April 14, 2020 – The World Health Organization is calling on nations to end wildlife markets because of the high risk they pose for the spread of pathogens like the coronavirus that can jump from animals to humans. This week, David Nabarro, a medical doctor and the special envoy on COVID-19 and special representative of […]
Humane Society International
Posted inUS
Humane Society sues USDA over policies that risk future pandemics
April 8, 2020 – Today the Humane Society of the United States filed a federal lawsuit challenging the response plan for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (or “bird flu”) of the United States Department of Agriculture. The response plan, produced by the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, is shortsighted and dangerous. For years, the HSUS has been warning USDA and […]
Posted inLife
What “Tiger King” didn’t reveal: : Animal abuse and a network of breeding and selling tigers led by Joe Exotic and “Doc” Antle
April 7, 2020 – While Joseph Maldonado-Passage (“Joe Exotic”), Kevin “Doc” Antle and others featured in the Netflix series “Tiger King” are now household names, the Humane Society of the United States has been working for years to stop the horrific treatment of animals at these—and many other similarly cruel—operations. In 2011, an HSUS investigator worked […]
Posted inWorld
World governments urged to heed the coronavirus ‘tipping point’ and ban wildlife trade to reduce risk of future pandemics
WASHINGTON, April 7, 2020 — Governments across the globe have today received an urgent plea and science-based white paper from Humane Society International calling for immediate action to ban wildlife trade, transport and consumption – particularly mammals and birds which are known to contract coronaviruses – in order to address the threat they pose to public health in addition […]
Posted inLife
Coronavirus crisis increases need to help victims of domestic violence and their pets
April 2, 2020 – With hundreds of millions of people required to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic, the media is reporting an alarming increase in domestic violence incidents the world over. This includes the United States where calls to help lines have jumped dramatically. It is a problem we are tracking, out of concern for both […]
Posted inLife
On Congress’s orders, USDA begins restoring inspection reports for puppy mills, roadside zoos and other facilities
February 19, 2020 – Three years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture inexplicably blacked out records of inspections at puppy mills, roadside zoos, facilities that do invasive research on animals, walking horse shows and other operations, leaving those who use—and potentially abuse—animals in their care with little or no accountability for their actions. Today, following […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Kitty Block: 860 animal lives on offer at trophy hunters’ Reno convention
Next Wednesday, trophy hunters with a yen for slaying some of the world’s most endangered and threatened animals will gather in Reno, Nevada, for the annual Safari Club International convention. This is perhaps one of the world’s largest such gatherings, and it’s a grim affair. On offer will be more than 300 trophy hunts here in the […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Kitty Block: Coronavirus offers more proof why China needs to shut down live wild animal markets for good
January 27, 2020 – The Chinese wildlife trade is mired in long-held beliefs about the benefits of eating exotic and often endangered animals for good health. But the reality stands in stark contrast. The markets in China where live wild animals, including endangered species like pangolins, are bought and sold have often acted as petri […]
Posted inCalifornia
Court rules California's foie gras ban will stand
A federal judge has just shut down the latest challenge to California’s foie gras ban, in an important ruling that reaffirms the right of states to enact legislation that protects animals in agriculture. Today’s district court ruling is the latest in a long-running saga that began in 2004, when California passed a law to phase […]
Posted inLife
This Shark Week, help save sharks from cruelties like finning
July 30, 2019 – There was a time when sharks were routinely portrayed by popular media as aggressive and ruthless predators — animals to be afraid of and to avoid, or even worse, to kill. But today, with growing awareness and increasingly positive public attitudes toward these magnificent creatures, we know that sharks themselves are […]
Posted inLife
Congress moves to make horse soring a thing of the PAST
July 25, 2019 – We have terrific news to report in our long-running fight to protect Tennessee walking horses and related breeds from the cruel practice of soring. The House of Representatives has just approved a bill to end this heinous practice that allows violators to intentionally inflict pain on a horse’s legs or hooves, […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Kitty Block: Spain’s cruel bullfights have no place in the 21st century
July 17, 2019 – The annual running of the bulls at Pamplona has just come to a close in Spain, where I am traveling for work. With the San Fermin festival now over, the world can once more take account of the scores of bulls chased, tormented and killed for the most frivolous entertainment and […]
Posted inLife
Humane Society investigation shows plight of dogs in a laboratory being dosed with pesticides and drugs
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2019 – Update: This press release has been corrected. The original draft incorrectly named the University of Vermont as directly connected with these particular experiments. Today the Humane Society of the United States revealed the results of an undercover investigation at an animal testing laboratory where thousands of dogs are killed every year. The investigation reveals the […]
Posted inEnviro
Jail sentence for poacher who slaughtered hibernating mother bear and two newborn cubs in Alaska
Jan. 23, 2019 – A man who, along with his teenage son, mercilessly slaughtered a hibernating mother bear and her two newborn cubs in their den, and then lied about it, will serve time in jail for the gruesome crime that shocked Americans when it came to light last August. Andrew Renner was convicted of […]
Posted inEnviro
Bipartisan bills introduced in Congress to ban shark fin trade in U.S., end malicious cruelty to animals
Jan. 23, 2019 – The 116th Congress began work today on rooting out some of the worst forms of animal cruelty in the world, with House members reintroducing two important bipartisan bills. One would ban malicious acts of animal cruelty and bestiality, and the other would prohibit the destructive trade in shark fins within our […]
Posted inCalifornia
Supreme Court lets stand California, Massachusetts bans on cage confinement; foie gras ban
Jan. 8, 2019 – In a victory that will likely prevent significant suffering for millions of farm animals, the Supreme Court today snuffed out efforts by the factory farming lobby and associated interests to overturn landmark laws against cage confinement in California and Massachusetts, and a California ban on the sale of foie gras. The […]
Posted inLife
Historic victory as Florida voters approve Amendment 13 to end greyhound racing
TAMPA, Nov. 6, 2018—The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund and Doris Day Animal League are celebrating a tremendous victory in the campaign to end greyhound racing in Florida with the passage of Amendment 13. “Because of the decisions of millions of Florida voters, thousands of dogs will be spared the […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Kitty Block: Urgent Alert: Act now to stop cruel hunting methods to kill wolves, bears on national lands in Alaska
Oct. 30, 2018 – We need your help urgently to stop a proposal that would roll back an Obama-era regulation prohibiting cruel and controversial trophy hunting and predator control methods on 20 million acres of national preserve lands in Alaska. These practices, condemned by most Americans, include killing hibernating mother bears and their cubs with […]
Posted inEnviro
Unilever backs Humane Society International global effort to ban animal testing for cosmetics
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2018 —Today personal care giant Unilever has announced its support for Humane Society International’s #BeCrueltyFree campaign aimed at banning animal testing for cosmetics across the globe within five years. Unilever’s support includes an ambitious new collaboration aimed at accelerating regulatory acceptance of modern, non-animal approaches to consumer safety assessment. Unilever, known for […]
Posted inCalifornia
Los Angeles votes to ban fur; largest U.S. city to do so
Sept. 18 2018 – The Los Angeles City Council has just voted unanimously to ban the sale of fur within city limits, making this the largest American city to do so. San Francisco passed a similar ban earlier this year. Today’s historic vote in Los Angeles, which comes just days after fashion giant Burberry and […]