Animal Rights Victories in 2010

Posted by Veggywood on Saturday, January 1, 2011 · 2 Comments

Great strides were again made in the world of animal rights this year. Celebrate some of the 2010 milestones and feel good that you contributed by caring about suffering of animals used for food, entertainment, research and clothing (and unfortunately much more). When you see all of these victories listed like this, it really drives home the point that “a [once] small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.”

Thanks to HSUS and PETA where I got most of this information.
Check out the HSUS Year End Video HERE
Check out the PETA Year End Video HERE

Massachusetts passed “Logan’s Law” banning the devocalization of dogs and cats.
Missouri passes Prop B, historic legislation to establish a basic level of care for large scale commercial dog breeding facilities. Missouri is home to an estimated 3,000 puppy mills breeding hundreds of thousands of puppies, far more than any other state in the country.
Arizona votes rejected Proposition 109, a referendum that would have amended the Arizona Constitution to give the legislature “exclusive” authority over wildlife issues while seeking to also forbid citizens from initiating statutory petitions. Prop 109 also would have threatened voter rights regarding the initiative process when it came to inhumane and unethical wildlife treatment.
H.R. 5566 the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010 was signed into law in December. The statute immediately bans the creation and distribution of obscene animal torture videos that show the intentional crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating and impaling of puppies, kittens and other live animals for the titillation of viewers. Championed by Reps. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., the legislation had overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.
Shark Conservation Act (HR 81) was given final congressional approval in December. The legislation that will increase protection for sharks from the cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning – cutting the fins off a shark and tossing the mutilated live animal back into the ocean to die.
The Truth in Fur Labeling Act (H.R. 2480), an important bipartisan bill to protect consumers and animals, passed the House of Representatives in July and the Senate in early December. The bill will bring much-needed accuracy and disclosure to fur products.
Pennsylvania passes S.B. 1200 that allows the state to join the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, a nationwide law enforcement network that aims to prevent wildlife criminals who have lost their hunting privileges in one member state from hunting in another. Pennsylvania will join 35 other states in the Compact, including neighboring New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.
H.R. 305, the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009, passed by the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee— will vastly improve the welfare of horse transport in the United States.
Historic decision made by the Catalan Parliament to ban bullfighting. Although only 50,000 signatures were needed to force a parliamentary vote, more than 180,000 Catalonian citizens signed the initiative calling for a bullfighting ban.
Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois for signed multiple important animal protection and public safety measures. The bills prohibit the private ownership of primates as pets (H.B. 4801( and require the addition of a bitter flavor agent to antifreeze and engine coolant sold in the state in order to prevent poisoning of children and animals (H.B. 4722). Also, H.B. 5772 will require that pet shops disclose information about the origin of the dogs and cats they sell.
Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire for signs the Greyhound Protection Act into law that will ban the sport in that state.
A deal struck among The HSUS, Ohioans for Humane Farms, Ohio agriculture leaders and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland will lead to major animal welfare improvements in Ohio on a raft of issues.
The New York state Senate unanimously passed legislation to strengthen the state law against animal fighting
A key vote in the U.S. Senate upholds the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to address climate change.
The Louisiana legislature for overwhelmingly passes a bill to crack down on cruel mass dog-breeding facilities.
Minnasota lawmakers passed S.F. 2990, prohibiting the possession of drugs and implements used in animal fighting. Lawmakers also passed S.F. 2437, providing victims of domestic violence relief from abusers who threaten to harm their pets. S.F. 133, which would have urged Congress to oppose federal legislation to stop the slaughter of American horses for human consumption, was stopped.
Arizona legislators passed a bill that includes protections for human and animal survivors of domestic violence.
Florida legislature for unanimously approves a bill to address the trade in certain dangerous reptiles as pets, as well as a bill to protect Florida horses from slaughter
Alaska state lawmakers for pass legislation to make the most egregious acts of cruelty to animals a felony on the first offense.
The federal Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act. SJR 22, passed by a 27-7 vote in the California Senate, extends support for the federal bill that would prohibit the long-distance transport and slaughter of American horses for human consumption.
Members of the UK Parliament signed a motion calling on the government to support increased protection for polar bears.
West Hollywood city council passed an ordinance to prohibit retail sales of dogs and cats at pet stores.
NASA has grounded plans for a $1.75 million study in which dozens of squirrel monkeys would have been exposed to a harmful dose of radiation.
Lufthansa Airlines announced a new policy prohibiting the transport of dogs and cats to laboratories.
A horrifying video of an employee at Conklin Dairy Farm in Ohio brought the abuse of animals raised for food to national attention. Amazingly, while the employee was charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty, the owner of the farm escaped unscathed. While not a victory of course per se, the incident did bring worldwide attention to farm animal cruelty…even though it happens every day, and the Conklin incident was far from an aberration.