Dancing Merengue Dog

This moment of levity courtesy of blog reader Bruce. Check out "el baile del perrito" (translation: little doggy dance). Thanks Bruce!

Illinois animal shelter slapped for improper euthanasia practices

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — The Jefferson County Animal Shelter in Mount Vernon, Ill. has been fined $10,000 by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation for improperly euthanizing animals.

Read more by Len Wells in the Evansville Courier & Press...

Anyone else watch the Emmys tonight?

That Temple Grandin movie really cleaned up, winning just about every award at the program. Not only did everyone who won thank Ms. Grandin (who was sitting in the audience), but at one point she was even on the stage herself accepting the best TV movie award right along with the cast and producers.

Am I the only one who was just sickened when that movie came out? It is bad enough the whole livestock industry thinks her perverse theories are the best thing since sliced bread (or perhaps make that sliced roast beef...). Now it seems that all of Hollywood (and thanks to Hollywood, all of the U.S.) is buying into it too. Shudder.

A couple of new animal law suits in the news...

Jennifer Edwards of the Animal Law Center is challenging Denver's 20-year-old pit bull ban on behalf of an Operation Desert Storm veteran and his pit bull service dog...

...while Calley Gerber of North Carolina's Animal Law Center (not related, to the best of my knowledge) is bringing a veterinary malpractice suit against the North Carolina State Veterinary Teaching Hospital on behalf of the family of a Jack Russell Terrier named Laci.

Anybody have a garbage pail for Mary Bale?

Ok, I don't normally advocate violence but if someone happens to stuff this woman in a garbage container for 15 hours, well... it might be fun.

For anyone who hasn't seen this truly despicable video yet, here's a link to the CBS News story.

The Ghost of Oreo

The controversial and disturbing ending to this dog's also-disturbing life continues to cause rifts in the animal welfare/rights and legal communities.

Michael Mountain, formerly of Best Friends, penned this blog commentary recently in "Zoe - It's Our Nature".

Massive egg recall opens window on inhumane farming

I haven't posted anything yet on the increasingly sweeping U.S. egg recall (more than 1/2 billion now!), since the recall itself is really basically a food safety issue.

However, I thought this Canadian Globe and Mail commentary by reporter Jessica Leeder offered a brief but worthwhile animal welfare - and non-U.S. - perspective to this concerning story.

Animal welfare takes a step backward in Australia

One local government has overturned a 10-year ban on the use of animals in circuses. The RSPCA and other animal welfare groups are denouncing the decision, according to Jennie Curtin of the Sydney Morning Herald....

Utah Police Department settles suit by animal-rights activists for $15,368

The Unified Police Department has agreed to pay more than $15,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by animal-rights advocates who said their constitutional rights were violated when they were forced to end a demonstration in May.

Read the rest of Pamela Manson's article in The Salt Lake Tribune...

Airline says heat may be factor in 7 puppy deaths

FORT WORTH, Texas — Heat might have killed seven puppies that died in the cargo hold of an American Airlines jet this month.

American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said Tuesday that necropsies on the puppies were inconclusive but found that heat "may have been a factor."

David Koenig reports for The Associated Press...

9th Circuit puts same-sex marriage on hold during appeal

Same-sex marriages are on hold in California at least until December according to a panel of federal judges today. The decision was disappointing to scores of gay couples who were already lining up to tie the knot - although at least one legal expert believes the ruling could actually work in their favor. The latest in this important legal battle is being reported by media all over the globe; here's one article close to home from today's Los Angeles Times.

Meantime, however, gay rights seems to be advancing in other parts of the world as a Mexican court upholds a gay adoption law and a German court rules an inheritance tax that disadvantages gay couples is unconstitutional.

A couple of interesting commentaries...

... in the Sydney Morning Herald late this week.

Check out: This little piggy went to market and Sense and sensibility about our fellow sentient creatures.

International Animal Law

A bunch of new articles are up on Ian Robertson's blog; check them out at International Animal Law.

Federal judge overturns California's ban on same-sex marriage!

Yeah!

Click here for an early New York Times article - one of more than 1,000 that have already been written on this decision!

Today's laugh... courtesy of blog reader Bruce (thanks again!)

(Click to enlarge - when I tried to post it in a larger size, it cut off the punchline.)

Is There More in Your Burger Than Meat?

Not a bad little commentary by Christina Pirello in today's Huffington Post...