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House to Vote on Funding Predator Control, Horse Slaughter, Ag Subsidies
The U.S. House of Representatives begins debate tomorrow on the annual appropriations bill to fund the budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2012. We expect several important issues related to animal welfare to come up, with potentially wide-ranging impacts on how taxpayer dollars are used for predator control, horse slaughter, and agriculture subsidies.
Ballot Measures, Elections /
Progress for Farm Animals in Ohio
The Ohio Department of Agriculture has denied a permit for an Iowa-based agribusiness company, Hi-Q Egg Products, to construct a new battery cage facility confining six million egg-laying hens, which would be in addition to the nearly 27 million already in cages in the state.
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Key Committee Action on Horse Slaughter, Ag Subsidies, and Animal Welfare Funding
The House Appropriations Committee last evening approved its version of the agriculture spending bill for Fiscal Year 2012, and sent it to the full House of Representatives for consideration, likely in a few weeks. The committee-passed bill included funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s enforcement of important animal welfare laws, and successful provisions to bar horse slaughter and cut subsidies to massive factory farms.
Ballot Measures /
State by State Roundup on Animal Protection
Nearly five months into 2011, many state legislatures have already adjourned for the year. There has been a tremendous amount of progress made on state policies to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, with most of the efforts led by HSLF and The HSUS, even while lawmakers’ attention is consumed with budget crises and other pressing social concerns.
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Congressional Pets Have Their Day
Who is Capitol Hill’s most distinguished dog? The most captivating cat? How about the handsomest horse? We will soon find out, as Members of Congress and their staff over the last few weeks have been submitting photos of their beloved dogs, cats and horses for the 2011 Congressional Pet Photo Contest, co-sponsored by HSLF and The HSUS.
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Round Two: Spending that’s Worth Every Penny
I recently wrote about a sign-on letter circulating in the U.S. House, which called for funds to ensure that the U.S. Department of Agriculture can adequately enforce key animal welfare laws. With your help, we got a strong bipartisan showing on that, with 120 Representatives covering 32 states, two U.S.
Ballot Measures, Elections /
Introducing the Animals & Politics Podcast
I'm pleased to introduce my new Animals & Politics podcast. Click on the player below to listen, or you can click here. I am grateful to my friend Patrick Ferrise for hosting the first podcast. From time to time in this forum, you’ll be hearing from me about proud accomplishments of our elected leaders and regulatory officials on behalf of animals. But today I want to draw your attention to a couple of stories about government’s abject failures.
Ballot Measures, Elections /
20 Years of Advances for Animals
This morning I spoke to a group of animal welfare advocates from around the world gathered in Orlando, Fla., for The HSUS’s 20th anniversary Animal Care Expo, the largest trade show for animal care and sheltering professionals. Several leaders in the field looked back over two decades and reported on progress that has been made for animal welfare. I offered some observations on the advances for animal protection legislation over the past 20 years.
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A Deadly Deal for Animals
The congressional backroom budget deal that stripped gray wolves of their Endangered Species Act protections was a shameful example of politics at its worst. And now we’re seeing the impact, as the state of Idaho puts measures in place to begin the trapping and aerial gunning of wolves, according to the Lewiston Tribune, as soon as this week.
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New Legislation Would Protect Animals in Maine Laboratories from Severe Suffering
There are important bills in Congress to address some of the worst problems in animal research, such as the costly invasive research on chimps and the trafficking in stolen pets for research. But the state legislatures, too, have been working to address important laboratory animal welfare issues.
Ballot Measures, Elections /
Missouri House Votes Against Dogs, Democracy
This week the Missouri House of Representatives voted to repeal most of Proposition B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, just five months after Missouri voters approved common-sense standards for the care of dogs in large-scale commercial breeding facilities.
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The Great Ape Protection & Cost Savings Act
I just concluded a press conference on Capitol Hill with Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., and other animal advocates to announce today’s introduction of the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act.
