mining hobbyists using suction dredges on Forest Service lands.
Florida animal cruelty bill advances
The News Herald, March 18, 2013
A bill that passed a state Senate panel Monday could mean more charges for animal abusers and would broaden the definition of "racketeering" in the state to include those who fight animals.
Bills seek end to farm animal abuse videos
Fox News, March 17, 2013
Now in a pushback led by the meat and poultry industries, state legislators across the country are introducing laws making it harder for animal welfare advocates to investigate cruelty and food safety cases.
Drones to target illegal hunting in Ireland
Belfast Telegraph, March 16, 2013
The League Against Cruel Sports will use cameras mounted on remote-controlled aircraft to monitor land previously off-limits. The charity said it was targeting people hunting illegally, hare coursing, badger baiting and other wildlife crimes.
'Ag Gag': More states move to ban hidden cameras on farms
ABC News, March 15, 2013
Legislators in six more states are seeking to ban or limit the use of undercover camera investigations by animal rights groups that expose animal cruelty on farms.
Dozens of species given new trade protections
The New York Times, March 14, 2013
A major international meeting on wildlife trade signed off on several landmark decisions on Thursday aimed at protecting dozens of animal and plant species — including five types of sharks — that have come under severe pressure from soaring demand.
Nebraska animal abuse bill gets cool reception
The San Francisco Chronicle, March 13, 2013
A Nebraska bill that would require anyone to report animal cruelty within 24 hours faced an onslaught of criticism Wednesday, with opponents calling it a disingenuous attempt to keep animal rights groups from exposing abuse.
ASPCA opens behavioral rehabilitation center to help animal victims of cruelty
PR Newswire, March 12, 2013
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals today announced the opening of the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, N.J., the first-ever facility dedicated strictly to providing behavioral rehabilitation to canine victims of cruelty, such as those confiscated from puppy mills and hoarding cases.
EU bans sale of all animal-tested cosmetics
BBC News, March 11, 2013
The ban applies to all new cosmetics and their ingredients sold in the EU, regardless of where in the world testing on animals was carried out.
Protection of sharks and rays threatens to divide CITES
Voice of America, March 10, 2013
Debate about greater protection for several species of sharks and rays endangered by overfishing threatens to divide the 170-member states of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Fishing for wildlife lawsuits
Wall Street Journal, March 10, 2013
The Senate last week gave a warm confirmation welcome to Sally Jewell, until recently the head of outdoor equipment company REI and now President Obama's nominee to run the Interior Department. It's a pity the Senators didn't ask what Mrs. Jewell thinks of the Obama Administration's amazing assault on private property. Its weapon is the Endangered Species Act.
Is Iditarod dog racing animal cruelty?
Tucson Citizen, March 9, 2013
Here's another kind of dog racing that is no better than dog fighting because dogs die and are put through senseless cruelty in the name of winning money.
Accused puppy torturer busted; charged with animal cruelty
The New York Post, March 8, 2013
They chased him for four months from Harlem to New Jersey to Albany—but today, Manhattan prosecutors finally pulled the accused torturer of a helpless puppy off a train in Penn Station and charged him with felony animal cruelty.
2013 sees Asia take strides towards eliminating animal testing
Cosmetic Design, March 7, 2013
With less than a week to go until the ban on selling animal-tested cosmetics in the EU, it appears that it has influenced several markets in Asia, with Korea, India and Japan all seeing instances of following suit in 2013 so far.
Great apes in crisis: thousands poached and stolen from the wild annually
Scientific American, March 7, 2013
Nearly 3,000 chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans are illegally killed or stolen from the wild each year, according to a new report from the United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) Great Apes Survival Partnership (GASP).
Protected no longer, more than 550 gray wolves killed this season by hunters and trappers
NBC News, March 6, 2013
More than 550 gray wolves have been killed by hunters and trappers in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming this season, the second period in which hunting has been allowed in order to manage the population.
Coming soon: Long-delayed decisions on endangered species
The New York Times, March 5, 2013
Perhaps it does not seem cause for celebration that the Oregon spotted frog, a four-inch-long amphibian that prefers the Pacific Northwest's dwindling marshy spots, is to be considered this year for federal protection as an endangered species. Tell that to the frog. It has been languishing for 22 years — since 1991 — awaiting its day in the bureaucratic sun.
In the News: 100 million sharks killed each year by commercial fishing
Environmental News Network, March 4, 2013
Ahead of the 16th meeting of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species that runs from the 3rd to the 15th of March this year, researchers are again warning that sharks are in need of better protection.
Massachusetts group seeks to clarify animal cruelty law
Daily News Transcript, March 3, 2013
Animal rights activists are lobbying for a bill that would make failing to take a suffering pet to a veterinarian an offense under the state's animal cruelty law.
More Canadians willing to try horse meat in wake of scandal
Edmonton Journal, March 3, 2013
Smoked horse meat is normally a popular item at Ben's Meat and Deli in west Edmonton, but more customers at the Dutch specialty shop are interested in trying it lately.
Vermont animal rights groups seek quicker forfeiture
Boston.com, March 2, 2013
Some Vermont animal rights advocates are calling on the Legislature to make it easier to seize abused animals from their owners so they can be placed sooner in permanent new homes.
Ohio bill that would increase punishment for animal cruelty introduced for third time
Cleveland.com, March 1, 2013
A bill that would increase the penalties on the mistreatment of kennel animals is making its way through the Ohio House for the third time.
Advocates fight to investigate animal cruelty cases
Arkansas Matters, March 1, 2013
Advocates are fighting for the right to investigate animal abuse across Arkansas.
Now proposed legislation could impact animal safety across the state.
U.S.D.A. may approve horse slaughtering
New York Times, February 28, 2013
The United States Department of Agriculture is likely to approve a horse slaughtering plant in New Mexico in the next two months, which would allow equine meat suitable for human consumption to be produced in the United States for the first time since 2007.
Japan will never stop whaling: minister
Brisbane Times, February 27, 2013
Japan's fisheries minister says his country will never stop hunting whales, despite fierce criticism from other nations and violent clashes at sea with militant conservationists.
Protecting endangered marine species
Voa.gov, February 26, 2013
The U.S. will support proposals to restrict the unsustainable levels of international trade on manta rays and five shark species.
EU ban is the turning point for rest of the world to ban animal testing too
Cosmetics Design.com, February 26, 2013
http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Regulation-Safety/EU-ban-is-the-turning-point-for-rest-of-the-world-to-ban-animal-testing-tooHumane Society International and Lush are calling on cosmetic industry trade associations around the world to ban animal testing in cosmetics for good.
India signals end to cosmetic tests on animals
The Hindu Business Line, February 26, 2013
The end is in sight for testing cosmetics on animals. The regulatory Drug Controller General of India has called for the fast-tracking of the deletion of two final animal tests from India's cosmetics safety standard.
Animal advocates seek end to carbon monoxide euthanasia for shelter animals in Texas
Herald Online, February 25, 2013
Representative Eddie Lucio III (D) and Senator Kirk Watson (D) filed bills (H.B. 858/S.B. 360) to end shelter euthanasia of dogs and cats by carbon monoxide and only allow euthanasia by sodium pentobarbital injection (EBI).
Horse meat found in Ikea's meatballs
NPR, February 25, 2013
The giant Swedish furniture retailer on Monday said it had recalled a batch of frozen meatballs sent to more than a dozen European countries after tests detected traces of horse meat.
Food chain alert for investors
CNN, February 25, 2013
Investors will get a wake-up call on Monday when findings from a new benchmark reveal that many big global food companies in which they invest are failing to adequately monitor the welfare of farm animals used in the food chain.
Military to justify using animals in medic training after activist pressure
Stars and Stripes, February 24, 2013
The war between animal activists and the Pentagon has raged for decades. You could say there's been a fair amount of collateral damage: thousands of goats and pigs have been mutilated, though the military argues the animals have not died in vain.
After animal cruelty case, Florida Sheriff seeks to recoup dog boarding fees through civil suit
The Ledger, February 23, 2013
A Polk County couple convicted of animal cruelty to eight dogs has to pay about $4,600 in investigative costs related to their case, a judge has ruled. The $4,600 figure against Charles and Diane O'Malley is a fraction of the $27,000 fee that had been requested by prosecutors.
Butterball workers convicted of animal cruelty
NBC WECT News, February 23, 2013
Two workers were found guilty of animal cruelty after hidden-camera investigation at Butterball factory farms in North Carolina. Terry Johnson and Billy McBride were found guilty by a judge in Raleigh
Can endangered animals coexist with big ag?
Scientific American, February 22, 2013
An excerpt from Eric Dinerstein's Kingdom of Rarities explores whether the anteater and other South American oddities can survive as Brazil's Cerrado grassland is converted into cattle ranches and soybean farms.
Ohio animal rights group seeks fines for pig death at city hospital
Ohio.com, February 22, 2013
A national animal rights group is calling for Summa Health System to face federal fines over the death last year of a research pig. Stop Animal Exploitation Now filed a complaint against Summa Akron City Hospital on Friday with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Animal Welfare: European Commission increases pressure on Member States to enforce group housing of sows
Europa, February 21, 2013
Today, the European Commission, via a letter of formal notice, called on Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland and Portugal to take action to address deficiencies in the implementation of EU legislation concerning the welfare of animals, and specifically to implement Directive 2008/120/EC.
Nebraska senator wants animal ownership ban used in cruelty cases
Sioux City Journal, February 20, 2013
Attorney David Partch missed something when he charged a local man with animal cruelty in 2011 after 1,000 dead pigs were found on his farm.
Alabama House subcommittee tables animal cruelty bill
Fox 10, February 20, 2013
In May 2012, FOX10 introduced you to a bill that would strengthen penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty. It didn't pass last session; but because of your support, it's back and gaining steam.
Vietnam on alert as bird flu claims lives in neighbor countries
Vietnam.net, February 19, 2013
As bird flu claims lives in China, Cambodia, Vietnamese health authorities asked its sub-divisions to urgently implement counter-measures against transmission of the virus to humans.
Bachoco falls as Bird-Flu outbreak confirmed
Bloomberg, February 18, 2013
Industrias Bachoco SAB, Mexico's biggest chicken producer, fell for a second day after the nation's Agriculture Ministry said bird flu cases were confirmed on seven of the company's farms.
South Africa, Kenya to "speak with one voice" on rhino at Bangkok conference
Business Day Live, February 18, 2013
Kenya and South Africa have agreed to vote as a bloc during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) conference in Bangkok next month.
Government "needs to uphold" anti-whaling laws
ABS News, February 17, 2013
Former Greens leader Bob Brown says the Federal Government must do more to uphold its own whaling laws, after claims a whale was killed in Australia's Antarctic territory.
Japan "kills whale in Australian waters"
WA Today, February 16, 2013
The federal government says whaling by Japan is illegal wherever it happens, after a large whale was harpooned in Australian waters.
