Law frees 80 million hens from battery life

Farmers have freed more than 80 million hens from especially cruel and cramped lives in one of the most significant changes to animal welfare legislation in decades: the end of battery cages.

But while almost all British egg producers will be compliant with the new European Union-wide law - which will ban the keeping of egg-laying hens in barren battery cages from this Sunday - many European countries will continue to keep battery hens.

Read more in the New Zealand Herald...

Emotional issue of slaughtering horses returns

Out of the spotlight for years, the gut-wrenching debate over slaughtering horses for human consumption is moving back to center stage.

Last month, what was effectively a ban on operating a company engaged in that practice was lifted. But Congress already is crafting a bill, called the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, that would outlaw the practice again.

Read the rest of the article in the San Antonio Express-News...

There oughta be a law

Commentary from Pork Magazine on the development of animal law (not surprisingly, the author is skeptical)...

Should Animals Be Considered People?

A lengthy feature piece on animal law in Miller-McCune today. Not a bad piece, but a few of the author's turns-of-phrase seem to give away her own viewpoints.

For example, in characterizing Steve Wise's efforts to gain at least some fundamental rights for some animals she writes: "Welfare laws notwithstanding, unless they are “legal persons,” to Wise they have no rights at all in the eyes of the law and therefore their lives don’t count." Similarly, after describing his first veterinary malpractice suit the author writes: "Wise found satisfaction in suing for damages."

You can read the Miller-McCune article for yourself...

What a Dog Does When It's Cold

Once again, absolutely nothing to do with law whatsoever... but this video from www.lifewithdogs.tv sure is cute...

Animal Rights Activists Challenge 2006 Federal Law

A group of animal rights activists sued the U.S. government Thursday to challenge the constitutionality of a rarely used law they say treats them like terrorists if they cause a loss in profits for businesses that use or sell animal products.

Read more from the Associated Press...

Good news for research chimps (mostly...)

Even the National Institutes of Health may finally... if not somewhat grudgingly... be coming around to the view that it is not necessary to chimpanzees in research.

NPR reports...

Cagebreak! Rats Will Work To Free A Trapped Pal

A new study shows that rats actually are empathetic and will altruistically lend a helping paw to a cage mate who is stuck in a trap.

Check out this fascinating story on NPR...

Dog rescues kittens discarded in a cat food bag

Been traveling... sorry it took me a few days to post this and it's been all over the internet already but...

More proof that animals not only think, but have the capacity for empathy. Iowa CBS affiliate WHO-TV has the story of Reagan, the hero dog...

Nothing biblical in factory farming

A thoughtful editorial by Nobel prize-winning author J.M. Coetzee (probably known to readers of this blog for his book "The Lives of Animals", although that is not specifically the work for which he received the prize) today (or guess yesterday by now, in Australia).

Coetzee was born in South Africa but moved to Australia as an adult and became an Australian citizen about five years ago. He has been a long-time vocal critic of apartheid, became outspoken on the issue of anti-terrorism laws after 911 and recently began speaking out against animal cruelty and in favor of animal rights as well.

Check out his editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald...

Bear Hunt Protests Go To Court

Does anybody know how today's court date went? Here is the Wall Street Journal article from early this morning.

Please bear with me... this oughta be good for $10 off my next order... (hey, at least I haven't monetized the blog, right?)

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Captive orca could test Endangered Species Act

Forty years after hunters lassoed a young killer whale off Whidbey Island and sold it to a Florida theme park, whale advocates are turning to an unusual tactic to try to force the orca's release: the Endangered Species Act.

In a move legal experts said could have significant implications for other zoos and aquariums, animal-rights activists recently sued the federal government, arguing that the law may require Lolita, the killer whale who still performs at the Miami Seaquarium, be reunited with pod members in the Northwest because Puget Sound's southern resident orcas were listed as endangered in 2005.

Read more in The Seattle Times...

Horse Slaughter to Resume in the U.S.?

Horses could soon be butchered in the U.S. for human consumption after Congress quietly lifted a 5-year-old ban on funding horse meat inspections, and activists say slaughterhouses could be up and running in as little as a month.

The Associated Press has the story...

...and thanks to Professor Doug Powell of Barfblog for the heads-up here.