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Chimps await sanctuary, while NIH still refuses to move them despite judge’s ruling | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Despite a recent court ruling and the animal welfare benefits of sanctuary retirement, media reports indicate the National Institutes of Health is still refusing to allow 26 chimpanzees warehoused in a government laboratory in New Mexico to spend the rest of their lives at Chimp Haven. These chimps have been at this government facility since at least 2001.
Congressional hostiles seek to “endanger” wildlife further still | HSLF
Leave it to a chamber of Congress that in too many respects has lost its way on wildlife to embrace a full-scale assault on gray wolves in the immediate aftermath of one of the most sadistic acts of cruelty ever committed against a wild animal―a female gray wolf yearling―in the nation’s history.
HSLF rejects Kristi Noem’s cynical account of killing her family dog | HSLF
WASHINGTON (April 29, 2024)—South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem continues to dismiss accusations of cruelty in the wake of The Guardian’s report that her upcoming memoir includes passages telling how she ended the lives of her family’s 14-month-old puppy and a goat on their farm. Humane Society Legislative Fund president Sara Amundson responded to Governor Noem’s comments with the following statement:
Breaking: In a huge win for horses, USDA announces final rule seeking to end horse soring | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block From the perspective of public policy, there are certain cruelties that seem to hang around forever, even when their depravity is abundantly evident, defying―in a way―the political equivalent of gravity. Horse soring, which involves the very intentional infliction of pain and suffering on Tennessee walking horses and related breeds in the show world, is just that kind of cruelty.
The Humane Society of the United States urges the horse racing industry to embrace protective measures for horse safety | HSLF
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 26, 2024)— As racing commences at Churchill Downs ahead of the 150th Kentucky Derby, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund call for change to address the devastating loss of horse life at each of the Triple Crown races last year and racing in general.
Report of Governor Noem’s animal cruelty unsettling | HSLF
WASHINGTON (April 26, 2024) — Today, The Guardian reported that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem acknowledged in her upcoming memoir how she ended the lives of her family’s 14-month-old puppy and a goat on their farm. Humane Society Legislative Fund president Sara Amundson responded to the revelations with the following statement:
Our fight against expanded use of monkeys in research heats up | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block We’re pushing back hard against plans to fund expanded reliance on monkeys in experiments in the U.S., plans that would see even more of these intelligent, curious animals used in outdated and unreliable tests, often at taxpayer expense. Instead, we’ve advocated for broader investments in technologically-advanced methods that don’t use live animals and can tell us more about how the human body works—instead of attempting to translate the results of animal experiments to humans.
Presidential Candidate Profile: Donald Trump’s record on animal protection | HSLF
With the Super Tuesday primary elections behind us, and the Democratic and Republican Party nominations nearly settled, we wanted to provide a review of the animal welfare records of President Biden and President Trump.
Breaking: US Fish and Wildlife Service issues stronger protections for African elephants | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized critical trade protections for African elephants. Serious threats such as poaching, habitat encroachment and climate change continue to imperil this endangered species; African elephants have suffered a severe population decline over the last 100 years.
New hope for 26 chimps who deserve life in a sanctuary, not a lab | HSLF
By Kitty Block and Sara AmundsonTwenty-six chimpanzees at a laboratory in New Mexico have a stronger shot at spending the rest of their lives in a sanctuary now that the National Institutes of Health has dropped its appeal in a lawsuit focused on their future.
NIH abandons appeal of federal judge’s ruling that agency’s refusal to retire former research chimps to sanctuary was illegal | HSLF
NIH abandons appeal of federal judge’s ruling that agency’s refusal to retire former research chimps to sanctuary was illegal WASHINGTON (March 22, 2024)—Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed the National Institutes of Health’s appeal of a federal court ruling that the agency broke the law by withholding sanctuary retirement from federally owned chimpanzees formerly used in research. The appeal was dismissed at NIH’s request.
Breaking: Threat to nation's strongest farm animal law deepens in U.S. Congress | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Whatever doubt there may have been before, the situation is now crystal clear. The battle over California’s Proposition 12 and the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (or some other approach to blocking Proposition 12 through the Farm Bill) has been joined, and we’re in the thick of it.
House Agriculture Committee probes Chinese influence over American agriculture | HSLF
House Agriculture Committee probes Chinese influence over American agriculture Foreign-owned companies are buying control of nation’s agricultural policy, undermining states’ rights and principles of federalism WASHINGTON (March 20, 2024)—Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to discuss the risks and dangers of China’s increasing dominance over the U.S. agriculture industry.
Another beloved elephant in Tanzania has been killed by a trophy hunter | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block News has come out that another bull elephant was shot and killed in Tanzania, reportedly by an American trophy hunter from Texas. This is the third bull, believed to likely be another “super tusker,” beloved by locals, gunned down near the Tanzanian-Kenyan border, part of the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem, within the past six months.
The number of U.S. mink fur farms plummets as consumers reject cruelty | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Fur production in the U.S. is plummeting, and that’s good news for animals. Every five years, as part of the U.S. Census, the U.S. Department of Agriculture releases data on mink farms in the country. The newly released numbers show that in 2017, 236 mink fur farms existed in the U.S. Five years later, only 110 mink fur farms remained. With the speed of this decline, we believe even more mink farms have closed in the last year.
Breaking: Our rescue team saves more than 200 dogs from two Oklahoma puppy mills | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Early Monday morning, our Animal Rescue Team arrived at two properties in Milburn, Oklahoma, with officers from the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, who served search warrants as part of an alleged animal cruelty situation. Law enforcement requested our assistance with rescuing potentially hundreds of dogs from two dog breeding operations.
These legislators stood up for animals and against dangerous EATS Act in U.S. Congress | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Every year, our Humane Awards recognize elected officials who help animals through public policy efforts in the U.S. Congress. As sponsors of positive legislation, and as champions of strong regulatory reforms, these legislators are in the vanguard of the fight for creating more protections for animals.
How animals would be impacted by U.S. federal funding package | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block Ahead of a looming U.S. government shutdown, congressional leaders have unveiled the first of two packages of bills to keep federal government funded through September 30 (the end of fiscal year 2024). This first package of funding and directives for several agencies contains many key items with positive implications for animals. Here are highlights: Our long-standing animal welfare priorities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture were retained in the final package. These include:
CANINE DENTAL CARE - Groovy Goldendoodles
The CDC (canine dental care) plan I’ve created for Jaxson is new, but I’m seeing progress… Allow me to start this post with “true confessions” – I am not a diligent dog ma when it comes to brushing a Dood’s teeth. #thereIsaidit I am improving because Jaxson is starting to show tarter on his tooth, Continue Reading
Proposed monkey warehouse in Georgia would be a step backward for animals and science | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block A company called “Safer Human Medicine” is proposing to build a monkey breeding warehouse in the small town of Bainbridge, Georgia. At full capacity, the proposed facility, at a significant cost to taxpayers, would be the largest in the U.S., holding up to 30,000 long-tailed macaques bred for experiments. Such a move would not make medicine safer and would only take science and progress for animals backward.
The wild animals who suffer because of animal agriculture | HSLF
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block The Humane Society of the United States' blog recently covered the benefits of reducing the consumption of animal products both for farmed animals and for the climate. But there are many other potential beneficiaries of a revamping of how animals are bred and farmed in various contexts, from ranches to fur farms. Here are some of the wild animals who suffer because of animal agriculture: Wolves