Bird flu found at German farm; ducks slaughtered
San Francisco Chronicle, February 16, 2013
About 14,000 ducks at a German farm are being slaughtered following a bird flu outbreak.
U.S. Supreme Court upholds injunction against anti-Japanese whaling group Sea Shepherd
The Japan Times, February 15, 2013
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a plea from the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group to end restrictions on its movements, following Japanese allegations that its activists had violated orders to stay away.
Japan worried about fair hearing in whaling case
The Age, February 14, 2013
Japan is said to be deeply concerned about obtaining a fair hearing in the whaling case brought against it by Australia at the International Court of Justice.
New Mexicans rally to stop listing of prairie chicken as threatened
PJ Tatler, February 13, 2013
While President Obama was unveiling plans last night he claims will result in job creation, hundreds of New Mexicans were protesting in Roswell last night against an Endangered Species Act listing that is expected to cost jobs and state funding.
Accused dog strangler gets a year in jail for separate animal cruelty incident
The Star, February 12, 2013
Rita Mueller, who remains in pretrial custody for dog strangling charges, was found with 29 dogs in poor condition in her home.
Idaho House approves amendments to animal cruelty bill
The San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 2013
Lawmakers are looking to toughen animal abuse laws by making it a felony for anyone convicted for a third time of torturing a domestic animal.
South Dakota Senate panel rejects animal cruelty measure
Times Union, February 12, 2013
A measure that sought to make aggravated cruelty to dogs, cats and horses a felony was rejected by a South Dakota legislative panel Tuesday after state officials and representatives of agricultural groups said it would have conflicted with existing laws that effectively combat animal abuse.
2 charged in chicken starvation at Stanislaus egg farm
The Modesto Bee, February 11, 2013
Prosecutors have filed criminal charges against two people associated with a Stanislaus County egg farm, where authorities said they found an estimated 50,000 hens without feed a year ago. More than 40,000 hens died.
CMPD: 27 pit bulls seized in dog-fighting operation
The Charlotte Observer, February 10, 2013
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police seized 27 pit bulls, tethers, a fighting arena and other items in what they say may be the largest dog fighting operation the department has ever investigated.
Safety concerns stoke criticism of American Kennel Club
The New York Times, February 9, 2013
Margaret and James Hamilton were a dog power couple, seemingly the perfect people for raising and selling purebreds. Margaret was a breeder and a dog show judge who owned prizewinning Chihuahuas.
Modoc County sheriff goes rogue, vows to defy federal laws during coyote hunt
Yahoo News, February 8, 2013
The Animal Welfare Institute, Project Coyote and the Center for Biological Diversity are seeking an immediate investigation of Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter for his decision to defy federal laws and advocate the violation of those laws during this weekend's Coyote Drive 13, a coyote-killing contest in and near Modoc County.
Ag groups out to stop animal rights legislation
The Daily Republic, February 7, 2013
Animals aren't people, but they deserve decent treatment, according to a South Dakota State University Extension Service staffer. But Jim Krantz, a cow/calf field specialist based at the Mitchell Regional Extension Center, said animals don't deserve rights.
Wyoming House OKs bill on animal cruelty whistleblowers
The San Francisco Chronicle, February 6, 2013
A measure that could prevent animal-rights groups from making surreptitious videos during undercover animal cruelty investigations has passed the Wyoming House of Representatives.
Should we pass a constitutional amendment when no one knows what it means?
Indiana Law Blog, February 5, 2013
Seventeen states now have guaranteed the right to hunt and fish in their constitutions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Four states added the language last year—Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Wyoming. All the constitutional provisions except for Vermont have been added since 1996.
Indiana right to hunt, farm proposal advances
Indy Star, February 4, 2013
Indiana legislators on Monday renewed debate about a proposed state constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to hunt, fish and farm and whether to place the issue before voters as a statewide referendum next year.
Taxpayers bailing out Japanese whalers
ABC News, February 3, 2013
Japan has begun injecting new tax-payer-funded subsidies into its whaling program in a bid to keep the fleet afloat.
Canada's unsustainable slaughter of polar bears
Pravda.ru, February 2, 2013
Canada is the only country in the world to still allow its polar bears to be shot and sold on the global market.
Michigan advocates want statewide vote on wolf hunting
Detroit Free Press, February 2, 2013
Animal welfare activists have protested in vain the past couple of years as the federal government dropped the gray wolf from its endangered species list and legislatures in five states allowed hunters to shoot the resilient predators
EU set to ban animal testing for cosmetics forever
Medical News Today, February 1, 2013
After over 20 years of campaigning, ethical beauty retailer The Body Shop and non-profit organization Cruelty Free International are finally celebrating the end to animal testing for cosmetics in Europe with the anticipated announcement that the import and sale of animal tested cosmetic products and ingredients is to be banned in the EU on 11th March 2013.
U.S. proposes to protect Wolverines
The New York Times, February 1, 2013
The federal Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Friday to give Endangered Species Act protections to the wolverine, one of the largest and hardiest members of the weasel family, largely because climate change is whittling away its wintry habitat in the northern Rockies.
Whalers warned out of Australian waters
Stuff.co.nz, January 31, 2013
A Japanese whaling fleet ship is again being warned out of Australian waters by the Federal Government, aggravating a diplomatic dispute with Tokyo. Environment Minister Tony Burke said on Thursday night that the government had confirmation the Shonan Maru No. 2 entered Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone near Tasmania's sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island.
New Mexico City law punishes animal cruelty with jail
BBCNews, January 30, 2013
People mistreating animals in Mexico City face a fine and up to four years in jail, new legislation states. The revised version of the capital's criminal code protects wild and domestic animals against maltreatment.
EU set to ban animal testing for cosmetics forever
PR Newswire, January 30, 2013
After over 20 years of campaigning, ethical beauty retailer The Body Shop and non-profit organization Cruelty Free International are finally celebrating the end to animal testing for cosmetics in Europe.
EU, Brazil sign animal welfare agreement
The Pig Site, January 29, 2013
Brazil and the European Union signed an animal welfare agreement during the 6th EU Summit Brazil held 24 January, at the Presidential Palace.
Abused, starved and abandoned, golden retriever 'Goldie' was forced to eat own tail to survive
NY Daily News, January 28, 2013
The poor pup weighed just 46 pounds when she was discovered in an outdoor kennel in Iowa. Now at the Humane Society, Goldie is healing after undergoing a surgery to amputate her tail and local families are clamoring to give her a good home.
Shooting of some owls OK'd in Canada to protect endangered species
CBC News, January 27, 2013
The B.C. government has approved the shooting of one species of owl in a last-ditch effort to save their endangered cousins, as the number of northern spotted owls continues to decline.
Proposed bills aim at protecting abused animals
ABC 4 News, January 27, 2013
Animal lovers in Utah are putting their support behind three proposed bills aimed at stopping animal mistreatment.
Washington lawmakers considering several animal cruelty bills
King5.com, January 26, 2013
The Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation, which has taken an active role in supporting several bills, says three bills below are scheduled for hearings on January 31 at 1:30 pm before the House
North Dakota lawmakers push for animal rights law
Jamestown Sun, January 25, 2013
Aubrey, a cat turned over to the Central Dakota Humane Society in Mandan, was microwaved by her owner, and Smiley, a forfeited dog, had a leg wound that went untreated for multiple weeks.
Poland to amend animal rights law to legalize kosher and halal slaughter
NBC News, January 24, 2013
A new bill on the amendment to Poland's animal rights law to make kosher and halal slaughter legal in Poland has been submitted for public consultation, a spokesperson for the Ministry of agriculture has announced.
Research chimps may be headed from lab to leisure
Yahoo News, January 23, 2013
Chimpanzees who have spent their lives in U.S. research labs being prodded, poked and tested may be headed for retirement in a leafy sanctuary where they can climb trees, socialize at will, play with toys and even listen to music.
Animal cruelty defendants might pay for care under Pennsylvania bill
The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 22, 2013
The sight was sad enough: When the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area seized 29 Morgan horses found languishing this month in a manure-choked barnyard near Hershey, many of the animals were down to skin and bones. Then came the bill: The estimate for the horses' basic veterinary care was $30,000 - not including food, hoof, and dental care, utilities, rent, or the cost of extra help.
Animal-rights group files complaint against University of Akron
Akron Beacon Journal, January 21, 2013
The University of Akron had the only registered lab statewide in which animals under its care died of negligence last year. The nonprofit Stop Animal Exploitation Now said the two mouse-like voles in UA's biology lab were among 230 animals to die of negligence at 46 labs nationwide.
Animal cruelty measure introduced in North Dakota Senate
The Bismarck Tribune, January 20, 2013
North Dakota voters defeated by a wide margin a one-page measure in November that would have made the worst cases of cruelty to dogs, cats and horses a felony. Opponents indicated the state's laws needed strengthening but disagreed with the initiative's way of solving the problem. Now, state lawmakers will consider a nine-page bill that would overhaul the state's animal welfare laws.
Horrific cruelty at UK abattoir caught on film: Footage shows stunned horse waking up just before it is about to have its throat cut
The Daily Mail, January 19, 2013
Two employees have been fired after an undercover investigation exposed shocking cruelty to horses at an abattoir. The disturbing video shows them being beaten with metal poles and illegally stunned in groups of up to three at a time before being killed.
Phoenix: Felony animal cruelty investigation of USDA agent
Tucson Citizen, January 19, 2013
The Animal Defense League of Arizona has asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for an investigation of its Phoenix employee Russell Files, who has been accused of animal cruelty. Files is an agent of Wildlife Services, a program of the USDA.
Outrage over baby elephants' export
The Zimbabwe Independent, January 18, 2013
Animal rights activists have vowed to continue their battle for the release of four baby elephants exported to China from Zimbabwe as the secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) investigates whether Zimbabwe's live elephant export was above board.
Idaho dairy worker pleads guilty to animal cruelty
The San Francisco Chronicle, January 17, 2013
A former employee at a south-central Idaho dairy has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse after an undercover video shot by an animal rights group showed workers stomping, dragging and beating cows inside a milking barn.
Hamburgers pulled from UK supermarket shelves after tests reveal horse meat
NBC News, January 16, 2013
The idea of eating horse meat has been described as the "last taboo" of English cooking. So one of Britain's leading supermarkets, Tesco, was doubtless horrified at having to post a statement, saying that horse DNA had been found in hamburgers on sale in the U.K. and Ireland.
US welfare groups join forces against "ag-gag" bills
Global Meat News, January 16, 2013
A coalition of US animal rights groups have urged politicians to dismiss a so-called "ag-gag" bill, which would make it impossible to carry out undercover investigations on farms in the state of New Hampshire.
Coca-Cola and WWF launch project supporting the Arctic home of the polar bear
Talking Retail, January 15, 2013
Coca-Cola and WWF have joined forces to launch Arctic Home, a new project focused on raising awareness and funds to help conserve the home of the polar bear and create a positive future for the Arctic.
