WASHINGTON (March 30, 2017)—The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund are expressing disappointment that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that manatees in the United States and South America will no longer be listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act and will instead be considered threatened.

"USFWS is required to use the best available science in making ESA listing decisions, and we are deeply concerned that this rulemaking did not take recent manatee die-offs into account," said Sharon Young, Marine Issues Field Director for The Humane Society of the United States. "The reduced status means reduced protection: boat speed limits in manatee habitat may be lifted even though the death toll from boat collisions is still increasing annually. Access to sufficient warm water in winter can be limited, risking even more cold-related deaths. Lower priority might be given to funding research into the causes and prevention of deaths due to toxic red tides and other habitat related threats that have also increased in the past decade.

In comments submitted to the agency, the HSUS opposed the decrease in ESA protection unless or until the human-related threats are better understood and controlled. We were also shocked that, in addition to Florida manatees, manatees in the wider Caribbean will also lose this key protection. Their populations are even smaller than the Florida population and even less is known about their status."

Media Contact: Anna West, awest@hslf.org, 240-751-2669

##

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

Millions of dollars funneled to agribusiness trade groups instead of going to help family farmers

WASHINGTON (March 28, 2017)—Members of the House and Senate called on the Congress to prevent USDA and agribusiness trade groups—including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producer’s Council—from diverting tens of millions of dollars a year to salaries, lobbying and other inappropriate and impermissible activities through the national check-off programs. Taxes imposed on farmers and collected by the federal government are supposed to be spent to help farmers and promote their commodities, but vast sums instead go to allow NCBA and others to engage in advocacy or anticompetitive activities that hurt small farmers. This legislation is backed by leading conservative, animal welfare and farming organizations, and fits in with President Trump’s promise to stop waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.

In a show of the ideological spectrum backing this legislation, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation in their chamber, while Reps. Dave Brat (R-VA) and Dina Titus (D-NV), introduced similar legislation in the House. The companion bills, labeled the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act (H.R. 1753 / S. 741), would be ideally suited for action during consideration of the 2017-2018 farm bill.

The OFF Act would strengthen checkoff program prohibitions against engaging in government policy advocacy, conflicts of interest or anticompetitive activities that harm other commodities or consumers. The bill is backed by farmers, animal welfare advocates and pro-market think tanks.

Established as generic promotion mechanisms for specific agricultural goods, checkoff programs constitute a half a billion dollar levy on farmers, many of whom are dismayed at mounting evidence that D.C. lobbying groups use their dollars to benefit the biggest agricultural interests to the detriment of smaller producers who value traditional husbandry and higher animal welfare standards.

"The USDA’s commodity checkoff programs are supposed to work for all farmers and ranchers, but they’ve been taken over by the largest corporate interests," said Mike Callicrate, owner of Ranch Direct Foods and member of The Humane Society of the United States’ National Agriculture Advisory Council. "America’s farmers are forced to fund them, and yet we have no say in how our dollars are utilized. I thank Senators Lee and Booker and Representatives Brat and Titus for introducing these important bills to hold checkoff programs accountable to the people who are subsidizing them."

A briefing held today in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center was cohosted by The Heritage Foundation, a leading conservative think tank, and the Organization for Competitive Markets, a non-profit research and advocacy foundation focusing on antitrust and trade policy in agriculture. Presenters included Heritage, OCM president Mike Weaver, OCM founder and cattle producer Fred Stokes, Pennsylvania dairy farmer Brenda Cochran and Missouri Rural Crisis Center executive vice president Rhonda Perry.

"For too long, America’s family farmers have been forced to fund programs that undermine their efforts to preserve rural communities and to use traditional methods of farming," said Joe Maxwell, a Missouri hog farmer and senior political director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "Farmers should have guarantees these programs are working for them, and shouldn’t have their hard earned money going toward a slush fund for big ag."

"This legislation is a show of good faith to America’s farmers, who believe in accountability and government transparency," said Pete Eshelman of Joseph DeCuis Farm and the HSUS National Agriculture Advisory Council. "We deserve to know where our dollars are going. Thanks to Senators Booker and Lee and Representatives Brat and Titus for standing up for open government, free markets and fairness for all farmers."

