Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Action Alerts, Ballot Measures, Federal Legislation, In the News, State Legislation /
A Howling Shame
Today marks the first day of Wisconsin’s second consecutive wolf hunting and trapping season in decades. The first wolf was killed this morning after suffering in a steel-jawed leghold trap. It’s another round of killing in what has been a pogrom against wolves in the areas they’ve reclaimed—with hundreds killed in the Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stripped wolves of their federal protections and turned management of their populations over to states with hostile anti-wolf policies.
Uncategorized /
King Amendment Goes to the Dogs
As we enter the second week of the government shutdown, the to-do list for Congress only gets longer. During the coming weeks, we will hear a lot of talk about the debt ceiling, efforts to reopen the government and debate about cutting various government programs.
Animals in Research, Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Ballot Measures, Federal Legislation, Food, In the News, State Legislation /
King Amendment Goes to the Dogs
As we enter the second week of the government shutdown, the to-do list for Congress only gets longer. During the coming weeks, we will hear a lot of talk about the debt ceiling, efforts to reopen the government and debate about cutting various federal programs.
Animals in Research, Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Elections, Federal Legislation, Food, In the News /
What Does a Government Shutdown Mean for Animals?
Congressional Democrats and Republicans failed to reach agreement last night on continued funding of the federal government, and Washington this morning began the process of temporarily mothballing its programs and services. In a shutdown, “non-essential” federal workers are furloughed, while some “essential” operations continue. Several people have asked how a government shutdown affects animals, either by suspending critical animal welfare functions or providing a temporary reprieve from government killing programs.
Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Federal Legislation, In the News /
Don’t Penny-Pinch on Wildlife Services Audit
At a time when Congress is in gridlock over federal spending, there should be heightened scrutiny of unnecessary and wasteful programs. A prime example is the USDA’s Wildlife Services lethal predator control program―one of the most destructive and indefensible government programs that causes untold suffering to animals, while costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Action Alerts, Federal Legislation, Food, In the News, State Legislation /
Growing Tide of Opposition to King Amendment
The House of Representatives is likely to take up the nutrition assistance portion of the Farm Bill again this week. While the House has not yet named its conferees and much work has yet to be done to negotiate a final House-Senate package, there’s growing opposition to one toxic provision in the broader bill, which was offered by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, and is the last thing they need if they want to get Farm Bill programs done this year.
Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation, In the News /
USDA Rule Takes a Bite Out of Online Puppy Mills
The Obama administration today took a major step to improve the treatment of thousands of dogs languishing in large-scale commercial puppy mills. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a final rule to close a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act regulations which currently requires breeders selling wholesale to pet stores to be federally licensed and inspected, but leaves those selling directly to the public over the Internet completely unregulated.
Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Action Alerts, In the News, State Legislation /
A Light at the End of the Barrel
Thanks to five grueling days of intensive, around-the-clock care, a very fortunate Canada goose at the Cape Wildlife Center in Massachusetts narrowly escaped lethal lead poisoning this week. Unable to stand, walk, or lift his head to eat when he was first found, the suffering bird had nearly no chance of survival without emergency medical care.
Wildlife, In the News /
Desert Tortoises Buried by Spending Cuts
When Congress failed to reach an agreement on deficit–reduction
legislation last year, we knew budgetary issues and sequestration
cuts could negatively affect animals at some point—from the number of
inspectors enforcing the law at puppy mills and research labs to the number of
wild horses treated with a fertility control vaccine to prevent round-ups. We
Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation, In the News, State Legislation /
POTUS Pans BSL
President Obama this week announced the addition of a new First Dog, Sunny, who joins Bo as part of the First Family. We congratulate the Obamas on their new pet, and wish them years of joy and companionship.
Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Action Alerts, Federal Legislation, Food, In the News, State Legislation /
Standing Up for State Laws
Congress is on recess in August, but facing the remaining task to iron out a final Farm Bill and decide the outcome of Rep. Steve King’s, R-Iowa, destructive provision seeking to nullify state rules relating to agricultural standards. In addition to repealing protections for farm animals, horses, sharks, and dogs, the King amendment could also wipe out of hundreds of state laws protecting food safety, crop protection, fire safety, and more.
Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation, In the News, State Legislation /
Out of Gas
Let’s talk about progress, and how to get there.