On Louisiana range, the Giraffe and Antelope will play
The New York Times, January 14, 2013
The Audubon Nature Institute and San Diego Zoo Global were expected on Tuesday to announce the development of a breeding program for rare and endangered species on 1,000 acres south of this city, bringing herds of antelope, okapi and Masai giraffe to graze on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Animal Welfare Institute: Federal inspectors uncover animal cruelty and deception at California Biotech
PR Newswire, January 13, 2013
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) today called upon Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to immediately revoke the dealer license of Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. (SCBT)—one of the nation's largest commercial suppliers of research antibodies—in connection with apparent egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Kenya trials text message alerts in bid to curb poaching
The Guardian, January 12, 2013
Kenya's wildlife agency is installing an alarm system that alerts rangers to possible poaching by text message, following the shooting of an entire family of 11 elephants last week.
Rhino poaching reaches "unbelievable" levels in South Africa
International business Times, January 11, 2013
Statistics released by the South African government show a record 668 rhinoceros were killed across the country in 2012. The figure marks an increase of nearly 50 percent from the 2011 mark of 448.
Killing pythons for cash lures hunters to Florida's everglades
Bloomberg, January 10, 2013
A flourishing population of Burmese pythons in South Florida is devouring animals such as bobcats and opossums, and threatening endangered species. So the state devised a solution: offer cash for hunters to kill them.
Gilead Sciences agrees not to monkey around
Pharmalot.com, January 9, 2013
After pressure from The Humane Society of the United States, Gilead Sciences has agreed to end the use of chimpanzees in research.
Horror as entire family of elephants slaughtered for ivory in Kenya
The Telegraph, January 8, 2013
Armed wildlife rangers on Tuesday night fanned out across eastern Kenya in pursuit of ivory poachers who killed an entire family of 12 elephants in the country's worst single such slaughter since the 1980s.
Crowd-funded drones could help protect Kenyan rhinos
The Scientific American, January 8, 2013
What if there were only a couple dozen police officers to patrol all of Manhattan? Now imagine that the borough protected something far more valuable than gold, something that heavily armed criminals were willing to kill to get. How could those few officers keep the peace over such a large territory?
Watson hands over Sea Shepherd roles
World News Australia, January 7, 2013
Fugitive founder of the militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, Paul Watson, stepped down from key roles Tuesday, passing the Antarctic harpoon chase mantle to former Australian politician Bob Brown.
Israel bans sale of animal-tested cosmetics in "truly historic" move
Cosmetics Business, January 6, 2013
Israel has banned the sale of animal-tested cosmetics as part of a new law, which has been welcomed by the Humane Society International (HSI).
Illegal ivory worth $1.4m seized in Hong Kong
The Guardian, January 5, 2013
Customs officers find a ton of elephant tusks hidden under rocks in shipping container in third big seizure in three months.
Fewer manatee deaths in 2012, but threats remain
The Scientific American, January 4, 2013
Unlike a lot of other endangered species, the Florida manatee didn't have all that bad a year in 2012.
Five countries ban Brazil beef over mad cow case—trade secretary
Reuters, January 3, 2013
Five countries have banned imports of Brazilian beef after a case of atypical mad cow disease was confirmed last month, Brazil's foreign trade secretary Tatiana Prazeres said on Wednesday.
British consumers urged to boycott "illegal" pigmeat
The Scotsman, January 2, 2013
DESPITE having more than a decade to implement European Union regulations on sow stalls, it has been estimated that up to 40 per cent of EU pig production is still coming from farms that are not compliant with the animal welfare rules.
Wyoming's animal cruelty laws remain among nation's worst
Wyoming Tribune Eagle, January 1, 2013
For the seventh consecutive year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has put Wyoming in the bottom tier on its State Animal Protection Laws Rankings.
Wildlife advocates want to ban controlled hunting preserves, citing animal cruelty
The Republic, January 1, 2013
John Edwards was so haunted by the image of dogs chasing and killing foxes and coyotes in staged hunts that he promised to do something about it.
Mexico approves prison terms for animal cruelty
Fox News, December 31, 2012
Mexico City lawmakers have approved prison terms for animal cruelty, previously considered a civil offense sanctioned with fines and detentions.
Australia condemns Japan for whale hunt
Aljazeera, December 30 2012
Australia has threatened Japan with diplomatic action over its whaling program, after Japan reportedly dispatched its whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean for what Tokyo calls a scientific expedition.
Sudden death of show pony clouds image of elite pursuit
The New York Times, December 29, 2012
Early on the morning of May 26, Kristen Williams and her daughter, Katie, arrived at a barn on the grounds of the Devon Horse Show, where elite competitors in full dress have entertained spectators for the last century on Philadelphia's Main Line.
Animal rights group settles lawsuit with Ringling
Reuters, December 28, 2012
An animal rights group will pay Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus $9.3 million to settle its part of a lawsuit stemming from claims the circus abused its elephants.
Looe Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall calls for help after flood damage
BBC News, December 27, 2012.
Heavy rain flooded the main building and education centre at the Looe Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall and several trees were felled. A monkey died at the centre during November's wet weather.
Nine arrested for animal cruelty at Wyoming pig farm
WyomingNews.com, December 26, 2012
Nine employees of a pig breeding farm near Wheatland have been cited for cruelty to animals after an investigation of abuse by a national animal rights group.
Saving the rhino with surveillance drones
The Guardian, December 25, 2012
A rhino farmer in South Africa is planning to use surveillance drones designed for the US military to combat poachers who are driving the animals towards extinction.
Pig farm closures likely as European Union sow stall ban nears
The Pig Site, December 24, 2012
A large number of pig farmers may be forced to shut down for failing to comply with an EU directive on animal welfare effective in January.
Ice-dwelling seals seek safety as endangered species
Arab News, December 23, 2012
Two species of far-north seals, victims of disappearing sea ice and dwindling snowpack in their Arctic habitat, will be granted protections under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, federal officials announced on Friday.
B.C. caribou could lose endangered status
CBC News, December 22, 2012
The U.S. government is considering stripping a woodland caribou herd of its Endangered Species designation — the only herd that moves from southern Canada into the northern United States.
Faced with brutal elephant poachers, Cameroon calls in the army
Alertnet, December 21, 2012
Faced with the threat of horse-mounted Sudanese elephant poachers armed with machine guns, the central African nation has deployed military helicopters and 600 soldiers to try to protect the park and its animals.
Japan props up floundering whale business
The Canberra Times, December 21, 2012
The dire state of Japan's whaling industry has been highlighted in a Greenpeace analysis showing the whalers sell so little whale meat they are almost wholly dependent on taxpayer help.
Foie gras taken off menu in House of Lords
The Guardian, December 20, 2012
Foie gras has been taken off the menu in the House of Lords after complaints from animal rights campaigners.
UK Defence lab's animal testing keeps rising
Politics.co.uk, December 19, 2012
Campaigners have expressed disappointment after it emerged the government's main defence laboratory is steadily increasing its number of experiments on animals.
US court bans group from approaching Japanese whalers
Bangkok Post, December 19, 2012
A US court has ordered environmental group Sea Shepherd to maintain a distance of 500 yards from Japanese whaling ships, in a move welcomed by those behind the government-funded fleet.
For 4th straight year, Illinois has nation's toughest animal anti-cruelty laws, group says
The Chicago Tribune, December 18, 2012
For the fourth straight year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund ranks the anti-cruelty laws in Illinois as tougher than those in every other U.S. state and territory.
Number of University of British Columbia research animals subjected to distress increases
The Vancouver Sun, December 17, 2012
More research animals at the University of B.C. were subjected to moderate to severe distress in 2011 than during the previous year, according to statistics released by UBC.
Penn. industries at odds with efforts to save bats
The Washington Examiner, December 16, 2012
More than 99 percent of Pennsylvania's bats have died from white-nose syndrome, prompting state and federal authorities to consider listing several bat species as endangered.
Dispute over livestock slaughter in Poland reaches political stage
The Raw Story, December 15, 2012
Banning the ritual slaughter of livestock for food, a bedrock of the Jewish and Muslim faiths, has split Poland into opposing camps of religious groups, animal rights campaigners and flourishing meat exporters.
$180k in fines sought for animal testing deaths
North Jersey.com, December 14, 2012
An animal rights group is urging federal inspectors to fine Charles River Laboratories nearly $200,000 after the firm reported that four more monkeys and other research animals died in its care at its testing labs in Nevada and elsewhere.
Horse slaughters "inhumane", Australian activists claim
World News Australia, December 13, 2012
Allegations of inhumane slaughters continue to plague a Melbourne knackery, after animal activists supplied gruesome pictures of a horse being shot and dragged, Luke Waters reports.
Ikea monkey taken from its owner: A look at primate pet laws, sate by state
International Business Times, December 12, 2012
A baby monkey that was found wandering around an IKEA store in Canada has been rescued from the lingonberry-scented labyrinth of Swedish furniture and placed in a wildlife refuge.
Japanese duped in $2m ship purchase
The Age, December 11, 2012
In a stunt that may upset Tokyo, Sea Shepherd whaling activists have bought a $2 million Japanese government ship to turn against its whalers.
Animal abuse alleged at Manitoba hog farm
CBC News, December 10, 2012
An animal rights group is calling for change after hidden camera video showed what they call "extreme cruelty" at a Manitoba hog farm, though industry experts say most of what's depicted is humane practice.
Californians head to Nevada to buy foie gras
CNBC, December 10, 2012
Nevada boasts that it has a lot to offer Californians—no income taxes, no corporate taxes, fewer regulations.
World still waits for Japan to stop being apathetic about whaling
The Japan Times, December 9, 2012
In a survey of 1,200 Japanese people across the country, conducted in October 2012 by the Nippon Research Center, more people supported the hunting of whales than opposed it.
Israeli Government investigating Tnuva for animal abuse
The Jerusalem Post, December 8, 2012
Environment Ministry opens criminal investigation following expose program showing workers electrifying, beating, abusing cattle.
Polish government to reinstate religious animal slaughter after court ban
BBC News, December 7, 2012
One week after a Polish constitutional court banned the ritual slaughter of animals, Stanislaw Kalemba, the minister of agriculture, has announced a change in legislation to reinstate the practice, which is used by some of Poland's religious communities.
New Zealand outlaws battery hen cages
Food Navigator, December 6, 2012
The most commonly used cages for housing layer hens will be phased out in New Zealand by 2022 under a new code of welfare issued by the minister for primary industries, David Carter.
South Korea dumps "scientific" whaling
The Australian, December 5, 2012
South Korea has confirmed it has formally dropped its fiercely criticized plan to resume "scientific" whaling and adopted non-lethal means to study the mammals in their waters.
Endangered shark fins sold in Vancouver: probe
CTV News, December 4, 2012
The fins of threatened and endangered shark species are being sold in Vancouver, an exclusive CTV News investigation has revealed.
