U.S. will back bid to win Appendix II CITES protection for sharks and rays

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2013:

WASHINGTON D.C.–– U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director
Dan Ashe on February 26, 2013 told media that the U.S. will endorse
proposals to restrict traffic in the fins of porbeagle, scalloped
hammerhead, great hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, and oceanic whitetip
sharks, and in the gill plates of manta rays.
If approved by the 16th triennial meeting of the 177-nation
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Bangkok in
March, the five shark species and manta rays will be uplisted to CITES
Appendix II status. The listing proposals must be approved by
two-thirds of the national delegations in attendance. Trade in Appendix
II species is permitted but regulated to ensure species survival. Trade
is prohibited for Appendix I species.

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Big Cat Rescue wins $953,000 judgement against traveling exhibitor

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

TAMPA,  Fla––U.S. District Court Judge Mary Stenson Scriven on February 8,  2013 ruled that Oklahoma wildlife exhibitor Joe Schreibvogel,  doing business as Entertainment Group.  Inc. and G.W. Exotic Memorial Animal Foundation, has since 2010 infringed on copyrights and trademarks belonging to Big Cat Rescue,  of Tampa,  Florida,  by using photos belonging to Big Cat Rescue and a logo similar to that of Big Cat Rescue to promote his shows under the name “Big Cat Rescue Entertainment.”  Scriven at the same time dismissed counterclaims filed by Schreibvogel.  Scriven awarded Big Cat Rescue damages of $653,000 plus $300,000 for legal expenses.       Read more

Farm animal cruelty convictions lead to “ag-gag” laws rather than reform

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

Farm animal cruelty convictions lead to “ag-gag” laws rather than reform

RALEIGH,  N.C.,  BOISE,  Idaho––Former Butterball employees Terry Johnson and Billy McBride were on February 24,   2013 convicted of abusing turkeys at a farm  in Shannon,  North Carolina,  in 2011.

 “Johnson and McBride join Butterball workers Brian Douglas and Ruben Mendoza,  who were convicted in 2012 of criminal cruelty to animals arising out of the same investigation,”  said Mercy for Animals founder Nathan Runkle.  Mercy for Animals conducted the undercover video investigation that led to the charges. Read more

Chicago hunting radio show host blames feral cats for decline of bobwhite quail

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

CHICAGO––Feral cat neuter/return advocates are apprehensive of an ongoing study of the ecological effects of feral cats,  funded by the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation,  after foundation president and WGN radio hunting program host Charlie Potter blamed feral cats for a continent-wide decline of bobwhite quail. Read more

Inflated cat stats panic birders

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

WASHINGTON D.C.––Inflating the U.S. pet cat population by ten million,  the outdoor pet cat population by closer to 50 million,  and the best documented estimates of the feral cat population by up to 64 million,  Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute ornithologists Scott Loss and Peter Marra and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Tom Will on January 29,  2013 alleged in the journal Nature Communications that domestic cats in the U.S. kill up to 3.7 billion birds and as many as 20.7 billion mice,  voles,  and other small mammals. Read more

Bureau of Land Management introduces new wild horse roundup policies

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

RENO,  Nevada––The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on February 1,  2013 issued new policy directives governing wild horse roundups.

“At all times,  the care and treatment provided by the BLM and contractors will be characterized by compassion and concern for the animal’s well-being and welfare,”  ordered BLM assistant director for renewable resources and planning Edwin Roberson. Read more

Ousted In Defense of Animals executive director takes dossier to state attorney general’s office

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

Ousted In Defense of Animals executive director takes dossier to state attorney general’s office

SAN RAFAEL,  California––Four executive directors and founder Elliot Katz have left the top management position at In Defense of Animals since 2009.  Joe Haptas, the IDA executive director since July 2012,  was suspended by the board on February 9,  2013,  and responded on February 12,  2013 by demanding the resignations by 6:00 p.m. of the entire board of directors––Natalie Kaminki,  attorney Michael Yadegari,  and Marilyn Kroplick,   the child and geriatric psychiatrist who has served as board president since November 2011. Read more

New adoption center gives embattled Fresno humane community a point of pride

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  March 2013:

New adoption center gives embattled Fresno humane community a point of pride

FRESNO,  Calif.––Celebrating a rare “good news for animals” event in a city which has had little to celebrate,  the Cat House on the Kings and the Petco Foundation on February 15,  2013 together opened a new 1,500-square-foot adoption center inside the Fresno Petco store.

Founded in 1990 by Lynea Lattanzio of Parlier,  in rural Fresno County alongside the Kings River,  the Cat House on the Kings is the oldest and most successful of many local “no-kill” organizations trying to knock down a rate of animal control dog and cat killing which––though less than half of what it was 10 years ago––remains among the highest in the U.S.,  more than three times the current national average. Read more

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