A Party for a Purpose

I told you recently about efforts to stop rampant puppy mill abuses in Missouri, which is home to about 30 percent of the nation’s puppy mills, far dwarfing any other state. This November, Missourians will vote on Proposition B, a measure to stop puppy mill abuses by establishing common sense standards for the proper care of dogs.

Measuring Success for Animals in Maryland

Last night, I joined more than a hundred Maryland animal advocates and several state legislators gathered at a waterside restaurant in Annapolis to unveil the new Maryland Humane Scorecard and to recognize lawmakers who have been longtime champions of animal protection legislation. This event brought together feral cat rescuers, equine enthusiasts, wildlife protectors, and other animal lovers from around Maryland who want to help build a powerful political force for animals in the Free State.

New Online Tools to Take Action for Animals

I joined nearly 1,000 animal advocates from across the country this weekend at HSUS’s sixth annual Taking Action for Animals conference here in Washington, where attendees heard from Nigel Barker, Wayne Pacelle, Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., and other leaders and experts in the animal welfare field. And today, hundreds of those who attended also rallied on Capitol Hill with actress Wendie Malick and Rep.

Blog Favorites So Far in 2010

I’m always curious about which blog posts resonate most with you—the readers. Traffic to my blog is a good indicator of what subjects are top of mind for animal advocates. So, below, I list the top ten most popular blog posts so far for the first half of 2010. In first place (by a mile) is my January blog on the release of our 2009 Humane Scorecard. Many of you want to know where your legislators stand on key animal protection issues—and our annual report card is a great place to start.

Talk Back: “Crush” Videos, Protecting Missouri’s Dogs, and the “Little” Guys

Here’s a selection of comments that have come into the blog lately. I recently wrote about the efforts to end cruel animal “crush” videos. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee passed a bill by Reps. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., to crack down on traffickers of these videos of extreme animal cruelty. Many of you are angry about these sick videos, too: