Wayne Pacelle: A Humane Nation

Exceptional Day for Animals in Court

In Federalist No. 78, Alexander Hamilton reassured us that the judiciary will always be the “least dangerous branch” of our government. But for those who profit from harming animals, Hamilton’s words are providing very cold comfort of late.

From the double indictments against disgraced football star Michael Vick for his role in a major dogfighting operation, to the recent federal appeals court decision shuttering the last horse slaughter plant in the country, the courts are stepping up to the challenge of confronting and halting animal abuse in ways never before seen.

In a single day yesterday, we celebrated three major court victories for animals—something I can’t ever recall happening in all my years working for the humane treatment of animals.

First, an appeals court in New Jersey got things rolling yesterday morning by shooting down the Safari Club and other extreme trophy hunting groups' lawsuit to force the state of New Jersey to hold a reckless and inhumane bear trophy hunt. The court’s ruling clears the way for implementation of Governor Jon Corzine’s and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson’s decision to abandon trophy hunting of black bears in favor of a humane, non-lethal plan to resolve bear conflicts.

Then, a few hours later, the Florida Supreme Court got into the act. The high court issued a unanimous ruling upholding our right to have a trial court examine whether there was fraud in qualifying an initiative petition to allow greyhound track owners to prop up their failing racing operations with slot machine gambling. The court ordered a full trial on the merits.

Finally, back in Washington, D.C., a federal district court dealt Ringling Brothers circus yet another blow in the ongoing legal battle over Ringling’s abuse of its elephants. The court rejected Ringling's effort to gain a sweeping gag order preventing the release of any evidence of abuse uncovered by the plaintiffs in the case, including recently discovered documentation showing trainers beating elephants with a sharpened metal hook (called a "bullhook" or "ankus").

As I wrote about a few weeks back, thanks to the support of our members and our union with The Fund for Animals, we created an Animal Protection Litigation section in 2005. Led by Jonathan Lovvorn, the section now has 12 full-time attorneys, and works with hundreds of attorneys in law firms that do pro bono work for us.

The investment in this work is paying off for animals, and your HSUS has vowed to work tirelessly not only in legislative bodies and executive agencies throughout the nation, but also in the courts. Laws must be passed, but they also must be enforced.

Talk Back: Sick Over Whale Slaughter

Readers mourned the slaughter of a gray whale earlier this month off Washington's coast. Among the comments we received:

There is no excuse for killing whales in this day and age. It was barbaric back then, and it is even more so today. Whales are not used to feed the masses. Their blubber is no longer used to keep lamps lit. They're too large to hang as a trophy on the wall. So how can this man justify these actions? Humans have done enough damage to the earth. These five men should be punished under the law. —Jen

This is so sad. I don't buy this idea that going out and killing a whale is in some way honorable. I'm sure even the tribe wasn't too happy to find out he broke the law—giving them not only a bad reputation but probably making it near impossible for them to ever get approval again to kill a whale. This is a dishonorable act to say the least—to kill something so gentle and trusting then leave it to rot turns my stomach. —Lisa Jenkins

For what purpose did killing this whale serve? It has always been my belief that Native Americans did not waste the bounty of the land. That they used the animals for food, for the hides, etc. But to kill a whale for sport and leave it to rot is something more akin to animal abuse. Stop this senseless action. Restore the reputation of the Makah. —EMW

The idea that one's cultural identity and traditions are the only excuses needed for perpetrating needless cruelty on animals is positively medieval. Wayne Johnson is proud that he tortured and cruelly killed a protected animal and broke the law? What does that say about his cultural traditions? —Sheryl

Foolish Arguments Can't Disguise Horse Slaughter

In some ways, we've already won the larger argument in society. Almost no one defends cruelty any longer. Animal welfare is widely recognized as a social virtue, and even the people and corporations that harm animals for recreation or profit try to disguise their conduct as promoting animal welfare.

I hear it all the time. Cockfighters claim that the birds are well-fed and cared for and that the birds wouldn't fight if they didn't want to. Factory farmers claim that the animals would not produce if they were being abused. Trophy hunters say they are doing the animals a favor, too, by shooting the older animals that would soon die anyway. Give me a break.

© The HSUS
A horse waits in line at a slaughter plant
in Mexico.

But the horse slaughter industry, and their allies in agribusiness and the political world, has exhibited some of the most fatuous logic. They say with a straight face that slaughtering tens of thousands of horses actually helps horses. They say that horses would be cruelly abused or abandoned if people couldn't sell them to slaughter. It's as if horse owners turn into would-be Michael Vicks if they are denied the option to sell their horses to killer buyers for 300 bucks.

It begs the question, why would we want to have irresponsible, reckless people driving public policy? Whatever happened to the idea of personal responsibility and calling on people to fulfill their obligations to properly care for their animals?

These specious arguments have been made more absurd by recent actions in the states and the federal courts. Earlier this year, a federal appellate court upheld Texas' law banning the sale of horse meat for human consumption, shuttering the state's two plants. And last week, a different federal appellate court upheld a new Illinois law banning horse slaughter. These two rulings, and the horse protection statutes they upheld, have stopped all horse slaughter in the United States.

The slaughter industry is now relying on its only remaining legal option: exporting live horses to slaughter plants in Canada and Mexico. The transport distances are longer and the killing is barbaric, especially in Mexico, as HSUS investigators have repeatedly documented.

