Google avoids accountability despite “profiting from animal abuse”
News and headlines for June 1 - 7, 2024
In other news: The Texas Rangers are investigating abuse at the Marlin Animal Shelter. Google avoids accountability despite “profiting from animal abuse.” The federal government continues harming chimps. Communities are looking for someone to run their animal shelters. A state trooper escapes punishment for running over a horse. Millions of chickens killed by fire and flu on factory farms. There’s little evidence that dogs are biting more people, despite alarmist headlines to the contrary.
These are some of the stories making headlines in animal protection:
Texas Rangers are investigating abuse at the Marlin Animal Shelter
After dogs died of starvation last January, and others were living in filth on the verge of death in the Marlin, TX, dog pound, residents called for the arrest of the Marlin police chief, city manager, and animal control officer who oversee the facility.
Marlin’s mayor promised accountability but failed to deliver. And a promised investigation by the Falls County Sheriff’s Office has not materialized. Sheriff Joe Lopez said that the dogs were not a priority. However, after meeting with Marlin residents in February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was reviewing the case. He told a local news reporter that “the Marlin Animal Shelter investigation is now one of his top priorities.” Marlin residents asked that he order the Texas Rangers to investigate and hold corrupt local law enforcement accountable, including imprisoning them.
It has been several months, but at long last, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirms that “The Texas Rangers are currently investigating alleged violations involving the Marlin Animal Control Facilities” and that “The investigation is active and ongoing.”
Google avoids accountability despite “profiting from animal abuse”
A lawsuit against Google to force it “to do more to keep videos of animal abuse off its YouTube streaming platform” failed. As reported earlier, plaintiffs “alerted YouTube to 2,000 videos [depicting animal cruelty] with a combined 1.2 billion views, but… roughly 70% of the videos remained live…” According to the lawsuit, even though animal abuse is illegal, Google profits from animal abuse videos by placing ads alongside them.