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Senator Robert Dole (R-KS), who died in December at age 98, was a steadfast and skilled advocate of federal protection for animals.

The 44^th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) was held virtually July 16-31.

Scientists and wildlife conservationists are baffled by the sudden malaise plaguing hundreds of pelicans along the California coast this winter.

The viability of 89 family-owned organic dairy farms in the Northeast is now in jeopardy following an announcement by Horizon Organic, the world’s largest organic dairy brand, that it will be dropping these farms as suppliers.

The victim was caught out of trapping season and appeared to have been in the trap for days. The trap lacked required identification, and did not catch a furbearing animal, the brutal device’s typical intended target.

Six people and 14 rare okapi at a conservation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were brutally murdered June 24 by mai mai rebels. The killings occurred in retaliation against staff at the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature for thwarting the rebels’ elephant poaching operations in the region. Two guards, the wife of one of the guards, and three civilians were among the dead.

In August, Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly stated that—to alleviate what he claimed was a horse overpopulation problem—the government of the Navajo Nation would support rounding up, selling, and slaughtering wild horses from Navajo lands, as well as the planned opening of a horse slaughterhouse in Roswell, New Mexico. 

In many cities, horse-drawn carriages are seen as tourist attractions, evoking nostalgic images of days gone by.

The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union (EU), has conditionally banned horse meat imported from Mexico due to food safety concerns. The ban took effect on January 15, 2015.

Nearly 50 years ago, Congress passed the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to protect horses from the abusive practice of soring, which involves intentionally inflicting pain on the animal’s legs to produce an exaggerated high-stepping gait for competiti

On June 23, both the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (HR 3355) and the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (HR 5441) were unanimously approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee

During the COVID-19 crisis, equine rescues across the country are contending with dwindling supplies, support, and income.

The issue of ending horse slaughter continues to resonate with Congress.

Yet another trailer crammed with horses on their way to slaughter has crashed, and this time the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has stepped in to see that the company responsible loses its wheels—at least for now. DOT ordered Three Angels Farms of Tennessee to cease all transportation operations following their second deadly crash in six months, both involving horses bound for slaughter.

There is now a Senate version of the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (S. 541), thanks to Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Like its House companion (H.R. 1094), this legislation would ban horse slaughter operations in the United States, end the current export of American horses for slaughter abroad, and protect the public from consuming toxic horse meat.

In 2007, the slaughter of horses on US soil came to an end when a court ruling upheld a Texas law banning horse slaughter, and similar legislation was passed in Illinois. However, failure by the US Congress to pass legislation banning horse slaughter means that American horses are still being slaughtered for human consumption abroad. Tens of thousands are shipped to Mexico and Canada annually, where they are killed under barbaric conditions so their meat can continue to satisfy the palates of overseas diners in countries such as Italy, France, Belgium and Japan.

In July, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure unanimously approved the Horse Transportation Safety Act (H.R. 305). This bill would make it illegal to haul horses in trailers with two levels, one stacked on top of the other.