Statement on former Pentagon official’s guilty plea for dogfighting

Last week, a former Pentagon official pled guilty in federal court to dogfighting and racketeering crimes. The Department of Justice investigation of the onetime public information officer for the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense detailed his 20-year history of dogfighting and the immense suffering and cruelty he inflicted on dogs, including intense isolation, training dogs to fight and violent electrocution of the dogs who lost a fight.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

We all make decisions every day that impact animals, from the food we eat to the products we purchase to our entertainment choices. Often, the first step toward changing the world for animals is to recognize the importance of our individual decisions. The very next step is becoming savvy about saving animals through systemic reform, learning how to protect the animals in our larger communities.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

The Farm Bill, a legislative package the U.S. Congress approves every five years or so to govern agricultural and food programs, has the potential to instill animal welfare and sustainability into food practices for years to come. Instead, the 2024 Farm Bill just approved in the House Agriculture Committee would undo so much progress made for animal welfare, threaten public health and create a nightmare for countless animals.

The Indiana Humane Scorecard is available for the first time this year, offering a new resource for Indiana voters whose compassion for animals influences which political candidates they support. Holding legislators accountable on animal-welfare issues is critical as we strive to make our voices louder than those who hurt animals for sport or profit.

By uniting behind candidates who understand what is at stake, we can better fight animal cruelty in all forms.

Indiana's 2024 Legislative Session failed dogs and wildlife

INDIANAPOLIS,  Ind. (May 14, 2024) – Today, the Humane Society Legislative Fund released its 2024 Indiana Humane Scorecard, which grades state legislators’ actions on threats to animal protection during the 2024 session, when legislation imperiling Indiana’s wildlife and companion animals was passed and later signed into law. The 2024 Indiana Humane Scorecard serves as a tool to commend those who stood firmly against these inhumane bills while also holding legislators who failed to protect animals accountable.

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