2010 (July-December) Animals in the News (Archive)
Cosmetics industry criticized as EU set to admit delay in animal testing ban
The Guardian, December 31, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/31/animal-testing-cosmetics-industry-europe
The final phase of European law, designed to eradicate testing on animals of chemicals used in the cosmetics industry, is set to be delayed for as long as four years because it is thought that alternative ways of testing the safety of ingredients will not be ready in time.
Grizzly bear deaths near Yellowstone rise in 2010
Associated Press, December 30, 2010
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEAD_BEARS?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
An estimated 75 protected grizzly bears were killed or removed from the wild, according to a government-sponsored grizzly study team. That equates to one grizzly gone for every eight counted this year in the sparsely populated Yellowstone region of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
Animals dumped as owners go on holiday
TV New Zealand, December 29, 2010
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/animals-dumped-owners-go-holiday-3988478
Steady streams of animals have been flowing into shelters around the country, some the result of unwanted litters as owners go on holiday, others are simply unwanted Christmas gifts.
North Dakota legislator helping to draft animal cruelty protections
The Grand Forks Herald, December 28, 2010
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/188225/
Spurred by recent high-profile incidents of animal cruelty and criticism from national animal advocacy groups, a Grand Forks legislator and state prosecutors are drafting legislation that could give North Dakota its first felony penalties for “egregious” animal cruelty.
Obama praises Eagles owner for giving Michael Vick a second chance
Politics Dailey, December 27, 2010
We all know President Obama supports his beloved Chicago sports teams, including da Bears. But the president spread some love Philadelphia's way recently when he thanked Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie for giving Michael Vick a second chance following the star quarterback's release from jail last year on an animal cruelty conviction.
Cockfighting outfits evade the law, and continue to prosper
The New York Times, December 26, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/us/26ttcockfighting.html?_r=1&ref=us
One by one, Domanick Muñoz pulled bloody and battered rooster bodies out of a pile of feathers, claws and beaks. The birds that were still gasping for life he put out of their misery, plunging a syringe of drugs into their gouged and lacerated bellies. Animal-cruelty officers with Dallas Animal Services took those that were already dead and gingerly placed them into large, black plastic garbage bags
Environmentalists worry Navy will hurt whales
The Associated Press, December 25, 2010
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WA_NAVY_WHALES_WAOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Environmentalists are worried that plans to expand Navy testing off the Washington, Oregon and California coasts will pose a danger for whales. A proposal for increased sailor training and weapons testing, as well as underwater training minefield for submarines in the Navy's Northwest Training Range have been approved by the Obama administration.
A lost dog is finally home for Christmas: Coincidence, luck or something more?
The Washington Post, December 24, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/24/AR2010122401827.html
Willis, the long-lost Clumber spaniel, was in just about the worst pickle a dog could be in: Lost, hundreds of miles from home, he had been put on the equivalent of death row at the Tri County Animal Shelter in Hughesville, Maryland.
Obama admin explains 'threatened' listing for polar bears
The New York Times, December 23, 2010
Ignoring calls from environmentalists to revisit the status of the polar bear, the Obama administration outlined yesterday its legal reasoning for why it should be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service was responding to a court order requiring it to further explain why polar bears should be considered threatened rather than endangered, which is a higher threat level.
Victory for sharks: U.S. bans shark finning
The Scientific American, December 22, 2010
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=victory-for-sharks-us-bans-shark-fi-2010-12-22
The Shark Conservation Act, passed Tuesday, bans the controversial yet lucrative fishing practice of catching sharks, cutting off their fins and dumping the still-living creatures back into the water where they slowly and painfully drown. Shark fins are highly prized for their use in shark fin soup. Many shark populations around the world have dropped 90 percent or more as a result of rampant overfishing.
Illinois Court hearing today on animal cruelty charges
The Lake County News Sun, December 21, 2010
http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/2951592-418/animal-dogs-dead-county-eldrup.html
The discovery brings the total number of dead dogs found in the former Muddy Paws boarding and grooming facility to 17. The aggravated cruelty to animals charges against Eldrup are Class 4 felonies, carrying a potential sentence of one to three years in prison upon conviction. Eldrup was released on bond from the Lake County Jail Friday night following her arrest on Thursday, and is scheduled to appear for a court hearing today.
Goldman Sachs workers are being stalked by violent animal activists
Business Insider, December 20, 2010
The bank has stoked the ire of two groups - Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) and Defenders of Animal Rights Today and Tomorrow (DARTT) - because they say one of Goldman's clients, Huntingdon Life Sciences, mistreats and kills dogs for medical research.
Texas cockfighting ring busted
Fox News Dallas, December 19, 2010
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/Cockfighting_ring_busted
Dallas Animal Control seized about 100 roosters from a rundown structure on Prairie Creek Road. Three people were arrested at the scene, but others were released without charges because it is not illegal to attend cockfights in Texas. Animal rights groups say ring organizers are taking advantage of this loophole.
Feds culling elk as disease continues killing them
The Denver Post, December 18, 2010
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16889366
Government scientists are grappling with unchecked elk herds infected with a mysterious disease. So as a third round of culling begins to try to reduce the size of the herd. They are tranquilized so saliva, blood, urine, feces, and tissue samples can be collected before they are euthanized with a lethal injection.
Jail for man accused of marinating cat
The Toronto Sun, December 17, 2010
http://www.torontosun.com/news/weird/2010/12/17/16592996.html
A western New York man appeared in court on Friday to face animal cruelty charges, after trying to marinate his cat so he could eat it. Police discovered the cat in the trunk of a car being driven by Gary Korkuc, of Cheektowaga, N.Y., when they pulled him over for running a stop sign in August.
La. truck stop owner can display live tiger
USA Today, December 17, 2010
Despite a strong push from animal-rights activists, Lousiana officials have granted a truck stop owner a permit allowing him to continue exhibiting a live tiger at a roadside attraction at his Grosse Tete, La., business.
Poachers kill rare black rhino in Tanzania
Reuters, December 16, 2010
Poachers have killed one of five critically endangered east African black rhinos that were relocated to their natural habitat in Tanzania's Serengeti park from South Africa in May. The rhino was killed just seven months after its arrival in the Serengeti, despite being implanted with an electronic chip and protected by an elite ranger task force specially trained to guard the animals.
Kentucky again ranked best place for animal abusers
Kentucky Courier-Jurnal, December 15, 2010
A national animal rights group released a report Wednesday that ranks Kentucky’s animal protection laws the worst in the nation. The San Francisco-based Animal Legal Defense Fund has given Kentucky the designation for the past three years.
Musk Oxen live to tell a survivors’ tale
The New York Times, December 14, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/science/14angier.html?_r=1&ref=science
Among the various large, charismatic and visibly winterized mammals that one might choose as a mascot for life in the Arctic belt, polar bears are, let’s face it, too hackneyed, reindeer too Rudolph, caribou too Sarah Palin’s target practice, and woolly mammoths too extinct.
Feds say wolverines need protection
The Associated Press, December 13, 2010
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the wolverine should be to be added to the list of endangered and threatened species. But, the federal agency adds, adding the wolverine now is precluded by higher priorities - that is, other species considered in greater danger.
The Los Angeles Times, December 12, 2010
The federal government is planning another attempt to remove gray wolves in the Great Lakes region from the endangered-species list. An assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Thomas Strickland, says the department will release a proposal by April and hopes to make a final decision by the end of 2011.
Animal Protection Act delay
The Tribune, December 11, 2010
http://www.tribune242.com/12112010_cn_animalprotectionact_news_pg-INSIDE
IT seems those eagerly anticipating an end to the widespread abuse of animals have a bit more waiting to do as implementation of the Animal Protection and Control Act is being delayed pending input from the Attorney General's office. Animal rights activists have been calling on Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Larry Cartwright to take the necessary steps of get the new law enforced, including gazetting the Act.
Himachal farmers load guns for 'Operation Monkey'
The Times of India, December 10, 2010
The man-animal conflict has turned ugly in Himachal Pradesh. Farmers in several villages have set aside their farm implements and loaded their guns to shoot down monkeys from Friday as the simians have been destroying their crops and fruits.
Obama signs law banning 'crush videos' depicting animal cruelty
CNN, December 10, 2010
President Barack Obama has signed a law that specifically bans so-called "crush videos", depictions of small animals being tortured to death by humans. The legislation came in response to a Supreme Court ruling this year striking down a broader congressional law dealing with animal cruelty. The Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act criminalizes the creation, sale, and marketing of these specific kinds of videos, which lawmakers had labeled as "obscene." Penalties of up to seven years in prison would be possible.
California egg farmer seeks court ruling on animal cruelty act
The Los Angeles Times, December 9, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-chicken-cage-lawsuit-20101209,0,4885414.story
Exactly how much space is a chicken legally entitled to have in a California henhouse?
A Modesto farmer sued the state and the Humane Society of the United States on Wednesday seeking to answer that question, as egg producers begin overhauling their operations to meet an anti-cruelty measure that was approved by state voters in 2008.
Zoo Illogical: ugly animals need protection from extinction, too
Scientific American, December 8, 2010
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=zoo-illogical-ugly-animal
Species in zoos are often protected from total extinction because they are commonly the subjects of captive breeding programs in which staffers entice animals to mate and reproduce offspring that can then be released into the wild or shared with other zoos. Although it's hit or miss, captive breeding represents the last hope for survival for many species.
Egypt shark attack blamed on illegal feeding
AFP, December 7, 2010
Illegal feeding may have sparked a rampage by a killer shark that has terrorized holidaymakers in Egypt's popular Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, a marine expert said on Tuesday. "We think someone accustomed the sharks to being fed and whoever did it has stopped," so the sharks started to look elsewhere for easy prey, Mohammed Salem, director of South Sinai Conservation, told AFP.
Marine Corps expands infantry bomb dog program
The San Diego Union Tribune, December 6, 2010
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/04/marine-corps-expands-infantry-bomb-dog-program/
The Marine Corps is greatly expanding its experimental program that deploys infantrymen to combat zones with bomb-sniffing dogs, declaring it a successful component of the fight against the insurgents’ most lethal killer, homemade bombs dug into roads and footpaths. The Marines plan to deploy more than 600 dogs with their troops in Afghanistan, doubling the program they began testing four years ago.
Australian shelter aims to keep all animals alive
The Sydney Morning Herald, December 5, 2010
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/shelter-aims-to-keep-all-animals-alive-20101204-18ksy.html
One of Sydney's biggest animal shelters is hoping to stop putting down unwanted pets – a plan that could save the lives of thousands of animals. About 250,000 dogs and cats are destroyed every year in Australia, a quarter in New South Wales. The recent "no-kill" movement in the US had put pressure on Australian pounds to create similar programs.
2 more rare red foxes confirmed in US
MSNBC, December 4, 2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40503327/ns/travel/
In Reno, Nevada, federal wildlife biologists have confirmed sightings of two more Sierra Nevada red foxes that once were thought to be extinct. Scientists believe the foxes are related to another that was photographed this summer near Yosemite National Park. More importantly, DNA samples show enough diversity in the Sierra Nevada red foxes to suggest a fairly strong population of the animals may secretly be doing quite well in the rugged mountains about 90 miles south of Reno.
New Jersey Appeals court refuses to halt Monday's bear hunt
North Jersey.com, December 3, 2010
A state appeals court rejected a last-minute attempt Friday by animal rights activists to stop New Jersey’s black bear hunt, which is to begin Monday morning about sunrise. The two-judge panel refused to block the six-day hunt, ruling that the state Department of Environmental Protection had the responsibility to manage the state’s natural resources — including reducing the black bear population.
Memphis police cadet class focuses on dogfighting
The Commercial Appeal, December 2, 2010
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/dec/02/police-class-focuses-on-animal-cruelty/
Studying an 18-month dogfighting investigation that resulted in more than 100 federal criminal cases and rescued more than 500 dogs provides lessons for a police department focusing on animal cruelty. Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin in September pledged that the community was not going to tolerate animal cruelty and said the department is beefing up the number of investigators who deal with animal cases.
Seattle couple with 400 dogs plead in animal cruelty case
The Seattle Times, December 1, 2010
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013560197_pleaagreementinanimalcruelty.html
Richard and Marjorie Sundberg of Big Lake, entered an Alford plea to four counts each of animal cruelty. Under an Alford plea, defendants acknowledge they are likely to be found guilty but do not acknowledge guilt. Under the terms of the agreement, the Sundbergs will perform community service, pay restitution to law-enforcement and animal-care agencies, and they will be barred from owning or harboring animals.
Russian law brings harsher penalties for abuse of animals
The St. Petersburg Times, November 30, 2010
http://www.times.spb.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=33046
A bill regulating responsibility for cruelty to animals has finally been passed, and the new law comes into force on Jan. 1, 2011. The new law stipulates fines for committing acts of cruelty to animals leading to the animals being injured or dying. The new law will be the first act regulating animal rights in St. Petersburg and in Russia. Article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which deals with cruelty to animals, is barely applied.
Oceans: the Bluefin Tuna could be on a path to extinction
Time Magazine, November 29, 2010
International delegates have adopted new protections for seven species of shark but rejected ones for bluefin tuna, signaling that fisheries managers are willing to safeguard some of the world's most threatened marine predators but not others. The group voted to ban the fishing, retention and sale of oceanic whitetip sharks and six types of hammerheads: great, scalloped, scoophead, smalleye, smooth and whitefin, but afforded no protection to bluefin tuna.
Mask-wearing protestors in D.C. can now be arrested
The Washington Examiner, November 28, 2010
Wearing a mask while protesting outside a residence without telling D.C. police first could now get you arrested. The D.C. Council has unanimously passed a strongly worded bill to deal with an animal rights group that has been known to wear masks and appear unannounced outside District residents homes who work in animal testing laboratories. Critics of the bill say it's too broad and limits First Amendment rights.
British drug and cosmetics firms back plan to cut animal testing
The Telegraph, November 27, 2010
Major drug and cosmetics companies have backed a plan to eliminate animal testing in favor of more humane approaches. Experts from companies including drug giants AstraZeneca, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and cosmetics firm L'Oreal endorsed a Europe-wide initiative described as a road-map towards ending the use of animals in research and safety testing.
Obama ignoring endangered species, experts say
CBS News, November 26, 2010
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/26/national/main7091945.shtml
Nearly two years after taking office, Obama has provided Endangered Species Act protection to 51 plants and animals, an average of 25 a year. By comparison, the Clinton administration protected an average of 65 species per year, and the Bush administration listed about eight species a year.
Russian summit sees 13 countries agreeing to double tiger numbers
The New Kerala News, November 25, 2010
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-91925.html
At a summit held in St Petersburg, Russia, the governments of 13 countries where tigers still live have endorsed a plan to save the big cats from extinction. Delegates agreed to double tiger numbers by 2022, and the countries plan on focusing on protecting tiger habitats, addressing poaching, illegal trade and providing the financial resources for the plan. In the last 100 years, tiger numbers have dropped from about 100,000 to less than 3,500 tigers in the wild today.
Animal CSI: Vets learn how to investigate crimes
The Associated Press, November 24, 2010
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ANIMAL_CSI?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
When federal investigators working the Michael Vick dog fighting case needed someone to dig up and analyze the remains of eight pit bulls buried on the football star's Virginia property, they summoned Melinda Merck. Her job at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals involves helping prosecutors build court cases, and she saw there weren't nearly enough vets and other professionals with those skills.
Experts want sharks better protected
The Detroit News, November 23, 2010
With their pointy teeth and fearsome reputations, sharks may not be the best poster child for species in danger, but environmentalists say the predators are in dire need of protection. Marine experts and conservation groups hope an Atlantic conservation conference in Paris this week will bolster what they say are disastrously inadequate rules on shark capture.
Fighting for animal rights in Lebanon
CNN, November 22, 2010
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/17/eco.animal.welfare/index.html
In the Middle East many individuals, especially in the Gulf states have private collections and want to own exotic animals, and that demand tends to be met illegally. Lebanon is among a fraction of countries that are not signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), making it an easy transit point for wildlife smugglers.
Rules aim to curb abuse in Chinese zoos
USA Today, November 21, 2010
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-11-22-chinazoo22_ST_N.htm
The Sanxia Wildlife Park in central China has two performances a day starring 10 animals. But it's not dolphins playfully springing into the air at Sea World. In Sanxia, monkeys ride bicycles and lions are forced to jump through hoops of fire. Elementary schoolchildren gush about how much they love the lion show, in which a trainer beats a lion to make it complete a somersault.
Tiger, elephant killers face 12 years in prison in Bangladesh
MSBC, November 20, 2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40287437/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/
Bangladesh has approved a law that sets jail terms of up to 12 years for deliberately killing tigers and other wild animals endangered in the South Asian country. The minimum jail term will be two years for killing pythons and crocodiles and a maximum of 12 years for killing tigers and elephants.
Congress passes bill to stop 'crush videos'
Yahoo News, November 19, 2010
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101119/ap_on_go_co/us_animal_cruelty
Videos appealing to a sexual fetish by showing women killing small animals will be banned under legislation that cleared the Senate Friday and is heading to President Barack Obama for his signature. Congress banned such videos in 1999, but the Supreme Court earlier this year struck down the law, saying it was too broadly written and violated First Amendment free speech protections.
Celebrated London store bans foie gras after Bond appeal
Agence France-Presse, November 18, 2010
Famous British department store Harvey Nichols promised on Wednesday to take foie gras from its restaurant menus following a plea by legendary James Bond actor Roger Moore. The 83-year-old actor, well known for his love of fine dining, urged the company to ban the delicacy which is made by force-feeding ducks and geese to enlarge their livers.
Puerto Rico debates 12-year term for animal abuse
The Washington Post, November 17, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/17/AR2010111704945.html
A 12-year prison sentence for a man who dragged a horse behind his truck has touched off a debate over whether a new animal cruelty law goes too far, when even homicide can result in lighter penalties. Georgenan Lopez, is the first person convicted by a jury under the law implemented in August 2008 in response to complaints that the island is indifferent to cruel treatment of animals.
Police investigate deaths of 500 pigs found in Pennsylvania barn
The Pittsburgh Gazette, November 16, 2010
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10320/1103734-100.stm#ixzz15Z8Vs3qD
State Police Lt. Gregory Bacher says authorities are examining the deaths of the pigs found Nov. 8 in a warehouse-style barn in Warfordsburg, Fulton County. Authorities say the farm's owner left the property in August. The animals appear to have been dead for several months.
Animal crush bill passes House, but Senate might run out of time
The Ventura Star, November 15, 2010
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/nov/15/gallegly-animal-bill-passes-house-but-senate-run/#ixzz15Z7Vv34A
The House approved the bill Monday during the first day of its lame-duck session but stripped out a provision added earlier by the Senate. The revision means the bill must go back to the Senate for final approval. But Congress has just a few weeks before lawmakers adjourn for the year. Representative Gallegly who sponsored the bill is not confident that there enough time for the Senate to consider the measure again.
Los Angeles animal rights activists plan to disrupt foie gras dinner
The Los Angeles Times, November 15, 2010
Animal rights activists plan to march outside Providence restaurant Tuesday night, protesting a menu at a special fundraising dinner that is slated to include foie gras. San Diego attorney and animal rights activist Bryan Pease issued a press release late Sunday night announcing that the Animal Protection & Rescue League would protest the appearance of foie gras on the menu.
