UPDATE, 1/21/07, via the HSUS:

Court Declares Horse Slaughter in Texas Illegal

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declared horse slaughter illegal in Texas Jan. 19. With two of the three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants in the United States located in Texas, just one plant, in DeKalb, Ill., will remain in operation once the court decision is final.

The HSUS filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case in March, 2006, arguing in defense of a Texas law barring the slaughter of American horses for human consumption overseas.

On Jan. 17, federal lawmakers introduced legislation to end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption overseas. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would also ban the export of horses for slaughter in other countries.

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Via the Humane Society of the United States:

Help Save Horses Right Out of the Gate

Representatives Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), John Spratt (D-SC) and Nick Rahall (D-WV) have teamed up to offer H.R. 503 in the House. They were able to secure the same bill number from last Congress, and along with Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and John Ensign (R-NV)—who have introduced a companion bill, S. 311, in the Senate—they are ready to move this legislation over the finish line.

Legislation banning horse slaughter made tremendous progress in the 109th Congress, but the bill stalled in the Senate and was not brought up for a vote before the end of the session.

Click here to read more and take action.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights animal+welfare action+alerts hsus horse+slaughter meat horse+meat horses American+Horse+Slaughter+Prevention+Act 110th+congress

Via the Humane Society of the United States:

Tell Your Legislators to Support the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act

On the first day of the 110th Congress, a bill designed to help law enforcement crack down on animal fighting was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD). U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Ensign (R-NV), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced a parallel bill in the Senate the following week.

The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (H.R. 137 & S. 261) would make it a felony to transport an animal across state or international borders for animal fighting. It would prohibit the interstate and foreign commerce in knives and gaffs designed for use in cockfighting.

Animals in staged fights are pumped full of drugs and forced to keep fighting even after suffering severe injuries such as gouged eyes and pierced lungs. Authorities recognize that animal fighting is an interstate industry — often associated with other crimes such as illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and acts of human violence, as well as public health threats like bird flu — that requires the federal government’s help to curb.

Click here to read more and take action.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights animal+welfare action+alerts hsus dogfighting cockfighting animal+fighting 110th+congress Animal+Fighting+Prohibition+Enforcement+Act dog canine rooster

Via the Humane Society of the United States:

Kansas: Stop the Logan County Prairie Dog Poisoning

The commissioners of Logan County, Kansas, have decided to poison the largest prairie dog town in Kansas. A 1901 state law permits county governments to go onto private property, despite the owner’s objection, and exterminate prairie dogs. Last week, one Logan ranching family was given the option of killing the prairie dogs on their land or paying for county employees to do so, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So far, the family has protested, saying that prairie dogs play an important role in the health of native grassland ecosystems. They also don’t want poisons, which kill many species besides prairie dogs, on their land. Furthermore, they have proposed their land as potential reintroduction sites for the most endangered mammal in North America, the black-footed ferret, a species completely dependent on prairie dog colonies for its survival.

Click here to take action on this issue.

More information is available here.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts hsus humane+society humane+society+of+the+united+states prairie+dogs poison kansas logan+county

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Humane Society of the United States - humanesociety [at] hsus.org
Date: Nov 14, 2006 10:00 AM
Subject: UPDATE: AETA passes, animal fighting still stalled

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The Humane Society of the United States

UPDATE: CONGRESS PASSES ANIMAL ENTERPRISE TERRORISM ACT BUT ANIMAL FIGHTING BILL STILL STALLED

Yesterday, we alerted you that the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) was coming to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives during the “lame duck” session. We wanted to pass on to you the unfortunate news that the House passed the AETA by voice vote under suspension of the rules, a procedure usually reserved for non-controversial legislation. When the bill came up for consideration, only a handful of House members were even back in town, and very few were on the floor of the House when discussion ensued.

The Humane Society of the United States has no tolerance for individuals and groups who resort to intimidation, harassment, vandalism, or violence supposedly in the name of animal advocacy, and we have spoken out repeatedly against violence in any form. The AETA, however, goes too far and may threaten legitimate activities — such as boycotts, investigations, and whistle-blowing — of law-abiding groups and individuals, and that’s why we opposed the bill.

