A Good Week for Animals

This week was a good week for animal protection and welfare.

First, the Interior Dept announced that polar bears would be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. This listing closes the loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act which allowed trophy hunters to kill polar bears for sport. Pigs. But I digress. Now if we could get some strong legislation to address global warming then we'll really be helping these majestic creatures. Their hunting grounds are rapidly disappearing.

Second, the HSUS reached a settlement with the publisher of animal fighting magazine "The Gamecock" that ads for illegal fighting animals and accouterments will be excluded from publication. Another part of the settlement was that the magazine would not be sold on Amazon until the publication was in compliance for one year. I can't believe that Amazon would allow this magazine to be sold via its site, really. I understand the first amendment issue but why would Amazon allow the sale of a magazine that promotes an illegal and atrocious activity.

Finally, yesterday the Senate overrode the president's veto of the Farm Bill, which brings guarantees more protection for animals here and abroad. The Farm Bill bans the import of puppies from foreign puppy mills, makes any form of animal fighting a federal felony and has greatly increased the allowable fines for Animal Welfare Act violations. Yea!