The Humane Society of the United States and its legislative affiliate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, strongly support this legislation, which would level the playing field for farmers using more humane agriculture methods and rejecting cruel and dangerous practices such as the extreme confinement of breeding pigs and laying hens. HSUS and HSLF are joined by a coalition of animal welfare groups and more than 60 farm groups.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, jcleveland@hslf.org, (202) 676-2338

##

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

Measure also allows aerial spotting and land-and-shoot killing of grizzly bears on national wildlife refuges in Alaska

WASHINGTON (March 21, 2017)—The U.S. Senate overturned a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule that stopped a set of appalling and unsporting hunting methods on national wildlife refuges in Alaska. These cruel and unsporting practices include shooting or trapping whole families of wolves while at their dens with pups, using airplanes to scout for brown and black bears to shoot, trapping bears with steel-jawed leghold traps and wire snares and luring grizzly bears with food to get a point blank kill.

Republicans provided the votes for the measure, which passed by a vote of 52 to 47. The House of Representatives passed similar legislation last month. The bill now goes to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.
"What the Senate did today should outrage the conscience of every animal lover in America," said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund and president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "The passage of this bill means that we’ll see wolf families killed at their dens, bears chased down by planes or suffering for hours in barbaric steel-jawed traps or snares."

This legislation blocks the administration from ever issuing a similar rule on this topic, leaving the authority to prohibit these egregious trophy hunting methods solely in the hands of Congress.

While the backers of the measure claimed this was a state’s rights issue, a recent poll by Remington Research Group found that Alaska voters oppose these inhumane and unsporting methods by a 2-1 margin, and many Alaskans voiced support for the rule during the extensive public comment period. Wildlife biologists have roundly condemned Alaska’s inhumane and unsporting hunting practices.

These are federal public lands supported by all Americans who greatly value these iconic and majestic wildlife, and with today’s vote, the Senate undid a rule years in the works that was launched by professional wildlife scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The practices in question are disallowed in almost every state, yet Congress has made it clear these inhumane practices will once again be used in national wildlife refuges in Alaska—the one category of federal lands specifically created to protect wildlife and promote the diversity of species.

The HSUS, which aired a related television commercial in the Washington, D.C., area, urged lawmakers to oppose the resolution.

The HSLF and HSUS, along with 70 other groups, including Alaskans for Wildlife, Alaska Wildlife Alliance, Friends of Alaska Wildlife Refuges, Lynn Canal Conservation, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Oasis Earth, Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, Sierra Club—Alaska Chapter and the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council opposed H.J. Res. 69. Last year, a group of more than 50 scientists sent a letter to Congress in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule.

Media Contact: Anna West, awest@humanesociety.org, 301-258-1518

##

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

WASHINGTON (March 13, 2017)—A group of senior Republican and Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee reintroduced the nation’s first-ever general federal animal cruelty bill – the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, H.R. 1494. Sponsored by Reps. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Ted Deutch, D-Fla., the PACT Act would empower the FBI and U.S. Attorneys to prosecute animal abuse cases that cross state lines, affect interstate commerce, or occur on federal property. The bill was introduced with 11 other original cosponsors: Reps. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, Tom Marino, R-Pa., Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, Trent Franks, R-Ariz., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn.

All 50 states have felony penalties for malicious cruelty to animals. This legislation would complement the states’ anti-cruelty laws in the same way that the federal animal fighting statute complements the 50 state animal fighting laws, providing an additional tool to be employed when extreme animal cruelty occurs on federal property or otherwise in interstate commerce.

The PACT Act closes a loophole in the federal Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010, which already prohibits the trade in obscene “crush” videos that show the intentional crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling, or other heinous abuse of live animals, but does not prohibit the underlying acts of abuse if no video is created. The PACT Act would close that gap by allowing for the criminal prosecution of those same extreme acts of animal cruelty when they occur in interstate or foreign commerce, regardless of whether a video is produced. The bill has been endorsed by more than 200 sheriffs and police departments in 36 states and national groups including the National Sheriffs’ Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

The Senate passed this common sense legislation last year, but the House did not take up the companion measure, despite the bill having attracted more than 250 cosponsors.

"It’s long past time that Congress empowers the FBI and U.S. Attorneys to deal with malicious and deviant cruelty on federal property or that crosses state lines," said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund and president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "We know there is a well-documented link between animal abuse and other forms of violent behavior, and this legislation is a tool to combat this violence when we get a first look at it."