The bill was rushed through without a serious look at its flaws due to the stubbornness of Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Sensenbrenner. Sensenbrenner has a series of mainstream, pro-animal welfare bills before his committee and he refuses to advance any of them — including bills to ban canned hunts, to stop Internet hunting, and to upgrade penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (H.R. 817) has been cosponsored by three-quarters of the entire House (324 cosponsors), while AETA had just a fraction of that support. Sensenbrenner and other Republican House leaders have no excuse for their failure to allow a fair vote on the animal fighting bill this year, and their misplaced priorities reflect a disregard for animal welfare concerns.

Please call House Majority Leader John Boehner today at 202-225-6205. Tell him that the House needs to pass a modest, popular, animal welfare bill, and that he needs to bring the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act to the House floor immediately. The Senate unanimously passed the animal fighting bill 19 months ago, so it can be signed into law if the House votes on it now.

(more…)

From the Humane Society of the United States, three action alerts:

1. Call Today to Save America’s Horses

In 2006 alone, America’s three foreign-owned slaughterhouses have sent more than 100,000 American horses to dinner tables overseas. To end this cruel slaughter, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act on September 7. But the U.S. Senate has just days to pass its version of the bill before it adjourns for the year. Time is running out, and a tragic accident involving a trailer carrying horses to slaughter underscores the need for the Senate to act now.

Today is our National Call-In Day for Horses, and we must flood Senate offices with phone calls, urging them to cosponsor the bill, S. 1915. Your calls and emails were instrumental in getting the bill through the House of Representatives and ready for Senate action. So please call your two current U.S. Senators. Contact information is available at www.senate.gov - or call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to cosponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Click on this link if you need help on what to say, and to tell us that you called.

2. Urge the House to Clamp Down on Animal Fighters

Animal fighters involved in the brutal underground industry of dogfighting and cockfighting often make thousands of dollars in a single night. But when they illegally ship animals for fighting across state lines, a misdemeanor — essentially a slap on the wrist — is the only penalty they will possibly face.

The law must change, and the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act would make trafficking in fighting animals a felony, with stiffer penalties. The bill would also make it a crime to move cockfighting implements in interstate or foreign commerce. It’s down to the wire for this bill, which passed the Senate unanimously but has been inexplicably bottled up in the House Judiciary Committee by Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI).

Please contact House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and urge him to bring this critical legislation, H.R. 817, to the floor for an up-or-down vote immediately. The bill is supported by the American Veterinary Medical Association, National Sheriffs’ Association, and more than 400 state and local law enforcement agencies. It’s also co-sponsored by three quarters of the entire House, making the delay unconscionable. It’s time for the House of Representatives to pass this bill.

3. Stop Canada’s Massive Seal Hunt

First, the good news: In a historic move, the European Union recently passed a declaration calling for a ban on all trade in harp and hooded seal products. This is a crucial step toward closing off one of the major markets for the Canadian commercial sealing industry. In addition, more than 330,000 consumers and more than 1,000 restaurants, grocery stores, and other seafood distributors have joined a boycott of Canadian seafood — a boycott that we hope will show Canadian fishermen that they cannot afford to continue killing baby seals.

Now the bad news: Canada intends to place more restrictions on the legal and peaceful observation of the commercial seal hunt in 2007. The Canadian government knows the horrific images of this hunt are closing markets for Canadian seal products and Canadian seafood around the world — and that is why it is determined to stop observers from filming the seal hunt. But these cynical attempts to conceal cruelty will fail. If the 2007 seal hunt goes ahead, our ProtectSeals team will be there to show the world what the Canadian government is so desperate to hide. With your help, we will end the barbaric hunt forever.

Also, links to updates on previous HSUS campaigns:

Factory Farming Campaign:
community.hsus.org/ct/xpS7Mss1sRmM/

Hunting Issues Campaign
community.hsus.org/ct/3dS7Mss1sRm2/

Fur-Free Campaign
community.hsus.org/ct/31S7Mss1sRmN/

Animal Cruelty and Fighting Campaign:
community.hsus.org/ct/x7S7Mss1sRmA/

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts hsus humane+society+of+the+united+states humane+society dogfighting dogs canines seals seal+hunts horses horse+slaughter legislation

Via the Humane Society of the United States:

From Research to Sanctuary, Chimpanzees Featured on NATURE

This Sunday, PBS will kick off the 25th anniversary of NATURE with Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History. This poignant documentary by award-winning filmmaker Allison Argon tells the heart-wrenching stories of chimpanzees rescued from research labs and retired to sanctuary life. Learn more about the documentary here.

