Animal Cruelty

Thumbs up to Rhode Island for enacting two critical measures to protect farm animals. The new laws ban the intensive confinement of veal calves and female breeding pigs and prohibit the inhumane tail-docking of cows.

"These two new measures are a significant step toward improving the lives of farm animals in Rhode Island, who all too often endure lives of agony and frustration on factory farms," says Suzanne McMillan, ASPCA Director of Farm Animal Welfare. "All animals, including those raised for food, deserve to be treated humanely."

S.2191/H.7180 prohibits two of the most horrible factory farming abuses: veal crates for calves and gestation crates for female breeding pigs. Veal calves and female breeding pigs on factory farms are often confined in crates so tiny that they are unable to lie down, stand up or turn around freely. Eight other states have already passed similar humane legislation, and 16 Rhode Island farms came forward in support of the state ban.

S.2192 prohibits the inhumane practice of "tail-docking" cows. This process involves the partial amputation—typically without pain killers—of up to two-thirds of a cow's tail. Despite claims from some in the dairy industry that tail docking is needed to help ensure cow cleanliness and udder health, the scientific evidence shows that tail docking creates no benefit to the cow or quality of milk produced. Instead, the practice causes cows pain and distress and often results in increased fly attacks. The American Veterinary Medical Association, theNational Milk Producers Federation, and numerous dairy industry representatives are highly critical of the practice and oppose routine tail docking of dairy cows.

"We thank Governor Chafee for protecting Rhode Island's animals from some of the worst factory farm abuses," says Debora Bresch, Esq., ASPCA Senior Director of Government Relations for the Eastern Region.

To help us fight for the passage of humane legislation in your state, please join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.  

Horse lovers across America can celebrate a big victory. The U.S. House Appropriations Committee just approved an amendment that will prevent taxpayer dollars from being used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to inspect U.S. horse slaughter facilities. By blocking this federal funding, the House has taken its first step to ensure that horse slaughter facilities cannot legally operate on U.S. soil. We will need your help to ensure this provision gets through the whole House and the Senate, so stay tuned for upcoming advocacy alerts.

While our current Congress has prided itself on reducing government spending, last year's agriculture funding bill actually omitted this provision—opening the U.S. market to the horse slaughter industry.

"Using taxpayer dollars to fund this abhorrent industry is a wildly unpopular decision," says Nancy Perry, ASPCA Senior Vice President of Government Relations. "At a time when funding for many vital programs is being cut, it is imperative that Congress not use $5 million of taxpayers' money to fund horse slaughter, a cruel practice that benefits only foreign interests."

Take Action!
Rep. Moran’s amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill protects American communities from the devastating environmental and economic impact of horse slaughter facilities, but the bill still has to pass the full House of Representatives. The House will vote on the bill on Tuesday, June 26. Please contact your U.S. representative today and urge him or her to pass the bill with the Moran Amendment intact and reject any attempts to fund horse slaughter during fiscal year 2013!

One-year-old Pit Bull Zelliewas just skin and bones when ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) Agents found her with no food or water. The neglected pup was shackled to a tree with a padlock attached to a short, heavy chain—and there was no escape for her. Not until we arrived.

Our Agents quickly rescued Zellie and transported her to the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in Manhattan for treatment. Weighing just 32 pounds, veterinarians determined that she was both starved and dehydrated.

This Saturday, Shakisha Codling, 31, was arrested by ASPCA Special Investigator Mark MacDonaldand charged with one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. If convicted, she faces up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. She is due in Queens Criminal Court on July 31.

As for Zellie? After receiving treatment by ASPCA staff, she now weighs 48 pounds—a 51 percent increase!  She is currently receiving lots of love and attention at the hospital and will eventually be made available for adoption.

Take Action!
If you suspect an animal may be the victim of neglect or abuse, please report it. Visit our Report Cruelty FAQ to learn how.

Guest blog post from Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations

Last month, I told you about soring in the Tennessee walking horse industry and the illegal infliction of pain on the feet of horses using chemicals and devices to create an exaggerated gait. We have raised this cruelty crisis with high level officials and urged the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide stronger regulation of this abusive industry. In recent weeks, we've redoubled our efforts to push for change, and we are starting to see a response.

New rules released today by the USDA take an important step toward eliminating these unethical and cruel practices. The rules make it mandatory for the industry groups responsible for monitoring shows to issue fines and suspensions to those caught soring horses. We applaud this move because we know that mandatory fines send a signal to trainers who profit from torturing horses that their abuse will no longer be treated as business as usual.

What Else is Needed to Stop This Cruelty?
Many horse advocates and USDA's own Inspector General all agree that self-inspection won’t get the job done. Violations must be uncovered in order for fines and suspensions to occur. Industry oversight doesn't work and continuing a system of industry self-policing is likely to perpetuate the same problems. The facts speak for themselves: Even though USDA inspectors attended only 8 to 10% of shows in 2011, they found over half of all violations reported. We cannot rely on the industry to report its own misdeeds.

While the new rules are a true sign of progress and deliver a clear message that violations will not to be tolerated, industry self-regulation is not the long-term solution. It's time for Congress to finally take the power out of the hands of criminals. Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade to use your voice for these underprotected animals.