South Africa deploys high-tech plane for rhino poaching fight
The Chicago Tribune, December 4, 2012
South Africa has taken its war against rhino poaching to the skies by deploying a high-tech, low-speed reconnaissance aircraft to detect illegal hunters before they strike.
Irish fur industry has potential to expand after Coveney's clever decision
The Independent, December 3, 2012
At a time of intense economic anxiety, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has made a decision not to ban fur farming – after a comprehensive review of the trade.
Why PETA's foie gras lawsuit may signal the end of California's ban
Reason.com, December 2, 2012
PETA's lawsuit against a small California restaurant comes out of frustration that the state's foie gras ban isn't being enforced. But that's because the ban is unenforceable.
Protect rare bird? Move by US has energy backers crying foul
NBC News, December 1, 2012
A move by U.S. authorities to consider placing a small grassland bird native to parts of the oil and gas belt on the Endangered Species List has drawn the ire of some Western lawmakers.
Whalers, environmentalists ready for showdown
Deutsche Welle, November 30, 2012
As Japan's whaling fleet prepares to put to sea for its annual operations in the Antarctic Ocean, its arch foes from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are waiting just over the horizon.
Dogs trafficked in "large numbers" in UK
BBC News, November 29, 2012
Up to 1,000 dogs are being trafficked into Britain each week from unlicensed Irish puppy farms, an Irish animal welfare charity says.
Germany close to new law explicitly banning bestiality
The Washington Post, November 28, 2012
A German lawmaker says Parliament is close to passing a law explicitly banning bestiality after animal rights groups and tabloid newspapers pushed for existing legislation to be clarified.
Polish court nixes ritual animal slaughter
CBS News, November 28, 2012
A top court in Poland said Tuesday that the ritual slaughter of animals by religious groups, including Jews and Muslims, violates the country's constitution and animal protection laws.
Rules set for Ohio's exotic animal owners: Kasich issues executive order
The Coshocton Tribute, November 28, 2012
Privately owned exotic animals must be caged in secure structures and kept from contact with the public under rules enacted Tuesday by Gov. John Kasich.
Dallas DA's office announces new Animal Cruelty Unit
The Examiner, November 28, 2012
The animal welfare community is celebrating today after Dallas County ADA David Alex confirmed the creation of a special unit within the District Attorney's office to prosecute animal cruelty cases.
Lawsuit looms in Commerce City dog shooting; case sent to DA's office
The Examiner, November, 27, 2012
A Westminster attorney has been retained by the owner of a pit bull mix shot to death by a Commerce City police officer on Saturday.
Man claiming to be dog trainer charged with animal cruelty after dog dies
The Examiner, November 27, 2012
Michael Rosenberg, a self-proclaimed dog trainer from Princeton, N.J., has been charged with six counts of animal cruelty following the death of a dog who was in his care.
Alabama lawyer accused of slaying dog is in custody
The Examiner, November 27, 2012
The Birmingham, Alabama lawyer, wanted for felony animal cruelty after allegedly slitting his own dog's throat, is now in custody.
Bernalillo County, New Mexico, to vote on animal ordinance
San Francisco Chronicle, November 26, 2012
Bernalillo County commissioners are scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to exempt a large research facility from local animal protection laws.
Animal rights organization blasts Santa Cruz company for continued animal welfare violations
Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 26, 2012
Santa Cruz Biotechnology continued to violate animal welfare regulations even after a federal complaint was lodged against the company, records show.
UCSF lapses mean research animals suffer: USDA cites research lab lapses over many years
San Francisco Chronicle, November 25, 2012
A Chronicle review of laboratory inspection reports by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's animal welfare division, and an examination of UCSF's internal list of incidents, reveal that in the seven years after UCSF paid more than $90,000 to settle federal findings that its researchers violated the Animal Welfare Act, incidents of animal neglect or mistreatment have persisted.
Poisoned rare storks trigger calls for animal protection in China
China Daily, November 21, 2012
An endangered species of bird grabbed headlines in Chinese media over the past week not because of its elegant beauty, but because 20 died of poisoning in northern China. Poachers poisoned the wild birds within a wetland nature reserve in North China's Tianjin municipality.
Wranglers say 'Hobbit' animals died on unsafe New Zealand farm
Yahoo News, November 20, 2012
Animal wranglers involved in the making of "The Hobbit" movie trilogy say the production company is responsible for the deaths of up to 27 animals, largely because they were kept at a farm filled with bluffs, sinkholes and other "death traps."
Anne the elephant "abuse" trial: Court shown footage
BBC News, November 19, 2012
Footage of a circus elephant being beaten and kicked has been shown at the trial of a couple accused of cruelty.
British Army snipers shoot live pigs for surgeons to operate on
Metro.co.uk, November 19, 2012
The practice of live pigs being shot by British Army snipers so surgeons can operate on battlefield wounds is "impossible to justify", animal rights campaigners have said, as the Ministry of Defence said it had no alternatives.
University of Minnesota says animal testing secrecy accusations "lack merit"
Minnesota Daily, November 18, 2012
A lawsuit filed by animal rights activists accusing the University of Minnesota of animal testing secrecy "lacks merit," according to a statement released Thursday by University General Counsel Mark Rotenberg.
$500 million animal abuse settlement reached
Business Week, November 17, 2012
A California slaughterhouse, where videotaped mistreatment of cows prompted the largest meat recall in U.S. history, has reached a symbolic $500 million settlement with an animal welfare group and the federal government. The record penalty for the animal abuse case is not expected to be paid because the Riverside County-based Hallmark Meat Co. is bankrupt.
Federal jury convicts man in illegal wolf killing
The San Francisco Chronicle, November 16, 2012
A Minnesota man has been convicted of violating the Endangered Species Act and lying to a federal official in connection with the 2010 killing of two gray wolves — a threatened species at the time.
New York teens arraigned on cruelty charges for setting puppy on fire
NBC 2 News, November 15, 2012
Two Buffalo teenagers accused of setting fire to a puppy last month were arraigned in Buffalo City Court Wednesday morning. The two teenagers, Diondre Brown, 17, and Adell Zeigler, 19, both of Buffalo, are charged as adults. Each faces one count of felony aggravated cruelty to animals.
Owners of maggot-infested dog charged with animal cruelty
The Vancouver Sun, November 14, 2012
A Victoria couple has been charged with animal cruelty after their dehydrated Shih Tzu was found wandering through town with open wounds that had become infested with maggots.
Suit filed against Wyoming's kill-at-will wolf policy
Common Dreams, November 13, 2012
Conservation groups filed suit today challenging the federal government's elimination of Endangered Species Act protections for Wyoming wolves.
A casualty amid battle to save college oxen
NY Times, November 12, 2012
A working ox named Lou, who in recent weeks became arguably his species' most prominent representative, died on Sunday in pastoral Vermont, euthanized after his impending slaughter stirred a face-off between sustainable farmers in the state and animal rights advocates from around the world
Amish farmer in Ohio charged with animal cruelty after 52 dogs found living in deplorable conditions
NY Daily News, November 11, 2012
An Amish farmer in Ohio has been slapped with 23 charges of animal cruelty after authorities found dozens of dogs living in filth on his compound. Local officials seized 52 dogs from Jonas Beachy's Laurelville farm in October, over a month before he was charged Friday.
Fisheries nations set to discuss Bluefin Tuna
The Associated Press, November 10, 2012
After defeating a proposal in 2010 to ban the export of an endangered fish that is a key ingredient of sushi, Japan and Asian nations argued it should be left to quota-setting international fisheries bodies to bring the species back from the brink.
North Dakota amendment protecting farmers raises questions
Opposing Views, November 9, 2012
Voters in heavily agriculture-dependent North Dakota became the first to enshrine the right to farm in their state constitution, a move that some say could have far-reaching effects on genetic modification, land use and the way animals are raised.
Pit Bulls and dog fighting on the rise in Beijing (Part II)
Opposing Views, November 9, 2012
Pit Bulls are being used for dog fighting in the Chinese capital city of Beijing, and this brutal and atavistic "blood sport" is becoming big business for a syndicated underground ring.
Legal ivory trading severely undermines elephant conservation
The Ecologist, November 8, 2012
As ideas go, the notion that elephant conservation would in any way be best served by making a legal supply of ivory available was unconvincing from the very start says conservationist Mary Rice.
Prop 37 loses, scientists cheer
Scientific American, November 7, 2012
If Prop 37 was really about informed decisions, it would have sought accurate labeling of different types of GMOs so consumers can choose to avoid those that they disapprove of or are worried about.
N. Dakota voters reject tougher animal cruelty law
The San Francisco Chronicle, November 7, 2012
North Dakota voters have rejected a proposal to toughen the state's animal cruelty law. They defeated a citizen initiative on Tuesday that would have made animal cruelty a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Activists begin annual campaign against Japanese whalers
Japan Today, November 6, 2012
Anti-whaling activists began their annual campaign against Japanese whalers Monday with the Sea Shepherd's flagship, the Steve Irwin, leaving its Melbourne dock to pursue the harpoonists.
Global in-vitro toxicity testing market to take off as push towards alternatives grows
Cosmetic Design, November 5, 2012
According to a new market report by Transparency Market Research, the global In vitro toxicity testing market was worth $1,518.7 million in 2011 and is expected to reach $4,114.1 million in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 15.3 percent from 2013 to 2018.
Animal cruelty case moves forward
Times News, November 4, 2012
On Oct. 10, Los-Angeles based Mercy for Animals released hidden camera footage showing a cow being dragged out of a barn with a chain wrapped around its neck, workers beating cows with canes, and workers punching and jumping on cows between metal bars in milking stalls.
Ceremony brings closure following 2010 slaughter of 56 sled dogs in Whistler
The Vancouver Sun, November 3, 2012
Mourners wiped away tears and placed flowers and other mementoes beside a memorial honouring 56 slaughtered sled dogs, during a ceremony at a pet cemetery on the outskirts of this community in British Columbia's Okanagan.
Lawsuit filed over endangered sea turtles
The Tuscaloosa News, November 2, 2012
Two conservation groups filed a lawsuit Friday challenging a new federal rule that nearly doubles limits on how many endangered sea turtles Hawaii's longline swordfish fishery can accidentally hook before being shut down.
Jailed dog owner facing animal cruelty charge fights to keep dog
The Buffalo News, November 2, 2012
A Buffalo man, still in jail on an animal cruelty charge for driving several blocks with his pit bull leashed to the back of his SUV, does not want to lose the dog to the local chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Sandy wiped out NYU lab mice, dealing blow to medical research
Fox News, November 1, 2012
New York University Hospital has reportedly lost thousands of laboratory mice to Hurricane Sandy, a research setback that could take years to correct, according to scientists.
Tanzania police seize more than 200 elephant tusks
Reuters, October 31, 2012
Tanzanian police have seized more than 200 elephant tusks hidden in a coffin and in fertilizer bags, pointing to rising poaching in the east African country, officials said on Wednesday.