So now, with some horses shipped 700 miles south of the U.S. border into central Mexico, can the slaughter industry and its political allies still make the argument that they are doing something good for horses by subjecting them to this interminable passage and slaughter by stabbing (which is the predominant method)? Yes, unbelievably, they continue to make the argument, exposing their positions as entirely contrived and self-serving. Any responsible lawmaker who looks at the situation should see through the charade.

With all of the plants now shuttered in the United States, it is time for the Congress to finally pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503 and S. 311). Not next year, but this year. The horse slaughter industry is ruthless and harsh, and it should not be allowed to abuse horses any longer. 

Demand that your lawmakers take action this year to stop this cruelty.

Dogfighting Defenders Sign of Long Road Ahead

Yesterday, after five months, Virginia Commonwealth Prosecutor Gerald Poindexter brought state charges against Michael Vick for illegal dogfighting activities, and a grand jury returned two indictments for violating the state's dogfighting law—with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Essentially, Poindexter piggy-backed on the federal defendants' guilty pleas, and the preceding casework done by the U.S. Attorney's office and the investigators at the USDA's Office of the Inspector General.

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We are pleased that Poindexter brought the charges, but it is the federal government that should get the credit for its resolve and legal acumen in the matter of Vick's criminal behavior. Poindexter was equivocal for months, and it was the federal government that brought federal charges against Vick and his co-conspirators, amassed an abundance of compelling evidence, and convinced the defendants to plead guilty.

That said, the additional state charges do underscore Vick's egregious conduct and offer the prospect of more severe punishment for him.

Sadly, there are many people who still just don't get it. My colleague John Goodwin, who manages our anti-dogfighting efforts, appeared at a town hall-style meeting in Atlanta organized and broadcast live by ESPN last night. NAACP Atlanta Chapter President Dr. R.L. White again stated his view that the public criticism and prosecution of Vick has been overzealous. Hundreds of people in the crowd agreed with him, and were critical of our call that justice be served.

I am quite sure that Vick's apologists do not represent the majority view within the African American community. And they do not represent the larger public take on the issue. Most people—whether black or white, rural or urban, male or female—are appalled by Vick's abhorrent conduct and cruelty.

But we must never forget that there are still far too many people who disregard the interests of animals and the importance of animal protection. For these people, it is valuable for them to see action by state and federal prosecutors and by the Falcons and the NFL. Animal cruelty laws have been violated, dogs have been tormented and tortured, and there can be no business as usual.

You Asked: Stronger Laws and War-Torn Animals

As I mentioned yesterday, I welcome your comments and questions. If you would like to share your thoughts on the topics I cover, click "Offer a Comment" at the bottom of any blog entry. Or, if you have a question about The HSUS, email your query and I may post it in a future blog.

Yesterday I responded to two reader questions. Today I am posting another pair, from Dawn and Beckey, respectively.

Q. I am curious… What is The HSUS doing to get more states to pass tougher punishment on people that abuse or neglect animals? My main focus is my state of Maryland.

A. The HSUS has worked methodically state by state to strengthen anti-cruelty laws and animal fighting laws and to upgrade penalties for these crimes. Currently, we are focusing our efforts on the seven remaining states that only punish egregious acts of animal cruelty as a misdemeanor: Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah. Just last year, the Hawaii legislature enacted felony penalties for cruelty to pet animals, and Utah came close to passing a similar law. We will be working hard to strengthen the animal cruelty laws in these remaining seven states.

In Maryland, we were involved in passing legislation in 2001 to make aggravated cruelty to animals a felony. When the Maryland legislature goes into session In January, we expect legislation to be introduced to increase penalties for being a spectator at a dogfight, and we will be actively supporting this bill. Our top three targets for upgrades to anti-dogfighting laws are Idaho, Georgia and Wyoming. Those states have the three weakest laws in the country.

Q. I think a blog is a great way to update members and keep them informed. I was wondering if The HSUS has the capability/ability to reach beyond the borders of the United States and confront issues that deal with animals in war-torn countries, such as Iraq and Sudan? Just wondering! Keep up the good work and thanks for the updates.

A. The HSUS has an international arm, Humane Society International, and it focuses on a variety of animal issues throughout the world—factory farming, spay and neuter, the trade in dog and cat fur, the international wildlife trade, animal fighting, protection of marine mammals, and much more. We recently investigated the dog meat trade in the Philippines, which I wrote about here. HSI often faces great challenges in directly assisting animals on the ground when conflicts are raging, such as in Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq. As an alternative, we work with and support existing local organizations in those countries that have some capacity to help and are often particularly strained when conflicts break out.

You Asked: Donations and Dogfighting

I really enjoy reader feedback. Whether you are commenting on topics I’ve covered on the blog, or on current events in the animal protection movement, your thoughts are welcome here.

A number of you have also written to ask for more information about The HSUS and our programs and campaigns. It's a massive and complex organization, and it's a challenge for even our staff to keep up with the pace of activity. I’d like to take the opportunity to answer your questions from time to time and to sharpen knowledge about the activities of the organization.

If you have a burning question about The HSUS or the issues facing animals today, share your query in an email. I may post it in a future blog. Today, I will begin by responding to inquiries from Lindsay and Beth, respectively.

Q. As a supporter of The HSUS I have always wondered where does all the money go? And what I mean by that is what about all the donors who give just $15 or $20. Does it really make a difference or do you count mostly on the big donations? Thanks!

