AWI Quarterly » 2011 Summer

It took three tries for the pilot to land in Barrow, Alaska in the heavy fog. To the native Iñupiat, Barrow is known as Ukpeaġvik (or Utqiaġvik), which means "place to hunt snowy owls." I came to the top of the world to learn about Iñupiat culture, bowhead whales, and to strengthen the bridge between the Animal Welfare Institute and native Alaskan whalers.

After almost two years and tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, the Government Accountability Office (GAO ) has released its report, HORSE WELFARE: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter with two contradictory recommendations: restore horse slaughter or ban horse slaughter outright.

A recent study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases reported wide contamination of meat with strains of drug-resistant bacteria.

On March 11, an earthquake and subsequent tsunami destroyed entire communities on the coast of northeastern Japan, killing over 15,000 people.

Livestock producers throughout the world can be negatively impacted by stock losses due to predators and wildlife-transmitted diseases.

Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have reintroduced a bill to ban horse slaughter.

While it has been necessary to fend off numerous attacks on animal welfare in state legislatures this year (See Spring 2011 AWI Quarterly), there have also been positive developments benefitting animals.