Wolf hunt may reach quota limit by end of next month
Pierce County Herald, October 30, 2012
Wisconsin's first wolf hunt might end before animal rights' groups are able to stop it. About one-third of the season's quota has already been taken in the first two weeks.
Las Vegas activists protest backyard chimp permit
ABC News, October 29, 2012
Animal rights activists in a city already jittery from two separate chimp escapes this summer are protesting a Las Vegas-area property owner's request to house primates in a residential area, saying the animals pose a public safety issue.
Kentucky amendment protects hunting
Cincinnati.com, October 29, 2012
One statewide issue on November's ballot in Kentucky will allow voters to decide whether hunting and fishing will become a constitutionally protected right.
Hundreds of monkeys being bred for laboratories in Europe are killed for growing too large, claims animal rights group
The Daily Mail, October 29, 2012
Animal rights activists have published shocking pictures and video of hundreds of monkeys they claim were killed because they were too big for testing in British laboratories. The disturbing images show discarded dead monkeys stacked in piles on the floor or dumped in rubbish bins.
Lay of the land: Irish Animal Welfare Bill is the stuff of nightmares
The Independent, October 28, 2012
But spooky stuff has been going on for weeks with the Animal Welfare Bill. Minister Coveney believes blood sports are acceptable because they happen "according to the codes of conduct drawn up by clubs" and "considerable numbers of people are passionate" about them.
Pressure legislators to pass Ohio's first felony animal abuse law
The Athens News, October 28, 2012
Nitro's Law (H.B. 108), Ohio's first felony animal abuse law, is being held hostage by Ohio Senate President Niehaus. As of Dec. 31, this will be the fourth time that Nitro's Law will have died at the hands of the Ohio Senate president.
Romania rescues two brown bears from decrepit zoo
Reuters, October 27, 2012
Two brown bears in Romania have been rescued from a zoo where conditions did not meet European Union animal safety standards and have been transferred to a sanctuary where they were released on Saturday, wildlife experts said.
Chicago zoo to release gray wolf to wild
UPI.com, October 27, 2012
A Mexican gray wolf that has lived at a Chicago zoo since 2010 will join 58 of the endangered animals roaming free in New Mexico and Arizona, officials said.
Russian government to crack down on animal trafficking
The St. Petersburg Times, October 26, 2012
Legislation to criminalize trafficking in endangered species or their body parts could be put before parliament as early as next summer, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Rinat Gizmatulin said earlier this week.
Air India rolls back decision, will carry live animals for lab tests
The Indian Express, October 26, 2012
Air India (AI) has withdrawn its controversial decision to not fly live animals meant for scientific experiments. It has admitted that the earlier decision had been taken after the carrier was "approached by (animal rights group) PETA", and that it had agreed to not carry animals "in order to avoid adverse publicity which could prove detrimental to the image of Air India".
Measure 5 supporters rally in North Dakota
Minot Daily News, October 25, 2012
Pet owners rallied with their four-footed friends at Souris Valley Animal Shelter Wednesday to encourage passage of a tougher law for animal cruelty. Measure 5 on the Nov. 6 ballot would establish felony penalties for extreme cruelty to dogs, cats and horses.
Championing life and liberty for animals
NPR, October 25, 2012
In 2013, the Pennsylvania-based Nonhuman Rights Project, led by attorney Steven Wise, plans to file a series of lawsuits in hopes that one high court in one American state will finally recognize that a nonhuman plaintiff can be a legal "person" in the eyes of the law.
UC Davis primate center under fire for alleged animal cruelty
The California Aggie, October 24, 2012
On Oct. 14, members of the Sacramento Animal Rights (SAR) group protested at noon outside the UC Davis California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) in order to draw media attention to the alleged use and mistreatment of animals in CNPRC experiments.
World's 1st masters of laws program concentrates on animal law, lures animal welfare advocates
The Washington Post, October 23, 2012
Mitzi Bolanos adopted a pit bull a few years ago, only to find that discrimination was part of the deal. Because of her dog, she was often told where she could or couldn't live or work. "I am a Hispanic female, and I never felt discriminated against in this country until I started walking around with my pit bull," Bolanos said.
BASF supports U.S. non-profit laboratory to promote non-animal testing methods
PR Newswire, October 23, 2012
BASF SE, the world's leading chemical company, has provided U.S. based Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) with equipment critical to replacing the use of animals for eye irritation testing of certain chemicals. IIVS will place the units at each of its newly developed training laboratories in Xi'an, Beijing, and Guangzhou, China.
Watson's woes won't stop us: Sea Shepherd
Yahoo News, October 22, 2012
Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says this year's protest in Antarctic waters will be the strongest ever, despite legal woes that have sent its leader into hiding.
Bulgaria worried by bid to ban foie gras in EU
Novinite.com, October 22, 2012
Bulgarian producers have expressed their concerns over a recent call by MEPs for an EU-wide ban on the production and sale of foie gras. The Balkan country is EU's second largest producer of the delicacy, with some 5 000 people employed in the sector, according to Dimitar Belorechkov, head of Bulgarian Poultry Breeders Association.
Turks won't give up their strays, activists say
Today's Zaman, October 21, 2012
About 4,000 people gathered in Istanbul's Taksim Square on Sunday in the third of a series of demonstrations to march against an animal rights bill that seeks to make changes to the country's current neuter and release policies for stray animals and to cull all strays and place them in "natural life parks."
Bama Bully Rescue changing views about Pit Bulls
CBS 42, October 20, 2012
October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month. During a Halloween celebration for animals, put on by Bama Bully Rescue and the Birmingham-Jefferson Animal Control, BBR used the event to spread some knowledge.
Beef recall likely 'death knell' for revenue-starved XL Foods
Calgary Herald, October 19, 2012
Just three years ago, Brian and Lee Nilsson paid $145 million US to buy the Brooks packing facility, an adjacent feedlot and related fertilizer operations that made Edmonton-based XL Foods Inc. Canada's largest domestically owned meat processor. But revenue dried up after federal inspectors suspended the license of the Brooks plant three weeks ago because of concerns it was producing contaminated product.
MEPs put foie gras controversy back on the table
EU Business, October 18, 2012
A group of European lawmakers has joined animal rights campaigners in a bid to ban the production and sale of foie gras across the 27-nation European Union to halt the "torture" of ducks and geese.
Humane Society campaign season spending focused almost solely on unseating Iowa lawmaker
Washington Post, October 18, 2012
Rep. Steve King of Iowa has little use for the Humane Society, particularly when it comes to laws designed to give calves, pregnant sows and hens a little more freedom on the farm.
Five wolves killed in Wisconsin as controversial hunt begins
Reuters, October 18, 2012
Wisconsin officials said on Wednesday that hunters killed five wolves during the first two days of the state's inaugural wolf harvest, which began this week despite opposition from animal rights groups.
Beckett sues pipeline builder over ocelot habitat
Yahoo News, October 17, 2012
Not even the legal equivalent of a fastball under the chin could stop a Texas pipeline builder from clearing acres of brush that Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett claims is critical habitat for the endangered ocelot.
African rhino poaching hits record on cancer claim
Reuters, October 16, 2012
A record number of African rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa this year, driven by the use of their horns in Chinese medicine and a spreading belief in Southeast Asia, unfounded in science, that they may cure cancer.
Business as usual for slaughtering American horses in Canada begins again
Examiner.com, October 15, 2012
The temporary shutdown of Canadian horse slaughter early Friday morning still has not produced any definitive reasons as to why American horses were turned away and their brokers, killbuyers, and drivers told to go home. The ban on horse slaughter however was short lived.
Texas animal welfare organization sues state over Dog and Cat Breeder Act
PR Newswire, October 15, 2012
Touted as a "Puppy Mill" bill, HB 1451 was not written to regulate Texas dog and cat breeders; it was written to eliminate them!
Philippine court stops re-exporting of dolphins to Singapore
Asia One, October 14, 2012
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court stopped the re-exportation of 25 dolphins to Singapore.
At the same time, the court, through Executive Judge Bernelito Fernandez, also prohibited the importation of additional dolphins into the country.
Tyson: Animal cruelty questions consumer loyalty
Cosmetics Design, October 12, 2012
Tyson Foods - the nation's largest meat company - announced it will have an animal treatment audit of their supplier farms. The company is supplied by more than 12,000 independent farmers.
Scientists reveal 'groundbreaking' animal testing alternative for skin sensitivity
Cosmetics Design, October 12, 2012
A team of researchers in Portugal have developed a 'groundbreaking' test which assesses skin sensitivity and could significantly reduce animal testing in the cosmetics industry.
Michael Vick owns dog again, he confirms in statement
NFL.com, October 11, 2012
Michael Vick didn't intend to tell the world that he owned a dog. He just intended to tweet out a picture of his family.
Wendy's cuts all ties to dairy connected to animal abuse
The Columbus Dispatch, October 10, 2012
Animal protection organization Mercy For Animals is asking Wendy's Co. to end its supplier relationship with Bettencourt Dairies in Murtaugh, Idaho, which is accused of extreme abuse of its dairy cows.
Idaho dairy fires 5 workers in animal abuse video; 3 of them charged
CNN, October 10, 2012
Five workers at an Idaho dairy have been fired after an undercover video by animal rights activists showed mistreatment towards cows, the dairy owner said.
Investigation exposes shocking cruelty to cows at Burger King cheese supplier
Herald Online, October 10, 2012
Shocking hidden-camera video of animal abuse secretly recorded at a cheese supplier to Miami-based Burger King was released today by the animal protection organization Mercy For Animals.
Senator Raymond Lesniak of Elizabeth, NJ urges voters to support bill banning extreme confinement of pigs
Suburban News, October 9, 2012
The Humane Society of the United States and New Jersey Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak are reaching out to New Jersey citizens with a recorded video message in support of S.1921/A.3250, a bill to phase out gestation crates on factory farms and require that breeding pigs have sufficient space to turn around.
Dead and dying animals found at property near East Berlin, PA
The Evening Sun, October 9, 2012
The Adams County SPCA confiscated 51 animals, including horses, rabbits, dogs, cats, and guinea pigs, from a property outside East Berlin, Pennsylvania, Monday and expects to file animal cruelty charges against the owners, officials said.
Peru, Campaigning for the rights of cats
BBC News, October 6, 2012
The Gastronomic Festival of the Cat happens every September in La Quebrada, Peru, but this year it comes as animal rights activists step up their efforts to change attitudes.
Edward McNeill sentenced over emaciated dog "Snoop"
BBC News, October 9, 2012
A Scottish man who allowed his dog to become "severely emaciated" has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service and banned from owning dogs for five years.
Judge dismisses puppy mill suit involving Tequesta woman who bought sick dog
Chicago Tribune, October 10, 2012
A lawsuit accusing a Cooper City, Florida, firm of peddling dogs from puppy mills has been dismissed, igniting a firestorm of accusations between it and the venerable Humane Society of the United States.