A. The HSUS operates principally thanks to the generosity of our members—we are powered by millions of individual people, and receive hardly any funds from government and support from a small number of private foundations that focus on animal protection. The bulk of our support comes in contribution increments of less than $50—that's the support that drives the programs of the organization. When hundreds of thousands, indeed millions of people, pool their resources and commit to supporting the organization, The HSUS is able to do remarkable things. Having a membership of 10 million strong—one in every 30 Americans—makes The HSUS a powerful force for animals. As I mentioned in previous blogs, we have helped to pass 78 new laws in the states this year, including laws to ban cockfighting in New Mexico and Louisiana and a ban on horse slaughter in Illinois. I'd recommend you drill down into humanesociety.org to get a feel for the breadth and depth of our programs. Read our 2006 annual report for some examples of how your donations have an impact for animals. The point is, your support makes a tremendous difference.

Q.I have just read on an unrelated web forum some, albeit unsubstantiated, allegations that The HSUS provides local TV with footage of dog fights to substantiate the "viciousness" of certain breeds. The allegation further charges that The HSUS advocates breed-specific legislation to ban certain breeds from communities.

Case Closed: U.S. Horse Slaughter Must End

News flash...

I am thrilled to report to you that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, based in Chicago, has ruled in our favor on a major horse slaughter case. In a unanimous 3-0 decision, the Court upheld the constitutionality of a law passed earlier this year in Illinois to ban horse slaughter. Cavel International, which slaughters more than 40,000 horses a year in DeKalb, Ill., challenged the state law and actually won a stay from the federal appellate court, and has continued to slaughter horses. Today, the federal court shot down Cavel in a final ruling, and the plant must cease its killing.

This year, The Humane Society of the United States and other horse advocates have helped to shut down all three horse slaughter plants operating in the United States—two in Texas and one in Illinois. We now have two unanimous federal appellate court rulings in our favor. The domestic slaughter industry is now wiped out.

Kudos to former Illinois Solicitor Gary Feinerman, Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Assistant Attorney General Mary Welsh, the state's lead attorneys, and to our own Rebecca Judd, in our Animal Protection Litigation section, who represented The HSUS in the case. Thanks also to Illinois Rep. Bob Molaro and Senator John Cullerton who championed the  measure, to other Illinois lawmakers who helped pass this critical humane legislation earlier this year, and to Governor Rod Blagojevich for signing the ban into law .

Our task now is to pass legislation in Congress to ban the export of live horses for slaughter—a position that both chambers of Congress have favored in the past. 

We thank you for your support, and this is surely a moment to celebrate.

Super-Humane Kids

Last month, I told you the story of 11-year-old Caesar in California who rescued a burned kitten. Since then, I’ve been inspired by a number of other extraordinary young people who act on their passion, whether it’s raising public awareness or funds or taking legislative action.

There’s 10-year-old Chance of Mississippi, one of the youngest lobbyists for animals who fought dog breed bans in his state. Seven-year-old vegetarian chef Max of Georgia authored a cookbook for kids (Look for more on Max in the November issue of The HSUS’s elementary school newspaper, KIND News.) And the mother of 11-year-old Ben, also of Georgia, sent me an email to let me know that Ben asked for donations for The HSUS to support our animal cruelty and fighting initiatives in lieu of birthday gifts.

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To help harness and guide the unfailing optimism and energy of youth, The HSUS launched Mission: Humane earlier this year. The program gives young people step-by-step projects to help animals and provides rewards for activities. We work one-on-one with students to help them build youth animal protection clubs in schools across the country. And one of our latest youth education training programs assists local humane organizations in getting groups of children active for animals.

Most of the young people who write to The HSUS care deeply, but just don’t know what to do or how to begin. And even the most passionate students we work with are often shy about advocating for animals. But with a little encouragement and guidance from family, school advisors, and those of us who share their passion, they flourish as advocates. Other young people are touched, and before you know it, the idea of protecting animals becomes infectious.

I hope our stories of super-humane kids inspire advocates to reach out to young people everywhere—whether in your own families or your community’s schools. Remember that you were there once. Lend your support, and make good use of the many resources available for youth educators, elementary-school children and teens.

An investment in young people pays dividends for animals for decades to come. And these young people—who embrace and practice an ethic of responsibility and concern for others—will be solid citizens in our communities and help make us a better, stronger civil society.

Talk Back: Readers Rejoice

Readers celebrated two recent blog entries. First, the story of Caesar—a courageous 11-year-old who rescued a badly burned kitten and, for his efforts, received The HSUS's $2,500 reward—inspired readers. Among the comments we received:

This young boy, and all who have taught him, are heroes in my eyes! Compassion is something that will eventually and absolutely overcome evil in this world, and I applaud him for standing up for what is right. —Adam Bailey

Amazing. So great that you have rewarded this boy for his courage. Hopefully he feels just as happy about what he did as every animal welfare activist does. —Gennifer

Wayne, Seems like our world is turning upside down. How could any human do this to a kitten? The girls should be punished to the fullest extent possible. On a related note, THANK YOU for all you have done regarding the Michael Vick case. And we wonder why our youth are acting like they are toward animals and other human beings. We need more accountability for our actions in this country. Only then will things change for the better. —D. Fredrickson

Hearing of cases like this really makes me wish that the names of the juveniles who perpetrated this horrible act would be released. It's a hard thing for me to write, since I value our civil liberties very much and I also never want to believe any person is beyond redemption, but when I hear of teens torturing animals just to amuse themselves, I want to make very, very certain that I, my family and my animals are never anywhere near them. Bravo to Caesar—little Adam thanks you with his life! —Leelee

