(CIRCUS ANIMALS) Following a six-year public campaign led by Animal Defenders International (ADI), Colombia announced a ban on wild animals in all circuses—traveling or stationary. The Colombian Congress passed Bill 244,2012 after the release of critical evidence of significant animal suffering, including scientific reviews and undercover investigations, collected by investigators from ADI. — Global Animal
(CAPTIVE DOLPHINS) Hooray for cetaceans! Late last week, India banned the exploitation of dolphins for entertainment purposes and is now the largest of four countries, including Costa Rica, Hungary, and Chile, to prohibit the practice. In many parts of the world, dolphin shows are big business—which begs the question: what compelled India to make this decision? Due to the dolphin’s high level of intelligence, Indian regulators have deemed the cetaceans as “non-human persons” with specific rights and freedoms. Read on for more about this compassionate piece of legislation, which is a major step in the right direction. — Global Animal
(CELEBRITY ACTIVISM) This past week, president of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Wayne Pacelle appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss Ag Gag bills. Both Pacelle and DeGeneres called attention to the horrors behind factory farming and asked viewers to recognize how Ag Gag laws would keep farming operations in the dark. If these bills are put into effect, both the treatment of animals and the quality of food could drastically deteriorate. Continue reading to find out more on what Ellen is doing to fight these Ag Gag bills. — Global Animal
(POLITICS) The federal government is implementing a new livestock identification program to streamline the process of tracking and investigating cases of disease in livestock. This new system will help agriculture and health officials track the transportation of animals and quickly establish quarantines and other preventative measures to control the spread of disease. Ranchers and farmers are expected to mostly use ID ear tags which will also benefit companies who want to be able to trace back where their food came from. Continue reading for more on the new federal legislation and one rancher’s response to this new program. — Global Animal
(HORSE SLAUGHTER) OKLAHOMA — For the first time since 2006, horse slaughter facilities will be coming back into business after a federal ban on the inhumane practice lapsed in 2011. On Friday, Governor Mary Fallin signed new legislation that would allow Oklahoma facilities to process and export horse meat. While numerous animal rights organizations are outraged by the plans to resume domestic horse slaughter, others—including horse rescuers and livestock associations—support the idea. Read on to learn more about the new legislation and let us know where you stand on the matter in the comments below. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL WELFARE) Michigan will soon allow its residents and visitors to interact with bear cubs after Republican Governor Rick Snyder approved a “bear cub petting zoo” bill on Tuesday. Originally called the Large Carnivore Act which prohibited people to have direct contact with carnivores, the amended measure will now permit the public to pet, hold, feed, and take pictures with bear cubs up to 36 weeks old and weighing up to 90 pounds. Fortunately, the measure only applies to businesses that already offer bear petting and will not lead to a spike in bear petting zoos across the state. However, it should be obvious the bill is neither safe for humans nor the cubs as it compromises animal welfare as well as public safety. Read on to learn about the reasons for the amended measure and watch the video below of visitors playing with bear cubs to judge for yourself. — Global Animal
(HORSES) For the first time since 2006, the U.S. is ready to begin the inhumane practice of slaughtering and exporting horses for human consumption. But the discovery of horse meat in beef products in several European countries over the past few months has led to a worldwide outcry by those against the killing of horses for meat, prompting lawmakers to take action. Last week, amid the widening horse meat scandal and the USDA’s announcement of a new horse slaughter facility in New Mexico, the nation’s leading animal welfare groups gathered with members of Congress on Capitol Hill to introduce the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, a new bill that would once again put an end to horse slaughter in the U.S. Read on to learn more about this potential umbrella ban and the ongoing dispute between ranchers, government officials, and animal rights activists. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL WELFARE) ENGLAND — Environment Secretary Owen Patterson of England has established a four year long badger cull and has issued local farmer’s a license to kill the species. Evidence shows that badgers help spread tuberculosis to cattle and Patterson believes the only solution is to execute 50,000 possibly infected badgers. Animal activists are protesting and local organizations are exploring alternative methods but the government will not entertain any other options. Continue reading to learn about England’s most recent genocide. — Global Animal
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