Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation /
What ending the eviction moratorium could mean for families with pets
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Update 8/27/21: the Supreme Court issued an opinion yesterday ending the CDC order which extended the eviction moratorium in areas of substantial and high transmission of COVID-19 until October 3, 2021. The Humane Society family of organizations remains concerned about what this could mean for millions of Americans and their pets and will continue to urge elected officials to pass immediate measures to keep protections in place for these households.
Animals in Research, Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Federal Legislation /
U.S. House passes minibus package chock full of animal protection measures
Today’s approval of H.R. 4502, a package of appropriations bills funding key federal agencies, offers dramatic evidence of the success we’ve achieved through our laser-like focus on the federal budgeting process.
Wildlife, Federal Legislation /
Congress raises the ante in the fight against wildlife markets and trafficking
With unprecedented focus on the dangers that wildlife markets and wildlife trafficking pose to human health and animal welfare worldwide, the U.S. House of Representatives upped its ante yesterday by passing an appropriations package with strong language targeting the twinned threats.
Farm Animals /
Breaking: Judges unanimously reject pork industry challenge to landmark farm animal law
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Wildlife /
Mink fur production drops to historic all-time low in the US
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Every year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture releases a report on mink fur production, and this year’s report shows a promising outlook for mink, a species that suffers immeasurably for nothing but trim on a jacket, a pom on a hat or purse or eyelash extensions.
Animals in Research, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Federal Legislation /
The House moves to fund more animal protection measures
The U.S. House of Representatives is moving forward on more of the bills funding various federal departments, and we are happy to report there are additional boosts for priority animal protection goals. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee approved bills covering the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Justice, among others.
Wildlife, Federal Legislation, In the News /
The narrative about sharks needs to change—before it’s too late
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
A bad reputation can mean the difference between life and death for animals, and nowhere is this clearer than for sharks. Sharks may be depicted as terrifying animals in films like “Jaws,” but the true tale of horror is how humans have treated shark species for centuries across the world.
Pets & Cruelty, Federal Legislation /
Almost half of puppy mill complaints handled inappropriately, USDA internal audit finds
For the first time in more than a decade, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has released an internal audit of its Animal Care program that licenses and inspects puppy mills that sell to pet stores and online. And the most significant finding is a disturbing one: the auditors found that the program “did not consistently address or adequately document 145 of the 322 complaints we reviewed,” indicating that almost half of the complaints about dog breeders were handled inappropriately, if at all.
Animals in Research, Equines, Farm Animals, Pets & Cruelty, Wildlife, Federal Legislation /
Congressional budget leaders ramp up animal protection funding for FY2022
One of our primary responsibilities as a leading voice for animals in the nation’s capital is to influence congressional deliberations concerning the annual budgets for federal agencies where animal welfare is in play. We’re off to an outstanding start for 2022! This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved a number of our priority requests in its Fiscal Year 2022 bills covering the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, State, Interior and other agencies.
Wildlife /
Has trophy hunting changed since the death of Cecil the lion?
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
It has been six years since the death of Cecil, a male lion who was a popular individual for wildlife viewing tourists visiting Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. The heartbreaking details of the hunt that killed Cecil made international headlines: Cecil was lured out of the protected area with elephant carcass bait and shot by the hunter with an arrow. After suffering for 10 agonizing hours, Cecil was killed with a gunshot.
Equines, Wildlife, Federal Legislation /
Breaking: US House passes amendments to transportation bill containing big wins for animals
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Update 7/1/2021: The INVEST in America Act (H.R. 3684) has passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 221 to 201. We urge the Senate to include the House amendments in their version of the bill and pass it swiftly in order to make these historic wins for animals law!
Equines, Wildlife, Federal Legislation /
Breaking: Pro-horse and wildlife measures move ahead in Congressional transportation package
The surface transportation bill—the INVEST in America Act (H.R. 3684)—which is part of Congress’ infrastructure package is set to include a number of good animal protection measures. Two of the most important focus on the welfare of horses and wildlife whose fate are shaped by our transportation systems and practices. Amendment #187 would outlaw the transport of America’s equines to slaughter for human consumption, while amendment #41 would authorize a national wildlife corridors system to mitigate habitat fragmentation and wildlife-vehicle collisions.
