Category: Public Policy (Legal/Legislative)

HSUS/HSI undercover investigation reveals thriving market for ivory in Washington, D.C.

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Our investigators uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ivory objects for sale at businesses in Washington, D.C., including a full, carved elephant tusk priced at $600,000. Photo by the HSUS

Despite growing awareness about the havoc wreaked upon elephants by ivory poachers, our country – and our nation’s capital – are among the world’s biggest markets for ivory. Today, we’re releasing our latest investigation that has uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ivory . . . 

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Educating consumers is key to ending puppy mill problem

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States

To truly deal a body blow to the puppy mill scourge, we need consumers to stop buying puppies from dubious sources on the Internet and from pet stores.
Photo by Amie Chou/The HSUS

There are some 10,000 puppy mills active in the United States – a mammoth number, by any measure. Animals in these enterprises are condemned to a life of squalor and suffering with no relief in sight. At a typical puppy mill, dozens or even hundreds . . . 

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Florida’s inhumane solution to its iguana problem is doomed to failure

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Even if the iguanas are humanely captured and killed, there is no science-backed evidence to show that such an approach will effectively reduce the state’s population of iguanas in the long term. Above, a green iguana recuperating at the South Florida Wildlife Center. Photo by Christine Capozziello/The HSUS

Florida, in the midst of an explosion in the population of green iguanas, is actively encouraging residents to kill the animals “whenever possible” around their homes or on public lands. This irresponsible directive from the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is not accompanied by . . . 

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States, localities forge ahead on banning puppy mills, cage confinement, killing contests and more

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Nevada became the second state in the country, after California, to pass a law banning cosmetics testing on animals. Photo by Bliznetsov/iStock.com

In May this year, Washington’s governor signed into law the strongest legislative protections for egg-laying hens anywhere in the world. Nevada became the second state in the country, after California, to pass a law banning cosmetics testing on animals. And New Mexico passed a law . . . 

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Canada bans shark finning and shark fin trade

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

The massive global demand for shark fins has been a primary cause of shark population declines worldwide. Fins from as many as 100 million sharks are traded throughout the world every year. Photo by Shane Gross/iStockphoto

Canada, the largest importer of shark fins outside Asia, has passed a landmark bill that includes measures to prohibit the trade in shark fins nationally as well as finning in Canadian waters. Humane Society International/Canada joined Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and the Canadian Coast Guard . . . 

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Horse deaths at Santa Anita underscore need for racing reform nationwide

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States

We shouldn’t be waiting for crisis to strike before acting to ensure the safety of racehorses. Horseracing is in a state of crisis, and we need urgent nationwide reform. Photo by Stan Rohrer/Alamy Stock Photo

The number of horses dying at the Santa Anita racetrack in California since December 2018 has led to widespread concern in the horseracing world and beyond, and prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom to call for closing the racetrack until the safety of the horses can . . . 

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EPA gives factory farms a free pass on toxic air emissions

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States

Factory farms confine many hundreds or thousands of animals such as dairy cows or pigs, or millions of smaller animals such as chickens, on each of their properties, causing not only an incredible amount of suffering, but also a staggering amount of urine and feces. Photo by Jim West/Alamy Stock Photo

By Kitty Block and Sara Amundson In an unlawful move, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has decided to exempt massive factory farms from reporting their toxic air emissions — released from animal waste created by these facilities — to state and local authorities. The rule, . . . 

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10 states now encourage adoption of research dogs into loving homes

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States

Teddy, an 18-month-old beagle who was part of our undercover investigation at a Michigan lab and who was used in an unnecessary one-year pesticide test, was recently at the Michigan statehouse, lobbying for the bill there. Teddy was released from the laboratory as a result of our investigation and was adopted out by the Michigan Humane Society. Photo by Bryan Mitchell/AP Images for the HSUS

It is a bleak life for the approximately 60,000 dogs and 20,000 cats used in testing and research in U.S. laboratories each year. In March, we revealed the sad plight of some of these animals when we did an undercover investigation at a contract laboratory . . . 

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Key House committee, federal court direct USDA to release crucial animal welfare records

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

It is especially important that the public have access to this information now because the administration itself has all but stopped enforcing the Animal Welfare Act and the Horse Protection Act, allowing facilities to neglect and mistreat their animals with little to no consequences. Photo by Michelle Riley/The HSUS

The House appropriations committee has just issued a clear directive to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate full public access to animal welfare inspection reports and other records that show how businesses like roadside zoos and puppy mills, and research facilities that do invasive . . . 

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No science behind war on wolves, coyotes

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Many state wildlife officials have responded to the rise in coyote populations with the same cruel and scientifically unjustified mass killing tactics used to extirpate wolves, including cash bounties, killing contests and unlimited hunting quotas. Photo by Mircea Costina/Alamy Stock Photo

Scientists have long cautioned against the indiscriminate hunting of wolves because of the harmful effects it can have on the natural balance of an ecosystem. But this has not stopped states or the federal government from conducting a war on these beautiful native carnivores. The . . . 

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