Bless you Adam and Caesar for your kind and loving heart!!! —Linda Schassler

God Bless Caesar! What an incredible child and what amazing parents he must have, too. That's the best $2,500 I've heard of spent in a long time. What amazes me is the amount of people who are willing to turn away. Just the other day, my son and I were at the park where there is a duck pond. A little boy was throwing rocks and anything he could find at the ducks. My son, who is 5, stood there and called for me—he was scared because he knew what the other (and older) boy was doing was wrong, but is too young to really know how to deal with this situation. I told the little boy "we never hurt animals" and took my son away from this kid. Unfortunately, the mother of this child was close at hand and never said a word to her kid (or surprisingly enough, ME!). God bless all of you at The HSUS who have to see and deal with cruelty on a daily basis. My heart isn't strong enough sometimes to even read the stories you post, but the question of what is "right" and what is "difficult" sometimes has the same answer. —Lisa

Readers also cheered good news in the federal court case against Ringling Brothers—a case that, if successful, could halt the company's mistreatment of elephants:

Yes, the elephants have been long due their day in court. Having spent long lives in chains and shackles, sleeping behind bars, they are finally to receive their due process. The days of the circus are done. It is time to stop the cruelty imposed on circus animals. —Dale

Something Must Give for Farm Animals

This morning, I spoke at a day-long conference at the U.S. Department of Agriculture named "Food Animal Agriculture in 2020," the latest symposium organized by the Future Trends in Animal Agriculture coalition.

© iStockphoto

Scheduled speakers were drawn principally from the ranks of industry, animal science departments at agricultural schools, and from the USDA itself—with most of these institutions having a decided orientation toward intensive confinement systems and a demonstrably poor record on meeting the welfare needs of animals. It's been their drive for greater efficiency and productivity—and a view that the animals are mere commodities—that has resulted in a harsh and often merciless approach to production agriculture during the past 50 years.

Pigs, chickens and other animals are overcrowded in barren, filthy pens and sheds or confined in cages or crates so small that they can barely move. Some of the other serious problems within agribusiness include the grossly inhumane force-feeding of birds to produce foie gras, excluding poultry from the protections afforded by the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and inadequate transport standards.

The industry lobbyist I debated today, when the question was posed to him, could not name one single practice in the entirety of animal agriculture that he thinks ought to be phased out on animal welfare grounds, even though there are a laundry list of problems that are evident to any discerning and mildly objective observer.

While animal agriculture has become more inhumane during recent decades, American attitudes toward animals have moved in the opposite direction. Two-thirds of American households have pets. There are more than 70 million wildlife watchers. There are 200 million visitors to America's national parks. Every state has strengthened its anti-cruelty statutes, with 43 states now treating malicious acts of animal cruelty as a felony. Concern about animal welfare is ascendant.

This social contradiction and disparity—a broad-minded and deepening societal concern for animals and the harsh industrial conditions that now dominate many animal agriculture sectors—cannot last forever. Something must give. And if current trends are an indicator, things are breaking in the direction of concern for animals—including 160 universities opting to purchase cage-free eggs rather than battery cage eggs, Florida and Arizona voters favoring bans on gestation crates, Oregon lawmakers banning gestation crates, major veal producers pledging to stop confining calves in crates, and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck adopting a series of important reforms at all of his operations.

American animal agriculture will continue to change, and the actors within the industry have the ability and intelligence to do so. But there are knee-jerk forces within the industry that resist even the most modest changes. They lack vision and creativity, and see moral and technological innovation as a threat rather than an opportunity. If those voices prevail, the industry is likely to continue losing control of its circumstance. Change is likely to be forced upon them through the purchasing preferences of major retailers (who sell their food to the American public) or through the policy actions by lawmakers and voters, and they will do no favors for their colleagues and partners in their business.

Dogs to Slaughter

Cruelty to animals knows no political or cultural boundaries. We cannot and must not avert our gaze from their suffering, wherever we find it.

That's precisely why The HSUS created its global arm, Humane Society International. Today, our staff goes to far-flung places to stem the multi-billion dollar global wildlife trade, to combat animal fighting worldwide, to fight factory farming where it stirs in developing countries, to spay and neuter animals throughout the world, and so much more. Earlier this year, HSI helped to secure passage of a regulation to ban the trade in dog and cat fur in the 27 member nations of the European Union—the capstone on an eight-year battle.

Today, I want to tell you about a campaign we are stepping up—with our international partner on the issue, Network for Animals. It's a campaign to stop the commercial slaughter of dogs for food in the Philippines.

© HSI
Two dogs rescued from the Philippine dog meat trade.

As many as 500,000 dogs a year are funneled into the dog meat trade in this Pacific archipelago.

There's no defense for the dog meat trade. The federal government banned commercial dog slaughter for food in 1998, and thanks to a provision in the new national anti-rabies law championed by Philippine Senator Pia Cayetano and the local organization, Animal Welfare Coalition, stronger penalties now apply to those caught in the trade. It's now an enforcement issue, and the police and the majority of the people in the Philippines stand with us—a growing pet keeping culture has added to the Filipinos' disdain for this practice.

When investigators from HSI and NFA showed me the footage from the Philippines, I told them it was a moral imperative for us to stay on the ground and fight this horrific cruelty.

This dog meat trade has so many appalling elements. The stealing of people's pets from rural areas south of Manila. The long-distance transport of the dogs for 8-10 hours to a prominent slaughter area called Baguio. The cramming of so many dogs into cages for transport, as tightly as we might pack our clothes into a suitcase. In the jam-packed cages, the hapless dogs, who have their muzzles bound, suffocate or perish from overheating.