Mother, son get probation in Elmwood Park, IL animal hoarding case
Chicago Tribune, October 7, 2012
A woman and her son were convicted on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges last week after hoarding more than 40 cats and dogs in their Elmwood Park home last year, authorities said.
Texas museum criticized for euthanizing mules for exhibit
Chicago Tribune, October 5, 2012
A Texas museum is under fire for purchasing and then euthanizing two elderly mules so that their preserved carcasses could be featured in an exhibit.
Free-roaming cats stir emotional debate on bird safety
USA Today, October 3, 2012
While TNR averts the birth of kittens, prevents the feral population from getting out of control and reduces the number of cats who end up in overloaded, high-kill shelters, opponents charge that it condemns feral cats to outdoor lives of disease and danger, where they become deadly threats to birds and other animals.
Retired lab chimps pressed back into service
HoustonPress News, October 3, 2012
A San Antonio lab says primate research is necessary for curing diseases like AIDS and hepatitis, but what progress has really been made and at what cost to the chimpanzees?
California officials to launch gray wolf protection study
Associated Press, October 3, 2012
As California's lone gray wolf continues roaming the state's far northern wilds, officials Wednesday decided to launch a one-year study to see whether the species should be given state endangered species protections.
ALDF sues Bay area egg producers for false "free-range" advertising
ALDF, October 1, 2012
A class action lawsuit was filed in California Superior Court against Judy's Family Farm Organic Eggs and Petaluma Egg Farm for violating California's consumer protection law by using misleading packaging.
Fortnum's to investigate claims of cruelty made in undercover film at foie gras farms
The Observer, September 29, 2012
One of England's most prestigious stores has pledged to investigate claims of animal mistreatment at farms linked to a company that has supplied it with foie gras.
Tempers rising over badger cull in Great Britain as farmers confront activists
The Observer, September 29, 2012
As saboteurs mobilise and signatures on the e-petition of rock star Brian May soar, tensions are running high over plans to eradicate bovine TB in a shooting campaign – a policy which a government adviser has branded 'crazy'
Eye in the sky: Drones help conserve Sumatran Orangutans and other wildlife
Scientific American, September 27, 2012
What better way to study the world's largest arboreal animals than by putting an eye in the sky? A team of scientists working in Indonesia has done just that by launching inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles to study critically endangered Sumatran orangutans from above the treetops.
Could this fish defeat the Northern Gateway pipeline?
Financial Post, September 26, 2012
One of the most powerful foes of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline through northern British Columbia is not a lawyer or a conservation group or any of the many First Nations who have lined up against the project. It's a very large, very, very old fish.
Pennsylvania House committee clears two key animal welfare bills
The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 25, 2012
With stunning speed - and no opposition - the state House Agriculture Committee approved two animal welfare bills on Monday.
New task force goes after those who abuse animals
The Sacramento Bee, September 25, 2012
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay is creating a task force aimed at reducing animal cruelty in the city. Slay plans a news conference Tuesday to announce creation of the Mayor's Animal Cruelty Task Force.
Court takes aim & blasts pigeon shoots
The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 24, 2012
Animal rights activists and hunters have long disagreed about whether live pigeon shoots are barbaric torture or recreational fun.
New York State and duck farms sued to halt sale of foie gras
Times Union, September 23, 2012
The state Department of Agriculture and Markets and two downstate foie gras producers have been sued by the California-based Animal Legal Defense Fund in an effort to ban the sale of the delicacy, which is the fattened liver of ducks and geese that have been force-fed in the last weeks of their lives.
Quebec puppy-mill dog rescuers say laws too weak
CBC, September 22, 2012
A year after more than 500 dogs were seized from Paws-R-Us, a puppy mill near Shawville, Que., some advocates say Quebec's animal cruelty laws don't go far enough to close the remaining 2,000 estimated puppy mills in the province.
Bullfighting declared legal in France
BBC News, September 21, 2012
France's Constitutional Council, a top legal authority, has rejected a plea from animal rights campaigners to ban bullfighting. The campaigners wanted the fights categorized as cruelty to animals.
NIH to "retire" 110 research chimpanzees
The Washington Post, September 21, 2012
In a move that signals that the United States is further backing away from medical research with chimpanzees, the National Institutes of Health will retire 110 of its 563 research chimpanzees over the next year, the institutes' director, Francis S. Collins, said Friday.
California's ban on foie gras can remain in effect, judge says
Bloomberg, September 20, 2012
California's ban on the sale of foie gras can remain in effect while producers of the delicacy made from the livers of force-fed ducks challenge the constitutionality of the law, a federal judge said.
Xena the Warrior Puppy recovering as police search for her abuser
NBC 11, September 20, 2012
In Georgia, DeKalb County Police are investigating a severe case of animal abuse that has captured the attention of thousands of animal lovers, a case that is both repulsive and, now, miraculous.
Humane Society charged in RICO suit
Gloucester Times, September 19, 2012
HSUS and several other animal rights groups, filed suit in 2000 against Feld Entertainment, the company that owns the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Using Tom Rider, a former Feld wild animal trainer, as the plaintiff, they funded a lawsuit that alleged that Feld Entertainment abused their elephants in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
Ape researcher suspended amid welfare concerns
New Scientist, September 18, 2012
Susan Savage-Rumbaugh, famed primate researcher and executive director of the Great Ape Trust (GAT) in Des Moines, Iowa, has been suspended in the wake of allegations that she is a danger to the trust's seven bonobos.
Dog-mauling in Miami sparks debate, caution
The Palm Beach Post, September 18, 2012
Animal rights activists are preaching the importance of education and caution after a mastiff mauled a waitress at Van Dyke Café. The attack happened on the famously dog friendly Lincoln Road.
Colorado hiker who abandoned injured dog relinquishes custody
ABC News, September 17, 2012
The Colorado climber criticized for abandoning his injured dog on a mountain has agreed to give up custody of the dog to one of its rescuers.
Karen Goodman leaves legacy of fighting animal cruelty
Reno Gazette Journal, September 16, 2012
Animal rights advocate Karen Goodman, who leaves a legacy of her fight against animal cruelty, died Sept. 6 after a five-year battle with cancer. She was 58. Goodman fought to get a bill passed that limits the number of hours a day a dog could be chained or tethered.
Patrick's Law in N.J. would add bite to bark of animal cruelty charges
New Jersey News Room, September 15, 2012
Proposed legislation in New Jersey known as "Patrick's Law" would make animal abuse a fourth-degree crime or third-degree if the animal dies. Civil penalty fines for animal abuse would increase to $1,000 to $3,000 for a first offense, and move from $3,000 to $5,000 for further offenses.
'Pink slime' manufacturer sues ABC News for $1.2 billion in damages
CNN.com, September 14, 2012
Beef Products Inc. announced Thursday that the company has filed a $1.2 billion lawsuit against ABC News, three reporters (Diane Sawyer, Jim Avila and David Kerley) and others, claiming damages as a result of their reports on BPI's lean finely textured beef product (LFTB) more colloquially known as "pink slime."
The Topeka Capital Journal, September 13, 2012
The city of Topeka, Kansas, announced Wednesday it will appeal the U.S. Department of Agriculture's findings in its latest inspection of the Topeka Zoo.
Environmental group sues for federal protection of ice seals
Orlando Sentinel, September 12, 2012
Environmentalists sued the Obama administration on Wednesday seeking federal safeguards for seals that rely on vanishing Arctic sea ice and accusing the government of dragging its feet in listing the marine mammals under the Endangered Species Act.
23,000 People from 33 states apply for Minnesota wolf hunting permits; Unrestricted hunting starts soon in Wyoming
Scientific American, September 11, 2012
Gray wolves (Canis lupus) have targets on their backs. One of the next barrages of gunfire will start soon in Minnesota, where more than 23,000 people have applied for the 6,000 permits that the state will issue for its fall hunting season, set to start November 3.
Wyoming's wolves in the crosshairs
The Discovery Channel, September 11, 2012
Some conservationists were howling mad that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed Wyoming's gray wolves from the Endangered Species list on Aug. 31. However, Governor Matt Mead of Wyoming assured the public that de-listing won't result in a wolf massacre once hunting of the canines resumes in his state in October.
U.S. judge rejects whale suit against Navy sub training site
Reuters, September 10, 2012
Judge Lisa Wood in Savannah held that the Navy complied with federal environmental law in analyzing the impact of the range on the whale and its only known calving grounds.
Stolen pit bulls can face grim fate
USA Today, September 9, 2012
Some thieves target pet pit bulls and mixed bulldogs, and life generally is not good for the stolen dogs, according to humane society officials and enforcement agents.
Where cows are happy and food is healthy
The New York Times, September 8, 2012
Food can be depressing. If it's tasty, it's carcinogenic. If it's cheap, animals were tortured. But this, miraculously, is a happy column about food!
Airline stops transport of sharks' fins
The Scotsman, September 7, 2012
Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific is to stop carrying shark fins as cargo, bowing to pressure from conservation groups as China's appetite for shark-fin soup soars.
Republic of Korea urged to publicly reject whaling plans as it plays host to international conservation forum
PR Newswire, September 6, 2012
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) World Conservation Congress, which takes place once every four years, began today in Jeju just weeks after Korea provoked international outrage by announcing its intention to begin harpooning an unquantified number of minke whales for so-called scientific research.
Man accused of kicking, stomping puppy faces felony animal cruelty charge
The Denver Post, September 5, 2012
The 26-year-old man arrested last week after witnesses say he kicked and stomped a 4-month-old puppy made his first appearance in a Boulder courtroom Wednesday.
Kansas State Fair may limit showing of animal rights video, judge ruled
Reuters, September 4, 2012
Organizers of the Kansas State Fair can restrict the display of an animal rights group's video that shows animal slaughter at its annual agricultural event, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
Elephants dying in epic frenzy as ivory fuels wars and profits
The New York Times, September 3, 2012
In 30 years of fighting poachers, Paul Onyango had never seen anything like this. Twenty-two dead elephants, including several very young ones, clumped together on the open savanna, many killed by a single bullet to the top of the head.
Group finds loopholes in Arizona animal cruelty laws
The San Francisco Chronicle, September 3, 2012
A task force is working on a legislative proposal to close loopholes in Arizona's animal cruelty laws that have enabled some suspects to avoid prosecution.
Second Butterball worker pleads guilty to animal cruelty
Feed Stuffs, September 2, 2012
A second worker from the Butterball LLC farm outside Shannon, N.C., has pled guilty to animal cruelty after being secretly taped last year engaged in abusive handling of turkeys.
Air India stops ferrying animals for labs
The New Indian Express, September 1, 2012
After protests by animal rights activists, Air India has stopped ferrying animals like rabbits, cats and dogs for laboratory tests, where they are experimented upon and finally killed.
Wyoming drops federal protection of gray wolves
BBC News, August 31, 2012
The US government will remove wolves from its endangered species list in Wyoming, allowing the state to shoot the animals on sight in most areas.