Call to arms over deer
The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 14, 2010
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20101114_Call_to_arms_over_deer.html
The deer herd in Valley Forge National Historical Park has multiplied eightfold in 25 years, and officials say a thousand acres of forest are being eaten alive by deer. That is why, to the horror of animal-rights activists, federal sharpshooters with rifles and night-vision goggles aim to cut the herd from more than 1,200 to fewer than 200 during the next four years. The carcasses are to be given to food banks.
Neuroscientists, animal activists meet at center
Sign On San Diego, November 13, 2010
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/13/neuroscientists-animal-rights-activists-meet-steps/
About 30 people who object to the use of animals, specifically monkeys and other primates, stood out in front as conventioneers swarmed in. Some wore lab coats artificially bloodied red. Some wore masks. Most carried signs citing the most egregious treatment of animals.
State must disclose information on substance-abuse tests using monkeys
Times Union, November 12, 2010
http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Judge-rejects-claim-animal-rights-terrorists-809364.php
The state must turn over documents that detail taxpayer-funded experiments conducted on monkeys and other non-human primates for substance abuse research, a state Supreme Court justice ruled in Albany, New York. Many of the experiments involved conditioning rhesus monkeys to have drug and alcohol addictions, and then testing whether various medications broke those addictions.
Remember fallen horses on Veterans' Day
The Horse, November 11, 2010
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=17231
Armistice Day, more commonly known as Veterans Day, marks the day when millions of people worldwide stop to remember those who have served and died for their countries in military conflicts throughout history. This Veterans Day, spare a few extra seconds to remember the countless number of horses that lost their lives in combat alongside the brave men and women who served their nations.
New Zealand animal cruelty bill defeated
TVNZ, November 10, 2010
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/kedgley-s-animal-cruelty-bill-defeated-3888298
The Greens' MP Sue Kedgley made a passionate appeal in Parliament tonight for an end to the suffering of factory-farmed animals but her member's bill was defeated 62-57. The bill would have phased out sow crates and battery hens over five years and it had the backing of all parties except National and Act.
Does New Jersey do enough to protect pets?
NorthJersey.com, November 9, 2010
http://www.northjersey.com/news/110910_Does_NJ_do_enough_to_protect_pets.html
Ten years ago, the New Jeresey State Commission of Investigation reported the state's animal-welfare laws were completely inadequate. Earlier this year, the Humane Society of the United States ranked New Jersey second on a list of states with the most animal-cruelty laws. Only California has more laws protecting animals.
Smoking chimp rescued in Lebanon, sent to Brazil
The Associated Press, November 8, 2010
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131161821
A 12-year-old chimpanzee has been moved to a sanctuary in Brazil on Monday after animal rights workers discovered him being encouraged by caretakers to smoke cigarettes to entertain visitors at a Lebanese zoo.
Greyhound trainer in Florida arrested in dog deaths
CBS 4 News Miami, November 7, 2010
http://cbs4.com/local/greyhounds.dead.Panhandle.2.2000169.html
Starvation and dehydration have been ruled the causes of death for the 32 greyhounds found at a Panhandle greyhound race track. The necropsy results come a week after the dogs' trainer was arrested and charged with 37 counts of felony animal cruelty -- one for each dead dog, plus five counts for emaciated animals that were still alive.
Thousands of monkeys imported for use in British labs despite ban
The Telegraph, November 6, 2010
The trade in primates continues because the ban, introduced in 1997, does not include the offspring of wild-caught parents, campaigners said. Since 2009, more than 2,000 monkeys were imported into Britain because of the loophole, said the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
Dog fights feared on the rise in Calgary
The National Post, November 5, 2010
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/fights+feared+rise+Calgary/3780370/story.html
Animal-welfare officials fear underground dog-fighting is on the rise after several large canines suffering from mysterious injuries and scarring turned up at the Calgary Humane Society and an accompanying spike in online advertisements for fierce, muscular dogs.
Former sheriff's deputy released in dog fighting related case in Virginia
The Times Dispatch, November 4, 2010
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/local-news/2010/nov/04/dogs04-ar-629654/
The scene of uncared-for dying dogs in David Robinson's muddy backyard chilled even longtime abuse investigators. Of the 22 animals, only six could be saved. Expensive autopsies showed that some dogs were so emaciated the marrow was depleted from their bones.
EU moves to protect wildlife from wind turbines
EurActiv.com, November 3, 2010
http://www.euractiv.com/en/climate-environment/eu-moves-protect-wildlife-wind-turbines-news-499400
The new guidelines on wind power development were published last week with the aim of ensuring that wind farms do not have a negative impact on vulnerable species and habitats in the ecological network of nearly 26,000 protected sites throughout Europe.
North Dakota voters reject measure to ban big game shooting preserves
The Associated Press, November 2, 2010
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/181949/
Measure 2 pitted proponents of “fair-chase hunting,” as advocated by conservationists such as Aldo Leopold and Theodore Roosevelt, against livestock producers, shooting preserve operators and landowners who said a ban on canned hunting would violate their property rights.
Fox hunting ban set to stay as repeal campaign 'falls off political agenda' in Britain
The Telegraph, November 1, 2010
A ban on hunting with dogs is likely to remain despite the change in Government because worries about Britain’s finances have forced the issue off the political agenda. The impact of the recent economic downturn has meant attempts to change the controversial law is no longer a high priority.
Bullfighting comes under attack in France
The BBC, October 31, 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11654609
Think of bullfighting and you naturally think of Spain, but the controversial blood sport is also popular in parts of southern France. Since a vote to ban it in the Spanish region of Catalonia, French animal welfare groups have been stepping up their campaign to get bullfighting outlawed in France as well.
Pit bulls at center of vicious dog debate
Dayton Daily News, October 30, 2010
State Rep. Barbara Sears wants Ohio to stop defining one breed of dog — the pit bull — as inherently vicious. “That’s as wrong as discrimination against anything else,” said Sears, the Toledo-area Republican who introduced a bill to remove the pit bull designation from the state’s vicious dog law.
US man pleads guilty to illegally trading elephant ivory
International Business Times, October 29, 2010
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/77225/20101029/ivory-elephants-smuggling.htm
A Florida man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to illegally selling and exporting African elephant ivory, a violation of the Endangered Species Act. Joseph Barringer, the owner of pool cue company Cue Components, sold ivory laden cue sticks to an undercover London police officer with Scotland Yard.
China tells zoos to improve animal care
The Boston Globe, October 28, 2010
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2010/10/28/china_tells_zoos_to_improve_animal_care/
China has urged zoos to stop serving wild animal products and holding wildlife performances, in an attempt to improve the treatment of tigers, bears, and other animals amid concerns over widespread abuse.
New Zealand Jewish leaders fundraise to fight animal welfare code
The New Zealand Herald, October 27, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10683440
Heads of the Jewish communities in Auckland and Wellington are calling on people to write to Prime Minister John Key and his Agriculture Minister, David Carter, to protest the Government's proposed animal-welfare ban on shechita, the Jewish ritual slaughter of livestock.
UK animal rights activists jailed for intimidating companies
World News Austrailia, October 26, 2010
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1393596/UK-animal-rights-activists-jailed
Five animal rights activists who intimidated companies linked to Huntingdon Life Sciences in Britain while attempting to close down their animal-testing lab received sentences between six years and 15 months in prison today. Sarah Whitehead, 53, Nicole Vosper, 22, Thomas Harris, 27, Jason Mullan, 32, and Nicola Tapping, 29, were all members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (Shac).
20 die in air disaster after smuggled crocodile escapes on a plane
Scientific American, October 25, 2010
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=20-die-in-air-disaster-after-smuggl-2010-10-25
The financial reward for illegal wildlife smuggling is making smugglers take more brazen and ill advised endeavors. This illegal activity reached a devastating extreme recently when a man reportedly smuggled a live crocodile onto a plane departing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The crocodile got loose, the crew and passengers panicked, casing the plane crash and kill 20 people.
Is current puppy mill law enough?
News-Leader.com, October 24, 2010
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20101024/NEWS01/10240384/Is-current-puppy-mill-law-enough-
The Better Business Bureau produced a report about puppy mills in March that called Missouri the "national hot spot of the puppy industry." It said the state contains 30 percent of all breeders licensed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are 1,451 licensed breeders in Missouri, and southwest Missouri is known as one of the centers of the dog breeding industry, in part because of a puppy broker in Goodman that reportedly sells 90,000 puppies each year.
Crowd decries outcome of West Virginia animal cruelty case
Journal News, October 23, 2010
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/550294/Dozens-protest-plea-deal.html?nav=5006
Injustice was the topic of conversation among those gathered outside the Berkeley County Judicial Center on Martinsburg on Friday morning when a public demonstration against the plea agreement granted in the animal cruelty case against the owner of the Hidden Meadows Equine Rescue in Berkeley County. More than 50 malnourished horses and two cows were seized from the rescue in September.
Man faces jail time for dog death
WNEP Channel 16 News, October 22, 2010
A man from Lycoming County was found guilty Friday of killing a dog and now faces some significant jail time. "We want e very single animal cruelty case to send a message. Not only do we have to be more aware of it but the punishments have to be a lot harsher than they are right now and that's up to legislature. We are
doing what we can to get these prosecuted," said Assistant District Attorney Melissa Kalaus.
Judge allows Colorado horse roundup to continue
The Associated Press, October 22, 2010
http://cbs4denver.com/news/Federal.judge.allows.2.1976524.html
A federal judge has denied a request from animal rights group to halt the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's plan to round up wild horses in northwest Colorado. The BLM announced Friday that it had completed its horse roundup near Meeker, Colo. and that it had gathered 73 wild horses. The agency said most of the horses that were gathered will be up for adoption.
Sam Mazzola pleads not guilty to animal charges related to Ohio bear mauling
The Chronicle-Telegram, October 21, 2010
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2010/10/21/mazzola-balks-at-jail-pleads-not-guilty/
Sam Mazzola pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge accusing him of failing to maintain proper records for the exotic animals he owns. Mazzola, is the owner of the bear that fatally mauled caretaker Brent Kandra on Aug. 19, he had originallyplanned to plead no contest to the charge, but he changed his mind after the judge explained that he could face jail time and fines of up to $500.
Rare New Zealand pigs to be killed for their semen
Scientific American, October 20, 2010
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=rare-new-zealand-pigs-to-be-killed-2010-10-20
Kill a rare animal to help preserve it? That's the plan in New Zealand, where a team of hunters will soon go out to collect a few critically endangered Arapawa Island boars, a breed that only exists on that tiny island. Their plan is to kill two pigs, then extract their semen for later research and breeding.
New York hoarder gets probation and fine for animal cruelty
Buffalo News, October 19, 2010
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/wheatfield/article225041.ece
Joelle R. Kott, 40, of Buffalo, was sentenced to three years of probation and fined the maximum $1,000 after she had plead guilty on Aug. 18 to six misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. She was also was instructed that she could not own any animals and was ordered to serve 250 hours of community service within the next year.
Wildlife: A global convention on biodiversity opens in Japan, but can it make a difference?
TIME, October 18, 2010
The world is gathered in Japan this week in an effort to put an end to the extinction of plant and animal species across the globe. Representatives from nearly 200 nations are meeting in the Japanese city of Nagoya for the 10th summit of the Convention on Biological Diversity, where they will set and negotiate new goals for reducing species loss and slowing habitat destruction.
Big fines for seal cruelty in New Zealand
stuff.co.nz, October 17, 2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4242100/Big-fines-for-seal-cruelty
Two men have been fined thousands of dollars after they threw rocks at a protected leopard seal and dragged it down a beach. They were caught when photos of the attack were posted on Facebook and seen by the Department of Conservation. The men were fined $5000 and $7000 each; one of the men had a previous conviction for animal cruelty, and has been remanded until November 12 for sentencing.
Chinese animal abuse: Grandma Ding to the rescue
World Post, October 16, 2010
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/study-abroad/101016/chinese-animal-abuse
Chinese pet abuse has left millions homeless, hundreds of whom now call Grandma Ding's apartment home. Ding Shiying, 82, lives in her 520-square-foot courtyard with 21 dogs and more than 200 cats, most of which have been abandoned by their owners. It was simply out of a good heart that Ding began picking up homeless and abused animals in 1973 while working as a doctor on Beijing Normal University’s campus clinic.
US bill demands salmonella vaccination of New York chickens
vetsweb.com, October 15, 2010
Two New York lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require any eggs sold in New York State to come from chickens that have been vaccinated against salmonella. The introduction of this bill is in response to the nation’s largest recall of eggs. The requirement would include eggs produced by New York farmers, and those that are imported from neighboring states.
Right to hunt, fish on ballot in four U.S. states
ABC News, October 14, 2010
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=11880143
When voters in Arizona, Arkansas, South Carolina and Tennessee go to the polls to cast their ballots in the congressional elections on November 2, they will also be asked if they support making hunting and fishing constitutional rights.
New York’s Suffolk County creates first-ever animal abuser registry
http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/10/13/suffolk-creates-first-ever-animal-abuser-registry/
The Long Island Press, October 13, 2010
The registry will be a publically accessible and searchable database listing the names of those living in Suffolk County over the age of 18 who are convicted of inhumane treatment and torture of animals, similar to the sex offender registry.
Fishermen in Taiji, Japan, slaughter adult members of dolphin pod, release young
The Los Angeles Times, October 12, 2010
Most of the dolphins caught by residents of the seaside village of Taiji, Japan on Monday were butchered Tuesday, except for two that will be sold to aquariums and six young animals that were released into the ocean, said Scott West, a member of the Sea Shepherd conservation group who is in Taiji as part of a campaign to protect the marine mammals.
Baltimore takes steps to stop animal cruelty
The Baltimore Sun, October 11, 2010
But advocates say the excessive number recent abuse cases show that the city still has far to go. Caroline Griffin, long a proponent of animal rights, is now chair of the Mayor’s Anti-Animal Abuse Task Force who has put together an 80-page list of recommendations.
Grave fears for Australian monkeys stolen from zoo
ABC News, October 10, 2010
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/10/3034154.htm
Two highly endangered monkeys have been stolen from a wildlife park north of Brisbane. The Cotton-top Tamarin couple belong to a critically endangered species, and these rare breeding pairs hold the key to the ongoing future of the species. The female, Conchetta, is currently heavily pregnant.
Groups sue to stop Colorado wild horse roundup
The Associated Press, October 9, 2010
Animal advocacy groups have sought an injunction to stop a roundup of wild horses in northwestern Colorado that is scheduled to begin this coming Monday. The groups claim the plan by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to remove an estimated 138 horses violates environmental laws and the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Herd project 'driven by gate takings' at New Zealand zoo
The New Zealand Herald, October 8, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10678942
A wildlife biologist says a plan to bring an Asian elephant herd to Auckland Zoo is not about conservation - it's about gate takings. Dr Wayne Linklater, from Victoria University, said Asian elephants were not threatened in the wild and other species were in greater need.
Europe’s shame: animal groups react to the latest EU statistics for the number of animals used in experiments
Politcs.co.uk, October 7, 2010
Statistics on animal use in the EU have been made publicly available for the first time since 2005. The numbers were released only weeks after the EU adopted new legislation on animal experimentation this September (replacing the earlier Directive 86/609/EEC). The new legislation has been criticized as being a missed opportunity to introduce measures that could have given greater protection to animals used in experiments.
Bear hunt training, minus the bear
The New York Times, October 6, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/us/07bears.html
South Carolina is debating a legal ban of bear baying, which is the restraining of a captive black bear while hunting dogs surround it, bark, and intimidate it. This practice is thought to replicate the conditions of a wild bear encounter and to familiarize dogs with the animal’s behavior. New York became the first state to make this practice illegal in 1856 and South Carolina in the only state in which the practice is legal.
Canadian online pet shop owner gets 5 months in jail
CBC News, October 5, 2010
Bud Wheatley, owner of PuppiesAcrossCanada.com, was sentenced to five months in jail Tuesday for causing unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to animals. He was ordered by a provincial court in Charlottetown to pay a $200 fine and cover $68,000 in expenses incurred by the provincial Department of Agriculture during both the seizure of the animals and their care.
Protesters call for end to Canada's horse slaughter
The Globe and Mail, October 4, 2010
Opponents of the Canadian horse-slaughter industry make the argument that harmful chemicals injected into the horses as medicine could slip into the food supply. The slaughter of horses has been banned in the United States since 2007, and now over 50,000 are exported across the border to Canada to be killed every year.
Lawmakers turn sights on endangered wolves
MSNBC, October 3, 2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39486705/ns/us_news-environment/
Two decades after the federal government spent a half-million dollars to study the reintroduction of gray wolves to the Northern Rockies, lawmakers say it's time for Congress to step in again — this time to clamp down on the growing populations of these endangered animals.
African penguins protected by US law
Birdwatch, October 2, 2010
http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__9605
The African penguin has been listed as endangered and given protection under the US Endangered Species Act of 1973. Granting a foreign species protection under the Endangered Species Act means that the import or export of the species, or their parts or products, as well as their sale in interstate or foreign commerce, is prohibited.
Two more Federal Courts shoot down harmful Bush-era policy short-changing endangered species protections
Common Dreams, October 1, 2010
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/10/01-4
Two courts this week shot down a 2007 policy issued by the Bush administration that argued that protections for species under the Endangered Species Act could be limited to portions of their range. The decisions apply to the Gunnison’s and Utah prairie dogs and follow another recent decision invalidating removal of protection for northern Rocky Mountains gray wolves based on similar reasoning.
Slaughter of African elephants
The Statesman, September 30, 2010
http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=343330&catid=39
It is 4,000 years or more since the last woolly mammoths, with their spectacularly curved tusks and heavy shaggy coats, roamed the icy wastes of Siberia and Alaska. But the trade in ivory from the tusks of these ancient animals is now booming, and may present a risk to the future of the African elephant, conservationists fear.
Fish farmers in Scotland killing estimated 2,000 seals a year
The Ecologist, September 29, 2010
When the British Conservation of Seals Act of 1970 was passed, formal seal culling was stopped as a result of public protects, but Seal Protection Action Group (SPAG) suggests this just drove the killing underground and there is currently no effective monitoring or enforcement. Seals are problematic for fish farms as they can damage nets and release salmon, potentially damaging the wild populations.
Tougher wildlife conservation laws in Malaysia
Inter Press Service, September 28, 2010
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=52982
The new law will replace the country’s 38-year-old Protection of Wildlife Act – considered obsolete with the maximum 15,000 Malaysian ringgit (5,000 U.S. dollar) fine for any wildlife crime. The updated wildlife conservation law will increase the minimum fine to at least 33,000 U.S. dollars and provide for mandatory jail sentences. It will also now impose penalties for selling products claiming to contain parts of protected species or their derivatives.
By-law for pet shop owners in Malta expected to come into force next January
The Malta Independent, September 27, 2010
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=112816
Pet shop owners will now have to abide by new regulations expected to be introduced in January 2011, specifying, among other things, minimum cage size recommendations for different species. This is Malta’s first legislative action regarding humane housing and it will address recent complaints that pet shop owners house dogs in cages so small that they were left with no option but to sit, because if they stood up, their heads and backs would bang against the cage walls.
Ohio farmhand gets 8 months in jail for beating Conklin dairy cows
Cleveland.com, September 26, 2010
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/09/dairy_farmhand_gets_8_months_i.html
A farmhand was sentenced Friday to eight months in jail for beating, kicking and stabbing calves and cows at an Ohio dairy farm. Billy Joe Gregg Jr. pleaded guilty to six counts of cruelty to animals and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. He has also been barred from having contact with animals for three years and must receive mandatory psychological counseling.
42 starved horses, 42 days in jail
The News-Messenger, September 25 2010
http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20100925/NEWS01/9250306
A judge has ordered an Ohio woman to serve 42 days in jail for neglecting dozens of emaciated Arabian horses taken from her farm last winter. Ottawa County Municipal Judge Frederick Hany sentenced Robin Vess on Friday to 90 days on each of the 42 animal cruelty convictions. She'll serve only 42 days if she follows terms of a five-year probation order, which states she is to participate in the court’s mental health program, and is not to possess or own any horses.
How to restore the Florida panther: add a little Texas cougar
Scientific American, September 24, 2010
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=florida-panther-restoration
In the quest to save the endangered Florida panther, wildlife biologists moved eight female panthers from Texas to Florida 15 years ago in hopes of boosting their dwindling population. The immigration has paid off and the scientists have now created an astonishingly in-depth family tree proving that the genetic mixing has not only revived their population, but has created a healthier population.
Troops rescue wounded eagle found in Afghanistan
The Saratogian, September 23, 2010
http://saratogian.com/articles/2010/09/23/news/doc4c9abe1eef790129440516.txt
Mitch, a Steppe Eagle, will be flying home — by airplane, that is — with members of a Navy Seals unit when they return from deployment next month and by mid-October will call the Berkshire Bird Paradise sanctuary home. A group of Navy Seals rescued Mitch after seeing him shot by an Afghan soldier on a rifle range while they were on a routine patrol mission in Afghanistan.
Doctors file federal complaint to halt transfer of chimpanzees for invasive experiments
PCRM, September 22, 2010
http://www.pcrm.org/news/doctors_federal_complaint_halt_transfer_alamogordo_chimpanzees_100922.html
The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine has filed a legal petition with the Secretary of Health and Human Services protesting the transfer of more than 100 chimpanzees to be used for new invasive research. The petition invokes the Chimpanzee Health Improvement Maintenance and Protection (CHIMP) Act, which was enacted to ensure that chimpanzees used in experiments for many years are retired to sanctuaries. Many Alamogordo chimpanzees are elderly and suffer from heart disease, making them especially unsuitable for medical experimentation.
Eleven suspected members of rhinoceros poaching ring arrested in South Africa
The Los Angles Times, September 22, 2010
Johannesburg police said Wednesday that they have arrested 11 suspected members of a major rhino-poaching ring, which includes two veterinarians and a game farmer. Game farmer Dawie Groenewald was released on 1 million rand bail ($140,000), which is believed to be the heaviest in the crime's history. The remaining 10 were released on bail ranging from 5,000 to 100,000 rand ($700 to $14,000).
Video: Shark-finning puts species on verge of extinction
WIRED, September 21, 2010
Shark-finning is a cruel practice where sharks are caught on long lines, or in nets, regardless of size or species. The shark’s fins are then cut off and the shark is thrown back into the water, alive, to be eaten by other fish as it sinks to the bottom. The Governor of Hawaii recently signed into law a ban on shark-fin soup beginning July 1st, 2011. This is the first law of its kind in the United States.
British woman charged with animal cruelty for pitching cat in trash
Canada.com, September 20, 2010
http://www.canada.com/news/story.html?id=3550507
The British woman who stuffed a cat in a trash bin for 15 hours, sparking worldwide anger, now faces animal cruelty charges. Judith Haw, press officer for the RSPCA for Wales and West, confirmed that Mary Elizabeth Bale will appear in court Oct. 19 facing two criminal charges.
Famous British institutions serving ritually slaughtered halal meat with no warning to public
The Mail Online, September 19, 2010
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1313303/Britain-goes-halal---tells-public.html#ixzz10IHbuv00
A Mail on Sunday investigation has revealed that schools, hospitals, pubs and famous sporting venues such as Ascot and Twickenham are controversially serving up meat slaughtered in accordance with strict Islamic law to unwitting members of the public. Sharia law expressly forbids knocking the animal out with a bolt gun, as is usual in British slaughterhouses.
Canadian man sentenced for mutilating dog
The Edmonton Journal, September 18, 2010
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Owner+jailed+after+tight+condom+kills/3542774/story.html
A Windsor man who tied a condom on his dog that caused so much damage that the animal had to be euthanized was sentenced Friday to four months in jail. Anjalo Abeywickrema, 51, a Sri Lankan refugee, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary pain, injury or suffering to an animal, he admitted to affixing the condom to his dog to keep him from urinating and ejaculating in his apartment.
Animal research figures down in New Zealand
Yahoo News, September 17, 2010
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/7962963/animal-research-figures-down/
The number of animals used for scientific research, testing and teaching fell 13 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, a report by the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC). All research, testing or teaching involving live animals in New Zealand must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of Part 6 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and must be approved by an Animal Ethics Committee.
Saving tigers requires focus on breeding areas
The Brisbane Times, September 16, 2010
Much has been done to try to save the world's largest cat by trying to safeguard vast surrounding landscapes but their numbers have continued to spiral downward. Instead, according to a recent report, efforts should be concentrated on the areas where tigers live; most are clustered in just six percent of their available habitat especially when they breed.
U.S. meat farmers brace for limits on antibiotics
The New York Times, September 15 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/us/15farm.html
The dispensing antibiotics to healthy animals are routine on the large, concentrated farms that now dominate American agriculture. The practice is increasingly condemned by medical experts who say it contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, E coli, salmonella, and other microbes. Now, after decades of debate, the Food and Drug Administration finally appears poised to take action.
Plea deal reached in Minnesota animal enterprise terrorism case
Science Magazine, September 14, 2010
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2010/09/plea-deal-in-animal-research-break.html
Under a plea deal, Scott DeMuth pled guilty to a misdemeanor conspiracy to commit animal enterprise terrorism regarding the animal liberation and vandalism charges at a Minnesota mink farm in 2006. The agreement calls for no more than six months imprisonment. Charges were dropped regarding his involvement in a 2004 action at the University of Iowa where 401 laboratory animals were freed from a lab and damages were near half a million dollars.
Money flows from outside Missouri in support of measure to restrict dog breeders
The Kansas City Star, September 13, 2010
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/13/2220736/money-flows-from-outside-missouri.html#ixzz0zcAS7Z41
Most of the money behind a ballot measure to add new restrictions on Missouri dog breeders is coming from people and organizations outside Missouri. State campaign finance records show more than 90 percent of donations supporting the Missouri measure have come from out of state. To date, more than $1.7 million has been raised to support the dog-breeding ballot measure.
A roaring illegal trade
The Star, September 12, 2010
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/12/nation/7017529&sec=nation
Illegal trade in wildlife is considered to be a low risk job that yields high profits. This trade is the second biggest illegal trade in the world after narcotics. Interpol experts estimate that wildlife smuggling is worth between $10 to $20 billions dollars a year. It is so lucrative that Elizabeth John, a senior officer for Traffic (The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network), is hesitant to state the current price for the various species of animals in the market.
New Zealand man guilty over dog's bird killing spree
TVNZ, September 11, 2010
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/man-guilty-over-dog-s-killing-spree-3772992
A jury at the Auckland District Court yesterday found a Kawau Island resident guilty of being the owner of a dog that killed 14 endangered weka birds at the Kawau Island Historic Reserve. The Department of Conservation has now introduced the use of DNA testing on an injured or dead animal to determine the breed of dog which attacked it.
Belgium to use EU presidency to create strategy on dog welfare
EurActiv.com, September 10, 2010
http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/belgian-presidency-wants-eu-strategy-dog-welfare-news-497649
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister for Health and Social Affairs Laurette Onkelinx wants to use that country’s EU presidency to strengthen legal protection for companion animals with the development of an EU-wide animal welfare strategy. The European Commission is currently working to draft its second Animal Welfare Action Plan for 2011-2015; its predecessor was primarily focused on food-producing animals and not companion animals or wild animals in captivity.
New law protecting lab animal welfare to take effect in south China
Peoples Daily Online, September 09, 2010
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7134820.html#
South China's Guangdong Province will enact a local law on Oct. 1 to regulate the use of laboratory animals and protect animal welfare. According to the Laboratory Animals Management Regulation of Guangdong Province, all lab animals should be anaesthetized before experimental surgeries and animals must be euthanized after experiments.
Experiments on animals: did the EU cave in to lobbyists?
The Telegraph, September 9, 2010
The European Parliament has just introduced a Directive on animal experiments, which is the first revision of the rules in 24 years. Those in favor of tighter controls on vivisection have ended up being disappointed, as some strongly protective measures recommended by the European Commission were diluted by MEPs during the final negotiations.
Are criminal animal-abuse charges heading toward N.C. lab?
The Wall Street Journal, September 8, 2010
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/09/08/are-criminal-animal-abuse-charges-heading-toward-nc-lab/
Undercover video taken at a Pharma laboratory that tests pesticides on animals revealed personnel kicking, grabbing, throwing and handling animals in an abusive manner. Local District Attorney Frank Parrish said his office is reviewing the case and will investigate to see whether or not criminal charges should be filed. If charges are filed it would be the one of the most high-profile instances of criminal charges tied to animal abuse in a lab since the Silver Springs monkey case in 1981.
Activists: get tough in Miami-Dade horse slaughters
The Miami Herald, September 7, 2010
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/06/1811327/activists-get-tough-in-horse-killings.html
Two men accused of butchering horses alive to sell their meat on the black market will return to court Tuesday. Santiago Cabrera, 20, and Luis Cordero, 19, will be in court for a pre-trial hearing. Both are charged with multiple counts of armed burglary, grand theft, killing a registered breed horse and possession of burglary tools.
Oceans: a win—over the long term—for the whales in Japan
Time Magazine, September 6, 2010
The anti-whaling movement scored a partial victory today in Tokyo, where two Japanese activists affiliated with Greenpeace were convicted of stealing whale meat, but were only given a suspended sentence. Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki were found guilty of stealing 50 lbs. of whale meat from a delivery company's warehouse in April 2008, meat that came from Japan's whaling research program.
Endangered or not, wolf killings set to expand
The Associated Press, September 5, 2010
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_KILLING_WOLVES?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Government agencies are seeking broad new authority to ramp up killings and removals of gray wolves in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes, despite two recent court actions that restored the animal's endangered status in every state except Alaska and Minnesota. In Montana and Idaho, officials hope to revive hunting seasons by rebranding them as "conservation hunts" or "research hunts."
Mall menagerie exposes life in Thailand's hellish zoos
The Sydney Morning Herald, September 4, 2010
Bangkok's Pata Zoo sits atop a department store on a busy road in the northern suburbs of Bangkok. Crammed into cages and pens across the sixth and seventh floors of the ageing building are more than 200 species, a menagerie of orangutans, pythons, turtles, flamingos, monkeys, leopards, tigers, bears and even a Shetland pony.
Vietnam raids restaurants selling exotic meats
The New York Times, September 3, 2010
Vietnamese forestry officials seized hundreds of pounds of illegal wildlife from restaurants in a popular tourist province this week, in what was one of the country’s largest such enforcement actions. Illegal meat from pangolins, mouse deer, monitor lizards and sambar deer was confiscated, as well as bear paws and skins from clouded leopards, binturong (also known as the Asian bearcat), and several monkey and ape species.
Belgium plans law to neuter most cats as feline population explodes
The Guardian, September 3, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/03/blegium-plans-to-neuter-cats
Almost all Belgian cat owners will be obliged to have their pets sterilized and registered by 2016. If it is passed into law, the country will embark on a phased neutering of all cats except exotic pedigrees at the start of next year, and there will be a ban on using corner shops, notice boards and small ads to get rid of unwanted litters of kittens.
When animal rescuers become animal hoarders
MSNBC.com, September 2, 2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38978396/ns/health-pet_health/
Rescues and shelters now make up a quarter of the estimated 6,000 new hoarding cases reported in the U.S. each year, said Dr. Randall Lockwood, ASPCA's senior vice president of forensic sciences and anticruelty projects. Hoarding itself is not a crime in most states, but cruelty is and both can start around the same time when one more animal becomes one too many.
Elephants finally get same protection as tigers in India
The Stateman, September 2, 2010
http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=340155&catid=39
The humble hardworking elephant is not an animal that usually likes to complain. But over the years, while higher-profile, more urgently threatened species have been the subject of wide scale conservation efforts, elephant numbers have been allowed to dwindle. Perhaps worse, the gender ratio is terribly skewed since males are killed for their tusks.
Costco responds to animal cruelty charge
NBC News, September 2, 2010
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Costco-Responds-to-Animal-Cruelty-Charge-102032583.html
Following the release of a video purportedly showing animal cruelty at a supplier's farm, Costco Wholesale vowed Wednesday to make sure the calves that produce the veal on its shelves are treated humanely. The video was taken at the Buckeye Veal Farm in Apple Creek, Ohio.
Dolphin hunt kicks off in Japan 'Cove' town
Agence France-Presse, September 1, 2010
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hiTLwbby8nMONbMgY-L91WPmDWFA
Fishermen from the Japanese town depicted in Oscar-winning eco-documentary "The Cove" kicked off their annual dolphin hunting season. Every year, fishermen in Taiji herd about 2,000 dolphins into a secluded bay, select several dozen for sale to aquariums and marine parks and harpoon the rest for meat.
Bear attack highlights lax Ohio exotic pet laws
ABC New U.S., August 31, 2010
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=11520456
The bear that recently killed a caretaker in a Cleveland suburb was the latest example of animal violence in a state that has some of the nation's weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.
Nature authority seeks permission to shoot stray dogs in Israel
HAARETZ.com, August 30, 2010
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority have asked Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan for approval to shoot stray dogs that enter parks and nature reserves. Authorities have previously refrained from shooting stray dogs to insure a lost companion animal would not be wrongly targeted.
China, Russia boost efforts to save tigers
Agence France-Presse, August 29, 2010
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jco4K6-UGYtouRVcE19s56oj5ZFg
China and Russia have agreed to set up the first cross-border protection zone for Siberian tigers, as they try to boost efforts to save the endangered species. The zone will straddle China's northeastern province of Jilin and Russia's Primorsky Krai region, and both countries will launch an anti-poaching campaign along the border.
Drugged tiger cub found in luggage at Bangkok's international airport
The New Zealand Herald, August 28, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10669476
Authorities at Bangkok's international airport found a baby tiger cub that had been drugged and hidden among stuffed toy tigers in the suitcase of a woman flying from Thailand to Iran. The woman was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport before boarding her Sunday flight. The cub, estimated to be about 3 months old, was sent to a wildlife conservation center in Bangkok.
Rhinoceros poachers targeted in South Africa as killings surge to a record
Bloomberg, August 27, 2010
Conservationists expect more than 300 rhinoceroses will be killed by poachers this year as crime syndicates sell the horns in east Asia where they are in demand for their supposed aphrodisiac properties as well as other medicinal uses. That would be more than double last year’s tally of 122.
Canadian Prime Minster announces protected area to conserve Belugas
DOSE.CA, August 26, 2010
http://www.dose.ca/news/story.html?id=3445668
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Thursday his government will establish a "marine protected area" in the Arctic in an effort to conserve one of the world's largest seasonal populations of Beluga Whales. It is the first marine protected area of its kind in the Canadian Arctic.
UN-backed pact launches new tool to monitor trade in endangered species
UN News Center, August 25, 2010
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35712&Cr=UNEP&Cr1=
The secretariat of a United Nations-backed conservation convention today announced the launch of a new web-based interactive tool that enables users to view trade data about wildlife and plants that was submitted by the 175 State parties to the international agreement. Users accessing this database can now quickly search illegally traded items and the countries that have been violators.
US sea turtles affected by Gulf oil spill now face drowning in shrimp nets
BYM Environmental News, August 25, 2010
http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=73710
The very turtles that have been lucky enough to escape harm from the oil spill face the very real threat of drowning in shrimp nets. These nets are pulled by fishermen who historically have not complied with federal regulations, which require the use of Turtle Excluder Devices—simple devices placed at the end of trawl nets that allow sea turtles to escape from shrimp nets before being drowned.
No parole for Alabama dog torturer; victim wags tail
ABC News, August 24, 2010
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=11471954
A scarred but friendly pit bull named "Louis Vuitton" was the star witness Tuesday as an Alabama state board denied parole for the man convicted of spraying him with lighter fluid, setting him on fire and beating him with a shovel. Juan Daniels of Montgomery, was sentenced in 2009 to nine years and six months in prison, a record in Alabama in an animal cruelty case.
Whale trainer's death: Feds slam SeaWorld on safety, seek $75K fine
The Chicago Tribune, August 23, 2010
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/os-seaworld-trainer-death-osha-20100823,0,6612289.story
Federal regulators blasted SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment on Monday for allowing animal trainers to work with killer whales without adequate protection, concluding a six-month investigation into the violent drowning of a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando.
Edmonton judge rejects PETA, Zoocheck Lucy lawsuit
Edmonton Journal, August 21, 2010
Court of Queen's Bench Justice John Rooke ruled Friday that Zoocheck Canada, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and Edmonton resident Tove Reece did not go through the proper channels in bringing their legal action against the City of Edmonton to have the court declare Lucy, the Valley Zoo's Asian elephant, in distress. The Ruling did not address elephant's health, only the legal issues.
European Union delays seal product ban
The Sydney Moring Herald, August 21, 2010
http://www.smh.com.au/world/inuit-claim-victory-as-europe-delays-seal-ban-20100820-138xq.html
Canadian sealers have claimed a victory, saying the European Court of Justice has suspended a seal products ban pending their appeal, even though the European Commission insists the ban will go ahead. The ban would prevent the import of seal products into EU countries.
Pennsylvania’s new kennel law readied
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 20, 2010
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10232/1081442-100.stm
It's been almost two years since a law giving added protection to dogs in kennels was enacted, but procedures to enforce the state law are almost ready to go. The regulations are part of a dog protection law approved in October 2008 and signed by Gov. Ed Rendell, who has two dogs of his own. After the attorney general checks the final form and legality of the new rules, they will be published in October and take effect next July.
'Wildlife criminal' goes to jail for smuggling falcon eggs out of UK
The Guardian, August 19, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/19/wildlife-criminal-jail-smuggling-eggs
A serial "wildlife criminal" was sentenced today to 30 months in jail after he was caught trying to smuggle rare Peregrine Falcon eggs out of Britain. Last February, the British government named bird of prey persecution as one of the six top wildlife crime priorities for the UK prosecution.
International hunting and equestrian exhibition in Abu Dhabi to comply with Cites recommendations
Trade Arabia, August 18, 2010
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/newsdetails.asp?Sn=MEDIA&artid=184693
The Emirates Falconer’s Club said the upcoming International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition- Abu Dhabi 2010 will comply with Control of International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) recommendations on animal trade which is aimed at curbing illegal buying and selling of endangered animals and their derivates.
Canadian Humane Society case withdrawn
National Post, August 17, 2010
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Humane+Society+case+withdrawn/3406791/story.html
More than eight months after a high-profile raid at the Toronto Humane Society's downtown offices over allegations of animal cruelty, the Crown was forced to drop all charges which included obstructing a peace officer, cruelty to animals, and causing unnecessary suffering due to an improper warrant and procedural gaffes.