Media Contact: Anna West, awest@humanesociety.org, 301-258-1518

##

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

Bill also shines a light on brutal trade in China and South Korea

WASHINGTON (March 10, 2017)—U.S. Representatives Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Dave Trott, R-Mich. and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., have introduced legislation to ban the dog and cat meat trade in the United States, earning applause from Humane Society International, The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund. The bill, the Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act of 2017, would amend the U.S Animal Welfare Act to prohibit the slaughter and trade of dogs and cats for human consumption, and would provide penalties for individuals involved in the dog or cat meat trade.

HSI is one of the leading organizations campaigning across Asia to end the dog meat trade that sees around 30 million dogs a year killed for human consumption. It’s a trade that subjects dogs to horrifying treatment and raises serious human health concerns for traders and consumers alike, all for a type of meat that relatively few people eat on a regular basis. Similar problems face an untold number of cats. In the United States, the dog and cat meat industry is limited. The new bill will prevent domestic trade and imports, and serve as an important symbol of unity with countries and regions such as Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Taiwan that have dog meat bans in place.

Kelly O’Meara, director of companion animals and engagement for HSI, said: “The dog and cat meat trade is immensely cruel, so much so that many Asian countries have bans in place. This bill prevents the dog and cat meat trade from taking hold in the United States, but it also shines a spotlight on those countries where this brutal industry is not yet outlawed and where action is desperately needed.”

O’Meara adds: “Through our work in China, South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia, we are urging policy makers to take decisive steps to end the trade. A similar law here in the United States would show important solidarity with those that have already enacted bans and inspire more to join the cause. We applaud Congressmen Hastings, Buchanan, Trott and Boyle for introducing this bill and their commitment to ending this brutal trade.”

Last year, and again this year, Congressman Hastings introduced a Congressional Resolution condemning China’s Yulin dog meat festival. Dog meat traders in China launched the festival in 2010 to increase sales, but popular outcry, both internationally and within China, has dramatically reduced the scope of the festival that takes place every year during the summer solstice. HSI and its Chinese partner groups have been on the ground every year to uncover the cruelty of the festival, and to stop the illegal transport of dogs into Yulin. Last year, HSI and its local partners rescued 170 dogs and cats from slaughterhouses on the outskirts of Yulin and transported them to the US, UK and Canada for adoption.

“Many people would be shocked to learn that it is still legal to slaughter dogs and cats for the purpose of human consumption in 44 states,” said Congressman Hastings. “This legislation will prohibit these practices and unify the animal cruelty laws across our country by explicitly prohibiting the slaughter and consumption of our most beloved companions. I am proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fight against these cruel and inhumane practices.”

Facts:

• In China, HSI works alongside Chinese groups to rescue dogs from trucks bound for the dog meat markets, uncover the immense cruelty that takes place at the slaughterhouses, and draw attention to the plight of the animals.
• In South Korea, thousands of dog farms throughout the country rear an estimated 2.5 million dogs each year for human consumption. HSI has worked with six farmers since 2015 to shut down their farms and rescue 770 dogs. By helping farmers transition into humane trades, HSI is demonstrating that a government-led dog meat farm phase out is possible and desired by many farmers in the industry.

For more information visit hsi.org/dogmeat

Media Contact: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, 301-721-6440

##

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

Humane Society International and its partner organizations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. For 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programmes. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide—on the Web at hsi.org.

WASHINGTON (December 10, 2016)—The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, S. 1831, earning praise from The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund. As the first-ever general federal animal cruelty bill, the PACT Act builds on the federal animal crush video law enacted in 2010, which banned the creation, sale and distribution of obscene videos that show animals being crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or subjected to other forms of heinous cruelty. The PACT Act, introduced by Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., will prohibit those same extreme acts of animal cruelty when they occur in interstate or foreign commerce, regardless of whether a video is produced, and those convicted of such abuse will face federal felony charges, fines and up to seven years in prison.

Although the House is now out of session, a parallel bill introduced by Reps. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, Ted Deutch, D-Fla., Tom Marino, R-Pa., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., has earned bipartisan support with more than 250 cosponsors. This legislation is also endorsed by 200 law enforcement agencies across the country. Few bills in the Congress have this level of bipartisan support.

Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of HSLF, said: “It’s long past time that Congress lets the FBI and U.S. Attorneys deal with particularly malicious and deviant acts of cruelty on federal property or that cross state lines—especially given the well-documented link between animal abuse and other forms of violent behavior. The Senate passage is a strong indicator of enormous bipartisan support, and we urge the Congress to take up this measure early in the new year and fortify the legal framework against cruelty in the United States.”