Court sets hearing on PETA lawsuit injunction
The San Francisco Chronicle, August 30, 2012
A federal judge known as a staunch defender of the First Amendment will hear arguments next week in a lawsuit that accuses the Kansas State Fair of violating an animal rights group's free speech rights.
Butterball farm worker guilty of animal cruelty
The New York Times, August 29, 2012
A worker caught on undercover video abusing turkeys at a Butterball factory farm in North Carolina pled guilty Tuesday to felonious cruelty to animals.
Group protests at Fort Myers Walmart over animal cruelty
WINK News, August 28, 2012
Members of the animal rights group Mercy for Animals protested outside the Walmart on Six Mile Cypress Parkway Tuesday afternoon, as part of its nationwide tour. According to the organization, the retail company has dealings with a pork supplier, which the group alleges mistreats pigs.
Chimps infected with human diseases pose possible risk to reintroduction efforts
Scientific American, August 28, 2012
When a wild animal is rescued from poachers or wildlife smugglers, conservationists usually make an effort to rehabilitate it and return it to life in its native habitat. But what if the animal contracted a disease from humans during captivity that could then be transmitted back to the rest of its species? Should that animal still be released?
US horse slaughter projects still not open
AG Week, August 27, 2012
The status of three horse slaughter projects in the U.S. remains uncertain, according to key promoters, but all face political opposition.
Ben the bear won't return to roadside zoo in NC
The Sacramento Bee, August 27, 2012
Ben the bear will stay at his new home, a habitat in California, rather than return to a roadside zoo in North Carolina where he lived in a small cage with a concrete floor, according to an agreement worked out Monday in state court.
Wyoming's wolf plan a threat to the species' population
The Los Angeles Times, August 26, 2012
There's a lot more to restoring an endangered species than simply getting enough animals to breed in the wild. They return to a changed area, narrower and more hostile, where humans occupy more space.
Tougher laws urged on blood sports in Ireland
The Irish Examiner, August 25, 2012
Animal rights activists have called for tougher laws as it steps up its campaign against blood sports, fur farming and abuse. Hundreds of activists are expected to stage a mass rally in Dublin today as welfare groups demand heavier penalties in the revised upcoming Animal Health and Welfare Bill.
Anti-animal-cruelty bill passes Massachusetts House
The Lowell Sun, August 24, 2012
Farmers caught keeping hens, pigs, or calves in confined cages where the animals cannot move will be penalized under a bill given initial approval on Thursday by House lawmakers.
USDA, McDonald's suspend slaughterhouse buys
The Houston Chronicle, August 23, 2012
Federal officials say nothing they have seen so far in covert video shot in a California slaughterhouse shows meat from cows that may have been sick made it into the food supply.
But the federal government and McDonald's Corp. have suspended purchases of meat from the facility.
U.S. won't recall beef from shut slaughterhouse
The Wall Street Journal, August 22, 2012
Government inspectors won't recall beef produced by a California slaughterhouse shut down temporarily amid animal-cruelty charges.
Supreme Court in India castigates government for poor tiger conservation efforts
The New York Times, August 22, 2012
The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday extended the temporary ban on tourism in the core areas of the country's tiger parks by another week, as it criticized the government for its inaction in protecting the endangered animal.
Plant closed by USDA supplied beef for In-N-Out Burger
ABC News, August 21, 2012
Federal inspectors have temporarily shut down a California meat company that provided beef for the popular In-N-Out Burger chain and the U.S. school lunch program, saying there was evidence of "egregious, inhumane handling and treatment of livestock."
New animal cruelty cases raise questions about Ohio laws
NBC 4, August 20, 2012
When humane agents arrived at a Perry County farm this weekend, they were sickened by what they found. Nearly a dozen horses were so emaciated from hunger and malnutrition, their ribs showed through their sides and several had tried to eat the bark from trees near their pen.
Group files complaint against University of Nevada over 3 sheep that died of thirst
The Associated Press, August 19, 2012
An animal rights group has filed a complaint with a federal agency against the University of Nevada, Reno over three sheep that died of thirst.
Carriage horse that bolted may end up on easy street
The New York Times, August 18, 2012
Oreo, the runaway horse who dumped his carriage driver and two passengers near Columbus Circle on Thursday, may have bolted his way into an easier lifestyle. Until that moment, Oreo, a 6-year-old draft gelding, had a typical story.
Dog owner charged with animal cruelty for abandoning pet on Colorado mountain
Washington Post, August 17, 2012
A man is being prosecuted for abandoning his dog on one of Colorado's tallest mountains.
Clear Creek County sheriff's officials said Friday that Anthony Joseph Ortolani was cited with animal cruelty.
Petitioners in Iowa seek jail time for man who left his dog without water
Des Moines Register, August 16, 2012
A Des Moines animal activist group has collected more than 2,000 signatures demanding that Polk County Attorney John Sarcone seek maximum jail time for an Urbandale man charged with animal cruelty after his German shepherd died without water on a 91-degree day.
Indonesia's animal rights activists have hope in first animal abuse case
Bikyamasr, August 15, 2012
Animal rights activists threw their support behind the first animal abuse case in the country, saying they hope that it will push Indonesia forward on dealing with animal cruelty in the country.
Activists give Ohio judge standing ovation in dogfighting sentencing
Newsnet5.com, August 14, 2012
Animal rights activists gave a Cuyahoga County judge a standing ovation in court Tuesday morning, following her sentence of a man who took a plea deal in a dogfighting case.
Environmentalists ask U.S. to classify great white sharks off West Coast as endangered
The Washington Post, August 14, 2012
Three environmental groups petitioned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration late Monday to list the West Coast population of great white sharks under the Endangered Species Act.
Wisconsin suit: Keep dogs from wolf hunt
The Wall Street Journal, August 13, 2012
Groups opposed to animal cruelty are challenging the use of hunting dogs in Wisconsin's first-ever wolf-hunting season this fall, saying it will create bloody confrontations and dog deaths.
New Massachusetts's animal rights law to prohibit anyone convicted of cruelty from working with pets
Mass Live, August 13, 2012
Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick has signed a bill to modernize animal-control laws, including a provision prompted by the death of a dog in Wilbraham, which will have widespread implications for pets, their owners and anyone who abuses a dog.
Teacher charged with beating his dog to death
The Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2012
A Chicago elementary school teacher is due in bond court Saturday on animal cruelty charges for punching his dog to death because it refused to get into a bathtub after it "ate every piece of paper" in the house and soiled itself, police said.
Some at-risk shark species are ending up in U.S. soups
NPR, August 10, 2012
Sharks are some of the most feared and fascinating animals on the planet. They've had their own week of awareness-raising and celebration on the Discovery Channel for the last 25 years. But some say they are also delicious — as in the Chinese delicacy — shark fin soup.
Animal welfare groups demand action after 400 pregnant cattle from US die en route to Russia
PR News Wire, August 9, 2012
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Compassion in World Farming are calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take immediate action following reports that 400 pregnant cattle among a total of 3,900 cattle being transported by ship from the United States to Russia have died en route.
Is the Endangered Species Act a success or failure?
Scientific American, August 9, 2012
While that very question has been a subject of debate already for decades, most environmental advocates are thankful such legislation is in place and proud of their government for upholding such high standards when it comes to preserving rare species of plants and animals.
Proposal would make some animal cruelty a felony in North Dakota
The Daily Republic, August 8, 2012
North Dakota has one of the nation's weakest laws against animal cruelty, activists said while submitting a citizen initiative Tuesday that would make it a felony to severely mistreat a cat, dog or horse.
Ohio dog euthanasia decision likely in 2 weeks
The Lancaster Eagle Gazette, August 7, 2012
Any policy change or end to Fairfield County's use of gas to euthanize dogs at the county's dog pound will take at least another two weeks. Protesters want the county to switch from gas to lethal injection for euthanasia, saying the latter is more humane.
New York dog owner takes plea at start of animal cruelty trial
Post Star, August 6, 2012
After balking at three previous plea offers, a Hudson Falls man charged in connection with the duct-taping and abandonment of his dog on the side of a rural road accepted a plea deal Monday, just before trial in the case was to begin.
ABA votes to repeal breed discrimination laws in U.S.
North County Gazette, August 6, 2012
The American Bar Association's House of Delegates has approved a resolution that urges local governments to focus on deed, not breed when considering dangerous dog laws.
Right to hunt: Emotion vs. facts
Times-News, August 5, 2012
Increased clamor from fringe groups whose only goal is to force their anti-animal use "religion" upon everyone has forced Idaho legislators to vote unanimously, across party lines in both the House and Senate, to put proposed constitutional amendment HJR2 on the ballot in November.
Rome: Drivers of horse-drawn carriages clash with animal rights activists
The Guardian, August 5, 2012
Tourists and shoppers in central Rome looked on in astonishment at the weekend as horse-drawn carriage drivers traded blows with animal rights activists in the busy Piazza di Spagna.
Zoo ethics: offspring euthanasia or birth control?
Brisbane Times, August 4, 2012
Zookeepers around the world, facing limited capacity and pressure to maintain diverse and vibrant collections of endangered species, are often choosing between two controversial methods: birth control and euthanasia.
Is India's ban on tiger tourism a good thing?
AOL, August 3, 2012
The Supreme Court of India has placed a ban on tiger tourism, closing the country's tiger parks indefinitely as they investigate a claim that ecotourism is having a negative impact on the habitat of this endangered species.
New Jersey man puts out bowl of anti-freeze for dogs, pleads guilty to animal cruelty
North Jersey.com, August 3, 2012
Verona resident Salvatore Ferruggia was sick of dogs relieving themselves on his front lawn, located near Verona Park. So, he placed a bowl of ethylene glycol, commonly known as anti-freeze, in front of his home with the intention that a dog would drink from it.
Delaware Governor strengthens animal cruelty law
The San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2012
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has signed a bill strengthening the state's animal cruelty law to limit how long dogs can be tied.
A cage is a cage — Stop the rotten egg bill
Roll Call, August 2, 2012
The egg industry is scrambling to subvert the will of the people. Faced with new laws in California and several other states that either outlaw or restrict battery cages, the industry is desperately seeking ways to create the illusion of progress while, in fact, keeping hens locked in appalling conditions.
Air China no longer transporting lab monkeys
AFP, August 1, 2012
Air China is no longer transporting monkeys for laboratory experiments on its flights, animal rights group PETA said Tuesday, citing an email from the airline.
Puerto Rico fights to keep cockfighting legal
Opposing Views, July 31, 2012
Not only is cockfighting still legal in Puerto Rico, but U.S. tax dollars pay for the government-sponsored clubs where gamecocks hack each other to death with sharp knives bound to their feet.
Beauty companies return to animal testing to exploit Chinese demand
The Independent, July 31, 2012
Efforts by Western beauty giants to sell their brands to China's fast-growing middle classes are threatening to reverse years of progress in reducing animal testing.