Hot branding of horses and ponies banned in Scotland
Vetsweb, August 16, 2010
http://www.vetsweb.com/news/hot-branding-of-horses-and-ponies-banned-in-scotland-1361.html
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) are delighted at the announcement from the Scottish Government that the hot branding of horses and ponies will be banned in Scotland.
California mustang round-up outrages animal rights groups
Channel 4 News, August 15, 2010
Helicopters are being utilized to round up two and half thousand wild horses over the next six weeks in the central California. Once all of the wild horses have been caught, 458 will be selected to be released back into the wild while the fate of the remaining two thousand is uncertain.
Warning: All animals at Indonesian zoo in danger
Associated Press, August 14, 2010
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100814/ap_on_re_as/as_indonesia_zoo_animals
The Surabaya Zoo in Jakarta is Indonesia’s largest zoo and all the animals there could be dead within five years unless strong action is taken to change the culture of neglect and corruption that permeates the facility. An endangered Sumatran tiger was found dead Saturday morning in its cage while the remaining 13 Sumatran tigers are being kept in dirty and cramped cages.
Nepal zoo opens “honeymoon suite” for endangered rhinos
The Telegraph, August 13, 2010
Nepal's only zoo has opened a new “honeymoon suite” for its two one-horned rhinos in the hope of persuading the endangered pair to breed for the first time. It is hoped that their new, much larger home, which features mud rather than concrete floors and two large ponds for them to wallow in, will persuade them to finally start mating.
More restrictions to be slapped on whaling in Korea
The Korea Times, August 12, 2010
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/08/123_71357.html
Korean fishermen or illegal hunters won’t be able to catch and market whales as freely as they have following government measures to strengthen related regulations on its anti-whaling policy. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Thursday that it will enforce several measures to prevent fishermen from taking advantage of legal loopholes.
South Korea to get tougher on animal cruelty
Agence France-Presse, August 11, 2010
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100811/wl_asia_afp/skoreaanimallaws
South Korea said Wednesday it will toughen punishment for animal abusers after a series of pet cruelty cases provoked public outrage. Offenders now could be penalized with a prison term of up to 18 months or fines of up to 15 million won (12,800 U.S. dollars) under a revised animal protection law proposed.
From circus to sanctuary, activist fights for chimps' rights
ABC News, August 10, 2010
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wirestory?id=11363027&page=1
A Brazilian biologist is on a mission to rehabilitate circus chimpanzees, fighting in the courts to get the animals freed and treated for the trauma inflicted during lives as performers. Microbiologist Pedro Ynterian's fascination with chimpanzees dates back to 1999 when he first saved a baby chimpanzee from a circus. Currently 50 rescue chimps live at his farm sanctuary near San Paulo.
Report: China zoos mistreat performing animals
The Washington Post, August 9, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/09/AR2010080901818.html
Performing animals in Chinese zoos and parks are often trained using abusive practices, including routine beatings, and are housed in inadequate shelters, according to a report by a Hong Kong-based animal welfare group released Monday
British royal guards may go faux
Toronto Sun, August 8, 2010
http://www.torontosun.com/life/fashion/2010/08/06/14946126.html
The Queen’s Guard have been wearing their high furry hats for nearly 200 years, but the adornments, made from Canadian bear skin, will soon be extinct if the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have anything to say about it. They're pushing Britain's Ministry of Defence to adopt a faux fur alternative, and Toronto-born textile specialist Atom Cianfarani is the woman who could make the change a reality.
Turkey, Syria engage in bird diplomacy
The Chicago Tribune, August 7, 2010
The latest beneficiary of improved relations between Turkey and Syria is the rare Northern Bald Ibis. In recent years, conservationists have watched in dismay as the number of critically endangered birds in a Syrian colony dwindled to just four. Extinction seemed almost guaranteed until late June, when neighboring Turkey agreed to donate two juvenile and four adult birds to Syria.
Philippine stray dogs killed with fumes
Sydney Morning News, August 6, 2010
Dog pounds in the Philippines are being allowed to kill stray dogs with vehicle exhaust fumes. Carbon monoxide gassing is used in several U.S. states and Japan to put down animals, but in a far less cruel manner.
U.S. judge restores wolf protection in Rockies
Reuters, August 5, 2010
A U.S. judge in Montana ordered federal protection under the Endangered Species Act restored to the entire grey wolf population of the Northern Rocky Mountains. The ruling overturns a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision in April 2009 that lifted wolf protections in Montana and Idaho, opening those states to public hunting of the animals, but kept protections in place in Wyoming.
Animal welfare amendment bill to ban sow crates in New Zealand
Voxy.co.nz, August 4, 2010
Sow crates could soon be a thing of the past if Parliament bands together to support the Green Party's Animal Welfare Amendment Bill, Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today. "The present Animal Welfare Act contains a series of loopholes which allow practices that clearly breach the purposes of the Animal Welfare Act, such as sow crates, to continue to be used indefinitely," said Ms Kedgley.
Feds to review the status of the Mexican grey wolf
Fox News, August 4, 2010
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/04/feds-review-status-mexican-gray-wolf/
Conservation groups hailed a decision Tuesday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to review the status of the Mexican gray wolf to determine if it should be listed as an endangered species separate from other North American gray wolves. The agency is giving the public until Oct. 4 to submit information regarding the Mexican wolf.
LA County quietly sentencing thousands of animals to death
PR newswire, August 3, 2010
As a direct result of little-known proposed amendments to Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code, animal sanctuaries countywide could be limited to caring for only 50 dogs and cats -- and ultimately forced to surrender all the other unwanted animals to an already overburdened county shelter system.
Clone-derived milk claim prompts British food agency inquiry
The Guardian, August 2, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/aug/02/fsa-investigating-gm-milk-claims
Food safety officials are to investigate a claim that milk from the offspring of a cloned cow was on sale for public consumption. The EU was under pressure last night to rule on whether food derived from the offspring of cloned livestock should be banned, as reports suggested a British dairy farmer was selling milk from a cow bred from a cloned animal.
Disgusting but not illegal (editorial)
The New York Times, August 1, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/opinion/02mon2.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., who has become one of the First Amendment’s most adamant defenders, led the Supreme Court earlier this year in refusing to create a new exception to the free speech clause for videos of animal cruelty. New proposed legislation improperly seeks to redefine what is “obscene” in reinstating a ban on crush videos.
Animal rights group wants Massachusetts zoo to release elephant’s records
The Boston Globe, July 31, 2010
An animal advocacy group filed a complaint yesterday with the US Department of Agriculture after the death of a beloved 36-year-old elephant at the Southwick’s Zoo, according to officials from the organization. In Defense of Animals is calling for the Mendon-based zoo to publicly release the medical records of Dondi, who died Wednesday, said Catherine Doyle, the group’s elephant campaign manager.
Cat abuser indicted without detention in Korea
The Korea Times, July 30, 2010
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/07/117_70517.html
A woman, who became notorious for savagely beating a neighbor’s cat and throwing it out a window on the 10th floor of her apartment building, was indicted without physical detention Friday for violating the Animal Protection Law, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Friday.
The Toronto Sun, July 30, 2010
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/07/30/14876441.html
So far this summer, 10 out of 20 dogs have died in the VSTEP program that allows immigrant veterinarians to obtain their credentials to work in Ontario. The dogs, which are bred specifically for use at the college, have died as a result of spay and neuter surgeries.
Nepal–India ink pact to combat illegal trade in animal parts
Deccan Herald, July 29, 2010
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/84672/nepalindia-ink-pact-combat-illegal.html
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which aims to conserve biodiversity and strengthen ecological security in the trans-boundary region, was signed by the director general of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in Nepal and the joint director of National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment and Forest, India.
Spain's Catalonia bans bullfighting
CNN, July 28, 2010
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/07/28/spain.bullfighting/index.html
Catalonia became the first Spanish mainland region to ban bullfighting after its parliament voted this Wednesday to outlaw the tradition on animal cruelty grounds. The vote was 68 in favor and 55 against, with nine abstentions. Bullfighting was banned on Spain’s Canary Island in 1991.
Faroe Islands pilot whale massacre exposed by undercover activist
The Huffington Post, July 27, 2010
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-bassett/faroe-islands-pilot-whale_b_658776.html
Last week, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society captured shocking and highly disturbing images of 236 pilot whales brutally slaughtered in the town of Klaksvik in the Danish Faroe Islands. Even though they are listed as "strictly protected" under the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, which is also known as The Berne Convention.
Lawsuit filed to protect gulf’s whales and turtles
Commondreams.org, July 26, 2010
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/07/26-17
The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a lawsuit against Interior Secretary Ken Salazar for failing to assess possible impacts on the Gulf of Mexico's endangered whales and sea turtles of a large oil spill resulting from drilling. Government approval of drilling has long operated under the assumption that the risk of a spill was too remote to jeopardize the Gulf's threatened and endangered species.
Monkey heads, rats trigger probe of Chicago store
The Chicago Tribune, July 25, 2010
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=186803
US Federal authorities are investigating a Chicago West Side store that received a shipment of monkey heads and two dozen dead cane rats in a rare criminal inquiry into what experts say is a robust but underground business: illegally smuggling meat to Chicago residents hungry for a taste from their African homelands.
Why does the world pick on the donkey?
Express.co.uk, July 24, 2010
http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/188848/Why-does-the-world-pick-on-the-donkey-/
It is a sad irony that it’s a donkey’s ability to suffer in silence that has made it one of the world’s most abused animals. Docile and trusting, with its doleful eyes and long ears, the donkey stoically carries on in pain when injured, hiding its suffering.
