[News] Sometimes the news is good (make that great!)

[Lou]

This week, The Humane Society of the United States, as a result of our recent undercover investigations, helped achieve a major victory for farm animals when the USDA announced it will ban all downed cows from the food supply. Although more needs to be done to protect these animals, the ban will spare many of these sick and crippled cows from further mishandling and misery in the slaughterhouse. Today, I want to give you our take on three more recent victories for animals:

https://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...green_rule.gifhttps://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...08_164x100.jpgNew Law Cracks Down on Animal Fighting and Puppy Mills
The U.S. Senate yesterday followed the lead of the House of Representatives and overrode President Bush’s veto of the Farm Bill, ushering in key new protections for animals. The final bill -- which is now considered law, except for one section excluded due to a technical glitch -- bans the import of puppies from foreign puppy mills for commercial sale in the U.S. The law spares young, unweaned, and unvaccinated pups from harsh, long-distance transport -- during which they are exposed to extreme temperatures and often die in cargo holds -- and will keep foreign breeders from adding to the tragic overpopulation of pets in this country.
The Farm bill also adds a provision to federal law to make almost any form of animal fighting a federal felony. It’s also now a federal crime to knowingly possess or train animals for fighting, and the maximum prison time for a single violation of any section of the law goes from three years to five years. It is hard to overstate what a blow this is to dogfighters and cockfighters, and it brings us one step closer to eradicating these criminal industries.
The law also authorizes an increase in potential fines -- quadrupled from $2,500 to $10,000 -- for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, fines that haven’t been upgraded in more than 20 years. Such penalties will more effectively deter abuses at puppy mills, laboratories, circuses, and other facilities that use animals.
https://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...green_rule.gifhttps://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...08_164x100.jpgAnimal Fighting Magazine to be Pulled from Amazon.com
On Tuesday, in another blow to animal fighters, we reached a settlement with one of the defendants in our federal lawsuit challenging the sale of two criminal animal fighting magazines on Amazon.com in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. The publishers of “The Gamecock” magazine agreed to permanently change the magazine’s format to exclude all ads for fighting animals, knives, and other illegal paraphernalia, and to stop selling the magazine on Amazon.com until it has demonstrated full compliance with federal law for one year.
Sadly, Amazon.com has vowed to fight on in the case, arguing that the First Amendment gives it the right to sell illegal animal fighting contraband. It wants to remain the only online retailer selling “The Feathered Warrior,” soon to be the sole remaining cockfighting trade publication sold on Amazon.com in violation of federal law. Tell Amazon.com what you think of its decision to continue profiting from illegal animal fighting.
https://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...green_rule.gifhttps://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...08_164x100.jpgPolar Bears Get Protection from Trophy Hunters
Finally, you probably heard last week’s announcement by the Interior Department that polar bears will be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. What you may not have heard is that the decision will save these majestic creatures from the bullets of American trophy hunters. The listing closes an unacceptable loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a loophole exploited by wealthy sport hunters who killed and then imported more than 900 polar bears from Canada as trophies over the past decade. The long-term prospects for polar bears remain uncertain because of global warming, but thanks to this decision, these animals will face one less threat to their survival.
https://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus...green_rule.gifAll these victories were made possible by your emails, phone calls, letters, and donations. Thank you for standing with us, and for all you do for animals.
Sincerely,
https://img.getactivehub.com/an2/cus..._bkg_wayne.gif
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

[YorkieChick1]

Wow that is good information!! Some positive strides have been made. I am really disappointed that Amazon continues to sell those kinds of magazines. I am a customer of theirs but that will definitely make me think twice and I am going to send them an email about my concern.

[sammiz]

I went to that Amazon link to 'tell them what I think'...but I didn't do it.

Reason: The form retains the info of the last person that filled it. In this case...Lavetta ****, your street, your town, Illinois, your zip.

I don't know who Lavetta might be but I don't want my personal info 'out there'....so I will have to find another way to communicate it to them.

[boomerstv]

Schmitty has lots to say about this and other things, but she speaks only to dogs. She is curious to see if the You Tube link will connect on this thread, so here goes.

YouTube - Political Pooch Holds Press Conference

[sammiz]

I am amazed, appalled and sickened. I had no idea that Amazon sells books that teach people how to participate in and keep dogs for dogfighting, cockfighting and other animal cruelty garbage.

Off The Chain: The Dog Pit - Or, How To Select, Breed, Train And Manage Fighting Dogs, With Points As To Their Care In Health And Disease

Off the Chain (2005) : Dogfighting

Bloodline (2006): Pit Bull

Hood Dawgs: Pit Bulls

AND more...

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Grit and Steel [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]: Cockfighting

Cockfighter (1974): Cockfighting

Gamecock [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]: Cockfighting

The Breeding and Management of Fighting Cocks (Paperback): Cockfighting


Guess what? I will never again make a purchase from Amazon. I am done with it. Now that I am aware, I will also check for these types of books in any bookstore before I make a purchase. If they sell them, I am not buying.

It will be difficult because I am an avid reader. BUT...it is the principle of the thing.

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[cesar49]

Originally Posted by boomerstv

Schmitty has lots to say about this and other things, but she speaks only to dogs. She is curious to see if the You Tube link will connect on this thread, so here goes.

YouTube - Political Pooch Holds Press Conference

i am voting for schmitty

hooray.. finally some good legislation

[Marla]

I'm confused about the ruling regarding banning downed cattle from the U.S. Food Supply. I thought that was already not allowed. They are considered 4D animals - down, diseased, dying, and another D. I read the report, but I guess they are saying there was a loophole.

However, I would like to point out that the report does not mention whether it keeps 4D animals from the "animal food" supply, as in animal feed as well as pet food. That used to be a common practice for animal feed and low-cost pet food. It's been minimized in recent years as people published books and such about it. But that's yet another fight.