This is critical public exposure for the chimpanzees in research. Chimpanzees are humans’ closest relative, yet they endure invasive and painful research. Approximately 1,300 chimps — some captured from the wild — remain in laboratories in the United States. And many have been in these labs for more than 40 years.

Please help make a difference for these thoughtful and complex creatures.

1. Tune into NATURE on Sunday, November 5 (check your local listings for exact times or visit PBS for additional airings).

2. Then tell the U.S. government to stop funding chimpanzee research and continue the moratorium on breeding chimpanzees for research.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts HSUS primates chimpanzees chimps animal+research vivisection

Via the Humane Society of the United States:

Please Thank Ben & Jerry’s

In some of the best news for egg-laying hens this year, Ben & Jerry’s has decided to adopt a cage-free egg policy for the eggs it uses in its ice cream. Please thank Ben & Jerry’s for taking such a positive step—there’s nothing like good feedback to reinforce a good decision.

Tell me more ->

UPDATE: The American Humane Association also released an action alert and sample letter re: the senate version of H.R. 503, S. 1915. Click here to take action on American Humane’s website.

Via the Humane Society of the United States:

Horses Headed Toward Final Hurdle

On September 7, the U.S. House voted 263-146 to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503), moving the country closer to preventing the annual slaughter of nearly 100,000 horses in the United States for human consumption abroad. Now it’s time for the Senate to act on behalf of America’s horses.

TAKE ACTION

Please make a short polite phone call to your two U.S. Senators today. You can reach your Senators by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or click here to find their Capitol office phone numbers. Making a call is easy. All you need to say is:

“I am a constituent and I am calling to ask my Senator to please protect American horses from slaughter. The House has voted overwhelmingly to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 1915) and now it is time for the Senate to act. Please do all that you can to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and move it to the Senate floor for an immediate vote. Thank you.”

After you make your phone call, fill in the form at the right (click here) to automatically send a follow-up email to your two Senators about the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Click here for a list of media coverage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (via Google).

Also see SAPL’s press release, “VICTORY FOR AMERICA’S HORSES: House of Representatives Passes Bill to End Horse Slaughter Over Ag Industry Opposition.”

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Humane Society of the United States - humanesociety [at] hsus.org
Date: Sep 1, 2006 8:45 AM
Subject: Fashion Week 2006 - Go Fur-Free With HSUS

Hi, I’m Jay McCarroll, season one winner of Bravo’s Project Runway. I just wanted to let you in on a great opportunity to help The Humane Society of the United States AND enter to win two tickets to my fashion show in New York on September 15th, 2006 (airfare and hotel included!).*

Here’s the scoop:

The person who recruits the most new pledge signers to the Fur-Free online pledge will win tickets to my show sponsored by The HSUS.*

community.hsus.org/campaign/furfreepledge_jay/

It’s that simple! And as a bonus, anyone who signs the pledge could be randomly selected to receive one of my specially designed handbags.

Here’s how you can get started.

1. Sign the fur-free pledge.

2. Tell your friends to sign the pledge. (Remember, the more people you tell, the better your chance of winning tickets to my show.)

As a fashion designer, it disappoints me to see other designers using real fur. Together we can send a powerful message that compassion is in fashion and animals shouldn’t have to suffer for a fashion statement. I hope that you’ll stand with me and The HSUS to end this cruelty by signing the fur-free pledge today and forwarding it to your friends and family!

Thanks for supporting The HSUS, and thanks for taking action to help save fur-bearing animals today.

Peace,

Jay McCarroll
Fur-free fashion designer

* Click here for full contest rules:
community.hsus.org/ct/jpS7Mss1FzOp/

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Copyright (c) 2006 The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
All Rights Reserved. | www.hsus.org
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street, NW | Washington, DC 20037
mailto:humanesociety [at] hsus.org | 202-452-1100

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Via the Humane Society of the United States:

Mark your calendars for Sept. 6, 2006, the National Call-In Day for Horses. With a vote on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503) expected when Congress returns from its recess that week, your support is needed to permanently move American horses beyond the reach of slaughterhouse butchers.

Help us lay the ground work for our day of action next week.

Click here to send an email now to your U.S. Representative in support of H.R. 503.

Watch your email on Sept. 5 for special Call-In Day instructions.

Please encourage your friends and family to take action, too.

Your emails and calls will not only make a difference, they will help make history. Help us end horse slaughter in the United States forever.