Israeli bill to ban fur sales
The Jerusalem Post, July 30, 2012
A Knesset bill introduced late last week would forbid most sales of fur in Israel. Animal rights activists praised the legislation.
France's President vows to fight California's ban on foie gras
The Independent, July 30, 2012
France will fight for the right to continue exporting foie gras, the delicacy produced by the force-feeding of geese and ducks, President François Hollande has pledged.
Israel AG may toughen rules on sale of wild animals
Haaretz, July 29, 2012
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein consented to Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan's request on Sunday to examine the possibility of toughening the guidelines that govern commerce in wild animals.
Japan admits asking Germany to arrest, extradite Sea Shepherd chief
The Japan Times, July 28, 2012
The government has confirmed that it asked Germany to arrest and extradite Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson just days before the environmental activist jumped bail and fled the country.
UN treaty keeps idea alive of reversing ivory ban
US News and World Report, July 27, 2012
Delegates overseeing a 175-nation endangered species treaty adopted measures Friday intended to curb smuggling of elephant ivory and rhino horn, including a new plan to eventually allow ivory to be legally traded again in global markets.
Seven nations face sanctions over endangered species
The San Francisco Chronicle, July 26, 2012
Seven nations may lose their ability to legally trade tens of thousands of wildlife species after U.N. conservation delegates agreed Thursday to sanction them for lacking tough regulations or failing to report on their wildlife trade.
Proposed APHIS rule could impact farmers
The Pig Site, July 25, 2012
The USDA has proposed a revision of regulations implementing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to redefine "retail pet store." The proposed rule would expand the number and type of animal breeding and husbandry facilities subject to licensure, inspection, and recordkeeping under AWA.
Judge assails Los Angeles Zoo's care of elephants
The Los Angels Times, July 25, 2012
A judge on Tuesday harshly criticized the Los Angeles Zoo for its care and housing of elephants and ordered changes to improve the animals' welfare, but also found that the treatment did not amount to abuse and the exhibit can remain open.
Bear bile industry reportedly shrinking in South Korea, but China market stays strong
The Scientific American, July 24, 2012
At least 1,000 Asiatic black bears and sun bears live in tiny, cramped cages in South Korea, where they are farmed for their gall bladders, which can sell for up to $25,000 or more for use in traditional Asian medicine.
Congress delays farm bill as drought spreads
Politico, July 23, 2012
In the midst of a severe drought, the House Republican leaders are proposing to walk away from farm states and decades of precedent by not calling up the new five-year plan before the current law expires Sept. 30.
Chimps' escape in Las Vegas raises questions on wild animal safety in county
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, July 22, 2012
When chimps named Buddy and C.J. escaped recently in a northwest Las Vegas neighborhood and a police officer shot and killed Buddy, it grabbed national headlines.
Will the Farm Bill nullify laws against animal cruelty?
The Huffington Post, July 21, 2012
In the last few years, California and several other states have enacted legislation to prevent some of the worst abuse of farm animals. But last week Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) successfully introduced an amendment to the farm bill that would not only jeopardize those laws, but also any laws passed by any other state that might seek to restrict factory farm cruelty.
Animal rights group targets Wal-Mart over pig suppliers
International Business Times, July 20, 2012
The treatment of swine in industrial food production in a society of consumers that demand price points as low as humanly—if not humanely—possible is a question that will linger, but companies that sell pork or use pork products have scrambled to cut off a public outcry.
Japan urged to follow Korean example on whaling
The Age, July 19, 2012
Australia has used the decision by South Korea to abandon plans for scientific whaling to raise pressure on Japan to follow suit. Reports in Seoul yesterday confirmed the South Korean plan had been scrapped.
Judge rejects bid to halt California foie gras ban
Reuters, July 18, 2012
A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a bid to temporarily halt a ban on the sale of the food delicacy foie gras in California, which took effect this month, but he agreed to hear arguments at a future date.
Oregon farmer buys hundreds of water beds for his cows
Yahoo News, July 18, 2012
At least four dairies in Oregon's Willamette Valley have bought into the "new thing" in dairy farming: buying water beds for their cows.
Global ivory smuggling epidemic linked to $2-million seizure of sculpture and jewelry in NYC
ArtIinfo, July 17, 2012
Two New York-based jewelry dealers have pleaded guilty for offering and selling illegal elephant ivory, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. announced this week.
Shark attacks prompt calls to review the great white's protected status
The Guardian, July 16, 2012
After five fatalities in 10 months, Western Australia says federal government should consider lifting the species' protected status.
Factory farms fight public health, safety, and cruelty legislation…but not the industry affected by proposed law
The Inspired Economist, July 16, 2012
In a groundbreaking move toward corporate social responsibility, the United Egg Producers of the United States is teaming up with the Humane Society to push for regulations of its industry making the particularly cruel battery cages with which most chickens are factory farmed illegal.
Efforts to combat dogfighting gain major ally in RICO statute
The Chicago Tribune, July 15, 2012
Dharma the three-legged pit bull is a survivor. The canine was found mangled in 2009 when federal investigators busted a massive dogfighting ring that spanned from Illinois to Texas.
Midnight egg amendment in 2012 farm bill escalates animal rights fight
The Hill, July 14, 2012
Rep. Steve King's (R-Iowa) attempt to stop California laws that regulate egg-laying hens and foie gras has escalated an animal-rights battle.
Montana eases hunting rules for once-endangered wolves
MSNBC, July 13, 2012
Montana wildlife officials loosened restrictions on wolf hunting on Thursday, allowing trapping of the animals in the state for the first time since they were removed from the endangered species list last year.
Are pit bulls inherently dangerous? Motion asks Maryland high court to reconsider strict liability
ABA Journal, July 12, 2012
Owners of pit bulls in Maryland are grappling with a state high court decision holding that the breed is inherently dangerous.
Nambian-Cuban "Noah's Ark" plan criticized
BBC News, July 12, 2012
Plans by Namibia's government to donate 148 wild animals to Cuba have been criticized by an animal rights group in neighboring South Africa. The animals will have to endure long and stressful flights before being held in confined conditions, the NSPCA said.
Sodexo reinforces animal welfare commitment with phase out of gestation stalls
Market Watch, July 12, 2012
Sodexo announced it will work with pork suppliers to develop actionable plans to phase out gestation stalls throughout their supply chain by 2022.
Shark fin soup ban pitched by Calgary alderman
The Calgary Herald, July 11, 2012
Shark fin soup could be wiped off Calgary menus this fall, with the city council set to debate Monday a ban on shark fin possession in the city.
Belfast dog Lennox at center of animal rights protests put to sleep after 2-year legal battle
The Washington Post, July 11, 2012
A pug-nosed black Belfast dog named Lennox, who inspired a two-year legal fight and animal-rights protests on both sides of the Atlantic, was put to sleep Wednesday amid claims that city council staff had been threatened with death.
W.Va. man faces 141 animal cruelty counts
The San Francisco Chronicle, July 10, 2012
A Falling Waters, West Virginia man faces 141 animal cruelty counts stemming from the seizure of 132 dogs and eight cats from his home.
California restaurant says it can serve foie gras despite ban
The San Francisco Chronicle, July 10, 2012
A Bay Area restaurant is adding foie gras to its menu despite a new California law banning the sale of the delicacy. But the owner of the restaurant says the state can't stop him because his restaurant is on federal park land.
Feld Entertainment's federal racketeering case to proceed against animal rights groups and their lawyers
PR Newswire, July 9, 2012
Feld Entertainment, Inc. is pleased by today's Court decision permitting the company to proceed with its federal racketeering and conspiracy (RICO) claims against the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights groups and their lawyers.
Animal-rights disputes taken up by New Jersey lawmakers
APP.com, July 9, 2012
A bill that would crack down on the consumption of horse meat in New Jersey has raced through the Legislature like a Kentucky Derby winner.
Korea accounted for 21 of 23 IWC whaling cases in 2011: report
The Korea Times, July 8, 2012
Korea was reported in most of the illegal whaling cases filed with the International Whaling Commission last year, figures showed Sunday.
Whaling summit ends with UN role blocked
Radio New Zealand, July 7, 2012
The annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission has ended in Panama without moving to involve the United Nations in protecting the endangered mammals.
The Leaping Bunny Program recertifies Urban Decay
Yahoo News, July 6, 2012
The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics' (CCIC) Leaping Bunny Program is pleased to announce that it has recertified Urban Decay as cruelty-free after the company made the decision to cancel plans to sell its products in China, a country that requires animal testing.
Video shows horse abuse at Reno Rodeo
The Washington Post, July 6, 2012
Animal rights activists say additional videotape shot at the Reno Rodeo shows the alleged abuse of bucking broncos was more extensive than originally thought.
EU votes down Greenland whaling
Terra Daily, July 5, 2012
Denmark on Thursday lost a bid to extend whaling by Greenland's indigenous people beyond this year, with EU nations sharing concerns that tourists were being served a glut of whale meat.
State ban on foie gras sales challenged in L.A. Federal Court as "unconstitutional"
Contra Costa Times, July 5, 2012
A Los Angeles restaurant group is among plaintiffs suing the state and various officials in an attempt to overturn California's recently enacted ban on sale of foie gras, the goose liver delicacy usually prepared from the force-feeding of ducks and geese, according to papers obtained today.
South Korea under pressure to scrap whaling plan
AFP, July 5, 2012
South Korea came under pressure Thursday from outraged governments and environmentalists to scrap plans to kill whales under a "scientific" research program denounced as a sham.
Japan, allies nix plan for Atlantic whale sanctuary
The Japan Times, July 4, 2012
Japan and its allies shot down a Latin American proposal to create a sanctuary for whales in the South Atlantic, reigniting international tensions over Tokyo's whaling.
Feds: Nevada black bears don't need protection
The Washington Examiner, July 3, 2012
Black bears in Nevada are not distinct from other bear populations in the region and do not warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday.
Changes at Wheatland hog farm not enough
The San Francisco Chronicle, July 3, 2012
Wyoming Premium Farms LLC in Wheatland has made several changes to its operation in the wake of allegations of animal cruelty. The changes follow the release of footage that showed alleged animal abuse.
New law tested: Nevada teens charged with felony cruelty in kitten deaths
Forbes, July 2, 2012
In the first case of its kind to be charged in Nevada, two Las Vegas teenagers who police say drowned newborn kittens are about to face prosecution for felony animal cruelty.
Indiana officials want stiffer laws on animal cruelty
The Journal Gazette, July 1, 2012
The pictures were disturbing – emaciated dogs left to fend for themselves when the person responsible for their care walked away from the house, leaving their fate to the landlord or a bank or whomever.
New Jersey animal abuse bill advances
The Trentonian, July 1, 2012
Legislation aimed at protecting animals in danger of abuse has been approved unanimously in the state Assembly. "As a humane society, we should not tolerate abuses against animals any more than we would against a person," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, the bill's sponsor.