Animal Breaking News

Like a collapsing house of cards, fur products are falling by the wayside of society. In recent years cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Berkeley have banned the sale of fur products. Then this past month California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a fur ban that which will outlaw residents of the state from selling or making clothing, shoes or handbags with fur starting in 2023.

Visit these links for more information:

Humane Society of the United States

ABC News

California will now outlaw the sale of fur products derived from animals. In addition, the governor signed a bill to outlaw wild animals used in circuses and another bill to protect wild horses. For more details listen to today's podcast. Also click the links below for more information.

https://www.apnews.com/b242a32170924a1796e46bbfe3de2bb1

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-is-first-state-to-ban-the-sale-of-fur-14517156.php

Thirty-two horses have died at the Santa Anita Horse Racing track and the annual Breeders Cup is slated to take place there in November. 

With this episode, Animal Breaking News is changing our format to provide more commentary above and beyond the headlines and news stories about animals. The horse racing industry is a blood-sport and nothing can hide that fact. Ironically the race track staff quickly placed a green screen to shield the horror scene of the dying three-year-old horse name Emtech, as he struggled to gain footing despite two broken legs. 

Click the links below to learn more about this story and actions you might consider regarding advocating for animals:

Breeders Cup on Wikipedia

USA Today story: Emtch breaks down on home stretch at Santa Anita

'Enough is enough' California Governor calls halt at Santa Anita Horse Racing Track (Time Magazine)

James Cromwell: Watch my disturbing horse racing video (PETA)

Airbnb has partnered with World Animal Protection to create recommendations of ethical animal experiences for their travelers and clients. Please click on the link below to read the full article and enjoy its many links. Thank you to Conde Nast Traveler and writer Meredith Carey for publishing this important story.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/airbnb-is-launching-ethical-animal-experiences

Animal advocacy groups are in disagreement over the recent passage of $35 million that will be used to control populations of wild horses and burros on US public lands. Click the links below to read the statements by the Humane Society of the United States, Return to Freedom and the American Wild Horse Campaign.

HSUS

Return to Freedom

American Wild Horse Campaign

The Cloud Foundation

Animal Wellness Action

For those of you who have been following the story of Hillary the donkey who was stuck alone on an island in a lake in California, we have good news! She has been successfully rescued from the island and is now living at Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue in Texas. Listen to this podcast to hear the story of her amazing rescue. For animals, happy endings these days are few and far between, so Hillary's story could not come at a better time. We wish to thank Judy Bluhm for writing the story of Hillary's rescue. For the full story, click the link below.

https://www.verdenews.com/news/2019/sep/21/around-bluhmin-town-we-can-all-agree-saving-hillar/

The Nonhuman Rights Project has represented Beulah, Minnie and Karen - all elephants owned by the Commorford Zoo in Connecticut. She was 54 years old. A necropsy revealed she died of a heart-attack. As we went to press, Karen, another elephant locked up at this same zoo, also passed away. She too was a client of the Nonhuman Rights Project. For more information on these stories please visit the Western Mass Fox News:

https://www.westernmassnews.com/news/details-emerge-into-lawsuit-over-commerford-elephants/article_a484d872-dabb-11e9-8ed9-c7098ab98a8a.html

And the Non-Human Rights Project

The USDA under the Trump Administration has created a rules change that will allow workers in slaughterhouses to kill pigs faster, a process that concerns members of congress, animal and labor groups. Today's podcast is from Kitty's Blog on A Humane World, written by Kitty Bock and Sara Amundson from the Humane Society of the United States. To read the blog click the link below:

https://blog.humanesociety.org/2019/09/breaking-news-usda-eliminates-speed-limits-for-killing-pigs-at-slaughterhouses.html

Animal groups are warning the public that the animals used in a wildlife exhibit should not exist for human entertainment. To learn more visit this link: 

https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2019/09/13/activists-protest-wild-animals-display-lodi-grape-festival/

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA and Social Compassion for Legislation are celebrating today the passage of SB 313 the Circus Cruelty Prevention Act banning the use of wild animals in circuses. Click the link below to see the press release authored by PETA. 

https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/californias-animal-circus-ban-bill-passes-peta-scil-celebrate/

Click this link for an article in the Los Angeles Times:

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-11/california-exotic-animals-circus-ban-bill