In the News /
All Aboard Fido and Whiskers! Amtrak Announces Expansion of Pets Aboard Program
Amtrak announced today that it is expanding its Pets Aboard program and passengers will now be able to travel with small pets on select trains along the east coast and northeast corridor.
In the News /
First Pets Lead the Way on Disaster Preparedness
September is National Preparedness Month, and with Hurricane Joaquin approaching the Bahamas and possibly impacting the East Coast, it’s more important than ever to have a disaster plan ready to keep your family (including your pets) safe.
Wildlife, In the News /
Federal Court Upholds Decision to Prohibit Import of Wild-Caught Whales from Russia
There’s a growing public awareness about the suffering of captive whales, especially since the release of Blackfish in 2013, and latest reports indicate that Sea World’s profits have dropped 84 percent. It’s perplexing, then, that some companies would still fight so hard to try to capture wild whales from the oceans and import them into the U.S. for an outdated and failing business model.
Wildlife, In the News /
OIG Audit Fails to Address USDA’s Cruel War on Wildlife
It’s a government program that’s more than 100 years old, uses outdated and ineffective practices, costs tens of millions of tax dollars, and kills and maims tens of millions of animals, including unintended victims such as endangered and threatened species, and beloved family pets.
Farm Animals, Federal Legislation /
Companies Step Up for Cage-Free Eggs
Today, on The Hill’s Congress Blog, I wrote about how the pork and beef industries, funded by check-off dollars, lobbied against federal legislation that would have improved the treatment of egg-laying hens – taking a knee-jerk position despite the fact that the bill had no impact on them. Since Congress punted on the issue, the corporate sector has stepped up big time. We are seeing a rapid movement among producers, retailers, and restaurant chains toward cage-free eggs, with major corporations like Walmart and McDonald’s making recent announcements.
In the News /
FDA Takes Action to Ensure the Safety of Pet Food
Two-thirds of American households have pets. They are cherished members of our families, with 83 million dogs and 96 million cats living with us. We trust that the food we buy for them is safe and nutritious, and will contribute to their long and healthy lives as beloved family members.
Equines, Federal Legislation /
Study Says Americans Could be Eating Horsemeat Without Knowing
It’s not just Europe where ground beef and meatballs could be tainted with horsemeat.
Equines, Wildlife, Action Alerts, In the News /
Lawmakers Taking a Stand to Protect the Salt River Horses
The U.S. Forest Service has sparked a national outrage with its new plan to remove all of the horses from one of the nation’s most iconic herds—the Salt River horses—from Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
Wildlife, Federal Legislation, In the News /
Airlines Take Flight from Trophy Hunting; When Will Congress Get On Board?
The tragic death of Cecil the lion—senselessly shot by an American dentist with a bow and arrow and left to suffer for hours before being shot again—has exposed the pay-to-slay subculture of wealthy people who spend a fortune to kill the grandest, most majestic animals in the world. The public outrage shows no signs of slowing down.
Equines, Federal Legislation /
House Veterinarians and Bipartisan Lawmakers Team Up to Make Soring a Thing of the PAST
Good news for horses: a bipartisan group of more than 100 members of Congress, evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, joined together as original cosponsors of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act introduced last night in the U.S. House. Led by Reps. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., who are both veterinarians and co-chairs of the House Veterinary Medicine Caucus, along with the leadership team of Reps.
Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation /
Anti-Cruelty Bill Gathers Steam, to Protect Animals and People
It’s well established that malicious animal cruelty indicates a broader social pathology and lack of empathy, and the perpetrators often are indiscriminate in choosing victims – one day it’s a dog or a horse, another day it’s a neighborhood child or just some innocent passerby.
Wildlife, State Legislation /
How Safe Are You From an Escaped Pet Lion?
If you live in one of five states with no laws preventing the private possession of dangerous wild animals, there’s no telling what kind of safety threats are looming in your own neighborhood. Dozens of Milwaukee residents reported seeing a lion running loose, spurring a media frenzy this week. One blurry image captured on video in a resident’s backyard suggests this could be a young male or adult female African lion.
