This Week in Animal Protection

What’s it like to be a dog being experimented on in a laboratory? A cat in the kill room of an animal “shelter”? A cow in a slaughterhouse? A mouse on a glue trap? A deer being hunted? A pig on a factory farm?Animals have eyes and they see with them, the way we humans see with ours. They have ears and they hear with them; again, just like us. They have legs and they walk with them. They have mouths and they eat with them and so on. The idea that the eyes of animals see, the ears of animals hear, and

In this podcast, Jennifer and I have a conversation about rescuing animals in need of help and how we always seem to come across them when we are running late, on vacation, or simply take a wrong turn. Often, it starts with seeing something on the side of the road and one of us asking, “what was that?” before turning the car around to do what we call the “double check.”We also talk about how rescuers can feel isolated in a world that seems indifferent to the suffering of our fellow earthlings, like

In the podcast, Jennifer and I have a conversation about something awful that happened to us last week, and how sharing that awful story on social media resulted in something wonderful.While out for a walk with our dog Oswald, I came across several mice stuck on glue traps who had been dumped in a bag on the side of the road. Over two days, I would find a total of five mice. Two were dead, one was crying but had been sandwiched between two traps and had been partially stepped on, and he died shortly

From traditional body lotions, soaps, and household cleaning products to cheeses, butters, and veggie burgers, coconuts and their various derivatives (including coconut water, coconut oil, and coconut milk) are everywhere. Coconut-based ingredients can be found in almost all shampoos and conditioners, most cosmetics and household products, and many foods. They are especially prevalent in vegan foods. In 2020, the number of plant-based products increased 14% over the previous year. Growth of meat

Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control officers kick a dog who is being held down with a hard-wired noose around his neck. Although transparency helps keeps abuse in check, the Department is moving to eliminate it and it has the support of organizations like the ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society to do it.Some 200 dogs and cats have escaped Kabul, but not everyone is celebrating. For the second time in as many months, an investigation into abusive conditions at the Philadelphia

A dog in a filthy kennel at Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control.Shelters across the country are complaining that they are at overcapacity. A coalition in South Carolina has even declared a “state of emergency.” A spokesperson put it in stark terms: “The lives of thousands of animals in shelters across South Carolina are at stake.”While shelters are blaming the public by saying they are surrendering animals in droves, the data tells a very different story. Pet Point, a shelter

Prince celebrates his Gotcha Day! As more people turn to rescue and adoption and more shelters embrace progressive policies, this could be the story of every shelter animal in America. The AKC wants you to believe that a dog shortage has reached crisis proportions. A gender studies professor objects to helping disabled dogs and cats gain mobility. Raleigh, NC, criminalizes compassion for “feral” cats. There are no chickens in the new “chicken” nuggets for sale at the stadium of the San Francisco

Authorities found these conditions at an AKC “Breeder of Merit” only eight days after an AKC inspection found “everything was up to par.” The “Breeder of Merit” was charged with cruelty. If you believe the article in Axios, by Jennifer Kingson, America is in the grip of a great dog shortage. “Demand for pet dogs is far outstripping supply,” she writes, “and the imbalance is expected to worsen.” The way Kingson tells it: millions of Americans want to get a dog but can't find one. Unless we take