HSUS: HumaneLines Issue 362
July 12th, 2006 6:35 pm by Kelly Garbato———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Humane Society of the United States – humanelines [at] hsus.org
Date: Jun 29, 2006 3:09 PM
Subject: HumaneLines: Exciting news on protecting animals on factory farms
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The Humane Society of the United States | Humane Society
Legislative Fund
HumaneLines Issue 362, June 29, 2006
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FIGHTING FACTORY FARMING
Farm animals are increasingly raised in confinement facilities on industrial-style farms. Their plight is often concealed from public view, but The HSUS is undertaking a multi-pronged public campaign to combat the worst abuses at factory farms.
Just this past week, The HSUS launched a legal action arguing that force-feeding birds for the notorious “delicacy” foie gras is so harmful to the animals’ health that it violates state food law. The action generated coverage in the New York Times and on MSNBC.com, exposing hundreds of thousands of readers to the cruelty endured by birds used in the foie gras industry.
community.hsus.org/ct/mdS7Mss18RWk/
At the federal level, The HSUS is pleased to announce the introduction of the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act, a bill that would compel producers supplying the federal government with animal products to meet moderate animal welfare standards.
community.hsus.org/campaign/FED_2006_stewardship_act/
The bill–H.R. 5557–introduced by Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), would improve the lives of millions of factory-farmed animals if enacted. “The way a society treats its animals speaks to the core values and priorities of its citizens,” said Rep. Shays, co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus. “Our government can have a tremendous impact in encouraging improved treatment of animals by requiring producers to meet basic federal animal welfare requirements. I look forward to working with Rep. DeFazio and HSUS on building support for this legislation.”
In addition to litigation and legislation to combat factory farming, The HSUS is also teaming up with Grammy-nominated musician Moby to get the word out. Moby’s new video lets consumers know about the horrors of factory farming and what each of us can do to help reduce farm animal suffering.
Free DVDs of Moby’s new video are available to the first 500 people to request one through the new Factory Farming Campaign website.
www.hsus.org/forms/order_a_moby_dvd.html
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DEMOCRACY IN THE WORKS
July 4th always reminds me of one of our keystone American freedoms–voting. Even though it’s mid-summer, I’m already thinking of November, when voters in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Michigan–backed strongly by The HSUS and HSLF–have a chance to significantly improve animals’ lives. And Florida residents are gearing up to fight a measure that would restrict citizen lawmaking for animals and other causes.
Twenty-four states allow citizens to place legislative measures on the statewide ballot. This form of direct democracy has yielded great results for animals. Since 1990, about 25 statewide measures have appeared on issues ranging from cockfighting to trophy hunting to horse slaughter, and the animal protection movement has won three-quarters of them. Ballot measures are state-specific, but they act as mini-referenda for issues we care about as a nationwide movement.
Arizonans will consider a groundbreaking measure to prohibit the confinement of breeding pigs and veal calves in small crates and require that the animals have enough room to turn around, lie down, and extend their limbs: community.hsus.org/ct/hdS7Mss18RWD/
Massachusetts voters have a chance to enact stronger laws
against dogfighting, protect working dogs from cruelty, and
phase out greyhound racing.
community.hsus.org/ct/y7S7Mss18RWF/
Michigan volunteers braved freezing winter weather to collect more than 275,000 signatures to allow voters the chance to restore a 100-year ban on shooting mourning doves: community.hsus.org/ct/h1S7Mss18RWJ/
Floridians are facing a hostile initiative to take away their voting rights. The measure would require that any citizen initiative would have to garner 60 percent to be approved by voters, and it would make future initiatives all but impossible. It’s a power grab by politicians in Tallahassee, and it needs to be defeated: community.hsus.org/ct/ypS7Mss18RW-/
So while a handful of states will be voting on ballot measures in November, the animal protection movement nationwide needs to swing behind those campaigns. Because if we win, it’s a victory for the animals in those states and everywhere.
If you live in Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, or Michigan, make sure you’re registered to vote (PDF) in the 2006 elections, and encourage your community to side with the animals and with
direct democracy at the ballot box this year: community.hsus.org/ct/m1S7Mss18RWi/
Sincerely,
Mike Markarian, President
Humane Society Legislative Fund
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SUMMER READING LIST
Making Burros Fly chronicles the many crusades of Cleveland Amory, founder of The Fund for Animals–from airlifting 500 burros out of the Grand Canyon to rescuing pigeons from the
notorious annual pigeon shoot in Hegins, Pennsylvania. Read more…
community.hsus.org/ct/ydS7Mss18RWG/
WHALES IN DANGER
Japan continues to kill whales under the guise of “scientific research.” Tell our government it’s time to take action to stop Japan from killing more whales.
community.hsus.org/campaign/pelly_japan_whales/
DRAWING THE LINE ON CRUELTY
Southern states are cracking down on hog dog rodeos which pit feral hogs against trained attack dogs. Get the full story…
community.hsus.org/ct/mpS7Mss18RWo/
RECENT VICTORIES
+ Amazon.com and other retailers pulled “Hood Fights, Vol. 2, The Art of The Pit,” a DVD featuring violent pit bull fights, from their websites.: abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=2100445
+ Sunflower Market, a growing Midwestern natural foods chain, adopted a policy against the sale of eggs from caged birds: community.hsus.org/ct/m7S7Mss18RW9/
+ Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco signed a bill into law that includes pets and service animals in state disaster plans: community.hsus.org/ct/UpS7Mss18RWT/
+ New Hampshire and Vermont’s governors signed into law provisions to include pets in their state’s disaster planning: community.hsus.org/ct/U7S7Mss18RWY/
+ Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen signed into law a bill that requires child and adult protective service agency workers to report suspected cases of animal cruelty: community.hsus.org/ct/y1S7Mss18RWH/
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Copyright (c) 2006
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
All Rights Reserved.
humanelines [at] hsus.org | 202-452-1100 | www.hsus.org
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
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