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Deal Dogs a Winning Hand
It’s a
consensus position that dogfighting is abusive and unacceptable, and an important part of
our work at The HSUS and HSLF involves strengthening the state and federal laws
to combat this practice. But it’s not enough just to wrestle down the cruelty
and put people in jail when it occurs—we also need to reach out to young people
and make sure they don’t get lured into the world of dogfighting in the first
place.
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Boots on the Ground for Animals
As everyone knows, money talks. Whether an animal welfare law will be effective often turns on whether it gets
adequately funded. And that spending is vital even when it comes in the worst economic times since the Great Depression. Our fortunes are intertwined with those of animals, and proper enforcement not only helps these creatures but also helps to improve food safety, public health, disaster preparedness, and other social concerns.
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An Ounce of Python Prevention
“Swamp Things,” a fascinating article by Burkhard
Bilger in the April 20 issue of The New Yorker, describes how the
exotic pet industry has helped transform the state of Florida into “a
biological cesspool of introduced life.” As fads of exotic birds, reptiles, and
primates have come and gone, nonnative species have established themselves
in the wild—transported by hurricanes or deliberately set loose by their
owners. As Bilger explains:
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Giving Rare Species a Place on Our Planet
One of the quiddities of the U.S. Congress is that it’s slow
by design. Bills have to make it through both the House and the Senate, via
committee process and floor action in both chambers. That’s why more than
10,000 bills are introduced in a two-year congressional session, and only 4 to
5 percent actually become law.
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Writing Off Fido and Fluffy
Ben Stein has some advice on how to get through the worst economic times since the Great Depression: Get a dog.
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Stamp Out Extinction
In an era of shrinking government budgets, lawmakers are seeking out new revenue streams to help fund critical social programs.
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Legislation, All I Ever Wanted
Congress is on spring recess this week and next, and it provides an opportunity for animal advocates to spring into action. You may not be able to travel to Washington to meet with your representatives and senators in person, but you can meet with them in their district and state offices close to home. In fact, lawmakers often have more time to visit with constituents in their district offices, because their Washington schedules are so hectic.
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NRA Has No Dog in This Hunt
The National Rifle Association says it’s about defense of the Second Amendment. But more and more, it’s about doing harm to man’s best friend.
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Handing Out Awards from Hollywood to Capitol Hill
It has been a week of celebration for The HSUS and HSLF,
with a pair of events that honor individuals making a difference. On Saturday, I
attended the 23rd
Annual Genesis Awards in Beverly Hills, which recognizes members of the
media and the entertainment industry for their coverage of animal protection
issues. “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Bolt,” “The Simpsons,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and
ABC’s “20/20” and “World News with Charles Gibson” were among the top winners.
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400 Dogs in Wire Cages
My friend Joe Trippi asked me to be a guest contributor on his blog today, and I posted this piece about our work to combat irresponsible puppy mills. I wanted to share it with you here as well, and ask you to get involved.
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Knowing the Score in Congress
Just before the November elections, the Humane Society
Legislative Fund released
a special preview of the 2008 Humane Scorecard. The final copy of
the publication is now available, and it charts the progress that we made for
animal protection during the 110th Congress, on issues ranging from
animal fighting to puppy mills to pet food safety. You can download a copy
and read it here.
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A Day of Rest—for People and Animals
Much has changed in some Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states since Colonial times, but one thing has remained the same for centuries: It has been unlawful to hunt animals on Sundays.
