Category: North America

Another Chicken Activist’s Perspective on Federal Legal Protection for Hens

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ISSUES

by Paul Shapiro
Senior director of farm animal protection, Humane Society of the U.S.

In 1999, United Poultry Concerns rightly lauded the passage of the European Union’s law requiring a phase-in of better treatment of egg-laying hens by 2012, including a switch from barren battery cages to enriched colony cages.

“Europe Bans Battery Hen Cages” was the UPC newsletter’s headline,  with the article continuing that caging systems will be improved by reducing stocking density,  but that cage-free would have been better.  “Historic Day for Hens,”  continued another UPC headline about the EU announcement.  The article asserted,  “It is time for the United States and Canada to climb aboard,”   adding “The vote is a victory for the birds and for our struggle on their behalf in a country that,  to date,  accords to birds and to farmed animals no federal protection at all.” Read more

Failure of Armenian s/n program brings NYC success

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

NEW YORK CITY–Newly released New York City Center for Animal Care & Control shelter surrender numbers gave Companion Animal Network founder Garo Alexanian cause for celebration on February 4, 2012–and a message for Yerevan,  the capital city of Armenia.

“After five years of virtually unchanged numbers of dog and cat surrenders to the CACC,”  Alexanian said,  “the total dropped by 15%,”  or nearly 6,000 animals,  “during 2010,  the first full year that we operated our Low Cost Vet Mobile,  and fell another 9% in 2011,  our second full year.” Read more

Meat consumption falls 12.2% amid health concerns

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

CHICAGO-–“Americans will consume 12.2% less meat and poultry in 2012 than they did in 2007,”  the U.S. Department of Agriculture projected in December 2011.

Analysts ranging from the commodities trading firm CMI Group and the Daily Livestock Report mostly attributed falling meat consumption to higher feed grain prices, which have made meat and poultry more expensive.  Food writers,  however,  tended to note that the number of self-declared vegetarians in the U.S. has increased from 1% in 1971 to 3.4% in 2009. Read more

Westminster dog show drops Pedigree over pro-adoption ads

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

Westminster dog show drops Pedigree over pro-adoption ads

NEW YORK CITY— Mars Petcare U.S.,  maker of Pedigree brand dog food,  lost the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show television advertising contract to Nestle Purina Pet Care,  but won the publicity war after Westminster spokesperson David Frei on February 10,  2012 confirmed to Ben Walker of Associated Press that Pedigree was dropped for airing tear-jerking commercials that promoted shelter adoptions of mutts during the 2011 Westminster show. Read more

Seen as "normal" in U.S., "bully breed" attacks on wildlife raise concern in U.K.

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

Seen as “normal” in U.S.,  “bully breed” attacks on wildlife raise concern in U.K.

DENVER,  HONOLULU,  LONDON–KUSA/Denver television news anchor Kyle Dyer on February 8,  2012 suffered facial injuries requiring 70 stitches from an 85-pound Argentine mastiff named Gladiator Maximus,  called Max for short,  whom she was petting during a live interview with Lakewood,  Colorado firefighter Tyler Sugaski.  Sugaski two days earlier rescued Max after he fell through thin ice while chasing a coyote. Read more

Federal laying hen standards bill goes before Congress

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

Federal laying hen standards bill goes before Congress

WASHINGTON D.C.–Awaited for seven months,  a proposed federal law governing the care of laying hens was on January 23,  2012 introduced by Oregon Member of the House of Representatives Kurt Schrader.  Assigned bill number HR 3798,  the draft legislation results from a July 2011 pact between the Humane Society of the U.S. and United Egg Producers,  the largest trade association representing U.S. egg farmers.  Under the agreement,  HSUS withdrew ballot initiative campaigns seeking laying hen standards in Washington and Oregon,  in exchange for UEP collaboration in pursuit of a weaker federal standard which would govern the entire U.S. laying hen industry.

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NIH announces end of funding for buying cats from Class B dealers

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

NIH announces end of funding for buying cats from Class B dealers

WASHINGTON D.C.–-The National Institutes of Health on February 8,  2012 published notice that NIH grantees will be prohibited after October 1, 2012 “from using NIH funds to procure cats from USDA Class B dealers.  The procurement of cats may only be from USDA Class A dealers or other approved legal sources,”  the NIH said. Read more

U.S. Supreme Court overturns California law requiring downers to be euthanized

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2012:

U.S. Supreme Court overturns California law requiring downers to be euthanized

WASHINGTON D.C.— The U.S. Supreme Court on January 23,  2012 unanimously overturned a 2008 California law requiring slaughterhouses to immediately euthanize non-ambulatory livestock.

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Focused on the issue of federal primacy over state legislation,  the legal reasoning behind the 9-0 verdict signaled that the Supreme Court is likely to favor uniform national standards for livestock handling in any situation where state and federal law are perceived to be in conflict.  This could mean any situation in which states have adopted supplementary humane standards meant to address gaps in federal laws which were last updated by Congress several decades ago. Read more

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