We just assisted in the rescue of 100 dogs from this trade. It's obvious most of them were pets, and we placed them in the Manila shelter for immediate safe housing. We hope to rescue thousands more. But more importantly, we hope to prevent the dog meat bandits from picking up the dogs in the first place and channeling them into the trade.

Please take three minutes to watch our narrated video. And write to public officials. We'll be on the ground there. But we can use your support and your activism.

Big Apple Bustle No Place for Horses

New York is a fantastic city. Manhattan is its financial and arts and culture center. And at its heart—some might say at its lungs, since its thousands of trees breathe oxygen into the city—is Central Park. 

A masterstroke of urban planning, Central Park came to be in the latter half of the 19th century, designed by Frederic Law Olstead. A work in progress through the decades, and stretching north to south some 50 city blocks, it is a landscaped green zone in the middle of America's grandest and biggest city. It's a respite from the bustle of New York, a recreation area, a quiet place, and a gathering place—and it's even a haven for urban wildlife. It helps make New York a liveable community.

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For me, the one element that mars any Central Park experience is seeing the carriage horses and the men who direct them. On some of the streets that bound the park to its south, carriage horses pull tourists in what is supposed to be a quaint means of viewing the city. The problem is, these poor horses are asked to navigate the carriages in the midst of some of the densest traffic patterns in America, with all of the exhaust, blaring horns and other tumult of any hyper-congested area. Horse-drawn carriages in New York are an anachronism, and I will relish the day when these creatures are no longer subjected to their current dose of indignities and hazards.

Just days ago, a 13-year-old mare named Smoothie was startled by a drummer, triggering her to run onto the sidewalk with an empty carriage hitched to her. According to The New York Times, she made it between the poles, but the carriage didn't. She fell to the ground, panicked even more, and went into shock. She died minutes later. Another horse was startled by the commotion, darted into traffic, ran over the top of a Mercedes-Benz with two passengers in it, but was miraculously not hurt himself. The car, however, was severely damaged and the passengers shaken.

It's the latest incident of death or injury involving a carriage horse. It has an all too familiar ring. Last year, a horse was startled and galloped down 9th Avenue. She ran into a station wagon, critically injuring the carriage driver and injuring the two occupants of the car. The horse suffered a broken shoulder and leg, and had to be euthanized.

The carriage horse owner's association now says it wants to limit music and noise in the area to protect the horses. It's a typical diversionary tactic from the industry. Trying to limit noise that may startle horses on the margins of the park is like trying to stop birds from singing in the hinterlands. It's folly.

The only way to protect the horses is to get them off the streets. If you go to New York, don't patronize this carriage horse business. If you live in New York, let your city council members know you are unhappy with the treatment of these animals.

Winning Bidder Right on the Money

Heartfelt thanks to all of the 70 or so folks who bid on the Michael Vick notes on eBay, and special thanks to television writer and producer Carol Leifer for making the winning bid at $10,200—a contribution that will augment our already robust anti-dogfighting efforts. My HSUS colleague Chad Sisneros picked up the abandoned notes after Vick delivered a four-minute statement on his guilty plea and left the podium.

Liefer is obviously a very special person, and she had an inspired motivation in joining the bidding for the Vick notes.

After we notified her last Friday of her winning bid, she wrote us back in short order. "We are already proud members of the Humane Society of the United States. And when we saw that ALL the proceeds of this note were going to you guys, we jumped on it," said Leifer. "Michael Vick ironically never made the most important apology—the one to the animals themselves. 'Dogs have suffered' is the only talking point he left out on that note. So this note is for our 18-month old son, Bruno. For him to keep over the years and to show him that the mark of a man is not what you achieve as a sports star, but the kindness and compassion that lives in your heart."

Her comments swell my heart. With members like her, it's clear that our cause and our goals are on the march.

Our professional staff are tremendous—now about 600 strong and working in the domains of companion animals, farm animal welfare, animal research issues, wildlife, and so many other topics. But our strength also derives from members, who are ambassadors for our cause in every community in the country. It is their support and their engagement on the issues that gives me the greatest hope for lasting change for animal protection.

We have 10 million individuals on our mailing list, and more than a million of you who are online advocates. Together, we are a powerful force for the good when we act in unison.

I want to throw out a challenge to every member. Please take the time to study our website, to learn about the issues, and to seize opportunities for engagement and involvement. I wrote about engagement opportunities last week, and I hope you'll consult the list and plug in each and every way you can. If each member steps up his or her involvement, the pace of change will hasten dramatically.

Thanks Carol Leifer for supporting our work and being the model of an engaged and passionate member. May your involvement inspire others. And tell Bruno we say hello.

Special Interests Spar with Animals in California

There is stench emanating from the political waters of California. It's the worst kind of foul rot from special interests. It corrodes the political process, and we just cannot stand for it.

The two culprits—each driving its separate agendas—are the selfish animal haters at the National Rifle Association, and the athletic shoe company Adidas.

First, the thugs at the NRA. The gun lobby has been having a hissy fit over efforts to restrict sport hunters from using lead ammunition in areas populated by the highly endangered California condor. The carrion-feeding birds—only 70 are left in the wild in all of California—survive by picking apart the carcasses of wild animals, including those shot by hunters and not retrieved. They unwittingly ingest lead shot and they die.

© USFWS
A California condor.

California Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-35th) introduced a bill, Assembly Bill 821, to ban hunters from using lead ammunition in areas populated by endangered condors. The bill was approved by both chambers in a near party-line vote—with Democrats siding with Nava and animal groups, and Republicans aligning with the NRA.

Now a parallel drama has developed. One Fish and Game Commissioner, R. Judd Hanna—appointed to the five-member commission by Governor Schwarzenegger in February—has come out in favor of banning lead ammunition and urged hunters to shift to the use of copper and other non-lead alternatives instead (waterfowl hunters had to stop using lead shot years ago, and made the switch to non-toxic shot without difficulty). In response, 34 Republican state lawmakers—with their strings pulled by the puppeteers at the NRA—wrote to Schwarzenegger and demanded that Hanna be removed. Unbelievably, the Governor has called on him to resign and Hanna did in fact resign yesterday!

Let's get this straight. The Governor has asked Hanna—appointed to be a protector of fish and wildlife populations in the state—to resign because he wants to stop the poisoning of California condors. He is asked to resign because he does not blindly adhere to the orthodoxy of the NRA and its condor-killing ways. Think of it this way, American businesses are recalling toys produced in China because they contain traces of lead. But in California, we're supposed to sit still while the NRA loonies go blasting lead by the bushel basket into the wildlife food chain?

I am thunderstruck by this action. Why don't we place five mannequins in the seats at the Fish and Game Commission and just play tapes of NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre railing against gun melters and anti-hunting extremists with the racket of semi-automatic weapons blaring in the background. I cannot express the depth of my disgust and disappointment.

Assemblyman Nava has it exactly right. "I think what it says to other Fish and Game commissioners is if they don't toe the [National Rifle Assn.] line, their jobs are in jeopardy," Nava told the Los Angeles Times in today's paper. "If this is all it takes to change the composition of the Fish and Game Commission, there's more stability in the Iraqi legislature." 

It obviously does not bode well for Nava's bill, which is sitting on the Governor's desk and can become law only with his signature. Pity the poor, beleaguered condors.

The other bill, and the other stench, relates to kangaroos—a species not native to California. Today, The HSUS has a full-page advertisement in the Sacramento Bee urging the Governor to veto a bill, S.B. 880, that seeks to overturn a ban on the sale of kangaroo leather in California—imposed 37 years ago by then Governor Ronald Reagan. Adidas wants to sell shoes with kangaroo leather and has mounted a massive lobbying effort to overturn the ban. Mind you, there's no grassroots clamor for selling kangaroo skins in California. It's just one company and its money and influence. Somehow, this one wealthy company got the legislature to go along with its special interest plans, and this reeks, too.

There are viable synthetic alternatives to kangaroo leather, and that's precisely what soccer star David Beckham wears when he plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy. My colleague Michael Markarian had a great op-ed in the Los Angeles Times on the subject on Wednesday. Take a look if you have a moment.

Today is the day to protest in Sacramento, to write a letter to the editor, to call your state lawmakers in California, and, most importantly, to call and email the Governor—urging him to veto the kangaroo bill and to sign the bill to ban lead shot. While he's at it, the Governor should also reinstate Judd Hanna.  Hanna did his job as a public servant, and the Governor should understand that as well as anyone.

Something smells rotten in California, and only the people of the state can clear the air.

Talk Back: Never Mind the Nonsense

A few weeks ago, the Center for Consumer Freedom placed an ad in The New Yorker, inaccurately criticizing The Humane Society of the United States. Since that time, we've heard from many readers who were motivated by the attack, and by our response. Among the comments we received:

Kudos to you and those of us that believe in working for the humane treatment of animals. I hope the CCF sends more supporters our way! —Barbara

Ha! Wayne has proven himself to be well-educated and passionate about animal welfare. This humorous posting shows me another side of his personality. I have spent countless hours researching where I wish to donate my excess income. After so much research I am glad to say that The HSUS has proven worthy on all fronts. Do all of my dollars go directly to cats’ and dogs’ care? Of course not! Some of this goes to pay people who are willing to dedicate their lives to animals and to pay for fighting laws/statutes that need to be changed. One thing is for sure... Wayne, and everyone else who works at The HSUS, cares about the welfare of all living creatures, and that is certainly something I am willing to put my money behind. —Adam

Way to go Wayne! Thanks for all you and The HSUS do for the animals and protecting them from the exploiters that CCF represents. —Alice

This is great! I recently commented on their own site about mad cow disease and I was happy (no, more like gleeful, giddy, glib, giggly) to check the "HATE US" category on their form. I just love when it's plain for all to see that ethics and morals and compassion win out over plain stupidity. Thanks Wayne! You rock. —Lisa Jenkins

Sounds as if the folks at the Center for Consumer Freedom might want to do a bit of investigating before offering up any more incorrect statements regarding The HSUS! It's obvious they obtain their bad information from uneducated activists. We the members of The HSUS pride ourselves on knowing the facts. I'm not surprised to hear that their members are turning away! —Pamela Bertsch, Plano, Texas

Helping Animals, Step by Step

As I travel around the country, I have the privilege of meeting so many people of conscience who want to take action for animals. One of the most frequently asked questions is, "How can I be involved and what can I do to help The HSUS and animal protection?"   

So many people want to do more than just write a check to The Humane Society of the United States or other animal groups.

I tell them that neither The HSUS nor the larger cause of animal protection can succeed without their active involvement in the cause. Each one of us can and must act, often in a variety of ways. 