Imperiled giant pandas need replanted bamboo forests in order to reconnect
Scientific American, July 23, 2010
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=reconnect-the-pandas-says-new-study-2010-07-23
Giant panda habitats are too fragmented and need to be reconnected in order for the endangered animals to maintain their genetic diversity, a new study shows. The researchers say that bamboo forests need to be replanted, which would give the giant pandas enough food to wander and mix their populations.
Activists hope to secure ban on 'inhumane' snare devices in Scotland
Deadline Scotland, July 22, 2010
Scottish Parliament member Christine Grahame, who supports a ban, said: “Snares may be cheap low-maintenance traps, but the suffering that they cause to wild animals, farmed animals and pets is far too high a price to pay for their continued use.”
U.S. House seeks to revive law to stop 'crush videos'
The Associated Press, July 21, 2010
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100721/ap_on_go_co/us_animal_cruelty
Congress is attempting to put back on the books a 1999 law that bans so-called "crush videos" which graphically depict the abuse and killing of animals. The 416-3 vote in the House Wednesday to again make crush videos illegal came three months after the Supreme Court struck down the federal law on the grounds that it was too broadly written and violated free speech protections.
Australia-Japan whaling case arguments due in 2012
Reuters, July 20, 2010
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE66J1R420100720
Australia filed its case at the Hague-based International Court of Justice last month, arguing that Japan was violating the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) by killing whales for research purposes. Cases at the court typically take years to resolve, and this is no exception. Australia must file initial pleadings by May 2011 and Japan must counter by March 2012.
'Extinct' primate, slender loris, pictured in Sri Lanka
The BBC, July 19,2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10681635
The first known photograph of a rare primate that was feared extinct has been captured by researchers in central Sri Lanka. The Horton Plains slender loris, which has short, sturdy limbs and long fur, was tracked down in a highland forest. The elusive primate has been spotted only four times since 1937 and disappeared altogether from 1939 until 2002, when it was last glimpsed.
Ohio cruelty cases spur call for tougher laws
The Toledo Blade, July 18, 2010
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100718/NEWS16/7180308/0/SPORTS
Mona Guinaugh of South Toledo has been nursing her foster dog Darby back to health since the animal was attacked with caustic chemicals poured directly onto her fur. Darby was found last month wearing a collar, dragging a leash, and with a nearly foot-long, festering wound.
Federal officials resume Nevada wild horse roundup
The Associated Press, July 17, 2010
Federal land managers have removed about 250 more wild horses from a Nevada range after a judge allowed a controversial roundup of the animals to resume. U.S. Bureau of Land Management spokesman Doran Sanchez said the roundup in northern Elko County began again shortly after U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks on Friday rescinded a temporary restraining order.
Rescuing dogs from 'corridor of cruelty' in Texas
CNN, July 16, 2010
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/15/cnnheroes.hoffman.dog.rescue/index.html
In the scorching summer heat, Deborah Hoffman can be found patrolling a section of Houston, Texas, that she's dubbed "The Corridor of Cruelty." "It's basically a dumping ground for live and dead animals," said Hoffman. The corridor--an area more than a mile wide where abused dogs are abandoned--is located in northeast Houston near the Little York exit off U.S. 59 (Eastex Freeway).
Japanese cat rehab weans feral felines off endangered birds
Treehugger A Discovery Company, July 15, 2010
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/07/cat-rehab-weans-feral-felines-off-endandered-birds.php
It may be a long way from the forests of Japan's Ogasawara Islands to the high-rise apartments of Tokyo, but a special cat rehab is helping feral felines find their way by putting to rest their wild side. For the last 15 years or so, the islands have been virtually overrun by an ever growing feral cat population that has a problematic appetite.
Russia urged to halt oil survey during rare whale's breeding season
The Guardian, July 14, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/14/russia-oil-whale
A seismic survey planned around Sakhalin Island would affect a fragile population of western grey whales.
A joint letter to Russia, coordinated by British officials and signed by representatives of 11 other nations, including France, Germany and the US, calls for the survey company to change its plans to protect the whales.
Tasmanian Devils leave Tasmania for Australian mainland to escape disease
The Brisbane Times, July 14, 2010
A ''devil's ark'' is to be created in the Hunter Valley to provide a last refuge for Tasmanian devils, as facial tumors continue to decimate Tasmania's “devil” population. The Tasmanian population is collapsing and about 80 percent of them have succumbed to the contagious facial tumor disease since it first struck in the mid-1990s.
The brutality of factory farms
The Huffington Press, July 13, 2010
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/the-brutality-of-factory_b_643567.html
Recognizing how widespread concern about the humane treatment of farm animals has become, the California Milk Advisory Board has recently ramped up its 10-year "Happy Cow" advertising campaign with a new series of ads proclaiming that "Great milk comes from Happy Cows. Happy Cows come from California. Unfortunately, there are a few problems with the ads. For one, they weren't filmed in California at all; they were filmed in Auckland, New Zealand.
Euro-MPs want to reduce animal testing
EuBusiness.com, July 12, 2010
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/animal-testing.127
The use of animals in scientific experiments could soon be reduced by new legislation, if approved by the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee on Monday, which aims for a balance between improving animal welfare and assisting research against diseases.
A "humane egg" editorial
The New York Times, July 11, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/opinion/12mon4.html
The life of animals raised in confinement on industrial farms is slowly improving, thanks to pressure from consumers, animal rights advocates, farmers and legislators. In fact, there is no justification, economic or otherwise, for the abusive practice of confining animals in spaces barely larger than the volume of their bodies. Animals with more space are healthier, and they are no less productive.
'Twilight' star Ashley Greene has been honored by animal rights organization PETA with a new 'Kind Choices Award'
The Deccan Herald, July 10, 2010
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/80518/ashley-greene-awarded-peta.html
The 23-year-old actress has been honored for signing on as the new face of Avon cosmetics, the first major cosmetics company to adopt a cruelty-free policy and which ended all animal testing of its products and ingredients since 1989.
Rendell refuses to enforce his own dog laws in Pennsylvania
K9 Magazine, July 9, 2010
Shock soon turned to anger as animal advocates attending last week’s Dog Law Advisory Board meeting were told by Governor Rendell’s Special Secretary Jessie Smith and Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement’s Sue West that important elements of Pennsylvania’s hard fought new dog law would not be enforced. The signed law would require that breeding dogs in commercial kennels have unfettered access to the outside and that all dogs over the age of twelve weeks not be housed on wire flooring.
Laws on 'puppy farms' tightened
The BBC, July 8, 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/10546818.stm
Tokyo court hands down suspended prison sentence to N.Z. anti-whaling activist
New legislation to replace the Breeding of Dogs Act in Wales will introduce a minimum supervision requirement of one human supervisor to 20 dogs.
People’s Daily, July 7, 2010
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7056543.html
The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday handed down a two-year suspended prison sentence and five years' probation to anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune for his role in boarding a Japanese whaling ship and obstructing their activities. This is the first time an anti-whaling protester has been brought to Japan for trial and prosecuted.
Bears, bile, and extraordinary tales of survival: just who do we think we are?
The Huffington Press, July 7, 2010
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-bekoff/bears-bile-and-extraordin_b_635059.html
Thousands of moon bears remain trapped on bile farms throughout Asia. Moon bears are listed at the highest level of endangerment by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but China gives them only Category II protection, which allows them to be farmed.
BUAV - EU Council accused of issuing misleading public statement on animal testing
politics.co.uk, July 6, 2010
The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments, a coalition of animal protection groups across Europe, has accused the EU Council of Ministers of issuing a highly misleading press statement about the changes to the animal experiments directive (Directive 86/609).
Tiger 'rescue plan' to be drafted in Indonesia
Agence France-Presse, July 6, 2010
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jA40n2qOev5h_muGVC0I_4eSGcJA
Representatives from 13 "tiger-range countries" will draft a global recovery plan at a meeting in Indonesia next week in a bid to rescue the big cats from extinction. The plan to be drafted on the Indonesian resort island of Bali will be used as the basis for discussion at a "tiger summit" scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, from September 15 to 18.
Tough new bill to replace ‘failed’ Dangerous Dogs Act in U.K.
K9 Magazine, July 5, 2010
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/5899/tough-new-bill-to-replace-failed-dangerous-dogs-act/
Animal welfare organizations, veterinary professionals and local authorities today joined forces to condemn the much-criticized Dangerous Dogs Act, demanding that it must be replaced by a hard-hitting new Dog Control Bill focusing on prevention rather than cure
Massacre of endangered rhinos continues
The Sunday Independent, July 4 2010
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=&art_id=vn20100704075145284C701196
The massacre of South Africa's endangered rhino population continues with the discovery of two more mutilated carcasses in the North West and Limpopo. The public outcry over the brutal annihilation of South Africa's rhinos rose this week when a Kempton Park magistrate passed out the harshest sentence to date in South Africa for rhino horn smuggling.
Prognosis promising for Ohio dog with gunshot wounds, couple charged in connection with shooting
The Toledo Blade, July 3, 2010
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100703/NEWS02/7030391/0/SPORTS16
Suspects Mr. Skowron and Ms. King were charged with injuring an animal and with animal torture, and the City of Toledo prosecutor's office is considering additional charges against the pair for criminal trespass, illegal discharge of a firearm, petty theft, and filing a false police report
Phase out dissection of animals: recommends UGC panel in India
The Hindu, July 2, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/02/stories/2010070262981600.htm
Favoring replacement of animal dissections for experimentation in a phased manner with the acquisition of appropriate technology, an expert committee of the University Grants Commission has suggested a reduction in the number of animals, and the kind of species used for dissection and experimentation.
Tougher new penalties for animal cruelty in New Zealand
The Bay of Plenty, July 1, 2010
The maximum sentence for willful ill-treatment of an animal has been increased from three to five years prison and the maximum fine doubled to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a company.