At a time when our nation is divided, opposition to animal cruelty is one of the ideas that unites us. Our nation should have a zero tolerance policy for malicious cruelty, and the PACT Act complements the work of the states in rooting out malicious mistreatment of animals.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@hslf.org

##

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

WASHINGTON (December 7, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, for election to the U.S. Senate. Citing his strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Louisiana to support Kennedy on December 10th in the runoff election.

As state treasurer, Kennedy led efforts to establish animal rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, resulting in many lost pets rescued and reunited with their owners. He has stated that, as senator, working with federal agencies to enhance policies affecting animal recovery during natural disasters would be of the utmost importance.

Around that same time, Kennedy also advocated strongly against cockfighting, helping to ensure Louisiana’s ban on the practice in 2008.

"John Kennedy wants to take care of all of God’s creation, and we know he’ll be a determined and firm and effective advocate for common-sense animal welfare policies when he takes office in the U.S. Senate," said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. "Voters in Louisiana who care about animal welfare should support Kennedy and put an animal advocate in the seat long held by David Vitter."

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@hslf.org

###

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2016)—MoveOn.org Political Action and the Humane Society Legislative Fund have teamed up to launch a new online ad highlighting Hillary Clinton’s strong record of animal protection and her expansive pro-animal campaign platform.

The ad was developed after MoveOn members said protecting animals is a key issue for them, and the Humane Society Legislative Fund announced its endorsement for Hillary Clinton. MoveOn.org represents millions of progressive members nationwide, and HSLF is a nonpartisan political advocacy organization that makes endorsements based on a candidate’s support for animal protection policies.

During her eight years in the U.S. Senate, Hillary Clinton was a consistent supporter of animal protection policies, earning a 100 percent score in HSLF’s Humane Scorecard for the 108th Congress, a perfect 100 score in the 109th and an 83 in the 110th.

You can watch the ad here.

During her time in Congress, Clinton:

• Led efforts to stop the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals, which allow them to be crammed into overcrowded, stressful and unsanitary factory farms;
• Cosponsored legislation to prohibit the transport and receipt of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption;
• Cosponsored the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (S. 261) to prohibit the interstate transfer of animals for animal fighting;
• Cosponsored the Downed Animal Protection Act (S. 1779) to stop the processing of “downer” livestock;
• Cosponsored the Puppy Protection Act (S. 1478) to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” where dogs are treated like production machines;
• Signed letters requesting funds for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to step up enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the federal animal fighting law.

As Secretary of State, Clinton led international efforts to crack down on wildlife trafficking, and through her work at the Clinton Foundation, she helped launch a major campaign to fight the illegal ivory trade and poaching of elephants.

Read more about HSLF’s broad slate of candidate endorsements here.

Media Contacts:

John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@hslf.org
Brian Stewart, (319) 936-3901, press@moveon.org

##

MoveOn.org Political Action is a community of millions of Americans from all walks of life who are using innovative technology to lift up their voices in our democracy and build progressive power in campaigns for progressive change and in elections.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

WASHINGTON (October 25, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces the launch of a new television ad campaign in Wisconsin supporting Russ Feingold for U.S. Senate. The ads, which begin airing in the Milwaukee and Madison media markets on Tuesday, October 25, are aimed at informing voters of Feingold’s established history of support for common-sense animal protection policies.

“Russ Feingold has a consistent, proven record on animal protection and wildlife conservation,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “Voters in Wisconsin deserve to know that Russ Feingold does what’s right for working families—including our animals.”

The ad can be viewed here.

During his time in the U.S. Senate, Feingold supported a wide range of animal protection and conservation efforts, including:

• Co-sponsoring several measures to crack down on illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, including the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (S. 261, S. 382, S. 736) to create felony-level penalties for animal fighting, and legislation (S. 345) to ban the interstate shipment of birds for the purpose of cockfighting;
• Leading the effort for the Crane Conservation Act (S. 197, S. 1048, S. 943, S. 128, S. 2847) to assist in the conservation of imperiled crane species in Wisconsin and around the world;
• Co-sponsoring the Pet Safety and Protection Act (S. 714) to prohibit unscrupulous “Class B dealers” from funneling random-source dogs and cats, including stolen pets and those obtained fraudulently through “free to good home” ads, into laboratory experiments;
• Co-sponsoring the Puppy Protection Act (S. 1478) to improve the standards of care for breeding dogs in large-scale commercial puppy mills;
• Co-sponsoring a resolution (S. Res. 269) calling on the Canadian government to end its commercial seal hunt, the largest marine mammal slaughter in the world;
• Supporting an amendment to help protect dolphins from being caught and drowning in tuna fishing nets;
• Co-sponsoring the Bear Protection Act (S. 1125, S. 1109) to prohibit the trade in bear viscera (gallbladders and bile) in order to halt the poaching of bears for Asian medicines, cosmetics, and shampoos;
• Co-sponsoring the Truth in Fur Labeling Act (S. 1076) to require accurate labeling of all garments trimmed with animal fur so consumers are not deceived into believing the apparel is faux fur;
• Consistently supporting funding for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and federal animal fighting law, as well as for programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural and inner-city areas and USDA positions through student loan forgiveness;
• Supporting an amendment to bar the use of taxpayer dollars for the slaughter of horses for human consumption;
• As United States Special Representative for the African Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working extensively to protect elephants from poaching and wildlife trafficking.

Senator Ron Johnson has opposed or failed to support a number of animal protection measures, earning a “0” in the most recent version of the Humane Scorecard, published recently. In 2015, Johnson voted to weaken Endangered Species Act protections for the lesser prairie chicken, of which only around 1% of historic populations remain. In 2016, he voted to impede the ability of federal agencies to adopt new rules or strengthen existing regulations, including those to protect animals, and voted to make it more difficult to create national monuments, including those that protect wildlife habitat. Johnson sponsored a bill to delist wolves in the Great Lakes region, seeking to reverse a federal court ruling and to subvert further judicial review of that case. More than 50 leading wolf biologists have called on Congress to reject this legislation and not to delist wolves.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare. HSLF raises its own money and has its own governing structure that is independent of The Humane Society of the United States, which is expressly prohibited from endorsing candidates in elections. What’s more, HSLF is in no way affiliated with the Wisconsin Humane Society or other local organizations, which generally are also expressly prohibited from making candidate endorsements.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@hslf.org

###

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

WASHINGTON (October 25, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces the launch of its television ad campaign in Virginia opposing the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump. The ads, which previously ran in northern Virginia and begin airing in the Richmond media market today, are aimed at informing voters of the unprecedented danger that a Donald Trump presidency would pose to animal welfare.

“A Donald Trump presidency represents the greatest threat ever to federal policy-making and implementation of animal protection laws,” said Michael Markarian, president of the HSLF.

The ad, which can be viewed here, makes plain that Trump’s surrogates on animal welfare issues are vitriolic opponents of the cause: Forrest Lucas, the money man behind Protect the Harvest, a front group devoted to fighting animal welfare organizations; Bruce Rastetter, who supports cruel industrial agricultural practices like confining pigs in gestation crates; and Oklahoma state Sen. Eddie Fields, author of the bill overturning the state’s 50-year ban on horse slaughter for human consumption. The Trump sons are also featured in the ad, which notes their trophy hunting of threatened species, and Donald Jr.’s documented interest in the position of Interior Secretary.

Hillary Clinton has a strong animal protection record. During her eight years in the U.S. Senate, she earned scores of 100, 100+, and 83 on HSLF’s Humane Scorecard. She co-sponsored legislation dealing with horse slaughter and animal fighting, as well as bills to stop the processing of “downer” livestock and crack down on abusive puppy mills. She led efforts to stop the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals, which allow them to be crammed into overcrowded, stressful, and unsanitary factory farms. As Secretary of State, Clinton led international efforts to crack down on wildlife trafficking. She continued her leadership on animal protection later through the Clinton Foundation, and helped to launch a major campaign to fight the illegal ivory trade and poaching of elephants.

“The contrast could not be greater, nor the choice more clear cut for people concerned about animals,” said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the HSLF. “Voters who care about animal protection should support Hillary Clinton for president.”

The NRA, which defends captive hunts of animals and promotes elephant hunting and the targeting of other rare species, has invested more than $20 million in support of Trump. Trump’s sons have acted as surrogates in handling the relationship with the NRA.

HSLF encourages Americans who care about protecting wildlife, combating large-scale cruelties like animal fighting and puppy mills, securing humane treatment of animals in agriculture, and addressing other challenges that face animals in our nation, to oppose Donald Trump and elect Hillary Clinton. HSLF’s other endorsements of pro-animal candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, can be found at: elections.hslf.org.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, jcleveland@hslf.org, 803-272-2770

###

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.