With such people in mind, I have put together a list of action items for those who want to become more involved in our work. Please take some time to go through the full roster. Print the list and check off the items over the next few weeks and months, or even over the next year, making your way through as much of it as you can. Then write to me and tell me how you've become involved, or let me know if you've found other ways to take action for animals. I'd love to hear your stories.

We'll succeed as a movement when we have millions of our supporters who take these and other positive actions for animals. When we act in a collective way, we are a powerful force in our communities, in the political arena, and in the marketplace. And we can all pitch in to raise funds to support the vital work of The HSUS and allow it to grow and be a more powerful and effective force.

HSUS Engagement Activities

In Your Community:

• Write letters to the editor on our issues (humanesociety.org is a great resource for information).
  
• Encourage radio and television talk shows to present animal issues.
• Ask your local radio and television stations to air HSUS public service announcements.
• Distribute HSUS literature at events and stores.

Personal Behavior:

• Follow the 3 Rs of eating: reducing your consumption of meat and other animal-based foods, refining your diet by avoiding animal products derived from factory farming, and replacing meat and other animal-based foods with vegetarian foods.
• Purchase cruelty-free cosmetics and household products.
• Adopt a friend for life from a local animal shelter or foster an animal waiting for a home.
• Learn about non-lethal methods of managing urban wildlife around your home.
• I.D. your animals and encourage others to do the same.
• Keep your cats safe indoors.
• Establish a pet care trust to ensure your animals’ future.
• Prepare a disaster kit for your animals.
• Sponsor a “Stop Puppy Mills” billboard in your community.
• Ask your local restaurants and grocery stores to switch to cage-free eggs, and to protect seals by boycotting Canadian seafood.
• Visit our pages on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and other online networks.
• Add an HSUS banner or video to your website, blog or social networking page.
• Sign up to receive text message alerts from The HSUS on your cell phone.

Going Global for Farm Animals

I often talk about our activities and progress in the United States. But animal abuse knows no geographic boundaries, and I am committed to expanding our programs worldwide. That happens through the work of Humane Society International, our global affiliate.

Chetana Mirle is part of HSI's International Campaigns department. Here's a quick report from her while on her latest trip to India, where she is working against factory farming.

© HSI
Chetana speaks with an egg producer
at the Indian Animal Industry Expo.

Greetings from India! I am here for three weeks to launch Humane Society International’s new campaign to improve the welfare of animals raised for food in India.

I have been surprised at the level of interest poultry producers expressed for higher animal welfare standards. One farmer, whom I met at the Indian Animal Industry Expo (held from Aug. 16-18 in New Delhi), had 30,000 egg-laying hens confined in battery cages at his facility. He told me, “I know the birds are not happy in the cages... they want to move around.” However he, like others at the event, was concerned about the financial costs of switching to a cage-free system, especially if other large poultry producers continue to use the cheaper battery cage system. Many producers were very interested in the potential for a meaningful cage-free egg labeling system, and a few even suggested that the government enforce a phase-out of battery cages.

One egg and broiler chicken producer was so convinced after speaking with me and reading our materials that, by the third day of the Expo, he was talking to other producers about not using battery cages and was promoting higher animal welfare standards in egg and broiler chicken production, while handing out HSI's brochures. 

Egg and broiler chicken producers weren’t the only ones engaging in discussions about better animal welfare—dairy and pig producers, and government officials and academics, were all talking about the potential for improving practices. 

It is just the start of our campaign, and we have been very successful in introducing key ideas and concepts about animal welfare to the food industry in India. I feel very encouraged by the response our campaign has received so far, and I am excited about its future.

Talk Back: Dogfighting Not Part of My Culture

Last Tuesday on "The View," when the discussion turned to Michael Vick's dogfighting crimes, co-host Whoopi Goldberg seemed to defend Vick, saying that dogfighting was "part of his cultural upbringing." The next day she clarified her remarks and said she condemned dogfighting. But before she made amends, we heard from many who were upset by her sentiments. Among the comments we received:

I am glad to see that others are just as insulted and hurt as I am over Ms. Goldberg's false and despicable comments about the Deep South and our culture! ABC's "The View" has swept the whole issue under the rug without an apology or correction of the ludicrous statements that were made. In all my years of living in the Deep South, I have never known anyone that was affiliated with dogfighting, or known anyone that thought dogfighting was a part of Southern culture. Dogfighting, animal torture and killing innocent animals is just as despised in the South as it is in the rest of the country. —Donna

I agree. Offering so-called cultural traditions, upbringing, etc., as an excuse for depraved and criminal behavior dangerously perpetuates the very stereotypes people everywhere try fervently to overcome. The same excuse is often given for the Canadian sealers, who claim that clubbing seals is "part of their tradition." This kind of reasoning is lazy and specious on its face, and it is affront to every civilized person. —Trish

I'm from the Deep South and there is NO part of dogfighting that is ok with me or any of my friends. It is not "common" or a part of the South! How offensive! My family is from Mississippi, and I was born and raised in Florida - you can't get much deeper South than that! No one down here supports dogfighting, unless it's someone who supports a life of crime. A part of our upbringing is baseball, football, backyard BBQs and church on Sundays. Our dogs like the back porch but they also like the foot of our beds... not fighting! —Heather

I think Whoopi's got a twisted view of the South. I grew up in Georgia and dogfighting was never a part of my culture. There's NO excuse - what Vick and his cronies did was completely wrong (not to mention illegal). —Ed Griffin

