This Week in Animal Protection

News and headlines for the weeks of August 2 and August 9, 2021

“Living on the streets, Pihu had suffered spinal injuries and infections so bad that both hind legs had to be amputated.” She now lives in the U.S. with the American tourist who brought her home. Because a recent CDC importation ban threatens other dogs like Pihu who need help, Congress is working on legislation to undo the ban.

The Austin, TX, animal shelter was forced to rescind its policy prohibiting rescuers from criticizing inhumane practices at the animal shelter and allowing the shelter to deny rescue of an animal “at any time for any reason.” A Federal Court ruled that the California Department of Food and Agriculture acted illegally when it told a vegan company that it could not call its products vegan butter, plant-based cheese, and plant-based milk. Manatee County, FL, banned the retail sale of commercially-bred dogs and cats in pet stores. A family is despondent after staff at the Philadelphia pound broke their dog’s jaw and then killed him. Employees of Nova Southern University in Florida were told that they would be fired if they fed community cats on campus. Stamford, CT, made it illegal to tether dogs for long periods of time. Acting like they have never met a cat, researchers expressed shock that when given the choice of free food sitting on a tray or food in a puzzle that requires the cats to work for it, pet cats prefer to eat from the tray for free. A CBS News exposé on the ASPCA found corruption in its fundraising. Meanwhile, another ASPCA transport van has had an accident, resulting in a number of animals losing their lives. In a race to the bottom, a number of critical race/queer theory professors are legitimizing bestiality. The number of communities placing over 95% and as high as 99% of the animals is increasing. And the U.S. Congress is set to undo a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ban on the importation of dogs from over 100 countries.

These are some of the stories making headlines in animal protection:

• After The No Kill Advocacy Center objected, the Austin, TX, animal shelter rescinded a policy that prohibited rescuers from criticizing inhumane practices at the animal shelter and allowed the shelter to deny rescue of an animal “at any time for any reason.” The No Kill Advocacy Center called the repeal a victory for free speech and animal protection.

• In another victory for free speech, a Federal Court ruled that the California Department of Food and Agriculture acted illegally when it told a vegan company that it could not call its products vegan butter, plant-based cheese, and plant-based milk.

• Manatee County, FL, banned the retail sale of commercially-bred dogs and cats in pet stores. The new law encourages adoption and rescue, educates the public about abuse at puppy and kitten mills, and stops that abuse.

• “I was screaming, I was crying, and I didn’t understand.” A family is despondent after staff at the pound in Philadelphia broke their dog’s jaw and then killed him.

• Employees of a Florida University were told that “if you are feeding cats on our campus, STOP doing so. Failure to abide by this request, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal (loss of employment) from Nova Southeastern University.” The policy is regressive and cruel, especially from a University.

• Stamford, CT, made it illegal to tether dogs for long periods of time. The law is “designed to protect our dogs from being chronically tethered outside without anyone with them, subject to isolation and the elements for hours on end.”

• Researchers at the University of California at Davis were shocked that when given the choice of free food sitting on a tray or food in a puzzle that requires the cats to work for it, pet cats prefer to eat from the tray for free. It is almost like they have never met a cat.

• A CBS News exposé on the ASPCA found that the organization misleads people across the country into donating because they think they run or fund the local shelter. Instead, the ASPCA funnels most of the money back into fundraising and to exorbitant management salaries, with the CEO making over $800,000 per year.

• Four animals were killed, seven remain missing, and the driver and passenger of the van both injured (the driver severely) when an ASPCA van crashed head-on into a median. Tragically, it is not the first time animals have been killed while the ASPCA was transporting them. 

• In a race to the bottom, a number of critical race/queer theory professors are legitimizing bestiality.

The number of communities placing over 95% and as high as 99% of the animals is increasing:

• Rio Blanco County, CO, reported a 99% placement rate for dogs and 100% for cats. It is part of the most exclusive club in the movement: those placing 99%+.

• Fulton County, IN, reported a 100% placement rate for dogs and 97% for cats. For dogs, it, too, is part of the most exclusive club in the movement.

• The shelter that serves both San Miguel County and Ouray County, CO, reported a 97% placement rate for dogs and 98% for cats.

• Eagle County, CO, reported a 97% placement rate for dogs and 95% for cats.

• Teller County, CO, reported a 98% placement rate for dogs and 97% for cats.

These shelters and the data nationally prove that animals are not dying in pounds because there are too many or too few homes or people don’t want the animals. They are dying because people in those pounds are killing them. Replace those people, implement the No Kill Equation, and we can be a No Kill nation today.

And, finally, the U.S. recently imposed a one year dog import ban from 113 countries deemed “high risk” for rabies. The CDC, however, has not identified an increase in dog-to-human rabies transmission and there are other ways to protect against rabies without a total ban. Meanwhile, members of the armed forces are complaining about not being able to bring home dogs they befriended while serving abroad. “Several soldiers said the ban… will most likely force them to say goodbye to the dogs they formed bonds with on deployment — dogs like Pepper, who was skin and bones when she was found three months ago by a U.S. soldier on patrol in Jordan.” In addition, the ban is impacting dogs needing rescue from the meat trade. Thankfully, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to a federal spending bill to “give the CDC capacity for a rabies screening program to protect dogs in America while allowing for the importation of dogs stranded abroad.” The bipartisan bill cleared the House on a voice vote and is likewise expected to pass in the Senate.