Uncategorized /
Healing Heroes and Helping Hounds
The bond between people and animals is a strong one—and can even be a healing one. Pets are good for our emotional and physical health, and studies show that having a pet can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Caring for a companion animal provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment and lessens feelings of loneliness and isolation in people of all ages.
Uncategorized /
Obstructionist Lawmakers Harm Animals and the Economy
The U.S. House of Representatives this morning passed H.R. 1018, the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, by a vote of 239-185.
Elections /
Putting a Hold on Compassion
The confirmation process for federal appointments can be a long row to hoe, as we are now seeing with the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Sonia Sotomayor. But the agriculture metaphor is even more relevant for Cass Sunstein, the Harvard Law School professor and constitutional scholar who is President Obama’s pick to be regulatory czar, or more technically the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).
Uncategorized /
Strong Federal Law Brings the Hammer Down on Dogfighters
Yesterday’s coordinated dogfighting raids across eight states vividly demonstrate why we worked so vigorously and for so long to pass a federal law making animal fighting a felony crime.
Uncategorized /
Legislation to Ensure Bird Killers Become Jailbirds
It was one of the most shocking and sickening scourges of bird-related crime since Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. A 14-month undercover investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s law enforcement division revealed that thousands of peregrine falcons, Cooper’s hawks, and red-tailed hawks were deliberately killed in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Talk Back /
Talk Back: Wildlife Abuse, Fur and Turtle Safety
Today I’d like to share some of your responses to past blog posts. I recently wrote about the Sportsmanship in Hunting Act, which would ban the remote shooting of live animals over the Internet and the trophy shooting of exotic mammals held captive inside fenced enclosures:
Uncategorized /
Down Fur the Count
The New Jersey state legislature last week gave final approval to a bill requiring the labeling of all animal fur garments, making it the fifth state—after Delaware, Massachusetts,
Uncategorized /
Whitewashing the Polar Bear Trophy Imports
The House of Representatives passed a major climate change bill last week by an ice-thin margin, and it may be the first definitive step by the United States to do its fair share to stem the tide of global warming and shrinking ice floes. One animal who has become an iconic species for the climate change debate is the polar bear, who is now facing an additional threat in Congress. Rep.
Uncategorized /
Saving Chimps and Tax Dollars
I attended a briefing this morning on Capitol Hill with legislative leaders and animal advocates to make a push for H.R. 1326, the Great Ape Protection Act, a bill seeking to phase out invasive research on chimpanzees and retire government-owned chimps to sanctuaries.
Uncategorized /
Saving Chimps and Tax Dollars
I attended a briefing this morning on Capitol Hill with legislative leaders and animal advocates to make a push for H.R. 1326, the Great Ape Protection Act, a bill seeking to phase out invasive research on chimpanzees and retire government-owned chimps to sanctuaries.
Uncategorized /
Florida Turtle Tunnel Protects Motorists Too
Here in Washington, there’s a small group of out-of-touch lawmakers who make a habit of trivializing and mocking animal issues, such as when Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) made light of legislation to halt the trade in primates as pets—even though a woman in Connecticut had just been horribly disfigured by a pet chimpanzee.
Uncategorized /
California Dreamin' Becoming Reality
When California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 2 last November, banning the extreme confinement of animals on industrial factory farms, they sent the message loud and clear that all animals deserve humane treatment—including animals raised for food.