Claiming such a barbaric "sport" as part of a cultural heritage seems something of a cop-out to me. There really is no defense for this blatant, sadistic mentality. Perhaps it's derived from a certain ancient, primal need to "dominate" another living being... but whatever the reason, bottom line, it's violent exploitation and has no place in a supposedly "evolved" society. —Debbie Hogan

I was born in Ohio but raised in Georgia, and I have never in my entire life seen or even heard about dogfighting around here. Maybe I'm sheltered? But as far as I know, it's not part of anyone's "cultural upbringing" here. Whoopi's from New York City, how should she know?!? —Melissa

We also continue to hear from readers about the talking points discarded at the podium after Vick's public apology on August 27, which are now up for auction on eBay:

Of course The HSUS should auction off Michael Vick's talking points. While some believe the proceeds would be blood money, I believe the proceeds would prove the innocent victims of Vick's greed and cruelty did not die in vain. At the expense of these poor creatures’ lives, our country and the world have become more aware of the horrors of dogfighting and our government is finally taking notice. Auctioning off the talking points would be a fitting tribute to these poor pups. May they finally rest in peace. —Cyndi Faulkner

You have given Michael Vick the perfect opportunity to prove how sorry he is for his actions. He should go on eBay and bid whatever it takes to buy back his talking points list. It would be a step in the redemption direction. —Brenda Wedehase

No Glory in Whale Slaughter

A whale died this weekend near Seattle after being struck with five harpoons and four sealing harpoons and then shot with a .460 caliber rifle—a firearm so powerful that the bullet can travel four miles. The 40-foot-long gray whale eventually succumbed to the grievous wounds and was left for dead in the ocean. It was a miserable and awful death for a gentle creature just swimming around and living life in Neah Bay—a whale who had perhaps come across thousands of boats, many filled with whale watchers, and never saw any reason to fear them.

Five lawbreakers from the Makah tribe in Washington state killed the animal.

The leader of the band of poachers was Wayne Johnson.

After being detained by the U.S. Coast Guard, and then turned over to tribal police, Johnson was anything but contrite.

"I'm not ashamed. I'm feeling kind of proud," he told The Seattle Times. "There is only a few guys in Neah Bay that can get a whale and bring everyone home safely. You think one of the only whaling captains in 77 years could give it up? I should have done it years ago. I come from a whaling family... It's in the blood."

The Makah did kill a whale with federal approval in 1999, but prior to that, they hadn't killed a whale since the 1920s—during the days of the Model T and silent films. The idea that this is some cultural touchstone—even though three generations of Makah people have not engaged in whaling—is folly. Johnson is, above all else, a scofflaw and a poacher—and a cruel, remorseless one at that.

The Makah were well aware that a federal court had ordered them not to kill a whale. The tribe has been seeking a waiver to the Marine Mammal Protection Act that would allow them to go whaling and not be bound by the protective provisions of the Act. The National Marine Fisheries Service is seriously considering the idea—an idea strongly opposed by The Humane Society of the United States.

Actions have consequences, and this one surely should. The poachers should be prosecuted. And the tribe's request to kill more whales should be denied.

A great whale is now dead, the creature's life ended and flesh rotting. For no good reason. Just the charade that whaling is somehow "in the blood." A more nebulous and impossible-to-hold-onto notion can hardly be conjured up.

Throwing the Book at Animal Abusers

If there is one overriding reason I think you should support The Humane Society of the United States, it's that we are effective. With our mainstream reputation, the size of our membership, and the incredible talent assembled on our staff—combined with a drive to push social reforms for animals—we are having an impact in the world and relieving suffering and preventing cruelty.

For instance, already this year, we have helped to pass 76 new laws at the state level to protect animals. That's a record, beating last year's unheard of record of 68 news laws. In just two years, we have helped to pass nearly 150 new state laws for animals, and the year isn't over yet. That, I must say, is an extraordinary record of accomplishment. It happens because of our determination to get the job done and because we have the resources and personnel and members to make it happen.

But we work not just to enact laws, but also to enforce them. Without enforcement, laws are just words on a page.

That's where our Animal Protection Litigation section comes in.

In January 2005, we created an in-house group of attorneys whose singular mission is to be on the offense against animal abuse. Led by Jonathan Lovvorn, our vice president of Animal Protection Litigation, it's by far the largest legal team assembled in the history of the animal protection movement.

The group started with just three attorneys. Now, a little more than two years later, we have 12 full-time attorneys. They litigate cases themselves, but are also backed up by a network of attorneys at more than 20 major law firms doing pro bono work for The HSUS. These partnerships magnify our work and mean that we literally have hundreds of attorneys working on animal protection cases all over the nation.

For those animals who will need our legal help in the future, we’ve teamed up with Georgetown Law Center to launch a new clinical education program that puts law students to work side-by-side with our legal staff on cutting-edge cases. We also created a new fellowship for recent law school graduates to work as attorneys for The HSUS before launching their legal careers.

In the last two years, our litigation team has filed more than 25 new cases, and racked up dozens of courtroom victories. Our winning case record is throwing a chill down the spine of animal abusers.

Here are just a few of our actions from the last year:

• We filed a precedent-setting class action lawsuit against one of the country’s most notorious puppy dealers. Also, our lawsuit against the Florida Department of Agriculture forced the agency to develop new rules for veterinarian health inspection of dogs for sale in the state.
• Our lawsuit against the Department of Commerce forced a court-ordered settlement to protect three critically endangered whales from slow and horrific fishing gear entanglement deaths.
• We have participated in three different federal lawsuits to halt the grisly horse slaughter industry, one of which shut down all horse slaughter in Texas.
• We