Category Archives: Animal Welfare News

Livestock coalition marshals forces against extreme animal rights initiative

Journal-Advocate

Proposed ballot initiative 2021-2022 #16, formerly known as the PAUSE Act, has been reviewed by the state’s title board and a title has been set.

The role of the title board is to set a clearly worded title that reflects the proponents’ intentions after determining that it meets the requirement of containing a single subject word of law. At the initial hearing, the title board does not and did not hear objections to the content or title language, and the board does not analyze the merit of the initiative.

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PAUSE: Ballot initiative to criminalize husbandry practices would cost consumers, limit food availability

Fence Post

A ballot initiative proposed, currently known as Protect Animals from Unnecessary Suffering and Exploitation (PAUSE), is awaiting an appearance before the title board after being filed with the Colorado Secretary of State. Proponents Alexander Sage of Broomfield, and Brent Johannes of Boulder, penned the proposed changes to the criminal cruelty to animal statutes. As written, the ballot initiative would include livestock and would criminalize some actions that are currently accepted animal husbandry practices.
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COVID-19 may cause an increase in horse surrenders

JAVMA

Equine welfare experts are working to prevent and prepare for a potential surge in horse surrenders because of COVID-19–related financial challenges.

Portrait woman and horse outdoors. Woman hugging a horse
One of the goals of the United Horse Coalition is to help at-risk horses. In recent efforts, the coalition has released an Equine Resource Database for horse owners to find help. (Courtesy of the United Horse Coalition)
“Horses are expensive, there is no polite way to say it,” said Emily Stearns, the program manager of the Equine Welfare Data Collective, a program created by the United Horse Coalition to collect data and track equine welfare trends. “If people are losing their jobs, they’re at risk of downsizing and not being able to house their horse.”

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Washington State Action Alert


THIS BILL NEEDS TO BE WIDELY CHALLENGED, PLEASE TAKE ACTION – ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN WASHINGTON STATE.

House Bill 2824 will ban certain animals at “any exhibition, public showing, presentation, display, exposition, fair, animal act, circus, ride, trade show, petting zoo, carnival, parade, race, or similar undertaking…
“HB2824 is sponsored by Representatives Appleton, Walen, and Pollet. It was referred to the House Public Safety Committee. Currently the bill excludes domestic horses and cattle but that could easily be amended in the future and includes many other species.
Text of bill: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2824.pdf?q=20200124092600&fbclid=IwAR0oX4BSqdFoJ215XFFrn8IZ2msrWS9js2TfnW-7Zh6GGC2gIwiYNiuWof4

As introduced, it includes the species and any hybrids below:(I) ARTIODACTYLA, excluding domestic cattle, bison, American buffalo, water buffalo, yak, zebu, gayal, bali cattle, suidae, sheep, llamas, or alpacas;
(II) CAMELIDAE;
(III) CANIDAE, including any hybrids thereof, but excluding domestic dogs;
(IV) CROCODILIA;
(V) ELASMOBRANCHII;
(VI) ELEPHANTIDAE;
(VII) FELIDAE, including any hybrids thereof, but excluding domestic cats;
(VIII) MARSUPIALIA;
(IX) NONHUMAN PRIMATE;
(X) PERISSODACTYLA, excluding domestic horses, ponies, donkeys, or mules;
(XI) PINNIPEDIA; and
(XII) URSIDAE.The only exemption applies to a program “that takes place at a nonmobile, permanent institution or other fixed facility.”The bill has been referred to the Committee on Public Safety.Email list: Sherry.Appleton@leg.wa.gov, Gerry.Pollet@leg.wa.gov, Amy.Walen@leg.wa.gov, Roger.Goodman@leg.wa.gov, Lauren.Davis@leg.wa.gov, Brad.Klippert@leg.wa.gov, Robert.Sutherland@leg.wa.gov, Jenny.Graham@leg.wa.gov, Dan.Griffey@leg.wa.gov, John.Lovick@leg.wa.gov, Tina.Orwall@leg.wa.gov, Mike.Pellicciotti@leg.wa.gov, Eric.Pettigrew@leg.wa.gov

Link to Committee information:
http://leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/PS/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1f-6j8ofE_0hJdEvfZtJ-8ILjh-_5wjNDtpygojsF3K9TTW1sTNhlAiYY

Points to include in your messaging:
• I oppose House Bill 2824. Washington already has extensive animal cruelty laws including Chapter 16.52 RCW titled Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
• Current laws are adequate to protect animals in Washington State and should be enforced;
• This bill will have far-reaching, unintended consequences and hurt many animal industries in Washington State – taking away citizen’s rights to enjoy many activities involving animals;
• Reject the propaganda advanced by animal extremists who wish to ban the use of animals in industry, sport and recreation and listen to the experts who interact with these animals on a daily basis.

Practical Biosecurity Tips

The Horse Magazine
By now you’re probably familiar with general equine biosecurity rules: Vaccinate your herdisolate sick horsesdisinfect tack and equipment between uses. But not all disease prevention practices are made equal. How you protect your field of retirees or your breeding stallion from disease differs from what you do when you haul your riding horse to a combined event.   Three veterinarians passionate about preventing infectious disease spread among horses have shared their best biosecurity suggestions for three scenarios: on the farm, at a horse show, and in the breeding shed. With each instance, we’ll show you exactly what good biosecurity for horses looks like.
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USDA Cites HSUS “Care” Centers

Humanewatch –

Early last year, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) made a big stink about online access to USDA inspection records. The agency inspects facilities with animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act, such as zoos and sanctuaries. The USDA has since put some back records online, and it’s notable that a couple of HSUS-affiliated facilities were cited by the USDA for violations.

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Humane Society C.E.O. Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

New York Time

The chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States resigned on Friday after sexual harassment allegations against him prompted an uprising from staff and donors.

The executive, Wayne Pacelle, who was the face of the Humane Society for more than a decade, had held onto support from a majority of the group’s board, which voted on Thursday to immediately end an investigation into his behavior.

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Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights

High Plains Journal

In the past few years, you may have noticed major fast-food joints advertising their sourcing of food by more “ethical” farm practices. Panera Bread is the latest restaurant to get on its high horse and announce it will only source eggs from producers who do not use battery cages and pork from producers who do not use gestation stalls.

 You may also question why all these food companies are making these huge supply chain decisions, many times without consulting farmers. Cue animal rights activist alphabet soup. You’ve heard of HSUS, PETA, MFA, etc. These organizations demonize modern agriculture and profit from uneducated consumers that are lured in by images of sickly puppies and kittens.Full Story

 

Ten Lessons from 30 Years Battling Animal Rights

Truth About Fur

Thirty years! The other day I suddenly realised that this is the 30th anniversary of the publication my book Second Nature: The Animal-Rights Controversy. First published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. in 1985, this was the first serious critique – and is still one of the very few – of the animal-rights movement from an environmental and human-rights perspective.

The publication of Second Nature changed my life. Until then, my interests as a freelance writer had ranged widely, although curiosity about different people and cultures was often a unifying theme: from promoting the cause of Tibetan refugees to exploring the mystical world of Hassidic Jews. While I was brought up in a Canadian fur manufacturing family, the emerging “animal rights” debate was only one story among many. Full Story